Sana sat outside, still curious as to why Chaeyoung had approached her in that manner. She became concerned, but she stayed around when she was asked to. Her phone vibrated inside her pouch while she was staring at nothing. Sana zipped it open, grabbed the phone and seeing the ID caller's name, "Atty. Kim," so, she answered without hesitation.

Sana almost whispered, "Hello?" "Good day," she managed to add.

Dahyun said, "Hey, um." She had to clear first since she was reluctant to say what she was meaning to. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you concerning the position."

"Yes, I'm already here; I spoke with the director earlier."

"She called me," Dahyun replied. "That is why I wanted to speak to you."

"Is there a problem?" Sana inquired, her heart pounding through her chest due to anxiousness. She can't be wrong about how she feels, but she's not sure whether she's ready to accept whatever the trouble is or not. "There is... right?"

"I'll be honest with you," Dahyun sighed, taking a few more moments before finally saying, "Yes, there is a problem." "Apparently, the position I promised you was granted to someone else, but it is not your fault," she added softly, "Not mine either."

"So, that means..." Sana's voice was dull, which pierced Dahyun's heart greatly. She was aware that this woman was looking forward to it, but unpleasant things do happen. "I should go home," the woman said.

Dahyun could only reply, "I'm sorry, Sana." "I personally requested Son Chaeyoung to keep it unoccupied for you, but she forgot about it."

"It's all right, Atty. Kim."

"It isn't," Dahyun stated emphatically. "I instructed her to check for other opportunities, though, and she'll tell me immediately if she finds one," she continued, hoping to give Sana some comfort. "I promise to help you with finding another if you don't obtain one in Son & Art."

"You've already done enough, Atty. Kim; I'm grateful, really," Sana whispered, her voice subdued, so Dahyun sighed. "Then," she muttered, "I should definitely go."

"I'll call you, Sana, okay?"

"All right, thank you."

 

 

"Happy birthday, mom," Nayeon said, handing her a flower bouquet. She leaned in to give the woman a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Did I come too early?" she wondered, noticing her mother was still wearing an apron.

"Obviously, yes," Kim Yu-jun said, looking down at her still-prepared self. Even though it was her birthday and she deserved to be treated like a queen, she was still cooking something for her husband and two daughters. "I'm guessing your younger sister will arrive in the middle of the meal."

"She's always late," Nayeon agreed, lightly chuckling. "Is Mr. Kim already here?" she inquired, taking off her shoes and placing them near the front door.

"I told you to start calling him Dad," Yu-jun addressed.

"I'm still making adjustments."

"How come you can't get used to it after twenty-five years of him being my husband and your stepfather?"

Nayeon didn't want this to turn into a fight, so she simply smiled. "It's just complicated to refer to two people as Dad, and you know the great Lim Nam-gil is a jealous man," she explained. "He wouldn't like it if I called someone else Dad."

Yu-jun didn't seem to be able to respond. She still feels awkward whenever she hears that name. Perhaps it stems from the troubled situation in which they were both involved in the past. But the man felt the opposite, continuing to try to connect despite the fact that there was almost no chance of getting things straight any longer.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Nayeon inquired, attempting to change the subject. The older woman quickly composed herself and shook her head.

"Just relax in here while I finish up in the kitchen."

"You know, I can help you. I'm a pretty good cook," Nayeon insisted, sweetly smiling before heading to the kitchen first. That elicited a sigh from her mother. In any case, she's not going to win against Nayeon.

 

The dinner was supposed to begin at 8:00, but because they were waiting for Dahyun, the delay became extensive. It was already 9:00 p.m., so they decided to begin even though the youngest member of the family was not present. It's not like Yu-jun is upset because one of her daughters did not arrive at the time she expected.

"I already texted Dahyun," Nayeon said in the middle of their meal, hoping to break the ice because the three of them, including Dae-won, were just exchanging glances. "It has been delivered, but she has not yet seen it."

"Just let her," Dae-won said as he wiped the edges of his lips. "She has her own time zone, and no one else understands how it works."

