Leeteuk dropped by their house first and asked her noona, Park Inyoung, to come with him to meet this mysterious Kim Daehyeong.

“Jungsoo-ah, I’m supposed to be on my way to Appa’s funeral wake right now,” Inyoung refused. “Actually, you, too. You should be there, too,” she pointed.

“Neh, I know. But it was Eomma herself who told me that we should find this Kim Daehyeong as soon as possible,” Leeteuk reasoned out.

“Then why don’t you go by yourself?” Inyoung asked as she slung her shoulder bag and stood up from the couch—ready to leave.

“Noona! An ahjumma told me to go to Pyeonggu Funeral Homes! Who knows if that was a trap of some sort?!” he childishly told his noona who was almost at the door.

“Now, where do those crazy thoughts come from? Surely an ahjumma wouldn’t set a trap.” Inyoung laughed before closing the door behind her.

It was a failure in Leeteuk’s part and he was left with no choice but to just take two of their security guards with him.

“You and you! Come with me!” Leeteuk commanded two flabbergasted security guards. He gestured for them to follow him to the car and they did.

Inside the car, Leeteuk filled the dumbfounded guards’ heads with all the information they need to face Kim Daehyeong first—he plans to stay in the car. Surely, 20% of The Park Group of Companies’ stocks is enough to lure this Kim Daehyeong to come with them, Leeteuk thought.

“Unnie, there are men outside,” Hyoyeon pointed to where two Men-In-Black stood outside looking in.

“Do you know them, unnie?” Sooyoung asked.

“I.. don’t know them..” Taeyeon said as she looked to where Hyoyeon pointed.

“Kangin oppa, do you?” Yuri asked Kangin whose arm was draped around Taeyeon’s shoulder.

“Aniyo,” Kangin shook his head as all their attention turned to these Men-In-Black.

Yoona stood up and so did Seohyun. “We’ll talk to them,” Seohyun offered.

“Maybe they know Uncle Daehyeong,” Yoona added.

“Kangin, let’s go, too,” Taeyeon tugged at Kangin’s sleeve and so the four went outside to meet these strangers.

“Annyeonghaseyo~” Taeyeon bowed politely at the men.

The other three—Kangin, Seohyun and Yoona—did the same.

One of the tall men removed his sunglasses and innocently asked Taeyeon, “Does a man named Kim Daehyeong happens to be inside?”

Taeyeon took this as a bad joke as anyone would. “MWORAGO?!” Taeyeon yelled as Kangin instantly went to her side to stop her from being hysterical. “LOOK, BIG GUYS! IF YOU CAME HERE TO--” Taeyeon wasn’t able to finish what she was about to say because Kangin gently pulled her back inside, leaving Yoona and Seohyun.

The two Men-In-Black scratched their heads and were totally surprised by Taeyeon’s reaction.

Inside, Taeyeon began crying—she was gravely insulted by the man’s question.

“There..” Kangin mumbled as his girlfriend buried her wet face in his chest.

Taeyeon’s tiny body shook in his arms as tears won’t stop coming out of her eyes.

A few minutes later, Yoona and Seohyun came running back inside with an unexplainable expression on their faces—one with thrill, confusion, and urgency altogether.

“Unnie, I think you should go out to talk to them,” Yoona told Taeyeon.

“They didn’t mean any harm. They came here bringing good news,” Seohyun affirmed their unnie.

“Good news is the last thing I would think of expecting from them,” Kangin smirked as she the crying Taeyeon’s hair.

“Please Taeyeon unnie.. Kangin oppa..” Seohyun pleadingly asked of the lovers.

“Fine,” Taeyeon fiercely dried her tears with her fists and stood up.

“Are you sure?” Kangi stood up, too.

“Neh, let’s go.”

“Komawoyo, unnie,” Yoona bowed and so did Seohyun.

“What do you need?” Kangin asked the two men as Taeyeon clung to his arm.

“We told you already, sir. We are looking for Mr. Kim Daehyeong,” one man answered.

Kangin took in a deep breath before answering, “If it’s not obvious, he’s not here. Why are you looking for him?” Kangin smugly asked.

“20% of The Park Group of Companies’ stocks are willed in his name, Kim Daehyeong, by its late CEO Park Yongwoon,” the other man said casually as if the topic he was talking about was not much of a big deal.

“This conversation is supposed to be confidential,” the first man said, “So can you tell us where Mr. Kim Daehyeong is?”

Taeyeon spoke up and said, “H-He’s my father. He’s..dead. This is his funeral wake.”

“Then this visit is unnecessary,” the other man said as he put his sunglasses back on. The two men bowed as a sign of farewell and started to walk away.

“Wait!” Taeyeon yelled.

The two Men-In-Black looked back at the small lady and raised their eyebrows.

“Since I’m his only family and daughter left.. I’ll receive it, right?” Taeyeon asked.

“Young miss, we’re only ordered to inform Mr. Kim about this. The decision does not lie in our hands.”

“Then whose hands?” Kangin asked. “If the CEO Park Yongwoon is already dead, then from whom are you taking your commands?”

“His son.”

“Can we talk to him some time?” Taeyeon asked with a sense of urgency. 20% of a company’s shares is something she cannot just let slip away.

“We’ll be back in a short while, Ms. Kim. He’s in the car.”

