Mr Park went in the coffee shop and scanned the area. Looking at the setting of the place made his eyes tear a bit. He didn't expect his former love's children to be this successful.

He proceeded to the counter where Nicole was doing her latte art. She looked up to the customer in front of her and stopped what she was doing.

"Annyeong hasaeyo. What can I do for you today, sir?"

"Miss, can you tell me if Mr Jung Il Woo or any of his brothers are here today? Tell them I'm Mr. Park, Jiyeon's father, and I wanted to see them personally."

"Ne. Coincidentally, Mr. Il Woo adnd Mr Yong Hwa are here. I'll call Mr Jin Woon so that he can meet with you."

Nicole punched a number on the intercom. Il Woo happened to answer the call, and when he was told he and Yong Hwa were needed, he told Nicole he'd be out to meet the visitor in a while. Jin Woon, meanwhile, had entered the front door, carrrying his tray. When he saw Mr Park, he gave his greeting to the chaebol. At the back of his head, he was wondering why Jiyeon's father suddenly came to the coffee shop.

"You must be Jung Jin Woon" Mr Park said.

"Ne." Jin Woon answered. He looked at Nicole, who also looked back to him with questioning glances.

Il Woo and Yong Hwa arrived a minute later. They both gave their formal greetings to the chaebol. Afterwards, Mr Park told them he wanted to personally talk to them in private. Il Woo and Yong Hwa exchanged glances. It was so unsual for someone from the upper echelons to pay them a visit.

***

The Jung brothers ushered Mr Park to their office. They had the visitor sit on a chair near Il Woo's table and waited for him to speak. Yong Hwa sat on the couch opposite the table, while Jin Woon stood by the door.

"You must really be surprised why I paid you a visit at such a very untimely hour and place."

"Oh,it's fine, Mr Park. It's an honor for you to come visit us today. We'd like to know what we can do for you today," Il Woo said.

Mr Park looked at the brothers one by one while trying to sort out what he wanted to say to them.

"I'd like to know how your parents have been."

Jin Woon cocked his head. He didn't know this person, and he didn't like the way Mr Park opened up the topic.

"Well..our appa passed away last year when he succumbed to pneumonia. Our eomma lies in bed at home, sick with flu," Yong Hwa answered.

Mr Park couldn't keep himself from tearing up. He blinked his eyes to prevent his tears from falling, yet, a tear fought to fall for itself. Jin Woon saw this and found it odd that a stranger would weep in front of them, most especially when he heard about their parent's condition.

"Would you care to explain to us why you asked about our parents?" Jin Woon asked, quite irritated. Mr Park hinted hatred in Jin Woon's voice. Il Woo glared at his brother.

"I have to tell you the truth. Just this afternoon, my daughter Jiyeon and I had an argument-"

"I could now see the cause for Jiyeon's grief." Jin Woon cut in.

"Jin Woon!" Il Woo shouted to his brother. But Jin Woon wouldn't listen. He went over to Mr PArk. He leaned on the table and bent to meet the man's eyes. Tongue in cheek, Jin Woon mocked the chaebol.

"Am I not right, Mr Park? Your daughter commented once that she felt lonely because her parents where never there for her when she needed them."

"Jin Woon, stop it!" By now, Il Woo was already so furious that he stood up and pulled Jin Woon away from Mr PArk. But Jin Woon would not relent. Instead, he boxed his hyung, cutting open his lip. Yong Hwa stood up and grabbed Jin Woon's arms so that the maknae would not do anymore harm to the eldest brother.

"Jin Woon, calm down," Yong Hwa said to his brother. When Jin Woon finally calmed down, he went to his hyung to apologize. Il Woo waved off his hand as he went to the restroom to wash his wound. When he returned a little later, he went back to his seat. But his eyes were still on Jin Woon.

"Jin Woon, where have you met my daughter?"

"We're classmates in school."

"And when did she say to you about us not taking care of her?"

A mocking grin escaped Jin Woon's lips again. "What does that concern you? I believe how the girl feels had nothing to do with you because you never cared."

"Jin Woon, stop it!" Il Woo ordered. But then, Mr Park stood up and went to the youngest brother.

"I'm surprised you knew my daughter in such a short span of time. And what surprised me was that she saved your life twice. Tell me, are you courting my daughter?"

Jin Woon smiled. He'd finally be telling this chaebol what was on his mind so far.

"You're asking me if I'm courting her? How would you react if I say I like your daughter?"

Mr Park didn't respond. But Jin Woon continued.

"Mr Park, I have waaaaaaiiiited this very day to come when I'll be coming up against you. I'm surprised it didn't take this long. Yes, I have plans of courting your daughter whether you like it or not. I'll make sure she'll be happy when she's with me. I'll teach her all she needed to know to survive. She wanted to become an oddball, and I'm the man to do that job."

"Jin Woon, did you know what she told me today? I'm surprised to know she wanted to be a soldier."

