026: CHANGING TIDES

"Just because we're younger, doesn't mean we're always wrong, and just because you're older, doesn't make you always right."

- Ha Eun-bi pov

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

026: CHANGING TIDES

Eun-bi pov:

I took off my shades as I arrived at the airport.

John and my other bodyguards followed me from behind as I walked bolder and fiercer than I did when I arrived here after receiving my sister's SOS call.

I came to Korea to protect my sister.

I came here to help her repent for what she did.

I discovered my mother's disgusting affair because of that.

I also made friends with the children I should be punishing for Min Seol-ah's sake.

Because I could no longer punish them for their crime, I made it my mission to have them repent and confess willingly while looking for Min Seol-ah's murderer.

I simply want to help my sister.

To protect her.

But now, I need to get more involved.

I can't let Joo Dan-tae destroy both Seok-hoon and Seok-kyung.

I can't let Logan's anger eat him and the children alive.

I can't let Min Seol-ah's murderer walk free as if nothing happened.

I will protect the people I care about.

I will protect my family.

"Yo!"

I turned to my side and saw Seo-jun smiling at me.

"How was your flight?"

"Tiresome. Where are the kids?"

"Missing."

"What?"

"I can't find them."

. . .

I immediately went to Hera palace, but none of my friends were there. Min-hyuk, Jenny, Seok-hoon or Seok-kyung.

'Where did they go?'

Oddly worried, I opened the GPS system I installed for the twins' gift on their birthday.

"Clubhouse?"

I took my phone and coat and headed to the clubhouse immediately.

On my way, I saw Logan pretending to be Ho-dong with a group of men. He's holding a bunch of papers, so I walked fast toward him, preventing him from leaving.

"Logan. . . ."

He looked at me with a shocked but serious look.

My eyes are fixed on the papers he's holding. I gripped it out of his hand and saw confessions.

"What did you do?" I eyed him suspiciously.

"I told you, I will not let them. . . . ."

Slap.

I angrily pushed past him, leaving the papers scattered on the floor. Before he could go, I stopped my tracks and said: "Is this the justice you want?"

"Is this the justice that Seol-ah would want?"

I left him and immediately opened the locked door of the clubhouse.

I looked down and saw their disheveled looks.

Their tears and their fears are all hanging around the atmosphere.

Seok-kyung is barely keeping herself standing.

Seok-hoon looked tired and lifeless.

Min-hyuk looked so much pained and defeated.

While Jenny looked agonized and plain destroyed.

'What did you do to them, Logan?'

I ran down to them and took another closer look.

Seok-hoon smiled at me but looked tired, restless, and defeated.

I caught Seok-kyung as she almost fell.

She clung to me so tightly that she hugged me while she cried.

"Eun-byeol-ahh. . ."

"Kyung-ahh. . . ."

As I hugged her, our parents arrived looking much worse than the kids.

Wet clothes, dirty faces, and tired expressions.

"Seok-hoon-ahh. . ." - Joo Dan Tae

"Jenny!!" - Ma ri.

"Eomma!" - Jenny ran to her mother, crying.

"Minhyuk. . ." - Sang-ah

"Eomma!" - Min-hyuk hugged his mother immediately.

"Eun-byeol-ahh. . . ."

My dad hugged me tight as my mother joined in the hug.

She looked at me and sighed a big relief after.

"Eomma. . . ."

I hugged her and patted her as I closed my eyes, glad they were both okay.

. . . . . . . . . .

After what happened, I couldn't leave my parents, so I stayed on their floor.

My mother keeps on pacing after she takes a shower.

My father stopped her, and both held each other while waiting for me to finish.

"You don't know how worried I was."

"That damn Shim Su-ryeon!! I will definitely make her pay for this!"

"Eomma! Enough!"

"No! Not after what. . . ."

"If I was Seol-ah and I died like that, what would you have done?"

I looked at her and saw her fierceness fade away.

"I. . . ."

"Let's just stop! We made a mistake. It was wrong of us to bury what happened with Seol-ah."

"Eun-bi. . ."

"Let's ask forgiveness, eomma. . . ?"

"NO! you will. . . ."

"I will be fine! So will Eun-byeol! We're your children. We'll be fine. . . We are the daughter of a very fierce and strong woman and a brave and smart man. So please. . . let's all stop."

The two of them hugged me as I cried in their arms.

. . .

Jenny pov:

I tremble in the bed. My mother hugs me while I sleep, caressing me as I continue to apologize to the dead girl.

"Don't worry, you have nothing to worry about. Mom is here! Mom is here!"

I embraced her back and let her comfort seep into me as it lulled me into sleep.

. . . . . . . .

Min-hyuk pov:

Mom wouldn't let me go after dressing me up, so she ended up sleeping in my bed.

I couldn't sleep so I took my jacket and went out.

I called Eun-bi hoping for some company, but I guess she will be too busy with her parents.

