"Are we expecting a guest today?" Haneul asked when she came down from her bedroom. "Perhaps. Your father wrote to Jaesuk and Younhee to invite them for lunch. I'm hoping Jaehwan comes along" Minjun told her. "Good morning Hannie! Auntie Jun!" Sanghyuk said cheerfully from the top of the staircase. "You're up. Is Hyunshik awake as well?" Minjun asked him. "Uncle was still asleep" Sanghyuk told her. The sleeping arrangements had been changed to accommodate everyone. Hyunshik and Sanghyuk shared the guestroom while Soojung roomed with Minjun. It had not been the most convenient arrangement of temperaments. Minjun nodded and left.

Over the week that Sanghyuk had been here, Minjun had been cool in her attention to the boy. Not much was said except for the civil and necessary enquiries. If Sanghyuk had noticed then to his credit he had still been the same to Minjun. Haneul was always careful to step in and divert his attention whenever she could but she knew that the family was starting to become tense because of it.

"Are you hungry Sanghyuk? Would you like some breakfast?" Haneul asked. "I would, thank you. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" Sanghyuk told her. "Come along. I'm sure Jieun will make some of your favourite rice and berry porridge for you if you ask her politely" she told him. "Is Minah up too?" he asked her. "She must be at the table. She woke up before me" Haneul guessed. 

"Minah!" Sanghyuk yelled when he saw her in the dining room. "You must use your indoor voice" Soojung chastised him. "Sorry" Sanghyuk apologised. "Minah..." he whispered causing his sister to giggle. "Yes Sanghyuk?" Minah whispered in the same tone and the two of them received glares from Soojung.

"How about we sit down and eat some breakfast. If the weather continues to remain fine then we can go for a walk" Haneul suggested, taking a seat. Sanghyuk and Minah agreed quickly to the proposition. Haneul had come to realise quickly that the siblings definitely loved to test Soojung's patience. It had been an entire week of rains and they were stuck inside. For an energetic child like Sanghyuk this had been the equivalent of a death sentence. Haneul prayed to the gods that the weather would let up tonight so that everyone could take a break.

"Good morning. What are you three young ones up to today?" Hyunshik asked taking a seat at the table. Minjun had woken him up as there were quite a few things to do around the house. "Perhaps a walk Uncle" Minah told him. "An excellent idea" he agreed. "Perhaps later Sanghyuk can accompany me into town.  You probably don't even remember it from the last time you visited" he suggested. "Perhaps some other day. There will be a lot to do today" Minjun put in. "Yes. In fact we might just take an extended walk while you are in town Papa. I'll show Sanghyuk around the country today" Haneul added.

Hyunshik frowned at Minjun but quickly put it away. "Where is my mail?" he asked diverting the topic. "Chanhun has gone to fetch it. The post was running late today" Haneul told him. "He's the new manservant we hired, isn't he?" Hyunshik asked. Haneul nodded. "Well, it's good to see you helping out with the household Haneul. Who knows, maybe you'll have your own to manage soon" he said with a smile. 

Minah frowned. This was the third time this week that Haneul's parents or Soojung had hinted at something. Unless Kim Wonshik had already declared his intention to propose to Haneul, she could see no reason why this was being heavily hinted at. It was either that or the fact that her aunt and uncle had begun to hint at marriage since Haneul was to turn eighteen in a few months and Minjun had been married at the same age. Either ways, there was something that wasn't quite right with the picture.

"I'm done with breakfast" Sanghyuk told Minah. "Why don't you both go get dressed? We'll go as soon as I am done" Haneul told him. Sanghyuk and Minah left, Soojung following to help them. "It isn't the boy's fault" Hyunshik told Minjun. Haneul busied herself with her food, pretending not to be present for the conversation. "You won't see any faults in this situation. He is basically a second child to you!" Minjun argued. "And you see nothing but his faults! He is a lovely child" Hyunshik said angrily. 

"Lovely child or not, it stands to fact that on your death your brother's family will not support me or my daughter. Sanghyuk will take away what should rightfully be Haneul's inheritance while Minah steals her suitors and a chance at a comfortable future!" Minjun complained. "How can you say such vile things?" Hyunshik said banging the table. "Don't you dare deny it!" Minjun replied. 

"Do you believe that I am so incapable of providing for my own family?" Hyunshik questioned. "You shouldn't have to go to such lengths to arrange for it! We wouldn't have to depend on a rich man marrying Haneul or saving maniacally for my income" Minjun said. "Haneul will be married and happy in her life. You won't have to depend on my brother providing for you" Hyunshik said not wishing for the conversation to continue.

"And if it pains you so much then perhaps next year onwards Haneul and I can go to London instead of inviting my family over. We've already been cut off by yours, we might as well severe connections with mine" he said acidly. "But don't blame two innocent children for what they have had no part in. Sanghyuk didn't choose to be born a son." "Yes. That was perhaps my fault for loosing three children after Haneul. And it was definitely my fault that I couldn't give birth to a son" Minjun replied. Her words had started to slur as tears escaped her eyes.

Hyunsik sighed and placed his elbows on the table with his head in his hands. He pushed the plate away when Minjun excused herself from the table. Haneul sat still, not knowing what to do. She had lost all her appetite but didn't dare look up to her father's eyes. She did look his way when he came down and sat next to her.

"Do you think badly of us for this?" he asked her quietly. "I don't blame you for circumstances beyond your control" she said carefully. Truthfully this was the first time she had hear d her mother talk of her miscarried pregnancies. When she was child, her father had explained that the three small graves in the backyard were siblings she never had. She hadn't understood the full extent of the effect it had on her family relations. This explained why her mother couldn't stand her cousins. She also knew that the inheritance had been a sour topic between the two families but her father and uncle had tried to keep everything together. Would this be the tipping point that pushed everything apart?

"You know we mean well" he said quietly. She nodded. "You grew up too quickly Haneul. Being the eldest does that to you" he said to himself. "If you'll excuse me Papa, I'll go instruct the maids on what to do for lunch" she said, standing up. She put her hand on his shoulder, a small comfort if any, before leaving the room. There was no one in the hallway, and she doubted that anyone had heard the fighting. She went in search of Miyoung or Jieun knowing the two oldest would manage well in the absence of her mother. She really needed the walk to think and clear her mind for the day to come.