Jisoo was unhappy that she didn’t get to say goodbye to Kwangsoo, but Jaebum thought it was unnecessary. He thought it would be harder for Kwangsoo to leave if Jisoo came to see him off. 

 

Jisoo thought that it was a bit unfair that he decided for Kwangsoo and her on whether they should see each other off or not. So the two of them were having a little quarrel in the piano room after he came back to school. “But I didn’t even get to know about the news of him leaving.” She pouted, tugging his arm, but he ignored her by feigning disinterest. His eyes were only on his book. “What are you reading?” She asked, resting her head on his shoulder with her arms around his waist. 

 

Jaebum smiled and turned the cover of the book toward her for her to read it. 

 

“The Princess Bride.” Jisoo stared at him in shock, Jaebum then returned to the book. Jisoo looked away but turned back and asked. “You… read these type of books too?” 

 

“Hm? Why? Can’t I read these type of books?” 

 

Jisoo leaned back a bit and blinked with lips pressed together while discreetly eyeing him from head to bottom, for some reason these type of romance books didn’t fit his image. 

 

Jaebum chuckled, “What kind of books should I read? In your mind, what books would suit my image?” 

 

Jisoo gazed at him for a moment. She realized that he had been smiling a lot. She smiled back and responded, “Something like… Sun Zi’s The Art of War.” 

 

“Do I look like such a calculative person?” 

 

Jisoo nodded with a straight face. 

 

Jaebum glanced away flustered, and replied inaudibly, “I read it when I was twelve.” 

 

“Machiavelli’s The Prince?” Jisoo added. 

 

Jaebum inaudibly replied, “Read it after The Art of War.” 

 

Jisoo then listed more books that she thought more suitable for Jaebum, “Animal Farm, A Tale of Two Cities, War and Peace, Mein Kampf, Dorian Gray, Utopia, Lord of the Flies, Ponzi Scheme, Freakanomics, The Wealth of Nations, Ali Pacha, The Republic, Faust, Dante’s Inferno…” Jisoo paused when she noticed Jaebum resting his arms on his legs as he leaned forward to gaze at her with adoring eyes and big grin. He was so impressed and taken by the list of books that just came out from . “What?”

 

“Ponzi scheme, The Wealth of Nations, and Freakonomics. Kwangsoo would be so happy if he knew you have them in your reading list. Ali Pacha and Faust, Mein Kampf and Utopia.” He smiled and chuckled after every word. 

 

Jisoo was taken aback, she didn’t realize she was listing him her reading list, “I, I don’t read those. They’re just books that I’ve seen in Appa’s library.” She stuttered as she explained to him. Jaebum didn’t understand why she had to lie when talking about books, but he played along so she wouldn’t feel more awkward. 

 

“Ah, well, most of what you listed, I have read them. So you’re right at those books being suitable for my image. Though recently, I like to try something new.” He explained. 

 

“The Princess’s Bride, is a very fun book.” She said then paused, “Which part are you at?” 

 

Jaebum looked back at his book, he could just tell her the chapter, but he remembered a quote that stuck out to him, that he highlighted and remembered in his heart, he closed his book then turned to Jisoo with a grin and said, “If your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches.” 

 

Jisoo blushed with a shy smile, she too remembered that line, it was a very funny line from a very funny confession. However, she understood his intention on saying it to her, and so she replied, “I don’t understand.” 

 

They stared at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. 

 

“Buttercup isn’t very bright is she?” Jisoo asked while laughing. 

 

Jaebum shook his head, chuckling, “Definitely not.” This was the book that Jaebum saw her read two years ago, and he only get to read it now. 

 

“But,” Jisoo then remembered what happened after that confession, “Westley left afterward.” To Jisoo, there was a correlation between them and the pair in that book. 

 

Jaebum was actually passed that part, he thought then was a good time to express his love for her, but he had forgotten that one detail, that that was a farewell confession. When Westley expressed his love to Buttercup was also when he bid her farewell. Jaebum Jisoo’s head and gave her a kiss, the last thing that Westley did before leaving. 

 

“He returned, did he not?” Jaebum asked her, regarding Westley in the book, “I too will return. Haven’t we talked about this? Don’t think too much. I can still contact you. We can have a long distance relationship.” 

 

Jisoo nodded. 

 

Jaebum smiled and rubbed her head, “Is this your favorite book?” 

