Namjoo's POV

Is this where I die or something? I struggled hard to get out of his grasp, but to no avail.

"Calm down, Kim Namjoo-ssi."

Wait. What? I stopped as soon as I felt him loosening his grip.

Soon, I was free.

I whirled around to see who this "Oh Sehun" was. The mystery man that I was spending the last few days tracking down. He turned out to be just an unassuming looking young man in an oversized brown coat. I do admit he is kind of handsome but not my style.

But, I was confused for a moment.

Why does he resemble Hayoung so much?

Almost as if, he was the guy version of her.

"I'm not your enemy but I would prefer if you can keep it down." Sehun said with a sigh, dusting his sleeves. "Well, aren't you going to open the door?" He continued, crossing his arms.

"Huh?"

"You came looking for me and creating all that ruckus around town. You're not going to expect me to stand here and explain things to you right?" He said in an annoyed tone. I take everything back. He looks like Hayoung but he definitely doesn't act like her.

What's with that rude, cocky attitude of his? I don't like him but he holds all the answers I want. With a gulp, I unlocked the door and led Sehun inside my apartment home. I remained wary of him, observing his actions carefully as we sat down at the couch.

"Do you need-"

"No drinks. I'm just here to talk."

"Right." Geez, this guy is rude, cutting me off like that.

"I don't have a lot of time so let me get this straight." He sighed. "Stop what you're doing. It's annoying to have some pest sniffing around looking for me." He continued, extracting a namecard from his coat and tossing it onto the table." After this, just contact me for anything else. Don’t go snooping around anymore. It took me a lot of work concealing your activities."

"Sehun..ssi....you're..."

"I'm Hayoung's stepbrother. Oh Sehun." He said, crossing his legs in an uncomfortable manner. "And I believe my sister would be very mad if she finds out that you've met me. Keep this a secret will you?"

I nodded in reply.

"I've got 15 minutes. What about me would you like to know?" He folded the edges of his sleeves and checked his watch. He's pretty old fashioned. I mean, who uses a watch to check time these days?

"Everything." I stressed while looking at him straight in the eye. All it took was two seconds before I had to divert away from his piercing gaze. I don't know. I just didn't feel comfortable. It was as if I was being petrified by the stare from Medusa.

"I'm in a position where I cannot reveal everything to you.”

Oh wow thanks, that sure was helpful Mr.Sehun.

“But I guess I can skip the mundane and go direct into the important parts. Things that everyone has been hiding from you." He clicked his tongue. "Let's start with my father. Hayoung's father."

Author's POV

Mr.Oh is the leader of several gambling dens and occasionally, he runs drugs on the side. As a result, his cronies and himself were all wanted by the police. But the man himself isn’t a drug user, he is just a businessman. Everything seemed to go well as Mr.Oh had his dear beloved and his young son, Sehun by his side. Sehun, though still a baby, was already heralded as the successor to his father’s empire.

Bad luck struck however.

Mr Oh lost his wife from a failed assassination by his rival. Revenge was swift but it brought him nothing but emptiness. The loss of his beloved robbed him of his will to live as he absented himself from his ventures. He even left Sehun with his parents and ran away from his responsibilities.

But that was when, he met the woman who showed him the light.

He fell in love again.

It led him into committing another mistake, the accidental birth of Hayoung.

He was initially unaware that he had a daughter, because he decided to return and build back his empire from scratch, leaving Hayoung's mother all alone. When the news came, he blamed himself for making the same mistakes. As he did not want his own daughter to be pulled into his wicked, horrible bloodline of his, Mr.Oh made a decision to hide Hayoung's identity. Anything around her that could trace back to him, was completely destroyed. He knew that it was dangerous to have both Hayoung and her mother in his place, so he muted his existence and disappeared into the underground world, as his final gift.

To let them live normally as human beings.

Even so, he couldn’t will himself out completely as he kept tabs on mother and child from the shadows.

The most he could do, was to look after them financially, with the illegal money made from his criminal ventures. However, his favouritism towards his only daughter, only brought jealousy to his forgotten son, Oh Sehun. Yearning for attention, he chose his own fate by following his father's footsteps, in hope that his father would acknowledge his efforts  and see him as a son that he could be proud of.