I was in the garden when I heard footsteps getting louder.

I hid and saw Joo Dan-tae walking with someone.

'Not Cheon Seo-jin again. . .' My eyes rolled at the thought that they were still seeing each other after everything that had happened.

I almost face palmed, but when I saw a different woman, clad in a red dress and heavy makeup that didn't suit her, I almost puked.

Both of them sat on the sofa in the middle of the garden and started making out.

I smirked as I took a video of it while hiding, making sure to not be noticed.

'This disgusting pig!'

. . . . . . . .

Seok-hoon pov:

My sister kept trembling, so I stayed with her.

We hugged each other as I assured her that everything would be fine.

"I don't feel good, Seok-hoon ahh. . ."

"Shh! Everything's gonna be fine."

I caress my sister's back as she continually cries and trembles in my arms.

'Who is behind this? Is it really just that guy?'

. . .

Eun-bi pov:

I closed the door silently.

I smile at mom and dad's hugging form as they sleep in one bed while I walk away silently.

It's been a while since the two of them slept in one bed. Even though it's because of something terrible, I'm happy that the two of them found comfort in each other's arms.

I opened my phone and saw messages from Min-hyuk, so I took my coat and went to the garden only to see Dan-tae and Yoon-hee leaving together.

While hiding, I stole some shots of Dan-tae caressing Yoon-hee's lower back and her smiling at him. After the elevator closed, I finally left my hiding spot, glaring at the elevator. I looked around and saw Min-hyuk opening the door from the inside.

"Oh!"

"Don't tell me. . ."

I made a disgusting expression on my face, thinking about how he had watched the two all this time.

"Yeah."

"They were lapping each other's faces for quite some time there."

"Disgusting, really."

"Let's talk somewhere else."

After going inside my place, he casually took off his coat while I prepare a warm tea for him. 

He immediately called for food service while I changed into something more comfortable.

"What did you buy?" I asked after changing into something lighter.

"Pizza."

I slumped to my sofa, enjoying the peace and quiet.

"Where were you all this time?"

"I. . . . . just. . . . wanted to breathe, I guess."

"Do you know how worried we were? Seok-kyung went crazy after you left, you know?"

"I heard from Seo-jun."

"That's favoritism."

I scoffed at his word, closing my eyes, feeling the fatigue all over my body.

"She definitely went crazy."

"And Rona quit Cheong-ah."

"I know. . . I just want to rest for a bit. I'll deal with everything. . . . later. . ."

I can slowly feel myself entering dream land.

"What are you gonna do now?"

. . .

Min-hyuk pov:

I watch her talk about the things she needs to do, waiting for her to finally sleep. 

I smiled when I saw her finally sleeping. 

She finally fell asleep in the middle of talking.

I caught her head before it fell, and I took a throw pillow and carefully laid her on the sofa.

'Should I call Seok-hoon?' I wanted to know how he'll react.

I dialed his phone number.

"Ahh. . . yes. Your girlfriend is here on her pad."

"Ah. . . me? We met by chance outside, so she invited me in. But she's sleeping on the sofa now. Can I carry her to her bed?"

I smirk as I hear him scramble.

"Hurry up. I'm also waiting for a pizza."

I turned it off and waited for him and my pizza to arrive.

When the doorbell rang, I immediately opened it, but it was not Seok-hoon.

"Seok-kyung?"

She walked past me and into the living room.

"Rude."

"Hey." Seok-hoon showed up just a few seconds after her.

"Yo!"

He also walked past me, and when he saw Eun-bi, he looked relieved.

He took her in his arms, carefully carrying her to her bedroom.

Seok-kyung assisted him, opening the bedroom door and helping fix Eun-bi to the bed.

'Eun-bi has them wrapped in her fingers.'

. . . . . . . . . .

Seo-jin pov:

I woke up feeling refreshed.

I found myself in the arms of my husband.

My husband, who always seemed so cold, hugged me tightly and firmly.

It was. . . . lovely

I smiled at the thought.

I can still feel his warmth around me as I change into my work dress.

"Are you going to work?"

I only nodded as he looked away from me.

"I think eun-bi returned to her pad."

"She's not one to stay."

"Have you heard from Eun-byeol?"

"No. She hasn't called even once after she left."

"Are you letting her go?"

I looked at my husband and sighed.

"I can't stop her anymore. If she wants to be a doctor, then I should make sure she becomes one, a really great one."

He smiled at me as I allowed my youngest twin to study abroad.

He went to me and hugged me with a smile.

"Let's go visit her and tell her she doesn't need to pretend anymore and she can go to medical school if she really wants to. . ."

"Yes, that we should."

I smile at my husband.

'Husband.'

I smile at the thought.

. . . . . . . . .

Seok-kyung pov:

We all arrived at the school together.

