Story 3: The eye of the storm

Chapter 109

‘Is this going to get bad…?’

Hyunsuk lay down on his bed after turning on loud music. He was alone at home.

He closed his eyes. In a few hours, people from the Chinese headquarters were going to arrive and after the contract was signed, he was going to go to China.

“Before then… I need to tell the truth to Hyoyoung…”

Hyunsuk thought of Hyoyoung and shook his head.

“Maybe I should tell her after I get back from China?”

He couldn’t decide when suddenly, he heard someone talking.

“What happened?”

“GYAAA!”

“What?! Why do people scream when I talk to them? Why?”

It was Jiwoo. Hyunsuk replied, “How did you get in here without making a sound?!”

“I’m just very quiet. Should I carry a bell around my neck or something?”

“Gosh, you scared me.”

“Whatever. There is something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I confessed to Mikyung about how I feel about her.”

“…”

“I said I told her I like her and that we should date.”

“Mikyung?’

“Yup.”

“THE Mikyung?”

“Yes! Is there another Mikyung I don’t know about?”

“Hyoyoung’s friend Mikyung?”

“YES! Why are you repeating yourself? Mikyung, Hyoyoung’s best friend!”

“Are you crazy?”

“What?”

“Considering our situation…. How could you do that? Things are already so complicated, yet you go on and get a girlfriend?”

“Oh my god! What are you talking about? You can’t stop love in any situation! Love is the only thing that will make things okay!”

“Fine, fine. By the way, does Hyoyoung know…”

“Of course! I told Kiwook, so I am sure Hyoyoung knows.”

“And Hyojun too?”

“Well, wouldn’t Hyoyoung tell him?”

Just then, Hyojun burst into the room.

“Hyoyoung tell me what?”

“AHHH!”

Hyojun covered his ears and asked, “What the heck! Why are you screaming?”

Hyunsuk replied, “You scared me! Are you a ghost or something? Why is everyone walking into my room all quiet?”

“Whatever. I got your text. We were on our family trip, but it sounded serious. So let’s hear it. What happened?”

Hyunsuk apologized, “Sorry, but tomorrow’s schedule changed and I thought it would be best to discuss it with all of you.”

“Alright, so tell me.”

“Where is Kiwook?”

“I left first, and Kiwook, Hyoyoung, and our parents are on their way. I think Kiwook is going to drop my parents off at their hotel before coming here.”

“Why didn’t you do that, Hyojun?”

“Well, I think my mom and dad had a lot of questions for Kiwook.”

“Hmm…”

“Stop it right there! Don’t even say it. I can guess what you are thinking, Hyunsuk, so just stop. Anyway, what was it that Hyoyoung is supposed to tell me?”

“Jiwoo apparently asked Mikyung out.”

“What?”

“Jiwoo told Mikyung that he liked her.”

“Who? Mikyung? THE Mikyung…?”

“YES! YES! THAT Mikyung… Hyoyoung’s best friend Mikyung! Why do I have to repeat myself over and over again?”

“Don’t you think that the fact that we are all shocked means this is a crazy idea?”

“I don’t understand you guys and I don’t care.”

“Jiwoo, I think you were a bit rash in your decision.”

“OMG! How can you say that to me, Hyojun, when you…”

“What?”

“Umm… nothing. I misspoke. I will just shut up now.”

“Oh… so that was why Hyoyoung laughed after she got a phone call.”

“What? Hyoyoung?”

“Yeah, she talked to someone on the phone and she started laughing. I was wondering what it was about, but I think it must’ve been Mikyung who called her.”

Jiwoo pouted, “I’m not sure how to feel about this. Hyoyoung laughed? What does that mean?”

Hyojun shook his head and turned to Hyunsuk.

“Whatever. So tell me what happened.”

“We should wait for Kiwook…”

“I’m here.”

Before Hyunsuk could even finish his sentence, Kiwook and Hyoyoung walked in. Kiwook asked, “What was with that text you sent me? It sounded serious.”

