“Did you hit her?”

Park Bo Young bit her lips as her eyes met Lee Min Ho’s dangerous gaze. His complexion became pale with anger and this was the first time she saw him glaring at her so angrily.

Min Ho gently grasped Shin Hye’s hand, pulling her to him and shielded her behind his back. He thought it was his imagination when he heard Bo Young’s voice after he came out from his shower. But when her voice became louder and louder, he quickly put on his clothes and rushed out from his room. He couldn’t believe what he saw the moment he came out. Bo Young’s face was flushed red, looking extremely angry while Shin Hye was holding her left cheek with her hand. He almost forgot to breathe when he saw her slight swollen cheek and her bleeding lips.

“I…” Bo Young became speechless, totally lost of words. Did she hit her? Yes, she did. But it was Shin Hye who slapped her first. She shifted her gaze to Shin Hye, who was now standing behind Min Ho, looking into her eyes. Her face turned pale when she saw Shin Hye curled her lips up, and the smirk on her face was so scary that it sends shivers down her spine. That was a spine-chilling smile, a victorious smile. She finally understood what she said just now. Everything was a trap. From the moment she stepped into the apartment, Shin Hye was trying to provoke her. The slap that Shin Hye gave her just now was not hard at all. That slap was meant to make her angry so that she would slap her back.

“Oppa…” She inhaled sharply and looked at Min Ho anxiously. “It’s not like what you think it is.” She paused and pointed her finger at Shin Hye. “It was a trap. She is lying.”

Trap? Min Ho’s brows furrowed as his grip around Shin Hye’s wrist tightened.

Shin Hye took a brief glance at her hand when she felt the sudden pressure around her wrist before she looked at the side of Min Ho’s face, trying to figure what he was thinking now. Does he believe what Bo Young said?

Taking a sharp inhale of breath, Min Ho spoke again. “I’m asking you…” He paused and clenched his jaw. “... did you hit her?”

Bo Young glared at Shin Hye again before she bit her bottom lip harder and looked back at Min Ho. “Yes. I slapped her. But she is the one who slap me first.” She said, her voice is shaky and tears were swimming in her eyes.

Min Ho was slightly shocked as he turned around to face Shin Hye. Their eyes met for a moment before she pulled her hand forcefully away from him. Her gaze was sharp and cold. She doesn’t seem to show any sign of wanting to defend herself at all.

“Oppa… you have to believe me.” Bo Young continued to explain herself. “She is just acting in front of you.” She stepped forward and held Min Ho’s hand, forcing him to look back at her. “Before you came out from your room, she already admitted her motive. She said she want to take you away from me. She wants to make me feel the pain that her mother felt in the past.” She paused again and glared over to where Shin Hye was standing. “She came back for revenge.”

Every word that she said went into Min Ho’s ears like sharp needles. It make his eardrum hurts and it make his breath heaved.

She wants to take you away from me.

She wants to make me feel the pain that her mother felt in the past.

She came back for revenge.

Min Ho stared into Bo Young’s eyes for a long moment, as if trying to find out the truth in her eyes. Bo Young grew up together with him. They have been living together for a long time. He understands her and knows what kind of person she is. He can see the pleading gaze in her eyes, pleading him to trust her. She might be spoiled but she is not a bad person. She will not do anything to hurt anybody.

But come to think of it, he also knows how much she doesn’t like Shin Hye. She always thought there is something going on between him and Shin Hye, and she is jealous. And jealousy can change a person.

She said Shin Hye slapped her first. Min Ho scanned her face carefully but found no trace of her being slapped. Unlike Shin Hye, her cheek was reddened by Bo Young’s fingers marks and was now swollen. The fresh bruise at the corner of her lips was so obvious, showing how hard she was slapped by Bo Young.

“Oppa… I didn’t lie.” Bo Young cried again, begging with tears rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. “She was still smiling just now until you came out and saw us. She is trying to come between us and tear us apart.”

A soft and sarcastic chuckle escaped Shin Hye’s lips and caught both Min Ho and Bo Young’s attention. She lifted her hand up to wipe the blood away from her lips and slowly looked up at Bo Young.

“No wonder people always said… like father, like daughter.” Shin Hye said, her lips curled up into an inward smirk. “Does everyone in your house have the habit to slap people whenever you don’t like what other people say to you? I think Park Doo Jun inherited all his good behaviours to his beloved daughter.”

“Park Shin Hye!” Bo Young yelled at her, unable to conceal her anger anymore. “Stop acting like you are a victim. You slap me first. You are the one who is lying.” Her eyes and face were both reddened in rage as she took another step forward, ready to lunge herself at Shin Hye.

