A chair knocked into the wall when Kai’s father suddenly stood. “Enough,” the man declared and looked at Kai with dark, mean eyes, “Kai, come see me.”

Namjoo watched Kai shoot Sehun a stern warning before releasing her hand and turned to follow his father out the door. Taking the opportunity of her caught off guard, Sehun pulled her after him before she could manage to retort. They were out the door and down the hallway seconds later with murmuring fading behind them. Dismissing the elevators, Sehun pulled her down the flight of stairs where her feet clambered against the steps clumsily. She barely managed to keep her heels on before they were out in the hallway. Swiftly turning, Sehun pushed open a door pulling her in with him.

Inside, a dim yellow light glowed powerfully in the far corner. He finally let go of her.

Nervous, Namjoo stepped away from him wishing to get as far as possible from him and pretentiously focused her gaze on the night view. Outside city lights sparkled, drowning out the twinkling stars. So anxiously she used all her might to concentrate on the scenery while listening to him close the door.

She was dead!

Clutching her hands together anxiously Namjoo realized her palms were already damp with sweat. Her ears, in the meantime, picked up the soft of his steps as he closed in on her. The pace of her heart picked up. In the blink of an eye the blinds flew down giving her nothing else to focus on. Her senses kicked in way too slowly for her to properly react when she turned to see him leveling his head back to observe her, as if testing her for fault in appearance. Namjoo’s eyes swayed back and forth nervously.

Her sub-consciousness knew, but her consciousness denied.

“You left early this morning,” he started, lowering his head. There was no emotion in his voice. It was a statement made loud and clear. “If you hadn’t left, I would have been honest with you.”

Honest about what?

Like a circuit running short of power, panic zipped back and forth through the nerves connected to her brain. Then they stopped and all blanked.

“But the chance already slipped away,” he went on. “Now, I want an answer from you.”

Namjoo stepped back, her heart racing within her chest. More agitated than wanted, she pressed her lips together to stay calm as he continued to stride forward. Sehun began to tower over her like a menace with every single step. Namjoo couldn’t count how many times she gulped when he neared. Gravity was suddenly too much. She was stiff, chin tilted up at an angle with eyes locked on his, and she couldn’t look away. His stare leveled up with power and she felt the life being out of her.

She still couldn’t read him. What were his eyes saying? What was the expression on his face telling her? Sehun was more intimidating than any other time she ever recalled.

Her heart continued to pound like thunder in her ears. She hated how panicked she felt in front of him, yet the strong pull of attraction was working at the wrong place and time. Namjoo could sense his body heat and the strong aura of his luring her like seduction. She wasn’t supposed to feel drawn to him right now.

Namjoo let out a short gasp when she hit the wall, even turned to confirm that she was flat against it before looking back at him. She literally shrank back with her chin tucked against her collarbone.

The consciousness that floated beyond the skyline just seconds ago sprang back into her being. Namjoo averted her eyes to, again, seek for the mask she just lost.

“Who are you?”

The pressures inside her ear popped. Her heart threatened to burst.

“I’m Choonhee,” the lie rolled out. Her lids fluttered rapidly and even trying to regain control of them seemed impossible. Namjoo gripped her fingers into fists at her sides.  

A soft slapping sound echoed in her ears when he slapped his palm against the wall aside her head.

“Choonhee doesn’t have a scar on her shoulder,” Sehun narrowed his eyes, “that girl has never gotten injured.”

Frightened, Namjoo fought for something else to say but her brain remained blank and devoid. It was suddenly failing to function.

“Who are you?” he repeated, further leaning in trapping her vertically against him. “Why are you pretending to be Choonhee?”

Namjoo’s lids fluttered anxiously. All her senses pounded her ears. What should she do? What to say? The truth? Or summon a lie? How should she save herself?

With lips slightly trembling Namjoo decided to hit him directly in one go, once and for all. It was now or never. Shooting her head back she stared into his eyes, summoning confidence into her voice as she imaginatively her finger at him, “Did you dump her because you got her pregnant? It was you, wasn’t it?”

Trying to pull herself together in order to look tough, she held her head up to look him straight on. She would show him who she was. The girl who’d grown up on the street; she was someone who always defended herself. No one person like he would be able to topple her over so easily, but even as the thoughts swooned through her head she found herself pressing her lips hard together to extend her façade for another minute. The strong light of provocation still remained in his eyes. For a second right there she barely faltered. Namjoo was left wondering for the nth time if he ever expressed himself.

“I never slept with her.”

