It’s their fourth day alone and Jessica had gotten much better after ample rest with Taeyeon attending to her needs. The blonde had missed going home to her cousins. The news of her younger sister’s return made her all the more homesick, but Taeyeon’s company was rather welcoming.

The Kim’s presence somewhat satiated her longing for home. HQ couldn’t allow them to head home ahead since their covers would be blown should they return unexpectedly.

She was lounging inside the Kim’s huge library, basking in the tranquility that the vacation house had provided. She was now able to walk without much struggle as the body malaise had settled after her needed rest; the gauzes plastered on her injured areas now removed. As much as she felt home in this distant place, there was still a lot of things that plagued her mind. Thoughts of her family especially her younger sister’s unexpected return seemed to keep her distracted.

Jessica found herself in a pinch. She can feel that her younger sibling had smelled something amiss. Krystal has a strong intuition and it was always about her – the older sister, Jessica Jung. It benefited Jessica most of the time but right now, she finds her dongsaeng’s presence a threat. The younger Jung was very keen with details and she can decipher her older sister just based on Jessica’s behavior. That alone made the older Jung scared.

The blonde was an open book for her sister.

‘Krystal, why did you have to return?’ She thought to herself as her eyes bore holes on the page of the book that she had been reading for the past 30 minutes.

For one, Krystal would find out of her engagement with the Kim heir and the younger Jung would test the Kim of his worth. Taeyeon would be placed under stressful situations that would be manipulated by the youngest Jung and it would not be easy for him. The kid is a genius in terms of manipulating conditions and that alone made Jessica worry for the Kim and those around him.

Taeyeon was just drafted into this mess along with her and she could see how close they’ve gotten after all they’ve been through in such a short span of time. It would be hard to reason with the youngest Jung once she had set her mind on something. Jessica knew that unless she throws herself on her sister’s path, she wouldn’t be able to stop whatever her sibling was planning.

The blonde groaned. The complications of that fated moment when she first met Taeyeon back at Club Gen - who knew it would lead to all these troubles?
 

***

“Taeyeon.”

“Soo?”

“Tae, I’ve just finished our meeting with the label. Your schedules for next week have been finalized. Your new album is in the works and the producers are picking the demo songs for your tracks. This new album will feature you and your soon-to-be partner in the duo unit. As for the endorsement deal with Jung Empire, it had been settled and the audition for your duet partner has been included in it as well. As soon as you come back next week, we’ll go straight to the newest mall branch where you’ll be having a fan sign event along with a performance and an audition for your potential partner in the new duo unit.”

“Okay. Am I to judge the participants alone?”

“Not really. Sunny and I will be one of the judges as well but the last word goes to you.”

“Must Sunny be there?”

Taeyeon’s sigh could be heard by the Choi.

Sooyoung’s brows furrowed upon getting the hint that his artist might not have fancied Sunny. ‘Something must have happened for Taeyeon to react like this.’

After a pause, Sooyoung finally responded, “Yes. She will be one of your managers. And I guess your fiancée will also be present during the event. She’s the one in charge of the mall’s project, after all.”

Taeyeon crinkled his nose as he exhaled. It’s just too hard for him to swallow right now. He could feel a headache coming.

“Thanks for the info, Soo. I gotta go. I have another meeting to catch. Thanks for taking care of Hyo for me.” The Kim heir said before he hung up on his manager and best friend without even waiting for the Choi to respond. 

Right now, Taeyeon felt like he needed a glass of wine. The young man ambled down the hall towards the room that housed the family pub. He opened the double doors to find it in absolute darkness. He flipped the switch open, turning on the dimmed yellow lights that illuminated the gloomy room into a homely atmosphere for people needing a drink or two. His feet carried him to the sound system behind the bar counter and picking up a CD, he played the music compilation that suited his mood.

Smiling to himself, he took out a bottle of red wine from the shelf and grabbed a wine glass to go along with it. Placing the bottle and glass on the counter, he pursed his lips thinking that there was something missing from his ensemble of liquor. There has to be something else to go with the wine and he was looking for something sweet. He opened the small fridge behind the counter and found a bowl of cherries much to his delight.

‘This’ll do the trick,’ he thought to himself as he popped open the bottle of rouge alcohol and poured himself the drink, dunking a cherry in it before tasting the sweet treat. With a satisfied smile, he downed the glass in one go before pouring himself another one as he hummed to the tune of good music playing in the background.
 

***

Seohyun’s Suite

It was almost noon and the young lawyer found herself awkwardly observing the younger woman standing before the huge tainted glass windows that painted the metropolitan scenery before them.

Clad in a simple shirt and shorts with a glass of milk at hand, the younger woman took a sip of the warm liquid before turning to Juhyun. A smile came across the younger one’s face – one that was vividly familiar to Seo Juhyun notoriously known in the Jung Empire as Seohyun.

“Thanks for allowing me to stay here for the night, unnie.”

Seohyun returned the smile with her own uneasy one as she shifted her weight on her seat, “It was my pleasure, Krystal.”

Krystal ambled towards the young lawyer seated on the white couch, a soft smile ghosting her lips as she did. She towered before Seohyun like a typical Jung would – with all that imposing and intimidating authority oozing from her being. Seohyun felt like a small morsel of food for a hungry cat like Krystal.

“I’m sensing that you’ve wanted to ask me something.” Krystal leaned towards her, lips whispering into the lawyer’s ears.

Seohyun stiffened. This Jung sure is something, but then again, all Jungs are relatively unique in their own ways. It felt like they’re of a different species entirely though Seohyun would find it quite humorous to think that way.

A sardonic smile made its way to the young lawyer’s face, “I have wanted to ask you something, Krystal.”

“And what would that be?” Krystal straightened herself and sat a good distance beside Seohyun.

“What’s the reason for this unprecedented return?” Seohyun’s eyes narrowed at the younger one. The two were of the same age but Seohyun happened to be older than the youngest Jung by four months and Krystal had been comfortable with regarding her as an ‘unnie’. 

Krystal expression turned serious as she spoke, “I’m here to investigate on matters involving my sister.”

“Is it about the news of the merging between the two chaebols?”

“It’s about her engagement with Kim Taeyeon.”

A sigh left the Seo’s lips as she took a sip of her hot tea before replying, “So, you knew as well, huh? As expected of a Jung.”

“That’s quite a catchphrase.” Krystal remarked, “I guess you know of my intentions on insisting that I sleep here for the night, right?”

“I had a hunch that you’d be looking for answers, Krystal. And you knew just where to dig. Who would be better to interrogate than me, your sister’s confidant and the Jung Empire’s lawyer? Isn’t that the rationale why you had adamantly reasoned with Tiffany-unnie to stay here with me just because you missed my company?” Seohyun raised a brow at Krystal.

The Jung chuckled as she raised her hands in surrender, “You got me there, playmate. I guess we’ve played enough mind games in the past to see through one another.” 
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