****Hi Everyone, I am so sorry, I don't know how many times I have apologized for updating super late. As usual, real life is super busy. :'( I have read all your comments and I thank you for everyone who continuously read this story. :D

Chapter 9

Changwook waited in the main house library. It’s also his sister’s office. It was a sudden visit so Changwook expected to be rejected. But somehow, Jiwon asked him to wait for her.

“What brings you here?” asked JiWon as she entered the room and took her seat. “It’s nine in the evening. You never go here this late since the time you left to live independently.”

“I wanted to talk to you.” asked Changwook.

Jiwon smirked.

“You came here on your own volition to talk to me? Now this is interesting. What is so urgent that you can’t wait to set a meeting in the office tomorrow?” Said JiWon.

“It’s not business. It’s a personal matter.” Said Changwook.

Jiwon’s eyes thinned.

“You are sounding like someone else is possessing your body. I know what this is. Are you taking revenge on me? Are you getting back at me for setting an early morning meeting with you just to see you?” asked JiWon.

Changwook sighed.

“You can think that way.” Said Changwook. “But I need you to hear me out.”

JiWon closed her arms over her chest.

“What do you want to talk about?” asked JiWon.

Changwook took a deep breath as he sat across JiWon.

“I… have a girlfriend.” Said Changwook.

Jiwon blinked a few times.

“Are you here to ask for love advice?” asked Jiwon. “Aren’t you embarrassed? You went here at the middle of the night to ask your older sister for a love advice? You are a grown up man, you are no longer a highschooler. You should go see friends for these kinds of things. You should go have a drink with a buddy and ask him for advice.”

Changwook had that irritated look in his face.

“So it’s not for a love advise, huh?” asked JiWon.

“You have a very bad dating record.” Said Changwook. “Why would I even ask you for love advice?”

“You don’t have to remind me.” Said JiWon. “I like being single that’s all.”

ChangWook rolled his eyes.

“So what is it?” asked JiWon.

“I know you’d learn about her sooner or later. I’m sure Dad has placed people around me and you to keep his eyes on us in case we do something that would bring trouble to the business.” Said Changwook. “And since I don’t think I can keep my distance from her… I’m telling you now.”

“I will definitely know about it. And I’d definitely receive a very detailed background check on her.” Siad Jiwon.

“She’s an agent working under my team. She’s a really shy girl who has a pure heart.” said Changwook.

Changwook stared at Jiwon.

“Conflict of interest. She has to be moved out of your team as soon as possible. If Dad finds this out, he’s surely going to kick her out of the company before rumors start.” Said Jiwon.

“That’s why I’m talking to you now.” Said Changwook. “I don’t want her to be kicked out of the company. She needs the job.”

Jiwon raised her brow.

“What do you propose?” asked Jiwon.

“Move me to another branch.” Said Changwook. “If I am no longer her manager, there won’t be a conflict of interest anymore.”

“But still… she will still be unsuitable for you. She can’t lead our company by your side because she’s just an agent. There are more beneficial marriage partners available and we all know Dad is just waiting for the right time to bring it out. Sooner or later… you’d have to break up with her.” Said Jiwon.

“No. Not with her.” Said Changwook. “I’m not going to breakup with her for the sake of the company.”

Jiwon bit her lip.

“I…” Changwook took a deep breath. “I love her. She has…. Changed me… she helped me with the issues I couldn’t handle myself for years…I”

Changwook closed his eyes. He’s saying too much. He’s being emotional. He is taking a big risk by showing his sister his weakness.

“This is the first time you’re doing this. You had several girlfriends in the past.” Said Jiwon. “Why are you being too cautious? Even going here like this… telling me creepy romantic things about her… What has gotten into you?”

Changwook opened his eyes.

“I… love her.” Said Changwook. “And I’m not breaking up with her. I will protect her whatever happens. That’s why… you can’t lay a finger on her.”

“You know Dad will do everything to stop this, don’t you?” asked Jiwon. “Like all the unnecessary relationships you had in the past… he tore all of those apart just so that you can focus on the company. Even your most treasured friendships were removed from you…”

“I know.” Said Changwook. “And TaeJoon’s death haunted me for years. The guilt ate me up inside until my heart turned to stone. And that helped me to be a successful Manager so far.”

JiWon’s arms fell to her side. Changwoon mentioned TaeJoon’s name… he is actually talking about the past that hurt him the most… the past that made a deep scar in his heart. What… is happening to her brother?

“But… That also made me hate myself more and more. When each morning I wake up and realized I’m still alive, it made me feel dead inside.” Said Changwook.

Jiwon looked away. Those exact words penetrated her heart… Those were the exact words she felt all these years… after losing important people in her life…. Because of the business… because they have to keep the power in the company…

“When I met her… things started to change little by little… I started to feel excited about my day… I wanted to see her… I feel all sorts of emotions I tried to tuck away in the past. And I… don’t want to lose her.” Said Changwook. “That is why… if Dad gets his hands on her, I am not afraid to lose the company.”

“There are thousands of employees in the company.” Said Jiwon.

“It’ll be fine. You are a good leader.” Said Changwook. “As long as you’re around, the jobs of the thousand employees are protected.”

Jiwon took a long moment to answer.

“I need to go back to my place now.” Said Changwook.

Jiwon nodded.

Changwook stood up.

