“Please! Just let me stay some days longer!”, Yoona pledded but her aunt wasn’t even listening to her.

“No. Eventhough my husband likes you: I don’t. And I won’t agree with you staying longer if you could be home already.”

To be honest Yoona had never thought her aunt would be like this. The stories her mother had told her hadn’t been nice, but deep in her heart she had hoped, that her aunt actually was a nice woman, who just was misunderstood.

But as she could see now: she wasn’t.

When Yoona had come back yesterday, her aunt and uncle hadn’t been home yet. The maid had told her that they had been on a party of some company owner. If her aunt knew she had been out that long, it would’ve been only another point for her to sent Yoona home.

“But-“ “No buts. Just go and pack your bag. The chauffeur will bring you back to the rail station later.”

Discouraged and beaten Yoona’s shoulders sank in dissapointment. Unwillingly she turned around and walked back into the room that had been give to her to pack her few things and change clothes.

She pouted as she looked out of the window. Her aunt was just like a witch but Yoona was sure that even a witch would say that her aunt was mean.

Since she still had some time, she decided to take a bath. At least this wasn’t something her aunt could forbid her.

While Yoona was busy in her room, her aunt was busy with making herself look pretty. Although it wasn’t her who would go on a date she dressed herself just like that.

“Madam, the young mister has arrived.”, a maid then told her which made her smile wide.

“Thank you, I’ll welcome him right away.” With enthusiastic steps she left her room and walked down the stairs just to see the young man already standing in the entrance hall, looking around.

“Ah, Lee Donghae-ssi! It’s nice to see you.”, she greeted him and the man looked up. Politly he bowed and smiled. “Annyeonghaseyo.”

“My daughter will be ready soon. Why don’t you sit down and drink a cup of tea? Or do you maybe want to look around the house?”, she offered and her appereance was as nice as possible. It was as different as day and night how he treated him and how she treated Yoona.

“Well, I guess, I’ll-“ “Or you could go upstairs and wait for my daughter there. I’ll send someone to bring you tea. Just go ahead.”, she cutted in and dragged him to go upstairs already. A little bit uncomfortable he obeyed and slowly went up.

The houses mistress then disappeared in the big living room. Donghae let out a sigh of relief. This woman was just so annoying. Why did it has to be him to date her daughter? Oh right, because he was the only heir of the Lee family and it would be an advantage to connect both companies by marriage.

Reaching the level he walked down the hallway. “Where should I wait?”, he mumbled and slowly continued to walk.

Actually he had hoped to not have to go to this date since he had scrammed off from yesterdays party. And he had hoped his father would scold him and ground him. But Donghae wasn’t a child anymore. Well, his father had scolded him but it seemed that he thought this date would be a better punishment – and yeah, it was. Dating a girl he had only seen on pictures... he wasn’t that kind of guy. Though the girl was pretty.

His escape had been completely unprofitable. The only things he had got were a fever, a harangue of Eunhyuk and... He took a handkerchief out of his pocket.  And a blurry memory of a woman.

Eunhyuk had told him that she had watched over him when he had passed out at Han River. Actually he couldn’t remember walking down to Han River but what he could remember was a melody. A melody hummed by a beautiful voice just like... he stopped and listened. From afar he heard a voice. Slowly he took step after step. The voice got louder. He couldn’t believe his ears. This was the song he had heard last night!

Yoona had just gotten out of the bath feeling refreshed and much better than before, though she still was dissapointed. To cheer herself a little up, she had begun to sing her song. She didn’t know that someone was listening to her. Especially not that this someone was the reason why she wanted to stay longer.

Curious who was singing, Donghae walked towards the door. Just as he was about to knock, someone called him: “D-Donghae-ssi! What are you doing there? That’s not the room where you should wait.” The houses mistress had came back. Somehow her smile looked cracked and the look in her eyes was a bit panicked. But Donghae didn’t notice it.

“Uhm, I’m sorry, you didn’t tell me...” “No, it’s me who has to be sorry. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”, quickly she led him away from the room. Donghae looked back to the door again and then turned to the woman leading him into another room in hurry.

“Who was singing there?”, he then asked when she offered him to sit down.

“Singing?”, she repeated trying to hide her surprise as good as possible.

“Yeah, there was a beautiful voice singing a song I know...” As she looked at him her eyes narrowed. Who could he had listened to? Whoever it was, he seemed to be totally attracted by it. The room he had been standing in front of... then she knew who it was. Shocked she looked at the Lee heir. This girl had met him? And she had been able to impress him?

“It...It was my daughter.”

“What was I?”, a female voice then asked and both turned around. A woman with long brown wavy hair was standing in the door smiling at them.

“You were the one who was singing, darling, wasn’t you?”, the older woman said and chuckled as she walked towards the woman. But the younger one just looked at her with a questioning expression. “Just play along!”, her mother hissed silently.

“Ah, y-yeah, I had been singing, w-why?”, she slowly said.

“I-I had just been curious. It was a beautiful song and I wanted to know the singer... ah, I haven’t introduce myself yet. I’m Lee Donghae. Nice to meet you.”, Donghae then said and stood up to bow politly. This girl was pretty and could sing...he had never been captured by a woman that fast before.

“I-I’m Jung Sooyeon. Nice to meet you, too, Donghae-ssi.”, the woman answered and also bowed.

With slow steps he walked to her. “Could you... sing it to me?”, he asked and his heart was beating fast. Why was he so nervous suddenly?

“I-I-I”, Sooyeon stuttered and looked at her mother with a helpless look.

“Ahahaha, I’m sorry, but she can’t. She’s very shy about her singing, you know, haha.”

“But you have such a beautiful voice, you don’t have to be shy.”, he tried to encourage her, which made Sooyeon blush.

“Well, I think you two should go now. Maybe if you get closer she will sing for you.”, Sooyeon’s mother suggested.

A bit unsatisfied Donghae nodded and let Sooyeon leave the room first.

“Have fun!”, she told the young couple and waited until they left the house. After the door had closed behind them Miss Jung rushed to Yoona’s room. She vigorously opened the door to find a surprised Yoona was just about to leave.

“A-Auntie!”

“You!”, she said and closed the door behind her and told Yoona to sit down, “You wanted to stay here didn’t you?”

“Y-Yes?”, Yoona said with a nod but too confused to be happy.

“I’ll let you stay here.”, her aunt stated. It took a moment until the message had reached the young woman sitting in front of her but as Yoona finally understood she jumped up and clapped in her hands happily. “Really? Thank you, auntie! Thank you so much! I don’t know how to-“

“But!” She immediately stopped in her movements which made her aunt smile masterfully. “You’ll have to give me your voice.”

“My voice?” “Do you know who had been here just a moment ago? The heir of the Lee company. Lee Donghae.” The look on Yoona’s face told everything and she just smiled even wider. “Well, somehow it seems like you’ve impressed him with your singing...though I don’t know where you have met him. So... you’ll lend Sooyeon your voice.”

“But- why?” “You ask? Well, I can’t risk that a girl like you...”, she looked down on Yoona in disgust, “...takes away this chance for our company to rise. Though I don’t think a girl like you could stand a chance against my lovely daughter I don’t want to bet on it.”

She walked to the door. “I’ll offer this to you only once: Lend Sooyeon your voice and you can stay here. But you won’t be allowed to talk in front of anyone aside from our family and the staff. Think about it.”

The woman then left the room, leaving a confused and shocked Yoona behind.

What should she do? Staying here to help her cousin get together with Donghae and to admire him from afar or leave and never meet him again....?