I'm almost me again (She's almost you)

Chapter 6

"I have something to tell you," Jiho started as they lingered in the sitting room while the chef finished preparing their dinner.

It was just the three of them. Lisa, Jiho and Jihyun. Each of them nursed a drink, even though Lisa had only turned eighteen a short while ago, and Jiho was leaning against the mantelpiece as he swirled scotch around in his glass with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I'm going to be a father," he eventually stated, looking up to meet the shocked looks on his mother and sister's faces.

Jihyun was silent for a moment, before she let out a quiet laugh, a smile curling her mouth even as she narrowed her eyes slightly. "You are joking, aren't you?"

"No."

Lisa's eyebrows flew up, even as she busied herself with her glass of white wine, trying to avoid the ensuing argument that was surely going to unfold in a matter of moments. Biting back a sigh, she relaxed against the soft leather of the nineteenth-century Italian armchair and watched as light refracted through the old Imperial Russian crystal wine glass. She was most likely the youngest thing inside the sprawling mansion of antique vases, ancient statues, classical paintings from every era, in a variety of techniques, old wood and furniture polish and a horde of shimmering jewels and finely crafted metalwork. It was rare that something new turned up and the thought of a new person was exciting. She hadn't even known her brother was dating anyone.

"Well is it serious?"

Running a hand over the stubble covering his jaw, Jiho's expression turned sheepish. "Well... no. But we've decided to share the responsibility. I wouldn't want to leave her with a cheque and all the work, and I wouldn't want to force her to... take care of things. So, there you have it."

Sighing, Jihyun climbed to her feet, a faint look of amusement on her face as she eyed her son and then glanced to her daughter before her eyes slid back to him. "You know, you're so much like your father at times."

"In fact, I've invited her here so you can meet her."

"What, now?" Jihyun spluttered.

Nodding, Jiho glanced down at the face of vintage Heuer Carrera watch strapped to his wrist, before setting his glass down on the mantelpiece and crossing the Persian carpet as he made towards the open double doors of the sitting room. Lisa and Jihyun glanced at each other wordlessly, their mouths tugging down at the corners as their eyebrows rose and they shrugged and shook their heads in a silent conversation. Neither of them had known.

There was a quiet knock a few minutes later, followed by Jiho quickly answering the door and ushering someone inside with brusque politeness before he strode ahead and appeared in the doorway with a woman half-hidden behind him. She was tall, and Lisa was struck by how pretty she was as her brother stepped aside to reveal her fully. Hands nervously clutched a bag in front of her stomach, which was hidden beneath her coat, and Lisa noticed her mother's shrewd glance as she tried to spot a bump.

"This is Jisoo," Jiho said as he strode into the room and reclaimed his glass of scotch, while Jisoo hesitantly walked in, a shy smile curling her mouth. Her brown eyes met Lisa's and she felt her stomach lurch slightly and her cheeks flood with warmth. Quickly burying her face in her glass of wine, Lisa politely nodded as Jiho told Jisoo her name, before introducing her to Jihyun.