Seoul, October 24th

Kim Sojung bowed a little as one of the nurses approached her after they finished checking Nayoung’s condition.

“Her condition is still weak because she keeps vomiting her food, making it’s difficult for her to get the nutrients she needs. We still try to make her to stop vomit and if she vomits again, please tell us.”

Sojung nodded as the nurse bowed and left the room. Sojung looked at her cousin who’s laying in her hospital bed, lazily watching the TV. Since she woke up three days ago, Nayoung can’t swallow any food at all. Except the fluid and soft food, the girl continued to vomit and it made her difficult to recover quickly. She sighed at how Nayoung’s body shrunk drastically in three days.

Sojung walked and sat at the edge of Nayoung’s bed, making Nayoung turns to look at her.

She frowned. “Why do you look so serious?”

“My expression is always like this,” Sojung answered. “In case you didn’t know, this is the expression of an International model.”

Nayoung burst out into laughter, but stopped right away as she groaned painfully, her hand immediately clutching at her stomach.

“Yah!! Be careful, you stupid!” Sojung panicked. She quickly grabbed Nayoung’s hand, squeezed it gently. “You okay? Should I call the nurse?” she asked worriedly.

Nayoung shook her head with her eyes closed, trying to catch her breath.

“Nayoung-ah, drink it,” Sojung sat closer to her cousin and handed a glass of water. She helped Nayoung to sit before drink the water.

“You okay?” Sojung asked again, her hand moved to wipe the sweat in Nayoung’s forehead as the latter nodded. “You stupid, why did you laugh so hard, huh?”

Nayoung just giggled. Sometimes Sojung can be so funny without doing nothing, but she never realized it. “Since I woke up, you always here. Don’t you have job?” she asked, squeezing Sojung’s hand that still holding hers.

“I’ve been here since the first time you were rushed to this hospital, Stupid.”

“Are you jobless now, Miss International Model?” Nayoung asked, her eyebrows raised playfully.

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here,” said Sojung with another flat voice.

Nayoung let out a wide grin. “Sowon Kim left her job for me? Aww… I’m touched, now I’m sure that you really love me, Cousin.”

Sojung almost rolled her eyes at the happy grin. If she didn’t remember Nayoung’s condition, she would smack her. Her hand was still holding Nayoung’s, thinking sadly how someone could hurt this stupid cousin of her.

“Stop staring at me like that, Miss Kim, I’m fine,” Nayoung said as she pinched Sojung’s cheeks.

“You can’t even laugh earlier, Miss Kim,” Sojung said with a glare, but didn’t resist as Nayoung playing with her cheeks.

“I’ll be out from this place in few days, don’t worry.”

“And this is why I call you stupid, Stupid,” Sojung deadpanned as Nayoung pouted, “You have to stay here for at least two weeks, Nayoung-ah. Hana Unnie told me that.”

“But I’m bored and I don’t want to stay here for two weeks,” Nayoung whined, and Sojung knows she was thinking about her job. She held another urge to smack her cousin.

“Your job now is to take a lot of rest and sleep so you can recover quickly,” Sojung said. Her thumb caressed Nayoung’s hand. “I hate seeing you like this, you know,” she added softly.

Nayoung heard it. She saw how Sojung now looking at her sadly. “I’m still alive, My Dear Cousin, you don’t have to be so worried like that.”

Sojung knows Nayoung only tried to look fine in front of her, trying to smile and all as if she’s really okay, and it only makes her sadder.

The door opened, both of them turned to see the nurse bringing Nayoung’s lunch. Sojung stood up and let the nurse put the foods in Nayoung’s bed table. She thanked the nurse and bowed a bit, before turning back to Nayoung.

She chuckled at Nayoung’s expression. “Yah, why are you glaring at your food?” She asked, although Nayoung’s glared wouldn’t even scaring any kid.

“I had enough porridge for my life. I can’t take it anymore, Sojung-ah,” she pouted.

“This is the only thing you can eat for now, Nayoung-ah,” Sojung said as she sat beside Nayoung again. She took the spoon and held the bowl closer to Nayoung and started feeding her.

Nayoung grimaced at tasting the porridge but she let Sojung feed her. Hospital’s food is but she don’t really have much choice.

“Have you seen Doyeon?” Nayoung asked after the third spoon.

Sojung shook her head. “Why? Do you need me to look for her?”

“I don’t know, it’s just that...” She paused as Sojung feed her again. “Last time I saw her, she looks so sad. Do you think she called her?”

Sojung has been with Nayoung for a long time and she knows who she was talking. And yes, Doyeon called her again and got rejected again but Nayoung doesn’t need to know that.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Maybe she just sad about you, seeing you like this... That’s why you should recover quickly, Stupid.” She fed Nayoung again.

“Stop calling me stupid, you ,” Nayoung rolled eyes, “I hope she didn’t call her, though.”

“Why?”

“Because it would only makes her feel sad and I don’t like that. I told her to give up about her since a long time ago.”

Sojung didn’t say anything as she handed a glass of water for Nayoung to drink.

