Hwagyo = Chinese immigrant to Korea 

When Jieun stepped into her dwelling, it was a déjà vu; there was her father seeping tea from the clay cup and Lu Junyi sat across him- similar to two days ago. Jieun briskly nodded at the elders and readily to go upstairs, but she abode and spun, fixing her gaze at the guest.

Fresh-faced, delicate features, handsome to the extent of beautiful- he could be the exact replica of that lad from earlier!

Lu Junyi...Lu Junyi...Lu...Meizi.

Amused, Jieun, without reservation, gave out a long 'oh' and drew the adults' attention. They did not notice earlier when Jieun first came in, but now they did, the first thing they noticed were the dirty brown spots on the girl's white top. However, her unperturbed expression brought out an unexplainable temperament that made it believable that the shirt was originally designed like that. It was the way Jieun carried herself, her unassailable confidence from her body gesture and all made it natural for others to comply her. Just like Lee Taewon.

Languidly, Jieun went to her father's side and began to fill the drinking cups with freshly brewed green tea, but her eyes never left Lu Junyi.

"Uncle Lu, do you, perhaps have a son?"

Lu Junyi definitely heard of Lee Taewon's daughter, as well as the aphorism of getting her favour would definite a business dealing with the Lee's. Even if it was a just a rumour, the fact that Jieun voluntarily accosted with him, Junyi could not help but to feel overjoy.

"Oh, yes! Just one boy, but he can be such a headache, always cause troubles for me. Now that you say it, I think you two are in the same campus!"

Jieun's lips broke into a smile, one that was enough to send Junyi into a momentary daze.

"I suppose...Uncle Lu's son is...Lu M-Luhan?"

"You know each other?"

Almost slipping his son's new found name by Jieun, the father did not even realise, for he could only finally thought that his son was useful for this one time. If Luhan were good friends with Jieun, then it would not be hard to nail down an agreement from the Lee's.

It was fascinating for Jieun that a father and son could be so alike; Junyi was simply an older and more matured version of Luhan. quirked into her renowned mischievous smile as she recalled how the similar pair of eyes in front were blazed with flame when Luhan grabbed her collar.

"Oh, we know each other real well." With that, Jieun excused herself and feeling more light-hearted than she should.

Lee Taewon only curiously raised his eyebrow at his daughter's 'good friend' that he never heard of while Junyi had mixed feelings- happy that his son affiliated with Jieun; anxious that his insensible son might have caused enough trouble to bring tragedy upon their family.

It turned out that things likely to be on the dark side when Junyi reached home just in time to see his son threw a bundle of red from his room, roaring for their maid to get rid of it. Inadvertently, he saw patches of a darker shade of dye on the shirt, unattractive and grimy compared to the rich red. Junyi was about to dismiss it until he remembered seeing something similar to the stains- they resembled the ones he saw on Jieun's outfit. Junyi's eyes twitched involuntarily as he was brewing anger like tea in a pot and finally shouting his only son's name venomously.

The next day, much to Luhan's displeasure, he was forced to visit the Lee's. Unlike the host, Junyi simply could not stay still and repeatedly glared at his son that did not bother to hide his impatience.

"Jieun-ah, I heard what happened between the two of you. I know this brat always up for nothing good, but to the extent of bullying a girl?"

Junyi's face got redder and his voice rose higher as he spoke and eventually grabbed his son's collar.

"Today I will have him to apologise to you properly. I do hope Jieun can be lenient to him this once."

At first, Lee Taewon was taken over by the flustered and exasperated side of Lu Junyi that had only been modest and humble from before. Then, his expression slowly changed to one similar to Jieun's enigmatic glee, interestedly watching on.

Whereas for Luhan, everything was a bitter pill to swallow; he had not even placate his outrage from what Jieun did and he was already in the aftershock of his father's sudden outburst. The questioning turned to an interrogation and then the sentence of the feather duster- his father was beyond mad even before he could finish saying what happened. It took the wind out of Luhan when his father finally gave him the main reason of punishing him; Luyi Corporate was hoping for an important partnership from the Lee's.

Under the fiery glare of his father, Luhan walked up to Jieun in a fit of pique, ready to give an apology, but the smug look from her, he swallowed it. Screw the pride of a man, the feather duster and whatsoever; he was not going to eat humble pie, not now, not in the future! At his son's silence, Junyi resisted the urge to throw the antique vase right beside him towards Luhan.