He was simply, a young boy who craved for a father's love.

Deep inside Sehun bore hatred towards his half-sister even though he knew that she did nothing wrong. Yet, he never liked her.

Aware that Hayoung always has a routine of landing in the hospital every winter, Sehun was always there as the appointed representative to pay off the hospital bills in secret since it would be difficult for Mr.Oh himself. His identity and location has to remain anonymous so as to stay clear from prying eyes of the police and rivals alike. It has always remained that way for the past 8 years and life continued like that, in much secrecy.

Until a certain someone tried to break through the giant wall that covered this secret.

Hayoung's wife, Kim Namjoo.

Namjoo's POV

Wow. I wasn't even expecting something like that.

I felt uneasy somehow. It was like I was hanging for life on a thread that could break anytime. This is some dangerous business I've gotten myself into.

Great.

But that's okay, because I got to know more about Hayoung and her secretive family. There's just so much more to the story and I feel I’ve gotten all the answers I want.

"Well, my 15 minutes is up. I don't have all the time in the world to entertain someone like you." Sehun mumbled as he checked his watch.

"Wait." I said. "Two more questions."

I could see him rolling his eyes. Ugh, what a brat! But it’s not wise to get on the bad side of him for now, I’ve got to keep my cool.

"Go on." He said, glaring at me.

"Do you hate Hayoung?"

"What a funny question." He scoffed. That sounded so intimidating. Gosh. I swear if he keeps acting like that, I'm going to go loose.

"If I really hated my sister, I could just kill you right now." He smirked.

I gulped, and backed away instinctively. He really isn't someone I should mess with. He's got mad skills from messing around in the shadows, unlike a trained policeman. He could really kill me if he want to. He’s likely got guns hidden inside his thick coat too. Who knows?

"I'm joking." All a sudden, he smiled. It was short but that smile, reminded me so much of Hayoung. A beautiful smile from a person whose heart is broken inside. "If I did, I would lose Father's trust completely."

"But does Hayoung know that she has a half-brother? Or rather, does she even know that she has a father who actually cares for her?"

The man sighed as he stood up, adjusting his coat and dusting it off.

"I don't think I'm in a position to tell you that." He began moving towards the door.

"Why?" I asked, following him.

"Because you might grow to hate your own wife instead."

He stopped and turned to glare at me, before exiting the house.

His words made me feel uneasy. Is there more to the secret that I don't know of? That was when, an thought hit me. I returned to the living room and picked up the name card Sehun had tossed. It looked familiar...

Wait.

Isn't this the name card Hayoung showed to my parents when we convinced them about our marriage?

No way.

This can't be.

That's it. I can't handle this anymore. Immediately, I dialed the number listed on the namecard.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Wow. You're really annoying the hell out of me. Look I'm a busy man so you can't just call me as you like-"

"I want to meet Hayoung's father."

"What?"

"I said, I want to meet Hayoung's father. Your father."

"Look, you're already annoying me far enough and making such a request is just-"

"I'm your sister-in-law. Is it wrong for a sister-in-law to send her greetings to her father-in-law?"

He grew silent over the phone before continuing with a heavy sigh.

"Fine. Do as you wish. I'll text you the details."

Hayoung's POV

Where is she?

I looked around and sighed. Namjoo unnie promised to pick me up from the hospital today. In fact, I've got an extra two days of medical leave. I want to make good use of the extra time to spend more time with her and Bbang.

I loitered around the hospital lobby clutching my bag of medicines from the pharmacy, and the goddamn hospital receipt, I just hope that she didn't see his name. Or rather, I don't want her to know or have any business with that man.

Why should I worry over something like that? It's a past that I've kept locked away for a long time. There's no reason for me to dig it out.

"Hayoung-ah!"

The voice that takes all that anxiety away. Namjoo unnie.

"You're late." I said, scrutinising her. I want to make sure of something.

"Yeah, sorry." Namjoo tip-toed to plant a gentle peck on my cheek. "Been really busy with work plus the traffic today is awful!"

