Wendy wakes up and she saw Jessica is sitting beside her, “You’re okay?” asked Jessica.

“Dad!” Wendy rushes up and looks for her father and saw her father’s body lying cold on his bed with his whole body being covered with a white sheet. Wendy falls on her knees, she cries again, Jessica goes to comfort her.

“Get over it Wendy, your father died peacefully, please wipe your tears! You are the Mafia leader now! What will the others thing if they saw you like this? Be strong Wendy!!” said Jessica as she tries to slap some sense into Wendy’s mind.

Wendy wipes her tears with her sleeves and she stand up, she approaches her father’s bed. Gently, she kneels down beside his bed, she asks for permission to see his face for the last time and the doctor granted her permission.

Wendy stares at her father peaceful face, tears and sadness welling in her eyes, she tries to control it “Can all of you leave us alone for a moment?”

Jessica nods and she asks everyone to leave the room, she slowly close the door, leaving Wendy and her father lifeless body.

Wendy holds his cold hand, she kissed it “Dad…you know I’ve proposed to Irene and she said yes, and it was the happiest day of my life, but also the saddest day of my life…I was diagnosed with a tumor in my brain…I’m scared dad…and now that you’re gone…my whole world…it slowly crumble down…” Wendy sniffled as she struggles to hold in her tears.

“I thought everything is going to be good and smooth after all the hardship that I’ve endured, I got a family, I got someone who truly loves me, but God always like to play games with me. I hope that you are still here dad…so you can advise me what to do…I still remember what you told me the last time we met ‘Do it before it’s too late.’ I know I should have been with you but I refused and decided to stay in Korea, because to me this house is not my house anymore. And you told me it’s okay, because a home is where the heart is, and you asked me to follow my heart. I’m a bad daughter…please forgive me. I promise I will be strong and carry on your legacy…rest in peace dad.”

 

Wenrene Condo 630AM

Irene woke up to the sound of her alarm, she checks on her phone and still no update from Wendy. She assumes that the different time zones and long flight might cause Wendy to feel jet lag and tired hence the no reply from her. Irene gets up from the bed and goes to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. 

The first thing she does when she exited her bedroom is to check on Yeri to see if she had come back from her work and she saw that the room is empty, so she assumes Yeri staying over at her idol’s friend's house. Then she goes to Ryujin room and gently wakes the girl up. She checks on the girl’s cheek and saw that the swelling had reduced and she sighs in relief. She gently shakes Ryujin, and Ryujin slowly opens her eyes and she stretches.

“Ryujinie, wake up, time for school.”

“Can I have 10 more minutes?” said Ryujin.

“Fine…10 more minutes, then come out and have your breakfast okay?”

Ryujin nods sleepily, Irene Ryujin’s hair before she leaves the room. Irene goes to the kitchen and prepare breakfast for the two of them. She decided to cook kimchi pancake because Ryujin loves savory food. As she is making the pancake, she tries to call Wendy but it went to voicemail. Irene is getting more and more anxious about Wendy’s whereabouts. She is worried that Wendy loses her consciousness or she forgot to take her medicine. 

She loses her focus when she was chopping the kimchi and accidentally cut herself. Irene winces at the pain, she quickly rush to the running tap water and washes the cut to get rid of the kimchi’s sauce from entering her cuts. Irene on her finger to stop the bleeding while trying to find the band aid at the emergency kit. She found it and wrap it around her finger. She tries to take a deep breath to regulate her heartbeat.

“What is this feeling?” she asked herself when she realized how fast her heart beating “Wendy ah…”

***

Irene and Ryujin had their breakfast in silence, Ryujin notice the band aid on Irene’s finger but she didn’t dare to ask because she can sense that Irene is not in the mood that morning. Once Ryujin finished her kimchi pancake, she takes her empty plate and put it in the sink, and she started to wash the empty plate and all the utensils but Irene stops her and asked her to go get change.

“I’ll do it Ryujin, you go and get change to your uniform.” said Irene.

“Oh…” and Ryujin vanishes to her room. Irene washes the empty plates and her phone rang, she quickly pick it up hoping it is Wendy.

“Wendy!”

“Sorry unnie but it’s me…”

“Ah Suzy…”

“Unnie…”

“What?”

“Have you seen the news?”

“What news?”