Suddenly more awake, her head blanked yet again and the tough expression she just put on immediately vanished. Surprise shown through as her eyes widened.

Never

Slept

With

Her

…………

Did he mean it? Was he really being sincere, one-hundred-percent honest?

The throttle of relief nearly shook her, for she had felt so dirty sharing her body with the same man her sister had. Mentally slapping herself, she quickly regained the better of herself. No, it still wasn’t right. Sehun could still be the bad guy regardless. 

He held her eyes and Namjoo didn’t know what to do.

Was he among one of the liars?

\\\\\

In the empty, private room next door Kai watched his old man turn around. Without a word he reached into the hidden pocket inside his jacket and tossed a white envelope onto the table waiting for its next guests. The young son merely glanced at it without curiosity, and like his father, said nothing.

“Have you been lying to me?” the man grunted, displeasure obvious in his tone.

Kai glanced at the envelope again then toward the tall man confused.

Turning back to look at him with a more stoic expression, the man asked indignantly, “What is going on?! What is this?! You explain this to me right now, Jongin. If you have been lying to me, you better be prepared to see what I’ll do to you, Choonhee, and the rest of your friends.”

Wondering if some sort of child was at play, Kai nonchalantly reached for the envelope. More than just three simple sheets were folded together in it to his surprise. Fully focused on discovering what exactly these papers held, he slowly unfolded them and immediately looked toward the floor when a picture flittered down.

Picking it up he glanced at the young unhappy girl staring into the camera, her clothes being faded blue jeans and purple shirt. The face…was familiar.

Choonhee.

His brows slightly twitched together and he shot a glance at his father, whose eyes were busily digging a hole through the wall. Suddenly adamnant to know what this was about he hurriedly scanned the papers that were of orphanage enrollment, DNA documents, and verification that this young girl had received discipline and primary education from the short programs installed for children ages 6-12.

Kai’s eyes scrolled over the fingerprints before quickly flipping back to the front page. When he ran his eyes over the front page again he sighted the name Kim Namjoo at the top.

What the hell was this?

Before he could go through the papers again his father impatiently snatched them from him. “You…you’re keeping something from us. Tell me right now what exactly Sehun was talking about.”

Kai’s pursed lips dropped apart. Quickly saving himself, he said, “It’s nothing.”

Shaking the papers in his face, his father furiously demanded, “Then what is this?! Is this some kind of joke?!”

“Yes,” Kai said to persuade both him and his father, “it’s a joke. What’s the big deal? You know Choonhee isn’t their real child anyway. No matter what happens right now, I’m still going to get married to her. You and mom want the money too, don’t you?”

His father’s lips tightened, as if angry that his son realized it too. “Then what was going on out there? What is this nonsense going on between her and Sehun? Because I swear to God, Jongin, if you screw this up you’ll be handling the consequences yourself. Now, get back in there.”

His father stiffly brushed by slamming the door after him, leaving him to stand there alone flabbergasted with the old man and the papers he just went through.

\\\\\

“I asked for your name,” Sehun snarled again.

Namjoo’s heart was drumming so fast she swore she could be hyperventilating at this moment. Now that it had come to it, she realized she didn’t want him to know who she really was. It was embarrassing and if he did know who she was she might never be able to get away from these greedy people. She feared they would come after her the rest of her life.

“You won’t say it?” he said under his breath with a hint of threat. “Then, should we go to the police?”

She flung away his hand the second he grabbed her wrist. Seriously, she was too out of her head right now. She was so scared to the point she wanted to cry because she didn’t know what to do. She’d been caught red handed and it was one of the worst feelings she was experiencing. She was a lamb about to be torn apart by an alpha.

“W…wait,” she loudly breathed. “J…just wait…”

While trying to catch her breath, as if she’d just completed some kind of strenuous workout he watched her, waiting impatiently. Namjoo gulped again and stole a glance at him. Darn those stoic eyes of his. They were the replica of an iceberg, cold and unmoving.

“W…what are you going to do if I tell you?” Namjoo needed to know. “Will you…report me?”

“That’s for me to decide.” He told her. “I’m giving you five seconds. Five…four…three…”

Namjoo’s heart raced at his voice. She couldn’t trust him. Sehun would no doubt turn her in. That was just…who she was. Her entire trembled and panicked swarmed through her like a tornado, flying away with all her pent up courage.    

