The papers fell into a heap on his lap. He felt like his head was about to explode. Not only was it the talk of the town or as the article had described it, "the kingdom". Who writes this stuff anyways. It was just more problems he didn't need in his new job. The moment he had walked into the Chairman's office to report on the CEO, which, he had still considered excessive and stalkerish, the papers in his hands were the first thing that had been his way. He didn't really understand the responsibilities of his post until that moment right then. He thought he was just helping the boss to stalk his son's moves and as much as he was uncomfortable with it when it was put that way, he did it. Because the pay was good. But he wasn't aware that he had to be acting PR too. At this point, he felt like he should have his own nametag deeming him the Crown Prince's royal guard; protecting the man's safety and modesty. 

"Aish! Chincha!" The feeling of regret the moment after he had struck the steering wheel of the million dollar car was instant. But along with it, came release and satisfaction. Given that he now knows why the two had gone a few shades lighter the moment they called for him not long after they told him to go away. He had only just found a parking spot and was about to get some food when his phone rang and the ungrateful....Prince...He nearly slipped and called the heir something you only call someone you've just had a fist fight with. 

He a breath in and gritted his teeth. No matter how hard it was, he needed the job. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to afford the treatment. On the bright side, he was finally off of work. The Chairman had asked him to take the day off. He wanted his son within his line of sight for the rest of the day, so there was no need for SeungHo to be around. He consoled himself with that one perk: He only had to work when he was needed. That surely beats the 9 to 5 he used to have. In any case, the pay was fixed even if he worked less days during one month compared to the rest. 

That, put a little spring in his step until he got to the side door. This was the door that all the workers usually use to come and go. And once the door was closed behind him was when his optimism for the day began to fade. In his coat pocket his phone started ringing. He pulled it out,not expecting much. That is until he saw who was calling him. Having the few years experience meant that he was now familiar with the number. That and the fact that he had saved it as : Asan Medical.

From there he hurried his steps towards the truck that he had parked nearby. There was no wasting time. Something had happened. Something terrible. And he knew he didn't have long. 

....

The encounter the night before was what SooJin had needed to jump start her brain. The flash had been like one of those devices you see in the movies. But instead of erasing all your memories, it instead got her brain to work again. She couldn't let herself wander anymore. Not when she was faced with the article right in front of her. When Tan had suggested they went along with it, it had been purely for business and no one was supposed to know apart from the Chairman and their closest family. And even then, it was only supposed to be a boyfriend girlfriend type of a deal. 

The whole thing since then, had taken up a life of its own, blowing out of proportion. Sitting in front of the Chairman, she felt like she had returned to her school years when she used to get in trouble with her teachers. And although beside her Won tried to square up and sit with his legs spread out, as much as was enough to try and make himself look bigger, she could occassionally feel the shudder from beside her. He was scared too. 

The night before, the two had been equally shell shocked while her imo had been the one to take action first. She had first scolded her part timer for ruining their "proposal" because obviously she was hoping and praying that the two would get together eventually. And then she proceeded to tell everyone to mind their own business and ordered for the doors to be locked and for said part timer to stand watch outside for the perpretrator. If the man even tried to get within metres of the shop then the police will be called. 

Then came the all important congratulations and when she announced that everything would be on the house, it felt like an actual celebration with every other customer in there clapping at the happy news. Even though, no one really knows which happy news they're really clapping for; the happy couple or the free food. It was only the following morning that these people would realize what they had just witnessed. It was only then that the details got mixed up as every one in that little restaurant started spinning their own version.

By mid day, there had been countless other articles detailing the incident in a very different light. Some detailed that Won got on his knees of his own accord instead of clumsily going down to grab the bracelet. Others didn't deny that the President had stumbled down as if to catch something. But instead of a bracelet, they had detailed a very ornate looking ring; approximately a 3 to 4 carat diamond was the centerpiece. And studded round the bands were further diamonds. 

Some more heartwarming and funny ones detailed that the Crown Princehad been so nervous that he had stumbled clumsily to the ground while the jewellry had rolled away from him and the server nearly dropped the soup he was holding onto other customers trying to stop it and returned it to the prince. There were countless accounts but none of them were even close to the truth and that had made SooJin angry. The entire car ride home, she had turned away from the heir, keeping her eyes on the night outside. The difference from earlier on in the day was that instead of feeling numb, now countless thoughts were racing through her mind. 