“Turn on the tv.”

Irene goes to the living room and turn on the TV.

“The millionaire was found dead last night at 11.30pm at his manor. The millionaire Mr. Wayne Son had been suffering from lung cancer and liver failure, and according to his advisor he died a peaceful death, with his niece and daughter by his side…”

“Oh...No…” Irene gasped “Seungwan! Suzy I’ll call you back! I need to check on Wendy.”

Irene hangs up and tried to dial Wendy’s phone number but again it goes to voicemail. Irene keeps pacing back and forth, Ryujin comes out from her room and saw the anxious Irene. Then she saw the news, and she gasped too “...mom…”

“Seungwan ah pick up the phone!!”

Ryujin tries to calm Irene down, she snatches the phone away from Irene and it made Irene mad “Give me back Ryujin!”

“No! Unnie you have to calm down…”

“How can I calm down if I can’t contact Wendy? She needs me!”

“Yes I know she needs all the support from her loved ones now but I think for now it is better if we just left her alone, let her calm down first, I know she will call you once everything is settled.”

“How can you be so sure Ryujin?” asked Irene.

“Because she is my mom!” said Ryujin.

It hits Irene that Ryujin is affected by the news too, and once again she is being selfish. She pulls Ryujin into a hug and she doesn’t even care that she might crease Ryujin’s uniform.

“I’m sorry Ryujin...I’m sorry…” 

Ryujin hugs Irene tightly and she buried her face in the crook of Irene’s neck, as she tries to muffle her cries.

 

JYP High

It was recess time, and Lia felt a little sleepy, so she goes to her usual spot to take a nap, well actually it was hers and Ryujin special spot. Lia climb up to the roof and open the door.

“Ryujin?” asked Lia when she saw the girl looks so gloomy “I thought you and Yeji already settled things but why are you still gloomy today?”

“My grandfather died…”

Lia was shocked upon hearing the news, she apologizes and she seated herself next to Ryujin. She holds Ryujin’s hand to warm it up. “I’m sorry to hear that…”

“No, not my real grandfather, it’s...Wendy unnie’s father… he passed away last night.”

“Ah…sorry to hear about it.”

“It’s okay…” Ryujin smiles weakly at Lia. Lia smiles and she pulls Ryujin closer and let Ryujin rests her head on her shoulder.

“Lia…”

“Hmm?”

“I want to be honest with you...with my feelings.” Ryujin lifted up her head and stared at Lia “After my fight with Yeji yesterday, I realized something, I’ve been egoistic...I’ve pushed all of you away, when all that you wanted is to be near me and support me. Forgive me for my ego...and I’m sorry that I forced kiss you the other day…”

“Ryujin let’s not…”

“No, you have to listen to me… I need to get things clear between us. I’m a jerk I know, I know that what we both had was special, but I ruined it. I love you Lia, I really do...maybe I was too afraid of my feelings. I still love you Lia, but I’m not saying this because I wanted to get you back, I’m saying this because I want you to know that I love you and I will always do. I am happy now that you have found your happiness with Yeji, and I will always pray for your happiness…”

Lia is on the verge of crying when she heard what Ryujin had said, she fans herself to stop the tears from falling down. Ryujin chuckles at Lia’s little reaction, she cups her face and uses her thumbs to wipe away Lia’s tears.

“You know I’ve always wanted to hear you say that word…” said Lia.

“What word?” asked Ryujin.

“That you love me…” cried Lia “I know that it’s too late for us now, but I really loved you first before I fall in love with Yeji, Ryujin-ah…I’m sorry that it’s too late Ryujin, but thank you...for loving me.”

Ryujin didn’t say anything, she just hugged Lia tightly, and Lia hugs her back so tightly that she can feel every broken pieces of her are glued back together. Both of them break the hugs and then both giggle at each other.

Lia is glad that things is fixed between the two of them. She actually missed this Ryujin, the Ryujin that is kind toward her.

 

Palace

“Princess Joohyun, focus.”

“Sorry…” Irene apologizes after she was scolded by the palace etiquette instructor. She can’t focus on the rehearsal, her mind had been thinking about Wendy. Irene got scolded again after she makes a mistake during the procession, the instructor asked her to stand in the corner and clear her head before she can join back the rehearsal.

