“Why do we have to go home immediately, dad?  We've only been there for a couple of minutes,” Jessica complained in the car.

“We can always go back there.  There's something important that you need to know.”

“I understand—but do they need to follow us?” she asked really annoyed to see Donghae's car behind them.

Anger and annoyance surged in her as the Lees followed them when they entered their house—well—her dad let them in.  With heavy steps and plan to escape, she walked to the stairs but stalled when Sukjin called her.

“Where do you think you're going?  Sit with us and we'll talk.”

Fine…  Jessica Jung, calm down.

She tried to relax herself in front of them to hide her emotions.  If she failed to control it, she might burst anytime.  Seeing Donghae wasn't good for her.  She was suspicious of his actions—he looked dazed and nervous.

He better be.  He's just in front of dad and Heechul-oppa.

“This was the video tape I was talking about, Sukjin-ssi.”

He took the thing from her and setup the TV and video player.  Heechul who was standing away from them before made his way to Jessica and sat beside her.  He glanced at her to let her read his eyes.  For moral support…

“I don't need it but thanks,” she whispered to him.

The doorbell rang while they were waiting for the video to play.  “I'll go open it,” said Heechul.

Jessica raised her brows when she saw Hyukjae, his Mom and Yejin.  She can't keep herself from saying, “what is this?  A family reunion?”

“Yah!” Heechul elbowed him when he noticed that everyone was staring at her in disbelief.  “What's with the attitude?”

“S-sorry,” she apologized.

---

All of them focused on the television afterwards.  Donghae recognized the occasion on the video—it was his birthday party.  And he was with a little girl.

“Sooyeonnie~” he called her.

“Don't make fun of my name,” she pouted but he called her that way all the more.  “Sooyeonnie.”

Jessica balled her fist on top of her knees upon hearing how the boy called her.  She felt something warm in her while staring at him.  Suddenly, she remembered the picture on her bag.

Who is he?  Why am I with him...?  His eyes...  They look familiar.

Then, she looked at Donghae, who in time also looked at her.  They held each other's gaze until realization struck her.  A-aniyo.  He can't be Donghae—

“Yejin, not here—Go take the video of the guests instead,” Hyesun told her on the video but she stayed there without them knowing.

“I don't mind if they end up together—it'll give me peace of mind since I know she's your daughter,” Hyesun told Sora, seriously.  It took a couple of seconds for the latter to respond but then she smiled.

“It's fine with me.”

Sora's response shocked everyone in the living room.  Haejin couldn't help but gasp.  Hyukjae stiffened on his place; while Jessica and Donghae were more dumbstruck than the others.

“Hyesun, will you look after my daughter when I’m not around?  Will you take her as your own princess?”

“What kind of question is that?” she was flustered.  “Of course, I will.  Sooyeon is lovable, how could I not like her?”

Sora smiled at her response.  “Promise?”

“I don’t want to promise you that.  Let’s make it a deal instead,” she laughed.  “A deal on which our children will marry each other in the future.  That way, we’re sure that they’re with good people.”

She felt like stabbed and that something inside her broke down.  She breathed out in exasperation to stop herself from crying.  She had mastered the art of concealing her emotions for many years—she can't just cry in front of them.

Be strong.  “What's the meaning of this?”  She kept her head down as she waited for an answer.

“I'm sorry for failing to keep my promise to Sora…but I don't intend to forget it, I want to fulfill it now that I found Sooyeon—”

“She is Jessica,” Heechul corrected her without being rude.

“Right, but that’s actually what Sora called her—so as I was saying, I want to continue our deal.”

“But Sica's already engaged to Hyukjae,” Sukjin retaliated which made everyone silent.  “We can’t possibly cancel something which was already announced to the public.  They’ll ask many and endless questions on why we will do it.”

---

Hyukjae gritted his teeth while listening to them.  Afraid—that's what he felt now even if he expected that this will happen