▬「:CHAPTER ⊹ T E N ▫ ▪

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        sugar and spice . day and night . white and black . sweet and sour . present and absent . hot and cold . shy and bold . love and hate 
              ⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯BITTER && SWEET⋯⋯

“Look, Yun Hee… if you have any problems, just tell us,” Em said with a frown.

Yun Hee turned to her with a smile, a bit confused though. “What?”

“... Drugs are bad, okay? Whatever you’re smoking or-”

“I am not high!”

“Could’ve fooled me… You’ve been staring up at the sky grinning like a maniac,” Em said, pointing out at the snow. “I mean, look around properly, will you?!”

Yun Hee did and saw the white snow falling. The ground was covered in thin sheets of the cold weather and the trees had already lost their leaves and were now covered in white as well. Another bright smile lit her face at the beautiful scenery.

The smile creeped her sister out. “How can you be happy that the world is dead and covered in wannabe ice?” Em asked in a disgusted tone.

Her bright smile turned into a frown. “Why do you have to say it like that…?”

“Am I wrong?”

“The world isn’t dead… once spring comes, everything changes back to the way they were once before and then it repeats… You can’t really say the world is dead… I would say it’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping like a dead log.” Em muttered before hugging her coat even closer. “It’s freezing! Another reason I think you’re high - how are you not shivering?!”

“I have layers on!”

“No wonder you’re having such a hard time moving…”

“Leo… kinda went overboard today…” Yun Hee gave a small laugh.

“Oh! It’s so cold! Can I have some of your layers?” a voice suddenly chimed in.

They had entered the school building and were nearing their first period classroom. Em pushed the intruder away. “Go away, Siwon!”

“Good morning, Minhyun!” Yun Hee struggled to wave to him, with all the layers, her movement was pretty slow.

“So cute~!” He smiled, following them into their classroom. It was still pretty early.

Waddling into the classroom with Em and Minhyun, it seemed Ren had showed up early as well. He was reading a book when the small group of three approached him.

“Good morning!” Both Yun Hee and Minhyun greeted him. He looked up to see the two smiling brightly at him while Em still looked annoyed at her two companions. But that easily changed when she caught sight of him.

“Aren’t you cold, my love? Let’s share some body heat~!” she exclaimed, running to him with wide arms.

He casually raised up his book in defense, her face hitting it when she tried to hug him. Em fell down melodramatically on the floor and didn’t move.

“Good morning.” He replied back with a smile to the other two.

Yun Hee looked at Em a little in worry before she started to take her layers off but had a problem when she couldn’t properly reach the zipper to her snow jacket the fabric buildup prevented her from doing so.

“Here, let me help you take it off.” Minhyun volunteered, ping it for her. One by one he ped her out of at least 4 jackets including her snow jacket.

“How many jackets were you wearing?” Ren asked curious.

“I don’t know, Leo just kept putting them on until mom stopped him.” She answered as Minhyun pulled off her last jacket.

“Wah! You’re so warm!” He pulled her into a tight hug.

“Yah, what do you think you’re doing?” Ren glared.

“I’m cold, at least let me warm up before I head to class!” He laughed.

“Whoah, have you changed targets, Yun- AH!” Aron suddenly tripped on something. He glanced behind him to see Em’s body curled up on the floor. “... What are you doing?”

“Too cold to move,” she muttered, still not standing up from her earlier rejected hug. “The world is so cruel to me. Let me freeze. Just let it go, Aron. Let it go! The cold never bothered me anyway~!”

“Are you high, woman?”

“Thanks for the weed earlier, Yun Hee.”

“Yun-?”

“I’m not on drugs!”

---

“It’s too cold to go outside!” Minhyun protested as he held onto Yun Hee’s hand. She was reaching for the exit as he held her back.

“I have my layers on though!” She pouted.

“Still, you shouldn’t go outside, the snow’s coming down pretty bad. I’m just worried for you is all.”

“I suppose you’re right. Fine, you win this time.” She took a step back towards him.

But then their hands were suddenly separated. Em pushed the taller boy away and glared at Yun Hee. “Don’t let some stranger order you around! You want to frolic outside like some ice queen? Do it! I don’t share the same blood as pushovers!”

