Sua was driving back to her house after reading the message from her little sister. Deep in her thoughts, she propped her head up on her elbow as she drove as fast as she could without running any red lights. Any other day she would, but she didn't have the time nor patience to deal with speeding tickets if any police patrols were on the streets. Fortunately, her house was only 4 kilometers away from the hospital. Nearing her house, she saw a girl with a luggage standing alone in front of her house. 

At the same time, the girl saw a luxurious violet car, an Audi A8 from what she saw, as it slowed down and stopped in front the house she was standing on. The driver stopped the car engine and opened the car door when she recognized it to be a woman. The woman in question turned to her as she locked her car suddenly realizing it was her sister, Sua, as she smiled, greeting her.

"Sorry, I'm late. I was visiting someone at the hospital. Have you been here long, Chaewon?" Sua asked.

"It's okay, Bora unnie. I just arrived here a few minutes ago," Chaewon replied. Sua turned to look at the luggage Chaewon brought when she saw it first in her car. Usually her little sister went to her house without bringing anything with her. Just her usual backpack hanging on one shoulder and she was ready to annoy her day. Curious as to why she brought it, she turned to Chaewon.

"Can I ask why you brought your luggage? It's funny since this is the first time seeing you bringing your stuff. You wanna move in?" Sua chuckled. Chaewon remained silent, looking away as if she refused to answer. Sua sensed an immediate change on her sister as she seemed to close herself off. 

"Let's get you inside," Sua said as she opened the door for her sister, carrying along the luggage behind her. Closing the door, she locked it. Sua placed the luggage next to the couch as Chaewon made herself comfortable. Sua turned to the kitchen and poured a glass of water for her sister. Then, she went back to the living room and sat beside her, placing the glass of water on the coffee table.

Sua stayed quiet for a while, contemplating what question to ask her. Not many would consider carrying a luggage much less a heavy one across the city. Especially Chaewon as she preferred to travel light. Starting to ask easy questions first, she asked, "Does mom and dad know that you're out?" When Chaewon shook her head no, Sua's eyes bulged.

"Did you run away from the house?!" Sua screeched. Chaewon grimaced at the loud volume but she nodded meekly still not saying anything. Sua sighed and tried to calm herself down.

"Chaewon, why are you being like this? You know that dad doesn't even allow you to come and see me. I can't just outright tell him that you're staying with me," Sua exasperated not knowing what to do. Chaewon looked down, still refusing to say anything.

"I'm gonna send you home right now. You can't stay with me." Sua finalized and got up from the couch, and was about to turn to the luggage when she was stopped by a pair of arms around her waist. She looked behind at Chaewon kneeling on the ground and her tears spilled from her eyes.

"Unnie, please don't send me back home! I'm begging you! I can't stay there any longer!" Chaewon's grip tightened, stopping Sua from sending her back.

"What is wrong with you?" she exclaimed.

"Dad...is going to sell me, unnie." Sua froze, shocked at what Chaewon just told her. 

"What did you just say?" she asked again, making sure that she didn't hear it wrong.

"Dad..." 

"Say it, Chaewon!"

"Dad doesn't care about me anymore, Bora unnie! And he's gonna sell me to the owner of the 'Hostress club'." Sua's breath seemed to be knocked out of her body as she dropped back on the couch.

"How did you know this?" she asked.

"I heard mom arguing with dad after I came back from school," she whimpered.

Sua hissed. "What the hell is wrong with that old man. I thought I've paid all his ing debts." She pinched the bridge of her nose, sensing a massive headache coming.

"Not all, unnie. There's one more debt that's not settled."

"What is it?"

"It's Hyunwoo. He's been looking for dad and demanded to give back his money when he bought you." Sua tried not to feel stress with the sudden problem arising but couldn't help feeling that all the problems started from her. 

"I can't believe he's still looking for our family. This is all my fault. I put our family at risk-"

"Unnie, no. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault." 

"Then who, Chaewon? Our dad?" her sister turned away, her silence was enough as an answer.

"No matter how bad and cruel he is, he's still our father- even though it pains me to say that." Their conversation were cut short when Sua's phone suddenly rang. She grabbed it from her jacket pocket and saw Jiu's name on the screen. She walked to her room and closed the door, leaving Chaewon alone.
_________

"Hey Jiu. What's up?"

"Where are you, Sua?"

"Sorry, I went home 'cause my little sister decided to give me a visit."

"Chaewon? I haven't seen her in a while."

"Jiu, I need your help..."

_________

After hanging up her call, she opened the door and proceeded back to the living room.

"Come, let's go." She grabbed her car keys and Chaewon's luggage.

"Where are we going?" asked her sister.

"To Jiu's house. You will stay there until our family problem's settled." 

"Why can't I stay with you?"