Am I just overthinking? She doesn't look like anything affected her. Maybe, she didn't realise it. Perhaps, she has no idea about that man at all.

"Come on, let's go home!" She wrapped her arm around mine and walked me out.

It was surprisingly quiet on the bus ride home. Usually, Namjoo would always tell me stories of her work, people she didn't like or just about anything, even the smallest details like what she ate for breakfast.

She kept to herself today. 

I glanced over at her quietly, watching her eyes gaze outside the windows that zoomed past the bustling streets and occasional trees lining the sidewalks along the way.

Maybe she's just feeling stressed.

I want to make her feel better.

I bet it's all my fault. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have gotten all worried about me and abandoned her work. Now, she has to double up to clear her backlog.

It's all because of me.

We got off at our destination and strolled back to our place. It was a silent walk. I tried a few times to reach out for her hand but she kept moving it away. I wanted to hold it and intertwine my fingers warmly around hers.

But I couldn’t.

"Hayoung-ah."

"H-Hm?" I was startled, hoping that she didn't notice what I was trying to do.

"You go home first. I just realised I had something to do."

"Oh. Really?" I asked. Inside, I felt disappointed. Almost like something plummeting down my throat.

"Yeah. Sorry. But don't worry, I'll be back before midnight okay?" She said, pecking my cheek again before dashing off. As I saw her in the distance, my heart somehow ached. I want to say those words. But it doesn't come out of my mouth.

It's frustrating.

I want you to stay with me.

It's lonely without you by my side.

Don't go.

Author's POV

Namjoo hated herself for lying to Hayoung again. But she had no choice. The curiosity in her mind was killing her. She wanted to make sure of something before making a really important decision. She had too many questions needing answers, Hayoung's mysterious past and the complex inner workings of her secretive family. One wrong move and she could be in big trouble.

But the girl was feisty and persistent. She wanted those answers so badly.

She followed the instructions that Sehun had text her and made her way to Seoul Harbor. Tucked there in a corner, hidden from view behind a moored cargo ship, a solitary little shack stood unnoticed by passers-by. Standing at the entrance stood a man, presumably a guard but he was dressed in such a way that anyone would mistake him as a port worker.

"Hey young lady, what are you doing out here?" The man asked, scanning Namjoo as she approached.

Namjoo was slightly nervous as she looked back at the phone that contained the "special password".

"The Dark is safe." said Namjoo in an awkward tone, eyeing the guard as he raised his eyebrows.

"I see. Welcome." He nodded, proceeding to unlock the door.

"Thank you." The girl entered and found herself staring at an unlatched door on the floor with a staircase leading down into the darkness. She gulped and mustered her courage and started down tentatively, step by step. She was afraid of the dark but the thirst for finding her answers were stronger.

The darkness soon gave way to soft light showing the end to the stairs. Namjoo gasped as she looked around. Resembling a sewer that was made into an office block, the “underground base” had dozens of people walking around, all busy with something. Men and women alike chatter away in the dimly-lit hallway, often giving looks to Namjoo. They all had the same tattoo on their bodies, an illustration of a candle. She followed Sehun's orders and kept walking straight till she arrived at a large, red door where she was stopped by a pair of heavyset, bull-necked guards.

"Oh Sehun sent me here." she said. Immediately, the path was cleared as she gingerly opened the door. She found herself in a room with a normal office setting, complete with the usual furniture and interiors. At the desk was a man dressed in a black suit, with sharp facial features not unlike those from outside.

He was rather, handsome for someone his age.

"Welcome. I've been expecting you." He said with a warm smile, standing from his seat and offering his hand.

"Y-You are?" Stuttered Namjoo as she shook his hand. It was a strong grip and the girl was somehow taken aback by the strength.

"My son talks about you a lot. Or rather, he complains about you. I guess my daughter picked a good wife." He proceeded to sit down. "Please sit down, Kim Namjoo. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. After all, you are the person whom my precious daughter loves."

"R-Right..."

"I'm Oh Chang Seok."

At that point, Namjoo's eyes widened upon hearing his name.