 

Jisoo shook her head with lips pressed and a smile that told Jaebum that she would never tell him even if he asked. 

 

“What is your favorite book?” Yet, he asked anyway.  

 

“Secret!” She put one finger over her lips. 

 

“My favorite book is The Little Prince,” He said. 

 

She tilted her head, “Why? Doesn’t seem fitting.” 

 

“Hm…I guess, I can sympathize with him. I live in a small planet that is peculiar. Everything has to be a certain way…but there are few treasures that we cherish dearly.” 

 

Jisoo smiled, “Like the Little Prince, you are also waiting for migratory birds to get away from your planet.” 

 

Jaebum turned his head to her and asked, “You read it!” 

 

Jisoo discreetly nodded. 

 

Jaebum smirked then took a guess, “Your favorite book?”

 

Jisoo bit her bottom lip then nodded. She didn’t want him to know what she read, or what her favorite books were. That was something that she wanted to keep to herself, but his deciphering skill was too good, and she couldn’t lie when in front of him. 

 

Jaebum laughed in disbelief, he never thought that Kim Jisoo had this side of her. He always thought his girlfriend was just this weird simple girl, sometimes silly and most of the time too pure, but there was a layer of her that need to be more known, so that people could be more appreciative of her and not brand her a different way. 

 

Seeing Jaebum changed of expression, Jisoo took a mental guess of what he was thinking of, then said, “Jaebum. I don’t mind what others think of me. I rather enjoyed that people don’t know this side of me. You’re the first person that I will let in.” 

 

Jaebum pressed his lips together and nodded, her head before giving her a kiss on the forehead, “Thank you, for letting me coming into your world.” 

 

Jisoo closed her eyes to enjoy his embrace, but then she jerked back and asked, “What happened to that girl Han Yoona? You said you’re going to tell me, but all this time we’re just talking about Kwangsoo and books.” 

 

“Ah, that girl…” Jaebum sighed, “That girl asked her dad to break off the engagement, stating that she found me boring, and that she has someone else in her heart.” 

 

“Who?” 

 

Jaebum stuttered as his eyes darted away, “Uh..uh…Mark Tuan.” 

 

Jisoo gasped, “How?” 

 

Jaebum shrugged, he didn’t want to waste his time telling her the story of him setting Mark up with Yoona during that shopping date few weeks ago. He also didn’t want to tell her about the story because he knew she would be a busybody for Mark and Jooyoung. 

 

Jisoo, however, saw it through his careless attitude and prodded further, “Jaebum…” She tugged his arm and whined. 

 

“Why are you so interested in another guy’s problem when your boyfriend is here?” 

 

“He’s a friend! Plus… It’s interesting to know how he took Han Yoona away from you.” She laughed. “Hm… I don’t think you’re boring. Why did she think you’re boring?” 

 

Jaebum smirked in satisfaction at her defense. He then told her about Mark engagement to Han Yoona, which was kind of shocking because he agreed to it. 

 

“En-engagement?” Jisoo asked, “He agreed?” 

 

Jaebum nodded. 

 

“Jooyoung-unnie?” 

 

Jaebum shrugged, he really didn’t know much about their relationship, other than Mark Tuan’s obsession with her, but he really didn’t expect him to really took his advice and went for somebody else other than Lee Jooyoung. 

 

“Does she knows?” Jisoo asked, kind of disappointed at Mark for giving up so quick. 

 

“I don’t think so. I don’t think Mark Tuan will tell her.” 

 

“Then I’ll go tell her!” She got up from her seat. 

 

Jaebum grabbed her hand, “Jisoo!” 

 

She whimpered with a cringed face. She didn’t like this idea, not one bit. 

 

“Jisoo, this is not our problem. Let them take care of it themselves. I don’t think Mark Tuan will really leave Lee Jooyoung, maybe he has other plans. Stay calm and don’t cause any trouble.”

 

“But–“

 

“Sit down!” He pulled her down, “If Mark Tuan didn’t agree to that engagement, the person who has to marry her is me. Do you want that?” 

 

Jisoo shook her head. “But it’s still not right. If he’s forced–“

 

“But he’s not. He agreed to it.” Jaebum said, but he thought the same as her. Mark Tuan was definitely threatened with the livelihood of Lee Jooyoung. 

 

Jisoo suddenly started to cry. 

 

“Why are you crying?” 