But before she could get close, Min Ho was faster. He held her arm, blocking in between them and stopped her from reaching Shin Hye.

“Enough.” His voice was stern and unarguable.

Bo Young froze in place, staring at him with a shock and frighten gaze. This is the first time he treated her like this. He has never scolded her or even raises his voice at her before. Yesterday was the first time, and today was the second time.

“I don’t want to repeat what I told you yesterday.” He spoke again. “I don’t care who is lying, what she said and what you said. I just believe my own eye. I know you are not happy with this whole arrangement and I admit that I didn’t handle it in a good way. But no matter what… expressing your anger by physical attack is not a right behaviour. You should apologize.”

Shin Hye took a brief glance at Min Ho, wondering to whom his words were pointing to. Was it to Bo Young or… indirectly telling her as well?

“Lee Min Ho…” Bo Young took a step back, biting her lip as more tears streaming down her cheeks. “You don’t believe me. I’m your girlfriend. How can you not believe me but her?”

Min Ho closed his eyes briefly before looking at her again. His gaze slowly softened as he took a deep breath. “Bo Young, go home. I… I’ll talk to you again when I go back… later.”

Bo Young held his gaze and chuckled sadly. “Later? How late? You promised to come home last night but where were you? You were here… together with her for the whole night.”

Shin Hye tore her gaze away from them, facing down and smiled. How pathetic. If she remembered correctly, those words were exactly the same as what her mother said to Park Doo Jun when he always didn’t come home in the past. Should she feel pity for Bo Young or should she thank Min Ho for slowly becoming like Park Doo Jun?

“I don’t want to explain anything now because whatever I say, it will sound like an excuse to you.” Min Ho said, his voice was cold. “It’s late now and we still need to work. Go home and… don’t come here again. Shin Hye will be staying here and I don’t think both of you will still want to meet each other anytime soon. And… I don’t want to see something like this happen again. So…” He inhaled deeply as he looked at Bo Young with a firm gaze. “… please leave now.”

“I hate you…” The three words came out from Bo Young’s mouth very softly as she stared into Min Ho’s eyes. “I’ll prove it to you that everything happened today is your mistake and you will regret it.” She then averted her gaze to Shin Hye and glared at her. “I will not be like your mother… because from the very beginning everything is already mine… not yours. From the day appa chose my eomma and left your mother, everything is already mine.” Without waiting for them to react, Bo Young walked to the door and left.

From the day appa chose my mother and left your mother, everything is already mine.

Shin Hye thought she will not feel anything anymore but Bo Young proved that she was wrong. The last sentence that Bo Young said could still gave her a very big impact and makes her heart burned in rage.

Min Ho slowly turned around to face her and her fisted hands caught his eyes. Her two small palms were balled into fist, so tight that her knuckles are turning white. He recognized that deep gaze in her eyes. It’s hatred, the same hatred that he saw during the first time they met in Park mansion.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly reached out to hold her hand, and gently pulled her to the couch. He gestured for her to sit down before he walked to the cabinet and came back with a medical box in his hand. He took a cotton swab, putting some of the bruise relief cream on it and gently applied on her bruised lips. His eyes were locked at her lips without looking at her.

Shin Hye gazed down at him and held her breath at the same time. The anger that was burning all over her body a while ago has now totally vanished by his gentleness. Although this is not the first time they were so close together but it still make her heart fluttered every time they were this close. His gaze was firm and concentrated at her lips. His face was cold and expressionless. This is the second time she saw him like this. The first time was in his office yesterday and now… she wasn’t sure whether he is angry with Bo Young or… he is angry with her. The thought of him not believing her and being angry at her makes her heart felt uncomfortable.

“You… you are very quiet.” Shin Hye broke the awkward silence when she felt the cotton swab slowly trailed up to her cheek, feeling the coolness of the cream on her stingy, burning face.

The movement of his hand stilled as his eyes met hers. But after a moment, he shifted his gaze back to her cheek again. “I think I should stock up more of this bruise relief cream in this house.”

Shin Hye raised her brows in confusion, doesn’t understand what he was saying.

Min Ho stared at her briefly and smiled slightly. “Don’t you think this cream has been very useful since the first day we met? It seems like we have been using it very frequent… either is on you or on me.”

Is he joking to lighten the atmosphere or he really meant what he said? Shin Hye looked at him for another long moment before she spoke again. “This is not what I expect you to say.”

“Then what do you expect me to say?” He asked without looking at her.

“I thought… you will have some questions for me.”

Min Ho stopped moving his hand again before a soft breath slowly exhaled from his lips. “About what?”