Yu-jun laughed a bit and nodded. "She's too... original, isn't she?" she asked, her gaze drawn to Dae-won's blank expression. He appeared a little disappointed, but that was nothing new. That morning, he and Dahyun had a conversation, and as usual, the young lady was unconcerned. No matter what happens, she will not listen.

"I'm glad you showed up tonight, Nayeon," Dae-won abruptly changed the subject, surprising his stepdaughter. "I assumed you'd be busy," he said.

"I won't miss these kinds of occasions," Nayeon replied with a small smile on her face. "Mom's birthday is also a special day for me," she added.

"You grew up really well," Dae-won said, nodding in appreciation.

"I hope I did."

"Oh, sweetie," Yu-jun said, reaching for Nayeon's hand above the table, "of course you did; I couldn't be prouder," she said, "Even Dae-won agrees on that."

"That's completely right," the man agreed pretty quickly.

Nayeon could only smile as she heard the old couple's heartfelt words. And, because she was beginning to feel shy, she chose to bring up another topic. "Mom, I prepared a small gift for you," Nayeon said, pulling out a small box and opening it to reveal a simple and elegant necklace. "I wasn't really prepared..."

"It's beautiful," Yu-jun uttered, making Nayeon feel relieved on the inside. "You should put it on me," she suggested.

 

And little did the three of them know that Dahyun was standing behind a wall, listening more into their conversation. She couldn't help but feel a sliver of jealousy in her heart. This family is, legally speaking, hers. She is Dae-won's daughter, but the man occasionally favors her half-sister.

Dahyun did open up to her mother once when Nayeon and her were children, but the woman told her that Dae-won just didn't want her sister to feel out of place. Dahyun used to believe it, and she still has been doing it to this day. It's just that she wishes her father appreciated her accomplishments more than he does for Nayeon's.

"We lost tonight," Dahyun said to herself as she opened a small box containing a necklace. It was made by hand, and she worked on it while at the office today. That was also one of the reasons she was late for dinner, despite her best efforts to show up early. "At least we tried, didn't we?" Dahyun asked, as if it were alive.

It's sad to think she is doing this to deal with the pain of trying to get a tiny little bit of attention and getting none in the end.

 

Dahyun stood in front of the kitchen sink, staring at the stack of plates, spoon and fork sets, knives, and water glasses. It was an overwhelming sight, and just looking at it was already exhausting.

"Alright, so where are the gloves?" Dahyun asked herself, deciding to get started rather than waste time looking intently.

"Here," she heard from behind her. That prompted her to turn around, and there stepped Nayeon, holding out a pair of gloves. The woman held another in her other hand, implying that she might as well be doing the dishes. "Please move aside a little," Nayeon asked nicely.

"I can do it by myself," Dahyun replied, widening the space between her legs so Nayeon wouldn't have any room. "Go away," she said.

"Let me remind you that you have been on this planet for nearly thirty years; stop acting like a child," Nayeon said, pushing Dahyun aside with force. "Mom asked me to help you," she explained, "because she's afraid you'll break a plate or something."

"It's funny how you just told me not to act like a child, and yet you still treat me like one."

"As I said, she requested it," Nayeon said again as she put on the gloves. She wasted no time in grabbing a sponge and slathering it with soap. "Just finish the job quickly so you don't have to stay with me for too long."

"Why do you have to be at everything I do?" Dahyun asked in a whisper, but Nayeon heard her because there was such a small space between them.

"That question coming from someone who did nothing but to go and follow me my entire life?" Nayeon asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"What exactly are you talking about?"

"Don't lie to yourself." "You've always been following me around wherever I go, almost as if you're obsessed with me."

Dahyun rolled her eyes and scoffed. She went to ask, "Obsessed with you?" "I don't think so." She had to defend herself more, so she voiced, "I may be constantly watching what you do, but aren't you my older sister? I'm supposed to look at you, see you as a guide."

"Well, that's okay," Nayeon replied, "especially if you're learning something from what I do." Dahyun didn't respond, so Nayeon continued, "From what I see, Dahyun, all you want to do is compete with me."

"Competing with each other is something siblings do," Dahyun said, derisively smiling. "If you take it too seriously, you'll feel very bad."

