Chapter 18:

SUNGJONG’S POV

“… Now let’s go through it again class. The Victorian era was commonly known for what?” This is boring. I’m here in history class listening to our teacher continuously talk about old things and stories. Blah blah blah… I never really got the logic of studying it if it wouldn’t help us in the real life. I mean when in your life will knowing the dates of wars help you? Ughhh, see my point you? Anyway, I’m just going to block Mr. Victorian-era guy here and think of more important things. Like Bora noona! Yeah she’s pretty important so let’s think about her.

I lazily twirled my pencil between my long slender fingers as I thought. She’s been kind of sad lately, ever since she got back from Singapore. I wonder why, the city’s great and I don’t think her flight was experiencing a life-death situation so it’s really weird she’s depressed after going there. I scrunch my eyebrows as I remembered something… I haven’t ever asked noona what she was shouting at Mom and Dad about. Or on what the plan that included us was. I should really go and asked her tonight before I forget and wait another 13 years before I remember again. For now I’ll just do something productive in this school, like… Like, learning. . . .

PFFFFTTT~! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA~ I’m hilarious. You really thought I would do that? No, I’ll learn more about Jihyun instead^^

After the incredibly boring lesson in history I went straight to our library; the well known Seoul Academy Library whose many shelves are stacked with thick hard-bound books of knowledge about anything and anyone. This is the perfect place to scour for information on this seemingly important girl. I walk down the aisle of big time company owners in search for their company, Kang Corporations. Hmmm… Jang… Jung…. Kim… AH! KANG! I take the white glossy book from the shelf and open it in the contents to see which page I would find the heirs…

Son, Kang Minhyuk …………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 110

Daughter, Kang Jihyun …………………………………………………………………………………… Page 125

Bingo! I flip the pages until I reach page 125, which was certainly the chapter on her. I see a picture of her wearing a white lacey dress smiling sophisticatedly on the page. She looked nice, and a lot like her mother. I turned the page and began reading through the facts they had of her.

She was female.

She was born on February 12, 1992; she’s my noona!

She was a healthy weight of 10 pounds at birth; ok this, I didn’t need to know.

She is 5 years younger than her brother.

She attended Seoul Academy Kindergarten and Seoul Academy Elementary for 2 years; C’mon book show me things I need to know about her!

She spoke minimal French and English. Her hobbies were painting, cooking and singing; Ughhh, this is a waste of time, there’s nothing in here but solid stalker facts about her. I can get this off the internet for Pete’s sake. I was about to close the boring book when something caught my attention.

Passed away on September 22^nd 2000 because of a fatal car accident.

What in the world?

… She died?

BORA’S POV

*sigh*… I sighed to myself for the nth time now. I seriously can’t find anything else to to do -.-“

Jong’s gone to school, Yeol went out and I don’t really want to talk to Gyu. So here I am being bored again. I thought to myself as I played with the loose seams of my shirt. I look around my room and spot the familiar manila folder which held a copy of the Kang-Lee Merger contract. I stood up warily and picked it up from my desk. I opened it once again and read it all out.

It spoke of the beneficial assets it would bring to both companies and the economy of Korea as a whole. It stated the rising of profit the gain in popularity… everything looked well. Almost everything was a plus point to either side, except for one… Lee Bora would have to lose her freedom and marry a man who probably doesn’t even like her, far off loving her.

I put the document back neatly in the folder and held it tightly. I then walked out of my room, holding it in my hand the whole way. I walked to the main sitting room where we had an enormous fireplace built to warm us up and to add a very classic effect to the mansion. There was a fire brewing, so I steeped closer to the flames and felt its heat hit my skin instantly warming my body. I looked down on the folder in my hand then threw it in the pit and immediately tongues of flames swallowed the paper, burning and destroying it before crumpling it into nothing but ashes. I stared at those ashes. Those black ashes that held what wanted at stake in return for business deals.

I smiled… I felt good that I did that. It was a huge weight off my chest. I turned around, gasping at what I saw behind me.

“What was that noona?” Sunggyu stood there questioning me. Aishh.. I’m such an idiot, why didn’t I just flush it down the toilet or something.

SOYOU’S POV

“… then you mix it all together and put it a cup. TA-DAAAAA~ instant smoothie!!!” So… here I am finally learning the last of the smoothies. I gave Jeremy a quick smile and sigh in relieve as I finally managed to make a triple berry smoothie. Ironically the other ones were much easier to learn than this one =="

"Wow~! That was much easier!" I confessed to him.

“Of course it did! I taught you after all~! Now let me help you with that…” he then held my hand which was holding the fruit smoothie and assisted me to pour it carefully in two tall cups. I blinked at his hand covering mine and felt a bit awkward at the sight. Friends act like this. Right? 

*GULP* afterwards he brought the two ups down to a table and asked me to come a join him. Once we were both comfortably seated and drinking our smoothies he spoke up.

“So… uhmm Soyou..” he started. “H-How do you like it here?” Somehow the air around us felt chilly and awkward despite being inside the cafe and working with each other.

“Uhhm, it’s great. I love the place and the people here are really friendly…” I said and quickly returned to the straw of my smoothie.

“Meet anyone you really like?” he opened up.

“Y-yeah! Hyorin unnie, Jun Hee and all you guys…” I let out. Somehow it wasn't really the answer he was hoping for.

“Owh! You like u-us? That’s great to hear..” he smiled at me before continuing “Have you considered going on a d—“ before he could finish what he wanted to say my phone rang in my pocket.

Who is calling me at a time like this?! To top off the incredily embarrassing and rude situation, my ringtone was put on full volume and it was the anime soundtrack both me & Daehyun liked back then. And the only reason I haven't changed it because it reminded me so much of him. But did it really have to ring now?! I looked at Jeremy apologetically before ending the call with the said person, not even bothering to check who it was.

“I’m sorry about that. It was rude…” I apologized but instead of a reaction I expected, Jeremy brightened up and answered.

“WOW! You watch that show!? I love that series! WOOOOOOOOOOO! I found someone who has the same likes as I do” he happily announced and jumped off his seat.

Wait… what? I blinked at him before registering everything that was happening. So he likes anime? Well, I guess he’ll get along well with Daehyun.

Our evening went by with us sitting there drinking smoothies and talking about how we’ll do things differently if we were the characters in the said show. 

This wasn't exactly how I pictured our evening to go.

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So I guess Jeremy got to be Soyou's first date (?) haha, well, I'm such a fail at writing awkward love scenes >< but I'll work on it :D

@sapphire_flower: Hahha, thank you. I want to hurry and write the other chapters so I can make the 4 of them meet already [ Soyou, Gyu, Yeol and Jong ]. Kyaaah! You noticed! I am purposely trying to make Daehyun the cute protective bro ^^ eheheh~! It just fits him.  lol~!

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