“About the incident just now.” Shin Hye said. “Don’t you want to know who is telling the truth and who is lying?”

Min Ho put the cotton swab on the coffee table before turning back to Shin Hye and looked at her in the eyes. “Will you tell me if I ask?”

Shin Hye held his gaze and slowly pulled her bottom lips between her teeth. “If I tell you… I didn’t slap her and it was her who accused me… will you believe me?”

There was another silence set in as their eyes were firmly locked at each other. But after a moment, Min Ho spoke again in a deep voice. “Should I… believe you?”

A smile curled onto Shin Hye’s lips as she shook her head softly. “I don’t know. It’s your choice.”

Taking another look at her, he slowly tore his gaze away and smiled too. “Remember what I told you yesterday? I said if you were willing to admit that I’m your brother, there would be a lot of privileges of being my sister that you could enjoy.” He paused as his hand slowly moved up to her swollen cheek and caressed it very softly. He then averted his gaze back to her and smiled again. “I’ve known Bo Young for a very long time. I know and understand very well what kind of person she is.”

Shin Hye’s eyes slightly widened with what he said. Does he mean… he believe what Bo Young said? But if he believe then why did he asked her to leave? He is confusing her.

“As for you…” He continued again. “… we just know each other for two months… or less. And sometimes… I don’t really know what you were thinking in your mind. You seem strong… but there is a weak and vulnerable side of you too. You seem cold… but I can see the warm side of you too. I don’t want to judge anything because as you said, no one will ever understand what you have been through all these years. Good things, bad things… it can change a person. It was my fault of being insensible all these years. I should have look for you much more earlier to prevent all this from happening.” He stopped and inhaled deeply. “So no matter who is lying just now…” He stared deeply into her eyes. “… I choose to believe you.”

Shin Hye’s lips parted slightly… but no word could form in .

“No matter what you are thinking or planning in your mind, sincere or not… I still choose to believe that you are not that kind of person. Your rational mind, your real self… it was temporarily confused and surrounded by hatred. I believe it will slowly fade away and you will slowly find yourself back.” He paused and let out a warm smile. “This is another privilege you get to enjoy of being my sister.” His thumb gently moved to the bruise on her lips and brushed it softly.

“I believe you.”

Shin Hye gazed down, tearing her gaze away from him as the three words echoed in her ear. She knows she should be happy because her plan is successful and she succeeded to make him believe her instead of Bo Young. But don’t know why, her chest felt tightened and it makes her difficult to breathe. It doesn’t feel as happy as she thought she would be. Is that… guilt that she is feeling now? Why does she feel guilty when he said he chose to believe her?

When Min Ho saw the unusual expression on her face, he thought she was still unhappy with what Bo Young said before she left. He hesitated at first but slowly moved closer to her.

“I know you are not happy with what Bo Young said just now.” He spoke again. “But I don’t agree with what she said. Everything that belongs to her now… it can be yours too.” He gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up to look at him. “Her happiness, her home, her father, her… family… as long as you are willing to open up your heart and put down your hatred, you can have it too, it can be yours too.”

Mine? Shin Hye laughed silently. Happiness? Home? Father? Family? How can she still have all those when her mother has already left her? Happiness, father… it was gone on the night when Park Doo Jun stepped out from their house. Home, family… it was destroyed on the day when Jang Ji Ae appeared in their life.

What did her mother and her have done wrong that both of them have to endure so much pain in all these years? Her mother sacrificed her whole life for this man, for this home, for her. But why… she still ended up being a tragedy, a pitiful and pathetic tragedy?

No, she was wrong and confused. She shouldn’t be guilty for what she has done. It was their fault. Whether he is Park Doo Jun’s biological son or not, he is still his son. Park Bo Young have to pay for what her mother has done and the same goes to Lee Min Ho. He has to pay for what his father has done too. She will not let her heart soften because of his sweet talk.

Supressing all the emotional thoughts in her head, she closed her eyes briefly before looking at Min Ho again. The hesitance in her gaze earlier has now been replaced by an unreadable emotion. “Her happiness, her home, her father, her family… then what about… her boyfriend?” She paused and continued to gaze into his shocked eyes. “Can I have it too?”

As expected, Min Ho was stunned, unable to react to what she just said. His shocked expression brought a smile to her face. And just when she saw his lips parted, wanted to say something, without giving him a chance to do so, she lunged forward and kissed him on his lip, silencing him.

