Chapter Text
***
Seokhoon lifted his foot from his piano pedal after he had been playing for about half an hour. His decision to go to college and not take a major in art and all the recent events drove him to neglect his piano a bit. Especially since he broke up with Rona and decided to work with his father, he neglected the piano even more.
His father …
A week had passed after he received the news that his father had escaped.
A week passed after the plan to catch his father at the port of Busan failed.
A week passed and his father's whereabouts had been unknown, making everyone cautious.
His mother told him and Seokkyung to stay close to his mother and Logan's people. Especially Seokkyung who seemed to be locked up in the Penthouse because his mother was worried that his father would harm his sister again.
And Rona …
A week had passed and he had not seen her since then. Since his father escaped, Logan moved Rona and Dr. Ha to an undisclosed hospital. Only Logan and his mother knew where she was, not even Jeni and her mother knew. Logan reasoned that just in case his father might have an informant around them. Logan worries about his father using Rona or Dr. Ha to take revenge on his mother and Logan was understood by them, by him. That's why he accepted Logan's decision.
Every day he always asked his mother about Rona's condition and her mother always gave the same news, which is stagnant. There is no development or decline.
"Seokhoon-ah…" His mother's voice was heard calling him. He looked towards his study room door and found his mother standing not far from his table.
"Yeah?" He got up from his seat.
"I've something to tell you. Can you come to my study?"
"Sure."
His mother walked out after hearing his answer. Seokhoon followed her by walking behind her. As he walked, he thought about the possibilities of what his mother wanted to talk about. Is it about Rona or his father?
"Oh! Seokkyung-ah, I was just about to call you." He saw his mother looking at her sister who was walking down the stairs.
"Why?"
"I have something to tell you both." Their mother answered his sister's question as she walked into her study. His sister just nodded before waiting for him to walk along.
"What do you think it is?" Seokkyung whispered to him, trying to find out from him what would it be. But he just shrugged his shoulders in response. When they came in, their mother was already sitting on one of the couchs and told them to sit down. Seeing the seriousness on her face, Seokhoon knew that what she wanted to tell them was something important. But he didn't dare to ask further so he could only comply with their mother's request to sit on the couch in front of him.
"Omma, what's wrong?" Unlike him, his sister asked first before sitting down.
"Sit down." Seeing the firmness of their mother's face, Seokkyung felt a little scared and immediately sat down according to their mother's order.
Their mother, who was wearing a blue and black jumpsuit like ready to go somewhere, was now looking at the two of them with a serious look, but he could see there was a hint of anxiety there.
"I know this might make both of you uncomfortable. But Logan and I have no other choice but to put this plan into action. I should have discussed it with you first but I was afraid you would disagree with this plan so I didn't tell you first." Their mother then took out a white envelope. He looked at the envelope before looking at her. Questions had already formed in his mind, and he could see that the envelope was not an ordinary envelope but rather an invitation.
"Omma, this-"
"Logan and I will have an engagement party in a week."
The news their mother delivered was like a thunderbolt that struck in the heat of the day. It's not that he didn't know about the relationship between her and the man who pretended to be his school teacher. But because she did this during a dangerous situation that they're in.
"Omma!! Why suddenly like this?"
"Seokkyung-ah, I'm sorry."
Seokhoon digested their mother's words again after he wondered why she did this. An answer flashed through his mind, and to be more reassuring, he asked her.
"This is just part of your plan to catch father, isn't it?" His question was met with a sad look from her before she covered it with a smile.
"You're right. This is just a plan from me and Logan."
"Are you sure this is the best way?"
"I don't have time to think of other plans, Seokhoon-ah. You said that your father would come back here and end it all. So Logan and I made a plan to lure him to Hera Palace. We've been spreading rumors since after your father escaped and maybe this news has reached your father's ears."
"Omma, are you crazy? Isn't that the same as suicide?"
"Seokkyung-ah!" Seokhoon warned his sister.
"I knew you would think like that. But I'm tired, and I want to end it, right here, in the place he has always been proud of. Even if it means ending it by killing him."
"Omma …"
"Don't worry, I'm sure I can take care of myself." He saw their mother take his and his sister's hand.