Yun Hee’s eyes widened in excitement.

Minhyun glared at her. “Look outside! You can’t ‘frolic’ in that weather safely!”

Yun Hee frowned and nodded in agreement.

“What safety?! It’s snow! How can some wannabe ice be harmful?!”

She brightened up again at the mention of the white goodness.

“It is if it’s coming down hard and fast!”

She sighed and-

“Choose a side already, will you?!” Em suddenly said, frowning at her.

“Uh…”

Aron glanced out the window by their table, frowning. “Minhyun’s right though. It’s a bit too dangerous. Let’s hope it lightens up later after school…”

It got worse.

“You jinxed it!” Em blamed her friend.

Aron grinned despite that. “My words must be divine.” The weather had gotten worse. Many of the students were lingering around the entrance doors, waiting for their guardians to pick them up.

"Do you wanna build a snowman~?" Yun Hee sung as she walked out of the building with the other guys.

"Do you wanna slip and bust your head open?" A not so amused JR replied.

"JR! Be nice!" Minhyun frowned watching Yun Hee's happy expression dim at JR'S words. Though the guy had a point, there were patches of ice almost everywhere. "Watch your step." He took hold of Yun Hee's hand to help her down the icy steps. Thank goodness he had a hold on her given she nearly slipped on the last step.

"Careful." JR sighed taking hold of her other hand to help her stand up right. Suddenly she giggled. "What?" He looked down at her.

"Nothing~" she smiled widely, swinging his and Minhyun’s hands back and forth in her own. It was like when a couple walks with their small child, holding hands. She was amused, with how strict and serious looking JR always was,  this was a change.

Just then someone slid past them on the ice...

"Baekho! Be careful, you almost hit us!" Minhyun complained, sounding like a parent scolding their child. Just then Ren went sliding past as well.

"That looks so fun!" Yun Hee smiled.

"No, it's dangerous!" Minhyun shook his finger like a worried mother though, on the inside he wanted to slide on the ice too!

"He's right, best leave it to the pros, Squirt." JR ruffled her hair before sliding off himself.

"Hey-" she was about to argue when she lost her balance now that JR'S support was missing.

"Don't listen to him, Yun Hee, anyone can slide on ice!" Minhyun grinned before pulling her close and tight. They both went sliding until they hit the pile of snow a few feet from the others.

"That was so much fun!" Yun Hee cheered as she was belly first on top of Minhyun who broke her fall.

"See, no pro status needed." Minhyun pointed out. The two giggled before she was pulled up off Minhyun by a jealous looking Ren.

"Idiot! Don't do that again, what if she got hurt!?" Ren pulled the taller boy up by his collar.

"She's fine, isn't she?" Minhyun laughed holding his hands up in defense.

"What if you were the one that fell on top of her and crushed her?"

"That'd never happen, I'm always gentle with girls who are underneath me." Minhyun winked before getting slapped in the face by Ren. "What was that for!?"

"Don't act like you don't know!"

---

“... Why aren’t you intervening?” Aron suddenly said with a laugh when he saw Em standing by the stairs, staring at the guys and her sister sliding around the ice.

“And feel the ice cold wind in my face? No way,” she said, hugging herself again and shivering. “I’m going home… curl up in front of the heater and drink buckets of black coffee till I become an insomniac,” she said. “So cold…” she muttered again, removing her hair tie to allow her long hair to frame her face, in attempt to block the cold wind hitting her face, too.

She took a step on the ice, as it ended where the path to her home was, but then…

“Too much caffeine is unheal-WHOAH!” Aron suddenly grasped onto her arm to balance himself when he too took a step on the frozen ground.

Em stared at him, a mischievous smile forming on her lips.

“Oh right… you at skating. What more so with uneven ice and no blades?”

“I don’t like that sadistic grin of yours-! EM! L-Let go of my arm! Heeeelp!”

---

“Why are you paler than the snow?” JR asked his english speaking friend.

Baekho and Minhyun were breaking apart some box for who knows what, Ren and Yun Hee next to them.

Aron was grasping tightly onto Em’s arm and didn’t respond.

“I just dragged him around the ice a bit,” Em said with a shrug, completely innocent. JR stared at her. “... I left him alone in the middle of a particular big patch for a while… watched him fall like a million times… laughed a lot at his expense… The usual.”

