CH 12.1

Geon Hyeong couldn’t meet Jung Won that day. His mind was in turmoil. He didn’t know how to explain to her. No, even his own heart was in turmoil right now.

His younger sister? Kang Jung Won? What an absurd remark, and it had to stay that way. He was completely unprepared and could not accept Jung Won as his younger sister. It’s better that he didn’t know for the rest of his life.

Various horrible thoughts filled his head until his head felt like it was about to burst. Meanwhile, his chest felt tight as if it was pressed by a large stone. A sister from a different mother that he just found out about.

All this time, Kim Geon Hyeong didn’t care about his family’s problems like this and never felt afraid to face anything. All this time, he had no reason to feel desperate like this. It was always like that. However, the current Geon Hyeong could not manage his own feelings.

He believed he could see Shin Hee walking hand in hand with another man. However, he doesn’t  want  to  imagine  another  man  accompanying  Jung  Won,  for  whatever  reason. Nevertheless, he now realized that whether he wanted to or not, he has to accept this reality.

The photo that was hanging in Jung Won’s living room. The ring that always hangs on the necklace around Jung Won’s neck.

Why didn’t I realize this before?

Why didn’t I realize these feelings of mine before?

Geon Hyeong almost fainted realizing his own feelings in the middle of the situation. He realized that the sense of belonging, longing, and comfort when he was with Jung Won was because Kang Jung Won was a special person to him. He didn’t realize this before.

She was the first person to accept him as family.

She was the first person to light up the darkness for him.

She was the first person to wait for him to come home.

Father, what exactly have you done to me? Is that why you love the hill in Hwaniwon so much?

Geon Hyeong still couldn’t control his emotions and feelings, until he finally fell asleep in his restlessness.

The Geon Hyeong who came looking for her in the cafeteria didn’t look like the usual Geon Hyeong.

Usually, he was cold, firm, and sure of his opinions, not someone who usually shows his compassion and sympathy for others. However, today his gaze looked unstable and full of fear and worry.

Before she could ask why, Jung Won accepted the photo that Geon Hyeong held out. Looking at the photo and the message written on the back, Jung Won seemed to hold her breath.

“No way.”

“I also feel that this is very unreasonable. I didn’t expect you to be my sister at all.”

“Don’t imagine such a thing. Because I also never imagined that someone with such an arbitrary attitude would become my brother.”

Hearing Geon Hyeong’s quiet murmur, Jung Won replied firmly while shaking her head. Geon Hyeong looked at her suspiciously at her rebuttal that sounded so confident.

“How do you know? Do you have any proof?”

It was possible that this woman knows the origin of this photo. Given her parents’ persistence and Jung Won’s strong memory – to the point where she could memorize all of her family’s rules in detail – it was possible that she remembers every face in her family’s photo album. This makes Geon Hyeong hang on to his slim hope.

“What more proof is needed? It’s obviously impossible. My mother was good to everyone, but she wouldn’t betray my father. I know that for sure.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t trust my father. And neither is your mother.”

“Do you realize that you just insulted your father and my mother?”

“Alright, I stand corrected. I don’t know about your mom, but I’m sure my dad did. That’s a fact.”

Geon Hyeong still remembered the past of his father who was a handsome playboy. He didn’t stop playing with women until the day he died. An uneasy feeling now enveloped Geon Hyeong. If he is indeed related to this woman, he is not sure if he can face that fact.

Hearing Geon Hyeong who insisted on his opinion, Jung Won just frowned impatiently.

“I was going to make a bet with you, too bad this family’s rules don’t allow me to gamble or the like. Geon Hyeong ssi, you’re lucky this time.”

Seeing Geon Hyeong who was still anxious and worried about Jung Won’s convincing opinion, the woman said jokingly and smiled at him. However, that smile was not able to make the anxiety on Geon Hyeong’s face disappear.

Does this woman know that if betting can make this woman not be his sister, let alone betting, Geon Hyeong can do anything crazier than that.

“Are you sure you’ll win?”

“Of course. I will definitely win.”

Hearing Geon Hyeong’s suspicious question, Jung Won replied confidently. The look in her eyes looked very sure and confident, as if to say that her opinion was not mere nonsense.

Just like the first time Geon Hyeong met her. Even this time, Geon Hyeong wanted to believe what she said.

“Believe me. In this world, there are also things that can be confirmed one hundred percent like this. My mother once said that betraying the trust of their loved ones is more cruel and frightening than murder. My mother would never betray my father and me.”

“I hope so. Because being an orphan might still be better than being a child born out of wedlock.”

“Seriously. Both are not easy things. As for you, at least you don’t have economic difficulties, right?”

“Then, do you want to be a child born out of wedlock in a wealthy family like me?”

Suddenly, Geon Hyeong returned to his everyday nature. He stared at Jung Won with eyes shining with anger.

Does this man think I want to get the property from that house? If he thinks that, then this man is really a stupid man.

Would any woman be happy if the man who had kissed her under the starry sky suddenly became her brother?

Could it be that this man was feeling so anxious and worried like this just because he was afraid of his property being taken away?

The one thing Jung Won really wanted to know was not the truth about her relationship with this man. She wanted to hear the answer to the question asked by Jae Hyun at the orchard, on the day of the accident, directly from Geon Hyeong.

Did this man really say ‘yes’ to the marriage proposal made by Shin Hee’s family?

“No. Not at all. But, you were the first to make such a comparison.”

Geon Hyeong shook his head at Jung Won’s criticism. The two people with their own frantic feelings looked at each other.

This woman is my sister?

This man is my brother?

What is most urgent right now is the truth about this matter.

“Alright. I understand how you feel. Let’s go now.”

“Where to?”

“Where to? To the hospital, of course. For a genetic test. Even though it can’t possibly be true, can you stand hearing such accusations? If it were me, I couldn’t stand it even for one day.”

Jung Won immediately pulled Geon Hyeong’s hand. Jung Won’s hand in the air-conditioned room felt cold, but still gave warmth to Geon Hyeong’s hand that she held.

Geon Hyeong’s mood, which had been very chaotic for the past two days, began to feel calmer. Even when he first met this woman, this woman won the bet with him. Geon Hyeong begged earnestly, hoping that even Jung Won’s words would be true this time.