✔ Book 1: The Other Miss Park

Other 54

Dara couldn't move. Her eyes widened as she looked at her niece's reaction. Her heart started to race.

Bobby was quick to aid his girlfriend who broke down after uttering a single word, knees buckling.

"Unnie!" Hayi was quick to jump up from the couch and mino hurried to get jisoo water.

"Jisoo, what about harabeoji?" Mino asked the question they couldn't ask. Jisoo tried to say but words got stuck on her throat and she couldn't stop bawling.

Dara felt her eyes sting as she looked up and blinked rapidly. Jiyong observed her as she take a few deep breaths, enclenching and unclenching her fists.

Not a minute later they hear a loud noise outside. Dara's head whipped out to see a familiar copter getting closer to the island and her heart sank. It could only mean one thing, something happened and it's urgent. Putting two and two together, dara could only think of the worst case scenario.

"I'm sorry..." dara cleared her throat when her voice cracked. It was first time jiyong saw her so vulnerable and he doesn't like it. He doesn't like how her eyes swelled with unshed tears. He can tell she's trying so hard not to cry.

"We'll have to leave first. A boat will pick you up tomorrow afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your stay. Jinhwan?" Dara turned to the kids and Jiyong wanted to protest but held his tongue back cause one, it's clear that something must have happened to her grandfather and two, he's really weirded out at how he's becoming clingy to her.

"Happy Birthday again!" Dara tried to stretch out a smile to the twins as she bids farewell to the two.

"I hope you liked our surprise though I'm sorry we can't stay longer." Jennie and hanbin looked at each other, both not knowing what to say. They're both not used to telling how they really feel cause it has been very hard.

"We love it!" Jennie blurted out before dara could take a step outside. Dara looked back at the twins and hanbin faked a cough, looking away "thank you." Dara chuckled and gave one look to jinhwan who nodded at her.

"Alright!" Hoony clapped his hands, distracting the remaining ones. "Who's up for another round of uno? With a twist?"

The twins and jennie's friends didn't know what to do, the atmosphere earlier was heavy but then june's loud voice hyped everyone up. It's safe to say with June and Hoony as their host, the mood shifted to a bright and fun energy.

"Don't make them drink-

"Yes yes I know I know." Jiyong rolled his eyes on dara."I'm an adult too you know."

"Didn't seem like it."

"Ya!-" Jiyong stopped himself when he saw dara's hands shaking.

"Dara." Dara was shocked to hear him say her name from his mouth sounding so serious and sincere.

"It's going to be ok." He held her hand and dara just stared at him.

"I'm sure it will but I'm not sure I can say the same leaving you with the kids."

"Ya!" Jiyong can't help but yell at her. He was trying to comfort bu she just had to be savage. His unfurrowed his brows seeing a genuine laugh from dara.

"Gomawo." Dara nods her head at him and let go of his hand, and hurried to the copter where the rest of her relatives were waiting.

Jiyong watched at a distance as the copter lifted off the ground and move further and further away from the island. The loud noise from the wind slowly calming, replaced by the cheers inside the house.

Jiyong shrugs and smiles as he walk back inside the house before any of the kids could get their hands on the alcohol.

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In one of the tallest buildings in Seoul, the 20 guards lined up as they wait for the arrival of the Parks.

"We're landing." The pilot announced and jisoo quickly sniffed and wiped her  eyes dry, hayi fixed her clothes and mino clenched his teeth. Their grandfather is in a critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Dara fixed her hair and put her chin up as they began to descend. The blade stopped and the door was opened once dara took a step foot, ten guards alined on each side bowed down at her grace.

"At your service miss park." Devoid from all emotions, the Parks looked intimidating as they walked towards where their grandfather is waiting. They shouldn't show weakness especially with hungry wolves lurking, ready to pounce on them.

Running a multi-million business isn't easy, everyone wants to have it whether by hook or by crook. With a vast connection, not all business partners are your ally. Some just waits for a perfect time to take over. They won't care if you're mourning, they don't care if you're trampled on, they won't wait for you to pick yourself back up just to play fair.

Once they stepped inside the room where their grandfather is, all the pretenses faded in an instant.

"Harabeoji!" Jisoo and hayi ran to their grandfather's side where he with only the beeping of his life support can be heard.

"Noona" dara was engulfed by her brother's hug where she let herself break down. She wrapped her hands on his back and held on to him tightly for support. She wondered when he had grown up so much when he was the one clinging to her as he cried when they were younger.

"Harabeoji!" Dara and cheondung turned to hayi's cry and saw their grandfather opening his eyes. Heooked around as if looking for someone and his eyes locked with dara.

Dara quickly let go of her brother and hurried to her grandfather's side, jisoo moving out of the way.

"I'm here." She whispers, guiding the elder park's palm on her cheek. He's struggling. His breathing labored and dara's mouth quivered.

"He's been waiting." Cheondung croaked out. Dara clasped on his hands and cried praying. She looked up to him when she felt his hand held hers tightly.

They just stared at each other and dara knew what he wants to hear. She bawled and shook her head in denial then she felt his other hand cover hers and slowly patted it. She looked up to him and he gave one small nod.

"Y-you..." dara struggled to say it. Unable to, but held her hand tight, encouraging her. Feeling choked up, dara could only shake her head.

"Tokki." He breathed faintly. It was faint but dara heard it. Holding on to him much more tightly that she thinks she's breaking his hand, dara tried to calm herself down and looked at her grandfather.

"Y-you... c-can let go now." Through the blurry vision in her eyes, she saw him gave her a small smile and briefly looked at his loved ones before closing his eyes to eternal sleep.

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A/N: Last chapter next and Book 2 will start. Thanks for your patience 💖