= Yoon Doojoon =

On the next day, I accompanied Aegi to the Shin Family’s house. She told me to use semi-formal clothes. So I used a shirt and trousers. I picked her up on her apartment then drove toward the house. Aegi showed me the direction. The house was a little bit out of town. But to my surprise, the house was located on the finest area of the town where the riches lived.

When I stopped my car on the front of the house that she pointed, I quickly looked at her with raising one of my eyebrows. I wanted an explanation on how her father’s family owned a big house. When I saw her eldest cousin yesterday, I thought he just a normal office worker like Hyunseung did. But I never thought that they were THIS rich.

Well, it wasn’t that my family was not rich either. My dad owned a big company. And so did Hyunseung’s family. But I guessed Shin family was about ten times richer than us. And they really knew on how to show it off.

Aegi seemed to understand my glance. She just rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask. I’ll explain later.”

“Alright.” I said.

We walked out from the car and came to the house. An old woman opened the door for us.

“Welcome back, Miss Aegi.” She greeted Aegi.

Aegi smiled and gave her a warm hug. “Thank you, Ahjumma.” She said then released her hug.

“It’s good to see you back here. Madam has expected you to come.” She said then looked at Aegi from up to bottom. “You look good.”

Aegi chuckled. “Thank you.” Then she looked inside where I could hear chattering voices from there and back to the old woman. “Everyone is here already?”

The old woman nodded. But her face showed that she seemed not to like whoever that presented on the house and she seemed to be pitied on Aegi for some reasons that I didn’t know.

“Thank you.” Aegi said. “I’ll be fine.”

The old woman looked at me. I just bowed. She smiled gently and told us to come inside. So I walked in with Aegi in the front of me.

“Who is she?” I asked Aegi.

“She’s the house keeper and Halmoni’s trusted person.” Aegi said then she stopped and turned to me. “Listen, Doojoon. Appa’s family is a little complicated.” She paused. “And… I must say that I’m not really welcomed on the family. Probably except for Halmoni and Tae-il oppa. So…” She tilted her head. “I hope you will understand.”

I nodded even though I still confused on why she was unwelcomed on her own family. But somehow I felt that I would know why. So I just walked along with her.

When we arrived on the middle room, the first thing that I noticed as we entered the room was the chattering that were all stopped and the gazes that were directed toward us. There were some women and men that seemed to be around our parents’ age and some girls on teenage or early 20’s. But their gazes were seemed unfriendly and unwelcomed. I looked at Aegi and she just released her sigh slowly then she continued to walk in. But I saw Han Tae-il came toward Aegi and welcomed her in warm way.

“Hy, Aegi.” He said. “I’m glad that you come.”

Aegi gave him a warm smile. “It’s Halmoni’s birthday. How can I not come?”

Tae-il chuckled in agreement. “Halmoni is on her room. She’s waiting for you there.” He turned. “Come on.” He said then wanted to walk.

“Thank you, Oppa.” Aegi said then looked at me. “Come on, Doojoon.” She followed Tae-il afterward.

I took a quick glance over the crowd before I turned to follow Aegi and Tae-il.

“They were seemed to enjoy their selves there.” Aegi’s voice made me looked at her. She was talking to Tae-il.

Tae-il just smiled. “It was omma’s idea to bring up everyone for Halmoni’s birthday. I guess she wants to show off that she had moved in to this house.”

Aegi looked at me. “Ah, Oppa.” Aegi looked back to Tae-il.

Tae-il looked at her.

“I forget to tell you that I’m going to get married soon.”

Tae-il stopped. “What?” But he seemed to be happy with the news.

“He’s my fiancé, Yoon Doojoon.”

Tae-il looked at me. I bowed at him.

“Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Yoon Doojoon.”

“Uah.” He seemed to amaze then looked back at Aegi. “You take a step ahead of me.”

Aegi just chuckled. “I’m sorry, Oppa.” She said jokingly.

