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I asked Hyun to go to the living room hanging out with my father, to catch up to whatever they wanted to, and I stepped into the kitchen, the smell of perfume is so strong. Julia’s here.

 

“Hey mum…” I said, as they looked at me.

 

“Belle! Look who’s here.” Mum said happily and I looked at Julia, acting like she was concentrating on washing the veggies.

 

“Isn't that nice? We met at the market and I invited her to have lunch with us.” Mum explained and I smiled thinly.

 

“Really? At the market? Here? Gosh, that’s a long way from her home. Are you sure you aren’t lost in the middle of the road, Julia?” I asked, mocking her.

 

“Okay girls.. I sense a misunderstanding between you..” My mum sensed something wrong and patted my shoulder. She wiped her hand on the kitchen towel and started to move.

 

“Now, I want to get change, ask Qi to help you, okay?” Mum walked out and Qi appeared, no doubt, was eavesdropping behind the wall..

 

“Qi, watch the food, will you?” I asked and I pulled Julia by her elbow, out through the backdoor. She followed my lead, out of the kitchen, and to the yard.

 

As soon as we were out, she pulled her hand from my grip, hard.

 

“Why are you here?”I asked, questioning her motifs. I’m tired of having to walk on glass around her.

 

“What do you mean why am I here??”  She glared at me and I frowned.

 

“Really? You are asking me that now? Like nothing happened?” I asked and she held my hand forcibly, and looked at the engagement ring.

 

“So, It’d true what Aunt had said. “ She said hatefully and I pulled my hand,  scratching my forehead.

 

“What, do you want, Julia?” I asked again, trying to contain my anger.

 

“It’s possible for me to take the place you left open.” She said spontaneously and I looked at her, surprised.

 

“What?”

 

“When you and Seung Hyun broke up.” She looked at her nails, and I realized she made her hair and nail for this lunch. So much for accidentally met in the market.

 

“Between me and Hyun…. There’s no place for you.” I replied, each word after another.

She laughed cynically, and her expression changed but she covered it up.

 

“Really?” She asked and I lifted my eyebrows.

 

“I really can’t stand you. I knew you were a bad luck, since the first time I met you.” She tsked and started to advance towards me. I looked at her, horrified.

 

“Tell me honestly, didn’t you treat me nicely, out of pity?” She asked, raising her eyebrow, I could see tears welling up. Now I realized what she had finally see.

 

She finally grasped the fact that she had lost the battle she had started.

 

“You are a family to me. It was like that for you too. You treated me as a sibling. We’re sisters.” I said, and she grasped my shoulder, trying to shake the desperation out of me.

 

“No. I wanted to get closer to TOP, so I put on the act of being a family to you.” She said, with hatred

 

“You put an act?” I asked, knowing the irrelevancy of her statement.

 

“I resented you to death, but if I wanted to get him, I had no choice.” She said, pushing me and turned her back towards me, walking back to the door.

 

“Every time I got in trouble with my mom, you back me up, and you said you will be there for me, so you picked me up off the street every time I ran away from this house.” I said and she stopped walking. I need to stop this useless fight. Even though if it meant to give up the white flag.

 

“ You looked everywhere for me, and did it all over again when it happened every single time. That was you. You said you could do that as an act?” I asked and she turned rigid.

 

“Yes. Doing I didn’t even want to… THAT was truly horrible.” She gritted her teeth, and I could see her shoulders slumping forward.

 

“Don’t lie. Isn't it horrible to say thing you don’t even mean? I’m sorry Julia.” I said, and stepped closer, as she started to sway, as the truth started to wake her up.

 

 “I can’t have anything. Even if I want it so much, that I could die for it. But why is it, that you can have it all easily?” She turned to face me and I saw her face was now wet.

 

“I’ve never tried to have it all. You are really a fool. You are the only who doesn’t know, how much is it you really have.” I stopped advancing as she walked straight to the door and opened it.

 

“I hate you . I hate you so much it’s killing me. You like it now huh?” She said, before slamming the door behind her. I looked at the grass on the ground and not long after that the sound of a car started and faded away.

 

 

“She’s gone?” Qi asked as I walked into the kitchen.

 

“Yeah.” I answered shortly.

 

“You okay?”

 

“Sure.”

 

 

 

 

 

I heard my dad’s laughter, and I realized that Hyun was still here, I wiped my face, and smiled.

 

 I slipped into the living room, and sat next to him, who was still chatting with my father.

 

“Hey, do you know his father is an army officer?” My father asked and I scrunched my face, looking at him.

 

“No… Is he?” I asked and Hyun nodded with a smile.

 

“No wonder he got such a great physique.” My father appraised him and he smiled.

 

“What? He doesn’t even work out..” I added, and Hyun pushed my shoulder, laughing.

Being under the same room with the men that I love, gave me an air space to move, happily. I smiled with the jokes my father cracked, and Hyun’s joke, which are… less convincing, but he kept on trying.

 

“Lunch’s ready.” My sister called out and we walked to the dining room, my dad walked ahead and Hyun pulled me to slow down.