First of all she wanted to know what Won was doing with the jewellry. Her first thought had been back to the girl whose picture he kept in his room. Maybe he had bought it for her and brought it with him so he could give it to her later that night. If that was the case then he could have been more careful. Thinking about it now still sent her blood boiling. She know she shouldn't because nobody really knows how the media will react and nobody could really control the members of the media and that includes the Jeguk Group Kim family. But one look at Won sent her blood boiling again. It made her angry and she didn't know why. That, in turn, made her even more angry. And in any case, sitting here made her feel as little as a kindergartener, even when she was named as the new Crown Princess by the press. 

A clear of the throat from across the great table. "So....I hear the two of you are in a hurry to move on to the next stage?" She could feel beads of sweat starting to build up on her forehead at the question. She wanted to say something, to speak up, but all she could feel was her tongue turning into rubber and twisting itself into a knot in so all that came out was strangled noise after strangled noise. 

She felt Won speak up before she heard him and she had no idea what he was going to say, but at least it was something. 

....

Everything he did these days seemed to backfire and came to slap him right across the face. This one in particular, made him feel like he had been stripped bare and paraded all across town. Crown Prince? More like court jester. He was mad, mostly at himself, but also at the man that had made the quick escape the night before. From the looks of it, the guy works for the Seoul Tribune since that was the only physical copy that was available. 

"So...I hear the two of you are in a hurry to move on to the next stage?" The anger had given him the temporary strength of holding his head up high to face his abuji. The Chairman on the other hand, had been unreable since the moment the two set foot in his office. 

"Abuji..there was a misunderstanding..." Even before he could finish, his abuji stopped him short. 

"So you're telling me that everyone imagined you holding onto a piece of jewellry and getting down on to the floor? When there's this much eye witness? "

He could feel SooJin shrink beside him. The guilt he felt softened his resolve a little. Not only did he drag her into the cruel world of his family, but now he had dragged her along into the spotlight where everyone could take their shots while hiding safely behind anonymity. The entire night she had avoided him or at least acted like he hadn't existed. Which, he didn't blame her. Everyone wanted the glamourous lifestyle, but nobody really wanted the pressures of being put under a spotlight. 

"Aniyo...It is true,,,to an extent...but there was no proposal...." He glanced to his side and in that split second SooJin's expression was unreadable  but she didn't look impressed. He gulped and carried on. "I just got her a present." That had been the dumbest way to end his defence and he knows it. For the rest of the day, he felt like punching himself over the head for what he had said. He could have said more, anything,to be exact. He could say that the jewellry was his and that it was all a misunderstanding or he could frame it all on the guy. But that was likely to backfire again since there was so many witnesses. 

"I see..." It was frustrating how his abuji always had the poker face on. It unsettles him, makes him feel like a child. And he did feel that way, sitting there. But he didn't want to just break down and lose it, not when SooJin was there. He didn't think he could handle the embarrassment. He looked to SooJin who was just as passive as his abuji and he hated it. It bothered him somehow, the way that she had been so out of it the day before. Once again, he had made it worse. Everything he did just made everything worse. And he felt helpless. 

There was nothing he could do about it now. All they could do was to trust his abuji. As ruthless as the man was, he always had a way of making things disappear. It was like he's half an emperor and half magician. It felt like an eternity of waiting while his abuji scrutinized the both of them. And finally coming to a conclusion in his head, the Chairman let out a heavy sigh. "Alright." Somehow this one word sent shivers through Won more than anything. His father had come to a decision but he wasn't sure whether he would like what his father had to say. 

.....

They had been stupid, reckless and in the process had done the most damage to the company. A company could somehow recover from a blow to the finances and business plans, but rarely do they survive a hit to the character. If they don't act soon, the gossip mill will start picking up speed and all speculations would be thrown out left and right. A company's instinct is to protect itself before anyone else and if there was wind that the President of Jeguk Group was involved with a mystery woman and if the identity of said woman was a free guess to everyone, then there could be a couple of bad guesses in the batch. Even if it isn't true, if one of their partners caught wind of one of the bad guesses or worse yet if one of the bad guesses started to pick up and have a life of their own, then their partners' first instinct and probably the safest was to terminate any and all ties. 

