Engagement…

Engagement?!?!

Wide eyed, Hayoung spun around with back pressed against the wall. She hadn’t foreseen this.

Kai and Choonhee…

All along…the two of them…

And she and Sehun had been kept in the dark, not knowing a thing.

How had he kept this hidden so well? The two of them?!

Her insides exploded, a voice shrieked.

Choonhee was dead. In her place now was Namjoo. Kai as hell didn’t know a thing.

Even worse, the tables have turned. In the whir of the moment everything Hayoung was planning was backfiring right before her eyes. Namjoo wouldn’t be able to leave as easily as planned and not only was the merge the only important matter, but the joining of two families was coming to light.

Under and regardless of all circumstances Kai was going to marry Choonhee – Namjoo. If the power houses joined hands in the union of their children, she would have no place and would be bound to lose her wealth. Kai wouldn’t stand leaving her around Choonhee – Namjoo – nor would he take the risk to letting her linger around in case she tried to work hands with Sehun.

Hayoung hadn’t expected this. Her position was in danger. Sehun was also in danger, no matter if he became Vice CEO or not, the bigger factor was that Kai’s father was still the head of Power Printings, and if he wished so, could turn Sehun’s position over with the favor of the board since majority of them were his people.

Had Sehun realized this? Was that why he’d stopped by early on in the morning?

But Namjoo didn’t know a damn thing and she wouldn’t understand the intensity of the affair or how important it was. She didn’t even understand her position as Choonhee right now; that she just had to stand as her sister and pretend she was well and alive then all would be well. Instead she was doing the useless by wondering questions that didn’t have a core in her business. Hayoung couldn’t trust her, she just couldn’t. Not that fool.  

What the hell was she going to do now?!

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Their first stop was at some jewelry store Namjoo, again, would never have imagined stepping foot in. A woman formally dressed in a black pencil skirt and white blouse with a black vest drawn over it bowed ninety degrees toward them along with a greeting. That golden pin with her name pinned to her left shone in the light as she straightened up.

A pretty chandelier hung down from the center of the ceiling flowering the entire store with a white glow. The effect was greatest on the glass counters with jewelries of all kinds on display. Each one sparkled and glimmered as Namjoo walked by in admiration. Kai didn’t seem to share the same spectacle. He calmly walked forth toward a woman at the end of the room and spoke something to her Namjoo didn’t quite catch.

Namjoo’s eyes landed on the red carpet with yellow dots crossing each other to produce diamond patterned shapes. The entire store smelled extremely clean and freshly vacuumed. Around her both men and women and a few couples were all attended to by employees in search of that perfect diamond ring, necklace, bracelet, or whatever it may be.

“Don’t admire them,” she turned when Kai’s hand slid down her arm to grasp her by the elbow gently. He pulled her over to stand beside them and watched the lady at the counter earlier walk back. There was a long velvety box in her hands.

“It came a bit early since you said it was an important present for the Miss,” she slid the box over to him, “I’ll be nearby if you need anything. Enjoy. And congratulations.”

Namjoo watched the pretty woman smile at Kai then glanced at her before walking away. She wasn’t totally sure, but she was certain it was a code for something. It was unexplainable, but Namjoo just that feeling and her instincts were always mostly right on the dot.

“It’s yours,” Kai handed the box to her. “Surprise!”

Her brow twitched slightly, eyes intense on the soft box. The first thing to hit her was that it wasn’t hers. Accepting it in the place of Choonhee…just didn’t sit right with her.

“Why? You don’t like it?” Kai asked.

“N…no…I mean…” Namjoo stuttered, wondering how to phrase it right so it didn’t sound like she hated the gift, yet also couldn’t accept such thing. How would she say it so as not to hurt his feelings?

His hands were soft to the touch and very warm when he grabbed her hand to place the box within her palm.

“Open it.” he watched expectantly, that faint smile on his lips as he waited for her reaction. Namjoo stared up at him, pressured. He was nice, she could tell, and he didn’t mean bad – that she understood, but how could she tell him, without getting her kicked by Hayoung, that she wasn’t the girl he thought she was? She couldn’t take a gift meant for her twin sister.

