The atmosphere in Jessica’s study room was thick and uncomfortable, Jessica’s unresponsive reaction became little different after being reported a whole new information, her brain was quickly processing all she heard, a middle age man sitting in front of her became a bit tensed but it didn’t waver him a bit, with his rich experience of working for this family.

“So he reversed his testimony?” A question was asked

“Yes, he admitted he aimed at you but unfortunately got mixed up with your sister, because you two wore the same outfit colors that day, he couldn’t tell you apart” A clear explaining was made

“The meaning is, it was destined to be me from the start?” A sarcastic scoff was heard, cold.

“If you didn’t make your move, then it could have been different” A lawyer said

“Well, he would not even be breathing to confess until now if it was my sister” Jessica’s jaw clenched as she spoke.

“Ms. Jessica, please be aware we are on legal discussion of a case that you are a victim” A lawyer reminded, even though their talk was confidential, he’d better make sure there wasn’t any threat that could possibly bring his client any trouble.

“What was a motivation?” Jessica asked, calmed

“He was hired by someone he didn’t know” A lawyer told

“Someone he didn’t know?” Jessica asked without much reaction

“He won’t be off the hook , an investigation team is backtracking his records and people he contacted in past few years” Lawyer assures.

“It sounds ridiculous someone would just pay a random guy to murder someone for fun” Jessica coldly expressed.

“We will work hard with the investigation team, we will find out” He said confidently

“I’ll have to rely on you for this, lawyer Choi” Jessica put her hope on his competency.

“We’ll do our best” He sounded hopeful

“Meanwhile, any opinion on potential harm that can be threatened my sister’s safety?” Jessica asked, hoping her concern should be dropped

“I can’t tell you now as we haven’t found a person who targeted you, frankly we don’t really know what the intension for all of these. And after all these years, none of any threat seems to happen to Hyomin ssi, I think you should not worry” He said

“I hope so” Jessica felt better, though she didn’t feel completely convinced

“Alright then, if I have any update, I’ll let know right away” He said

“I look forward to hearing any news soon” Jessica said

“Please don’t worry, leave it on our hands” He assured.

“Thank you for your hard work” Jessica said

“You’re welcome and please take care Ms. Jessica” He bowed.

“Same to you” Jessica said.

Even though she was reassured, Jessica could never had a peace of mind, when a nightmare that kept haunting her wasn’t just a simple accident as it was thought to be. It was more complicated and the fact that it was left unanswered bothered Jessica a lot. “I failed, I was deliberately murdering her”. Who could that heartless person be. Question after question was resurfaced while the past could never be forgotten.

“No!” As fast as her thought could process, Jessica didn’t hesitate to run, it might be the fastest she could have ever run in her life, her heartbeat was rapid, her mind was clouded, only her instinct worked, she pushed a person who stood frozen while a car came in fast speed, she remembered it all, a guy behind a steering wheel and horrible look, a dread squeezing sound mixed with awful screaming, everything happened so fast , too fast to remember the next thing.

She remembered a crying face, red-blood shot that greeted her when she woke up after being unconscious. Feeling nothing but numb legs, and a worse news confirmed afterward. Jessica was not the same, physically and mentally . Going through a second tough time in her life, but Jessica was still glad to know her sister was saved, she couldn’t imagine a life without Hyomin, not after this unfortunate event , even though she lost her ability to walk and worse of all, love of her life was walking away too. Jessica held on to only person who would never leave and was catching her while she was falling.

“Minnie” Jessica called her sister who was spacing out, as she was resting her back on her bedhead, discharged from hospital and back to their home. Home sweet home would feel different if she wasn’t in such state.

“Yes, do you need something?” Hyomin put down stuff she was absent-mindedly holding, alerted, but her face was lifeless.

“Yes, I do need something” Jessica smiled, “Come here”, Hyomin climbed up a bed and crawled to Jessica

“Tell me” Hyomin sat on the bed next to Jessica

“Can you do something for me?” Jessica asked, she reached for Hyomin’s hand

“Anything and everything for you Jess” Hyomin held Jessica’s hand.

“Do me a favor, smile for me, I don’t wanna see your sad face anymore, it makes me sad too” Jessica said, as she was looking at Hyomin’s painful eyes.

“I’m sorry Jess, how can I smile seeing you like this?” Hyomin choked up her words as she tried to hold back tear.

“I know it’s hard but can’t you do it for me?” Jessica begged

“For God’s sake, I would feel better if it was me” Hyomin lowered her face as she tried to hide her tear.

“ Don’t say that” Jessica lifted up Hyomin’s face, she was about to cry too

"Why wasn’t it me, Jess, why did you have to do this?” Hyomin mentally broke down, she couldn’t bear the pain of guilt it was killing her alive, Jessica reached for Hyomin’s face and wiped away the tear.