"I wouldn't be surprise. As I said, she's an odd one. And if she wanted to enter the military, so be it! If I were her father, I would not hold her back from doing what can make her happy, as long as I know it's good for her."

Mr Park looked at the young man thoughtfully. "You really sound like your mother."

The Jung brothers' eyes were opened in shock. "What..do you mean by that? What do you know about eomma?" Yong Hwa asked.

"To tell you the truth boys, your mother was the woman I had wanted to marry had my father not taken her someplace."

Silence fell upon the occupants of the room.  

"You were the children I wished I had: intelligent, diligent, and knows how to run the business in this dog-eat-dog world. It took me six years to know what my father had done to your eomma. I was so angry at him for making my life miserable. Had it been your eomma and I, we would had been a happy family."

"I could never see yourself as my appa. If Jiyeon loathe you, then I do too," Jin Woon answered.

"She loathed me because she isn't my daughter!"

Jin Woon was agape. "She...she's someone else's child?"

"Yes. That's why I never felt any affection for that girl. If there would be people I have to spend my fortune on, that would be you three." Mr PArk said.

Il Woo suddenly stood up. "Spend your money for us? For what? As reparation for what your father had done to our eomma? Are you even trying to insinuate that we're not capable of living by ourselves much so that we'd be expecting you to hand us your wealth? Thanks, but no thanks, Mr PArk. Eomma told us not to depend on anyone else when we have the brains and the talent to make fortunes for ourselves. If there's one person you SHOULD be giving your time and energy to, It's Jiyeon. She needed you because you're the one she had now." 

"You are right, Il Woo," Mr PArk said. "I needed to make amends for what abeoji had done to her. But I wanted to make it up to you. I won't be expecting you to be nice to me, but I have to do this out of my love for your eomma. I wasn't able to keep my promises to her."

Il Woo shook his head. "No. We are fine the way we are now. If you want to deal with us, deal as if you want to have business, not because you owe something to our mother. "

Mr PArk smiled. "I just learned a while ago too, that you Yong Hwa and Jin Woon, are part of a band. Do you want to sign under my recording company?"

The two brothers looked at each other. Then Yong Hwa spoke. "Sir, the one reason we decided to go on a hiatus is because Jin WOon needed to finish his studies. We promised FNC we'd be signing another contract next year, but we had to take Jin Woon out. When he finish his studies, that's the time we had to take him in again."

The chaebol smiled. "Geurae? Is that what you boys are so worried about? I'll take care of that. I'll ask the CEO of FNC if I can take you under my wings. And you, Jin Woon, can still do home study even if you go out and perform."

Jin Woon's eyebrows knit. "If I had not known who you are, I've accepted that. But since I knew your personality, I'd rather pass. And I liked FNC."

"Child, you can go on rebelling against me, but what can you do? You know that people like me can pull strings. I can make your band more popular then ever so that you won't just have to perform in Japan. I can make you famous by letting you go international and have fanbases in the States and in Europe."

"ANd? What will your daughter gain from that? WHat if I tell you I'll accept your proposal, on the condition that I'll marry Jiyeon when the right time comes." Jin Woon proposed. This made Mr PArk agape.

"Certainly, not Jin Woon. I wanted Jiyeon to be married to someone from our own circle as well."

"From your own circle, while we in the middle class are left out? FIne, I'll not take your proposal," JIn WOon said as he went out of the room.

Il Woo rubbed his forehead as he paced the room. "Mr Park, you are making things complicated for us, especially for Jin Woon. That boy has a mind of his own. It's all right if you can do business with me, but not with my brothers."

"No. I want the boys to be under my wings. And I'll make sure I get what I want. I can also make your coffee house famous as well. You wanted that too, don't you? In this present time, one just cannot go on becoming rich without pulling strings. "

"Whatever, Mr Park. I accept your proposal. But I still want to be known as the owner of The Jung Coffee House."

"Good. I'll just be an investor in your business. I'll work behind the scenes. And you cannot doubt me. I have made many empires already, and I can teach you how to do it."

Ii Woo smiled. At the back of his mind, he knew that this man meant business. He wanted to expand his shop too. And it was his dream to make himself rich. Now that an offer had been laid on his feet, he'll grab it.

***

When Mr. PArk left, Yong Hwa pulled his brother aside.

"Did you just sell your soul? Where's your principle of hardwork to make it to the top?"

Il Woo looked at his brother. "Yong, I just realized that hardwork is not enough. I need to be shrewd too. I don't believe many rich people came to where they are now without strings attached. I'll take his bait, but I won't let him fool me. I know what I want, and I'll get it. Arrasseo?"

Yong Hwa shook his head. He couldn't believe his brother had made that pact with MR Park. WHat's more, Yong Hwa was sure his band will be taken from FNC to what-ever Mr PArk's company is.

"I can't believe I'll be seeing this," he thought.