Yoon Eunsoo
I'm smiling to myself right now, the gentle breeze that gently brushes my face makes my smile grow even more. It seems. Why am I like this? Because I am remembering and repeating what happened in Raja Ampat, Indonesia some time ago in my memory. I didn't find psychiatrist Lee's advice to be very useful.
Kwon Taehyun's attitude was very different after I used psychiatrist Lee's advice when compared to before. Like people who have multiple personalities. The more I get to know him the more curious. Psychiatrist Lee is great, he really understands the strengths and weaknesses of his own best friend. Could it be that I have fallen in love?
This is the tenth day I am at the Kwon family residence. The head of the family did not allow me to go home when I returned from Raja Ampat. He wanted me to start learning to be the son-in-law of this family. Once again I don't understand why I felt happy and embarrassed at the same time when President Kwon expressed his wish.
This house is quite comfortable even though before I was scared when I stepped inside. However, now the feelings I catch about this house are different, all because of Shinhye's eommoni. She has a kind heart, treats like her own daughter.
Everyday I'm in the kitchen with Shinhye eommoni. In the morning we prepare breakfast, during the day cook lunch and in the evening cook dinner menus for family members. Unlike president Kwon who would only be at the dining table for breakfast and dinner, Taehyun would be at the dining table every meal time because he was always at home. I mean, he didn't go to the office because Taehyun had a special room that he turned into an office, complete with several staff working directly with him at home.
Wait! Currently I can't find Shinhye's eommoni in the kitchen. Where is he?
I walked into the greenhouse with a small garden in it, where Shinhye eommoni usually spends almost half the time she has caring for her ornamental plants but nothing. Back inside the house, I walked down the hallway which was a little strange because my steps never got here. A large frame caught my attention, the frame in the room made my steps headed there. Without realizing it, I was already in the room and was standing right in front of the frame that caught my attention from the heart. How shocked I was to see the face plastered there, for a moment I was like looking in a very large mirror. Before realizing who was there.
"Seolma! Aunt Eunhye ?! " I whispered.
"Eunsoo?" call someone from behind.
I turned around and found Shinhye eommoni with a bathrobe, "Eommoni ... cwesonghaeyo." I said, who was shocked, not realizing my impudence.
"What is wrong? Are you looking for me? " She walked over to the dressing table and started to sit down.
I looked down a little trying to hide my nervousness that sassy entered his room. Occasionally I glanced at the large picture in framed nailed to the wall of his room, "I want permission to go home. It's been ten days since I said goodbye to go on vacation to my father and mother, I'm afraid they worry too much. "
"Right. At least you should meet your parents because they must be missing you. "
I was surprised to hear Shinhye eommoni's response, as surprised as I was smoothly finding an excuse to escape this situation.
* * *
What I saw in the room disturbed my thoughts during the trip to the house. I know that president Kwon is quite crazy and reckless but I didn't expect him to be this crazy and brave, displaying a photo of a deceased ex-lover in the main room, where it should be his wife's throne. Plus its enormous size.
I can't imagine what difficulties Shinhye's eommoni went through during her marriage to president Kwon. Jealousy, anger, jealousy and maybe irritation stuck in the chest. How can Shinhye eommoni swallow it raw, as if there was never the photo there.
Have those frames been displayed there since they got married? All Taehyun's age? How can I be his son-in-law when he is tormented by a woman who looks like me?
"Eomma ... Eomma ... Eomma!" I called when I got home but couldn't find a mother figure in the family room, "Eomma ... Eoddiseoyo?"
"Eunsoo? Is that you? Why did you come home? Did something happen? " My mother came out of her room. His face looked surprised to see me at home.
"Yoon Eunhye imo." I said which made my mother stunned. He walked to the dining table and sat in one of his chairs. I followed him, taking the seat right in front of him.
"Eomma, what should I do? My existence will actually make Shinhye Eommoni even more tortured. " My voice trembled until I finally burst into tears while imagining the sadness that Shinhye eommoni would receive every time she saw me.
