The Past

"WHAT?!", a shout was heard inside President Lee's office.

"calm down President Kim", President Lee pleaded the owner and President of Shinhwa Steel Company.

"how can i calm down if your telling me that my granddaughter, my sooyoung is going to be brought up as a BOY!", President Kim retorded as she massage her temple to calm herself.

"A BOY!", the president shouted.

President Lee leaned forward, "we are talking about the Lee family here President Kim. not just the Lee family but my ancestors lineage.  if we can't present the next successor of Byung Hun, the bloodline of my ancestors will not survive". President Lee spoke calmly.

President Kim stopped massaging her temple.she look at the Head of Lee family and furrowed her eyebrow, "i don't care if your lineage will not survive. but we are talking about our granddaughter here not a doll who you can toy around!". President Kim said.  

"i can't just sit around and just let the bloodline of my ancestor that they built for centuries fall.please understand President Kim", President Lee told President Kim with pleading eyes. but the old woman gave President Lee a cold glare.

seconds later Mrs. Kim stood up and slammed her fist on the table making President Lee froze at his seat, "i don't care Geum Hyung. i don't want you to use my granddaughter for your scheme".

Mr. Lee quickly stood up and grab Mrs. Kim's hand, "Please, Young Ae. i beg you".

Mrs. Kim pulled her hand and shook her head, "no. i won't let you. i will take sooyoung to japan. i will raise her myself. i hope you and your family will not show your faces". with her final say, Mrs. Kim grab her handbag and walk out of President Lee's office. 

"do you think abeonim and eomma are alright?", Hye Soo look at her husband then look at their daughter sooyoung who is playing in her lap. 

" i don~", Byung Hun didn't finish his sentence when the door of sooyoung's room was opened harshly. sooyoung who got afraid of the loud sound stop playing then start to cry in her mother's arms. 

President Kim who was shock at what she did stop in front of her daughter hye soo and look at her frightened granddaughter who is crying loudly.

"eomma what happened?", hye soo kissed sooyoungs forehead and put her in her father's arms. she then stood up and grab her mother's arms.

President Kim didn't answer but took a step infront of Byung Hun and grab her granddaughter. she look at sooyoung lovingly and hug her tightly. "i will sooyoung to japan", the president inform her daughter and son-in-law.

"NO! you can't take our daughter!", hye soo shouted. she then fell on the floor and grab her mother's leg while crying. 

Byung Hun walk beside her wife and wrap his arm around her. he then look at his mother-in-law and ask, "why would you take our daughter jangmonim?"

President Kim glared at her son-in-law and chuckle, "you say daughter?".   

Byung Hun noded his head 

"you can't call sooyoung daughter if your going to make her live her life as a boy", president kim said annoyed. "we will live in japan. i will raise her myself. i will not let you and your family do your scheme". the president added while craddling sooyoung in her arms.

hye soo stood up and took her daughter in her mothers arms harshly, "you can't take sooyoung. you can't take my precious daughter away from us".

"hye soo!"

"she's my life eomma. i will die if you take her away", hye soo said and took a step backward.

President Kim look at her daughter. "are you going to let them make your daughter live her life as a boy just so their bloodline will survive?!", she asked, pointing a finger at her daughter.

"i will let them. i will let them used my daughter if she's the only person who can save their lineage"

shock at what her daughter said, President Kim walk closer to hye soo and slapped her. "how dare you use your own daughter".

Byung Hun made his way towards his wife and daughter, he then look at his mother-in-law. anger evident on his eyes. "she's our daughter. and we will use her just to save our bloodline".

"are you both hearing what you are saying or are you both insane?", the president said, stunned at what she just heard.

hye soo wipe her tears and look at her mother straight in the eye, "mianhe eomma. but i would like you to leave and leave our family alone". hye soo said as she once again took a step backwards.

"yeobo! don't say that to your mother". byung hun said, putting a hand on her shoulder and slightly shook her. looking at his wife in disbelief.

President Kim gasp at what her daughter said. still stunned at what she heard she didn't move an inch.

Byung Hun walk infront of his mother-in-law and bowed many times as an apology. "jangmonim, please forgive hye soo. she didn't  mean what~".

President Kim raised her hand infront of her son-in-law to stop him from apologizing. she then scoff and walk towards the door. just a step away from the door,President Kim turned around and look at her daugher. "i'm very disappointed in you hye soo. i thought you understand what i taught you about how family should always be your first priority not business or anything else". the president sighed and faced the door, "don't worry i won't bother you and your family anymore. i just hope you know what your are doing". with that, the president walk away and left the Lee mansion.

seconds after her mother left the room, hye soo couldn't control her crying anymore. she holds sooyoung and hug her tightly, she then whispered to sooyoungs ears that she won't let her mother take her away from them.

Byung Hun who was hurting inside both hug his wife and daughter. he hope that they made the right decision in sacrificing their daughter to live her life as a real girl.

unknown to both hye soo and byung hun, President Lee heard it all. he was now thinking twice about making sooyoung live as a boy. he knows that it is his fault that President Kim and her daughter are now mad each other but he can't do anything. they need sooyoung, they need her to replace her brother so the Lee's lineage will survive.

in his death bed Lee Geum Hyung had an agreement with his only son Lee Byung Hun that sooyoung will live her life as a girl once a boy fell in love with her unconditionally and accept her secret. if ever that happen to sooyoung, the right as the head of the family and heir to the company will then be transfer to jae jun. he will succeed his father Lee Byung Hun.

but . . .