“How do you stand her?” JR said with a smirk to Aron.

“Oh, please. Like you wouldn’t do the same,” Em said, raising a brow at JR.

“Of course, I wouldn’t… I’d rather drag him in the middle of a skating rink - more people to witness his embarrassment. There are hardly any people left here, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble.”

“Both of you are such sadists!” Aron wailed.

JR frowned. “I’m nice at times.”

“Oh? Like when?” Aron asked, finally letting go of his friend’s arm.

JR pointed at a spot on the ground. “I think I saw your phone fall down around there, Em. Be careful next time.”

Her eyes widened and she followed his direction. She patted at the ground but felt nothing. “What are you…?” She felt her pockets. “My phone’s still with me-!”

A collision suddenly occurred. The box Baekho and Minhyun had been pulling apart earlier was now being used as a sled. In particular, the one Yun Hee was riding so happened to be headed towards Em’s location - JR had caught sight of it easily and planned accordingly.

“You aren’t nice at all,” Aron said.

“I avenged you, didn’t I?”

“You dragged Yun Hee into it!”

“She’ll forgive me.”

“But I won’t! You motherfu- Damn it! Where are you?!” Em exclaimed, removing the snow that had piled atop her, narrowing her eyes at her surroundings. Her glasses had been knocked off and everything had turned blurry.

Yun Hee winced and sat up, patting away at the snow that had fallen on her as well. “Ow… Are you alright, Em? I’m so sorry. I was so sure the path I took was clear.”

“Blame your damn wannabe king-! Where are my glasses?” she muttered, patting around the white snow.

“They’re over here,” Minhyun said, heading over to them, a taller man followed closely behind him.

“How reckless.” Leo reached his sister, helping Em up to her feet while Yun Hee remained on the floor. Even though she would have wanted him to help Em up too, she wasn’t sure why she wasn’t the first one to help, he always put her first.

“Leo, that’s Em.” She spoke up.

“I know…”

“Don’t touch me then,” Em said, swiping her hand away.

“You’re welcome,” he merely said before helping out Yun Hee. He caught sight of a black frame. He took hold of it and handed it to Em. She accepted it without a word of thanks, dusting off the snow on it and putting it on.

“Ah, right… I don’t think you’ve met, right?” Yun Hee said a bit hesitatingly, seeing the two glaring at each other. They really hadn't met but had seen each other on two occasions. The first being at the mall when Em was doing graffiti on the walls. The second time was briefly at the Halloween party.

Their friends had found it wise to leave the three siblings alone and went a bit further away. “Leo, this is Em… our sister. And Em, this is Leo… our brother…”

The atmosphere was tense.

“Love each other!” she added, hoping to alleviate the heavy tension.

A sudden gust of wind blew past them. Em shivered again and placed her arms around herself. “I’m leaving.”

"You’re coming with me.” Leo suddenly said, causing her to turn to them again.

“... Are you a police officer or something-!”

He then turned to Yun Hee. “Mom and dad arranged for me to pick up Em, while your... dad will come pick you up instead." Leo didn't sound too thrilled about the situation. He had heard about her meeting with her dad, how terrible it was.

"But... why didn't they say anything this morning?"

"I don't know either... I'm just a phone call away, remember that, okay?" He gave his little sister a hug.

Yun Hee shook her head quietly. "It's fine..."

"Are you sure?" Leo asked, sounding concerned.

"I'll be fine." She forced a smile.

Em glanced at the car hesitatingly. This would be her first time meeting up with the other side of her family - plus, Yun Hee wouldn’t be there. What was their mother thinking? Sending each other alone to their different side of the family? She could understand her situation - but she was sure the older woman knew how their father acted.

“Other guy,” Em said, turning to Leo. “Get in the car. I’m going to talk with my sister for a minute.”

“My name is Leo,” he deadpanned, but complied with her request-command anyway.

"Hey sis,” Em said, turning to her sister. “... Dad’s not coming.” The guy had stopped picking her up after school since elementary - there was no way he’d do it for a high school girl he doesn’t even consider related to him.

“... No chance at all?” she asked with that same forced smile. She was a little relieved at Em’s words though.