"That's why on this date Logan and I decided to send both of you alongside Jeni on vacation. I didn't want you to be here. Your father-"
"No way I would leave like that!!" Before their mother could finish her sentence, Seokkyung stood in disapproval.
"It's very dangerous for you to be here."
"If you risk your life to fight dad, then I also don't want to stand still or run. I don't want to be a coward anymore!"
"Seokkyung-ah …"
"Seokkyung is right, we won't leave you alone to fight him. Besides, it would be awkward if we as children wouldn't attend our mother's engagement."
"Seokhoon-ah …"
Now it was Seokhoon's turn to take their mother's hand.
"Omma, don't think you're alone now. Like I said before. We're not kids anymore. We can help you. So let us help you."
He saw their mother silent, staring at them one by one before finally smiling and nodding.
"Fine, but I want you to promise to stay away if danger seems close and to always be careful."
"We understand." Seokhoon's answer was followed by a nod by Seokkyung who then hugged their mother.
"You also have to promise to always be careful. We don't need dad's death, all we want is for you to be safe. Promise me, Omma."
"..."
"Omma?"
Their mother's silence made Seokkyung look worried. Before finally their mother stroked Seokkyung's hair and replied "I promise."
He smiled in relief at the promise made by her. Just like Seokkyung, he was also worried about their mother's reaction who had not immediately answered his sister's request. Her plan may seem like a suicide plan, but he understood their mother's reason. Hera Palace was the pride of his father. But behind that, too many tragedies happened in this place. Beating him in his place of pride would be a shameful specter to his father.
"If you lure father into Hera Palace to make it a place of the battle against him, then what about the other residents?"
His question caused their mother to let go of Seokkyung's arms and look at him.
"I've bought almost all the units here just in case, to prevent casualties falling in this place."
"No wonder, when I go to the gym, the place looks a lot quieter than usual." Seokkyung who had returned to her seat nodded in understanding.
"Including Rona's?" He asked and their mother nodded in response to his question.
"I also have bought Jeni's. And we have prepared a replacement place for them. Later, Rona will live with them. It is not far from the place I prepared for you two."
"Oh," As if she knew what he wanted to ask, she had also answered his curiosity about where Rona lived after this.
"Speaking of Rona's unit. Jeni and her mother still haven't had time to finish packing Rona's things because Jeni's mother is busy helping me buy the remaining units, and Jeni is busy with her classes..."
He saw her staring at him for a long time as if checking his reaction. And he waited for what she wanted to tell him.
"Can you two help them pack Rona's things?"
Of course, he would answer yes to her request in an instant without thinking. But considering that his relationship with Jeni is not in a good condition, he was questioning whether he can enter Rona's house.
"Like Jeni would let us come into Rona's house." Luckily, Seokkyung understood and represented him by asking the question that was bothering him.
"I'll give Jeni's mother an understanding. After all, we have to pack her things soon."
"But-"
"Okay, I'll pack her things." He cut off his sister's protest.
"Oppa? If Jeni sees you, she will go berserk." His sister warned him.
"Just let her be. Besides, I'll go there when she's busy with her classes and will be back when she comes home. So she won't see me. Is that okay?" He answered his sister's warning in a relaxed manner. What happened recently made him someone who couldn't be slow in making decisions. He always had regrets when he thought for a long time and weighed the advantages and disadvantages. Yes, making rash decisions can also lead to regret but at least he now knows which decisions he wants the most and which ones he doesn't.
"I'm sorry, Seokhoon-ah. I always seem to ask you to do things that burden you." His mother touched his hand gently.
"Nope. I don't feel burdened. In fact, I'm glad you asked me to do this. Instead of just being in the penthouse doing nothing." His untouched hand he placed on top of his mother's.
"Okay then. I still have some business to do. You know Rona's house code, right?"
He nodded in response to her question.
"I'll probably be home before dinner." She then walked to her office desk and grabbed her bag before saying goodbye to them.
"See you tonight." He heard Seokkyung say to their mother before she walked out and disappeared from the door.
"Are you sure about this?" Her question made him look up at her. And once again he nodded.
"One hundred percent sure."