"Because, Hyunwoo already knows I live here. He might turn up here unannounced, and that's why I can't let you stay with me. If he told dad about it, you know what's gonna happen next."

"He's gonna take me back home..." Sua turned to her sister and patted her shoulder. 

"You'll be safe at Jiu's house. Trust me," she assured her and they grabbed Chaewon's belongings to put it in the trunk of the car. A short ride of a half an hour later, they arrived in front of a beautiful villa that was concealed in the middle of the forest. As they stopped at the tall metal gates, Sua opened the car window and pushed a button served as speakers that is coupled in the villa.

"Who is this?" asked a voice from the speaker. 

"It's me, Sua." As Sua told the voice through the speaker, the gate then automatically opened and she drove to Jiu's house through a short driveway.

As they neared the house, Chaewon couldn't take her eyes off of the villa. It was her first time seeing a beautiful house with a massive lawn, a swimming pool, a beautiful garden and even a fountain in front of the house. The houses back in her hometown couldn't even compare to the villa currently in front of her eyes. Sua drove right in front of the main door and both of them stepped out of the car. Chaewon took her luggage, dragging it to the front door. As Sua was about to press the doorbell, the door opened. Seeing an elderly lady at the threshold, Sua smiled warmly.

"Good morning, ajumma." Sua bowed. Seeing her sister not doing so as she was still distracted at the building, she immediately poked Chaewon, urging her to bow. 

"Good morning, Miss Sua. Miss Jiu has already called me that you will be arriving with your sister."

"Yeah, here she is. Her name is Chaewon." Sua introduced her sister to the ajumma.

"Nice to meet you, ajumma," said Chaewon. 

"And she will be staying here for awhile." 

"I see. Come, let's get inside and I will show you the room little Chaewon is staying in." The ajumma smiled at Chaewon and invited them in the house. After she closed the door, she took Chaewon upstairs where the guest room is located.

"By the way, where is ajusshi?" Sua called up from the ground floor.

"Oh he went fishing by the lake. He will come home soon," said ajumma.

"I see." To amuse herself, Sua went to the living room and sat on the couch while she took out her trusty cigarette from her pocket. As the lighter was millimeters away from lighting up the cig, she heard someone opening a door and footsteps followed. She turned to look at the newcomer, it was Jiu. 

"Hey, you're already here? Where's Chaewon?" asked Jiu.

"She's upstairs with ajumma." Sua replied as she resumed the lighter towards the cigarette. Putting the lighter away, she took a long drag, leaning back on the couch.

"Hm," Jiu nodded.

A couple of drags later, Sua leaned forward, turning her face towards Jiu. "I want to say, thanks for letting her stay here for a while."

"No problem, dude. But, why can't she stay with you?" as Jiu asked Sua that question, she sighed.

"She's not safe to stay with me right now," Sua muttered.

"What do you mean?" Jiu questioned while she sat on the couch next to hers. Sua exhaled the smoke and held her cigarettes with her fingers.

"Madam Yoona may not tell our past life to others but I really do owe you right now." 

Jiu tilted her head, confused. "Huh?"

"Before Madam Yoona took me in, I was sold and married to someone before..." Sua recounted her story about her dark past to Jiu. From her reaction, Jiu was shocked as hell when she heard what Sua's dad did to her when she was a teenager. Her scowl deepened when she heard what Hyunwoo had done to her.

"Why is your dad being so ing cruel to you? He sold you to a rich mongrel, just to pay his debt and marry the person who bought you just to find out he's insane?" Jiu's blood was boiling.

"And now, he will do the same thing to Chaewon. I thought I've paid all his debts, but there's still one more and it's Hyunwoo. He wanted his money when he bought me and he also knew where I live. That's why I didn't let my little sister stay with me." The fire on the cigarette was dying as it burnt near her fingers and she put it out on the ashtray.

"How much is the debt? Maybe I can help." Jiu offered her help but Sua shook her head.

"No, I'm not letting my friends get involved with my problem including Jimin. I want to settle this on my own." She desperately refused as she didn't want any of her friends getting hurt by her father or Hyunwoo.

"I understand..." 

Upstairs, Chaewon walked out of the room with ajumma as she had placed her stuff inside and went to the stairs where she saw Sua who was walking towards the door.

"See ya later, Jiu."

"Unnie." Chaewon called her as she stopped in front of the door and turned back. Her little sister went downstairs with ajumma trailing behind.

"Chaewon, you'll be staying here with Jiu, alright. Ah, before I'm going, did you bring your cellphone with you?" Chaewon nodded and took out her phone from her pocket.

"Give it to me. Don't worry, I will buy you a new one later. I just don't want dad or mom contacting you. And if they do call, I'll be answering them." Sua took Chaewon's phone for her little sister's safety.