“None. I leave to you if you wanna come with me to your family…” She glanced at their friends a few meters away. “Or spend time with your followers.”

Yun Hee smiled. “No, it’s fine! You should spend time with our mother! She’s a wonderful person! My dad too! And Leo!”

Em smiled. “Yeah.” no. How can I be subtle about this for you to get the hint? I don’t want to meet your goody two shoe family without you. I need you to stop me from being a total to them! My side of the family is messed up, I don’t want to mess up the other side as well!

But no words were coming out. She wasn’t used to… She never asked for help.

“Leo… our brother’s waiting,” Yun Hee suddenly said, gesturing to the car.

“... Don’t you dare hang out with Ren alone,” she merely said in dismissal.

Yun Hee laughed. “I hear you!”

---

"What do you think they could be talking about?" Minhyun wondered out loud. The five boys were standing at the gate watching the twins and their older brother talking.

"Must be family matters." Ren guessed.

Just then they saw Em get into the car without Yun Hee.

"They left Yun Hee?" Baekho worried. The left behind twin turned and headed back towards them with a gloom expression.

"Uh oh, I don't like the looks of that..." Aron frowned as she got closer.

"Anyone in need of a companion until the evening?" She looked to them with a forced smile.

“What was that just now? Why didn’t you leave with them?” Minhyun asked curiously.

“I don’t know, some sudden plans came about during school… my parents wanted to spend some time with Em while… I’m suppose to spend some time with my… dad.” She mumbled towards the end.

“Really?”

“Yeah, but… there’s no way I’m going home with my dad… besides… the guy probably isn’t coming for me anyway.” She sighed. Everyone but Baekho and JR frowned. They knew the situation about her and her father while the other two didn’t.

“What will you do then if you’re not going home with your dad?” JR asked.

“I don’t know, do you need someone to hang out with for a bit?” She smiled with a look of hope towards him.

“Sorry, but I already have other plans.” He hesitated, feeling slightly bad for her. But then again, it wasn’t like he was going to spend the evening with goody two shoes Yun Hee, anyways.

“Awh, what about you Ninja?” She turned to him.

“I’m sorry, Yun Hee, I have taijutsu practice, followed by a match after.”

“Can’t I come watch?”

“No, it’s too dangerous for a girl to be there! What if you hit the punching bag and it flies off in her direction?” Minhyun protested. What a ridiculous thing to say but as long as she wasn’t leaving with him, that’s what counted most.

“That wouldn’t happen, but he’s right, it is kind of dangerous there.” Baekho admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry… I suppose that leaves you three.” She turned to them.

“Ren and I already had plans, sorry!” Aron wrapped an arm around Ren’s shoulder.

“What? We did no-!”

“She’s all yours, Min!” Aron silenced Ren before dragging him away around the corner.

“Didn’t expect that to happen, but, yay! I get to take you home!” Minhyun smiled, grabbing Yun Hee by the hand. Yun Hee didn’t question it, actually believing Aron was telling the truth.

---

“It’s been a while since just the two of us hung out.”

Ren nodded at Aron’s suggestion. “Sure. There’s this new samgyeopsal place near here.”

“It’s a date then!” Aron gushed, holding onto Ren’s hand as they walked.

Ren’s eyes went wide in horror and he tried to retract his hand, but Aron just gripped on it tighter.

"Let go, before I kill you." Ren threatened quietly.

"Aw, I'm sure if I was pretty little Yun Hee you wouldn't mind. I'm kind of hurt. You don't think I'm pretty?" Aron pouted.

"What-? I don't know what you're talking about..." Ren pulled his hand away quickly facing forward.

“Don’t act dumb, you know what I’m talking about, which is why we need to talk…” Aron sounded a bit serious now. He placed his hands on the back of his head and faced forward as well, leading the way to their date spot. “You liking Yun Hee is as obvious as Em’s crush on you.”

“... Really?” he asked, not believing it at all.

“... Okay, not that obvious - but it’s there! And sooner or later, my very vacant and slow best friend will catch on like everyone else!”

“Everyone-?”

“Oh, I’m sure Yun Hee hasn’t noticed though. Maybe their obliviousness is genetic,” Aron said with a laugh. “But yeah, easy, Ren. Take it slow... At least make your move once Em likes Yun Hee more than you.” They arrived at the location and Aron went in ahead.