"Oppa …" He could read the look on the face that Seokkyung showed him and he could tell that his sister was a bit hesitant about his decision. And he was sure, instead of worrying about him meeting Jeni, his sister was more worried about him because it was Rona's house and he had been missing Rona for a week. He knew that Seokkyung probably didn't want to see him sadder.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry." He patted his sister on the shoulder before standing up and walking out of their mother's study.
"Then I have no other choice but to help you."
He turned around and saw his sister had stood up from her seat.
"Seokkyung-ah?"
"Don't you think the more people, the faster the work will be done and you don't have to meet Jeni?" His sister shrugged her shoulders. He replied with a smile.
"Okay if that's what you want."
***
He looked at Rona's room for a long time, paying attention to every corner of the room. As long as he was dating Rona, he never entered Rona's room without Rona with him. Even when Rona was still living alone because her mother was in prison. The feeling of respect for Rona as a woman warned him not to cross the line. He may have known the passcode for Rona's house but he never went far into her room without Rona. Even so, he also only entered Rona once when helping her unpack the things her mother had packed, shortly after her mother went to prison.
Now he was back in Rona's room with the opposite purpose as it was then. If a year ago he helped Rona unpack the boxes and take out the contents, now he will put her belongings in the box.
"It seems like only a year ago I helped unpack Rona's things, now I'm doing the opposite, packing her things."
He looked to the side, his sister commented the same feeling as him while looking at Rona's room.
"Now are you going to admit that you offered to help me?"
"Hey!" His sister threw a light punch on his arm. Seeing her red face from his teasing, he chuckled.
"Looks like Jeni and her mother are almost done packing Rona's things." His sister's comment brought him to look back at Rona's room.
Seokkyung's observation was right because some closed boxes were visible beside the bed. Some of Rona's stuffed dolls seemed to have gone into the box and left behind the bigger ones. The bookshelf was empty but the books had not yet been fully packed into the open box that was located in front of her bookshelf. So is Rona's study table. A box with the words 'a collection of polaroid photos' is on her desk. The books that were previously arranged on the desk now look piled up as if they are ready to be put in the box.
"I just checked Rona's wardrobe and it seems Jeni hasn't touched it, just put a box with the words 'Rona's clothes' on it." Seokkyung spoke to him.
"Then I'll do Rona's room, you pack her clothes. After we're done, we'll pack things in the kitchen."
"Okay." The suggestion he gave was approved by Seokkyung who nodded at him. And soon his sister left him alone in her room.
He went straight to Rona's bookshelf intending to continue the pending work. Sitting next to the box in front of the bookcase, he started picking out books to put in the box.
After finishing and closing the box containing Rona's books, he walked toward her study table. A small smile widened when he saw the things he had unpacked would be put back in the box.
"I'm sorry, you have to go back inside." He said to the fake tulips on her table.
When he started packing things, his eyes fell on a white diary. He then took the diary while pulling the chair. He held the diary and stared at it, he could hear the conversation going on in his head. The debate is whether he should read it or not. Curiosity made him want to read it but another voice forbade him.
After a while, curiosity finally overtook him. He knew reading Rona's diary was an invasion of her privacy. But with this, who knows he might know Rona's true feelings. The skill that Rona is best at is hiding what she feels in front of him so that sometimes he doesn't know what she truly feels. Especially when she is good at hiding important things from him. Like when she didn't tell him about her decision not to go to college. Luckily he instantly knew the reason why Rona decided that. But that doesn't mean he always knows what's in Rona's brain.
"Just a glance… I'll just have a quick look." He tried to convince the voice that forbade him before opening Rona's diary.
Two drawing pictures of Rona's favorite milk chocolate with their straws forming a love sign caught his attention. His name appeared several times written in the paragraph above the drawing. Several times Rona referred to him as someone who always helped her, from helping her jump the school wall to taking revenge on her classmates who bothered her when she was doing her punishment. Seokhoon was touched by what he just read. At that time, the impression that Rona had of him turned out to be that good. She saw him as a good person.
Did Seokhoon drink the chocolate milk I gave him? I hope he did.
I think I like Seokhoon. Does he like me too?