"Why? Yes! Yoon Eunsoo, what's wrong? Stop crying first. Did Taehyun's mother do something bad to you? " Mother rubbed the back of my hand quite hard and fast because she was panic seeing me cry.
"President Kwon posted Eunhye imo's photo in the main room. The room where she and Shinhye's eommoni slept. As if he didn't care about his wife's feelings, President Kwon displayed it in a very large size that filled one wall in the room. No wonder Taehyun hated me so much, President Kwon hurt his mother very much. Why can I be that similar to imo, eomma? " my senggukan cries have not stopped and my mother still continues to rub the back of my hand even though the strokes are soft. Mother's sobs began to be heard along with mine.
Forever I will be a thorn in that family, as if Eunhye imo came back to life and roam in the house. It will hurt Shinhye eommoni for sure. Now I understand what Taehyun meant to prevent me from starting all the stories between us.
* * *
I've been at home almost a week. I refused to have any contact with Taehyun's family for a while. I don't know what kind of situation to face.
Because of my attitude, two days ago President Kwon came alone to pick me up but I asked Mom and Dad to ask him to go and give me time to think about my future relationship with Taehyun.
I think it's time for me to make up my mind. Father, Mother and I have sat together in the family room. They stared at me closely, looking for the doubts I had worked so hard to hide.
"Are you sure?" asked Dad.
I nodded, "I don't want to hurt Shinhye's eommoni by wandering around her house as if I don't know about the resemblance of my face to imo."
Mother sobbed again. Mother understands how I really feel. Even though I don't want to end everything but in order to reduce Shinhye eommoni's pain, I have to do it.
"OK. Father will contact President Kwon to cancel your engagement. " Father said softly.
Maybe someday I'll regret my decision, or maybe I already regret it.
I curled up in the room. Hide my tears under the covers by pulling them over the top of my head. I dissolved in my sadness.
I don't know how long I've been crying, the sound of my bedroom door opening makes my tears stop. Someone has entered and closed the door again. That person has pulled the closest chair toward my bed.
"Eunsoo-ah ..." he called softly.
I recognized the voice but didn't dare to roll down the covers to confirm my guess.
"Don't you miss Taehyun and the home kitchen where we can have a long chat about two men at home?" he asked, touching the blanket that covered me.
My tears broke again. I bit my lower lip holding back the sound of tears that came out. Actually I miss everything but I don't want to hurt her continuously by showing a face that has a similarity with Eunhye imo.
"Can you show your face, honey? I miss the cheerful face of the future son-in-law of the Kwon family. " Shinhye eommoni tried to pull the blanket so she could see my face but I held it a little.
His deep breath sounded after releasing his grip on my blanket, "You saw it, didn't you? You saw it, right? The one in the master suite. "
"Me and Taehyun's father started our relationship with matchmaking. When arranged for an arranged marriage, Taehyun's father was dating your aunt. It was so frustrating when I first found out, what woman is not annoyed to see a man who has been arranged for another woman. I'm curious until finally I know what kind of woman Taehyun's father loves, "
"The late Yoon Eunhye was a perfect woman, even I can't match her. No wonder Taehyun's father loved him so much and was able to give everything he didn't give me. It made my jealousy reach the point of blindness seeing Taehyun's father's smile that broke perfectly when they were together so I didn't hesitate to pray that God would immediately take it from Taehyun's father's side so I could have Taehyun's father completely, "his voice clearly sounded shaking. Hearing that, I began to lower my blanket and change my position to sit facing him, staring at the lowered face of Shinhye Eommoni. I can see clearly, Shinhye eommoni squeezed the back of her hand.
"Death is inevitable, your aunt died. Was I grateful at that time? Yes. I was grateful for her passing, geundae… the day your aunt left forever became the day when the sky and the world of Taehyun's father collapsed. Even Taehyun's presence couldn't make me create a new world where Taehyun and I were there. "
Her sobs broke as I started to hug her. Her strong and strong figure is nowhere to be seen at this time, all I see is a fragile woman who really misses the person she loves. I did not say a word, I want Shinhye eommoni to let go of all the burdens she has been carrying.