Pressing her lips together she slowly grabbed the lid of the delicate velvet and opened the box. A shiny diamond necklace sparkled in the light ringing bells in her ears. It was beautiful, eye catching and she could feel the sincerity he’d put into it pouring through her. Those damn silver gems would cost her an entire lifetime to own, but Kai easily bought such treasure for her – Choonhee.

What was the extent of this gift? Why? What was the symbolism behind it? How important were they to each other that he would buy her such expensive jewelry?

“I knew you’d love it,” she could hear the smile swimming through his voice. “Here, let me put it on you.”

Lifting the box out of her hand he placed it onto the counter beside him and gently but swiftly released the necklace. Namjoo’s eyes drooled over the expensive gems, but her mind cried out no. Yet, she couldn’t utter a sound, a word. Contrary to all the thoughts crashing within her head Kai stepped forward to lock it around her neck. He was so close that she could smell the cologne he’d put on as well as how warm he was. His shirt brushed into her nose so intimately her heart raced on its own accord.

She stared up at him dazed when he stepped back, that handsome smile glued to his lips. Again, her heart pounded wildly. Namjoo grew hot from neck down the second their eyes locked gazes. His deep brown eyes were so clear she could see her own reflection swimming in the depth of his irises.

“It’s pretty,” he commented and reached out to brush her hair back, his fingers grazing a bit of her neck. Grabbing the box off the counter and lacing his fingers through hers he led her toward the front door with a low laugh, “You’re surprised, right? Tell me I did good.”

She was touched deep down. The first ever gift she’d received in her entire lifetime was a grand diamond necklace. It was nearly perfect because Kai exuded warmth and kindness, at least for today and she found herself drawn toward it, but it was wrong because it was from her sister’s man – or supposedly the man who liked her, whatever the relationship had been.

And she was Namjoo. Not Lee Choonhee.

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Clueless was how Choonhee had seemed that early morning. Usually she was quite ready to bicker with him or share her proud statements about how determined she was to join the business and work with them all. But something had been off that morning. Sehun couldn’t pin it well.

Right. Choonhee was always a morning bird, but she’d been sleeping when he saw her that morning, still in her pajamas and hair a mess. Not only that, but she’d gotten dressed quite quickly. The Choonhee he knew took her time, as if she had all the time in the world with everyone else waiting on her like the King’s court.

He was certain he knew Choonhee well enough to know her habits and she’d had none of them that morning. Sehun was curious, yet he believed she was putting on an act. Be sick, ill, and not in her right state of mind to throw him off; feel sorry for her.

The only question he had was, was she and Kai in on it together?

Before the breakup Choonhee had suggested they split numerous times. He had been unwilling, for letting her go meant losing his way up the ladder. There was no way his parents would allow that. Between the three families – his, Kai’s, and Choonhee’s – if he couldn’t acquire Power Printings there was no point in him being in the Oh family. And only if the merge went through could he do so.

To him Choonhee had been a bait, a tool he’d grabbed onto because he had had no choice but to feed his power starved parents. That was his job as their son, so as his father often repeated to him like a mantra.

Sehun never expected it to happen, but Choonhee had swayed toward him. It hadn’t been awfully painful playing date or boyfriend with her when he had no feelings at all for her. There was a goal and that had been all that mattered. Choonhee helped set the plan into motion, it worked so well until she realized being with him was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. Then he announced the breakup because as messed up as everything was, Choonhee had been a friend from the start, only in actuality she was first to break it off.

To his luck, his parents hadn’t killed him for ending the relationship. Instead, Kai’s parents ended up favoring his knowledge about business thanks to Choonhee. And he only realized why a month later.

Sehun, puzzled, often wondered why the Kims would even care about him, why Choonhee would have associated with them in the first place. The math he did gave him the perfect answer, Kai.

Put two and two together and wala, Kai and Choonhee.

