Ransomed Fiancée (Michaeng) ✔️

Summary (Part 27)

Chapter 45:

The street vendor was small and tucked between rows of old brick buildings. Under a weathered canopy, mismatched plastic tables and chairs sat unevenly on the cracked pavement. A single bulb dangled above, casting a faint yellow glow over the scene. Steam rose from boiling pots and sizzling pans, carrying the savory scent of tteokbokki and odeng.

Jeongyeon sat at one of the tables, watching as Chaeyoung approached hesitantly. She was surprised that Chaeyoung would even agree to come. Her sister, step-sister, really looks thinner than Jeongyeon remembered. Chaeyoung took the seat across from Jeongyeon, avoiding her gaze. "Hi."

"Hi," Jeongyeon replied, trying to sound casual. She gestured toward the steaming plate of tteokbokki in the middle of the table. They ate in silence. Chaeyoung picked at her bowl of noodles, her eyes downcast, shoulders slumped. Jeongyeon slurped loudly on her own noodles, earning a glance from Chaeyoung.

"What?" Jeongyeon said, feigning innocence as she chewed.

"You're eating like you haven't eaten in a week."

"I haven't. Well, at least not good food. This place's tteokbokki is legendary," Jeongyeon said, shoving another piece into her mouth. She looked at her sister's untouched bowl, "You're not going to eat?"

Chaeyoung shrugged, "I'm not hungry,"

"Hmm." Jeongyeon leaned back in her chair, tilting her head, "You know, I used to do that, too."

"Do what?"

"Pretend I wasn't hungry when I felt like I didn't deserve to eat. I did that when I left you," Jeongyeon picked up a piece of tteokbokki, waving it in the air before popping it into her mouth. "It's a bad habit."

Chaeyoung stiffened but didn't respond.

Jeongyeon sighed and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Look, Chaeyoung. I know I'm not exactly your favorite person. And I get it—I mena...we didn't exactly have the smoothest... what's the word? Transition? Family bonding? Whatever." She waved her chopsticks dismissively. "Point is, I've always cared about you. Even when we weren't talking."

Chaeyoung finally looked up, her eyes wary. "Why though? I'm a mess."

Jeongyeon chuckled softly, shaking her head. "That's what little sisters do, right? Drive their older sisters crazy, make a mess of things and then expect us to pick up the pieces."

Chaeyoung rolled her eyes, "Unnie—"

"I'm serious," Jeongyeon interrupted, her tone lighter now. "It's in the job description. Annoying little sisters make older sisters go crazy. We argue, we fight, we avoid each other but at the end of the day, you're still my sister. Whether you like it or not. You cannot just run away from me. You can lean on me. You can ask for help. I'm your sister,"

Chaeyoung blinked. She was caught off guard by Jeongyeon's words. Jeongyeon shrugged, her voice softening. "Listen to me. You've made mistakes. Big ones. But you paid for them. You took responsibility. That says more about you than the mistakes ever will."

"I still hurt people," Chaeyoung murmurs, her voice barely audible. "How am I supposed to live with that?"

Jeongyeon exhaled slowly, "By forgiving yourself. By realizing that one mistake or even a hundred mistakes doesn't define your whole life. You're allowed to move on, Chaeyoung. You're allowed to be happy."

Chaeyoung lowered her gaze, "You think so? I can be happy?"

"Yes, you deserve to be happy," Jeongyeon answered without hesitation.