“Do you think she still thinks about me and Doyeon?” Nayoung asked, eyes looked up to the ceiling above her.

“I’m sure she won’t – couldn’t forget about you, even if she wants to,” Sojung said, and hoping in the same time. Nayoung and Doyeon deserves better but she knows she can’t do anything about the sibling problems between them. “Like it or not, you guys are sister, and nothing can change that.”

Nayoung chuckled bitterly. “You know I gave up about her since a few years ago. If she doesn’t want to be my sister anymore, I’ll let her be… But Doyeon – that kid still needs her. If something happened to me, someone had to be there for Doyeon–”

“Nothing gonna happen to you anymore, Stupid, I’ll personally come and hit you if you ever let something like this happened again,” Sojung fed her the porridge again, stopping Nayoung from talking. She thought for a while, before said, “If you really worried about Doyeon, shouldn’t you considered to stop this project, Nayoung-ah?”

“I can’t,” Nayoung quickly answered. “And didn’t Ong tell you? This accident wasn’t about the Blues. I made the man mad at me for fired him.”

Sojung sighed at the excuse. Kim Nayoung can be so stubborn sometimes. Well, it actually runs on their blood. These Kims siblings.

Nayoung continued rambling and whined about the food, but Sojung shrugged them off as she keeps feeding the porridge to her. She watched her until Nayoung drink her medicines and finally went to sleep.

“You never changed, Naong-ah,” Sojung smiled as she stared at Nayoung’s sleeping face. “Still thinking about the other first, still getting hurt anywhere and anytime, and still stubborn and childish too,” she chuckled. If Nayoung heard her, she would smack her.

It makes her sad again, to see her cousin laying in hospital bed like this.

“I hope this is the last time you get hurt, Cousin.”

***

“You seem unlike your usual self, are you sick?” Xiening put a piece of meat on top of Sojin’s bowl, eyes worriedly looking at her friend. She put her palm on Sojin’s forehead. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as Sojin seemed didn’t sick, but it didn’t explain her unusual extra-quiet behavior for the whole day.

“I’m fine,” Sojin flashed a smile before slowly eating the meat Xiening just gave.

“You’re worrying about Nayoung Unnie’s condition?” Xiening never the type to pry into someone’s business, but not for Sojin.

Sojin shook her head. “She will be fine. Sejeong said she needs a lot of rest but she will be fine.”

A message appeared in her phone and Sojin glanced at it. The change of her expression didn’t get unnoticed by Xiening.

“Did you also received those threatening message like Nayoung Unnie and Ong Oppa?” Xiening asked worriedly. Sojin shook her head again. “So why are you acting so weird today? You are so quiet… I know I shouldn’t pry but I’m worried…”

The soft voice made Sojin’s hand to grab Xiening’s and squeezed it gently. “I’m fine, no one threaten me,” she said with another smile. A moment of thought before she hesitantly asked, “What made you join Hourglass, Xie?”

Xiening blinked at the sudden question. She tilted her head, asking Sojin with her eyes.

Sojin rubbed the back of her neck before explained, “I mean, you left your country to work here, when you could just stay with your family and work there.”

Xiening smiled at that. “Actually, studying and working abroad is like a tradition in my family, I’m used with that.” She let go of Sojin’s hand from hers and started eating. “With working here, I can build a network and find experience. Other than that, I simply like the Ongs’ works. I think we have the same style and they never asked me to doing something I don’t want to. I don’t understand why but they actually gave me freedom how to do my work, even trusting me with some of the projects by myself. You can see how I can work freely with you, Soyul, and Eunwoo.”

“What a very good example of idealistic reason,” Sojin chuckled, but she didn’t deny the freedom Xiening talked about. “You really love working here, don’t you?”

“I don’t have any special purpose nor goal when I joined here. Nayoung Unnie and Ong Oppa didn’t promise me anything but I just fell in love with them and Hourglass. They are still young but they are so talented, smart, very competitive, and already have a lot of experiences. Several times working on the project with them, it’s always fun and give me desire to continue working with them. I like everything in this place. The benefit and the compensation they gave me is just bonus for me.”

“Then what do you think if someone offered you to leave Hourglass with a better job?”

The question really surprised Xiening. “Yah! Don’t tell me someone trying to make you to leave Hourglass?!”

“You are so smart, no wonder the Ongs did everything they could to hire you, you know,” Sojin grinned, but later groaned when a flick landed on her forehead.

“Tell me who is trying to snatch you from us?” XIening asked with intimidating voice, successfully making Sojin grimaced.

“The Arrows Company.”

Xiening widen her eyes in shock.

The Arrows Company is an International and one of the biggest company in Korea. Many young architect dreams to work there. And Xiening realized that an invitation to work on that company is not something Sojin can easily ignore.

“So… Are you gonna accept it?” She asked with shaking voice. She didn’t even try to hide her disappointment and sadness. But she can’t be selfish, knowing how rare this chance is.

Surprisingly, Sojin shook her head. “No, I’m not gonna take it,” she said calmly, once again surprising Xiening.

