Jiyeon’s eyes went wide at Myungsoo’s words, and she stared at JR in disbelief, “What? You…you’re JB’s brother?”

JR grimaced as he got to his feet. He shot Myungsoo a glare, “It’s none of your business whether or not I want to help JB, all right?”

“He’s a criminal.” Myungsoo answered, his tone more controlled, but the anger evident in his eyes, “Why help a criminal, even if he is your brother?” As he said that, he glared at Jiyeon, who shrank back, unfamiliar with this new side of Myungsoo.

“Stop it, you’re scaring her!” Hyomin snapped, recognizing her best friend’s discomfort. Myungsoo turned away coldly, “Since this date is obviously ruined, I’m going home.” Without looking back, he strode away, leaving the three of them staring after him.

There was a long silence. Jiyeon was still stunned by the night’s events, while JR and Hyomin exchanged uncomfortable glances. After a moment, Hyomin shook her best friend, “Jiyeon-ah, why don’t I send you back home?”

“Do you have a car? Otherwise, I can drive you two back.” JR volunteered. Jiyeon nodded mutely, while Hyomin smiled weakly, “Thank you for the offer.”

As the three of them walked to JR’s car, JR glanced down at Jiyeon, “Nothing you want to say to me?”

Jiyeon hesitated, her eyes running over the short young man with spiky, jet-black hair. Quietly, she asked, “Are you really JB’s brother?”

JR looked down for a moment before shrugging, “We haven’t spoken in many years. He never told you about his family, I guess.”

Jiyeon shook her head. As she looked JR in the eye, her doubts were washed away; JR had the exact same shade of storm-gray eyes that JB had, those same eyes that had hypnotized her the first time she met him…

“I’m not surprised. He would never talk about us. Not after everything that’s happened.” JR murmured.

“What does that mean?” Jiyeon asked, speaking for the first time, her eyes raised, “How…How did JB get into this…business? Why did he become a criminal?”

JR hesitated, “Didn’t he ever tell you?”

Jiyeon rolled her eyes, “No, by the time I found out who he really was, he had to flee for it or risk arrest by the FBI.”

“It was his way of proving himself, I suppose. His way of telling the world that he wasn’t going to let them step all over him like that. His way of telling the world that they could him over and over, and he’d still get up, and them back.” JR mused, looking up at the sky. Jiyeon frowned. JR’s explanation had just made her even more confused than before. She opened to ask again, but Hyomin interrupted, her voice subdued, “Don’t bother. He won’t tell you.”

Jiyeon glanced at her best friend, “You know each other?”

There was a pause as JR and Hyomin’s gazes met. Then JR answered shortly, “We’re acquainted.”

There was something odd about them that made Jiyeon suspicious, but it had been an exhausting day for her, and it hurt her brain to think anymore. Tomorrow; she promised herself. Tomorrow she would call Hyomin to ask her more about this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Jiyeon got off the car she turned back to thank JR, “Thanks for tonight.”

JR acknowledged her words with a nod and a small smile, “No problem. Anything for Myungsoo’s girlfriend.”

Hyomin waved to her best friend, “I’ll call you tomorrow, kay?” Jiyeon nodded in response. She stared after the car as they drove off into the distance, then sighed and headed up her apartment.

She still couldn’t wrap her head around all the things that had happened today. Meeting JB again…finding JB’s brother…and Myungsoo’s sudden explosion. All in the space of one night, really. She sighed. Could her life get anymore complicated?

And apparently, it could. As she swung the door open, she was startled to see a man sitting at the dining table, waiting for her with dinner. Her eyes wide in shock, she stepped into the house, “You…what are you doing here?”

Im Jae Bum rose smoothly, smiling, “You forget, I own the house too. Can’t I come back home?” He swept a hand out to indicate the meal on the table, “I figured you hadn’t eaten yet, so I decided to whip something up for you.”

Shell-shocked, Jiyeon took her seat at the dining table, while JB seated himself opposite her. There was a moment of silence as JB tucked in, while Jiyeon stared silently at him. Finally, she asked, “What are you playing at, JB? Why have you come back?”

JB smiled slightly, “Like I said, this is my home, too. I have the right to live here.”

“Aren’t you afraid that Myungsoo will arrest you?” Jiyeon questioned. But JB just responded with a laugh, “I ran from him last time because there was evidence against me then. Now, the slate’s been wiped clean. You have nothing on me, and you can’t arrest me just because you know that I’m JB. You need proof, too, and you don’t have it.”

Jiyeon couldn’t argue against that logic, but she still argued, “Nevertheless, why come back here? Why now?”

“Maybe because I’m tired of living like a nomad. Maybe because I’ve decided to settle down here for good.” JB answered with a shrug.

Jiyeon’s voice was soft, almost inaudible as she whispered, “That’s what you said last time too.”

JB’s eyes flickered up; as they met Jiyeon’s, he looked down at once, almost guiltily, “Would you have wanted your boyfriend to arrest me instead? If I’m arrested, I go to jail for life. You know that. Or maybe, that’ll make you more happy after all. Since you did betray me to your boyfriend.” His tone turned mocking at the end, his eyes bitter.

“I never-!” Jiyeon looked away angrily, “Say what you will, you won’t believe me anyway.”

“Because you’re lying.” JB stated plainly. As he looked up, Jiyeon saw a flash of deadly anger in his eyes, one that reminded her of the events four years ago…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She suspects.” JR’s words were quiet. Hyomin glanced at him, “Of course she suspects. And with both Myungsoo and JB in her life, things are only going to get more complicated from here.”

“How’s Suzy doing?” JR asked, changing the subject. Hyomin stiffened at the mention of their old friend, “She’s changed. What else could it be, after all? After what happened eight years ago…none of us walked away from that the same.”

“They’ll be releasing her next month, won’t they? Do you think that’s why JB came back?” JR asked. But he knew the answer even before Hyomin replied him, “Of course. Myungsoo and JB are both waiting for it. It’ll be the first time in eight years they’ll see her…I wonder if they’ve ever visited her in these past eight years.”

“JB wouldn’t. But Myungsoo might have. If only to laugh at her.”

Hyomin sighed at JR’s words, “You’re right. I don’t want to drag Jiyeon into this.”

“Too late now.” JR shrugged his shoulders. Hyomin frowned, “You don’t know that. I might be able to protect her still.”

But JR shook his head knowingly, “She’s involved with JB and Myungsoo. Even if JB wants to protect her, Myungsoo will never let it happen. You know it too.”

And she did. Hyomin couldn’t help but sigh again. Silently, she apologised to Jiyeon. And wondered how long it would be before her best friend found out the truth.

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And the plot thickens! JR is re-introduced as JB's estranged brother; but what exactly is their past? And what exactly is Myungsoo's connection to JB? JB finally returns to Korea to stay, but what is his real motive? Is he here to manipulate Jiyeon again, or is it something else? And what does Suzy have to do with all this?

I actually liked this chapter most so far; I think Myungsoo is pretty cool in Chapter Four and Five, not to mention the plot twist of JB coming back and staying with Jiyeon. Did you guys like it?

Regardless, please remember, comment and subscribe!