After, it doesn't matter if they introduce SooJin to the public as the President of a company. Everyone could twist it right back around. There was always a few who are like that. They send doubt to the rest of the people questioning the abruptness of the whole thing and questioning whether this was true or if SooJin had just been instated into position in a company of the family. Then she would be known as a gold digger. And no matter how much people say any publicity is good publicity, companies don't see it that way. Any bad publicity meant criticisms from the public and the more criticsms, the more partners they lose and just like that, the empire could fall.

He has been looking from his son to SooJin for a while now. Though Won looked like he was trying to hold his own, he knows his son better. Won rebels, the way any son would with their parents, but he would never take it too far, not when he has been groomed into the heir. Even if he tries, the company would always be in that subconscious part of his mind. 

Nevertheless, he was the more experienced of the three and he knew he had to step in. There was no way to cover this up. Covering it up meant an open door for assumptions and assumptions lead to too many blind spots. The best way was to put it all out on the table, lay it bare, show that they had nothing to hide. SooJin's identity was easy enough to leak, he could send an annonymous email asking the press to check SooJin's company and they could plainly see her face as the head of the company. But it's the entire incident that they had to clear out. And for that to happen, there was only one way. The two had to say their side of the story. 

He sighed. This was going to be nasty, but it was better to hurt then and there rather than later on down the road. "We'll hold a press conference. I'll ask our publicity team to come up with a script. I'll announce the press conference later." He was getting too old for this. He could only afford to dismiss them with a wave of his hand. And no, he didn't want to listen anymore from his son at the moment. Thankfully, the glare and the one hand worked to keep him quiet and subsequently make him walk away and out the office. 

He would deal with them later. Right now he had to make a couple of calls. Damage control could not wait. 

....

Tan placed the ipad down on his lap. He sighed, pinching the corners of his eyes together. When he had first suggested this whole thing, he didn't think it would go this far. He remembered specifically telling the two to break up right after the movie was done and they had both gotten what they wanted. But who knew that his brother would take it this far. 

But another thought crossed his mind. Does his brother really like SooJin nuna that much? The first time he had seen both of them, they had been the most awkward pair he had seen, even though nuna had been trying really hard to get his brother to lighten up. Normal. He too, had a problem with his brother's animatronic style. But then again, the two had been living together for a while. He scratched his head thinking back to what he had seen of the two before. Did his miss the almost invisible feelings that his brother had? Maybe he really had missed it. Because according to his eomma, his hyung had asked for advice the day before. 

Huh, maybe he did actually like her. But what about nuna? Does she like him too? Then again, maybe she had liked him from the beginning. Otherwise, why would he help her? And why is she so nice to him? "Ah! Mola!" He rubbed the back of his head so hard that his hair almost came off. Kurae. If they actually did like each other, then that's a win for the books. The family has been pushing his hyung's hand in marriage for quite a while. This could be it, she could be the one. 

In any case, the two looked perfect together. Both good looking and both determined in their own way. Plus, it didn't hurt that both are successful in business. If anything this move could help them land more investors and partnerships. And as for his brother, Won was lucky to land someone that he completely hated for once. 

....

MyungSoo couldn't believe what he was seeing. The moment he had laid eyes on the news, he felt his veins go rigid with anger. If he had any less control, he would have punched the computer screen. Unbelievable. What was SooJin doing? Why is she going along with all of this. It's all a hoax. He knows it is. The Jeguk Group family. They must have threatened her somehow. Yes, that should be it. In any case, there hadn't been any official statement yet.

He knows, with these kinds of companies, there is public declaration for everything. So he'll be waiting for that. And if not, then this was all baseless rumours. Either that or this was a power play. SooJin could be forced into acting along to gain a little leverage. And he won't blame her for it. Of course not. It's all for work. 

