Chapter 14

A/N: I made this chapter longer than the others just to apologize for the long time it took me to update but I must say that I'm pretty busy with my upcoming bachelor degree test so... I might not update usually but I'll eventually do it! Please keep reading~ saranghea

(Ran-chan)

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“This is unbelievable, really unbelievable!” Mr. Lee, Yu Jin’s father hit with his fist on his desk, frowning so hard and his eyes were bloodshot and the fingers of his other hand squeezed the ripped page of a gossip magazine showing Yu Jin.

“Calm down dear, please” his wife was rubbing his back, her voice was soothing yet her face showed nothing but remorse and sorrow.

“No, this is not my son… this is not the Yu Jin that I spent over 20 years raising into a refined and dependable man! Not this…” his voice trailed as he gripped his head with his hands, lowered his face.

“You shouldn’t have kicked him out of the house in the first place… you and I both know that he’s not some rebelling teenager.” She covered her face with her palm.

“Yes, yes, I knew that, I am completely aware of the fact that he had his own bank account with his own money.” He nodded his head, “That punk has always been independent… relying on his own self without accepting my help.”

Mrs. Lee sighed.

***

Yu Jin woke up as he heard a loud banging and he thought it was due to the hangover caused by the several glasses of wine he had the night before, he hardly lifted his body from the bed. He slouched toward the door of the room, the strong drumming inside his skull along with the banging made his headache worse.

“Open the door Hyung! I know you’re in there!”

“Damn..” he muttered a curse as he twisted the handle and pulled the wooden door allowing the brown-haired teenager to force his way in.

“Oh, the liquor’s smell is so strong argh!” he complained as he looked around the dim-lit room.

“Go away.” Yu Jin said, still holding into the door.

“Dude you really need to clean this place up.” Jun Ho picked up a shirt that was on the floor and flinched.

“Nobody asked your opinion, now, do me a favor and get out..” he was mumbling, rubbing his eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere before we talk!” Jun Ho scowled as he went toward the window and pulled the curtains to allow the sunlight to infiltrate the room.

“Fine, then I’ll go” he snatched his coat from the hanger and put it on but Jun Ho grabbed it away from him, and he was unable to take it back or balance his footing so he fell head first to the floor.

“And they say I’m the stubborn one…” the younger brother sighed as he helped him up despite his struggle. “This is so not cool hyung.. Drinking to the extent of becoming this... helpless.” His voice sounded so sad.

“Leave me alone I told you.” Although he was speaking harshly, he was still clinging to his brother as he helped him sit down in a sofa.

“Talk to me hyung, don’t let it all bottled in your heart… it’s already been a year almost and you couldn’t get over the fact that Jang- “ he wasn’t able to finish his statement because Yu Jin cut him mid-sentence. “Don’t you even dare to utter that name in my presence!” he pushed the glasses that were on the decorative table with his hand and all of them fell with a breaking sound.

“S-Stop! You’ll hurt yourself!” he quickly grabbed him by the arm. “Don’t do this Hyung!” Jun Ho’s voice trailed as he leaned his head against his brother’s arm. “Please.. Come back to us..” he sniffled.

Yu Jin gritted his teeth as he exhaled sharply, his eyes became moist but he squeezed his eyelids shut as he gently pushed his brother and stood up. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I can’t.”

He walked toward the nightstand, Jun Ho was too persistent and he knew that he wouldn’t leave on his own free will, so he picked his phone up and called the security of the hotel.

“No need to kick me out! Fine! I’ll leave! But you must know that I’ll keep coming over and over again and no matter where you go, I’ll find you eventually!” He yelled then he went out, closing the door with a loud bang.

Walking in that hallway, Jun Ho was fuming and kept tapping on his phone’s screen, looking through his contacts to text Yoon Yi but suddenly he bumped into someone.

“Hey!” he immediately yelled, not pulling his head up because his phone fell from his hands and ended beside that woman’s shoes. She bent down as she apologized and picked it up for him and his eyes followed the phone until she stretched her arms to hand it to him and he snatched it away from her immediately and shrugged, checking on the device.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized again. “You should’ve seen me coming from_” he raised his head and voice to protest but by the time he did that, she was nowhere to be found. He just strolled away, completely forgetting the whole thing.

She on the other hand stood by the wall, panting as she clutched her blouse. Her eyes widening.

Just why in the world did I have to meet him here?

Her phone started to ring and interrupted her train of thoughts. She picked it up:

“Welcome back to Korea, Jang Mi!” the cheerful voice of the man made her shake her head and smile.

“Mr. Ko! I’m happy for being able to hear it from you.” She chuckled, her eyes glittering with happiness.

