~ Chapter Thirty-Three ~

"Tell No One"

~*~ Mr. Lee’s POV ~*~

He knew it, that one day that file woman was going to regret cheating on him and housing another man’s kid, yet he tried to stay with her and take responsibility, if only for the child’s sake. Mr. Lee had married her on a whim if only to support the child and her mother but was completely caught off guard when the word divorce was introduced to him with a vanilla envelope and a lawyer serving it. She took him for everything that he had, forcing him away from the child whom he loved, and had probably soiled her head with the thought that he was the one who chose to leave her.

“Mr. Lee” a female’s voice drew his attention from the phone, his eyes glancing towards the high school student who wasn’t Sang-Oh, but someone else. “I’m Park Janine… A friend of your daughters…” she was nervous as she bowed and Mr. Lee couldn’t help but to smile and place a comforting hand on the girls shoulder.

“Has Sang-Oh been well?” He asked despite knowing what her mother had said, he was certain that Lee was leaving out some very important details.

“About that Sir, she really doesn’t wish to leave… She’s a top student with perfect grades, and many scholars are looking at her” Janine admitted, she was even jealous when seeing the perfect scores at the top of the class, yet she was also extremely proud to know such an amazing and smart person, let alone call her a best friend. “If you take her to America, she may lose everything she worked hard to achieve…”

“I never planned on forcing her to leave” Mr. Lee admitted, making the girl’s eyes grow wide with confusion. “I’m only here to discover the truth. Mind coming with me? I’ll explain to you why I left…”

~~~~~~~

“So, Mrs. Lee was using you to get money?” Janine whispered softly, Mr. Lee nodding to the statement with a heavy sigh “and she forced you to leave Sang-Oh’s life by proving you weren’t the father?”

“Yup, she told the world about it, except the one person who she didn’t want to know… Sang doesn’t know what happened” Lee explained with a grim expression “girl probably hates me by now…” Janine didn’t have to answer, Lee was aware of the answer “so about this step-brother…. Who is he?”

“Jeon Jungkook” Janine answered without much thought “he’s a bit younger but he’s extremely smart for being so immature at times. He’s actually best friends with my little brother…”

“So, Lee was telling the truth? That’s surprising…”

“Oh no, it’s not like that. They aren’t ually involved or anything. Just in a relationship… I think…” Janine felt flustered suddenly, winding down the window to allow the cool breeze to touch her cheeks, causing the elder to suddenly let out a string of laughter. “Sang-Oh isn’t the type to be irresponsible, I doubt they are involved in such activities” it was amazing to see how the shy girl turned professional so quickly, which only concluded that Sang-Oh grew up with a sense of intelligence, picking her friends wisely.

“Do they care for each other? Sincerely I mean…”

“I would like to hope so… They seem sincere at least… I just worry because Jungkook is so immature and young…”

“That only means he has time to grow and learn” Mr. Lee was excited to meet the boy, considering he never did have the pleasure of meeting Namjoon, and he still considering Sang-Oh a daughter of sorts. Moments like this allowed him to feel that pleasure once again, and it was only when Lee called, did Mr. Lee decided to fight for his parental rights. Sure, he wasn’t the biological father, but he did sign the certificate and luckily for him, that held in the United States.

~~~~~~~~

He didn’t expect her to be happy to see him, nor did he feel that he deserved to see that smile once again considering he ran away, but he was completely speechless at the young lady who opened the door and stared at him. She was even more beautiful than any photo she placed on a social sight, and he’d thank his lucky stars that she grew to look more like her biological father opposed to her mother. Not that his ex-wife was ugly by any means, but she didn’t hold a natural charm like Sang did, or the beauty that put to shame any make up and cosmetic.

“Wow, you actually showed up. I’m impressed…” That mouth though… She certainly inherited her mother’s attitude. “I honestly didn’t think that you would…”

“Sang-Oh” he tried but was stunned when the door suddenly slammed in his face, and the look that took her once beautiful features was so ugly, he pondered just how cruel Sang-Oh grew up to be. He remembered the small girl who was happy when someone else got a present and would share her own if someone didn’t get something. The girl who protected a little boy from bullies and even punched a guy for calling him a name. Now? That girl was becoming an adult, and she made her hatred and disappointment clear. Unlike her mother, Sang-Oh was an honest person.

