C h a p t e r 13:

“Oh, annyeonghasaeyo, Shim JiJae, imnida,” she introduced herself and bowed. Mrs. Kim’s eyes widened in shock. ‘Th-This child. She’s the girl who left the Shim family because of Mr. Kang and Jin. Does she know about her father?’

“U-Umma, gwenchena? Do you…hate her?” JaeJoong asked in sadness. JiJae just stared at Mrs. Kim sadly and anxiously.

“Anio, JaeJoong. She seems like your real childhood friend you love. She seems so innocent and kind,” Mrs. Kim answered with a smile on her face. She extended her hand to JiJae. “Nice to meet you, JiJae.” A big smile formed on her face.

“Oh, nice to meet you, too Mrs. Shim,” JiJae said happily.

“Call me Aujuma or if you want…umma,” she said with so much meaning.

“U-Umma?” JiJae questioned, tears about to form in her eyes. She nodded.

“U-Umma, I came here with JiJae because…I was hoping that you can help her. Y-You know that she doesn’t have any parents and I was hoping that you can be an umma for her,” JaeJoong explained. Mrs. Kim smiled and walked up to them.

“I would love to, if only JiJae would accept me, JaeJoong~ah. She just can’t come to me about her personal life or anything without her consent. You need to understand that she needs to trust me first,” Mrs. Kim explained.

“Araso, I think it was a bad idea to…”

“Oppa,” JiJae called, tears flowing down her cheeks, “It’s not a bad idea. A-Aujuma, I do trust you. Your company is like…working smoothly. I say it works for someone trusted,” JiJae said with a smile.

“See JaeJoong. I like her even more,” she said. “JiJae~ah, is there anything wrong?” JiJae looked up at her and slightly nodded. “What is it?”

“Ever since my parents died and Ms. Kang had to take over, my life is a living wreck. Am I supposed to be expected to be all elegant and be lady-like? I never did try to act like that. Now I got kicked out of the family. It bugs me how I don’t know how my appa died,” she said as tears flow down her face much more. “It’s been bugging me all the time. There’s still investigation and seems like that it’s going to take years. I just have a feeling that bad things will happen with me and JaeJoong.”

“JiJi, why didn’t you tell me this?” JaeJoong asked sadly.

“Mianhe oppa. I don’t know what to do,” JiJae said.

“Honey…I-I’m still trying to figure out on who killed your father,” Mrs. Kim confessed.

“Bwoh?” both JiJae and JaeJoong questioned.

“Look, JaeJoong I never told you this but…JiJae’s father and I were business partners. It was working very smoothly. I guess he never told you huh, JiJae?” she asked and JiJae nodded. “Ever since his sudden death, our business split since Ms. Kang didn’t want it as one. She changed her mind, but it was too late. Ours were bigger and I was told that JiJae’s father set up a blind date before for JiJae and JaeJoong, except Jin went I guess. I’ve seen a picture of JiJae before, so that’s why I thought how something smelt pretty fishy. I’m still trying to find more information.”

“You didn’t tell me?” whined JaeJoong.

“Mianhe, JaeJoong, but I had to be sure.”

“Who do you think killed him?” JiJae asked very seriously.

“Mollayo. It’s very hard to know. We’re still trying to figure out who,” she said.

“Oh…it’s okay. I-I’ll find out too. I still need to go back to the house and search, but it’s either Jin or Ms. Kang is inside so I can’t,” JiJae said.

“What do you think is in there?” Mrs. Kim asked suspiciously.

“Mollayo, clues? A will? Anything,” she answered.

“Hmm…we’ll try araso? I promise you…this will be solved,” she said.

“Thank you so much,” JiJae said and hugged her as she quietly sobbed.

“Don’t worry. Your father and mother were such good people.”

“I know they were.”

JaeJoong smiled, happy to see that they may be closer about JiJae’s past. Possibly, she can calm down more.

“JiJae~ah, let’s go eat, hmm?” JaeJoong asked.

“Will you guys come back and visit?”

“Araso we will,” said JaeJoong. “Bye.”

“Bye, Aujuma,” said JiJae and followed JaeJoong out the building.

Mrs. Kim sat back down, looking at the papers. She looked at the documents carefully. ‘That woman and Jin…such snobs,’ she thought.

It was the afternoon and JiJae and JaeJoong headed back to the apartment for lunch. They came in, seeing JunSu playing video games with YooChun. ChangMin walked in happily.

“JiJae, can you make me some porridge?” ChangMin asked.

“Neh,” JiJae answered.

“Make everyone porridge,” JaeJoong pouted. JiJae turned and smiled.

“Anio, I’ll make…ramen for you guys and ChangMin~oppa some porridge,” JiJae said so innocently.

“JiJi…” JaeJoong whined.

“Joongie…” JiJae mocked. JaeJoong pouted and gave her puppy eyes. She gave in. “Araso.” JaeJoong smiled and gently kissed her.

