Chapter 3

“Wait a minute…” Jun Ho just remembered. “Aren’t you, the noona… from few days ago?” his voice was cheerful, and that made her drop her guard a bit down. “Y-You?” she narrowed her eyes. “Do you remember me? The accident and all?” he tilted his head.

“Oh yes, didn’t you say you were homeless?” he suddenly recalled her words and his expression darkened.

What do I do now? What if someone comes and find him here with me?

“Hey, noona” he yelled to catch her attention, “Did you lie back then? Hah!” he snickered in annoyance ,“And to know that I believed that you were some pitiful girl but no, you actually live in this big house and with such a kind woman”

His words struck a nerve and a smile crossed her lips: “Big house..? Kind woman?” she raised her face to look him in the eyes, and clenched her fists “Do I look happy to you?” she yelled, and he blinked at her unexpected reaction. Before she fell to her knees and covered her face.

“B-But…” he stammered but then looked around at the room he was in; the walls were grayish and the wallpaper was stained, the floor was made of wood and the window’s glass was painted so the only source of light this room had was an old lamp placed on the wooden table near the wall. He then directed his gaze at her:

She’s wearing the same clothes…

The corner of his lips dropped down and he felt so sorry for her. He crouched down and peered at her:

“I’m sorry, I’m an idiot” she turned her face to the side. “But… why are you isolated in this filthy room when you live in this big palace-like mansion?”

“This isn’t my house anymore.” she muttered. “Huh?” he tilted his head in question but she got up to her feet and went to sit on her bed. “And you should probably leave and forget that you ever saw me in here” 

“But I can’t!” he scowled. “How can I possibly do that? And what do you mean by ‘anymore’?  And who are you to begin with?”

She bit her lower lip, realizing that she shouldn’t have snapped and said anything without thinking.

“Unless you’re some kind of ghost, this doesn’t make any sense” he came and seated himself beside her. “I won’t leave this room before you tell me, either you do it or I’ll ask one of the kind ladies” She gasped at his words and quickly gripped his forearm, bowing her head she begged:

“No, please, not them, you should never tell anyone that you found me here or else…” her voice trailed.

“No way… don’t tell me they’re threatening you or something!” his eyes widened and he grabbed her shoulders “Are you possibly getting…” he looked down at the scars covering her arms and she quickly pushed his hands away and shook her head. “You’re misunderstanding!” she quickly snapped “The truth is… I’m homeless, and this family accepted to take me in on the condition of having me work as a maid” she uttered in one breath, praying that he would be convinced by it.

He didn’t say a word for a moment but then spoke up: “If they accepted some pitiful girl into their house, they should do things properly and treat her well” he gritted his teeth, “This isn’t called kindness, it’s abusing!” he protested sharply.

Why in the world did this person show up now?

She shut her eyes close, cursing her bad luck.

“You know what? Stand up noona” he pulled her up by her hand. “I’ll talk to my brother and convince him to take you in as a maid. At least we know how to treat human beings”

“Hahaha” she laughed and that made him perplexed. “H-Hey, I really mean it” he blushed and rolled his eyes. “The Lee sons are taught to never back down on their words!” she wiped away a tear that escaped her eye because of laughing so hard. “I’m sorry, but I have to decline your generous offer Mr. Lee” she was trying not to laugh as she bowed at him.

“Are you making fun of me now?” he got irritated “Fine then, you’re free to stay, it’s not like I’ll force you to come” he shrugged. But she reached her hand to the top of his head and messed his hair, making him jerk. “H-Hey!” she giggled. “You’re very sweet” he was surprised at her move, and then cleared his throat as he blushed slightly. “Would you stop looking down at me?” his voice shook. “I’m sorry” she pulled her hand away and gulped.

“Humph, what a weird noona” he crossed his arms. “I really envy him” she said making him look at her. “W-Who?” he asked. “I mean your hyung, for having this cute boy as his little brother”.

“Humph, trust me, he would’ve dumped me in the first trashcan he would come across if he could” he slumped his shoulders and sighed. “And why’s that?” she innocently questioned, seeing him upset. “Because I’m a troublemaker as he calls me, and I’m always causing him distress.”

“I would’ve loved if I could have a little brother by my side” she held her face with her palm. “As for your hyung, he must get angry at you sometimes but maybe, no, certainly that’s because he cares about you, since you must be precious to him”  she uttered with a gentle voice, and saw that he didn’t react for a minute but then he laid his head on her shoulder and crossed his arms. “Nah, you really don’t know how strict and serious he is…” at first she was a bit surprised by his move but then she felt a tingle of warmth in her.

This boy apparently is misunderstood by his family and needs someone to listen to him.

“Then your hyung must have his reasons for being that way” she said. “Yes he’s very busy with work, but he looks like he’s enjoying it since he never complains” Jang Mi repeated the last words she heard in her mind and smiled. “You’ll never know without asking him” she uttered almost naturally as she thought at her own situation. “It’s hard for someone to smile when he’s being left with no choice in life.” She dazed in her thoughts. “Noona, whose side are you taking now?” he raised his head and scowled. “Hm?” she blinked, but then answered: “Well, it depends on the situation”

He stood up at once and put his hands in his jacket’s pockets. “Everyone are always taking his side just because he’s the older son who studied abroad and graduated from a worldly-known business school and now being the current young president of the Lee group.”

She could not believe her ears.

P-President? Lee group?

“Well, but still, talking to you felt more different than all the other adults so far, so can I come and hang around with you?” he smiled.

“N-No…” she shook her head, still under the impact of shock “Y-You can’t! J-Just don’t even come near this room again! G-Go out”  she started to push his back. “Wait, why are you suddenly acting like this?”

