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In Joo stared up at the ceiling in awe. She is sure she’s laying on the softest bed in all existence. This is the type of bed that would be in heaven, she imagined, and she would find out if she ever made it in. The bed was hugging her back. She isn’t sure if she could ever make herself get out of it.
In Joo sighed, wishing her sisters were here so they could experience it all together.
And immediately, like ice water had been poured over her, she stiffened with guilt and worry. Right. Her sisters. What kind of big sister is she to enjoy this kind of luxury, while her sisters were in danger? Not a very good sister.
And Hwa Young, she could still be alive. In Joo is doubtful of that theory. She will never forget the vision of her friend’s dead body. Some nights, when she closed her eyes, she could only see the sickly red heels on Hwa Young’s hanging corpse. But that orchid tattoo looked so familiar – could it be one and the same?
In Joo couldn’t help but naively hope that she would get to see her friend again, no matter what face Hwa-Young wore now.
She rolled onto her side and then winced; she had forgotten about the residual bruising of her ribs. Thank you Ms.Go, she mentally hissed. Breathing deeply to work through the ache, she laid her hand on the bedcover, wondering at its softness. Eight hundred thread count cotton, she guessed. In Joo let out a small hysterical giggle, she would probably have to save up for years to even afford a room like this. People really live like this, huh? And now she lived like them. Well, temporarily at least.
Stroking the smooth bedsheet with her palm, she imagined meeting Hwa Young. In Joo knew she would immediately break down into tears the second they met. She had always been an emotional person, it is fact. She’s the emotional and idealistic sister, In Kyung is tenacious and brave sister, and In Hye is the creative and realistic sister.
In Joo imagined hugging her friend tight and breathing in the strange hazy floral scent that Hwa Young always favored. And then she would ask – no demand – what the hell was going on? How could she be alive? Why had Hwa Young put seventy billion in her name? What was with the weird and insane Park family?
She also selfishly wished that Hwa Young would be willing to share the seventy billion. Hwa Young had done all the work putting it in the accounts, but the accounts are in In Joo’s name after all. In Joo had to deal with the mess that followed Hwa Young’s (supposed?) death. Shouldn’t she deserve compensation for that? The money could help her family, and she had that deal with Choi Do Il –
Right. Frustrated, she gingerly shifted to lie on her back. She needed to thank Mr. Choi for this luxurious hotel room. She’s not quite so sure what to think of him anymore. When In Joo offered him the full seventy billion in turn to help her catch her grand-aunt’s murderer, he turned her down. She was secretly relieved to still have a slice of the money, but it also made her nervous. He had told her that he valued money more than anything, but then why turn her down?
A – small, very small -- part of her considered Do il Mr.Choi to be a friend. But friendship seemed a laughably wrong word to describe their relationship. She’d like to think they had grown closer over the course of spending time together for the slush fund investigation. During their occasional dinners together, he had let bits of him slip through, dropping small anecdotes about his Wharton days and travels. She had collected each one and carefully filed them away. In turn, she shared updates about the orchids she looked after and bits about her family. There were even times when she could get him to drop his irritating smirk and share a genuine smile, and she collected these moments too, telling herself, because it’s always nice to make someone smile (definitely not because she thought his smile was lovely).
But another -- significantly larger -- part of her always felt uneasy around him, there were so many unanswered questions. Why did he work for Mr.Park? Why did he fake people’s deaths? What role did he play in this mess? He was always careful to not reveal too much even when he seemingly knew everything about her and even more about the mysterious orchid, so was that really friendship?
In Joo also never knew where she stood with Mr.Choi. Did he see her as a kind-of-friend too? Just a business partner – a stepping stone to something more valuable?
You always take things are face value, he had said, and people like us love that.
He probably thought her to be simple. She scoffed remembering what he had said about, “her changing the flow of air”. She was sure he only said that so she would agree to his deal. And she had. So, what did that say about her? Simple, a cruel part of brain offered helpfully.
She appreciated In Kyung’s sleuthing skills for uncovering Mr.Choi’s family. In Kyung is ruthless like that, she doesn't let anything stand in her way if she wants to uncover information. In Joo is both proud and terrified of her sister’s tenacity. Although, lately she is more terrified for her sister. Terrified for both her sisters.
