6 years ago…
"Ian, will you quit messing around with the staff?" I narrowed my eyes at my older cousin who was such a Casanova, I get reports on how the female staff was scratching each other's faces for his affection on a daily basis. He led them on, did the hanky-panky with them, and then dropped them like hot potatoes to move on to the next victim. It was tiring really.
Ian was my half American cousin who was orphaned young, so he grew up with me and Ji Hye. Even if I was two years younger than him, I was the one who acted like the older brother. He was just so carefree and immature – not to mention handsome and rich considering that his American father left him with a company of his own.
"Why are you so riled up? It wasn't my fault if they like me right?" my cousin asked me innocently and I just had to sigh and wished to God people would stop being stupid – or at least stop being stupid enough to fall for this rascal. "So can you fix it?" he asked afterwards, "it" meaning the new girl he messed up with.
"Fine. But let this be the last. If I hear you toying with another one I'll kick your ass," I answered after letting out a sigh. I knew I should stop spoiling him. I knew I should stop cleaning after his mess and let him fix his own problems but I didn't. He was after all the only family I had aside from Ji Hye, and the bastard knew it.
It was fine with me anyway. All I had to do was transfer the girl to another branch and life would return to what it was… until she came along.
I marched purposely along the hallway to Ian's office and opened it unceremoniously. The secretary sitting on his lap jumped up in surprise and immediately excused herself as I gave her a deadly glare.
Alone, I turned my attention back to my cousin and placed a hand in my pocket as I crossed the room and stopped right in front of his table. "Have a seat," the bastard invited but I ignored it. "I told you to quit messing with the staff."
"I did," Ian answered me with a grin on his face but I wasn't buying it. "Then what was this thing I'm hearing about the new toy – and that it's a newbie too!"
"Hey, don't call her that. Jaeyoung is not a toy." For the first time in history, Ian defended someone, and so I raised my brow at him, waiting for his explanation. "She's different cousin. I'm serious about her."
"Serious? You?" I couldn't believe him of course. "Then what was that girl doing on your lap earlier?"
"Oh? Her?" Ian chuckled and I frowned. "She's just easy game. You know, past time."
"And the newbie isn't?" I snorted cynically and Ian once again defended his new love. "Of course not! You would like her too when you see her," he said and I raised my brow once more in question. "I'm really serious about Jaeyoung, Yunho, and I'm planning to marry her."
I never saw Ian with that expression before so I let it be. That night, my cousin arranged a special dinner for all three of us including Jaeyoung.
Honestly, there were lots of unexpected things that happened that time. I never expected Jaeyoung to be so angelically beautiful. I never expected for her to have such a beautiful smile. I never expected her to be very clumsy, spilling things and being cute about it. I never expected to find her habit of covering her smile with her hand adorable. Lastly, I never expected to fall in love with her and never expected the pain in my chest upon seeing the engagement ring Ian bought with me that she was wearing on her finger.
Ian had asked Jaeyoung to be his, and there was nothing I could do about it… until that day.
"For an almost married guy you seem to go around a lot," I commented dryly upon seeing Ian as I marched inside his office and sat in one of the armchairs in front of his table. The wedding was in two weeks, and yet, instead of looking like an eager husband to be, Ian was looking dejected. "Why did you call me?" Since I fell in love with Jae, I distanced myself from them. I'm human too. I didn't want to hurt more than I already was, seeing the two of them so happy together.
"Hyung, I need your help," Ian said and I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I'm in trouble," my cousin announced as he raked his hair with his fingers. "Remember the daughter of the banker we had a deal with last month?" he asked and I nodded. Last month, I decided to help Ian find some investors for his company in the US, and we went to meet some of them, and one of them was the banker. "I got her pregnant," he said and I felt the world stand still as I absorbed his words.
"What?" I couldn't believe it. He was about to get married to the most wonderful person in the world, and he still had the gall to betray her. "Are you fuckin' out of your mind?" I knew I surprised the both of us with the tone of my voice. I never really got angry with Ian, but this time, I was so pissed off I wanted to punch him on the face. "You're getting married in two weeks. What the hell were you doing sleeping around?"
"I know it was stupid. Alright?" Ian looked totally problematic but I didn't care. I wasn't in the mood to be sympathetic. My concern was Jaeyoung. "What are you planning to do?"
"I don't know!" Ian slumped on the table. "She wants me to end my engagement and marry her instead. What should I do? She'll ruin my transactions if I don't agree."
"Well, you should have thought about that before you had an affair with her!" I yelled as I stood up and Ian did the same. "Why are you so angry at me?"
"You're asking me why? Why don't you think about it?" I gave up. There was no point talking to him when he's being such an uncaring bastard. "Come to think of it, solve your problems alone. I had enough."
"You're not going to help me? What do you want me to do? Tell Jaeyoung I want out so I can hook up with the chick I got pregnant?" Ian yelled back, and suddenly, we heard a loud gasp behind us and I turned around.
"Jae?" Without any of us realizing, Jaeyoung had entered the office, wanting to surprise her fiancé but got surprised instead. Judging from the look of mixed pain and disbelief on her beautiful face, she had heard everything. "Jae!" Ian called out as his fiancée ran out of the room, and the two of us chased after her.