“Which hotel are you staying in? I’m coming to see you right away!” he said.

“Lotte Hotel, I’ll be waiting for you in the lounge.”

“Great then, I’m on my way!”

Then she hang up, hiding her phone back in her purse. She opened the door of the room for the bellman, who came in carrying her luggage. She bowed at him and gave him a bill for tips. His eyes went wide as he looked at her in bewilderment because that was a lot of money to give to a mere worker he thought. And yet, she nodded at him with a smile and he thanked her with a bow.

I just can’t get used to people working for me.

She then pulled her suitcases further in the room, ping one of them to get out a laptop.

“I guess I need to hurry and not make Mr. Ko wait.” She exited the room and went to ride the elevator.

Yu Jin came out of his room as well after showering and changing, he thought he should eat something to stop his stomach from rumbling.

***

“This place is truly impressing.” She murmured as she looked around the big lounge. She finished ordering for her and for Mr. Ko, knowing exactly what he loved to eat. Then she turned her laptop on and decided to start by checking the stock market.

Yu Jin came in the lounge and went to sit close to the window. He had his sunglasses on and some hoodie over his head. He laid his head back and waited for the waiter.

“Oh, Jang Mi!” The voice of the man made her stand to her feet, wearing the most enchanting smile she could afford. The young man waved at her as he came and seated himself in front of her.

Yu Jin couldn’t believe his ears, he took his glasses off but what came to sight was the back of some woman dressed in a very fancy clothing as she shook  hands with a young man who was notably good-looking. He heaved a small sigh and turned his face away.

I should stop hoping…

 This wasn’t the first time for him to mistake someone else for being her, either because they looked like her or carried her same name.

“How have you been? Did you enjoy your stay in Japan?” he clasped his hands under his chin as he looked at her.

“Yes, thank you.” She was speaking formally, unlike him.

“Great, then I guess now you pretty much get what it is like to run a company.” He grabbed his case and started to unlock it. “Because this is the exact best time for us to take our first move.” the cheerfulness in his voice vanished, and was replaced instead with a serious tone.

“Yes, I know.” Her grin deepened as she turned the laptop’s screen to him and pointed with her index finger on a graph. “The Cha For Construction’s stocks are in crisis and I read a few days ago that the health state of the chairwoman is deteriorating.” he paused to note her face expression as she dropped her gaze down to her coffee cup then he carried on speaking, "We still need to attend the next meeting of the board members which is going to take place a week from now. They're going to pick a new leader among the stock holders.” He smirked as he took out a portfolio. “And that position will be definitely yours.”

She tensed for a second, the hand that gripped her teacup now started to shake.

“Hey…” his eyes narrowed, as he reached his hand to touch hers then covered it with his and gave it a small reassuring squeeze “It’ll be ok. I promise.”

She shook her head.

“I’m sorry, of course I shouldn’t allow myself to waver after coming this far.” She pulled her hands away slowly and wiped her tears. “I’m stronger than that.”

“Haha, this is the Jang Mi I know!” he grinned, “And besides, you have Korea’s best attorney by your side, show more confidence!” he was aiming his thumb at his chest, nodding and that made her chuckle. “So, I guess I must attend the trial personally this time.” She started to draw circles with her finger on the table, imaging herself standing in a courtroom for the first time. It couldn't be helped, unlike the previous trials that Mr. Ko attended on her behalf without her having to do it, this time she had to.

“Yes and trust me we’re at an advantage, all of our accusations to your stepmother were proved either by testimonies or concrete evidences including the pictures of the bruises and injuries that you had on your body.” He bit his lips, feeling sorry for having to make her remember those awful things. She dropped her laptop’s screen down and inhaled deeply. Mr. Ko glanced at his watch, his eyebrows raised:

“Oh, snap! I gotta go…I have a meeting with another client.” he stood up and took a last sip from his coffee as he gathered his papers in a hurry. Jang Mi stood up as well and bowed deeply at him.

“Thank you very much.” She said wholeheartedly, waving at him as he took-off in a rush.

Her eyes caught glimpse of the guy sitting by himself and looking from the window. For some reason, she kept staring at his figure for a bit, but then he started to push his chair back to stand up and she found herself spinning around to avoid facing him. Her face looked so troubled.

What is wrong me? Suddenly staring at some random man just because he looked a bit like…

She shook her head as if to dismiss the idea and picture of that certain person that lingered in her mind.

He on the other hand glanced over at her before he left and saw her shaking her head, but he didn’t give it too much attention because he already gave up on the idea of her being Jang Mi. He decided to head back to his suite and get some sleep until he gets rid of the headache.

