a/n: I shouldn't have updated this soon because I don't have the luxury of time to write new chapters and I'm still looking for an inspiration to continue writing. But for those who left their comments in the previous chapter and for the readers who upvoted this story, I tried my very best to come up with this Thank You gift. I hope you're going to like it. 

Just as what Daniel and Il Woo predicted, the handsome leader of Shinjae University barely talked during the Jung brothers' bonding moment with their half-sister. The same situation applied with Jessica when it comes to interacting with President Rain. She was also not comfortable in conversing with him given how little they interacted since she was a child. Hence, it was always Il Woo who initiates the conversation. He didn't mind though because he absolutely loves talking to Jessica than to his older brother whom he described as someone with a boring personality. 

In this rare bonding moment, Il Woo told his sister how much he hates running an errand for their father such as representing him in sporting events and the opening of government facilities. He also shared that he prefers setting up his own business rather than being ordered around by his mother. Il Woo considered these duties as his "misfortunes". And being the funny member of the Jung clan, he blamed these misfortunes to his brother.

"Because he refused to be involved with our parents' jobs, I'm the one who suffered the repercussions," Il Woo continued to share with a bit of exaggeration in his facial expressions and hand gestures - a reason for Jessica to laugh. "Whenever mom and dad ask him to do this and that, he always makes up excuses. It's either he says he's busy managing Shinjae or he's taking care of some stuffs in his Italian restaurant downtown. This guy shows no mercy on me even if he sees me working my out like a donkey."

Not amused with his brother's sense of humor, President Rain interrupted what Il Woo still has to say. "If you do not want to keep doing it, you can just simply say no. You're the one who has too much guts between us. You sneak out of the Blue House anytime you want to avoid being convoyed. You often go to the university to approach Jessica and ask her a favor, not minding if this will cause others to speculate what relationship we have with her. And lastly, you warned mom not to lay a hand on our sister when she found out that you're hanging out with her again. It costs you too much guts to do all those things. So why can't you say no to the responsibilities our parents are giving you?"

Il Woo was supposed to explain his side but Jessica interrupted to clarify something. "You confronted your mother because of me?" 

It's shock that's written on Jessica's face. But internally, she's more than happy to know that her brother really meant it when he said that he'd never let his mother hurt her again.

"I um..." Il Woo scratched his nape. He's abashed to admit what he did so his brother nudged him in order to make him talk. "Well...mom was threatening to punish you for what I did so I had no choice but to do it. But hey. It isn't just me who did something like that. This guy here did it too a day after I went to Shinjae to borrow your car for my date. He's way scarier than me when he confronted our mother."

Jessica looked at her eldest brother and smiled timidly. "Thank you," she said to the two. "Thank you for defending me to your mother. But please don't confront her again next time. I don't want your relationship with her to be severed because of me."

"It's her who's making reasons for us to hate her," President Rain explained. "If our relationship with her will be ruined, it's her fault not yours."

******

Before going to Tiffany's room, Jessica first went outside to take a stroll in her bonsai garden. She also looked up at the night sky and talked to the stars, thanking her mother and Miss Kim for always guiding her no matter where they are now. "As days pass, I'm finding more and more reasons to smile," she said as if the stars are lending her their ears. "Thank you for giving me reasons to remain strong. I'd be a better person now mom...eomma."

Daniel stood by the porch and watched over Jessica, making sure that she's safe. He never kept his eyes off her, not until he noticed the man across the street standing behind a cherry blossom tree. To find out who this person is, Daniel pretended that he will just take out the trash. However, the guy escaped when he saw him approaching, leaving no clue for the young man to trace him. To avoid alarming his friend regarding this incident, Daniel chose not to tell Jessica about the suspicious guy and conducted the investigation by himself.

Meanwhile at Jessica's room, while his brother's touring his eyes around the remarkably neat room, Il Woo was scanning some of his sister's photo albums. He kept smiling while looking at the cute photos of her when she was still a kid. There are many pictures showing Jessica achieving developmental milestones at an age younger than what's written on textbooks. Il Woo felt proud of this and stated that he has the most amazing sister in the whole world. But when he recalled how his sister lost the smile she's wearing in her childhood photos, hatred replaced his mirthful mood. He gritted his teeth, balled his hands into a fist and silently cursed the culprit of Miss Song's death.

******

It's been an hour and a half since Tiffany finished preparing her room. It now looks presentable and dust-free so the American girl is confident that Jessica is going to like the ambiance. Tiffany also didn't forget to make herself presentable for her crush. Earlier, she spent a long time in the shower and scrubbed several times just to make sure that she'll smell cool and fresh (just in case her hard-to-get crush will want to snuggle). Everything's ready now. All that's left for her to do is to wait for her dearest one to arrive.

"It's almost midnight. Why isn't she here yet?" Tiffany won