“The dead beat is here” he could hear her speaking from the crack in the living room window, and he felt shame for running away so quickly, but she was so young and she wouldn’t have understood.

“Don’t call your father that” Lee was heard as she shuffled through the house.

“Not like you care, as long as you get what you want right? it” the language may have been a bit surprising, but the fact that Sang-Oh wasn’t happy about the whole thing proved that she was being wronged somewhere and that he looked like the bad guy, once again.

“Come on in” Lee spoke while opening the door, and Mr. Lee realized just how age had stolen the woman’s youth, basking her once beautiful features in wrinkles and shadows of depression and loss.

“No thanks, I wish to see Jungkook” Lee kept his composure despite how angry he was becoming, despite how the look of betrayal stood right before him. “I’d like to speak with the young man” he sounded angry, sounded as though he would scold the boy who dared lay with his daughter, Lee believing it as she nodded and went back into the house.

~~~~~~~

He could see why Sang-Oh was attracted to the boy, he was extremely handsome and probably had several female’s swoon over him. Not only his physical appearance, but his bright personality of not judging Mr. Lee to quickly, allowing him to explain his situation before bad mouthing him. It probably helped a bunch that Janine stayed within the car and helped explain, but none-the-less, he listened silently and nodded.

“She’ll only be gone for a few weeks?” Jungkook asked after the entire plan was discussed, Mr. Lee nodding in approval “and you’re sure it’ll work? She’ll come back here?”

“Are you that worried?” Mr. Lee asked, but he knew the answer for the way the boy’s hands were fidgeting, by the way he is avoiding any eye contact because he was afraid he’d show just how sad he was, just how upset the entire situation made him.

“She already moved once… It was hard for her…” Jungkook whispered and Mr. Lee couldn’t help but to love the boy and his selfless thoughts, not complaining about himself, but putting Sang-Oh above his own desires. “I don’t want her to go through it again… So… I’m letting her go…”

“Wait… What!?” Janine yelled, Jungkook’s eyes staying towards the ground.

“I made a deal with her mother, I promised I’d stay away… If Sang-Oh could continue living here and finish her school… I’m going to stay with my Auntie for a while…”

“You’d lose her for good, you realize that?” Mr. Lee was the one to speak this time, Jungkook’s eyes glancing towards him, and he could see the heart break that was written in the young man’s eyes.

“She deserves her future… I’m just a passing stone that can go away. Please don’t tell her, I can’t stand to see her cry… She’s done enough of it…”

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Min-Yung
#1
Chapter 43: Awww this made me smile so much <3
Min-Yung
#2
Chapter 13: Aaaaaaand Jungkook just made a complete 180 degree turn. Now I’m starting to like him a bit more. As long as he doesn’t screw things up again so soon.
Min-Yung
#3
Chapter 12: Jungkook is a confirmed psycho. What is wrong with him T_T
nur_hazeera1810 #4
Chapter 43: !!??I had to hold my scream. Good job !
MiyazakiNozomi
#5
Chapter 17: I honestly love your writing so so much. The way you portray these characters is something I look forward to reading everyday!
InkedImagination
#6
Chapter 40: This continues to be among my favorite stories here.
AleaJactaEst #7
Chapter 28: Chapter 28 : I've never expected that one parent especially JK's father will approve. It's conforting. Mrs Lee really irritated me in the previous chapter...
AleaJactaEst #8
Chapter 26: Chapter 26 : Finally the parents made their "entry" @_@ Things are going to be even more complicated ...
AleaJactaEst #9
Chapter 25: Chapter 25 : I loved Sang Oh Reaction at the end of this chapter. She is fearless. Go Girl *.*But I wonder if he is going to worth it because he has still this hot/cold/defensive/passive attitude at the wrong moment ... I was kinda upset when JK admitted that he love Kana and "probably alway will" (rolling my eyes)