Seokhoon was silent when he read that sentence. He felt a warm feeling when he read the sentence 'I think like Seokhoon'. The memory goes back to the time when they were still in the 1st grade of high school. The beginning of the attraction between them. He never knew exactly when Rona started to like him because Rona never told him. But now he knew that Rona had started to like him when she gave him chocolate milk. Maybe that was why Rona was furious and disappointed in him when she found out about the bet made between him and his sister.
He turned a few sheets of pages, catching only a glimpse of the pages he was turning. It was because he was aware of Rona's privacy that he had violated so that he would only glimpse a few pages until the last page. A photo of him and Rona appeared, tucked between the pages when he opened one. A photograph before the night of the tragedy. The night where Rona lost a part of her soul.
The photo of the two of them wearing couple caps was now between his fingers. They took this photo in between their attempts to trick Ms. Jin into not chasing Ha Eunbyeol. He smiled remembering that they didn't actually intend to buy the couple's caps because their goal was not to buy them but to trick the woman who used to be his private tutor with Ha Eunbyeol. But the annoyed look on the saleswoman's face who saw them only took photos with caps on display made them finally buy the couple's caps.
His smile then disappeared as he realized their current state. The photo of them smiling together seems to have become a rare object. His index finger then touched their photo, stroking Rona's smiling face in the photo. He wondered if in the future they could take another photo together.
He sighed as he suddenly felt a small pain in his chest. The pain that was always there when regret suffocated him. He turned the pages again until he was finally on the last page that Rona had written.
Today, I know it all. Knowing what really happened the night my mother died. What I thought was the culprit was Seokhoon's father, it turned out to be Eunbyeol's mother. Why is that woman so mean? My mother had helped Eunbyeol but she killed her instead. And apparently, I know now that my mother died because she found out that Seokkyung was Min Seola's sister, Ms. Shim's other daughter.
Is this what is called karma for my mother? My mother killed Ms. Shim's daughter and was killed after her redemption to find another Ms. Shim child.
Then… Why did I also get that karma? What have I done to deserve this relentless suffering?
Knowing the truth, knowing the chronology from the beginning turned out to be very painful. Should I hate all of them who have made me and my mother suffer like this?
I don't know. All I know is, that I have to be a flower that can bloom in the midst of suffering. Like a flower that grows in the cold winter.
Winter Flower
For my mother's sake, I will keep trying to bloom. I will show them my beauty which they are trying to destroy.
Listen carefully, Winter. You made me bloom.
"What are you doing? Why are you sitting there and not packing?"
Seokkyung's voice from behind him startled him, almost knocking him off the chair. He quickly closed Rona's diary and turned to his sister.
"Oh, Seokkyung-ah."
"What are you reading?" Seokkyung's eyes fell on the book in his hand.
"It is nothing."
As if dissatisfied with his answer, Seokkyung gave him a suspicious look before her hand tried to take the diary in his hand. Quickly, he put the diary on the table.
"Rona's diary. This is Rona's diary."
"Oppa?" Seokkyung gave him a disappointed look.
"Yeah, I know it's wrong. But I didn't really read it. Just glanced at it." He stood up and let out an awkward little laugh. His sister looked at him with a look that seemed to pity him. Maybe what happened to him made him look pathetic.
"What?" Still, he didn't like that look.
Before he showed his displeasure, his sister took Rona's diary and put it in her sling bag.
"Seokkyung-ah, what are you doing?"
"Don't you want to read it?"
"I-"
"It's true that reading the diary violates people's privacy but seeing you like this, maybe reading it can make you fix your mistakes by knowing what Rona truly feels and wants." Seokkyung gave an explanation with her gazes wandering around Rona's room instead of looking at him.
Seeing him just silent, his sister added, "When she wakes up, you can give it back to her. If she doesn't want to see you, at least you have a reason to meet her."
He chuckled at that, "She might hate me even more."
"Well, we'll think about that later. The important thing is that you've prepared a good plan if that happens."
He laughed a little more, a bitter laugh at the possibility he had prepared it. The sound of the house code being pressed stopped his laughter. Seokkyung who heard the same thing as him looked at him, her eyes widened as if she knew they were going to face more complicated problems.
"Yoo Jeni? But mom said that Jeni won't be home until this afternoon." His sister told him.