“I…I am Kim Namjoo.” The words rushed out of at the speed of a roller coaster. His countdown immediately stopped, his eyes still on her – this time not as hard or icily, strangely. Taking her chance, Namjoo headbutted him never minding how his chin left the roof of her head throbbing viciously. Shoving him away with all the strength she had she dashed out of the room as fast as she could, and without looking back raced down the rest of the flight the stairs. She didn’t stop once to catch her breath until she was by the curb with her arm stretched out for a cab.

The very second she clambered into the cab and secured the door shut she sunk against the seat so relieved she nearly broke down. If not for the presence of the cab driver she would have wept all her fear out.

“Where to, Miss?”

And that was the thing. She had nowhere to go.

No less than ten minutes later Namjoo found herself standing in front of Tao’s trailer home in the dress that was no match for the shabby area. The sky had blackened. Tonight, there was no moon to view. She felt as alone as ever, realized she was alone now – had been from the very start – would be from tomorrow on. She would have to face everything and everyone all by herself with her very small cowardly heart.  

That this was her problem alone to solve and fight. And she didn’t like it. Not one bit. Not at all.

She was back to square one.

As if sensing that someone was outside the door opened and Tao stared back at her. When Namjoo’s eyes landed on him she felt like throwing herself at him like a child and cry for him to protect her. Obviously her imagination was shameless as could be.

Instead, Namjoo’s lips curled downwards as tears spilled. She felt the silence shift into awkwardness before Tao further pushed the door open.

“What the heck?” he asked. “Why are you crying?”

Wiping the tears away and smearing her makeup with her arm, she whined, “I don’t know. I feel really bitter.”  

Five seconds later she was seated at the lone table feeling out of place and at right where she belonged. What a weird thing to feel, she thought as Tao poured a hot cup of tea for her.

“Thought I heard a cat,” Tao said placing the cup in front of her and unfolded a portable stool he’d bought a few days ago. Sitting on it opposite her he crossed his arms. “So, how’d it go?”

“Well…that depends if you want the good or bad news.” Namjoo mumbled. Tao made a face and reached over for a stack of napkins.

Setting them in front of her he waved his hand at her, “Wipe your face.” Then hovering his hand over his face, “You look like…a ghost or something. Hurry, do it. I can’t stand the sight of you.”

Snatching the napkins up she wiped it against her face, “Good news is the wedding is set. Bad news…bad news is…”

“What?”

Anxiousness welled up in her and she knew if she told Tao she’d get in trouble. Their plan was ruined now. What the hell would Sehun spill to her when he knew she was a liar?

Ah…great, she silently muttered, a liar. Such a positive word with no negative connotation.

Brushing her hand up into her hair and rustling it free, “He knows who I am.”

Silence.

Curious, she looked up to discover Tao flatly staring back at her unmoved.

“What?” she asked lost.

“You told him.” It was a statement.

“No…” Namjoo’s eyes darted around. Well, in some perspective that was the case but she hadn’t done it out of free will. “I did not. It just…some things…” she groaned, “it’s difficult.”

“You like him. So you told him.” Tao concluded, appearing like a stone figure still unmoved and expressionless.

“No!” Namjoo screamed and shot up to her feet in utter denial. “Do you know how much trouble I am in right now? Any moment now, he could be calling the cops on me! You don’t know him! In the flash of an eye he’ll turn cold. He’s not afraid of anything. Do you know what I just went through?! I was so scared! I just realized how alone I am right now. No one is going to stand on my side.

“And do you know what I realized while I sat there listening to them sort out Choonhee’s affairs for her? That they don’t give a damn about her. She was a tool. She was a thing! Their thing! I, as Choonhee, wasn’t asked about my own damn wedding! My wedding! Her wedding! No one asked me a damn thing! ‘Do you want this? Do you want this?’ No, it was nothing like that. You will move in, you will give us grandchildren, you will inherit your parents’ money and you will bring it to us. No one looked at me. No one gave a damn! They set a schedule for her and do you know how cruel that is? It was like she didn’t exist. This is a dead girl’s wedding and no one cared what she thought about it!”

Namjoo gritted her teeth together, tears boiled up in her eyes, her hands bundled up at her sides again, and her entire body shook. Namjoo just suddenly realized how angry she was.

And she didn’t understand any of it.

“To whom…and where did her heart go after she died if it’s like this? How sad she must have been to die like that. Choonhee died powerless and without a voice. And she couldn’t do a damn thing for herself!”

She was just…so angry that everything had been out of her control. That only Choonhee’s money mattered.

“And I don’t know…how she could have trusted any of you.” She bit her tongue, stared Tao right in the eyes. “I don’t know if I can even trust you.”