"I'm starting to understand the situation. Your aunt is Taehyun's father's first love. No matter how far time goes, it's not easy to forget first love. Even if there is no love left for me, I will understand, because Taehyun's father was also my first love. " He connected in the middle of sobs that still sounded heavy.
My hug is getting tighter, I'm crying with him now because I'm slowly dissolving in his feelings. Shinhye eommoni tightly returned my hug.
"When we start loving someone, at that moment we decide to sincerely do anything for the person we love, without strings attached. Because that person's happiness has become our priority and that became the basis for me not to protest when Taehyun's father started posting a very large size photo of your aunt in our room since getting married and having Taehyun. "
Her voice was still shaking but her tears were starting to sound light. I let go of my hug and looked at her face that turned sad from crying. I held his hands, "Cwesonghaeyo eommoni ... cwesonghaeyo."
Shinhye Eommoni shook her head slowly, there was a thin smile that she gave me and it made my heart jolt. How is he that strong?
"Eunsoo-ah ... can I ask you something?" he asked me softly, "Hang in there. I'm sure, Taehyun will soon turn to like and love you. The relationship between father and son was tenuous and uncomfortable because I was between them. One of them did not love me, the other fought for me to be loved. If your presence is able to make the father and son relationship warm, I will still behave like before. Chatting with you, smiling as if nothing happened and staring at your face until the end of my life. "
My sobs broke again hearing Shinhye eommoni's request. What is his heart made of? How could she allow herself to be hurt again for the sake of her husband and child? Am I able to live with him and continue to hurt him because of my face?
My tears are getting heavier when I remember how Taehyun hated me so much when we first met, now I understand the reason, because of my face.
"Mianhabnida ... jeongmal mianhabnida."
I saw my mother enter with eyes already wet with tears. Shinhye Eommoni turned to stand up to greet my mother's presence while wiping the tears from her wet face.
Suddenly the mother bent her knees and sat with her knees on her knees to support her, her hands clenched over her thighs. Mother looked down while crying, "Because of my sister… because of Eunhye eonni, you have to suffer for so long. Jeongmal mianhabnida .... sob .. "
* * *
The meaning of love is love. By loving, you will understand the meaning of love itself.
Loving does not have to have, because love will never lead someone to be selfish by forcing to have. Greed is what forces myself to have and I don't want to be greedy. I want to love her even if it means I can't have.
- Park Shinhye -
* * *
Two weeks have passed since Seunghi was admitted to Lee group's hospital. President Choi comes to visit and gets updates on Seunghi's mental and physical health developments. But something happened, not only president Choi and Jinwoo were surprised, Seunghoon, Mino, Taehyun and Seungyoon who also came were also surprised to hear Seunghi's scream screaming in the hospital room specially prepared for patients with certain conditions.
"Oppa !! Oppa !! " Seunghi calls Seunghoon clearly.
Feeling called, Seunghoon immediately ran to the special room where Seunghi was. When he arrived at the front of Seunghi's room, president Kang with his wife and several bodyguards stood in front of the door which was blocked by several nurses, including security guards at Lee's group hospital. The door opened and it was clear that Seunghi was scared.
"Seunghi-ya !!!" Seunghoon pushed his way through the crowd to meet Seunghi and immediately hugged his younger brother who was almost having trouble breathing due to excessive fear.
"It's okay, Seunghi-ya. Oppa here. " said Seunghoon calm Seunghi. He rubbed Seunghi's back to provide comfort and safety.
"President Kang." called Jinwoo.
"Don't interfere, Lee Jinwoo. Get Seunghi out of here! " President Kang ordered the guards he brought.
President Choi, who had already contacted his bodyguards, ordered to join forces with nurses and security guards to block President Kang. Instantly the atmosphere turned tense. There could have been an extraordinary commotion because the two presidents insisted on their wishes, one wanted to protect Seunghi, the other wanted to torture Seunghi in his own way.
