Tae Hee’s smile fell. Her umma, the one she trusted the most, had just deceived her. How could she? She felt alone in this world infested with people. She had nowhere to turn, nowhere to hide. She was alone.

 

“...Does that mean... my brother...the brother you told me about...doesn’t exist?”

 

“He did...he might...I don’t really know. I’m sorry.” 

 

Her mom reached in to hug her. For once, Tae Hee flinched. She didn’t want to embrace the stranger before her, despite the fact that they’d lived together for over seventeen years.

 

“Please...just don’t touch me.” Before her umma could say anything, Tae Hee had already fled the house. 

 

 

*****

 

Her phone began ringing as she ran. “Hello?” she sniffled. 

 

“Are you crying?” the voice asked, concerned. It wasn’t the voice she expected. Before she could answer, he continued. “Where are you? Stay where you are; I’m coming to get you.”

 

True to his word, Park Yoochun arrived minutes later. 

 

 

 

“What’s wrong, Tae Hee?” he asked her as they sat on the park bench, staring out at the children’s playground.

 

Silence.

 

“Have you ever been lied to, Yoochun?”

 

“...”

 

“Why me? Of all people, why me?”

 

“...”

 

“What did I do to deserve this kind of suffering, huh? You know how much it hurts to find out that you’ve been lied to? FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS. For all I know, I could be fifty instead of seventeen. But of course, you wouldn’t know.

 

“You don’t know what it feels like to be lied to. You don’t know what pain is. You don’t know what a job is. You don’t know what a paycheck is. All you know is daddy’s checkbook. So why me?

 

“My umma... she told me... I was adopted. She told me I probably didn’t have a brother. SHE TOLD ME I HAD NO BROTHER. THAT BROTHER WHO KEPT ME GOING THROUGH ALL THOSE YEARS...HE DOESN’T EXIST, YOOCHUN OPPA! HE DOESN’T EXIST!” she shouted. And for the second time in her life, she cried.

 

He hugged her tightly, like the way Jaejoong had hugged her the night before. “You’re wrong. He still exists.” Tae Hee raised her head slowly. “You’ve still got him in your heart. And if that isn’t enough, you’ve still got Jaejoong, Junsu, Changmin, Yunho... and me...” He looked at her. “I’ll take care of you.”

 

She nodded and hugged him back. And yet, she felt it wasn’t right. That having Yoochun protect her wasn’t right.

 

 

*****

 

Tae Hee had stayed all weekend at Yoochun’s home. She arrived at school all swollen-eyed in Yoochun’s convertible and rumors started flying. 

 

 

During lunch, Seung Yeon cornered Jaejoong. 

 

“We need to talk,” she declared with disgust.

 

“Well, what?” he sneered.

 

“What’d you do to her?”

 

“Who?”

 

She grabbed his shirt collar. “What do you mean, who? You idiot. I’m talking Tae Hee.”

 

“Nothing! I swear!” Jaejoong stammered nervously. “What happened?”

 

Seung Yeon rolled her eyes as she released him from her grip. “How could you NOT have heard? Tae Hee came to school with swollen eyes. You know what that means?”

 

He shrugged.

 

“She’s been crying, you stupid kid. How could you NOT have heard?”

 

“Oh...” His gaze fell to the floor.

 

“And what’s more? Your dear hyung, Park Yoochun, seems to be going out with her or SOMETHING. And you know what? If she gets hurt, I don’t care if you did it or Yoochun did it, I will skewer you like a shish-kabob, got it?”

 

Although he was silent, his eyes were ablaze. How could Yoochun have done that?

 

He stalked off, searching for the oh so popular pair.

 

Seung Yeon watched him leave. Why Tae Hee?

 

 

 

There they were. Tae Hee’s head resting on Yoochun’s shoulder. His arm wrapped around her shoulder. Hadn’t he told them all to stay away from her? She was his.

 

“Yoochun,” Jaejoong said curtly.

 

Tae Hee looked up and stood up from the wooden bench. “Jaejoong.”