Taeyeon and Kangin nodded and watched as they watched the two Men-In-Black walk towards a sleek black car whose windows are tinted.

They looked at each other worriedly—a mutual conversation.

A few seconds later, a man in an office attire stepped out of the backseat.

Both Kangin and Taeyeon squinted to get a better view of the man.

“OH. MY. GOSH,” Taeyeon thought as she rubbed her eyes to make sure that she was seeing the same person—the same person that judged her as someone who’s only after money.

“What’s wrong?” Kangin noticed that Taeyeon was shaken.

“N-Nothing,” Taeyeon lied, shaking her head.

Leeteuk stared at the ground as he approached the young lady who was allegedly Mr. Kim Daehyeong’s only daughter. His guards had informed him of all that they find out during their short conversation with Kangin and Taeyeon.

Leeteuk looked up and almost coughed when she took in the sight of a familiar girl—Kim Taeyeon.

Taeyeon looked away and refused to look at him but she had no choice. She had to. She cleared before saying, “We heard about your father’s death. Our sincerest condolences.”

“You, too. Condolences to you and your family,” Leeteuk answered, playing along with Taeyeon’s decision to keep everything as a secret—that this was not their first time to meet each other.

“Enough talk,” Kangin interrupted.

Leeteuk turned to Kangin and fixed his tie. He told Kangin, “I have some serious & confidential business with Ms. Kim. Do you mind giving us privacy?”

“Wha--”

Taeyeon laid a hand on Kangin, shoulder and looked him in the eye, “Kangin oppa.. It’s okay..”

“Are you sure?”

Taeyeon nodded as Leeteuk impatiently waited for Kangin to disappear. The big guy is taking too much from his precious time.

Kangin eyed Leeteuk suspiciously before planting a kiss on Taeyeon’s forehead. He reminded her, “I’ll be just inside.” And just like that, Kangin left the two people alone.

Leeteuk giggled and scratched his head. “Is he your boyfriend? He seems.. overprotective.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes and answered, “Obviously, he is. And I don’t think giggling is proper in a funeral wake.” She offered her hand and sarcastically said, “I’m Kim Taeyeon, by the way. Kim Daehyeong’s daughter. Kangin oppa’s girlfriend.”

“My mom’s hero,” Leeteuk chuckled as he shook hands with Taeyeon.

“So you know?” Taeyeon smirked.

“Neh. I’m Park Jungsoo.”

“What the--? Not even a sorry?! Not even a thank you?! What a cold heart this man has!” Taeyeon yelled inside her head. She just said, “I remember—Young Master Park Jungsoo.” Taeyeon folded her arms across her chest.

“’Leeteuk’ will do.”

“Anyway,” Taeyeon put her hands on her hips, “I was informed about your father’s will to give my father a huge amount of money.”

“Yep. It was in Appa’s Last Will & Testament.”

Taeyeon nodded and continued, “Do you, by any chance, know how they’re related?”

“Not a clue,” Leeteuk shook his head.

“Me too,” Taeyeon unconsciously scratched the back of her neck. “Is it possible for me to receive what yous father left for Appa?” she asked.

“Whoah. Easy, Ms. Kim!” Leeteuk laughed, “But, I’m afraid not.”

Upon hearing these words, Taeyeon almost choked. “But why?! I don’t have a family anymore! And I’m Appa’s only daughter and now he’s d-dead,” her voice cracked. Tears started to form in Taeyeon’s eyes, blurring her vision. One blink and tears will surely fall.

Leeteuk looked around, panicking. He didn’t know how to comfort this fragile girl in front of him. Especially because this girl is someone less than an acquaintance despite being more than a stranger. He cleared his throat and said, “That’s exactly the point. Your father, Kim Daehyeong, is dead. Please be strong.” He rubbed his hands together, not knowing whether to lay a hand on the now crying Taeyeon’s shoulder or to hug her or—“Wait, wait, wait, wait. Hug? Her?” Leeteuk shoved the thought away.

Taeyeon’s shoulder shook as she submerged in faint sobs. “A-Aren’t there any other w-way? P-Please?” There. She said it. She did it—she swallowed her pride because she knows she needs this more than anything else at this point of her life.

Leeteuk closed his eyes and remained silent for a few seconds. He did not want to see a crying person. Especially not a girl. Tears are his weakness.

He massaged the crease that has formed in his eyebrows and finally opened his eyes. “Well, you saved my mom. You helped her big time,” he pointed.

“Huh?” Taeyeon dried her face despite of the nonstop tears and looked up to look at this man in front of her. Suddenly, Leeteuk looked like an angel to her despite his poker face.

“I’ll think of a way but I can’t assure you of anything. I’ll contact you if I come up with something,” Leeteuk said, surrendering—giving in to his weakness. A girl’s tears.

“J-Jeongmallyo?”

Leeteuk took out his phone and handed it to Taeyeon, “Enter your number.”

Taeyeon did as the man instructed and bowed, “Kamsahamnida. Thank you very much.”

“Neh,” Leeteuk nodded and without any proper farewell, he vanished into thin air, leaving Taeyeon in a trance.

TA-DAAAA! Everything’s heating up! Kekeke~ :D Let’s see how everything plays out, neh? Kamsahamnida, yeoreobun! ^.^ *waves*

COMMENT REPLIES

@superangel09. thank you for the compliment, author-nim~ it really helps *smile* :))