It hadn’t been difficult to collect his data and do his own personal investigation. Kai and Choonhee were loose with each other, but were also as close as birds.

Friends, they all claimed, was a lie. Sehun saw that only too late.

None of them were friends. Instead, over time had turned the tables on each other in secret.

Hayoung stuck close to Choonhee as best friend for her parents’ wealth. Kai wanted Choonhee because getting her not only meant getting her parents’ favor, but her entire inheritance, and would elevate his image in his father’s eyes. Then in the end, would also mean Sehun would have to step down from his new anticipated position as Vice CEO. And Choonhee, foolish and naïve; that girl only sought out her heart, which would all but bring her world crumbling down. But this was her path. It was what she had chosen – Kai – throwing the rest of them away, and it was going to affect the rest of them.

Sehun wouldn’t cede to his parents’ pressures. He would climb his own way up and build his own wealth. That also meant toppling Kai and Choonhee. And he was willing to go that far. Friends or not, this was a competition.

His attention swerved from the window to his cell phone sitting on the arm of the sofa. It was Hayoung calling. He intentionally let it ring five more times before deeming it was important business. He wasn’t quite in the mood to be talking with her after already seeing her that morning, but if it was something important she was calling him for he’d take it.

“Something up?” he answered.

“Where are you?”

“Want to take a guess?” grabbing the remote he turned the volume on the television down.

For a second he could hear her smiling from the other end of the phone, “I’m heading back from the President’s house. Why don’t you come over and tell Choonhee not to come to the opening this weekend?”

He raised a brow. “Why would I do that?”

“Because,” Hayoung went on, “if she doesn’t show up, you’ll be able to sit in your chair. Isn’t that right?”

Sehun made no reply.

“Think about it carefully,” she warned, “if the members of President Kim’s board climbs onto the wagon he hitches with Choonhee, Kai wins. Shouldn’t you cut off his arm before he can move?”

There was a beep. Hayoung had hung up on him.

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Their next stop was a romantic lunch at some restaurant, a vase of roses in the center of the table this time. They had pasta and garlic bread then they were back on the road again.

“Are you not feeling well? You’re not talking much,” Kai said from behind the wheel. Namjoo watched the cars in the opposite lane whizz pass. “Or are you nervous about this weekend? I told you not to worry, didn’t I? I’ll help introduce you to the stock holders as well as my dad’s people. They might be old people, but as long as you can drink well you’ll be fine. I know you drink well.”

Namjoo offered a smile in thanks while her guts twisted and turned. Unlike the dead twin, she wasn’t a person who held her alcohol well. She actually had low alcohol tolerance, one bottle and a half and she was out a couple hours later.

The tall gates of her residence came into view and Namjoo tried not to let her sigh become too obvious. “Thanks…uh…you know, for everything. I’ll see you this weekend.” Unbuckling her seatbelt she turned to pull the door open but stopped when Kai touched her arm.

Her entire body froze when Kai gave her a quick peck on the cheeks. Gazing into her eyes again with that bright and handsome smile, “Wear that necklace this Saturday, alright?”

Namjoo stared at him, dazed again. Then quickly spinning around slammed the door close and dashed toward the door beside the gate. Once she unlocked it she raced toward the house with her heart hammering inside her chest. All her senses flurried toward the spot on her cheek where he’d kissed her, disabling her from paying attention to anything else. She was conscious of her blood rushing, her uneven breathing, and her pulsing heart.

“Why are you running?” a voice made her stop. Turning she watched Sehun stand up from where he’d been sitting on the front steps and walk toward her. His gaze appeared cold, like a beast.

Once more, Namjoo’s entire body froze in spot from the surprise. She barely stepped back when he neared. He was intimidating, even appeared angry. What the hell had she done?

“The Choonhee I know doesn’t run that well,” he remarked.

Namjoo’s heart leapt within her chest.

“I…” she tried then watched him turn away with a smile climbing onto his face.

What was up with him?

Turning back to her, “Don’t go to the opening this Saturday.”

“What…why?” what was up with them telling her one thing then another?