“Is she pretty?” asked Jiwon

“Huh?”

“Your girlfriend.”

“Oh… Yes. She’s very pretty.” Said Changwook.

“Then that’s fine. I can just tell gossipers that you were hooked by her pretty face. They would absolutely love talking about how stupid you are for just choosing her for her pretty face.” Said Jiwon.

“You know I don’t care about those things right?” asked Changwook.

Jiwon smirked.

“Drive home safely.” Said Jiwon.

Changwook left the room.

Jiwon massaged her head as tears fell from her eyes.

What is she going to do now? Things are getting out of control…

Jiwon saw someone calling her. She answered it.

“Why?” asked Jiwon.

“Have you told them about it yet?” asked the other line.

Jiwon sighed.

“I couldn’t tell them… especially now.” Said Jiwon.

“Are you crazy? You need that surgery as soon as possible. You have to tell them that you have a brain tumor that can kill you anytime!”

“You don’t understand… the situation… has changed. My brother… I don’t think he’s going to be with the company for much longer.” said Jiwon.

“Is he leaving? Ask him to stay. He has to take over the company from now on. You have to resign from your position and give it to him. You have to rest and take care of that tumor.”

Jiwon leaned her head on the table. Her head is throbbing.

“I can’t do that… anymore.” Said Jiwon.

“Why? He has to! If you die working, he would be obliged to take your position anyway.”

“My brother… has finally found courage to live his life.” Said Jiwon. “Remember how I always say that my brother and I are no longer humans but are robots to our Dad’s will?”

“Yes…”

“My brother… has found courage to break free from being a robot and experience life again. He has finally let go of the pain, hate and guilt of the past… I know how all of those feel like. And everyday… I wish to be pulled out of this black hole too. Now that he has found his way out… how can I pull him back in again?” asked Jiwon

“Oh Jiwon… What do we do… If we let him go like this… what will happen to you?”

“I… wish I have properly fallen in love.” Jiwon closed her eyes tight from the pain. “But I have never fallen in love because I have to let those men go… But I wish I knew how that feels like… The way my brother showed me how he loved that girl… it makes me want to know how it is to love someone…”

There was silence on the line.

“Jiwon… are you still there? Hey… Jiwon? Jiwon? Hey! Jiwon! Is the call still on? Wait… It’s still on…Jiwon! Did you fall asleep on me? Jiwon!”

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Changwook reached his house. This day is full of emotions and a lot of twists and turns. The memory of his moment with Yoona inside his car made his lips arc into a smile. He can’t help it. Finally admitting to himself that she has already captured his heart is a liberating feeling. It makes him want to go to her again and embrace her. And then Changwook felt his phone vibrating. He saw Yoona calling. His smile widened.

“Hello?” he answered his phone.

“Um… Hello.” Said Yoona.

“Yes?” asked Changwook.

“Umm… last time… you said it’s ok for me to call you.. even when I’m not drunk. Is it really ok?” asked Yoona.

“Yes. I was serious when I said that.” Said Changwook.

Hearing Yoona’s voice… knowing she’s all sober but still took courage to call him sent a weird feeling in Changwooks chest, it was a weird but nice feeling.

“Ummm… are you home? Are you still with your sister?” asked Yoona.

“I just reached my house.” Said Changwook. “I left my sister a while ago.”

He sat on his sofa.

“Are you close to her?” asked Yoona.

“Not really… but we do talk sometime.” Said Changwook. “Mostly about business.”

“I see…”

Yoona bit her lip. She has finally gotten the courage to call him and yet she doesn’t know what to say.

“Yoona…”

“Hmm?”

“You should call me every night.” Said Changwook.

Yoona bit her lip trying to stop herself from smiling.

“Every night?”

“Yes. I like to hear your voice every night.” Said Changwook.

“Even when there’s nothing to talk about?” asked Yoona.

“Your voice is enough for me.” Changwook closed his eyes as he rested his head. “When things get too busy and I’m tired… your voice will soothe me.”

Yoona smiled.

“Then I will call you every night, Oppa.” said Yoona.

Yoona heard Changwook’s deep breath.

“Are you ok?” asked Yoona.

“Yoona-ya… I just want you to know that the things I said in the car earlier… they are all true.” Said Changwook. “My world… the world I live in is complicated. There are responsibilities and there are barriers that need to be overcome. I…”

Yoona could hear the seriousness in Changwook’s voice.

“I will do everthing I can to protect you.” said Changwook. “So stay beside me. And believe only in me.”

Yoona knew it won’t be easy. Changwook’s family will not support their relationship for sure. There will be hurdles… and she doesn’t know what the future looks like for them…

But… if there’s a tiny hope… just a little possibility of them making through them all… maybe… maybe they can still be together in the end….

“I… love you, Oppa.” said Yoona. “You know that right?”

Changwook smiled.

“Yes. I do.” Said Changwook.

“I will keep loving you whatever happens.” Said Yoona.

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Jiwon opened her eyes and saw herself inside an unfamiliar place.

“You are in a hospital room.”

Jiwon turned to see a familiar face.

“In Sung-ah…”

“When you stopped talking on the phone, I felt there was a problem. I went to your house and saw you lying on the floor.” Said Insung. “I brought you here. I don’t think anyone else in the house knew I took you to the hospital. Your Dad wasn’t around.”

“He’s in a trip with Mom.” Said Jiwon.