Ren sighed and followed after his best friend, muttering, “There’s no way that’s ever going to happen…”

---

“… Nice tree,” Em complimented, looking up at the green Christmas tree that was adorned with various colorful ornaments and lights – a yellow star on the very top. There were already a few presents under it.

Leo glanced at her briefly. “Thanks… Have you put up yours?” he asked, hoping to keep the conversation alive. The entire drive to Yun Hee’s house was silent. Leo was used to his talkative sister and was close enough to her to recount his own day – but the other sister was a different case.

Em set her bag on the couch and sat down, putting up her feet on the coffee table. “Yeah, of course.” No, they didn’t. The last time they had a Christmas tree was when she was eight.

Leo sat across her, narrowing his eyes at her posture. “Feet off the table, guest.”

She smirked and made no move to listen to his order. “I’m wounded. Aren’t I part of the family?”

“Eun Mi!” a voice suddenly exclaimed in excitement. Their mother sat beside Em, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

“As much as I don’t want to be,” she mumbled, not returning the hug.

“What? Did you have other plans beforehand?” She glanced at Leo with a frown. “You shouldn’t have forced her to come if she was busy!”

“She didn’t say anything!”

“He totally threatened me.”

“Leo!”

---

“Noona! I’m home! I brought a girl with me too!” Minhyun called out at the front door of his house.

“You have a sister?” Yun Hee smiled as she took off her shoes with one hand since Minhyun still had a hold on her left.

“I do, and she’s super pretty, too.” He smiled down at her.

“Could this be the girl you’ve been talking about all this time?” An indeed pretty girl entered the room with a pleasant smile.

“Yes, Jung Yun Hee.” Minhyun pushed her forward to greet his sister.

“Nice to meet you.” Yun Hee bowed.

“Nice to finally meet you too, Yun Hee. I had no idea you two were going out.”  She pointed to their hand holding.

“Oh, no, we’re not.” Minhyun quickly cleared up. “We’re just close is all.”

“Oh, kind of like best friends?” She looked at her brother, a little confused.

“Exactly that!” He grinned.

“Back in Busan, I had many friends, including guy friends… so this sort of thing doesn’t bother me.” Yun Hee smiled.

“No wonder why you like her so much, the only girl who lets you cuddle her without getting slapped.” His sister laughed. “How cute. I’m glad you two are friends. Call me unnie from now on, Yun Hee.”

“O-okay.” Yun Hee hesitated in answering her.

She noticed. “Oh? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.” Yun Hee shook her head. Em won’t let me call her unnie… yet everyone who isn’t my sister will let me…

“So, Noona, Yun Hee might be here awhile.” Minhyun changed the topic.

“Really? That’s fine. For how long?”

“Until evening most likely. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her!” He pulled Yun Hee closer.

“She’s not a pet, Min.” His sister laughed, “But alright. If you guys need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

With that, Minhyun dragged her up to his room.

“Now we’re even.” He mumbled as they entered. Ren had Yun Hee in his room, now he had the honor to have her in his own room too. Suddenly it’s a competition?

“Huh?” Yun Hee asked as he shut the door.

“Nothing,” He shook his head, “so, what do you wanna do to pass time?” He asked as she sat at his desk chair. She looked around his room. He had a few Transformer figures placed around his room as well as a few movie posters. He had a shelf full of movies nearby. His room is totally different from Ren’s. She thought to herself. Well no duh, they’re two entirely different people. She couldn’t help but mentally facepalm at her obvious thought.

“Transformers, huh?” She pulled out the movie from his shelf.

“Want to watch it?” He smiled, taking it from her and heading over to his DVD player. There was a large flat screen mounted on the wall above it, a pretty nice set up with a surround sound speaker system. Once the movie was in, he pulled over a bean bag for them to sit on, with the intention of them sitting super close because after all… he liked to cuddle the cute girl and she didn’t even mind.

“Wait, maybe we should change.” He pointed out, already taking off his uniform jacket.

“Don’t strip in front of me!” She laughed, looking away.

“I won’t, here, you can borrow a change of clothes.” He walked over to his dresser.