"Everyone comes with me now except the nurses. SOON!" President Choi's voice rose. No one can avoid President Choi's orders, including President Kang.
"You have to take care of Kang Seunghi from now on. Don't let any of the Kang family visit Seunghi. Not father, mother not even her oppa. Take care of Seunghi even more than you protect your lives. " President Choi's orders came down to the bodyguards he brought earlier.
"REPLY ME!". He snapped at his bodyguards who were standing right in front of the door of Seunghi's nursing room.
"GOOD! PRESIDENT!". Shouted back the three bodyguards who were burly and tall. Ready to follow orders.
"But he's my son." President Kang argued.
"You still dare to call him your son after what you did to him? I think Mino needs to fix your brain. " President Choi quipped with his sharp gaze.
"But, hyung—"
"I AM NOT YOUR HYUNGMU, KANG DAESUNG!" President Choi's anger was already at its peak, there was nothing President Kang could do other than sighing heavily.
Hearing the prohibition made others think, why was Seunghoon forbidden from seeing Seunghi as well? Meanwhile only Seunghoon was on Seunghi's side.
"Lee Jinwoo." Call president Choi firmly.
"Yes, president?" replied Jinwoo.
"Do your best to return Seunghi to the way he was before. Don't worry about anything, I will be in charge of everything related to Seunghi. No one can take Seunghi from here. Even an inch. You understand?" President Choi said.
"Fine, president." Jinwoo replied briefly.
"Dong Mino." Now president Choi looked at Mino who was answered by bowing his head a little.
"I heard there's a problem with his lungs. Make sure Seunghi regains health for those lungs. You have no problem doing routine checks for Seunghi here? I'll take care of everything as well as pay you for this. " President Choi explained.
"You don't have to pay me, Seunghi is like my own brother." Mino rejects about the payment President Choi will give.
"Kwon Taehyun! You're the meanest, right? Anyone who will meet Seunghi must get your permission first. If you don't give permission, neither will I. Remember, anyone! That means Kang Seunghoon is also included even though Seunghoon is his older brother. "
Taehyun nodded in understanding. Then he remembered something, "If I may know, why can't Seunghoon see Seunghi?"
"Because a weak child like him could be used by his father again to take Seunghi out of here." said President Choi staring at Seunghoon, while the person he was staring at could only bow his head shyly confirming his best friend's father.
"And you are Choi Seungyoon." call president Choi.
"After accusing me, you should ask me for an explanation instead of leaving right away. I don't know anything about this, I know Seunghi is continuing his studies in New Zealand. Pull back your words about being ashamed to have the Choi family name, until you die you will still use Choi's first name. You will still be my son and I am your father. " President Choi stared with pity at Seungyoon, there was affection flowing from President Choi's gaze.
"Sorry, father." Seungyoon said briefly.
"Come with me now if you still consider me your best friend, Kang Daesung." President Choi said dryly. He left, followed by president Kang and his wife. The tension that felt had disappeared with the departure of President Choi.
Mino took a deep breath, "Oh my. I didn't expect that facing President Choi, whose emotions would be so tense like this. Seungyoon-ah, your dad is really terrible. "
They chuckled while Seunghoon looked down in disappointment at President Choi's decision. Seungyoon and the others realized that Seunghoon wasn't laughing with them, Seungyoon tapped Seunghoon's shoulder.
"Hyung, my father is not that cruel. You can still meet Seunghi. " Cheer up Seungyoon.
Seunghoon raised his head to look at Seungyoon, "You will talk to him on my behalf?"
"Why should I? You're her brother, dare you talk to my father. Okay? In order to meet Seunghi. " Seungyoon teases Seunghoon by raising his eyebrows.
Seunghoon spreads his gaze. He looked one by one at the faces of his friends who had been more like brothers. The support from them can be felt by Seunghoon only from their eyes. Seunghoon smiled, his spirits revived after having previously found it so hard to get through this alone.
* * *
Friends who truly understand you will appear when they become the earth to stand on when you try to stand up again.
