He ran to the emergency room, “Where is my sister?”

“Moon Nayeon, the gunshot victim right?”

His heart sank hearing that. “Yes,” Sangwon confirmed.

“Go past the double doors and your family will be in the private waiting room.”

Sangwon thanked the receptionist then ran down the hall. Immediately he heard familiar voices and followed it. In the room were the Moon family, the Choi family, Lee Wang, and Jinki. Jinki was sitting hunched over with blood on his hands and clothes. Sangwon released a shaky breath, knowing that blood was Nayeon.

“Sangwon,” Chanyeon called, gathering everyone’s attention on him.

“How is she?”

“I don’t know, the doctor hasn’t notified us anything yet,” Chanyeon responded.

He turned to Jinki, “What happened?”

“It’s all my fault,” he mumbled, “it was supposed to be me, not her.”

A doctor came in and everyone stood up.

“Doctor, how is my wife?” Jinki asked.

 “It didn't hit any vital organs, which is good, but it sure did explore.” The doctor put her clipboard down, “She suffered two gunshot wounds to the right shoulder and lost a lot of blood. The good news is the impact wasn't enough to go through her. However, we do have some bad news.”

“What is it?” Sangwon asked this time.

“Like I mentioned, she lost a lot of blood and will need a transfusion immediately. The patient has a rare O- blood that we unfortunately ran out of. At this moment, we ask that her parents donate some to save her life.”

Jinki turned to her parents. Both of them looked so undignified it released rapid anger inside of him. “Well,” he roared, “come on, she’s dying! Do something!”

Kyungjoo gave his wife a disdained look. Chunah looked at her husband, “Why don’t you ask her real father?”

Jinki’s eyes widened. Sangwon couldn’t believe it. He shook his head in confusion. Chanyeon’s jaw dropped, unsure of what the situation was unfolding. Meanwhile, Aeyoung seemed entertained about what was going to ensue.

Chunah walked over to Choi Moogyu, “Did you hear that,” she screeched at him. She hit him in the chest, “Your daughter is dying!” She pushed him, “Go do something about it!”

“What are you talking about, you crazy ?”

Chunah scoffed, “Don’t act like you don’t know. I'm not the one with O- blood. It takes two to make a baby; I wasn't the only one who cheated 24 years ago.”

The whole room went silent. Moon Nayeon was the illegitimate love child of Jo Chunah and Choi Moogyu; not Moon Kyungjoo. Sangwon and Chanyeon felt a deep sense of confusion and anguish. Their sister was not their sister.

“Mom, what are you talking about?” Chanyeon asked

“You heard me right. Nayeon’s father isn’t your dad’s. It’s that bastard right there!” Chunah spat as she pointed to Moogyu.

Minrin was stunned by the revelation. She then remembered how Minho brought Nayeon over to their house, ready to take advantage of her. Instantly, she felt disgust brewing in her stomach.

Moogyu looked at his wife and laughed, “I-I don’t know what she’s talking about, she’s crazy.”

Jeon In-hwa stepped away from her husband, revolted by what was revealed.

Jinki grew impatient.

“I don't care what happened,” he snapped, “I just want my wife to live. These personal matters can be discussed later but please help save my wife. She can only take O- blood and I’m O+.”

“Sir,” the doctor said to Choi Moogyu, “are you O-?”

Moogyu looked at everyone with regret in his eyes.

“Yes, I am,” he confirmed.

“If we want to save her life, we need to get that transfusion done now. Please, follow me.”

Moogyu dodged the stares that were on him and followed the doctor.

Lee Wang stood up and buttoned his coat. “Well it looks like things will be taken care of from here.” He looked at Moon Kyungjoo with disgrace; Kyungjoo felt it immensely. “Let me know how my daughter-in-law is doing, okay son,” he told Jinki.

Every filial word that came out his sentence felt like a blow to Kyungjoo’s ego. He had taken care of a child that was not his. His wife was unloyal to him. He felt the shame all over again. Before he unleashed his rage to his wife, a nurse came in.