"Oh...Chang Seok?"

"Yes."

"I-I've heard your name before.... that gambling incident in 2000 where you robbed millionaires of their money and extorted billions that caused their companies to go bankrupt....you're the most wanted man in the country....." Namjoo gasped.

"Yes. That is me." He leaned forward. "But I believe it would be wise for you to keep this secret between us, yes? After all, you have earned my trust so I'm sure you would do the same."

"O-Of course..."

"Great." He smiled warmly. It was the same exact smile Hayoung and Sehun possessed. Warm, compassionate and friendly. "So, I believe you didn't come here just to send your greetings. You're here for something else."

"It's about your daughter. Oh Hayoung."

"Go on."

"Honestly, I have no interest about involving myself in your business. After all, Sehun told me what happened. I'm sure Hayoung doesn't want to be part of this either. But there is still something that I wanted to make sure of."

"What is it?"

"I asked Sehun if Hayoung knows about your existence, whether she is aware that she has a father and a half-brother. But I was told that this information is confidential because I might grow to hate her. I don't understand. Why would I grow to hate my own wife over such a thing?"

The man sighed, contemplating whether to reveal the secret. But as he looked into Namjoo's eyes, he could tell the fire burning inside. That's when he wondered if, these are the few charms that his daughter fell for. A persistent girl who refused to give up. A girl full of energy, like the sun.

She reminded him so much, of his former wife.

He was like the moon and she was like the sun.

Perhaps, it was the same story with Hayoung and Namjoo.

With that in mind, he resolved to an experiment. If he were to reveal the truth now, it would test the strength and bond of their relationship. It was a test of their love to each other.

"Very well." Changseok said.

Namjoo looked into his eyes, waiting for his answer.

"You want to know why you might grow to hate your wife, that is your question, yes?"

Namjoo simply nodded.

"Well...." He paused.

"It's because your wife, Hayoung is a murderer."

Hayoung's POV

I checked the time for the 245th time again. 10pm. She is still not back. My eyes moved to my phone but I hesitated. I wanted to call her, to ask her so many questions, to tell her to come back now, to say that I miss her. But, I couldn't do it.

I don't know why I'm so afraid.

Why?

I've been holed up in this apartment, bored with nothing to do. Flipping through the channels one by one, nothing interests me. Bbang is already back home but he needs time to rest and heal. Dinner was easily done by cooking up the usual instant noodles and snacks to munch on. Although it wasn't very filling, I missed her cooking. I wanted to eat her homecooked meals that were filled with warmth. Where is she?

I want to reward her. She's been looking down and having bad days. I thought maybe it would be nice to take her out on a date. That's what lovers do right? At least, that's what Eunji unnie told me. Maybe I should ask her today.

Upon that thought, I heard keypad tones ringing from the door. I stood up and walked quickly to open the door.

There she is.

My everything.

"You're back." I said. Although I couldn't express well but I was sure that inside me, I was smiling from widely.

"Mm. Did you eat?"

I nodded in reply. Scanning her face, she looks tired. Exhausted. I guess, work must have been really tough on her.

"Good. I need to talk to you about something."

"Me too."

We stared at each other blankly.

"Y-You first." I said.

"No, you first."

"Unnie. Say it." I insisted as we stood, facing each other.

She took a deep breath as her eyes turned, sombre.

"I want to cancel our contract."

For a moment, I was confused.

But then, I realised.

It was all my fault.

I was probably stressing her out.

I probably burdened her too much with my antics. I mean, what was I even thinking? Forcing her to get married with me just so I could maintain a stable income? Being married brought her many limitations and restricted her freedom. I don't know.

Maybe she's had enough of me.

Maybe, I made her uncomfortable.

Maybe, I’m the only one in love.

"Okay." I said, gulping down. But it was difficult. It was as if there was an imaginary lump down my throat.

"Let's cancel the contract."

A/N: Namjoo, why did you say that and Hayoung just agreed to it, without even questioning her? Hajoo appears to fall apart as they begin a misunderstanding between each other. Will Hajoo survive this massive turn in their relationship? Do share your thoughts and I will update soon ^^