- Kang Seunghoon -
* * *
Seunghoon dared to knock on President Choi's door. Hearing a knock on the door to his office, President Choi ordered people across from him to enter. He still didn't take his eyes off the documents he was examining.
"Chairman." said Seunghoon nervously.
President Choi turned his gaze and saw Seunghoon standing in front of him, "I think Kang Daesung who will come first turns out to be his son who came first." he muttered.
"Come in, Seunghoon." Connect it.
Seunghoon arrived in front of President Choi, "Am I really not allowed to meet Seunghi?"
"If your father hasn't come to me it means he still hasn't realized his mistake. I don't want to take the risk, Seunghi, your little sister really needs to be treated until she is healed without any interference from anyone. " It was clear that President Choi sounded calmer unlike the other day at the hospital.
Seunghoon sighed heavily after hearing President Choi's explanation, he was quite disappointed.
"Kang Seunghoon." Call president Choi when Seunghoon will walk out of the room. President Choi stood up and approached Seunghoon. He patted Seunghoon's shoulder lightly and invited him to sit on the sofa.
"If you don't mind, tell me everything." President Choi smiled like a father to his son. Seunghoon looked closely at president Choi and began to think that his best friend's father was a good person even though he had a bad temper.
Five years ago.
"Silho! I don't want to be locked up, Dad. Mother, help me. Oppa. " shouted Seunghi when President Kang forced himself into a room that would be used to lock him up.
"Enter!" Forced President Kang.
"Father, why are you doing this? Let go of Seunghi, Dad. This is not true." Isak Seunghoon, who was 21 at the time, tried to block his father with his body.
"SHUT!" snapped President Kang while removing Seunghoon's body from in front of him.
President Kang continued to force Seunghi into the room while Seunghoon fell because President Kang didn't give up to save Seunghi. President Kang told the bodyguards who were also there to grab Seunghoon and hold him back and even gave orders to beat Seunghoon if he rebelled. In his struggle, Seunghoon was beaten by bodyguards but President Kang's guards made a mistake, they hit Seunghoon's head until fresh blood flowed down the side of his face and made him faint. Seunghi who saw Seunghoon's condition could only cry silently, his knees were too weak to make it easier for President Kang to pull his body into his room and Seunghoon's weak body disappeared from Seunghi's view as the door was closed by President Kang.
The next day, Seunghoon stole the key to the room where Seunghi was from President Kang's office. With his head still bandaged, Seunghoon opened the door and grabbed Seunghi's hand to ask him out. But Seunghi's words stopped his steps.
"I'll wait, Oppa. I will wait until you accept me again. " he said with eyes already wet with tears. He did this not without reason, Seunghoon was the main reason Seunghi decided this, especially at this time Seunghoon was still wearing bandages to cover the wound on his head.
"Seunghi." said Seunghoon in a weak tone.
"Please, Oppa. You have to understand Dad's feelings, what happened to me would only embarrass him. " Seunghi said it with bated sobs and it hurt even more for Seunghoon.
"Stop it, Seunghi." Seunghoon said softly.
"We just follow A's wish—"
"STOP, Kang Seunghi!" Seunghoon snapped. He interrupted Seunghi's words.
Seunghi sobs broke, he knelt and his voice filled the room, "I don't want to see you hurt like yesterday, Oppa. We just follow Dad's wishes. I hope." Seunghi put his palms together. The girl was begging Seunghoon.
Seunghoon was surprised to see Seunghi on his knees begging him. His chest is getting tight, no one can hold back his tears from seeing Seunghi's sacrifice. He could only froze. Seeing no response from Seunghoon, Seunghi took the key hanging on the front door and moved it to the back door then slowly pushed the door shut. Seunghi locks himself from inside. It was too late for Seunghoon to stop Seunghi, even though he tried to bang and break into it but it didn't produce what he wanted.
"Open the door, Seunghi-ya. I beg you, don't be like this. " Seunghoon banged hard on the door until the bang became weak.
Both Seunghoon and Seunghi could only cry from their respective places.
