Chaebol

Chapter 5

Hyunjin stayed in the nurse's office with me for the remainder of the school day, offering to take me home after school as well. As much as I wanted to say yes, I felt like it would be inconvenient. "You don't have to, Hyunjin. I can get home by myself. You've already helped me a lot with taking me to the nurse and all that. I can't ask you to do anymore for me."

"You didn't ask. I'm the one that asked, and I would be honored to take you home. Besides, it would be nice to see your brother. Don't think of it as me helping you. Think of it as you helping me. I need to talk to Junhong hyung about something that my dad needed to ask him." He gave me irresistible puppy dog eyes. "Will you pretty please help me do something for my dying father?"

"Wow...Using your father to get my pity to convince me to let you take me home." I scoffed jokingly. "You're lucky I'm a good person. For your dying father, I will let you take me home."

His smile returned as his heat tilted. As promised, Hyunjin took me home in his car when school ended. My brother greeted him like his best friend, which was really strange when Hyunjin started talking: from best friends to business partners in .2 seconds.

"Junhong hyung, my dad wanted me to ask a favor of you." Junhong just nodded, a serious look overpowering his previous grin. "As you know, my dad doesn't have much longer...I'm not ready to take over the business yet. I'm still a high school student, and not a very successful one. He wants you to take over our business until I'm ready."

"Are you sure that's what you want? From my perspective, you have all the qualities of a good leader. If you need to, you could just find trusted advisers. You already have people employed to help with other details of the business. It seems like you're ready to me."

I began walking towards the kitchen to give them their privacy, though I could still hear them. "I'm sure. I'm still working out a lot in my personal life, and it would be too hard for me to focus on work right now with school and...There's a girl."

Those three words were enough to break my heart. I had only just realized that I had fallen for him, and that's what I hear. Guess that answers that question. I took a deep breath as I continued to listen, deciding to bring them some food as an excuse to hear more of the conversation.

"A girl?" My brother was leaning forward from where he had seated himself on the couch, Hyunjin sitting opposite him. "And she's keeping you from doing your work? Are you spending a lot of time with her?"

Hyunjin shook his head as I placed the tray of food on the table between them. "Not physically. She's just been distracting me. I can't get her out of my head, and all I want to do is protect her...but she has a fiance. A fiance she seems to be head over heels for. It's difficult to think about work when I'm thinking about a girl I can never be with."

As I got back into the kitchen, Junhong's intrigued voice kept me in the conversation against my will. "Do I know her?"

Hyunjin's answer came immediately. "Better than anyone. After all, she is your sister."

I stood frozen by the door that served a barrier to hide that I was listening in. He—He really—I was stunned, and I remained that way for almost a full minute before I came back to my sense, missing my brother's reaction to his confession and only heard his answer to his request.

"In that case, I will definitely help with the business until you're ready to take over. Anything else I can do for you and your dad?" I finally willed myself to walk away from the door and get myself something to eat.

When I finished eating, Hyunjin and Junhong were still talking, though not about business. It really did seem as if they were best friends. I stood behind Junhong and wrapped my arms around my brother from behind. "Junhong oppa, I'm gonna go shower so I don't get sick after what happened at school today."