The next morning, sunlight poured through the estate's frosted windows, illuminating the fresh blanket of snow outside. Sophia sat at the kitchen table, nibbling on a piece of toast while Ji-hyun leaned over her with a notebook.
“Say it again,” Ji-hyun prompted, her eyes bright with mischief.
“Kamsa…ham…ni…da?” Sophia stammered, her accent thick but adorable.
Ji-hyun burst into giggles, clutching her stomach. “You sound like a robot!”
Sophia pouted, tossing her toast crust at Ji-hyun, who dodged it with a laugh. “It’s not my fault! Korean is hard.”
“You’re doing great,” Crystal chimed in from the stove, stirring a pot of soup. “Better than me when Ji-hyun tried to teach me.”
Ji-hyun grinned smugly. “That’s because Sophia’s a fast learner. Right, unnie?”
“Don’t call me that,” Sophia groaned, though she couldn’t hide her smile.
Kai wandered in, grabbing a coffee mug. “What’s all the noise? Ji-hyun tormenting you already, Sophia?”
“Of course,” Sophia replied dryly, flicking her pen in Ji-hyun’s direction.
“Good,” Kai teased, sitting down beside them. “Keeps you on your toes.”
---
As the morning progressed, the estate came alive. Mr. Lee appeared in his usual immaculate suit, his expression unreadable. His gaze lingered briefly on Sophia, who was now attempting to write her name in Korean with Ji-hyun’s guidance.
“Breakfast is late,” he noted, his tone clipped but lacking true irritation.
Crystal smirked. “Blame Ji-hyun. She’s been too busy bossing Sophia around.”
Ji-hyun stuck out her tongue. “She’s learning fast! I think she’ll be fluent in no time.”
Sophia shot her a look. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Lucius!” Ji-hyun suddenly exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. “Can we all go out to celebrate the New Year? Like a big family thing?”
Mr. Lee’s jaw ticked slightly at her casual use of his first name but didn’t reprimand her. “I have meetings in the afternoon.”
“Boring,” Ji-hyun declared, crossing her arms. “Come on, Oppa. Just for a little while? You know you need it.”
Kai chuckled. “She’s got a point. When’s the last time you relaxed?”
Mr. Lee ignored them, his attention shifting to Sophia. “What about you? Do you think you deserve a break?”
Sophia blinked, surprised by the sudden question. “I-I don’t know…”
Ji-hyun jumped in, saving her. “Of course she does! And so do I, so you have to take us out.”
“Fine,” he relented, his tone firm. “But only for a few hours.”
---
By midday, they were in the bustling city, the streets still decorated with twinkling lights from Christmas.
Mr. Lee had booked an entire floor at a luxury shopping mall for privacy.
“Isn’t this overkill?” Sophia whispered to Ji-hyun as they stepped into a high-end boutique.
Ji-hyun shrugged, grinning. “Oppa doesn’t do anything halfway.”
Sophia tried to keep to herself, admiring the displays but refusing to touch anything. Ji-hyun, however, had other plans.
YOU ARE READING
SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)
Romance"Beyond Shadows" In a world where darkness reigns, a young orphan's dreams of becoming a veterinarian are shattered by her aunt's cruelty. But when she's drawn into the mysterious world of enigmatic Mr. Lee - a powerful figure rumored to be "more th...