***

Jang Mi knew that Mr. Ko was taking care of everything for her, that’s why she was able to focus only on her business studies in Japan which were financed by no other than him in fact. He was the person who stood by her side most, being the son of her father’s best friend all along and also a lawyer to her luck. He found her by complete coincidence a year ago when she went to a random law firm to seek both; help and guidance because she clearly was carrying on her plan of revenge and that’s something that can’t be accomplished only by threatening or mere talk. It was difficult at first for her, because no one wanted to help her for free even despite her promising to compensate all of it later. Mr. Ko was the only lawyer who accepted to help her just when she thought it was impossible, and him turning out to be the son of her father’s buddy only made it better. All the money she had now was actually a debt that Mr. Ko had to repay, on behalf of his deceased father, to his friend, her own father, thus to Jang Mi eventually.

 After leaving the lounge, she decided to take a stroll around the city, something that she always longed to do during her old miserable days.

“Ok… how did I end up in here?”

She was standing in the middle of the street, in front of a giant building, that of a big corporation in the center of the city. Even by raising her face and taking a look up, she was still unable to see the summit of that skyscraper.

Cha Jang Mi… What are you doing for God’s sake? Didn’t you say that you’d only come and meet him once everything is over? Once you’ve taken everything that’s yours back from those thieves?

She was giving herself a lecture, and for a second she thought that she really should turn on her heels and leave.

But… I really want to see him…

She raised her hand up and gazed at the ring that has never left her finger, not only because it was irremovable but also because she never tried to take it off even if it was possible. That would be the only thing that could prove her loyalty to the man whom she loved, and her feelings were getting stronger with every day that passed. She needed to apologize to him for ruining the ball with her corrupted family, actually she never wanted to think about the possibility of him coming to despise her for it, and what’s more, the possibility of him not wanting to see her face at all.

She sighed, as she started to walk by, stopping before crossing the road. Two women were standing in front of her as she waited for the light to flash green for pedestrians.

“I can’t believe someone as mighty and graceful as he is could fall this low.” One of the two stated with an exaggerated tone.

“It’s really unbelievable, all these scandals… but wasn’t he engaged?”

“Engaged, yes, but his fiancée ran away and left him on the night that they were supposed to announce their engagement.”

“What an idiot! Who could run away from a man as good-looking and as perfect as Lee Yu Jin is?!”

To the utterance of the name, Jang Mi’s eyes flowed open.

“She completely destroyed him, and yet she never even showed up for a whole year now! I mean look, this article shows pictures of him leaving a nightclub with some woman!”

Jang Mi wasn’t believing her ears, and neither her eyes as she snatched the magazine away from the girl and looked at the pictures. She gasped, tears immediately started to form in her eyes.

“Oh my, you should be one of his admirers…” the woman patted her on the shoulder as if to console her.

“H-How c-c-come..?” her lips were trembling as she blinked, and her voice trailed.

She handed the magazine to the woman and ran back to the Lee. Corp’s office block. She entered and headed to the reception to ask about Yu Jin but the employee told her that he was not working in there anymore. That made her grief grow and the pain in her heart took the best of her.

This can’t be right… Not his job too!  

“It’s my fault.. All what’s happening to him is certainly my fault and mine only.” She swallowed her sobs.

***

She was standing in front of her room’s door, her eyes were so blurry that she couldn’t insert her card in the reader, just kept randomly shoving it in and missed. She bit her lips so hard that she started to taste blood in .

It hurts… it hurts so much…

She eventually dropped her hand down, her fingers letting go of the card away as she banged with her palm on the door’s solid frame.

***

Yu Jin opened his room’s door, thought that he should go the gym and exercise; it was better than getting himself drunk and allow those ty reporters to write bad things about him. He stepped out and glanced somebody, he recognized the white blouse and black skirt that she had on and even her ponytail.

Just remembering that her name was Jang Mi quickly made him shake his head and walk away. Yet, as soon as he heard soft sobs followed by a loud bang coming from where she was, he found himself looking over his shoulder, not being able to shift his gaze away from her.

“Why can’t I open this stupid door?” she whined with a stained voice, standing with her back against the wall, her body slowly slid down. She hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms.

Yu Jin drew closer to her, and picked the card up for her then inserted it in the lock. As the door made a clicking sound, she raised her face slowly, and saw her room’s door opening, hearing footsteps echoing in the hall. She rose up to her feet, and glanced at the back of the man, recognized the figure and hoodie, although his clothes were different from the morning. She wanted to smile but her face muscle's refused to obey her. Still, she whispered a small “thank you” then retrieved her card and went in her room.

~ T o  B e  C o n t i n u e d ~