Before You Came

Time Apart - Jeongyeon

"Jeongyeon is everything okay?" Seungyeon asked in concern. She'd noticed her sister's withdrawn behavior since she'd arrived at the company this morning, but they'd been too busy to get a chance to talk.

"I'm fine unnie," Jeongyeon replied, never glancing away from her laptop. "Just didn't sleep good last night."

"I'll ask Joy to get you a coffee." Seungyeon reached for the button on her desk to summon her secretary, but Jeongyeon stopped her.

"No, I'm fine. I had a coffee earlier. Don't bother Joy, she's busy."

"Alright. If you say so."

Seungyeon knew it was more than just a bad night's sleep that had her sister bothered, and her money was on her sister in law. Her lips curled into a frown at the thought of Im Nayeon. She didn't trust that woman for a second. What had she done to her little sister to make her like this?

"Jeongyeon, I know something's wrong," Seungyeon said. "Don't lie to me. Did that woman do something?"

"Don't call her like unnie. You know I don't like it," Jeongyeon reminded her. "Nayeon and I just had a disagreement, that's all."

"A disagreement? Seems like more than that to me. Is she giving you problems?"

"Just leave it unnie. It's between me and Nayeon."

"I'm just trying to help Jeongyeonie. If she's not treating you right, then I think I should know. Remember what I told you, if things got out of hand you could come to me," Seungyeon reiterated her promise from before. She left her desk and walked over to where Jeongyeon was working. "Now tell me honestly Jeongyeonie, do you need help?" Jeongyeon finally looked up and Seungyeon saw the pain in her eyes. She suddenly wanted to scoop her up and hold her like she used to when Jeongyeon was just a little girl.

"We fought and she said some things that I didn't want to hear. I don't know what to do unnie. I can't leave her. Even if I could, I don't think I want to," Jeongyeon admitted. "She needs someone, and as stupid as I am for feeling this way, I want to be there for her. I just wish she would let me in."

"Are you in love with her?"

"No. But I know I feel something for her. Maybe it could turn into love, it's just..." Jeongyeon gave up on the report she had been working on all morning and slumped in her chair. "I don't know what she feels. She's so closed off and distant, like she's got these layers of walls around her and no matter how many I try to knock down, more just keep going up. I'm starting to think all she wants me around for is sex."

Seungyeon was alarmed to hear this. She hadn't thought their relationship had progressed to something physical. "You're sleeping with her? Are you being careful? Because the last thing you need is to have a child with this woman."

"We're careful unnie," Jeongyeon reassured her. "Nayeon has made herself clear about that." Her slip up the other night reared its ugly head, but she pushed it back down with all her might. Now wasn't the time to think about their last night together. "Can we please not talk about her anymore? I came to work so I could be distracted."

"If that's what you want to do, then okay. Just remember I'm here if you need me to step in okay?"

"I know unnie. Thanks."

Seungyeon couldn't get her mind off of it though despite the pile of work sitting on her desk. She was absently reading through a sales report when an idea occurred to her. If Jeongyeon needed a distraction, then that's exactly what she'd give her. "Jeongyeon, I need to step out for a moment. Just let my phone go to voicemail if anyone calls."

"Sure unnie."

Jeongyeon let out a heavy sigh once her sister left the office. She appreciated Seungyeon's concern, really she did, but her unnie could be overwhelming at times, unlike her other sister, who was a lot more laid back about everything. Soyeon knew when to step back and let her be. Maybe she should get away to New Zealand for a few days and visit her and In Yeop. The distance would do her some good. It would be infinitely better than how she'd spent the last day and half all alone in that big penthouse.