Min Ho widened his eyes, his body went stiff with the contact of her soft, warm lips. His mind went blank, melting in her advances. He lowered his eyes and found her lips moving seductively against his own. His rational mind was shouting at him, telling him to push her away but his body doesn’t seem to comply. Instead of pushing her away, his hands were uncontrollably lifted up and wrapped around her waist, bringing her closer to him.

Shin Hye slowly open her eyes and when she saw him totally immersed into the kiss, satisfaction was evident in her gaze. She knows she has taken the control back once again. And without any warning, she pulled away and ended the kiss abruptly.

His eyes fluttered open the next second, as they looked at each other. A small smile curled up onto Shin Hye lips before she spoke.

“Don’t believe me too much.” She said with a warning tone. “It might turn out that I’m the one who is lying. The man that was sitting right in front of me now… is quite tempting. And you know what.” She moved her hand up to his chest and grasp the fabric of his shirt. “I don’t like to share.” She whispered, looking deeply into his eyes. “She might be right that I was trying to steal her man.” 

Min Ho creased his brows but just when he wanted to say something, his body froze in place again the moment he felt her soft thumb gently brushed against his lips. He saw the smile on her face and that smile make his heart skipped a beat, taking his breath away.

“Thanks for the bruise relief cream.” Shin Hye smiled as she pulled away, lengthening their intense closeness. She then glanced up at the clock before looking back at him with a smile. “If you don’t move now, you will be late for your early meeting.”

The smile on her face widened when she saw Min Ho looked up at the clock, frightened by the time he saw. She pulled herself up off the couch and walked away from him before he could say anything.

“You don’t need to wait for me. I’m taking a day off today due to my swollen face. You are responsible to explain it to my boss.” She said, making her way back to her room without looking at him.

Min Ho was still sitting on the couch, looking blurred and confused. What has just happened? He couldn’t understand why the effect she has on him was so strong and it was getting stronger and stronger as time passed. She always have the ability to make his rational mind went wild and doesn’t act like himself at all. His self-restraint crumbled down whenever she was close to him, making him lost all his control. He doesn’t know how long he could stand firm before he lost it completely.

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

It has been another long day for Min Ho in the office. The meeting took almost half of his day to finally conclude with a decision before his staffs meet up with the client. He tried his best to drown himself into his hectic work but no matter how hard he forced himself to forget, everything that happened in the apartment this morning still keep replaying in his mind.

A knocking sound on the door suddenly filled the silence and shook him off from his deep thought. He glanced down at his watch and it was almost 8pm now. His secretary has already left and he wonders who will still be in the office at this hour.

“Come in.” He said, as the door slowly opened.

He let out a light smile the moment he saw the familiar face. “Why are you here? It’s very late now.”

Jun Won walked towards his table and took a seat in front of him. “If you know it’s very late now, then why are you still here?” He asked him back.

Min Ho looked back at his laptop and cleared his throat. “I have some… email to reply.” He lied. He is still in the office because he doesn’t want to go home early tonight. He knows what is waiting for him at home and he is not ready to face Bo Young yet.

Jun Won chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t treat me like an idiot, Lee Min Ho. I wasn’t born yesterday. Try a better excuse next time.” He smirked when Min Ho met his eyes again. “Spill the beans. What happened?” He narrowed his gaze. “Bo Young?”

Min Ho let out a long, breathy sigh as he leaned back against his chair.

“No?” Jun Won raised his brows and slowly, the smile on his face faded. “Shin Hye?” He asked again and his gaze turned unfriendly. “Yah, don’t tell me there is something going on between both of you. I’ve made it very clear to you that I like her. She is mine. Don’t you dare to touch her.”

Min Ho’s gaze darkened and glared at his friend. “She doesn’t belong to anybody’s.”

Jun Won pursed his lips into a thin line as his arms crossed over his chest. “Is that a challenge? Because if it is, I’m not going to back down just because you are my friend.”

“Moon Jun Won!” Min Ho straightened his body as his eyes daggered a dangerous glare at him.

“Lee Min Ho!” Jun Won raised his voice too.

Neither of them willing to concede as the intensity of the staring contest increased. No one know how long it continues until a soft sigh escaped Min Ho’s lips and tore his gaze away first. It has always been like that since they were in the orphanage in the past. They fought, they stand firm, but eventually one of them will give in first and broke the cold war, because no matter what, nothing is more important than their friendship.

Heaving a deep sigh, he slowly looked up to meet Jun Won’s eyes again. “She is my sister.”

“I’m glad you still remember that.” Jun Won said, taking a deep breath. “And a kind reminder for you. There is a woman who love you is waiting for you at home.”

Min Ho held his gaze for a long moment before he spoke. “Are you serious about her?”

“Are you asking me