Hyoyoung added, “Hyunsuk Oppa, you have disappointed my parents! They were so happy about our family trip! Hyojun Oppa, after this is done, mom and dad asked us to go to them at the hotel. No matter what, we are going to sleep in the same place as a family.”

“Fine.”

Hyunsuk looked at all of them and sighed deeply. Hearing his sigh, everyone turned to him.

Hyunsuk thought to himself, ‘I… remember a situation similar to this.’

He remembered the first time he went to Chairman Feng’s house and met him. Even as a child, Hyunsuk had always been a calm and quiet boy who preferred to read books alone at home rather than go outside to play. He never met his father, and his mother never mentioned him. Hyunsuk assumed that his father was either dead or was in a situation where he couldn’t be with them.

Hyunsuk never asked his mother about him.

Even without a father, Hyunsuk and his mother lived a comfortable life. His mother was a stay-at-home mom.

Once or twice a month, his mother left the house in the middle of the night after Hyunsuk went to bed and would return early the next morning. Hyunsuk knew about this but never asked her where she went.

Hyunsuk thought that once he started asking questions, there would be too much his mom would have to explain to him.

Then, when Hyunsuk turned 10, his mother sat him down and told him a long story. She explained that she used to have a boyfriend a long time ago, but because his parents objected, they couldn’t get married. After they broke up, she realized that she was pregnant with his child. She raised Hyunsuk on her own when one day, she met her old boyfriend again by coincidence. At that time, she learned that he was already married with kids, even when they were dating.

Hyunsuk’s mom became furious and told her ex-boyfriend to forget about her and their son. But the man couldn’t. Even though Hyunsuk and his mom moved far away, Hyunsuk’s father found them and provided for them financially.

Hyunsuk’s mom wanted the best for her son, so in the end, she accepted the help.

10 years later, Hyunsuk’s dad’s first wife passed away, and his mom told him that they were going to get married.

The one thing his mom asked of him was that no matter how horrible his stepbrothers may act towards him, he had to endure it.

Hyunsuk read about the horrible bullying of some stepbrothers in books and on TV, so he became fearful. The first day he went to Chairman Feng’s house, he saw his stepbrothers staring at him with curiosity and fear.

Hyunsuk murmured nervously in Chinese, “Hello…”

Until the conversation with his mom, Hyunsuk had no idea he was half-Chinese. He tried to learn as much Chinese as possible within that short period of time, so when he first met his new family, he greeted them in awkward Chinese. Hyunsuk couldn’t look at them directly in fear that they might be glaring at him.

He was still looking down at the floor when suddenly, someone patted his head and said to him in a kind voice, “You are cute.”

When Hyunsuk looked up, he saw his oldest stepbrother, who was five years older than him. His older brother said to him, “As of today, we are brothers, so there is no reason you should fear us. From now on, you are my little brother. My adorable baby brother who I will love.”

Those were the kindest words Hyunsuk had ever heard in his life.

Hyunsuk later learned that his stepbrothers’ mother, his father’s first wife, was a very sick woman. She knew that her husband was in love with another woman and that she would not live for very long. So Chairman Feng’s first wife searched for Hyunsuk’s mother and asked for her to visit her. When they met, Chairman Feng’s sick wife begged Hyunsuk’s mom to take care of her sons after she passed away. She even introduced her sons to Hyunsuk’s mom and explained everything to them.

Hyunsuk’s mom was so thankful, so she visited the first wife from time to time to help her get better. The first wife’s sons saw that Hyunsuk’s mom was genuinely grateful, so they decided to accept her as their stepmother.

After a year of illness, the first wife passed away and some time after the funeral, Hyunsuk and his mother moved in. Hyunsuk, who grew up as an only child with a single mom, was suddenly surrounded by a huge family.

A very rich family. He became the youngest son of the Shuineung Group.