Step Brother ®

🦋☆. Tʜᴇ ᴄᴀsᴛʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛs ᴀssʜᴏʟᴇs .☆🦋

༺𓆩Rabbit𓆪༻

As the aircraft ascended, I resolved to utilize the flight time to research Kim's Enterprise. However, my focus quickly dissolved, overtaken by the novelty of the flying experience. My attention flitted from the flickering entertainment screens to the attentive flight crew weaving through the aisles. Their smiles are practiced yet reassuring.

I caught myself marveling at the elegance of the glassware, each piece reflecting the cabin lights with an opulent gleam. Even the supple leather of the seats demanded my awareness, cradling me in unfamiliar but welcome comfort. The myriad of distractions eclipsed my initial intent, leaving the investigation momentarily forgotten in the altitude-hushed cabin. I'll figure it all out pretty quickly, huh?

Our travels have finally come to an end. We arrived at our final stop much quicker than anticipated, landing at the airport in Incheon International Airport.

Flying solo on a big plane has its perks.

Stepping off the plane, I am immediately struck by the delightful weather and a refreshing, lively aroma that fills the air, quite different from the familiar atmosphere we left behind in Tokyo.

Ever since I turned six years old, Japan has been our home. My mother often told me that staying in the kochi became too painful after we lost my dad, and the memories especially haunted her here in Tokyo.

Seems like the cash made her totally blank out on that part.After my father's passing, she remained alone for a considerable period.
Back then, she was all about trying to make sure I had what I needed while navigating the waters of grief. That's what she says.

But we were so broke she had no choice but to take this sketchy place crawling with mold. That nasty stuff messed with my lungs big time and landed me in the hospital when I was just a little kid, only five years old.

Once my health was restored, we relocated to the residence of her latest partner, situated within the Japan borders. It was so new. I only got the memo about him when we were quitting the hospital.

Thinking about this leads me to absentmindedly touch my chest, right where a surgical scar marks the spot that saved my existence.

Villi once told me that doctors had to meticulously clear out my lungs to pull me back from the brink. I guess I hit the jackpot with a decent rack; as soon as I pop on a bra, my boobs blend and hide that weird scar like magic. My mother glances at me and comes towards me. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"First, stop calling me that, Villi." As we disembark from the aircraft, a man greets us.

He's in a crisp suit, dark sunglasses shielding his eyes, and his head -completely shaven-bears an intricate tattoo, making him scary to be around. "Welcome, Mrs. and Miss ikari. My name is Danie."

He shakes my mother's hand gently, then turns to me. "I am your driver and personal bodyguard." My mom bursts into laughter, acting like a child as she hides behind her hand, sending me an enormous, beaming smile.
"This is so cool!"

The thought of having a man in his fifties constantly trailing behind me, acting as my chauffeur and personal shadow, is unsettling. Not cool.

There has to be some method to dissuade him from this duty without causing too much fuss. I'll need to think about that.
Danie lent a helping hand, guiding us into the enormous truck, its glossy black finish complementing the ultra-dark tint on the windows. I can't help but wonder about the legality of such heavy tinting. But then again, Villi did say her Hwan's a big deal, so maybe he's got the kind of influence that puts him beyond the law's reach.