Irene was escorted to the side of the room and the palace servant took out a stool for her to sit on. She thanks them and sit at the corner of the room quietly as she watches Suzy struggling to walk in the many layer hanbok and with a heavy headpiece that she had to wear during the coronation day. She was lucky that her headpiece is not as heavy as Suzy’s one. The one that Suzy wears would probably snape her neck if she did a wrong move.

“Okay gracefully princess, yes gracefully, now try to kneel down without your head bow down with your body. Here is the part where the king will give you your blessing and then will pass his crown to you.”

Irene watches how graceful Suzy looks in that hanbok and headpiece, she couldn’t be more proud of her cousin. She wished that she can find her earlier, so that all this situation can be avoided. She still feels bad that she seems like being using Suzy to get what she wants, and she wanted to apologize for it, he is just waiting for the right time to do so.

 

Son’s Manor

“Hey, you’re feeling better?” Jessica asked.

Wendy doesn’t reply to her cousin, she just stared into the fire in the fireplace, her mind was blank, everything happened too fast for her to sink it down.

“Wendy?” Jessica gently tap on her shoulder and Wendy finally responds to her “Hmm?”

“You’re okay?”

Wendy smiles and she replies, “Yeah...I’m okay.”

“Wendy… don’t blame it on yourself.”

“I… I should have spent more time with him. I felt like a failure…”

“No you’re not… Uncle never blame you for anything, he blamed himself, he blamed himself for being unable to be there for you when you need him, and he blamed himself for the death of your mother and sister… he never blame you.”

“I know…” Wendy sighs and she turns to face Jessica “Jessica… I might need you to stay and take care of stuff here.”

“I will help you to monitor the clans Wendy...you don’t have to worry about the family.”

“Thanks...I’ll leave this place to you, it’s all yours.”

“But…”

“I’ve already change the ownership to your name...so it’s yours. There’s nothing left for me here… so take a good care of this house for me.”

“I will Wendy, anyway...your phone had been ringing the whole day, I think you should call back.” said Jessica as she hands Wendy’s phone to her.

Wendy sees there’s 20 missed call from Irene and her friends, she panicked and decided to call back.

 

Palace

“Wow...I’m super tired!” Suzy complained.

“Me too…” Irene groans as she takes out her heel “This shoe is killing me.”

The two stare at each other then both laugh “You look ridiculous in that layers of hanbok you wear!”

“Well you look like you’re going to fall off with that headpiece of yours!”

“It’s heavy!!”

“It sure did, I tried it on before, so I know how heavy it is…” said Irene.

“I’m glad that you are feeling okay now, you look so lost earlier, I can’t count how many times the instructor scolded you…” said Suzy.

“I’m worried about Wendy Suzy ah...she hasn’t called back yet…”

That exact moment, Irene’s phone rings and she sees Wendy’s name appears. She excuses herself and answer the call.

“Seungwanie! Are you okay?”

“Hi love...I’m okay….”

“Seungwan I’m sorry for your lost, you should have called me, we can pay you a visit and pay our last respect to your father.” said Irene.

“It’s okay Irene, he died peacefully…I’m okay, just a little tired from the funeral…”

“Sorry to hear about it…” 

“It’s okay… Look I’m going to go back tomorrow… I know tomorrow is Suzy’s coronation day, so you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll see you soon okay?”

“Did you take your medication?” 

“Yeah I did.”

“Wannie…”

“Hmm?”

“I love you…”

“I love you too.”

“I had a bad feeling Wannie...I want you to know that I really love you.”

Irene can hear Wendy laugh a little at the end of the line “Nothing is going to happen, look once I got back, let’s go out on a date! Let’s go to the amusement park and have some nice dinner and such.” Wendy suggested.

“No.” said Irene firmly “You need to go through your operation before we go on dates.”

“But… it will take a long time for me to recover…”

“I know Wendy, but you need to do it before it’s too late.”

“Yes ma’am…look Irene, I gotta go, I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

“Love you Wannie…”

“Oohh look like someone is so in love with Wendy~” teased Suzy “Tell me unnie, how did you fell in love with Wendy?”

“It’s a long story…”

“We got a long day.”

 

JenLisa Apartment

“Aww do you really have to go?” Lisa whined as she begs for Jennie to stay in bed a little longer.