Tae-il smiled then looked at me. “Yesterday you were on the café too, right? Sorry for not properly introducing my self yesterday. I’m Han Tae-il, Aegi’s eldest cousin from her father’s side.” He bowed. “It’s nice to meet you.” He looked back at Aegi and ruffled her hair. “Please take care of my little sister here.”

Aegi brushed Tae-il’s hand that messed up with her hair as she pouted. “Please stop it, Oppa. You’re messing my hair.” She fixed her hair.

Tae-il just giggled to see her.

“I know him since we’re kids. So how can he be the one to take care of me?” Aegi looked at me with frowned face. “I guess I’ll be the one who take care of him instead. He’s such a cry-baby when he was a kid.”

“Ya.” I protested.

She just stuck her tongue at me.

“Well…” Tae-il looked at Aegi. “You should introduce him to Halmoni. She will love to hear the news.” Then he pointed his finger to Aegi. “But don’t forget to invite us.”

Aegi just smiled happily. “Okay.”

Then we walked again to a room. When we walked in, I saw there was an old woman sitting on the bed. Aegi quickly barged in happily like a child.

“Halmoni~” She called the old woman as she sprung her arms wide.

The old woman smiled and stood up when she saw the granddaughter of her coming and gave her a big hug as she sat on the bed. “Aigo, you come.”

Aegi looked at her grandmother. “Of course. How can I not come on your birthday?” She said as Tae-il and I stopped not too far from the bed.

“Ah, Halmoni.” Tae-il called the old woman, making her to see him. “Guess what. Aegi has engaged.” Tae-il looked at me. “This guy here is her fiancé.”

Halmoni pushed Aegi apart without letting go her hands that held Aegi’s arms. “Really?” She asked as if she wasn’t believed to the news that she just received. But she clearly looked happy too. She looked at me and waved at me. “Young man, come closer.”

I came closer and stopped by the bed. I bowed politely at her and said, “Annyeonghaseyo, Halmoni. I’m Yoon Doojoon.”

Halmoni looked at Aegi. “Is he…?” It seemed that Halmoni knew something about me. She looked back at me. “Ah, I’ve heard a lot about you.” She said as she cackled.

I quickly looked at Aegi. What did she told about me to her grandmother?

But Halmoni diverted my attention because she patted her bed. “Come and sit here.”

I did what she told me and sat on the bed. Halmoni looked at me and studied me for a moment. Then she nodded in agreement.

“He’s a good looking young man.” She looked at Aegi. “He seems to be hard worker.”

“Halmoni thinks so?” Aegi asked.

Halmoni clicked her tongue. “Ya, young lady. Don’t underestimate an old woman’s instinct like mine. I’ve been through a lot if you compare it with yourself.”

Aegi just pouted her smiling lips. “Arraso, Halmoni.”

“But I’m glad that you’re here.” Halmoni hugged Aegi again. Then she looked at Tae-il. “Is everyone coming yet?”

“Yes.” Tae-il replied.

Halmoni released a sigh. “I guess I have to welcome them all.” She moved to the edge of the bed.

Both of me and Aegi stood up and helped her.

“But I think Halmoni doesn’t need to come out and greet them all.” Aegi told her.

Halmoni stood up and looked at Aegi. “Aish.” She muttered. “If I’m not coming out, Sooyoung will think and act as if she’s the master of this house already. I’m still not died yet. So I won’t let her to get what she wants even though she’s my own child.”

I took a glance at Aegi. She just shrugged then we followed Halmoni to outside where the guests were.

On the middle room, I saw a woman came toward Halmoni and talked to her. Then she walked around with Halmoni and gave the chance for the guests to congratulate Halmoni for her birthday. Halmoni seemed not to like to have all those people on her house. Tae-il chose to follow them reluctantly. So probably the woman was someone that he respected. Probably she was his mother.

“She’s Sooyoung ahjumma, Tae-il oppa’s mother and Appa’s oldest sister.”

