The silence was deafening as Joon waited for Hyunsik to speak.

News travelled fast… especially if it was as crazy as this.  An up-and-coming model claiming to be the long-lost heir of a billion dollar corporation?  The public would eat the story right up faster than a school of piranhas.  As soon as Joon had made the request to do a DNA test, social media feeds had exploded with rumors and speculations.  And, of course, Hyunsik was the first to find out in the morning.

So here he was again, in their dorm for the second time in two days… and the atmosphere wasn’t getting any better.

“This is how you’re going to figure things out?” Hyunsik asked quietly, his face creased with lines of exhaustion and anger, “By stoking the fire and throwing out more news to the media?”  He paused before he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.  Up until then, Joon had never him look so aged.  “I told you I’d do what I can with the media,” he said, “But how…”  He took a deep breath and loosened his tie with barely supressed fury.  “How am I supposed to do that now?” he asked quietly, his eyes dull with disappointment.

Joon bit his lip and lowered his gaze.  He felt so incredibly guilty for doing this to Hyunsik again and again but… what else could he do?  He had exhausted his options and could see no other way out of this.  “I’m… sorry for making you so stressed,” Joon murmured, glancing at Seungho who had been silent himself since the meeting with Jin, “But I truly believe that there is no other way to do this.”  He let out a shaky breath as he twisted his fingers together.  “The fact of the matter is… everyone wants to know who I am,” he said, feeling his gut twist with emotion, “In… including me.”  He looked up at Hyunsik with desperation in his eyes.  “I want to find out, once and for all, who I really am,” he said, his voice breaking.

Hyunsik returned his gaze and silence fell again in the room.  After a brief moment, he nodded and stood.  “I can’t say I blame you for that,” he says as he made his way to the door, “But… now that it has come to this, I need to do what I can to protect KTA and our other talents.  You understand, right?”

Understand?  Joon followed him to the door with a racing heart.  What did he mean?  There… was no way…

Hyunsik sighed and looked him in the eyes.  “Quit,” he said in a defeated tone, “Leave KTA… and do whatever it is you need to do.”

“You can’t be serious,” Seungho interjected for the first time that day, “You’re firing him in the midst of all this publicity?”

Joon was mute as he looked back at Hyunsik with shock.  He hadn’t expected this; he hadn’t expected Hyunsik to completely cut ties to save the company.  But in hindsight… did he blame him?  After all, Hyunsik was always a part of KTA; it was no surprise that he would choose the company over a troublemaking new talent. 

“I’m not firing him,” Hyunsik sighed, “I’m asking him to quit.  If I fire him now, KTA will drown in a pool of public criticism.  The public will view it as abandonment and place all the blame on us.”  He looked at Joon and said softly, “The only way for KTA to distance itself from you without being cursed at... is for you to quit yourself.  Do you understand?”

“So in the end,” Seungho said quietly, taking a hold of Joon’s arm and pulling him back, “It’s all about the money for you.”  His grip tightened as his other hand balled into a fist.  “Screw Joon,” Seungho said, “Cut your losses and get on with business…”

Hyunsik clenched his jaw as he stared at Seungho with a steely glance.  “That’s right, Yang Seungho,” he said, his voice rigid, “And you are also very welcome to quit too.  After all, you have no interest in this business, am I right?”

Joon opened his mouth in shock.  Was this really the Hyunsik he knew?  The same Hyunsik that had helped find him when he was kidnapped?  The same Hyunsik that had offered him a safe place to live?  How did things come to this?

“I’m disappointed,” Seungho said softly, “I thought… Joonie meant more to you than an employee.”

“I’m disappointed too,” Hyunsik replied, “I didn’t expect to sign up for so much trouble when I recruited you.  I never would have imagined a scenario like this even in my wildest dreams.”  Turning to Joon, he straightened his back and sighed.  “After your declaration, I can only see two outcomes for you.  You’ll either end up back at Lee-Song as the heir to a fortune… or get thrown in jail for identity theft and get slapped with a hefty fine.  If what you told me is accurate,” he said, “Then KTA has no place in your future regardless of the DNA test result.  So cut your ties now while KTA still floats.”

Joon watched as Hyunsik slipped on his shoes.  A sense of helplessness flooded him as Hyunsik straightened his clothes and reached for the door.  He wanted to reach out and grab a hold of Hyunsik’s arm.  It felt as if a family member was walking out of his life; it wasn’t too far from the truth.  Hyunsik had been the closest he had gotten to having a family.  But now…

“I’ll give you a week,” Hyunsik said softly, “I have my own explaining to do with your sponsors.  Finish up what work you have left over and…”  With a shake of his head, he made his way out into the hall and closed the door behind him.

Joon couldn’t move.  He stared at the closed door silently as his lip quivered.  Why did things have to be this way?  He didn’t blame Hyunsik; he completely understood the reasoning.  What he couldn’t understand was why he was so incapable of protecting the ones he cared about.  After what happened with Dara, Seungho had been dragged into this mess and forced to work as an entertainer against his wish.  Cheondoong’s mother committed suicide because of him and now… Hyunsik’s beloved company was in danger because of his blurry past.  