Mr.Choi’s family is a precious part of him he would likely never reveal of his own will. It was another piece of him that she could secretly squirrel away for herself. She pitied him, for having to grow up alone in foreign place with no family. In Joo grew up poor, but had no shortage of love from her sisters and her mother (when she was around).
And then she had met his mother, and In Joo’s heart broke for her too, for having to sacrifice her life with her son to give him a chance at a better life. And now he had an exciting career of a money launderer who also apparently faked people’s death.
Watching Mr.Choi grow cold when she told him about meeting his mother made her feel annoyingly guilty. There was so reason for her to feel that way, after all she couldn’t always depend on him for information. She had her family to look after too. She was annoyed that he had expected her to follow and believe only what he told her, validating that he thought of her as some simpleton who would be easily swayed by his suits and confidence and good looks.
She felt even worse when he revoked his protection of her and called off their deal. She hated that she felt anything at all, wondering when she had gotten so attached. It’s just about money after all, and it proved how he viewed her as easy to discard and unimportant.
Except that it wasn’t all about money. Mr.Choi’s reaction revealed he had more involvement with the Park family and this weird orchid society than he let on. He was emotionally invested in this. How would he avenge those he loved? What was his “dignified alternative”?
Then he surprised her by slipping in across from her during her (delicious and eye-wateringly expensive) birthday dinner. How rude, to interrupt someone’s dinner without warning, In Joo mentally sniped, with residual anger about their last goodbye. She hated how her heart had sped up at the sight of him, looking polished and sharp and suave as always. She hated even more that she felt - a little, negligible amount really – happy to see him again. All this chaos was making her lose sanity and a voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like In Kyung agreed with her.
What had made him come back? Surely not the In-Joo-Clone (?) with Hwa-Young’s ankle tattoo. Maybe bringing down Park Jae Sang – no he had declined that offer for revenge. Maybe the money. No, he had planned something else, and he would likely leave her in the dark about it. She was being used. Again.
Whatever happened to “don’t contact me ever again”, In Joo scoffed. Clearly the declaration had only lasted until he realized he had still had a use for her. How convenient.
Oh, but, what if that lady from the photo really is Hwa Young?
Like this, her mind continued to cycle through topics that had been plaguing her for the past several weeks. Her sisters. Seventy Billion. Hwa Young. Mr.Choi. Sang Ah. Jae Sang. Her Aunt. The orchid. The orchid society. Her sisters….
“Enough,” she scolded at the ceiling. “It’s your birthday and you are in a fancy suite of your dreams, and here you are torturing yourself, you fool.”
That’s right, she thought while easing the pent up tension in her shoulders and lacing her hands over her stomach, it’s her birthday.
The Most Important Person In The World. That was her. Or rather, some woman running around Singapore with her face. But that was who she was in this hotel room.
Not In joo, the eldest of three sisters.
Not In Joo, the divorcee with an ex-conman husband.
Not In Joo, the naïve bookkeeper who wore frumpy clothes.
She’s In Joo, the Most Important Person In The World. The In Joo who need not bat an eyelash before throwing thousands – even millions – on orchids and hotel suites and dresses and shoes. She could play the role, if only for a little while.
In Joo smiled dreamily while imagining what this other In Joo could do. This In Joo could probably send In Hye to any art school her sister wished. This In Joo could fund In Kyung’s investigations so she could report whatever she wished. This In Joo could afford to fund any of her wildest desires. In Joo sighed happily. Maybe she could just lay here forever. If she stayed in this bed -- in this lovely suite long enough, maybe she wouldn’t have to deal with her life.
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In Joo found herself outside her family’s rooftop apartment. She couldn’t remember how she found herself there or where she had come from, but she felt an immediate sense of belonging and comfort from being in a familiar place. She nearly teared up at the feeling, how long had it been anyway? She couldn’t remember where she had been staying these past days but it seemed like a lifetime ago that she and her sisters were living here together and as a family.