I looked at Aegi as I heard her words.

“Who are these people?” I asked her.

“My aunts and uncles-in-law, cousins. And also relatives and their children. Some close friends of them and their children.” She stopped. “But the only one that related here only me, Sooyoung ahjumma’s family, including Tae-il oppa, and Sookyung ahjumma’s family.”

Then I saw a woman came toward us. I looked at her. She was dressed on classy black dress. But I didn’t like her gaze toward Aegi. It seemed that she was looking down to Aegi and disliked her.

“Sookyung ahjumma.” She greeted the woman as she bowed slightly.

Sookyung ahjumma raised her chin and looked at Aegi from top to bottom. “So you come.”

“Halmoni was the one that called me. She wants me to come.”

Sookyung ahjumma snorted cynically. “I still don’t know why Omoni took in the daughter of someone that already chose to run away from the family and admitted you as one of the legal granddaughter of Shin Family. But for us, you’re still an outcast, just like your father. So don’t be so arrogant just because Omoni favors you a lot. I’ll make sure that none of the family fortune will come to you after Omoni died.” She turned and walked away after that.

I frowned to hear what she had said. I couldn’t believe that Aegi didn’t do something about it. She used to scold someone that treated her bad like that. But she didn’t do that and just let it passed.

“What’s that?” I asked Aegi, wanting to protest.

“Just let it be, Doojoon. Try to ignore it.” She looked at me with a smile on her face. “Want to grab something to eat?” She pointed toward the food table then took my hand. “Come on.” She said then pulled me along with her.

But when we walked, I could see some unfriendly glances toward her. Clearly that they were not welcomed her onto the family and disliked her presence there. But Aegi seemed to ignore them all. She released my hand as we arrived at the table. And as a patisserie she was, she decided to taste the cake first. I just smiled to see her.

“I’ll take drinks first, okay.” I said as I patted her head and planted a kiss on her temple then walked toward the drinks table.

When I wanted to go back to Aegi, a girl teenager came to cut my step. I quickly stopped before I spilled the drinks to her pretty dress.

“Are you Yoon Doojoon, the soccer player?” She asked with bright eyes.

Ah, I know that look. She’s a fan of my soccer club, or probably a fan of me.

So, as what I used to do for fans usually, I smiled and nodded. "Yes. I'm Yoon Doojoon." I told her.

She squealed and turned toward her friends, telling them that I was the real Yoon Doojoon. Then the next thing I knew that I was forced to talk with them. Of course I couldn't be unpolite with them since they were my fans. But then, I heard the plates fell from the food table and looked at the way. The first girl who was rounded her hand on my arm smirked cynically.

"It must be that worth-for-nothing daughter of Hyunkyung ahjussi." She said cynically.

Somehow I knew that she was talking about Aegi. But I didn't like the way she talked about Aegi. And when I looked back to Aegi, I saw her being bathed by the food from top to the bottom with a young woman stood in the front of her  and poured a cold iced water to her. I frowned to see how they treated Aegi.

Gosh, I shouldn't leave her alone.

---

Update again~

This time, I brought to you the Shin Family. Like I had told you before on Chapter 19 that Shin Family was not accepting Aegi well enough because her father was left the family and also about the family's fortune. Hey, Aegi's Appa was the heir of the family and Aegi was the one that her grandparents favored a lot. So I guess they were jealous about  it.

And also, for now, no appearance of Junhyung for a while... *sigh*

Hum... I guess the previous chapter was kinda lame... But, *sigh*, I'm just being a perfectionist again in the term of writing... I'll try to lower my quality, I guess...

For all the readers, thank you for subscribing and reading this fic~ commenting would be nice~ but to see that my subscribers and view counts increased, it's making me glad too~ To the silent readers, thank you so much to take a look on the fic and read it~ I really do appreciate it, seriously~

Enjoy the story, everyone~ ^^