“I can’t babe, I have to attend the coronation ceremony too, because my family is part of the aristocracy family so I have to be there…” said Jennie as she put on her underwear and bra on, getting ready to join her family for a family dinner and meeting and to be brief about the ceremony tomorrow.

“Geez...you and your family of Kims…” Lisa scoffed and she continues to scroll through her phone, sulking.

Jennie smiles at Lisa’s cuteness whenever she sulked, Jennie bends down to kiss Lisa on her cheek “It will only be for 3 days~ please behave while I’m not around, and remember to bring Kai and Kuma to go for a walk, and don’t forget to feed Leo, Luca, Lili and Louis.”

Lisa gets up and sit up straight on their bed “3 days feel like 3 years…”

“You’ve been so clingy lately Lili~”

“That’s because the two of us had been busy, you with your work then me with my school stuff...we barely spend much time together now…” 

Jennie leans down and kisses Lisa again “I know…” she kisses her again and again, “How about this, I’ll take a few days off after this whole coronation ceremony, then we can go anywhere you want to go…”

“I can’t Nini, cause you know I got dance practice with those kids from JYP Uni…”

“Ah yes, I forgot…hmmm…”

“Hey! How about you join us for the diner after you’re free? I’ll introduce you to the girls.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Okay then we’ll see you at our favourite pizza place on saturday night, is that okay?”

“Alrighty, do you think we should invite Jisoo unnie and Rosé?”

“Yeah we’ll invite them over.”

Jennie’s phone ring and she saw that it’s her mother calling “Oops Lili I gotta go! Mom’s calling, I’ll see you on Saturday ‘kay?” Jennie leans once more to give Lisa a quick peck before she rushes to leave their apartment. Kuma and Kai and their cats follow Jennie around. Lisa tries to stop them from following Jennie.

“Kids, mommy will only be away for 3 days!” she said to the pets.

Leo lays in front of the door to block Jennie from going out, Jennie coos at Leo cuteness, she picks Leo up and kisses the cats before she hands Leo to Lisa “Mommy only be away for 3 days, please behave and listen to your other mommy okay?”

“Leo bye bye at mommy bye bye.”

“Bye Leo, bye Lili.”

 

Jisoo’s Apartment

“Chaeng ah, do you want extra cheese in your carbonara?”

“Lots of ‘em!” Rosé replied from the bedroom.

The two of them just came back from watching a movie together and Jisoo invited Rosé spend the night together, maybe they can netflix and chill together, but then Rosé complained of being hungry so Jisoo decided to cook her something.

Dalgom comes to join Jisoo in the kitchen when he smells “Oh Dalgomie~ you’re hungry too?” Jisoo pick him up and put him at the counter “You should not pick up Chaeng’s appetite Dalgom yah, or mommy will go bankrupt trying to feed both of you.”

“Darn~ I’m hungry!” Rosé appears with her wet hair and with only bathrobe wrapped around her body. Jisoo gulps down when she saw y Rosé.

“Ooh! Is it done?” Rosé asked for the carbonara.

“Ah yes...here…and please do not feed Dalgom human’s food.” Jisoo hands her the carbonara.

“I won’t~”

 

The Coronation Day

The coronation goes smoothly, all the procession goes as planned and rehearsed. The king made a speech and then he announces the two princess and told the citizens that those two are the pillar to his legacy. A lot of people cheers when the king announced Suzy, many couldn’t believed that the late crown prince had a daughter but they are happy to see Suzy. Most of them were smitten by Irene and Suzy’s beauty. They couldn’t believe that their country princesses are a beauty. It was like a fairy tale story. After the king finishes his speech and he turns to the crowds and announces that he will be stepping down her throne. Many of the citizens and ministers protested but the king also announces that he is dying and he needs to pass down his reign to a new generation.

The king asked for the royal advisor to proceed with the coronation ceremony. Suzy walks from her place to her grandfather's side. The king turns to her and pass down the imperial seal and blesses her. He also handed her the imperial swords that their ancestors had passed down, it symbolizes that the ruler will always protect their pupils with that sword. The kind step down and bow to the new queen of South Korea. All of the people present at the ceremony kneel down and bow to Suzy.