 

“I don’t know. I don’t like this.” She sniffed and he pulled her in to lean on his shoulder. 

 

“Say, Jisoo…If your parents force you to marry someone you don’t like. What would you do?” He asked when he saw that she couldn’t take the idea of forced marriage. 

 

“My parents won’t force me.” She answered, and he chuckled. “You don’t believe me? Umma, Appa and I had a deal way way back. I once told them that I won’t marry anyone except this kid, and that they shouldn’t in the future force me to or I’ll run away from home.” 

 

“What kid?” 

 

“Hm…this kid that I exchanged letters with.” She let it slipped and never realize that she did. However, Jaebum smiled as he hugged her tightly. 

 

––•••––

 

Jisoo’s father secretly made an appointment with Jaebum’s dad in regard to the massive deal that he received at the Fall Party. Upfront, it was seemed as a business deal between the Kim Lee Corp. And the Ok-Im Corp. However, there was something else underneath that Kim Kihyung wished to know, he had a hunch on what it was that Im Gyeoul wanted, and he was determine to not give in. 

 

Im Gyeoul that day was happy that Kim Kihyung made an appointment to see him, because he was determined to buy a portion of that private data mining company, Praedita, that Kim Kihyung owned. 

 

“Im Gyeoul-shi, I am sure that this contract is meant for something else. And not the merging of the two companies.” Kihyung started immediately.

 

Gyeoul smiled and replied, “You are a very sharp man. That’s right. I don’t much care for the merging of the two companies. What I want is to invest in Praedita.” 

 

“I’m sorry, but that is privately own, and I have enough fund for it. I do not need investment.” 

 

“Such a pity. But, do you not like the idea of merging with the Ok-Im? We are, after-all, the lead in the nation’s market.” 

 

“We are content at being number two.” Kihyung smiled, knowing full well that they would catch up in a year or two. Kihyung had one question, and if Gyeoul could answer it, he would agree. “I am very interested. I want to know why you want Praedita when you can very well set up a department for data mining and in not a year or two can very well operate well enough to possibly lead the industry.”

 

“I have datas in South Korea and a few part of the Asia, but I don’t for the rest overseas. Particularly the Americas, Europe, South East Asia and Africa.” Gyeoul answered.

 

“Well, those area aren’t too hard to data mine once you get a system going–“

 

“I don’t want this to be apart of the Ok-Im Corp..” He answered again, more honestly. 

 

“And why is that?” Kihyung egged on, he wanted to know the real reason for Gyeoul to put his life on the line like this. 

 

“I don’t know what will happen. Like you, I want something sustainable and substantial, that is separate from the corporation that I’m under. I want to create a sense of competition.” 

 

Kihyung was silent for a brief moment, “Praedita is my sweat and blood, it was created before I came back to this position. I don’t want anyone to have a hand in it. I want it to be a birthday gift to my daughter after she turns twenty-one.”

 

“Truthfully speaking.” Gyeoul tapped lightly on the table, “I have a son, he’s still in high school. I wanted to give him a present when he graduates. I’ve been looking around for something to invest in, so I can set a foundation for him. I don’t want him to be apart of the Ok-Im battle. I don’t want a big portion of your company. I just want a small percentage. The data mining industry is currently in an up trend and predicted to boom in a few years…” 

 

“Your son, is that boy who’s my daughter is dating. Im Jaebum?”  Kihyung asked. 

 

Gyeoul narrowed his eyes as he was taken aback, “Really?” 

 

“You don’t know who’s your son is dating?” Kihyung laughed, then sighed when seeing Gyeoul flustering face when he looked down ashamed. 

 

“I don’t…talk much to him. The further we are apart, I guess the better.” Gyeoul gave a small sad smile and Kihyung clicked his tongue. 

 

“My daughter doesn’t like arranged marriages, so I won’t go that route.” Kihyung said, “But, in the future, I don’t want your son to take advantage of her in order to overtake the company. If you can promise me that. I can agree to this deal.” 

 

Gyeoul smiled and nodded. The agreement was signed and sealed in secret between the two fathers. 

 

––•••––

 

Jisoo was watering the plants in front of her house as instructed by her mom, then a grandpa came to the gate and smiled at her. It creeped her out a bit, the old man’s eyes disappeared when he grinned widely at her. 

 

“Excuse me?” She asked, “Are you looking for someone?” 

 

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