It’s 7:15 AM, an hour after the news of an "S Group Chairman H being caught sleeping with woman G" were released and spread like wildfire. Now citizens and businessmen alike were discussing the identities behind those initials. Many could guess the chairman, but who was the woman?

Chaewon is parked in the hospital’s parking lot. While waiting for Eunbi to come out, she had dozed off. When she notices the time, she pulls out her phone and attempts to call Eunbi but freezes. Chaewon groans, “I’m so stupid. I forgot to save her number,” after recollecting that she only saved her number on Eunbi’s phone, Chaewon looks at her black screen and chant, “call me, call me, call me, call—oh!”

Lighting up on her phone, she sees it’s Yujin calling her. Before accepting the call, she urgently remembers she had told Yujin to stay on the line before she took her father’s call yesterday. “What?”

“What? Haven’t you seen the news? Don’t deny it, S Group Chairman H is a dead giveaway. And G? I hacked into some cameras and found that it’s Goeun. I thought you and Goeun were like best friends for life like Minju and me?”

“Correction, you and Minju are buddies,” Chaewon utters then sigh, “what are you doing calling me for? Are you watching me?”

“Yes,” Yujin admits, irritably, “I managed to track you down and you’re at the hospital? Did you go there knowing you’ll feel sick when the news comes out?”

Chaewon scoffs, “No. I’m waiting for someone I dropped off this morning. Actually, why don’t you find her for me,”

“Sure, description?”

“She’s…” Chaewon gets quiet for a split second then say, “pretty,”

Yujin snorts then in a serious voice repeats, “Description,”

“A little older than us. Kind of short,”

“Be more specific,”

Chaewon sighs, “Below average. Long black hair. She should be in a black and green chessboard jacket with black pants,”

“Okay, should she be happy or sad?”

Chaewon flatten her eyes, “How would I know? And why does it matter?”

“Cause I see two women that fit that description,” Yujin answers.

“I don’t know, what are they doing?”

“Well, one is squatting under a tree and the other is...taking pictures and dancing?”

Chaewon rolls her eyes. “Heck like I'd know. I don’t know. Try the sad one,"

There is a long pause on Yujin's end before she says, “Um, yeah, no, she’s the one dancing with a phone in her hand,”

“How do you know?”

“Because the ‘sad one’ is actually a homeless guy with long hair,”

Chaewon snickers a little, “Record the dancing and send it to me. And stop watching me. Keep a close eye on her until I call you again,”

“Yes, boss!” Yujin says energetically then hangs up first.

Then before she can make a call, Chaeyeon’s caller ID pops up. Chaewon assumes it has to do with the morning news or whatever she wanted to discuss. When Chaewon takes the call, she hears Chaeyeon calm and soothing voice, melting her anxiousness instantly.

“Tod, where are you? I stopped by your place last night but you weren’t home. I’m at your place and your chauffeur told me you never came home last night,”

Chaewon puts the phone on speaker and lay it next to her. “Chaeyeon, can you remind me why I’m Tod again?”

“Again?” Chaeyeon says then with a smile replies, “Let’s see, you’re Tod the fox because you were always curious, quick, and foxy?”

Chaewon smiles, “And you’re Copper the hound because you had a good nose and always knew where I was,”

There’s a small break then Chaeyeon in a cautious voice asks, “Do you want me to come to Seoul?”

“No,” Chaewon pushes back tears, as she knew Chaeyeon had an idea that the morning news was about her father and Goeun. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll call you when I’m in Busan,” then she hangs up the call, cutting whatever words Chaeyeon had to say. 

10:16, Chaewon enters the beautiful world full of books, Cafe de Comics. Instantly, she recognizes Hyewon’s back. The lass, facing inward a shelf full of comics. Quietly, Chaewon tiptoe over then covers the lass’s eyes. However, her reaction is not what Chaewon expected.

“Minami?”

Chaewon mouth the word. Who on earth is Minami?

“Or...Hitomi?” Hyewon breathes.

Now Chaewon feels insulting. Has Hyewon forgotten the feel of her hands and touch already?

“Which one is it? Minami or Hitomi?” Hyewon asks with a wide smile. When Chaewon didn’t answer, Hyewon removes her hand and spins around, only to gasp and let go of them completely. “Chae...won,” she mumbles then grows dull. “What brings you here?” Hyewon says with her gaze toward the ground.

Chaewon studies the crown of Hyewon’s head momentarily, then when she reaches out and is about to touch Hyewon’s hair, she stops herself. To prevent old habits from taking its course, Chaewon pockets her hands, “...Who's Minami and Hitomi?”

There is hesitation in Hyewon’s eyes and movements when she in short answer, “Nobodies,”

“Can we talk over drinks?” Chaewon asks then heads over to the front desk. While Hyewon slips into one of the many empty tables with hanging curtains, Chaewon finishes their order and waits for them to be made. Five minutes later she joins Hyewon at the table with an Ice Americano and Ice Peach Tea for the latter.  

When the lass hasn’t touched her cup, Chaewon is quick to challenge her, “Do you hate me for their divorce?” Chaewon sees Hyewon’s lips parted, but no sound came out. “Do you?” Chaewon pushes a second time.