“Oh? Shouldn’t we be asking your sister for clothes?”

“No! Wear my clothes!” He protested. “I wanna see how cute you look in them.” He teased while handing them over. “The bathroom is the third door down the hall on the right.”

Figuring there was no use in going against his wishes, she headed for the bathroom. In that time, he changed out of his uniform before she returned.

“That shirt a little too big?” He tilted his head at her with an adoring smile.

“A… little.” She stuttered, having to hold up the shirt since it kept falling off her shoulder.

“I think it’s fine.” He gave a thumbs up.

“Of course you would think so!” She laughed. Then an idea came to mind, she tucked the collar of the shirt up over and under her bra straps to keep the shirt in place. “Problem solved.”

“Yay…” Minhyun frowned disappointed, his thumbs up turning into a thumbs down.

“You’re funny.” She shook her head.

After retrieving a few snacks, they finally sat down to watch the movie. During the movie, he noticed Yun Hee acting a bit strange whenever a romantic part between the characters came about, a kiss scene came on the screen, making Yun Hee look away. She was facing Minhyun now who just looked at her a little suspiciously. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” She straightened up, facing forward again.

“Are you sure? Something bothering you? Need to talk about it?” He asked as he paused the movie.

“Well,” she started, “there is something on my mind, but I don’t know if I wanna talk about it?” She bit her bottom lip looking unsure. She knew she could trust Minhyun, but it was just kind of weird to be talking about this with a guy, she was used to talking about boy problems with girls.

“You can trust me, what’s said in this room stays in this room.” He smiled. “Just imagine I’m one of the girls you usually gossip to.” He pretended to fix his hair while batting his eyelashes a little.

“I can’t do that, I’d be laughing the entire time.” She giggled. “I’m willing to tell Minhyun… my best friend?”

“Of course, I’m your best friend~!” He smiled widely, happy she thought the same. “Aron is Em’s best friend, I’ll be your best friend.”

There was a moment of silence between the two as they sat there.

“I… forgot what I was going to say.” She frowned.

“It’s alright, you can tell me when it comes back to you.” He laughed. “For now, let’s finish watching this movie. After, we can start making dinner.”

“Alright, sound good.” She smiled, glad that he wasn’t pushing for her to talk about what was on her mind.

---

“A bit gentler, Eun Mi…”

“Not so hard, dear!”

“Just take it s-slowly!”

“No, you put this first-”

Em slammed the bowl onto the kitchen counter. “Can I give up now?” she asked in exasperation.

The two women were preparing dinner - more like, only one though. Em had been requested to help, but was considerably failing at it. Her mother had tried to teach the girl, she really did.

Instead of getting irritated at her daughter’s lack of resolve, the older woman laughed. “Sure,” she conceded, turning back to the counter to continue cooking. “Your cooking skills are as lacking as your father!” she said in amusement.

Em took a seat by the island counter, facing the back of her mother. “... He cooked for you before?”

“Yes! I got sent to the hospital for food poisoning after that!” she said, smiling at the memory. “I ate the entire meal he gave to me, no matter how inedible it was. The look on his face when he gave it to me… when I took the first bite…” She turned to her daughter with a bright smile. “It was worth it.” That made Em think back on a certain encounter with Ren,  when he kept eating her terrible tasting cake...

“You sure have a strong gut if you were able to handle all of it,” Em said with a smirk. “He’s even worse than me…” Her mother laughed again and turned back to her cooking.

“... When did you meet?” Em suddenly asked.

She wanted to know. How could someone as kind as this woman be with someone as horrible as her dad? Why were she and Yun Hee born? Why were they separated? Why was it Em that ended up with their father? Why...

Why… when she recalled that memory of their dad’s food, did she look so happy?

“We were childhood friends, grew up together,” she answered.

“Then you got together?”

“Yes, during high school…” She saw her mother’s perfect posture slouch a little. “But after graduation… I went to university, he got a job… I’m not sure when, but we suddenly… changed. He changed for the worse, and no matter what I said...”

“You broke up with him,” Em supplemented. Her dad wasn’t a genius, but he wasn’t dumb enough to let go of such a girl.

“Yes…”

“Then you got married to your husband now… had Capricorn-”

“Capricorn?”

