Chapter 66 - Lee Sungyeol

Sungyeol’s POV

“C’mon..” I told Sulli and immediately took her away from school. She was asking me tons of questions but I had no time to answer it all.

“WHAT IS WRONG?!”

She suddenly shouted after I’ve ignored her a thousand times. I suddenly slowed the car and collected my thoughts.

“Myungsoo.. He was about to kill you.” That left her stunned. She didn’t speak a word until after a while.

“What did—“ She sighed. “What did you to do to him?”

“I shot him..”

“But oppa..” She uttered. That simply stirred me up. I pulled up and faced her.

“BUT WHAT, SULLI?!” I suddenly shouted at her face. I never have done this and I myself, was surprised. She covered and I know she was trying hard not to shed a tear.

“I had to. I—I can’t lose you.” I lowered my head down and tried hard to remember how to breathe.

“I’m sorry oppa. I just can’t believe it. I know Myungsoo has been your real friend. The only thing that was true when you started working for Jungryul was your friendship with Myungsoo. But I’m—I’m still sorry oppa.”

I walked out the car and Sulli followed me behind. I have a house which was my secret hideout and I brought us there. I need to keep Sulli away for the mean time as I make a plan on how I’d save Sue Ji.

Sulli went inside and I told her to take a nap while I needed to work my plan out.

About 13 years ago, when my ‘step uncle’, Lee Dong Min died, my biological uncle, Minwoo which is his step brother sent me to undercover for Jungryul at such a young age. I was ten or eleven at the time. He said Jungryul has planned to kill Sue Ji after some years and I was the only one who could save my cousin. Sue Ji is the only one who showed me kindness and love and that I learned to treasure her so much and her protection was all that I care about so I agreed and worked for Jungryul in secrecy.

I thought Sue Ji and I we’re real blood cousins but then, we are not relatives since Minwoo and Dong Min are just step brothers and I was just Minwoo’s nephew from his real sister who gave me away. And Sue Ji’s real father is Dong Min.

Minwoo’s family were poor but after his mom married Dong Min’s father, they became super rich and my mother gave me under his care since she has her own life too and was married to another man in Europe. Her husband didn’t know about me and if he did, she’ll be doomed so she had to disclaim me as her son.

It was hard to be away from ‘home’ in such a young age. I was definitely suffering from Jungryul’s hands if not for this little kid who’s always there to save me, Myungsoo. I always hate it when he asks me if I was okay after Jungryul would knock me out. I was hurting like hell and to ask me if I was okay was just getting into my nerves. But after years, though I was told not to trust anyone in the group because they’re our enemies, I’ve learned to treat Myungsoo as a brother and that, I’m sure was truthful.

That is why I have so much guilt right now. But I know Myungsoo’s too strong. He can handle it and he’ll survive, I hope.

Things are messed up and I really can’t cope up sometimes. Especially after we all knew that Sue Ji’s real father is Lee Dong Min and not my uncle. Minwoo adopted her but without legal papers. Just to protect her from all her father’s enemies since her father is the richest and most successful businessman in Korea. She’s the only heir and eventually, she’ll own her father’s business soon.

Her real name is Lee Jooyeon. That’s her birth name but because they had to hide her true identity, it was changed to Bae Sue Ji.

Unfortunately, my step-uncle died from a heart attack. Since then, things changed. I was sent to Jungryul’s to spy and tell Minwoo every plan they will have against him. Then they took this little girl who claimed to be Lee Jooyeon, Sue Ji’s real identity.

After sneaking out from Jungryul’s camp, I went home to Minwoo’s and saw this little girl whose name is said to be Lee Jooyeon.

“Is that supposed to be my cousin’s name?” I asked her after she introduced herself.

Minwoo explained things to me. That Choi Sulli’s her real name. And she’s now Lee Jooyeon so that our enemies will just run after her, not my cousin. She’ll be staying with us from now on. It was a brilliant idea. Until I’ve gotten close to her as we grew up after I’d sneak out from Jungryul’s camp.

“I never wanted to live as someone else..” She suddenly said one night while we we’re in Sue Ji’s room after I have sneaked out again.

“What?” I asked her. Her gaze fell upon Sue Ji who’s now in deep slumber on her queen-sized bed. Her eyes expressed sadness but she managed to smile.

“Sue Ji is an amazing person. I love her as my friend. But the thought of being just a payment of my parents’ debts to her father hurts me. The fact that I can never be myself again, not going to be Sulli again is painful.”

That was when I understood why they chose Sulli to be an alternative ‘Lee Jooyeon’. Her parents were in great debt to Minwoo and to have her life in a risk is the only way they can pay him.

I stared at her deeply. Sulli has now grown to be a beautiful lady and I cannot deny that everytime we’re together, I have this weird feeling that’s fighting to get out of me. Sometimes it’s uncontrollable. I took her hand.

“You’re still Sulli and the way you are is not because you carry Sue Ji’s name. Even if you change lives with a thousand other people, I’d still choose you.”

She was stunned by my words and I was too. The words just slipped from my mouth involuntarily. Sulli’s cheeks turned red and she blinked twice which I find rather cute.

“Choose—Choose me for what? W-what do you mean, oppa?” She stammered.

“Uh—“ I looked sideways and sighed then gathered the strength to face her again. “Choose you.. to.. I-- I uh—I mean.. I like you, Sulli.” I stammered so badly that I was a loss for words.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned bright red. I thought she was going to stand up and walk away until that shy smile appeared on her face.

I looked at her uncertainly. “I’ve been having the same feelings for you too oppa.”