Maybe her sisters were home? Excited, she opened the front door and stepped in and–
What?
It’s not their apartment, but it is their apartment. The white apartment she had wanted for her family. However, instead of being empty and unoccupied, the space before her was lived in.
As she made her way to the living room, she could feel that whoever lived here clearly loved this place as much as she did. It made pause, was she intruding? But this apartment felt so familiar.
In Joo! You’re finally home, I was worried. It was getting so late, I was just about to call you to see where you were.
Startled, In Joo yelped as she turned around to see who had spoken. Too stunned to even speak as she took in the scene with Do Il, of all people, pouring her a glass of wine.
He smiled at her-- the smile she treasured and hoarded in secret, not unlike how an overgrown dragon would act with its gold.
How strange. How strangely captivating.
He walked towards her, and she was still so stunned she couldn’t respond to his greeting. Not that he gave her chance since he didn’t waste any time in pulling her into him by her waist and using his free hand to cradle and angle her face up towards him to a kiss.
In Joo couldn’t help but sink into the kiss, her hands automatically moving up to clutch at his shoulders (the shoulders she definitely hadn’t admired in the past). She could feel his smile in the kiss, and so emboldened, moved her lips experimentally against his.
Do il pulled her impossibly closer, not breaking their kiss, his arm wrapping more firmly around her waist, and yet it wasn’t close in enough. She moaned softly when she felt the warm velvet of his tongue against hers. In Joo felt hot and dizzy and overwhelmed, she broke the kiss to catch her breath. He took the opportunity to kiss her neck, first right below the ear near the corner of her jaw, then slowly leaving open mouthed kissed down the side of her neck.
This felt nice, but this also insane. She couldn’t help but crave more.
I missed you, he murmured into In Joo’s collarbone. I have a gift for you.
A gift for me?
It’s your birthday.
Ah right.
He let go of her to pick up a box from the coffee table behind them. Sit down.
Curious to see where this could go, In Joo sat near the edge on the nearest sofa. Do il knelt in front of her and opened the box to reveal a pair of dark green heels. Then he carefully lifted her left foot to remove her shoe to replace it with the heel. He did the same with the right. The heels were gorgeous.
Thank you, she told him sincerely moved by the gift.
Do Il huffed out an incredulous laugh, you don’t need to thank me.
You have it regardless.
But he didn’t move back after, instead he moved closer and let his hands wrap around her ankles in a loose grasp. Before she could savor the warmth of his hold, his hands skated up her calves and down again in an oddly seductive cycle. He let his hands go up once more, but this time he moved slowly beneath her skirt and paused there to draw small circles with his index fingers on her upper thigh. Growing increasingly aroused by his ministrations, she squirmed slightly in her seat.
Giving her a mischievous smirk, he said, I haven’t given you the rest of your gift yet.
What- she gasped when she felt his thumbs now drawing circles on the soft skin inside of her thighs, so close to where she wanted him to be. What are you doing?
One of his hands left her thigh to cup the back of her neck and bring her face closer in level with his so he could give her a searing kiss. In Joo, I want to taste you
Right. Well.
She only saw a smug smile and a wink before he rucked her skirt up her hips and removed her underwear. Then he moved her knees wider, giving him a view of her core.
I can see how wet you are.
His breath had only lightly ghosted along her sensitive flesh, but it had been enough to make her gasp.
His eyes flicked up to meet hers. So sensitive, he whispered.
That was all the warning she had before he moved in closer and put his mouth right over her ---
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In Joo woke up gasping and sticky with sweat. It took her a few seconds to orient herself. Not in her home. Singapore. Hotel. Alone. She must have dozed off at some point.
She could still feel the angry pulsing below her navel, a reminder of the dream that ended prematurely – or rather just in time. She rolled over onto her stomach to groan into a pillow. Her subconscious must be malfunctioning, that had to be it. A sex dream, really? And with Mr.Choi of all people just seemed entirely inappropriate and irresponsible considering the circumstances. In Joo refused to remember how right it had felt in his embrace, even if it was just a dream.
The dream didn’t mean anything.
She didn’t know how she could face him tomorrow.