Without giving her an answer, Seokhoon rushed out of the room. But when he looked at the screen on the wall near Rona's room, he couldn't see who was trying to open the door. Unknowingly, his feet brought him to stand next to Rona's dining table while looking at the door of Rona's house, as if he was ready for what would welcome him later. Before he stepped closer to the door, the door was successfully opened and revealed a figure who had previously entered the wrong password before succeeding it.
"Lee Minhyuk?"
"WHAT THE H-!!" Minhyuk looked like he was about to jump, his hands holding his chest as if to prevent his heart from escaping his chest. "AISHH, you're scaring me!" Minhyuk then walked towards him.
"What are you doing here?" Seokkyung, who was already standing behind Seokhoon, asked the newly arrived guest.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking, what are you doing?" Minhyuk looked at Seokkyung before looking at him and narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
"My mom told us to help Jeni and her mother pack Rona's things." Instead of him, Seokkyung answered Minhyuk's curiosity.
"Jeni didn't tell me you were coming."
His sister scoffed before replying, "You think we're here with Jeni knowing? That's impossible."
"So Jeni doesn't know?"
"No." He answered Minhyuk's question briefly.
"Woah, you two will die on her hands if Jeni finds out you entered Rona's house without her permission." Minhyuk pointed at him and his sister in turn, shaking his head.
But the gesture given by his schoolmate he didn't pay attention to, he instead saw the object in Minhyuk's hand that he used to point at him. His eyes widened as he realized what was in Minhyuk's hand.
"Where did you get that from? As far as I know, it belongs to Rona." Actually, he didn't have to directly feel annoyed or feel jealous when he saw an object that was something meaningful to him and Rona was in the hands of someone else, no, another man.
"Oh, this? It does belong to Rona. I'm no longer a resident of Hera Palace so I'm using it." Minhyuk answered while looking at the green object.
"Isn't that a gift from Rona to you for being chosen as Cheong A's model?" Seokkyung also looked at the thing.
"Ah, I was right then. I said to Rona when I first saw this thing, I asked her wasn't this a gift for you? But she just shrugged her shoulders."
"Then why is it still there? I threw it away." His sister looked at him asking for an explanation as to why she was still looking at something she threw away.
"I picked it up shortly after you threw it away." He answered slowly, not daring to look at his sister. He hoped that answer would be enough to make them not question why the keychain was now in Rona's possession.
"Then why is it in Rona now?" But Minhyuk shattered his hopes with a question he desperately avoided.
"I returned it to her shortly after her mother was arrested on charges of murdering my mother." He answered with a heavy heart. Reminded him of the mistake he shouldn't have created. His sister fell silent after hearing his answer, and Minhyuk? Staring at him with a serious expression. He observed the look Minhyuk gave him before his friend looked away and nodded his head.
"I see."
They were silent for a moment, an atmosphere of awkwardness felt surrounding them.
"Then why are you here, Lee Minhyuk?" His sister asked to get rid of the awkwardness that surrounded the room.
"Jeni asked me to help her pack Rona's things."
"So you're used to coming in here?" Again he felt jealous knowing that another man had entered Rona's house.
"Yeah. Who else is helping her finish her work when she's busy with her studies? If it weren't for me, Rona's belongings would probably still be intact."
A casual answer without thinking about his feelings was given by Minhyuk to him.
"And you were in and out of Rona's room too?" The thought of another man walking into Rona's room really annoyed him. And he knew that he didn't try to hide his jealousy towards Minhyuk.
"You don't know the implied meaning of what I said earlier? I'm the one who mostly packs Rona's things." And whether intentionally or not, Minhyuk seemed not to see the jealousy shown on his face.
"Okay, I get it now. Rona's room will be finished soon but just let Jeni finish it instead, or someone might get more upset later. What do we do next?"
"What do you mean, Joo Seokkyung? We're not going to continue packing Rona's things?"
"No, Minhyuk-ah. It's also for your own good."
"Eh?"
"Maybe we should start packing the things in the kitchen because they don't seem to have been touched at all." Seokkyung walked towards Rona's kitchen. He knew his sister could read his annoyance so she shifted work to Rona's kitchen. And him? Instead of dwelling on useless thoughts, and letting his jealousy overpower him and make it worse, it was better to follow his sister.