“-so how did me and my sister come in?”

Her mother had the aura of a saint, an angel. There’s no way she’d get involved in an affair… right?

“... He came to Busan once,” she began, turning to Em and giving a sad smile. “We spent a night together.”

“Even if you were already married?” Em asked, eyes wide in shock. She could totally understand her dad going for a married woman, but for her mother? “Why would you do that?”

“When he approached me… he… he was so sad,” she said in an almost inaudible voice.

Em snorted. “Pity ?”

Her mother suddenly laughed. “That’s exactly what he said afterwards.”

“... It wasn’t because you still loved him?” Em asked, recalling how happy she looked when she recounted her father.

“No… I didn’t love him anymore then.”

“How do you know that?” Maybe they can get back together. Em could just find a way to ‘discreetly’ get rid of the husband-

“... I was more in love with our memories than I was with him,” she said, giving that same sad smile from earlier. “I’m really sorry, Eun Mi… I’m not exactly a prime example of a faithful wife… but I’m honestly glad your father approached me then.”

Em frowned. “Why? He just made your life harder! I can imagine all the drama you went through when you got pregnant.”

“Because then I wouldn’t have met Yun Hee or you.”

“... Ugh, that was such a sentimental line,” Em said with a groan, burying her head in her hands. “You’re as mushy as my sister.”

“You’re as blunt as your father!” she replied with a laugh.

“... Why?” Em said, still not looking up at her mother. “Why am I like my father? Why is she like you?”

She heard her mother approach the table she was seated on.

“Why were we separated?”

“Your father-”

“Evening, dear!” a deep voice suddenly called into the kitchen. “Oh?” Em looked up to see Yun Hee’s father looking at her. “Eun Mi, yes? Lovely to see you again-”

“You replaced my dad for this oaf?”

“Eun Mi!”

---

“Noona! What is there to eat?” Minhyun asked as he and Yun Hee came down the stairs after watching the Transformers movie.

“I don’t know, Mom and Dad are working late tonight, so it’s just us three. Take out?” She looked over to them from the couch, she was watching some TV at the moment.

“We had take out yesterday,” he complained, “can’t we make something?”

“Want eggs and rice?” She got up with a small sigh. “You know I don’t cook much.”

“I can cook.” Yun Hee finally spoke up. “Just show me what you have and I’ll make it work.” She smiled.

“Really?” Minhyun got excited. I get to eat Yun Hee’s home cooking before the blonde guy!

After leading her to the kitchen and displaying what they had in the fridge, Yun Hee got to work. They had a ton of ingredients to work with, so she opted into making Bulgogi even if it was a little time consuming, she was wanting some anyway.

“Here’s an apron so you don’t get Min’s clothes dirty.” Minhyun’s sister handed her a pink polka dotted apron their mom usually wears when making dinner. “And here’s a hair clip so your hair doesn’t get in the way.”

“Thank you.” Yun Hee took it with a smile and clipped her hair up quickly.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

“I’m fine, I make dinner by myself a lot of the time because everyone else is busy. Don’t worry. Thanks for the offer though. You can just relax and I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

“You’re such a sweetheart! Thanks, you’re a life saver! I needed to get some studying done, ” She gave Yun Hee a quick hug. “I’ll be up in my room then if you need me, until then, good luck! Fighting!” With that, she left the kitchen, leaving her brother there.

“Noona really likes you.” Minhyun smiled. “Of course, you’re such a lovable person, who wouldn’t like you?”

“Em…” Yun Hee smiled at him sadly.

“Don’t say that, I’m sure she likes you, maybe not a whole lot, and she just really doesn’t know how to show it either.” He trailed off, figuring he wasn’t really helping.

“My own father doesn’t like me either…”

“Yun Hee… I’m sure there are reasons, so don’t dwell on it too much.”

“Well, I’m not sure how you would know something like this, but… do you know if Em cooks?”

“I surprisingly do know, and no… she doesn’t cook that well, which is why I’m surprised you cook!”

“How do you know that? About Em’s cooking?”