“It won’t do you any good, I guarantee you,” Sehun said. “As a friend, I’m just helping you.”

Namjoo couldn’t help but frown up at him. “How is that helping me?”

Sehun held her gaze for a short moment before laughing spitefully. “You still don’t listen to me.”

It rang in her head that Kai had said just the same exact thing to her today. “What do you mean?”

“Listen, Choonhee,” he spoke more seriously, “I’m telling you not to go. Can’t you listen to me for once? Attending the opening won’t be beneficial to you in any way. It could even hurt you later down the road. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Namjoo’s brow twitched. She was insanely confused. That morning he’d prodded her about regretting joining the business. What did he want?

His voice wasn’t all the same friendly as Kai’s. It was actually a little nonchalant but laced with warning. Was he caring about her – Choonhee?

Sehun was the ex-boyfriend after all.

Namjoo observed his facial expression some more. She was unable to read the blank expression there because like her parents, he appeared stoic, almost brusque.

Something she couldn’t discern flashed through his eyes before he slightly inched back, leaving her both appalled and confused. Sehun’s lids fluttered, as if he’d just woken up. Clearing his throat he turned away from her again.

“Just don’t go. I’m warning you.”

Namjoo watched him walk away toward his car, get in, and drive off without looking back.

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Hayoung watched from the window as Sehun approached Namjoo, her blood racing through her entire whole. She didn’t like the two close, but it couldn’t be helped. She knew that if she pushed Sehun just a bit he’d fall for her trick.

If Namjoo didn’t go to the opening this weekend, Kai wouldn’t be able to use her as leverage to give himself power nor would his father be able to show off to his business partners his future daughter-in-law. If Kai didn’t have the power he was useless as a fish. No marriage meant Sehun got his Vice CEO position and she stayed secretary to the Lee family.

One way or another, she would find some way to stop the engagement from happening. She didn’t like pushing Sehun forward but he was the only option she had, because he was the only one who could cut the relationship between her and Kai. Until everything was secured into position and the marriage would never happen, would she let Namjoo go.

It was unexpected, but she’d become the toy in the game, just like her sister.

Hayoung listened to the door open and turned around from the window with arms crossed. Namjoo stopped in the center of the hallway when she spotted her.

“I saw you talking to Sehun,” Hayoung started. “What’d he say to you?”

She watched the imposter look around before saying, “He said not to go to the opening. Why all of a sudden am I being told not to go?”

“Oh no,” the corner of her lips curved up contemptuously, “you’re going.”     

***In case you're confused, they're all playing a cruel game in a race for power and wealth. Like in the forewords Namjoo's fate is slowly turning into her sister's fate, almost as if they're the same. At this current moment Namjoo, like Choonhee, is a pawn being thrown around. If Kai gets married to her he ousts Sehun in the company and Hayoung will also no longer have her position in the Lee family - that is what Hayoung and Sehun want to stop. But Hayoung's strategy is now to push Sehun toward Namjoo to reel her away from Kai to make the marriage impossible. Sehun is doing just that, but tables will turn on Hayoung again and she'll have to change her strategy once again. 

***So saying, if Namjoo attends the opening as Choonhee Kai and his father will be able to show her off, garner even more support on his father's side. Namjoo - Choonhee is basically their "arm" - power in the business right now. Because Namjoo - Choonhee - will the only child inheriting her parents' wealth and that combined with Kai's parents' make them super millionaires, super powerful in the industry. So Hayoung is playing with Namjoo right now by telling her to go and yet telling Sehun to get her not to go, technically manipulating Namjoo to run. 

***And in all, in the circle of friends - Kai, Sehun, Choonhee, Hayoung - none of them were really friends at all. Kai and Choonhee hid their relationship, but Choonhee got together with Sehun only to break up with him for Kai. And Hayoung has a one-sided thing for Sehun. And that's where all the tension comes from within the group. Basically Namjoo will have to put the puzzle together, but you know she'll have a really hard time with all the manipulations going on. It'll become even harder when romance jumps into the picture.