Character(s): First appearance of Jiyong

CHAPTER 15 – FATE PLAYING WITH OUR HEART

“First of all, welcome to our annual party for this year. As a representative for Jang Holdings and on behalf of my father, I would like to say thank you to everyone here for attending our party. It’s our pleasure to have all of you here tonight. Please enjoy the party. Once again, thank you” Seunghyun bowed as he finished his speech for the night and it was followed by a loud applause from the guests in that large hall. Seunghyun was standing proudly while he had his parents and his younger brother at both of his side smiling at him.

They were having their annual grand party tonight. Just like the previous years, the party was held to celebrate their employees who had been working so hard to contribute to the success of the company, as well as to celebrate its business partners and clients who either directly or indirectly contributed to company’s profits for this year.

The party went well as Hyunseung’s parents were so busy entertaining their guests for the night. Still, the main topic between them was only related to business matter. So Hyunseung chose to stay away from all those discussion. It wasn’t like he wasn’t interested in business talk, he worked with his father on top of that, but tonight wasn’t the time for that. He was here because he wanted to get a break from that kind of thing. He had a lot in mind lately and everything seemed to confuse him even more. It led him to think about Junhyung. Thinking of Junhyung, Hyunseung sighed in disappointment as he recalled his early talk with Junhyung.

Junhyung said he wanted and he needed to spend more time with Hara. He had spent a lot of time with Hyunseung lately and he quite missed Hara. And Hyunseung was no one to stop him from doing that. He knew from the very beginning that Junhyung was in love with Hara. There was no way that Junhyung will love him as how much he loved Junhyung.

Wait. Did I say that I love Junhyung?

Hyunseung’s eyes opened in widen as the realization hit him. He immediately shook his head, trying to get rid of any thoughts about him being in love with Junhyung. It scared him a lot.

When his brother came and stood next to him, Hyunseung was glad that finally someone managed to get him out from his own creepy feelings.

“Jun couldn’t make it tonight?” Hyunseung shook his head, starting to feeling sick in the stomach.

“He’s away, for a trip or something” he didn’t feel to talk about Junhyung right now but he didn’t blame his brother for bringing up the name.

“I see” there was a long silent. Hyunseung stood uncomfortably beside his brother and he was glad that Seunghyun didn’t drag the conversation any further. But soon he can’t help feeling annoyed as Seunghyun nudged his waist in a not so gently way. He had to roll his eyes and smack his brother in the head as Seunghyun kept poking his back but didn’t even spare him some look.

“What?” he asked after he managed to dodge a few more pokes from Seunghyun which aiming his cheeks this time.

“Look over there” Seunghyun pointed to some corner in that hall and Hyunseung obeyed without any objection. His gaze followed his pointed finger and it settled on a group of men talking and laughing at the front where Seunghyun did his speech earlier. He saw his father was talking with two men in a very friendly way and he can’t help but frowned. He didn’t really get it.

What was Seunghyun trying to say?

“And?” he glanced towards his brother, sipping his drink slowly.

“See the man with a grey suit?” Seunghyun asked as he noticed the questioning look sent by Hyunseung and Hyunseung nodded.

“Do you know him? Because I don’t, I mean I didn’t really know. But I have this feeling that he looks very familiar, don’t you think?” Seunghyun continued to talk and Hyunseung focused his gaze on the said man. He furrowed his eyes as he tried to get a better view of him. Seunghyun was right. The man looked rather familiar though, but he can’t remember any meeting with the latter. As far as he remembered, he hasn’t met him before but why do he felt so much familiar?

But much to their surprise, the said man turned around and looked at their direction like he can sense that he was being watched by them. Hyunseung gulped and Seunghyun tried not to make that he was looking that way but failed miserably. Smiling, the said man waved his hand at them which left both brothers taken aback.

“He knew us?” Hyunseung asked while waving back his hand to the man, eyes fixed on him too.

“I think he does” Seunghyun replied with the same gesture like Hyunseung. They were both still watching the guy as he talked with their father before he started to walk towards where they were standing. Hyunseung looked at Seunghyun who was looking at him in return when the guy slowly approached them with a friendly smile.

“It has been 15 years. You two look very much different now” he said once he settled himself in front of the siblings. Hyunseung took a close look at the latter. He examined every inch of his face; his lips, his eyes, his eyebrows, his nose, almost everything about him before he squealed in surprised.

“Ji? Jiiii!!!!” he exclaimed loudly, enough to snap Seunghyun back to realization. He jolted in surprised too as he eyed the guy in front of him before he threw himself towards the guy.

“Jiyong, I can’t believe you! Is that really you? Oh my God! Wow, you’ve changed a lot! I almost couldn’t recognize you” Seunghyun was practically squirming while Hyunseung can only smile.

“Looks whose talking now. The last time I saw you, you still had your hair. Now you’re almost bald” Jiyong teased a little.

“I am not” Seunghyun almost pouted and the three of them burst out into a big laugh.

Kwon Jiyong, their childhood friend. They used to play together when they were little before Jiyong moved to live in New York with his uncle 15 years ago. He has changed, of course. Back then, he was still a kid, just like Hyunseung and his brother. Now they’ve all grown up. They were no longer a kid.

“How are you?” Jiyong switched his eyes to look at Hyunseung after he managed to calm Seunghyun down, though Seunghyun still ranting about how much he can’t believe that Jiyong was right in front of him now.

“Good. What about you? The last time I heard about you, you said won’t come back to Seoul anytime soon. And that was 10 years ago”

“I know and I’m so sorry. I know I’ve been a little bit neglected but I love Seoul. Korea is where I belong”

“You’re not here for a vacation” Seunghyun added and Jiyong smiled in return.

“No, I’m not. I’m returned for good”

Hyunseung made a step forward before he enveloped Jiyong into a warm welcoming hug. “Welcome home, Ji. We miss you” he whispered and smiled in widen when he felt a pair of arm wrapped around his waist.

“Oi, don’t forget about me” Seunghyun whined as he tried to pry Hyunseung and Jiyong away and they fell into another loud laugh. Hyunseung smiled. Jiyong was right. He did belong here and this felt really like home.

-TBC-