“Choi family, the patient is ready to be seen now. His room is just nearby here.”

Minrin nodded for Minho’s mother to follow the nurse. She knew that the Moon family needed to have a personal discussion at the moment. The family followed the nurse to Minho’s room.

Jinki left the waiting room, needing a moment to process everything that went down. A nurse walked by and he stopped her.

“Excuse me, which room is my wife’s? Her name is Moon Nayeon.”

“Oh, she is right by the private waiting room. We just finished cleaning her up for surgery, you may see her for a moment while we prepare the operating room.”

“Thank you.”

Jinki walked to her room and saw her resting lifelessly on the bed. He took a step in her room.

“Finally, I feel like it was so easy to tell she wasn’t one of us.”

Jinki stopped.

“How did you know?” Sangwon asked, “Is that why you were so mean to her growing up?”

Jinki’s head turned to look at the waiting room next door.

“I overheard mom and dad arguing one day,” Aeyoung explained.

“Shut your mouth,” Kyungjoo scolded at his daughter.

Jinki walked into the room and jeered in disbelief.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now.” He turned to Aeyoung, “She’s been shot and you’re relieved to hear about something else? Why are you even here? Are you a ing demon?”

Aeyoung’s eyes widened in disbelief, “What the did you just say to me?”

“I don’t even need to argue with a soulless snake like you,” Jinki swore, “Because no matter how horrible you try to make Nayeon feel, you’ll always be more miserable than her. Remember that.”

“You are crossing your boundary,” Kyungjoo told him.

“So you step in for Aeyoung but you can  ignore all the abuse Nayeon has suffered from both her mother and sister?” Jinki began to grow madder, “You raised her, didn’t you? Does that not mean anything to you? How do you call yourself a father?”

“You bastard!” Kyungjoo rose his hand to hit him.

“Do it; hit me! If you’re capable of hitting me for being right so I’d like to see you punish yourself for being a spineless fool.”

His chest heaved up and down. He pointed to her room, “Apologize to her,” he said calmly at first. Rage and despair were burning in his heart. “All her life she believed she did something wrong but it was you who was at fault.” He looked at his mother-in-law, “How can  you treat your daughter like this? She is innocent! The only person who you should be mad at is you!” 

Without his acknowledgment, his eyes stung as the tears balled up. With so much fury in his chest, the sweat and tears mixed with one. His face was red and perspirating from the injustice.

“Apologize,” he demanded again, screaming this time.  “Apologize to her right now so her soul will be at peace. Apologize so she will wake up! I can't let my wife die knowing she was the problem! She needs to know the truth so apologize to her right now!”

Sangwon took the hysterical man away from the group. He cried on his brother-in-law's shoulder, hitting him out of frustration. 

“How could they do that to her? How could they just torment her for being born? She didn’t choose to enter the world this way, how could a mother be so cruel to her own child?”

“I don’t know. I’ll never know,” Sangwon replied, almost dazed from the truth.

Jinki looked at his wife in the room, connected to wired and cords that measured her life rate. He walked in and tenderly caressed her, “My love,” he inhaled then exhaled a coughing cry, “my love, please wake up.” He hugged her and cried in her chest, “you don’t deserve any of this. You don’t deserve their cruelty. I’m so sorry for everything you’ve endured. Please wake up and we can make this all go away.” 

Sangwon looked at the man pleading for his wife’s life. His face scrunched and the pain in his heart deepened then devoured him completely. His knees dropped to the floor and he deeply sobbed. 

“Nayeon-ah, I’m sorry,” he wept.

He got in a full bow position and cried onto the floor. “I’m sorry I couldn’t have protected you better as a brother,” his voice echoed in his core, “Please wake up.” 

Sangwon remained in that position and repeated his apologies. Chanyeon wandered over and saw the scene in front of her. She stood next to her bowing brother and grieved with her head down. 

“Nayeon-ah,” she slowly sobbed, “I’m sorry.” She began to get in the full bow position, “I’m so sorry for not protecting you.” Chanyeon’s cries grew more and more intense, “Please forgive me. I’m at fault, please forgive me and wake up. I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened to you.”