 

“Are you okay?” He asked, his hand cupping my face. I nodded and looked away.

 

“How is it with Julia?” He asked and my eyes turned teary.

 

“It’s going to be fine, okay? I’m here now.” He said and pulled me into his embrace. I hugged him tight, and stopped when we heard my mum cleared .

 

“The food’s waiting.” She said and walked away. Hyun wiped my tears with his thumb and we walked to the dining room for the pasta and salad.

 

“Hey, where’s Julia?” My father asked and my mother looked at me briefly, before rushing my dad to sit, and started the lunch.

 

I looked at my mother and she displayed her disappointment in her eyes, before attending to my father’s plate. She knew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Seriously?” I asked as I sprayed the perfume I bought at the local store.

 

“Yeah, that’s why I’m going with you.” Qi said and I rolled my eyes. Of course. Who’s driving if it’s not her.

 

“Fine..” I gave up and walked out of the room with her. During lunch, she told my mother that she wanted to show Hyun around, and my mom agreed, without any question asked.

 

“Such a shame that the previous one was broken.” Qi touched the broken perfume bottle on the table. I smiled sadly, thinking about Min Ho.

 

“I think you need to buy a real perfume.” She said and I sniffed my sleeve.

 

“Really? Why?” I asked and she shrugged.

 

“That smells like dental clinic.” I groaned and she walked fast, avoiding herself from being hit.

I waited in the hallway for Hyun, as Qi got the car out of the garage.

 

“You looked good.” I said, as Hyun appeared, folding the sleeves of his shirt.

 

“Yeah.. I didn’t bring much clothes.” He commented and took out a snow cap from his pocket.

 

“Na-ah.”  I took the cap from him and put it on the console table.

 

“Less is more.” I said, smiling, assuring him. Honestly, his shrouded appearance made me felt uncomfortable. I looked at his hair, and tucked a strand behind his ear.

 

“You don’t think of t your hair, huh?” I asked and he held my neck, kissing me, for the first time, after he met my parents.

 

“We’ll meet Julia together, okay?” He asked and I smiled, a burden alleviated from my chest.

 

“But please, let me wear the shades.” He asked as we got into the car.

 

“I don’t think anyone will recognize you here. Such a weird place for a Korean singer to be in, out of all places.” Qi commented and I nodded. He looked at us, and sighed.

 

“Fine, but if one starts to scream my name, we run.” He said and I smiled.

 

“Deal.”

With the curfew of 10pm, Qi drove happily, with Hyun sitting in the front seat, next to her.

 

 “ You know, Belle, I’ve always wanted to go shopping with you. “ Hyun suddenly stated and Qi laughed.

 

“Her fashion sense will make you want to claw your eyes out.” Qi replied

 

“Hey!”  I scowled.

 

Now, I felt like I was the third wheel. They get along very well, since Qi’s craze is fashion, and he is a Fashionista. I could imagine how horrible and excruciating today’s shopping will be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julia drove her car, at the top speed on the highway. Tears wet her face as she wiped furiously, sobbing. For the first time in her life, she finally realized she can’t have it all. Money can’t buy this.

She cursed at herself, slamming the wheel, pressing the pedal harder.

 

 

 

“Owh, Uncle Matt!” She shrieked, after walking around, eyeing the couple from afar.

 

“Julia?” Uncle Matt looked at her, and his wife was surprised too.

 

“Aunt Anne..” Julia greeted and she made up a sweet smile.

 

“You are buying grocery too?” Aunt Anne asked and she smiled, nodding.

 

“Yes.. Too bad, I can’t find what I wanted.”She made up a frown and the couple smiled.

 

“That’s a lot of things you bought.....” Julia peered into the trolley.

 

“Yes… I am planning to stock up the fridge. We have a guest.” Uncle Matt answered and they talk as they walk down the isle.

 

“Really?”
 

“Yes.. It’s Belle’s boyfriend…” Aunt Anne chirped in and Julia halted, hiding her expression.

 

“Boy-friend?” She asked and stopped, thinking.

 

“Yeah, that’s a nice kid. Seung Hyun right? He already plans to marry her, though.” Uncle Matt said and Aunt Anne smiled.

 

“Let’s not rush things, okay?” The middle aged couple exchanged smiles, feeling happy for their daughter.

 

“Let’s follow us home.” Uncle Matt said and pushed the trolley to the counter, paying for it. Julia nodded, started to plan inside her head.

 

“Don’t, Julia.” Aunt Anne suddenly said, and Julia turned her head, looking at her.

 

“I know what have you done. And between us, I love Belle, she’s my daughter.” Aunt Anne stated seriously and Julia was shocked with the statement.

 

“I’ll choose her, any other day.” Aunt Anne looked at her, and her heart fell on the ground. Aunt Anne smiled, before walking towards Uncle Matt, unloading the grocer to the counter.

 

 

 

 

Julia slammed the steering wheel again, in desperation and frustration. The statement by Aunt Anne, seemed to finally