"Okay then." Minhyuk who still looked oblivious to his jealousy followed Seokkyung walking towards the kitchen.
Not long after, they started to pack up Rona's mother's kitchen utensils. The three of them occasionally slipped a chat in between packing. Seokhoon himself was sometimes lost in his own thoughts, several times his memories returned to when he was at Rona's house. Especially the most bitter memory for him. His mind kept bringing him back to the memory of when he was in the kitchen helping Rona prepare breakfast and eat together on that fateful day. On that day, he started happily being with Rona, and then that happiness of the day with Rona ended with a tragedy that took half the life of the woman he loved.
"Okay, done! Kitchen checked!" Minhyuk's shout brought him back to the present moment.
"To think you can do such a good job, Lee Minhyuk. A spoiled kid like you can exceed my expectations." Seokkyung complimented Minhyuk sarcastically.
"You may not know Joo Seokkyung, but I'm not the Minhyuk you used to know. As a fellow spoiled child, I'm already better than you and no longer a spoiled child. So maybe you should find another spoiled child to be your friend. Ha Eunbyeol for example." And it wouldn't be Lee Minhyuk if he couldn't reply with more sarcastic remarks. The only one who could always beat his talk is only Rona. Ah, maybe now Yoo Jeni. His sister and he may have been able to silence Minhyuk in the past but that was because Minhyuk was afraid of them.
"Hey! Don't think you know me, Lee Minhyuk!"
"Wanna bet?"
He shook his head when he saw Seokkyung and Minhyuk fighting. He didn't have the slightest desire to stop their bickering. He chose to sit on the couch before his eyes fell on Rona's trophy. His hand slowly moved towards the trophy before picking it up.
"Ah, I forgot. I also have to pack the trophy. Jeni told me where she put the trophy box. Where is that? Ah, it's here." Minhyuk was already in front of him, holding its box. While he was just staring at the trophy he was holding.
"Is this the trophy when Rona won the Cheong A Art Center audition?" He asked with his eyes still on the trophy. No need to wait for an answer given by Minhyuk, the writing on it answered his question.
"Rona won what?" Seokkyung sat beside him.
"Oh right, you didn't know huh? Rona won the Cheong A Art Center audition." Minhyuk answered before filling the empty couch beside his sister. With eyes still staring at Rona's trophy, Seokhoon smiled proudly at Rona's achievements. Proud, because it seems that without him by her side, Rona was still relentless to fight.
"Actually, previously Rona didn't pass the administration. You know why. Ms. Cheon Seojin's power to control the media and all competitions are amazing. Jeni is even surprised that Rona is still trying to enter the competitions even though Cheon Seojin can always make her not qualify for the next step. You also know that, right, Seokhoon-ah?" Minhyuk's question made him look at Minhyuk before placing the trophy on the table.
"Uhm." He nodded. Yes, he knew about it. Like Jeni, he also often wondered why the girl who was still his girlfriend at that time always torture herself for trying to enter competitions whose results will definitely not let her enter. However, Rona was very adamant about her wants. He eventually backed away from his desire to prevent her from registering for the competition and supported all of her decisions instead.
"Then how can Rona pass the audition? I mean, this isn't just any competition. This is Cheong A's, how could she pass?" Seokkyung asked something that he already knew the answer to, although it wasn't detailed because that day Rona didn't explain it further. Just said that she passed the audition.
"You'll definitely be in awe of her. That girl is amazing, smart, and witty." Hearing Minhyuk's praise for Rona, even though he also agreed with him, made his jealousy appear a little more. And as usual, Minhyuk didn't seem to notice because he continued his story in high spirits.
"So, Cheon Seojin's plan to impress Mr. Clark Lee with Ha Eunbyeol's abilities turned against her because when Clark opened the curtain to see who was singing with the perfect F-note, what he saw was Rona. And with that perfect ability, of course, Clark was amazed. He asked Ms. Cheon to pass Rona to audition. Could you imagine? Rona even did that in front of reporters too. So yes, like it or not with Clark's request and the reporters who also heard Clark's praise, Ms. Cheon was forced to pass Rona. Rona is such a smart girl." Minhyuk laughed after slipping praise once again for Rona.