Jinki looked over his shoulder then to his wife. A teardrop rolled down her face and he gently wiped it.

“Don’t wander off too far. Listen to my voice and don’t leave me. I don’t know how to live without you, my dear wife. Please,” he pleaded, “please wake up.”

The doctor knocked on the door and everyone stood up. They wiped their tears then faced the medical professionals.

“The transfusion will be taking place now.” 

The nurse prepared to take her.

Jinki nodded then grazed her cheek one more time, “When you’re all done, let’s go home, baby.”

She waited for all of his family members to leave before entering. After his brother and his wife left, Minrin went in the room to see Minho. His head and arm were bandaged. The doctors said he suffered a mild concussion from falling so hard immediately after he was shot and he suffered a grazed bullet wound on his left arm.

He’s fine, Minrin thought. Nothing can kill, Choi Minho.

“You’re awake?” 

Minho nodded.

“Good,” Minrin crossed her arm. “I’m leaving you,” she stated simply, not wanting to waste any more time.

“What?” He sat upon his bed, “You’re kidding.”

She shook her head, “I’ve paid off my family’s debt so I’m free from you.”

“Minrin, stop you’re being irrational.”

“No, what’s irrational is you using me to somehow fight Lee Jinki. I won’t allow my life to be your tool to boost your ego.”

“My parents will never agree to this.”

“From what I can tell, your parents have a bigger issue regarding an illegitimate daughter. I’ve paid my dues so I’m free to walk.”

“Minrin, please,” he began to plead, “Why are you doing this? Don’t you love me?”

“I don’t love you; I never did and I never will. You’ve done horrible things to me that make it completely impossible for me to stay with you.”

She turned for the door but was stopped by him. Minho jumped out of his bed and cradled her in a decapitated hug.

“Please don’t leave me.”

“Let me go,” she urged, trying to break from his hold.

He turned her around then looked into her eyes.

“Tell me you’re kidding. You love me right, I know you do.”

Minrin shook her head and mockingly grinned, “Your concussion is that bad, right? You’ve completely lost your mind, haven’t you?” Her eyes widened and her body trembled. “I hate you so much that being in this position with you makes me want to hurl. You’ve single-handedly made me the unhappiest woman to ever live on this earth and I can’t wait to never see you again.”

“Minrin,” he pleaded, “please, I love you.”

She shook her head then scoffed, “Love? You love me?” She laughed, making jump up and down, “You don’t love me, Minho. You enjoy using me and I’m not letting you do that to me anymore.” 

She pushed him off of her and he fell back on the floor. 

“If you ever cross me again, I will have your arrests and place a restraining order with you. Your psychotic game is over.”

Minrin opened the door and slammed it shut. Minho pounded his fists on the ground and shouted in defeat. 

As she walked down the hallway, she felt a huge sense the burdens lift off her chest. She pressed the elevator door and got in. Immediately, her chest heaved up and down and she began to cry.

She remembered the conversation she had with Jinki just weeks before.

Minrin couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t sure her ears were hearing correctly.

“You want me to work with you guys?”

Jinki nodded, “I’m very pleased with the speed and quality of HG Constructions. You took a two-year project and made it possible within less than a year. I would like to keep working with your company for future projects.” Jinki gave her an expecting look, “Would that be something you’d be interested in?”

Minrin couldn’t believe it. Then she realized something. 

“But what about your father,” she asked.

“I would have HG as my independent contractor for my projects. If you agree, we would be working together without my father’s involvement. It would be strictly between me and your company.”

Minrin couldn’t help but feel a huge sense of relief.

“That would also mean,” Jinki included, “that you wouldn’t need to rely on Minho’s family for projects anymore.” He smiled, knowing how impactful his words were to her. “What do you say, old friend? Would you be my partner?”

Minrin nodded, “Yes I would. Thank you so much.”

“I’m free,” she cried to herself, “I’m finally ing free.”