“Because I love you and I don’t regret it” Jessica said as tear running down her face., “So please don’t feel bad anymore” Jessica said

“I can’t forgive myself” Hyomin shook her head.

“It’s not your fault, please stop blaming yourself” Jessica kept wiping away those tear that never seemed to stop on her sister’s face. “ I want to see you happy and that all I want”

“How do I dare to live my life happily after this?” Hyomin retorted, she couldn’t stop feeling guilty, it dragged her to a spiral of mental breakdown

“Don’t let anything to steal our happiness, once was enough” Jessica said, thinking of the time they lost their parents.

“I stole your happiness” Hyomin said, painfully

“You never did, it was a fate” Jessica argued, “ So can you return my happiness to me” She pleaded, as she looked into Hyomin’s eyes. Her younger sister finally nodded.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to bring back your happiness” Hyomin promised.

“Then a very first thing you can do is to smile for me then I’ll smile too” Jessica said

“I’ll do” Hyomin quickly wiped away her own tear, trying to stop crying, smile forced through a wet face filled with tear earlier.

“Try a bit harder” Jessica challenged., “Smile from your eyes” She instructed.

Hyomin tried again, yes, harder, she wasn’t only forcing a smile, but she was forcing herself to be happy for someone she loved and loved her, thinking so, a real smile plastered on her face.

“Yes, like that” Jessica smiled

“I’ll return your happiness” Hyomin rested her forehead on Jessica’s

“Thank you” Jessica smiled.

A knock on a door interrupted Jessica’s thought, and as expected , it was Sooyoung.

“Tiffany is here, shall I let her in?” Sooyoung asked

“Please do” Jessica sighed.

Bright smile followed by a person in her light pink jacket and knee length flowery pink dress showed up, Jessica looked, crossed.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It has been a week after Hyomin and Jiyeon woke up to an awkward morning together, how much she deosn’t want to, it’s unavoidable for Hyomin to see Jiyeon because the latter always shows up at work even though she doesn’t really have to as a board of director. Hyomin tries to have very least interaction with her, but Jiyeon seems not to comply, she comes up with every reason to talk to Hyomin. She is persistent to the point that it annoys Hyomin.

“Do I have a lunch meeting?” Hyomin asked, while her hand was busy signing a pile of documents.

“Yes, President nim, you are scheduled for a business lunch meeting with Ms. Park Jiyeon” Secretary Kim briefed her schedule

“Who?” Hyomin tore her eyes of the document and then looked up to her secretary

“Ms. Park Jiyeon, she said she has agreed with you about it, she would like to discuss about the joint venture project” Her secretary confirmed.

“Did she say so?” Unsatisfied expression was written all over her face.

“Yes” Ms. Kim said.

“Huh” Hyomin made an annoying sound in

“Haven’t she discussed with you beforehand?” Ms. Kim asked nervously, and Hyomin noticed it, she knew it wasn’t her secretary’s fault.

“Just next time if there is any request made from Jiyeon ssi, please let me know first” Hyomin tried to sound normal.

“Yes, President nim” , Ms. Kim said

“Thank you, just confirm with her I’ll be there” Hyomin said

“Yes, I’ll do”

Hyomin walked into a restaurant where a person she tried to avoid, was waiting for her, and she was guided to a table where she saw that person who dared to lie to her secretary about this fake business meeting, where she didn’t even hear about it before. The latter didn’t seem to feel bad about it at all as she got up smiling.

“Thank you for coming” Jiyeon said as soon as Hyomin took a seat, opposite her.

“You’ve put enough effort to have tricked my secretary, how would I disappoint you?” Hyomin replied sarcastically

“Can’t help it, you would turn down my invite it if it’s not related to a business. Jiyeon said, not even bothered by a fact that she was doing a tricky thing.

“Well, I don’t think we have anything to discuss besides our business, Jiyeon ssi” Hyomin emphasized a last word.

“But I do” Jiyeon argued.

“I guess you don’t understand what I said” Hyomin said coldly

“I probably didn’t” Jiyeon said, “I don’t wanna understand it either” she added

“I’m dealing with a strong-headed person then” Hyomin commented, emotionless.

“As I said, once I fancy something, I will never forget about it” Jiyeon was frank and it didn’t surprise Hyomin.

“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed then” Hyomin challenged, her gaze was fierce.

“I don’t mind it” Jiyeon responded without hesitation.

“I can’t help you then” Hyomin shook her head.

“But more than fancying something, I will never stop when it comes to a person….I like” Jiyeon kept her eyes fixed at Hyomin, a sudden confession took Hyomin off guard but she was quick enough to pull herself together, and acted calm.

“It’s not fun to waste your time” Hyomin warned. Jiyeon didn’t argue this time, she just stared at Hyomin, and it was Hyomin who had to look away this time, she couldn’t fight back such a gaze.