“Yah! No kissing!” ChangMin yelled. Both ignored and laughed in the kiss.

“Araso, I’ll make porridge,” JiJae said and walked in the kitchen.

JaeJoong sat on a couch, watching JunSu and YooChun playing. He smiled to himself, having his perfect girl.

“Hyung, why are you smiling?” JunSu asked happily.

“I have the perfect girl,” JaeJoong simply answered.

JunSu smiled and returned back to his game with YooChun. JaeJoong stood up, walking back to the kitchen. He walked up to JiJae who was working at the stove. Suddenly, he hugged her from behind.

“Oppa, you scared me,” JiJae said.

“Mianhe, JiJi,” JaeJoong said.

“It’s alright. Wanna help?” she asked.

“Sure” he answered. She told him some instructions and he followed. “JiJae, after dinner, do you wanna go out and just take a walk?” She turned to him with a warm smile.

“I’d love that, oppa,” JiJae said.

Everyone finished eating. YunHo suggested to clean and have JiJae and JaeJoong just have their walk. The couple couldn’t refuse and headed out. They held hands and walked around the city. JaeJoong’s arm was around her shoulder and he held onto her tightly, never wanting to let go. They sat down on the swing set, staring at the starry sky. JaeJoong soon got something out of his pocket. JaeJoong stood behind her, putting on a necklace which startled her.

“Oppa,” JiJae called him.

“Here’s a gift. It’s a necklace. It’s a star and moon. I’m the moon and you’re the star,” JaeJoong said.

“Hmm…wae?” JiJae asked with a smile.

“Because, the moon needs the star and the star can’t leave the moon. Also…the moon can’t leave his star,” JaeJoong said.

“Gomawo oppa. I will never take this off,” JiJae said.

“Good.”

Both chuckled and JaeJoong leaned in to kiss her. Happily, she kissed him back.

“JiJi?” JaeJoong asked.

“Yeah?” JiJae responded.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too, oppa.” It was soon silent as they just sat down. “Oppa…you’re umma is really kind.”

“Neh, she is. I wish she told me about the blind date thing. Like, she could’ve shown me the picture of you,” said JaeJoong.

“Hey, it’s a blind date. You’re not supposed to know who they look like and know they’re names until you meet them,” JiJae said.

“But still. Ruin the surprise for me then.” She lightly laughed at his statement.

“Oppa, it’s the past. Just forget that, k?” she said.

“Araso.”

“Good, Joongie,” JiJae said and pinched his cheek.

“Yah!”

“You’re so cute.” JaeJoong pouted at her. “Okay, you’re just being ugly.”

“I’m not ugly,” JaeJoong whined.

“Oppa, I’m just playing with you and you know that,” JiJae said.

“Sure you are,” JaeJoong said. JiJae got up and started walking away sadly. “JiJi, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said and continued walking. JaeJoong started walking up to her. She turned and stuck her tongue out and ran away.

“Hey!” JaeJoong yelled and chased after her around the park.

Both were laughing. JiJae stopped by a tree and panted for her air. She turned seeing JaeJoong coming closer and she ran faster and faster. She looked back seeing him speed up to her. She quietly squealed and turned back around, accidentally bumping into someone. Fortunately, no one fell and got hurt.

“YAH! SHIM JIJAE WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING!”

“Mian…oh never mind, Jin!” JiJae said.

“Bwoh? You’re not going to say sorry to your own unnie?” Jin asked with a smirk.

“Anio,” she said and started to walk away. Jin turned her around and slapped her face. “Yah! What was that about?!

“JiJi! Gwenchena?” JaeJoong asked as he breathlessly ran to her. He saw Jin and coldly glanced at her and softly back to JiJae. “Let’s leave, araso?”

“Kim JaeJoong!” Jin said happily.

“What do you want?” he asked coldly.

“JaeJoong~ah, don’t you wanna talk to me someday?” Jin asked.

“I have nothing to talk about. I know you have nothing to talk about but lies, Jin,” JaeJoong said. “JiJae, let’s go home?”

“Araso,” JiJae said and both started walking away.

“Fine then! Shim JiJae, one message! You’ll always be a weakling!” she yelled.

“I’ll never be weak Jin! I am strong! You’re the one who’s weak, just listening to your umma and just wanting fame and money like her! Why can’t you just fight for what you want?! Gosh! I thought you were the nice unnie when I very first met you who always dreamed to be a fashion designer. You always told me to be stay strong!” Jin then just furiously walked away.

They stopped walking and JaeJoong looked at her with concern. JiJae stared at the ground, looking as if she was either pissed or about to cry.

“JiJi, gwenchena?” JaeJoong asked.

“That Jin…thinking that she’s so powerful at anything. She thinks she can get anything she wants, thinking that she will win everything too. That’s not true and someday, I will beat her oppa,” JiJae said. “I’m not weak. Not anymore.” He smiled at her confidence.

“You’ve never been weak araso? Now c’mon.”