"Luhan!"

"I ain't doing it! She's the one at fault, why should I say sorry?"

"So it's not wrong to bully a girl? Are you asking for more punishment?"

"Hit me all you want! Even if I die, I'll not say sorry too!"

Looking how the father and the son screaming each other heads off, Taewon could not help but to feel the rumble in his chest. Until he could not resist it anymore, Taewon replaced his laughter with fits of cough. Yet, Jieun chortled right into their face and the argument stopped instantly. Junyi was because he remembered he was at the Lee's and he had certainly displayed an ill demeanour. On the other hand, Luhan was only aggravated further by Jieun's guffaw, his piercing gaze spoke it all- if only stare could kill.

"Uncle Lu, it's really not Lu Meizi's fault."

In an instant, the Lu's face darkened and Junyi finally understood his son's anger and behaviour. Whether intentional or not, Jieun continued using her nickname for Luhan while nonchalantly swaying her fan.

"I was the one who troubled Lu Meizi and spilled the coke on him. So-"

Jieun's eyes turned into a crescent shape as she smiled, "Sorry, Lu Meizi."

Luhan was not consoled by Jieun's apology not when she emphasized on the nickname she had for her.

"And, uncle Lu. There's no need to force him to say sorry. Who does dad want to work with is up to him, I never mattered."

Junyi had always been confident in persuading and leading others, but now not only he failed to do so, he was also 'lectured' by a barely grown-up girl. Nevertheless, a gentleman he was, Junyi did not get angry of this embarrassment instead he looked ashamed. Everything fell into an awkward silence and Taewon was quick to step in.

"Alright, this is a misunderstanding between youngsters that will pass on after a while. Jieun is rather spoiled and I'm sure Lu Mei- Luhan had a hard time because of her. Let's not meddle into their affair and let it be solved by themselves." Taewon was flustered under the penetrating gaze of Luhan despite he held his tongue just in time not to say the boy's epithet.

Figuring it was time to leave the adults alone, Jieun simpered at Luhan.

"On behalf of my apology, let me bring you to our garden, some of the flowers just blossomed."

 Luhan's fist opened and closed when Jieun still had a smile on which he found it perturbing. A satan's child, he though; how could one be so hateful in every action did and expression shown.

〜❅〜

Habitually, Jieun palpated the finely interweaves jewelry chains around her neck and stopped right at the place where it was weighed down by an unmatched accessory. Her steps on the staircase slowed down as well.

"Lee Jieun is simply too much! Look what had she done to Luhan oppa!" This bittered-tone belonged to Sena, seemingly to have forgotten that in actual she was the one who started all this.

"I know, right! Luhan oppa is your crush after all. She just likes to push people around." Yerim grumbled, clearly fed up of Jieun.

"She's just so obnoxious! Now we can't even get close to Luhan anymore." Of course, Eunhwa joined the snivelling.

"Never mind about Suho oppa, but now Luhan oppa too! There aren't any boys that are as good-looking as them..."

Jieun never cared who said the last words, it did not matter, so did their backlash because she never expected them to be loyal.

Expectation is the root of all heartache; Jieun knew this all along.

However, being indifferent of their badmouthing did not mean she would allow it. The trio clamped their mouths shut when the 'heroine' of their malicious talk brushed pass them followed with a scoff and a frigid glance. Tentatively, the trio timidly went to Jieun during break time and seeing how she nonchalantly looking out to the window, ignoring them- made it even more nerve wrecking. All this time with Jieun, they might not know her well, but they were certainly well aware of those who offended would turned up bruised the next day, worse never appeared.

Three of them stood around, looking at each other until Sena, the one who usually talk to Jieun spoke up first.

"Jieun, just now...just now we meant no harm.."

They fidgeted when Jieun kept silent and this time it was Eunha that tried, almost choked with her saliva due to nervousness.

"We're sorry, Jieun! We shouldn't...we just think that it went...slightly overboard...you know with Luhan oppa..."

Jieun's closed eyes fluttered, she did not think they felt only 'slightly overboard' with how accusing of their tone from earlier. Growing up under a commercial environment, Jieun had heard enough of the wheeling-and-dealing in this field, hence always kept a distance and be guarded of others. Nonetheless,  no matter how shady a dealing could be, there would still be an emphasis on 'sincerity' to a certain degree. For Jieun, those who lacked sincerity were not worthy of living among people. Now facing three such people, Jieun finally spared a look at them and smiled; whatever words Yerim had on her tongue were bit back as she, together with the other two saw the familiar gleam in Jieun's eyes.