His legs gave out from underneath him, sending him crumbling to the floor in a heap.  His hands shook as he stared at the ground through his tears.  The thought of leaving KTA terrified him.  Although he had signed with the company because he had been in a tight spot, it had become a sort of solace for him.  Since moving into the dorms, he had felt as if he finally had a place he could call home.  There, he had a family… a home. 

He looked up as Seungho sat down in front of him with a sigh.  What about Seungho?  If he quit… what would Seungho do?  Would he quit too?  It seemed like too much to ask for; he had already asked Seungho to follow him to KTA.  Could he be selfish enough to ask Seungho to follow him again and leave?  

“Yah,” Seungho said softly, reaching forward and wiping his teary face, “You have snot coming out of your nose.”  Tucking his hand into his sleeve, he leaned forward and wiped Joon’s nose.  “What’s done is done, there’s no use regretting it now.  I wasn’t expecting Hyunsik-hyung to do that either,” he said with a soft sigh, “But, given the circumstances… I can’t say I blame him completely.”

“What do I do?” Joon murmured, “What can I do?”

Seungho bit his lip before he said, “There’s no use staying here anymore.  It’s only a matter of time before Song Bangna replies to your test request.  It’s better if we’re not here when that happens.  Quitting… and moving out won’t make much difference for us anyway.  It’s the test result… and the consequences of failing it that scares me.”  He cupped Joon’s face with his hands and said softly, “If I have to visit you behind bars… I’d rather we just… run away.”

To run away… Joon wanted nothing more now than to run away from it all.  To run to a place where there was no Song Bangna, no Jang Hyunwoo, and no Jang Daeho.  How great would that be?  A world where he could live in peace and laughter…  

As Joon leaned into Seungho’s touch, he let out a shaky breath.  Even though he couldn’t live in a world without those three people, he could try his best to find peace and laughter.  The first step to that would be…

“I’ll quit,” Joon said, his voice firm, “And I’ll pass the test.  And when all the dust settles… let’s move to Jeju-do and live happily ever after.”

Seungho blinked before letting out a small chuckle.  “Jeju-do…” he said, pulling Joon into a hug, “I like the sound of that.”

As Joon snuggled into Seungho’s embrace, he closed his eyes and pictured the warm sun and ocean breeze of the beautiful island.  Yes… when everything ends, they will live there.  When everything ends…

The sound of glass smashing on the ceramic tiles snapped Soyun out of her sudden shock.  She couldn’t take her eyes off of the television as the daily headlines flashed across the bottom of the screen.

“Lee Joon of KTA wants DNA test: Suspected to be long lost heir to giant Lee-Song Group”

Was she seeing things?  Did she really just see that headline flash across the television?  What sort of joke was this? 

“Noona!” Changwook called out from the family room, “What was that?  Why are you taking so long with the juice?  Your character is getting killed out here!”

Soyun let out a shaky breath as the headline appeared again.  It wasn’t a mistake; it was really in the news.  What was going on here?  When did this happen?  The last time she had bluntly asked Joon about his identity, he had been so evasive… so why would he request a DNA test now?  Was it because of the publicity?  She would have thought he’d go into hiding rather than embrace the limelight!

“Noona?” Changwook asked as he padded barefoot into the kitchen with a raised eyebrow, “Oh!  You smashed a glass?” He looked at the glass with wide eyes.

“Don’t come over here,” Soyun said, holding out a hand, “You’ll cut your feet.  Go get me a dustpan.”

Soyun watched as Changwook nodded and rushed out of the kitchen and down the hall.  She wasn’t sure what to feel other than shock.  It was a jumble inside her head she difficult to differentiate.  She felt excited at the chance to find out if Lee Changsun was still alive.  She felt nervous; what if Lee Joon failed the test?  What would happen to him?  But what she’d felt the most was anxiety for Changwook.

This wasn’t the first time he’s had to perform a DNA test; there were a few others before this.  Changwook had been smaller at the time… younger.  Without really understanding the situation, he obediently followed his mother to the hospital and let the doctors do what they needed to get done.  But… what would happen this time?  He wasn’t a naïve child anymore.  Although still adorably innocent, he was much more mature than before; he would understand in a heartbeat.  How would he react to the fact that he might have… a step-brother?

Soyun blinked away her daze as Changwook returned with a dustpan in hand.  She took it from him and began sweeping up the shattered glass, once again lost in thought.

Changwook was still young.  He was carefree and considerate; he would absolutely cooperate with another DNA test.  But what would this do to his mind and heart?  After all, the man that requested the test was someone he had considered a hero.  Ever since Lee Joon saved Changwook from the kidnappers, the boy had poured an unending amount of affection on him.  What would he do if he were to suddenly discover that very same person might be his step-brother?  He could feel happy about that but he would sense the tension and hostility between his mother and his new step-brother.  If Lee Joon passed, Changwook would be pushed into a vicious battle for the throne of Lee-Song… what would that do to him?  And what if Lee Joon fails?  Would Changwook lose him to jail?  Regardless… this could damage him.  But what could she do to protect him?