She still loves him, he knows it. Otherwise, why would she chase after him before all this? Of course she would take him back, there was no question about that. No question at all. He checked to see who had written the whole thing. Park Jin Hyuk. 

Yes, if he wanted answers, he was going to have to get it on his own. This man. He had to find him and find out what really happened, what he had witnessed. That way he could be sure. That SooJin was still his. 

....

The papers ruffled onto the table. Granted, that most of it was covered in baby Gook's saliva. "Kureoum, is unnie getting married?" Jin Ae asked. 

"Yah, would I know that? She hasn't told me a damn thing." The office chair squeaked under WooJin's weight. 

"I mean, you guys are always talking business, so would she tell me? Pabo ya...I thought you're the businessman." She scoffed. 

"What the hell does that mean? This isn't business, it's a family affair, a family affair." He gave his chest a hard thump. 

"Ah na chincha...." Jin Ae gave him a disgusted look. "Aigoo, you're still the family's drama queen."  The two had always find comfort in fighting with each other since they were little. Being the same age, the cousins were at their happiest when they were either pulling at each other's hair or biting each other's head off. 

" I know you're just jealous that's all." He shrugged. 

"Oh, just shut up." Jin Ae said. 

The two carried on arguing, forgetting that Jin Ae's father would probably have seen the news by then. And with no one around him, he would have lost his mind on his own. And they would have to deal with their temper tantrum later on. 

....

"What is this?" The papers was thrown in his face. He just wished that it had been his article from before. But instead, it was a summons, from the Kim family, accounting to invasion of privacy and defamation. He never saw his boss in this shade of red again and wished he wouldn't have to see it again. Unknown to him, his wish would come true, but at a price. 

"What the hell were you thinking? What on Earth was everyone thinking?" The summons could possible send the company into bankruptcy if they didn't hurry and find common ground. But there was no way that the senior editor would ever let Park Hyuk, journalist to walk scott free. No. His fate was already sealed, the moment he told the editors to trust him and just run the stories before the other media outlets could get their hands on the piece of news. 

"You're fired. I can't afford anymore damage, let alone have someone running around here thinkinghe could do anything he feels like." He couldn't be soft hearted just then, not when the company was about to go under. He had to eliminate all risks. And Park Hyuk? Has just presented himself as one of the biggest risk. 

"Get out of my sight." The moment that his boss uttered those words, Park Hyuk could feel his heart start to drop to his knees and all he could see were spinning stars and all he could think of was his life was over.

.....

Won was nowhere to be found and by afternoon, SooJin was feeling a little sorry. Maybe she had been a little hard on the man. And maybe being a little lonely had something to do with it too. Everyone had been really nice to her, even if the Chairman had been a little intimidating. But she understood. It was an effect of his work. He had no choice but to be tough. But the only person that she really knew and was close to and ultimately could depend on was Won. 

But ever since they had been dismissed that morning he was nowhere to be found and she hadn't made any attempt to get herself out of the bedroom either. She had picked out a couple of books and brought it back to their bedroom and had holed herself in there, altenating between reading and watching movies on the laptop. She just wanted to shut everything out. And in the process, she had also shut off her ability to sense the package that was on the side table. 

As a rule, she tried to keep her hands off the family's stuff as much as possible. So she hadn't bothered with the package until she accidentally knocked the card on top down that she realized it was addressed to her. 

SOOJIN

I know I've caused so much trouble recently

and I'm sorry. Sincerely. I know 

this won't fix everything but I bought this yesterday

remembering your fondness of Daisies and your

mother's store and thought that wearing it could

remind you of her. I know how it feels to lose someone too early

and feeling like sometimes you start forgetting them.

I visit my mother's grave often to help me remember.

But, I hope this bracelet reminds you of your own mother

and comforts you and reminds you that she is watching over you no matter 

where she is. Mianhaeyo.

                                     -Your Chinggu

There was this indescribable feeling after. And when she finally got her first real look at the bracelet, she felt like she could punch the man and kiss him at the same time. She felt touched to the core that someone would care that much but because of this gesture they were both in hot waters. So she didn't know what to think. But nonetheless, she put the bracelet on because he was right. It comforts her. It reminds her she isn't alone.