 

He glared at her. “You’re as bad as she [Jang Ri In] is.” He didn’t like her. That was a known fact. But then, why did it hurt so much to see her with another guy? Did he accidentally fall for her? Or was he just plain greedy?

 

Yoochun remained silent. She protested, “Jaejoong! It’s not how it looks like!” Jaejoong looked at his friend expectantly. Yoochun shrugged and walked off.

 

 

 

So that was how it was. She would never return the feelings... because deep inside, he knew, only Jaejoong ruled her heart. In reality, he ruled practically everything. If he didn’t want to share, he wouldn’t; even if he didn’t need it, he’d stow it away from everybody else just because of a sudden whim. That was how it had always been since they were young. It used to be toys and food; now, it was girls.

 

 

“What happened to you? Were you crying?” he asked with concern, all traces of anger gone.

 

“Nothing,” she lied.

 

“WTHCK. Now how am I supposed to bring you to that party tonight? I can’t have a puffy eyed partner!” he whined. 

 

Tae Hee slapped him. “Gosh, you’re so insensitive!”

 

“Just kidding!” Jaejoong laughed. “But seriously. I’m bringing you somewhere tonight.”

 

She shook her head in horror. “I refuse.”

 

“You can’t refuse because---“ His phone began ringing. “Hello?”

 

It was his mother. She screamed on the other end, “SON! YOU BROUGHT HOME A GIRL!? WITHOUT OUR CONSENT?! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU! COME HOME THIS INSTANT!”

 

“But...” he protested, holding his phone at an arm’s length. “I’ve got a date tonight...”

 

“I don’t care!” She hung up. Why was she always like that? So demanding?

 

Tae Hee eyed him curiously. “So?” she asked.

 

“I guess our plans are cancelled. I need to go home.” 

 

He left, leaving her disappointed. 

 

She had actually wanted to go somewhere with him...

 

 

*****

 

He entered the house and sensed danger. 

 

“They’re in the office,” a maid informed him quietly. He nodded.

 

 

“Come on in. We know you’re outside,” his father declared. 

 

Jaejoong bit his lip and warily approached them. His umma was glaring at him, boring holes into his body. His appa looked disappointed.

 

“... I thought you’d know better,” Mrs. Kim said quietly. Where was all that rage she just had? “If people heard that you brought home a girl, a girl unknown to our society, what would happen to our reputation, huh?”

 

“I...” Jaejoong faltered. It was always about their company’s reputation, wasn’t it? Do this, do that. Avoid scandals. If you even scratch our company’s name, we’ll disown you.

 

His father interrupted. “On the contrary, she’s currently quite famous. Mr. Lee told me that you brought her to the function?”

 

“WITHOUT OUR CONSENT?” his umma interjected.

 

“I...can explain!”

 

“It better be good,” Mr. Kim grumbled. “if it’s worth our company’s status.”

 

“She...was a girl I met at school.”

 

“HUH! A COMMONER GIRL?” Mrs. Kim fumed.

 

“Don’t call her that. Maybe she’s not as rich as we are, but she’s not like other girls...”

 

“You’ve only known her for two days! She’s a commoner! You can’t fall in love with her!” 

 

“I NEVER SAID I HAD FEELINGS FOR HER. BUT BESIDES, WHY NOT?” Jaejoong retorted, finally losing it. “She’s so much more decent than others! In fact, she’s much BETTER THAN THEM ALL!” Was she better than Jang Ri In, too? Probably.

 

“You’re too young. You won’t understand.”

 

“You know what? You’re all just so prejudiced. Just because she’s poor, she’s an evil girl who wants my money. Let me tell you something. She’s not like them.”

 

Like Jaejoong, who was normally good tempered, Mr. Kim blew his top. Slapping Jaejoong on the face, he shouted, “YOU CAN’T, SO SHUT UP! YOU’RE ENGAGED!”

 

 

Jaejoong stumbled back a few steps, almost tripping upon the Persian rug on the office floor. “What?... With who?”

 

 

 

“Jang Ri In.”