Suzy was overwhelmed by the act, she sat down on the throne and oversee the people bow to her. “Long live the queen.” said the advisor and everyone repeated it over and over. Suzy couldn’t believe that she is a queen now. She looks down to spot for Irene, and she saw Irene was looking back at her with a smile. Suzy tries to sit up straight so that her headpiece won’t snap her neck and look straight with a proud feeling.

The advisor asked Suzy to make her first speech as the new queen. Suzy steps up to the mic and said “I Queen Bae Suji, will change this country for the better...there’s a few laws and rules that needed to be revised, I promise to the people of South Korea that I will do my best to curb the worst crime here in this country, bribery.” 

Everyone cheers for the new queen and her promises, but Irene on the other hand was worried when she noticed that the prime minister and his ministers are exchanging look. She tries to signal the advisor and he nodded, telling Irene that he knows what he should do.

Once the ceremony ended, there was a press conference held at the throne meeting hall in the palace. Irene decided to skip the press conference because she is camera shy. Her father asked her to at least appear for a moment because it was the first that the public get to see her face. She rejected that idea, and she asked for Suzy’s help. Suzy allowed her to not attend the press conference. Irene is not worried about how Suzy is going to handle the press conference. Suzy is a smart girl, the only thing that she is afraid of is Suzy speak her mind out loud, and Irene is afraid that Suzy will offend some people, but they made a promise on what to say and what not to be said.

Irene enters her room and takes of her wig and the layers of hanbok. She let out a deep breath and then lay on her bed. Her phone rings and she smiles when she saw Wendy’s name.

“Hello~”

“Hey~ how was the ceremony?”

“Tiring, but you should have see Suzy!”

“Hahaha, I think I can rewatch it online.”

“Yeah you can, where are you now Wannie?”

“At the airport, Jessica just dropped me. Is there anything that you want from Canada aside from maple syrup?”

“Nope~ I want you.” Irene laughs when she imagines how Wendy would react to her remark.

“Yah~”

“No I’m serious Wendy, I miss you~”

“We’re only part for 3 days Joohyunie…”

“3 days is like 3000 years…”

“Don’t exaggerate! I’m going to check in, I’ll see you soon okay?”

“Alright, see you, eh what’s your flight number? The ceremony just finished, maybe I can go pick you up.”

“Wait, let me check my ticket, it’s Korean Air KE 74…”

“Alrighty~ see you soon love.”

 

Toronto

Jessica was just about to go to sleep after she comes back from the airport when Mr. Lau burst into the manor and demanded to see Jessica. Jessica came down running and attend to the panicked middle age guy.

“Where is young miss Wendy?!” he asked as he pants for his breath.

“I just dropped her off at the airport, she’s going back to South Korea today. Why?”

“Is she flying with Korean Air KE 74?”

“Yeah…”

“What time is her flight?!”

“11.30pm…”

“We gotta go stop her now! Please follow me Miss Jessica!” Mr. Lau pulled Jessica with him without explaining everything.

“Mr. Lau?!”

“Look, when Mr.Wayne passed away, I heard the clans decided to get rid of Wendy and they tracked her flight.”

“You know they can’t do anything to her, she’s flying a commercial flight! They won’t dare to touch her...without the public getting suspicious.”

“They are not planning to harm only her…”

Jessica realized what Mr. Lau tried to tell her, she knows what those rebellious clans that hated Wendy for being the leader of the mafia are trying to do to Wendy. If they can’t get close to her then they will eliminate her together with those people around her. Even if that means killing those innocent people that fly in the same flight with Wendy.

Jessica quicken her steps and enter the black SUV that Mr. Lau drive “But Mr. Lau, if they hijacked the plane, the government will still knows that it’s them, unless they decided to suicide afterward.”

“No Miss Jessica...you’ve underestimate them…”

 

Palace, Korea.

Irene got bored while waiting for Suzy to come back and she can go home to Ryujin and Yeri. She turns on the TV and watches the news. All of the news channels are about Suzy’s coronation and the press conference. She changes her clothes while listening to the news.

“This just in! Korean Air KE 74, from Toronto to Incheon that just take off a few hours ago exploded in mid air.”

Irene is horrified when she heard the news, she takes the remote and increase the volume to the max.

“The Canada authorities is still trying to figure out what happened to the flight. It is unlikely for a plane to explode like that, currently the authorities are trying to list out the victims’ name which to be believe as majority are koreans. Oh, it seems like the names of the victims are here with us...we shall telecast the names, if the name of your friends and families appear please immediately contact the Canada embassy in Seoul.”