“Err…” Changwook said, snapping her out of her daze again, “I think you’ve already swept it all up…” He pointed to the floor where she had been sweeping repeatedly.  “What’s wrong with you?” he asked, frowning, “You like you just got dumped,” he said before gasping dramatically and widening his eyes, “Did Cheondoong-hyung…?”

“Yah,” Soyun said, giving him the evil eye, “Little punk.”  She shook her head as he ran out of the room cackling.  Dumping the glass into a cardboard box, she grabbed a new set of glasses and a bottle of juice.  Returning to the living room, where Changwook had resumed the game, she set down the juice on the coffee table and sat on the sofa.  She watched as Changwook sat on the carpeted floor in front of her, his attention fully focused on the television in front of him.  

“What are you doing, noona?” he asked without turning around, “Hurry and take your controller or else I’m going to steal all your gold!”  He laughed as his character found another gold chest.

“Changwook-ah,” Soyun called softly, her heart heavy with worry.  She would never admit it to the boy but she loved him like a little brother.  It was hard to describe the sense of anxiety she felt about the turn of events; she worried that all of this would change him and take away his carefree attitude.  

Changwook turned and looked at her with curiosity.  Sensing something amiss, he paused the game and scooted over to her.  Concern now on his boyishly handsome face, he asked in a gentle tone, “What’s wrong, noona?”

Soyun looked at him as she tried to figure out what to say.  What could she say to him?  How could she explain all of this to him so that he could at least prepare himself mentally for what was to come?  “If…” she started, trying to find her words, “If, one day, you found out that you had a sibling… would you be happy about that?”  She sighed inwardly; that wasn’t what she wanted to say.  

Changwook blinked and raised one eyebrow.  Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock as he backed away from her.  His jaw dropped as he pointed at her.

Soyun’s heart skipped a beat; did he know?  From the look on his face… did he know?

“You…” Changwook whispered, “You’re not trying to tell me…?”

“Listen, Changwook-ah,” Soyun said, her heart racing, “Nothing’s been confirmed-”

“Are you trying to tell me we’re related?!” Changwook asked, standing to his feet, “No!”  He held his head dramatically as he shook from left to right.  “No!” he cried as he reached a hand out to the ceiling, “It cannot be!”

Soyun felt her temper flare at his sudden display of foolish play.  Did he think she was joking?  “YAH!” she yelled suddenly, making him jump, “I’m being serious!”  She stood and grabbed his ear with her fingers.  She seethed and twisted it, making Changwook yelp.

“I was joking!” Changwook said as he slapped her hand away, “What’s wrong with you today?”  He scowled and rubbed his ear.  “Wait,” he said, his eyes widening again.

“Wh-What?” Soyun asked, unable to stop her heart from palpitating.

“Are… are you…” Changwook said as he backed away, “Are you on your period?”

Soyun could have breathed fire as she raised her hand and chased him out of the room.  Changwook cackled like a maniac as he raced up the stairs and ran into his room.  Panting from the chase and from her anger, Soyun leaned against the bottom of the staircase and tried to catch her breath.  

That little brat.  And here she was, getting grey hairs from worrying about him.  Still… her worries persisted.  She hoped that he could remain the way he was even after he finds out… was it too much to ask for?

She jumped when her phone buzzed in her pocket.  Pulling it out, she opened the new text message she’d received… it was from Park Cheondoong.

[Did you see the news?]

Biting her lip, Soyun replied with, [Yes, just now.  You too?].  After a brief moment’s pause, she received his reply.

[Yeah.  Is Changwook okay?]

Soyun smiled as she read the text.  He was worried about Changwook, as she was.  [Yes… he doesn’t know yet.] she replied.

[Will you tell him?] came his reply.

Soyun sighed as she scratched her head.  Clacking away, she replied, [I tried but the brat joked around and ran away.]  This time the pause was a bit longer before…

[It’s probably best to let things take its course.  At the very least, you’re with him so I’m not too worried.]

Soyun read the message a few times, surprised and touched at his words.  Although he was clearly worried too, he trusted that she would do her best to protect Changwook.  The thought of that made her feel another blossom of affection for him.

Sighing, she tucked her phone back into her pockets and made her way back into the living room.  Eyeing the paused game, she sat down in front of the television and resumed it.  As she maneuvered her character and stole all of Changwook’s gold, she prayed that Changwook was as strong as Cheondoong believed.  And even if he wasn’t, she would be damn sure to do everything in her power to protect him.

Author's notes:

Yay I'm back!  THANK YOU to all my readers for waiting so patiently while I was on break!  I hope I can begin updating regularly again!  More excitement coming so please stay tuned!!