"Well, she is."
"How strange to hear you compliment Rona, Joo Seokkyung."
"Shut up!"
"Don't forget bravery, Rona is very brave. You know, even before the audition took place, Rona dared to fight Cheon Seojin. Looking back, I got annoyed." He saw Minhyuk's face turn to anger. While tightening his jaw, Minhyuk resumed his story.
"Ha Eunbyeol is … Woah … she's indeed very evil. Before the audition, she attacked Rona by saying that Rona has no right to participate in the audition because she had a mother who was a criminal, kidnapper, and murderer. Even though she remembered what happened that night, and saw for herself whose mother is the evil one … the criminal one. It's good that Rona fought back. So Eunbyeol was the one who felt scared. What could Cheon Seojin's child do without her mother? She knows for sure that she won't be able to beat Rona. On stage, the only one who shines is Rona."
Again Minhyuk's praise made him jealous, no … not only jealous but also the envy of Minhyuk who was with Rona at that time.
"Rona was incredible that day. Do you want to see it? I have the video." Minhyuk then reached into his jacket pocket and took out his phone.
"Why do you have a video of Rona's performance?" Seokkyung's question was the one he wanted to ask after hearing Minhyuk.
"Because I paired up with her, so I saved the video." Minhyuk answered casually while showing one video.
A video of Rona's appearance on stage was shown on Minhyuk's phone. From the start she entered the stage with Minhyuk, singing confidently, and the acting Minhyuk gave her a rose … which to be honest was a bit irritating to him. Then he heard the key of the orchestra change.
"The key went up?" And he directed his curiosity.
"Uhm." Minhyuk nodded.
But that key change didn't affect Rona's stunning appearance, it just made her even more incredible. Especially when Rona is always great at hitting the perfect high notes. From the video, he could see Eunbyeol's body language. At that moment, she realized that she lost to Rona.
"Amazing." And proudly, without hiding it he complimented his ex-girlfriend.
"She is." Minhyuk agreed before continuing, "The changing key was actually Mr. Clark Lee's plan. Maybe he knew about Ms. Cheon's cheating."
"Cheating?" He asked Minhyuk.
"Tch, typical Eunbyeol who can't do anything without her mother's help." Seokkyung rolled her eyes.
"At first we didn't know either but before the song selection, Jeni saw Eunbyeol practicing with the song. Then suddenly before going on stage. We, apart from Eunbyeol, learned that later the key would change."
Minhyuk cut off his story with a laugh. He and Seokkyung looked at each other, surprised by Minhyuk's behavior.
"Ha Eunbyeol, shamelessly came to us before the winner was announced. She threatened and called Rona petty for cheating. Jeni, who cleverly recorded Eunbyeol practicing with that song, then showed the record in front of Eunbyeol's face. Ms. Cheon's daughter instantly fell silent. Even I, as her fellow SNU student, was too embarrassed to defend her. And Rona coolly said to Eunbyeol." He saw Minhyuk then stood up and approached Seokkyung.
"Don't be upset, this is something you do often." Minhyuk acted by patting Seokkyung's shoulder, who immediately brushed off Minhyuk's hand. He heard Minhyuk laugh before returning to his seat.
Minhyuk's words and laughter might be to mock Ha Eunbyeol but he noticed Seokkyung's expression after Minhyuk said it instantly changed. As if Minhyuk said those words to her. There was no hint of annoyance or anger on his sister's face, but more of shock and sadness before she covered it up by acting that what Minhyuk said didn't offend her at all.
"Rona's victory over Eunbyeol is something. I'm proud of her, I even purposely showed off Rona's great performance to my SNU friends in front of Ha Eunbyeol, to shame her. I'm such a bad person."
"Yes, you are. Did you just realize now?"
"Hey, Joo Seokkyung. I told you I've changed!"
"Then what about Eunbyeol's image? Isn't she the queen of SNU?"
"Haha, her image freefall to the lowest level. Even many of my male friends asked for Rona's number and asked me to introduce her to Rona."
"What?" With reflex, he asked in annoyance.