She knew that if her stepmother was to find out about this, she’ll obviously kill her.

“I-I don’t have the time to listen to nonsense uttered by a brat like you, so leave and don’t you ever show me your face again!”

She finally shut the door close in his face.

She stood behind the door, panting, and then wiped away the sweat that formed on her forehead.  

I’m sorry, but getting close to people like that, will only get me in trouble.

-------------------------

“Tsk, what a joke” Jun Ho was going downstairs and glimpsed Mrs. Cha coming out of some room as she got stunned seeing him coming downstairs from the 3^rd floor, she knitted her brows. He looked at her without even smiling and kept heading downstairs to the 1^st floor.

“That shameless !”  She bit her thumbnail as she hurried upstairs to barge into Era’s room and the nightmare started.

***

Jun Ho was still cursing and pouting until he reached the dining room where his brother and the two girls were chatting. He went to sit beside him and started to eat silently.

“Your little brother is so handsome too” Yoon Song laughed. “No but Yu Jin’s manlier” Yoon Yi added with a similar laugh. Yu Jin couldn’t help but keep smiling.

“Doesn’t your mouth hurt from grinning?” whispered Jun Ho in trial to irritate him. “No, and where the heck did you disappear to?” Yu Jin spoke among his teeth with a murmur as he hit Jun Ho with his elbow. “Tsk, just with some ugly witch” he snapped, loud enough to catch the attention of the two sisters who were arguing.

“What witch?” Yu Jin questioned, then eyed the two girls raising a brow: “Didn’t you say that you were the only persons who lived in this house?” his voice was higher than it should be. “Huh? Did you forget about that maid?” Jun Ho glared at them and they jolted. “Wait, didn’t you say that you two were the ones who took care of the house and cooked meals?” Yu Jin’s tone grew accusing, as his brows arched in a knit, and the two sisters found themselves gaping.

“I-It’s not a lie! We were the ones who cooked all this” Yoon Song defended, stuttering. “Y-yes, she’s right” her sister nodded.

“Then what about that maid who lives in the loft?” Jun Ho stood up, loudly pushing back his chair and pointing his index finger toward the stairway. “C-Calm down” Yu Jin pulled him down by the arm then looked back at the girls. “They told you already that they were the ones who cleaned the house so stop speaking idly, and just eat” he didn’t look like he was convinced by what he just uttered although the two sighed in relief.

“Something’s fishy about this whole deal” Jun Ho mouthed annoyingly as he held his water glass up. As for Yu Jin, he glanced at the higher floor for a second then continued having the casual talk with the Cha sisters.

***

“Thank you for having us” Yu Jin bowed his head as he stood by the entrance door, and Jun Ho just crossed his arms.

“It’s an honor for us to have you, haha” Mrs. Cha was rushing downstairs and came to greet them. “I apologize, I just got a call from the company and it went longer than expected” she pushed back a strand of her hair back behind her ear and laughed.

“Huh?” Jun Ho –who raised his head up to ask her about the 3^rd floor, gasped as he glimpsed…

“We’ll be going now, good night” Yu Jin turned toward the door to leave and saw his brother looking pale, he winced and then patted him on the shoulder but he uttered: “B-Blood” he covered his mouth with his palm as he aimed his other finger toward Mrs. Cha. “S-She has blood on her sleeve!” 

All eyes shot at the woman who jerked and immediately started to hide her hands behind her back and said:

“S-Sorry, that’s just… because I got injured accidently”

Jun Ho glared and yelled:

“Don’t tell me you…”

He looked at her with wide eyes but then he got dragged by Yu Jin outside.

***

“L-Let go of me! That woman sure is lying!”  Jun Ho pushed away his brother’s arms and looked at him with furious eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, just get in the car already” Yu Jin unlocked the door and got in.

“You don’t understand!” Jun Ho hopped in as well, but kept protesting. “That family sure is hiding something” he clenched his fists.

Yu Jin drove-off toward the gate and left the mansion.

“Wait, what if that blood was actually…?” Jun Ho’s mind went blank as he remembered Mrs. Cha going upstairs to that maid’s room. “Hyung!” he grabbed his shoulder as he was driving. “What?” he was concentrating on the road ahead of him. “Could it be that… that woman… did something to the girl?”

“You keep repeating the words girl and maid but the only thing I knew is that Mrs. Cha told me clearly that she only lived there with her daughters, and even if they actually had some staff, the workers should have gone home long ago, so stop giving-” he was speaking among his  gritted teeth.

“That girl I hit with my car the other day!” He interrupted him “I found her in an old room by the loft!”

Yu Jin suddenly stopped the car by the side of the road.

“What did you just say?” his voice was monotone.

“That’s why I was very surprised! It’s that same girl who told me that she was homeless” he exhaled sharply, “And Mrs. Cha went to her room as soon as I left it, and trust me she didn’t look happy at all”

“Then… you’re saying that the girl actually wasn’t homeless, and that she lives with the Cha household?” he reached his hand at his pocket where he hid the golden locket. “Then she was lying?”

“More or less, but…” he looked a bit worried “The room, and the way she looked, didn’t imply that she was actually having any better life than a homeless person… I talked to her, and at first, I somehow sensed her kindness and she really gave the feeling of being a nice girl but then…” He remembered the sudden change in her attitude.

Yu Jin was holding his jaw, his arm resting on the driving wheel as he stared fixedly at some point. “As soon as I mentioned something about you being the Lee group leader…” his voice trailed.

Yu Jin blinked, not believing it.

“Still! We must go back and check on the girl! What if something bad really happened to her?” Jun Ho couldn’t deny how much he was concerned over her and even if he wanted to hide it but Yu Jin was lost in his thoughts that he wasn’t being attentive.

********