Hyewon forms a thin line with her lips then shakes her head, “I don’t hate you. I never will,” A second later, Hyewon looks like she’s on the verge of tears, and when she speaks her voice trembles, “I just couldn’t get over what you said that night. That it was ‘more comfortable sleeping in our own beds’. Dad—I mean, on that night your father told me you’ve decided not to see me as your sister anymore. I didn’t want to believe him so I wandered into your room like an idiot. I wanted to sleep next to you, even if it was for the last time. I believed you wouldn’t disregard me but you—”

“But I told you, you weren’t my real sister,” Chaewon realizes and finishes Hyewon’s sentence. Embarrassed by her past action, Chaewon releases a sigh and lowers her head, “I was foolish. I knew my dad was determined on getting a divorce so even if I wanted to stay in contact, I lacked the courage and power to fight for us back then.

I was desperate to fulfill my position as Soul Group’s CEO. I did all that I could. I fought alongside, for, and against my dad all at once because I wanted to be acknowledged. Not as a woman but as the rightful heiress. I wanted to put an end to the betrayals. I wanted the power and ability to stop them. In return, I gave up on you and Mira. I accepted my dad’s determination. To cease the drama and stop my dad from using you and Mira to distract me, I said some nasty words to you to draw you away. I didn’t mean them,” Chaewon explains in a low, apologetic voice. Then a moment later she adds, “I...I was afraid of losing you but at the same time, I couldn’t involve you. All I could do was try to stay close but also out of your sight. I,” Chaewon stops herself, trailing off.

To herself, she’s making excuses. The more she spoke, the less sincere she thought she sounded.

When she got quiet, she hears Hyewon gentle voice cooing, “I see,” then the older flashes her a honeyed smile, “I didn’t know you were this thoughtful, Chaewon. If I had known, I would have stayed by your side and supported you as an older sister should have. You’re not the fourteen-year-old tomboy, who used to play pranks on me but also cared for me anymore. Now Soul Group needs you and no one is more fitting than you,”

Chaewon remains quiet as Hyewon moves into the empty chair next to Chaewon. From the side, Hyewon rests her head on Chaewon’s shoulder and embraces the thinner one, “I will only believe you from now on. I’m sorry and I love you,”

Alas, Chaewon smile in relief. She feels as if a ton of weight has been lifted off her shoulders and it made her happy that she can be with Hyewon again.

An hour after Chaewon insists they leave, Hyewon pushes her will to read in peace onto the former. In a bind, Chaweon, who has a thing against books played with the cafe’s cats instead. Until her phone rings, saving her from boredom and luring her out onto the side of the roads. However, Chaewon clicks her tongue in disgruntled when she recognizes the number flashing on her screen.

It was Goeun.

In a cafe next to Cafe de Comics, Chaewon agreed to meet with Goeun on neutral grounds. Chaewon is fully lean back in her chair with her arms and legs folded. While Goeun appears to be self-conscious of bypassers and constantly adjusting her cap. Chaewon smirks a little before uttering, “Talk,”

“Chaewon, about your dad and I—”

Chaewon quickly interrupts the lass with a raise of her hand, “Nevermind, I’ll do the talking. That day at the pool, when you answered my phone, why did you delete my logs history?” Although Chaewon asks, they both knew by the sound of her voice that it’s a rhetorical question. “Why did you lie that it was a scam call? Why did you pin the idea of my dad wiring my house on him if you two have been together for half a year? Who was the man you sent to my house and pool house to remove the wires? I told only you the places I was going to check beside my office which no one can enter unless for good reasons. Did your dad play a part? I know he used to work as a plant inspector before he was laid off. You suggested I turn the man stalking Hyewon to Yena’s father, knowing damn well what kind of relationship my dad has with him. Why did you try to help the man flee? What exactly are Hokjae, the housekeeper, and your relationship?” Chaewon sees Goeun scoffs and it pisses her off a little. “You wanted to talk so talk while I’m letting you,”

Goeun the corner of her lips, her eyes were red but not watery yet, “You know nothing about me,”

“I don’t want to know anything about you, not after what you’ve done,” Chaewon retorts, “you gave my dad the idea to divorce Mira didn’t you? If you two have been together for half a year then that’s around the time the accusations of Mira cheating were brought up,”

Goeun shakes her head, “I did it for you,”

Chaewon flatten her eyes, “Then, are you marrying him because of me too? You think you’re doing me favors by marrying my dad? I didn’t know you wanted to be family that badly,”

Goeun removes her cap with an angry force and throws it onto the table, then pushes her hair back in frustration, “Don’t mock me Chaewon! What do you want me to say? I fell in love with him. After all the things you said about him, I confronted him and I couldn’t see that monster you described. I saw a gentleman in a lot of pain after being betrayed left and right and—”

“That gives you no right to use me! You should have stopped addressing me as your best friend when that happened! It’s downright disgusting!” around them, people begin murmuring and whispering. Wondering what they were shouting about. While Goeun tries to hide her face, Chaewon calmly finishes her train of thoughts, “Let’s stop pretending we’re good friends. I’ll pretend I never liked the hardworking, sensible, and courageous Na Goeun in my choir class from eight years ago. If your dream is to marry Kim Hyukjin then so be it. It’s not like the people I trust sticks around anyway. And it’s not like I  at cutting ties,”

Goeun hangs her head and lets her tears flow out.