"But of course, I rejected them all. Who are they to ask to be introduced to Rona?"
For some reason, Minhyuk's statement made him both happy and jealous.
"You're so possessive, Lee Minhyuk. They might think you're not just Rona's friend." And he unhesitatingly showed his jealousy.
"So what? I don't care. I know what they were like before, Rona's name always comes out of their mouths along with bad comments towards her. Then suddenly they want to get to know Rona better? No way!"
He wanted to show his jealousy more to Minhyuk but he paused and thought about something. Somehow, the realization struck him that he should thank Minhyuk for always being near Rona and being the good friend who was always ready to protect her.
"Then how does Eunbyeol respond to all that?" Seokkyung asked Minhyuk. The man shrugged his shoulders before answering.
"I don't know. It wasn't long before things happened to her mother and your father so she wasn't seen on campus anymore. I heard she took time off to work to support herself and her mother."
"Really? It seems impossible for someone like Eunbyeol to work." Seokkyung asked in disbelief.
"I was equally surprised. Ha Eunbyeol, who we know as a child who cannot be separated from her mother, now needed to become the backbone of her life and mother. It seems that the status of a spoiled child has also disappeared from her. Now only you have that status, Joo Seokkyung."
"Hey!! You know nothing!" Seokkyung threw a punch at Lee Minhyuk's arm who then laughed.
"I know. I'm just kidding. I know you've changed too."
Minhyuk's statement took him by surprise.
"Eh?" So is his sister.
"I mean. Seeing you now wants to help Rona, ah no ... even the words you said to Eunbyeol at the hospital at that time, made me realize that Joo Seokkyung has changed."
"Tch, bullshit."
"It's up to you to accept my reasons or not."
The bitter laugh could be heard by him. Seokkyung let out a bitter laugh at Minhyuk's answer before she gave him the reply
"Have you forgotten? A year ago I also helped Rona in this house and threatened you. But it turned out I was still the evil Seokkyung, I can't change."
"Seokkyung-ah ..." He looked at his sister. It seemed his sister wasn't sure whether she could be a good person. He recalled her words that correlated her with their father.
"But a year ago you didn't know you were your mother's biological child. You didn't know you were Min Seola's twin sister. If it turns out that after knowing all you still haven't changed, well… you're beyond help. But, hey! Look at me! Until now, I'm not sure about my changes. Am I really changed to be a better person? All I know is that I shouldn't stop trying. What happened to my parents made me realize this. I can't be like them, especially like my father. Why do you think I agreed to the military enlistment? To try to prove … not to someone else, but me that I'm not my father."
He looked at Minhyuk, as well as his sister. Maybe once again he was amazed by Minhyuk's change. He knew Minhyuk's sentiment to prove he is not his father. Like Minhyuk, he wanted it too. He had always felt sorry for himself as Joo Dantae's son. Always trying to escape from his father's shadow. He once succeeded but the wall he built as an attempt to separate him from his father fell down instantly when he found out that it was his father who hurt Rona's mother. And left her because of it.
He shouldn't have done that, he shouldn't have left her out of guilt. If he was planning to pretend to be by his father's side in search of his sister, he should have told Rona his plan, not broken up with her and left her. When Rona immediately knew what he truly felt, by saying that he shouldn't feel that his father's fault was his fault, he should have canceled his decision to break up.
"You have indeed changed, Lee Minhyuk. Who would have thought you could advise my sister." He praised his former schoolmate sincerely.
"Don't praise me Joo Seokhoon. It feels weird. Especially after you seemed to want to punch me because you were jealous of me." Minhyuk's words with a sly smile surprised him before he chuckled.
"So you noticed?"
"Of course, you think I'm stupid? You see, I'm an SNU student who entered without cheating."
"Are you mocking me?"
"Of course not, Joo Seokkyung."
He laughed at their antiques. Unexpectedly, the three of them sat in the same room as when they visited Rona's house for the first time with different feelings. In the past, Minhyuk had intended to embarrass Rona, but now he was praising her instead. And his sister who used to pretend to be nice to Rona has now become truly nice.
Life is that funny.
Like looking at a photograph. The moment you take the photo, you can't predict what happened after it. You've just realized it after you look back at the photo you took.
***