“Well let’s just keep this between me and you, don’t tell another soul, especially to the two souls I’m talking about.” Minhyun leaned forward over the counter, motioning for her to get closer. “On Ren’s Birthday, Em gave him a cake. He told me it tasted terrible. All the ingredients were all out of proportion, too much salt, not enough sugar, too much flour, not enough water. Bless his heart, he still ate the entire thing because he knew she worked so hard on it… He was on the toilet the rest of the night.”

“Oh no…” Yun Hee covered , holding in a laugh. She was sure Ren would kill him for telling her this.

“So based off that story, I assume she really doesn’t know how to cook. Or follow a simple recipe for that matter…”

“Aw, well I hope one day my mom and I can teach her…” She smiled with a hopeful look.

“You’re so cute, good luck with that!” He pinched her cheek.

---

“I feel like someone is badmouthing me,” Em suddenly said aloud.

“And you find that surprising?” Leo asked.

“Leo!” both adults quickly admonished.

Dinner had been served. Em had made it a point to stick to her mom and give a cold shoulder to her husband and son. She didn’t see why she had to be friends with them - they weren’t her family. Leo may be her half-brother, but he was still half not.

Hoping to break the silence, their mother asked, “How goes your grades?”

Em raised an eyebrow at that question. Was she seriously doing small talk with her? “... I managed to get into second year high school,” she replied with a mere shrug.

The husband of her mother laughed. “Nothing wrong with that! At least you haven’t repeated!”

Em glared at him. “I have. I repeated grade six.”

“... But you’re in second year with Yun Hee now,” he noted.

“My dad wanted me out of his hair as soon as possible, so he sent me to school a year earlier than usual,” Em said with a shrug, grabbing yet another plate of food.

Their mother quickly spoke up again. “What about your vision, dear? Yun Hee seems to have fine eyes-”

“Dad wears glasses - I inherited yet another troublesome trait.”

“Do you have any hobbies?”

“I like getting into fights. The only thing my dad really taught other than basic stuff was self-”

“Why do you keep bringing in your dad into this conversation?!” the husband of their mother suddenly said, causing them all to stop eating.

“What’s so wrong with bringing him up?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at them. “He isn’t some curse.” Her dad may have a horrible personality, but he was still her dad. He had raised her, provided for her, heck - he was still there for her. He may hardly be home, but he kept coming back.

He didn’t abandon Em like her mother.

“He isn’t… it’s just…” her mother trailed off.

Her husband frowned and set his chopsticks down, regarding Em seriously. “It’s a very uncomfortable topic. He doesn’t like us, nor do we approve of his own behavior in raising you.”

Perfect chance! “Then why did you let him raise me?”

There was a brief and tense silence. Her mother was the one to break it. “On the day you twins were born… he came and took you away. He claimed that you were his children as much as you were mine. You were both in different rooms, so he only managed to get you before my husband found him. Then he… just ran off.”

“You let me get kidnapped?” Em hissed out.

“We tried,” her father quickly interjected. “We were planning to take you back. We had a court ready and everything. Your father was an unemployed and irresponsible man, we’d easily get charge over both of you…” He then glanced at his wife.

She reached over the table and grabbed Em’s hands with her own. “Before that happened, I had hoped to convince your father to give you back. When I came and saw him holding you…” Her mother smiled, that same smile she used when talking about her happy memories with their father. “He looked so happy, dear... He absolutely adored you. His neighbors told me how he had gotten a decent job, even going into debt for supplies needed to raise you…”

Em’s eyes went wide at her mother’s words.

“You were his lifeline… I couldn’t take away a child that was both loved and needed by him.”

Her daughter suddenly stood up and bowed. “Thanks for the food. Bye.”

The three other members of the family were shocked. Leo quickly stood up. “Where are you going-?”

“I’m done here. I got the information I wanted.” She turned to them with a huge grin. “Thanks again for leaving me with my dad,” she said, sarcasm dripping down her tone. “Whatever ‘adoration’ you saw sure was short-lived!”

Her mother had called out to her, but Em was already at the exit door. She grabbed her bag and put on her coat and shoes in haste. She looked up briefly to find Leo staring down at her.

“You’ll get through it,” he said.

She glared at him. “I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“... You can come here anytime,” he said instead.

“I won’t,” she said in dismissal, leaving the warm house and entering the cold world outside.

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◞* ✄ — END CHAPTER ⋮T E N