Irene read through the name of the victims, and when she reach ‘W’ alphabet, she prayed hard that the name will not appear. 

‘Wendy Son Seungwan’

Irene’s heart stops beating for awhile, her world went upside down and she black out, she screams so loud that all of the servant comes running to check on her. Irene was on the floor yelling and screaming for Wendy’s name.

“Princess!”

“Seungwan!!” cried Irene with all her heart. 

Suzy came in, she stopped the press conference when she heard about the news of the flight exploded. She had a bad feeling during the press conference and when the advisor told her about the flight, she instantly remembered that Irene told her Wendy is coming back today and she come running to Irene’s room to check on her cousin. Suzy discarded her headpiece and go hugs Irene to calm her down. Jennie, Yeri and Taeyeon also came, they never saw Irene cried like that before. Jennie instantly goes to Irene side to calm her too. Irene starts to hyperventilating and she struggles to regulate her breath, Suzy demands for the palace doctor. One of the servants runs to go get the doctor.

“Unnie! Breath!”

“Seungwan ah…” she cries before she collapses.

“Unnie!!” Jennie calls for her cousin.

“UNNIE!!” Yeri screams for her cousin.

Taeyeon’s phone rings and she answer the call “Jessica what the heck happened?!”

“I was too late Taengoo ah… I tried to stop, but I was too late, I didn’t know that those rebels would bomb up a whole plane just so they could get rid of Wendy...I…Taengoo-ah...she’s dead Taengoo…”

Taeyeon drops her phone and it smashed on the ground, she loses her balance and stumble against the wall. Yeri manage to catch her sister before she falls “I can’t believe it…Wendy is gone...forever…”

 

JYP High

For the first time ever Ryujin actually stay in her class, but she couldn’t focus, she had been staring outside the window the entire time. Their teacher showed them the live broadcast of the coronation ceremony and Ryujin got bored instantly. She is not interested in who is going to be the ruler anyway. Then the news about the plane exploded shocked the whole class.

One of the teachers opened the classroom door and demanded for Ryujin, Ryujin gets up from her seat and approaches the teacher, that was when she saw her mother’s name appears in the news as one of the victims of the exploded plane. Ryujin stops in her tracks, she feels light headed all of a sudden and her legs getting weak.

“Ryujin, it’s your stop mother...she died in the accident…”said the teacher while trembling.

“...mom…”

All of the flashback of their moments together flashed in her mind, she tries to keep her balance but her legs betrayed her. She fell down on her knees, and tears streaming down her face. “Mom...no…” cried Ryujin as she holds to her beating heart “This gotta be a lie right?!” she asked the teacher but the teacher didn’t say anything. “No...I don’t believe this…”

“The plane exploded in mid air Ryujin and your mother was in it…” the teacher explained to the pale Ryujin.

Ryujin laugh hysterically and she punches the floor till her knuckles bleed. The teachers have to refrain her from hurting herself. Ryujin pushes her teachers away and runs out from the classroom. Her tears couldn’t stop from falling down, she tries to wipes it away, but more streaming down. Ryujin pushes her way to the rooftop, she screams her heart out, she let her tears fall down her cheeks. She kneels down on the cold hard ground, she keeps hitting the ground while crying. Yuna and Yeji comes to get her when they duo saw Ryujin ran in tears at the school hallway. The news spread fast about the plane explosion.

“Ryuddaeng…”

“Tell me it’s not true Yeji...tell me that it’s just a lie it’s just a media play!”

“Ryuddaeng…”

“She promised me that she would not leave me...but...she did…” Ryujin cried, and her voice cracked. She looks up to the sky and screams “MOM!! YOU LIED TO ME!!”

To be continued…

 

A/N:

Okay, chapter 45 will be the last chapter. Irene will move on, everyone will get married. It will be a time skip for the next chapter. Will the flower finally bloom at Wendy’s café? Also I heard about Wendy got injured during the SBS Gayo stage...let’s pray for Wendy’s recovery. I hate what the management of SBS is doing… and from what I read it seems like Wendy sustained very serious injury. Wendy ah! Please be okay. (Now I feel bad for killing Wendy in this chap)