"...Sorry, you say?"

Jieun grinned wider at the sight of the three's vigorous nodding.

"Then, run around this building and shout 'I'm a shameless bigmouth'...." Jieun's finger traced along the curve of her chin before continuing, "For ten laps."

Jieun only raised her eyebrow at the trio that turned mute together with their discoloured cheeks. Cocking her head and never lessened the smile on her face, Jieun's forefinger thumped lightly on the table.

"You're sorry right?"

Soon enough, echoes of 'I'm a shameless bigmouth' were heard and gathered the attention of other students. Everyone instantly recognized they were the trio who followed Jieun around because they had given others a hard time no lesser than Jieun, Hence rather than feeling pitiful for their current state, they thought they deserved this.

Suho was not particularly curious of the crowd that gathered at the Art Building until some of the bystanders mentioned Lee Jieun's name.

"Lee Jieun is surely ruthless, doing this to her minors too."

At the mention of Lee Jieun, Suho automatically went to the front line of the crowd. The three running figures were clearly out of breath, but they were still chorusing, albeit weakly of what Jieun asked them to. The humility brought tears to their eyes and not the slightest empathy from the onlookers.

Perhaps it was telepathy or just simply that Jieun was standing at the place she knew Suho would definitely look at; Suho spotted the familiar blonde hair a few floors above right away. At times like this, Suho strongly felt the hate inside him- towards Jieun's despising smile but harmless clear eyes, towards the way she gazed up tp the sky, towards himself because he thought she looked lonely at that split moment.

From anywhere Jieun could feel the only burning gaze belonged to Suho and she lowered her gaze to meet the owner of the laser stare. Ignoring his display of frustration, Jieun, as usual gave him the smile that was dedicated only to her parents and him. It was a smile that was voide of coldness and haughtiness, leaving only the genuine feelings that mirrored the fondness in her heart. Again, out of reflex Suho scorned at Jieun's smile, giving his last enraged stare, he turned and left Jieun the back view she often saw.

When the trio went back to the classroom to report themselves, aside from the scattered sketchings and music sheets, Jieun was already long gone. She found it meaningless to stay the moment Suho walked away. However, quietude and Jieun were like two separate parallel lines, hardly met; not long after leaving the scene, she heard her name again. This time it came from the conversation of three boys.

"Lee Jieun is really a nightmare, even those who stick close to her will get such humiliation."

"Please, an affluent second generation like her is inherited with no conscientious scruples. Such thing is probably one of her little games."

"There must be a reason for her twisted personality...I heard that her mother was one of those es hwagyo-"

"Apparently, the world has an increased population of gossipers."

The boys were about to give a scolding to the offender, but speaking of the devil, Jieun's appearance almost scared off their souls. This time, Jieun did not even have her taunting smile on and straight went to grab the collar of the last boy that spoke, icily questioned.

"Who did you say was a e hwagyo?"

Jieun's fury seeped in like a silent blizzard, those two standing aside was stoned to their feet, let alone the lad that was grabbed by the collar.

"You can about me all you want, but do that to my mum means your life is over!"

Jieun was small compared to the boy, her slap at most only caused the boy to stumble, but he was dazed and his weak legs failed to keep him stable, hence tumbled over.

Jieun was not satisfied at this and about to give another hitting until her thin wrist was grabbed and nearly crushed by an immense strength. She could barely stopped herself from beging dragged towards the strong force and a loud voice intruded her ears.

"Lee Jieun! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jieun eyes darted angrily on Luhan and Naeun that showed up. Naeun's virtuous eyes were projecting the silence condemn of her unforgivable action and Suho's face floated into her mind for a fleet moment. Jieun's eyes were as cold as ever, so did her voice despite the blossom of a smile.

"Let go."

Luhan's veins on his temple throbbed when the girl in front triggered the flashback of how he was treated back at her house- taking him around the garden turned out to be herself sitting on the swing and he was left on his own.

"Never mind you cussing out on me, but don't touch my friends!" Luhan tightened his grip on her hand while the boy who fell was helped up by the other two.