"Since then, Father has always asked me to learn all things related to the company. He used Seunghi as a tool to make me comply with his wishes and I had no strength but to follow his wishes. I did everything he wanted just so Seunghi could get out of there, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn't even match Kwon Taehyun. Because of this, Seunghi was still there for over three years. It's all because of my fault, President. " Seunghoon explained. He could not hold back his tears because all the events were still clearly recorded in his head.
"Chairman, Mr. Kang Daesung is here." The voice from the telephone on President Choi's desk stopped Seunghoon's sobs.
"Chairman, I still don't want to meet Father." said Seunghoon quietly.
"In five minutes, get him in." President Choi replied to his secretary outside.
"You, hide. There is a door near the bookshelf, go in there and wait for your father to come out of my room. "
Seunghoon followed President Choi's instructions, while President Choi returned to his desk and waited for President Kang's arrival while re-examining the documents on his desk.
"Hyung." President Kang said hesitantly when he entered President Choi's room.
President Choi did not return his greeting, he only gave direction to President Kang to sit on the sofa in his study. When President Kang was seated, President Choi called his secretary to prepare tea for President Kang and then sat on the sofa.
There was silence because neither of them started the conversation. Maybe he wanted me to start it - thought President Choi.
"Haaa! Until when are you going to keep quiet, Kang Daesung? And. What have you been thinking all this time huh? How can you do that to your own child? " President Choi started talking. He didn't raise his voice like before. President Kang just bowed his head silently.
"Locked him up for more than three years. What made you have the heart to do that? " he continued, still suppressing emotions.
"The Anyang Project." Short President Kang.
"Anyang project? The project we worked on six years ago? " President Choi asked confused.
President Kang only answered with a nod, he began to raise his head, "I used the money from the Anyang Project that was stored in a Swiss bank to pay hush money to a Japanese Yakuza." He explained.
"How can you deal with them?" Although he tried to examine President Kang's explanation, President Choi did not understand the relationship between the Yakuza and Seunghi stories.
"I killed the thugs who raped Seunghi and I just found out that two of the thugs are the nephews and grandchildren of Watanabe, the biggest Yakuza leader in Japan. When Watanabe found out, he asked for some money in exchange for the lives of his people. " President Kang replied. The annoyance and regret could clearly be heard in his voice.
"Why can you be so reckless, Kang Daesung ?!" President Choi's voice rose.
"I can't let them do anything bad." Answer President Kang.
"WHAT BAD THING? YOU ARE THAT BAD! " President Choi snapped.
"NOT JUST MY FAMILY ARE IN DANGER BUT THEY WILL MAKE YOU IN DANGER. YOUR FAMILY, YOUNGBAE HYUNG'S FAMILY, JIYONG HYUNG'S FAMILY, EVEN SEUNGRI'S FAMILY. " President Kang's voice was no less great, his face was already wet from the tears that flowed down.
"You have nothing to do with this, then on what basis would I endanger your life?" His tone dropped again, President Kang felt that his choice was the best at that time. President Choi did not give a response, he felt the burden that President Kang had been carrying and he did not know.
"I raised Seunghi with great difficulty, looked after him and made sure he grew up well not for being bullied by those bastards, Hyung. That's why there's no need to think twice about killing those bastards. " continued President Kang with a sob.
President Choi just keeps quiet watching President Kang take out the burdens he has been carrying on by himself. Letting President Kang cry is something he can do right now while thinking about all the facts he just learned from his best friend.
Locking up his daughter so that she can continue to run her business in order to pay debts to Bigbang Corp, because if this disgrace is exposed then there will be no Kang group now, especially since she not only protects her family and company but also protects her friends' families. This is what makes President Choi unable to hold back the tears that have gathered in his eyes, just as Seunghoon has been listening to all the conversations of President Choi and his father.
* * *
Don't consider yourself a friend if you can't understand a single tear. I am not their best friend because I am only able to whine their attention and understanding without learning to understand their feelings. If you find someone who understands you first without asking, then you have to grasp that person, because he is the person who will be your best friend.
- President Choi Seunghyun -