Lee Byung Hun had other plans.

he had other plan for his daughter Lee Sooyoung once she reach the age of 12.  

Young Jae(at age 10)

it's already past 6 in the evening all the maids and butlers are very busy preparing for a grand party. this morning is an understatement but in reality,  the Lee household was already preparing for the party a week earlier since the party is for the next head of the family and heir for their businesses.  

Lee and Kim family are of course Mr. Lee Byung Hun, young jae's dad is the most happiest of them all. since his daughter son growing up and turning 10. they are going to train him as early as possible.

Byung Hun was so happy that a week before his son's birthday party, he already invited many people. family, friends and business partners are invited to the grand party Byung Hun prepare for young jae.

the birthday celebrant is happy that it's his birthday and he is going to celebrate it with many people. . .

yes he is happy . . .

but in the inside he is not happy, not happy at all. . .  

"jae-ah are you there?", someone asked when little young jae didn't answer.

"i'm here umma", he answered with a soft voice.

Hye Soo opened his son's bedroom door and walk inside. she smiled when she saw young jae standing infront of a mirror and having trouble fixing his bow tie. his eyebrows are already furrowed in annoyance and made a pout when he look at her.

Hye Soo giggled at how cute his son is, "aww baby. having trouble fixing the bow tie?".

"n-neh umma", the little one shyly answered his mother.

Hye Soo walk towards his son and kneeled infront of him. young jae's eyes widened and put his little hand on her mother's shoulder. "umma, you don't have to kneel down. you might hurt your knees", the little one said with a worried look.

Hye Soo smiled and kissed her son's forehead. "don't worry my baby. umma won't get hurt.", she answered while fixing his bowtie.

young jae smiled while looking at his mom lovingly. but his smile faded when her usual question pop up in his head. Hye Soo notice that his son is thinking of something. after she's done with the bowtie, Hye Soo put a finger on his son's chin and made him look at her.

"is there something wrong jae-ah?", hye soo asked.

at first young jae shook his head but his mother knows something was up with him. when hye soo was looking at him straight in the eye as if looking for an answer, young jae heaved a sigh and cleared his throat.

"umma, until when am i going to dress as a boy?", the little one asked. afraid that his mother's reaction will be like his dad, he lowered his head and shut his eyes.

"oh", is all hye soo could answer.

minutes of not answering her son, young jae took a step back and gave his mother a bow. he then look at the mirror and praise his mother at what she did to his bowtie. not wanting to have an awkward atmosphere, young jae excused himself and walk towards his door but hye soo stood up and quickly grab her son's wrist to stop him.  

"mianhe sooyoung", hye soo sadly said. "are you already tired of playing as a boy?i want an honest answer sooyoung".  

young-jae looked at his mother when he heard his real name. he then put a hand on her mother's cheeks and warmly smiled at her. "no i'm not tired. i'm alright umma. i know you have a reason for making me look and live as a boy. but i hope in the future you will tell me the reason."

hye soo put her hand on top of her daughter's hand and squeeze it. she then noded and smiled at her. sooyoung smiled then left her mom alone inside his room. 

Hye Soo stood up and sat on the bed. now that she's alone in the room, she can't help herself not to cry at what she heard. she knew that what they are doing to their daughter is bad. she knew there will be consequences once the people finds out, but she can't do anything to help her daughter. hye soo knows that the Lee family needs her help even though she have a REAL son. she knew they need her to continue living as a boy to prevent the downfall of Lee family and to prevent others to  take their business away from them. 

the party already started 2 hours ago but still the guest kept on partying at the arabian night theme party. food and drinks kept on coming while music kept on playing to make all the guest happy. the guest kept on talking about how the theme suited Lee Byung Hun's heir. the guest knew that Lee Byung Hun always make young jae's birthday party a very over the top party.

while everybody was having a blast at the party, young jae was sitting alone in his favorite place. the garden. whenever he felt lonely, he always go to the garden to relax his mind.  he always look at the roses that are growing inside their rose garden and he will immediately relax.

as young jae was enjoying the smell and cool breeze of the night inside the rose garden, someone was intently looking for him ever since he left 10 minutes ago. the boy who was looking for young jae got scared when he saw that his best friend  for 5 years is not by his side.

once he found his best friend sitting in the garden, his face quickly softened. no trace of worry evident and the beat of his heart was now beating normal. the boy walk towards his best friend and sat beside him.  

"you found me myungsoo", young jae smiled at his bestfriend myungsoo.

myungsoo scrunch his nose at the name, "i told you not to call me myungsoo. it should be hyung".

young jae giggled and shook his head, "but i want to. teasing you makes me complete". he said then stick his tongue out. 

myungsoo scoffed and flicker a finger towards his best friends forehead. he smiled when he heard young jae whined at what he did.

"you look cute"<