"Let go." Jieun's face showed nothing but a raised eyebrow. No wonder she found the boy she spanked earlier familiar. 

"Don't think my father is in need of your father's favour meant you could do all this bull to me!"

Jieun's face no longer remained aloof when the pain on her wrist was too much for her to bear.

"ing let go of my hand!" With all the strength she could muster under the suffering, she sent her leg to Luhan's stomach in exchange of her freed, red wrist and a crouched Luhan with Naeun dashing to his side. Even with her good temper, she could not resist yelling at Jieun.

"Why are you so brutal and violent?"

Jieun did not even spare a glance at Naeun and decided it was too much to be taken in one day.

"Huh." Luhan achingly drew in breath and fixed his stare on Jieun.

"Even throwing out cursing, indeed from a thug mother."

No one, ever or dare to repeatedly insulting her mother in front of her.

Just because she was Lee Jieun, so no one would put themselves in her shoes.

"It's fact that your mother is a thug or a e! What's wrong with us for only saying it?"

They said she was inconsiderate of others, then since when others were considerate of her? It was a simple mutual respect that they were not willing to give, so why should she be bothered? Not a single sincere friend because of her family background; just because of what her mother once was, so the good side of hers would always be overlooked and be ridiculed from time to time.

Jieun felt wronged, mostly for her mother, when Naeun stood in front of her with a sense of righteousness. The scenario was Jieun was the deadliest evil in the world and as a heroine, she had to step in to save the day.

"Step aside if you don't want to get hurt."

Of course, Naeun grabbed Jieun's arm to stop her from approaching Luhan, but she never expected Jieun to be this strong. A shake from her and she felt herself bouncing away, her legs knocked into each other amidst the loss of balance and finally Naeun fell down by herself. In others eyes, Jieun pushed Naeun.

"Naeun!" Everyone immediately rushed to the fallen girl, including Suho who appeared out of the blue too. Naeun was supported by Suho's firm arm, she stood up and shyly shook her head at him, probably indicating she was fine.

"Lee Jieun! You're being too much!"

That voice came out from no other than Suho and Jieun suddenly had the urge to pull away the accessory hiding under her clothes. She felt that the cooling surface rested against her chest turned into a hot charcoal, burning into her flesh. The flash of helpless and hurt on her face was never seen by others. No one bothered or she was just too good in masking her emotions.

Behind Jieun was the setting sun and other than her silhouette, nothing was seen nor anyone noticed her closed and opened fists. Then, her voice, fitting of a cheerful person said, "Not going overboard is no Lee Jieun."

 

Jieun turned and faced the setting sun, she could not open her eyes and look for the blue sky.

〜❅〜

"Naeun, are you alright?" Minwoo, the one slapped by Jieun timidly asked. Naeun worked as a part-time in Luhan's family market business, naturally associated with him as well as his friends, who all got close to her because of her kind and hardworking personality.

"I'm fine.. but your face..."

Minwoo was plump with his originally round face, but with a side swollen up, he did not look great.

"I'm sorry on behalf of Jieun." Suho quietly muttered and glanced warily at Minwoo's injured face.

"Why are you sorry of what she did? If you have the slightest conscience, control your girlfriend and do not let her going around biting people!" Luhan's temper flared up again at the thought of Jieun whereas, Suho's expression turned to a less friendly one albeit maintaining his polilteness.

"She's not my girlfriend."

Naeun could not care less of her scraped hands and knees. She was thrilled at Suho's response but she felt ambivalent at his next words.

"She has her own reasons for doing anything so there's no need to control her. Can I know why did she hit you?"

The question was towards Minwoo, but Luhan answered for him in a miffed manner.

"What else can it be? She acted like a crazy dog when we mentioned her mother."

If earlier was only a slight unfriendly expression, then now Suho's face turned completely hostile.

"What did you say about her mother?

"That her mother is a hooligan. It's a fact so why forbid us from saying the truth."

Luhan turned to Minwoo irritatingly when he felt the constant nudging from him. Looking at his gesture, Luhan turned back to the front, surprised to see the ever polite Suho was now having the same chilly gaze as Jieun's.

"I warn you, if you speak of this again, even if Jieun doesn't do it, I will make sure something worse than a slap will happen to you."

That day when Jieun went back to her house, she did not see her father sitting in the wooden chair like usual. Then, a butler showed up with a panicked look.

"Miss! Chairman Lee is hospitalized!"