"I am unaffected by anything you do," Nayeon conformed.

"Sure," Dahyun mumbled as she considered what to say. Her plan is to elicit an emotion, preferably one of rage, from Nayeon. That's because she enjoys extracting something from a cold fish like this other woman.

"Minatozaki Sana," Dahyun said quickly, attracting the attention she desired. She smirked, sensing her success from the way Nayeon looked at her. "She came to Son & Art, applying for a job," she went on, "and I remembered she's your ex-girlfriend, so I thought I should be nice to her." "I talked to Chaeyoung about the open positions where I could put Sana, and she's working on it."

"You approached Sana?"

"She did it first," Dahyun replied. "As I said, she knew about the job, and when I found out about her needing it, I helped her," she explained. "Sana will be working for Son & Art sooner or later, which is good news, isn't it?"

"I don't really care," Nayeon stated quietly.

"That's not the only news I have for you," Dahyun said, wiping the bubbles off her hands so she could face Nayeon properly. "Do you know Ms. Chou Tzuyu?" she inquired, and so her sister's ears started to ring. "She concluded an agreement with Son & Art."

"What did you say?"

"I thought I said it clearly enough," Dahyun scratched her brow. "Ms. Chou is joining Chaeyoung's company; she has already signed the papers, so the arrangement for the partnership is set," she clarified.

"Why are you doing this, Dahyun?" Nayeon asked, trying to remain calm despite her eyes piercing the other's soul. "Why are you actively helping Son Chaeyoung when you know she is my biggest opponent?"

"I am your biggest opponent, my dear sister," Dahyun replied, her gaze fixed on Nayeon. She smiled slightly, pleased to see the frustration and anger in those eyes. "You're right, I watch everything you do, which is why I know how to tear you apart."

"Is this all your life would be about?" Nayeon inquired, raising both eyebrows. "Really, attempting to tear me apart is your overall purpose?" She couldn't believe it, so she faked a chuckle. "Who do you think you'd be if you didn't have your father's blood and name?" Nayeon tensed her jaw and pinched her eyebrows. "No one would even know who you are if it weren't for Mr. Kim," she said, "because the relevance of your life in this world... is conspicuously absent. That's the truth."

Dahyun was at a loss for words after hearing what Nayeon had said. It was difficult to accept, but Dahyun has always been working hard to earn a title for herself. It's not like she wanted to carry her father's name in the first place. It wasn't her fault; she was just born with it.

 

She quickly grabbed her belongings after the task had been completed, wanting to be the first to leave. But before that, she took the small box containing a necklace she made and placed it above the kitchen counter. Right then, she went straight outside without even saying a simple farewell to her mother.

"Dahyun-ah!" exclaimed the woman, still seated on the couch and watching television. "Are you already heading back home?" she inquired, but it was too late, and her daughter could no longer hear her. "Where is Nayeon? Has she gone home as well?"

"I think she's on the balcony upstairs," Dae-won replied, breathing heavily. "She told me she was going to make a phone call."

 

As Nayeon informed Dae-won, she had made a phone call. And as soon as the phone line was connected, she said, "Jeongyeon."

"Hey, I was about to call you," said the woman. "You must have heard about it," she speculated. "Didn't you call to ask about Ms. Chou?"

"I had heard about it," Nayeon murmured. "I know she decided to sign with Son & Art instead, Dahyun told me," she continued. "In any case, that is not why I called."

"Wait... this isn't about Ms. Chou?" Jeongyeon wondered, perhaps perplexed because Nayeon didn't seem concerned about losing a deal with a multinational artist. "So, what's the problem?" she inquired.

"I'd like you to gather all the information you can about Minatozaki Sana," Nayeon simply stated, her hand gripping the balcony railing.

"Minato...zaki Sana?" Jeongyeon tried to confirm.

"Yes."

"Who is she, and why are you interested in her?"

"For now, just do as I asked; I'll tell you later after I have cleared everything out," Nayeon simply responded, tilting her head in amusement at how the situations are transitioning. She is becoming somehow intrigued by it.