"But... dad would know that I'm with you." 

"Yes, he will but he doesn't know where you are. That's why I asked Jiu to let you stay here until our problem's settled."

"What about school?"

"Don't worry about that. I will hire a tutor to teach you," Jiu spoke up.

"Jiu, you don't have to--"

"I know you aren't letting me get involved with your family problem, Sua, but Chaewon's education is much more important. You told me that you don't want her to go through the same things you did. Don't worry, I will pay the fees and if this is the only thing I can help, then I'll gladly do it for you." Jiu really wanted to help her friend and Sua couldn't refuse her offer as it solved her problem with Chaewon's schooling.

"Thanks a lot, Jiu."

"That's what friends are for, helping them when in need," Jiu smiled.

"I have to go now, Chaewon. Be a good girl, okay?" Sua patted her little sister's head and Chaewon moved in to hug her tightly.

"I love you, Bora unnie," Chaewon's voice was muffled.

"Love you too." She kissed her little sister's forehead and stepped back from Chaewon's hug. She opened the front door and walked out of the house, leaving the others inside as Chaewon watched the door close slowly. She still looked worried and Jiu approached and patted her shoulder.

"She really cares about you, Chaewon. That's why she's doing this. I'm sure everything is gonna be just fine."

"I hope so..." 

"Come, let me give you a tour of the house," Jiu said as she led her around the house. "Ajumma, please make a special meal for our guest."

"Yes, Minji." While Chaewon was given a tour around her house, she kept thinking on what her sister told Jiu while she was on the stairs.

---------------

"No, I'm not letting my friends get involved with my problem including Jimin. I want to settle this on my own."  

"I understand..."

"But... If something happens to me, can you please take care of her?"

"What the hell are you trying to say?!"

"I know Hyunwoo and I know he will do something to me.. I just can't tell you what might happen. So please take care of her like she's your own sister."

"Sua..."

----------------

'I really hope that your sister is gonna be okay, Chaewon,' Jiu thought. 

At the same time, Sua was still inside the car and had not started her engine yet. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and tried to think what she had to do next. 

The silence was broken when Chaewon's cellphone suddenly rang. She looked at the screen and as she expected, it was her mother who she hadn't met nor communicated for years. She was hesitating to pick up the phone but she didn't want to make her mother worry about Chaewon. Finally, she picked up the phone and heard her mother's voice.

"Chaewon? Where are you right now?" her mother asked shrilly. Sua still hesitated to speak.

"Chaewon, can you hear me? Hello?" 

"Mom...it's me."

Her mother gasped, as she heard a voice she hadn't heard for years. "B-bora?"

"Yes, mom and I need to see you. Remember the place where Chaewon and I used to play? I will be there at night, 8 o'clock and please don't let dad know about this." She quickly hung up the phone call and hoped that her mom will come tonight.

At Night

After a 2 and a half hours drive, she finally arrived at her hometown and went to the location where she told her mother to meet. It was a place where she had numerous amount of fun memories and a place where she and her little sister used to hang out and play together everyday after school. A playground. She arrived at 8 p.m. sharp as she promised, and she got out of her car. She walked through the playground area and she found a woman in 50's sitting alone on a bench. Even from behind, Sua already knew the woman was her mother. Without hesitating, she approached and came closer to her mother.

"Hey...mom." she finally called out and her mother turned around as she saw her long lost daughter right in front of her.

"Bora?" she stood up and Sua walked around the bench, stopping in front of her.

"Is this you?" Sua nodded. Her mother couldn't even blink as she still couldn't believe that it was her eldest daughter who was standing in front of her. She shakily cupped her daughter's face as her tears stared to fall.

"You're already grown up, my child." Her eyes were teary as she looked at Sua.

Sua was leaning at her mother's touch when she remembered why she came here for. And that reminded her who caused it in the first place.

Sua pulled her hands away and took a few steps back. "I'm not your daughter anymore, mom," Sua barked.

"N-no don't say that, Bora. You're still my daughter."

"Don't you remember what happened? Dad sold me!" Sua was still angry with that incident.

"Bora, I'm sorry. I couldn't stop your dad from doing that to you. I was too weak," her mother said regretfully.

"And now, he wants to sell Chaewon to someone else. She told me she heard you arguing with dad." 

"She met you?" her mother asked.

"We still haven't lost contact, mom. I told her not to tell you and dad that she met me because I don't want-"

"Where is she now, Bora?" her mother asked, worried for her youngest daughter.

"She's fine. I'm hiding her somewhere dad can't find her."

"Well then, for your own good you should tell me where she is, Bora." Their conversation was interrupted as Sua turned around at the familiar voice and saw the person who sold her to Hyunwoo years ago.

"Dad..."

End Of Chapter 37.