“Why?”

“My loyalty can’t be trade with money,” Sojin grinned as she continued eating. “Besides, I don’t want to miss such a great opportunity to see the fight between The Arrow and Hourglass if I joined The Arrow and had to works abroad.”

“What do you mean?”

“Michelle Jung offered me to work in their branch office in Paris as well as continuing my study there.”

Xiening frowned. She knows The Arrows is an International company with so many branch offices in many countries, but it is weird that Mimi offered Sojin to work in Paris.

“Their branch office in Paris didn’t work in construction and building business, why did she want you work there?”

“Exactly,” Sojin nodded with a smile. Xiening is really smart. “I don’t know either. And you know what, Ongs offered the same thing when I joined Hourglass a few months ago, to work in Paris.”

“What is it with them and Paris?” Xiening frowned, agreed that there’s something odd here.

Sojin only shrugged. “Who knows? Nayoung Unnie and Ong oppa only told me that they wanted to open their office there and I will be their representative, and they will help me to continue my study there.”

“And you rejected the offer? Why?”

“Duh, why would I isolate myself in Paris alone while you are here?” Sojin replied casually, too focused with the food in front of her and missing the blush in Xiening’s cheeks.

The Chinese girl cleared . “So… What makes you to join Hourglass?” Once again, Xiening put the meat on Sojin’s bowl.

“Because you joined the Hourglass too,” Sojin said with another wide grin, surprising Xiening. “I rejected the offer to go to Paris but The Ongs said you will accompany me there.”

Xiening could only blink, she never heard any of this, but Sojin excitedly continued, her eyes sparkled as she speak, “You and I will hold the office in Paris together and we can continue our studies too, isn’t it great?”

It’s unusual to see Sojin like this, looks happy and excited like a child and Xiening can’t help but smile because it’s actually adorable.

“Yeah, that’s great,” she nodded. “It would be nice to be there with you.”

***

Seoul, October 25th

“Jung Mimi...” Hongbin shook his head, can’t believe what he just heard from Mimi. “You’re really a jerk. I can’t believe you did that.” Hongbin stared at Mimi who seemed serious playing games on her laptop.

“I had no choice, okay? This time I have to head to head with them.” Mimi took a deep breath but still focusing on her games. “I don’t want them, especially Naong, to have the same fate as mine. You remember, right?”

Hongbin sighed. The memories of Mimi’s accident played in his mind. He knows Mimi meant well... “But not in a dirty way, Jung Mimi.”

“I was only trying to hire one of their architect to work with me, nothing’s wrong with that,” Mimi grinned as she won the game. Ignoring the stare from Hongbin, she continued her game.

“Don’t act innocent, Jung,” Hongbin said with flat voice. “You were trying to steal their architect. Do you remember that Nayoung and Seongwoo are our junior? They are like our family… God, Nayoung even was your ex, and she is also the sister of–”

“Stop lecturing me! In the end Jang Sojin rejected me, okay?!” Mimi pursed her lips in annoyance. “I realized they are always one step ahead and it’s annoying. We took care of them since college and now they are here ready to fight us.”

Hongbin laughed. He knows Mimi since their high school time and perfectly knows that Mimi doesn’t like to fail and almost never failed in anything. Almost, because as long as he knows, Mimi only failed in three things: completing her sister’s will, completing the Acropolis project, and most recently was to steal Jang Sojin from Hourglass.

“Why did Sojin reject you? You have everything, Jung,” Hongbin asked curiously.

Mimi sighed. “Well, she’s loyal to Hourglass, and idealistic too. They also gave a high bid to get her. And they have Liu Xiening, which I’m sure is the main reason why Sojin didn’t even glance at my offer.” She rolled eyes as Hongbin just laughed. “But I didn’t expect Ongs would offered the same thing for Sojin, that branch office in Paris.”

“Why don’t you try to get Liu Xiening?” Hongbin asked with another grin. Mimi really seemed upset that she can’t get Sojin. Apart from the relationship between Mimi and Ongs, Sojin’s rejection certainly hurt her pride. After all, Mimi has a high competition spirit. Losing and giving up are not in her dictionary.

“No, I don’t want get another rejection,” Mimi answered bitterly, earning another laugh from Hongbin. “From the way Sojin talked to me, I know that trying to get Xiening would be much harder than getting Sojin. If I failed in getting Sojin now, I know I won’t get Xiening.”

Hongbin keep laughing so Mimi glared at him. “Shut up, you , I hope you still remember that those favorite juniors of yours stole our blueprint from the embassy. I won’t let them win easily this time.”

The seriousness in Mimi’s voice makes Hongbin frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“Looking for another way destroy Hourglass.”

“Yah! Are you crazy?!” Hongbin stood up from his seat and stepped closer to Mimi. “Stop acting like a bastard and just tell them truthfully what’s really going on. Tell them what kind of danger lies ahead of them. I know you are worried about them, especially after what happened to Nayoung, but destroying Hourglass is a no. Hourglass is their dream, Jung Mimi!!”