“Have you eaten? I’m hungry now, let’s order some food” Jiyeon grinned cutely but Hyomin didn’t respond, instead she grabbed a menu and made order.

An awkward lunch continued, Jiyeon didn’t mind it at all that she was the one to strike up the conversation as long as Hyomin answered. Sometimes answers were blunt and short, Jiyeon still felt thankful that the latter didn’t just let her talk alone . Jiyeon took this chance to invite Hyomin to a function party at their company. Hopefully Hyomin would not turn it down, and it was like a luck was on her side, Hyomin agreed to go considering that she was cordially invited by Mr. Park.

After that day, Jiyeon had not showed up at work, Hyomin didn’t even bother to ask, she was too busy to even care, somehow, she noticed the absence, as she thought Jiyeon might already give up then she remembered the function party at the Park Group where she had to attend tonight, the thought of seeing Jiyeon there gave her a weird feeling.

“No more overdrinking” Hyomin inwardly reminded herself with hint of quilt as she was walking into a function party held by The Park Group. As expected, bunches of people and media was there, and as soon as she got there, she was greeted by a person she hadn’t seen for a few days. Jiyeon showed up in her business attire, charming yet beautiful at the same time, for a moment, Hyomin stood still looking at her

“You are beautiful tonight” Jiyeon approached Hyomin with her outspoken yet sincere compliment.

“Thanks” Hyomin said, collected herself, realizing that Jiyeon was there in front of her.

“How have you been?” Jiyeon asked a simple yet warm question.

“I’ve been glad, especially when one to bother me” Hyomin looked around the party.

“It hurts but it’s okay” Jiyeon said, Hyomin stole a glance at Jiyeon, her smile Hyomin just saw was gone.

“ I” Hyomin was going to say something but was cut off.

“Our president is waiting to greet you” Jiyeon stated

“Oh, is he ? Hyomin was surprised.

“Yes, I told him you were coming” Jiyeon said

“ I’d really appreciate if you could take me to meet him” Hyomin said in business manner.

“Please come with me” Jiyeon smiled, she blushed away the fact that Hyomin treated her coldly, she led Hyomin to a place where her father was standing.

Shortly, Jiyeon introduced Hyomin to her father as a President from Blue Capital where she officially met and politely greeted him. Hyomin felt warmed up to him right away, he was a business partner to her parents back then, and the fact that Mr. Park was actually the same age as her parents, Hyomin couldn’t help but wonder how if father could be like him if he was still alive. Formal talk kept going for a while, Mr. Park seemed to like Hyomin a lot too, “Jiyeon has talked a lot about you” He said , again it surprised Hyomin when Jiyeon’s father told her how much Jiyeon complimented her, she didn’t expect it, though she was taken by surprise, Hyomin acted her way and thanked to Jiyeon formally, faking all smile in front of elder as if they were good business partners.

Then, Jiyeon’s brother, Park Yoochun came and joined the conversation which made the atmosphere a bit dull for Jiyeon, and it wasn’t difficult for Hyomin to notice it when once a talkative and lively person went quiet , she was clouded by a fact that her brother didn’t stop taking about himself but Hyomin didn’t pay much attention to it. Despite resembled appearance, Jiyeon and her brother didn’t seem to have much in common, he was a little boastful in Hyomin’s opinion.

“I’ll be back” Yoochun, just then he excused himself and shortly after he came back with a lady locking her arm with him, bowing to Jiyeon’s father as she was getting close to them, she was wearing a warm smile, in her white evening dress, making her so pretty, that made Jiyeon and Hyomin frozen in their place upon seeing her showing up but for different reasons.

“Hyomin ssi please meet my girlfriend” Yoochun quickly introduced his girlfriend when they joined them.

Now another lady also froze, she stood still when she saw Hyomin closely , spacing out without introducing herself, she stared at Hyomin without a blink, same reaction applied to Hyomin but latter was quicker to save an awkward moment.

“Hi, I’m Park Hyomin” Hyomin forced a smile she could ever do in her life, she slightly bowed and another person seemed to be back to her sense.

“It’s nice to meet you, Park Hyomin ssi, I’m Hahm Eunjung” Eunjung said in her lowest voice, her smile fade, all confusion written all over her face.

“It’s nice to meet you” Hyomin responded

“Park Hyomin ssi, is a president from our partner company” Yoouchin quickly joined, “ And Hahm Eunjung , a beautiful lady here is my girlfriend from a well-known architecture design company” He formally introduced.

“Oh” Hyomin said.

Jiyeon looked back and forth between Hyomin and Eunjung. She got over her shock stage.

“I feel so old now, I guess I’ll take my leave and let’s you, young people to enjoy the conversation” Mr. Park cut in.

“No, you are not” Yoochun said , pleasing his father

“Well, actually I’ll greet Mr. Han over there” He pointed.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Park” Hyomin averted her attention to Jiyeon’s father.

“Enjoy the night Hyo