Seung Ni’s P.O.V

Changmin had his hands firmly wrapped around mine, he wasn’t going to let me go, and I could sense the determination in him. We crept down the stairs slowly together, I could feel the horrible silence downstairs and the hairs on my arms stood on end. Halfway down the stairs my legs froze, no, no I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to see the disappointment on Yeon Hee’s face. I don’t want a feud to break out between the families. Changmin tugged on my hand gently, he was a step below, his eyes confused. My eyes wondered around not ready to meet him.

“Seung Ni,” he whispered.

I stopped letting my eyes wander and turned my gaze down towards him, “Changmin…” I whispered back.

He raised his eyebrows hopefully.

I buried the guilt in my heart and swallowed it down, “I’m pregnant,” I stated the obvious.

He smiled gently, “Thank you.”

We crept into the sitting room, the awkwardness thick in the air. Halmeoni had her fingers to her lip, her faced turned firmly towards the windows. She couldn’t even look at us. Changmin gave my hand a squeeze and lead us into the centre.

“We have something to announce,” he said.

I bit my lower lip.

“Yes I did meet Yeon Hee first. Yes she was my first love, she is still my first love, but then times have changed.”

I cringed, it must be so hard for him. I took a step closer to Changmin, placing my free hand onto his shoulder.

“Yeon Hee left me first. I thought I was going to go crazy. She took the air away from me, I became a working zombie. I was dead for a while, but my parents found my antidote.”

I looked up holding in the tears welling in my eyes. Since when did I get so weak?

“Seung Ni found me again, I am not going to leave her.”

I watched him turn to Yeon Hee, “I’m truly sorry Yeon Hee, I would say that I wish things were different, but then I would be lying to you.”

“Mr and Mrs Lee, I truly apologize for causing agony towards your family. I truly apologize for embarrassing your name and for all the pain that I have caused you and your daughter, it will be my greatest debt.”

Changmin and I dropped down into our most formal bow. We stayed in the same position until Mr Lee cleared his throat.

“Shim Changmin, you have truly disappointed me.” 

And that was it, we watched as Mr Lee and his wife stood up, collected their things and stalked out the door. Immediately my eyes turned to Yeon Hee, begging her for my forgiveness. The tear streaks down her cheeks made my heart break, how could I have been so selfish? As if reading my mind, Changmin squeezed my hand, pulling me closer to him. Yeon Hee kept her eyes on Changmin as she retreated out of the holiday house. I sniffed hard, it was her holiday house too, what have we gotten ourselves into. Once the door had closed, I yanked my hand away from Changmin and sank into to the couch, burying my head into my hands. No one said a word.

Changmin’s P.O.V

Hyun Joong placed a cup of tea in front of Seung Ni and sat down next to her. It has been hours since Mr Lee and his family and my grandmother left and still she had not said anything. I sighed loudly, leaning my head back onto the couch, just say something already, just waiting around is making me tense. I threw a look at her again, but now she was sipping her tea mindlessly.

“Seung Ni,” I said softly.

She kept her eyes spacial.

I sighed.

“Changmin,” Yoochun called out. 

He came in running with a bunch of papers and Jaejoong came following in with a MacBook.

“I’ve been looking over both of the contracts, there’s something wrong, it’s hidden, I missing some information.”

Seung Ni turned her head slowly towards Yoochun. He smiled back gently at her, “Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll drop the payment part of your contract, since now you’re…”

She raised a brow.

“Since now you’re pregnant,” he finished, exaggerating it a little by scooping at his stomach.

Immediately her eyebrows furrowed. “That’s the problem Yoochun,” Seung Ni sighed, “I’m not.”

There was an awkward silence. Jaejoong stopped tapping on the keyboard and looked up at me, his eyes wide.

I cleared my throat nodding, “It’s true. I had to say something to get them off our backs.”

Hyun Joong slammed a hand to his forehead covering his eyes, “No…” he sighed.

Seung Ni turned to him, her eyes wide. She looked like a kid caught mid lie.

Yoochun cleared his throat, “Well, let’s just hope they don’t find out. Our else we might have another problem.”

We all nodded silently. 

Yoochun scratched his head and turned back to the papers again, “Like I said,” he frowned, “I’m missing a few pages. Are you sure this was everything your grandmother gave you?”

I nodded, she gave me a manilla file and I just assumed that everything would have been in there.

“You sure?” Yoochun said sternly.

I nodded, “Yes, I’m not forgetful you know. Why what is it? What’s wrong?”

Yoochun frowned, shuffled through the papers and looked up at me, “I can’t find the rest of the information about the breeching of the contract.”

I frowned, “Who’s contract?”

Yoochun shifted his mouth, “Yeon Hee’s.”

My brows furrowed, I didn’t understand. Why would they withhold information? Was there something going behind our backs? Heck, there was always something going behind our backs. I ran my hand through my hair, what could it possibly be?

“Let me see,” I demanded, reaching towards Yoochun so that he could pass me the file. Once it was in my hand, I immediately got to work, flipping through the pages and reading everything carefully. I froze, indeed there was something missing, I flipped through the pages again, but I had no clue of what I was looking for.

“You said this was Yeon Hee’s contract right?”

Yoochun frowned, “That’s what I thought it was, but after reading it, I…”

I watched his face change, “That’s not the case is it?” I in some air, this was getting worst.

Yoochun nodded, “It looks like that contract was drawn up..."

My eyes narrowed, I think I knew what he was going on about.

"...for your grandmother.”

Seung Ni suddenly sat up, straightening her back, “What?” she stammered.

Yoochun brought a hand worriedly to his lips, “I think she’s hiding something from you, Changmin. This contract looks like it’s being used against her.”

Seung Ni looked at me with disbelief. 

“You mean,” I began, recollecting all the information before me in my head, “My grandmother’s been blackmailed?”

Yoochun inhaled sharply, “I believe so.”

Seung Ni’s P.O.V

The pin had dropped, suddenly it was so clear why Changmin’s grandmother was so persistent on getting him to leave me. What I couldn’t understand was, what could be so important that would cause her to ruin her grandson’s life? I was worriedly playing with my hands in my lap. Changmin looked distressed, I bet his mind was running with wild thoughts about something happening to his grandmother. I couldn’t stand watching him struggle, slowly I stood up from my seat and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

“It’s going to be okay,” I whispered to him.

I could see him trying his best to control his emotions. I pouted, “We’ll get to the bottom of this,” I promised.

Changmin turned to me a smile on his face. Somehow I knew that it had taken him all his effort just to do that. I turned my head away from him, I just couldn’t stand watching him struggle like that.

“It’s booked,” Jaejoong cried, stretching his hands above his heads. “Our flight leaves tomorrow morning to Singapore then to Korea.”

I pouted, our trip was so short and I couldn’t believe how dramatic it had already become. I thought it was just the contracts that we had to get through but now we have to figure out Halmeoni’s problems. 

I sighed loudly, pulling myself up to my feet, “I’m going to go pack,” I smiled. 

“Me too,” Jaejoong cried, closing his laptop and jumping to his feet.

I climbed the stairs slowly after Jaejoong. Yoochun was still reviewing the contracts, he had a determined frown on his face and was clicking away in his own world. I cringed, I hope we could get to the bottom of this soon, Changmin and I couldn’t stand the pressure anymore.