When we arrived there, Seo-jun was already there, looking at us as we walked closer to him.

"Did you fight?"

"No!"

I denied it as Eun-byeol looked back and forth between him and me.

"Seo-jun is definitely waiting for you to talk to him, so just go and hug him."

I pouted as I got pushed away.

I came toward him and looked at him.

"Are you okay now?"

"I've never been not okay!!"

"Yeah, right! You're not going to throw another tantrum, are you?"

"No."

"Good. . ."

. . . 

We're all talking in class, waiting for the teacher.

I felt more at ease even though I had just confessed all the bad things I did yesterday night.

Seok-hoon and Seo-jun talk about a challenging piece. Jenny is still a bit disoriented, and Min-hyuk returns to his playful self.

Eun-bi's finally here.

"Hello!"

I stood up, shocked, as I saw who had come in.

I glared at her as she turns to me with a smirk.

"Bae Rona!!!!"

'How dare you come back!'

'I see you haven't had enough!'

. . .

Eun-byeol pov:

Rona's return to school made my head ache.

I feel like I will be dealing with something troublesome with her return.

'Don't I already have too much of them!'

I pressed the button for the lemon juice.

I popped the can and enjoyed my lemon juice when I continuously heard a tap on the floor behind me.

My eyes turned around and saw who was tapping.

Wearing luxurious Chanel black shoes and the latest design of Chanel's cardigan. Her clothes are not something she can afford with her current family finances.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I smiled and drank the rest of my juice.

"Don't you think it's too unfair for you to return just like that when you've been gone for a month?"

I mischievously smiled at her and finished my drink.

"That's the advantage of studying in a school that belongs to you."

I smirked at her. 

I don't exactly enjoy fights like this. 

Seeing her reaction though, makes me glad at some level.

"What did you really come here for, Bae Rona?"

"I came here to win the Cheong-ah Trophy."

"Hmmm! Everyone seems to really want that piece of junk."

"Hah!" She scoffed and then smirked back.

"If it's such junk, why don't you give it up?" The trophy seemed really important to her.

'I can't see the value of such a murderous weapon, though.'

"Should I? I mean, looking at you all desperate over a piece of junk like that, begging and crawling for it, makes me want to take it from you."

"You really are like your mother?"

I raised my brow at the mention of my mother.

"And you? Are you like your mother?" I growled at her, glaring at her dangerously.

"Excuse me?"

"I heard!"

"While I was away, you tried to steal someone else's fiancé and got your ass landed on the floor."

Slap.

My head turned sideward.

"Aww."

I smirked at her before slapping her back.

She pushed me afterward.

"This is all your fault! Why is everything my fault?" I got pushed again.

"I am better than you!" and again.

"I am smarter than you!" and again.

"I am a thousand times more talented than you!!!!" and again.

I stepped back on my own each time she pushed me.

I wanted to let her off the hook because Seok-kyung did a number on her, but. . . . she's testing my patience too much.

I stood my ground with her last push and glared at her.

"Better??" I pushed her forehead with my pointing finger.

"Smarter??" and again with more force.

"Talented?" She pushed my finger off when I tried it again and glared at me.

"The only thing you are better than me is being an insecure bitch with tons of inferiority complex!!!" I pushed her hard to the ground.

"YAHHH! HA EUN BYEOL!!!!!!" She lunged at me, pulling my hair and pushing me off.

I grabbed a fistful of hers and pulled it tighter and harder.

"Get off!!"

"I said get off me, you bitch!!!"

"You started all this!!"

"If it wasn't for you!! None of this would happen to me!!"

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!"

"YAH!!!! YOU CRAZY BITCH!!! GET OFF MY FRIEND!!!!!"

Another pair of hands pulled Rona as the three of us brawled in the middle of the lounge.

"Get off!!!"

"BITCH!!!"

. . . 

Seok-hoon pov:

"Have you seen Eun-byeol?"

"Oi!!! Eun-byeol, Rona, and Seok-kyung are fighting in the lounge!!"

One of the students shouted inside the class.

All three of us exchanged looks before running to them.

We pushed the watching students and saw them on the floor, grabbing each other's hair, pulling it, cursing each other, and scratching each other's faces.

I run toward Eun-bi while Seo-jun run toward Seok-kyung.

I heard Min-hyuk click his tongue before going to Rona to pull them apart.

The three of us all pulled harder because they kept gripping each other harder.

I took Eun-byeol's hand and tried to take it off as the others did the same.

"Eun-byeol-ahh. . . Eun-byeol-ahhh. . . let go! Let go now! You're hurt! Let go now!!"

I tried releasing her grip on Rona's hair but she kept them tight on Rona's hair.

"Come on, let go. You're hurt."

I added strength while holding her firmly.

"Please let go, hmm. . . ."

We all finally pulled them apart.

The three girls remain glaring at each other while we hold all of them apart.

I held her from behind, trying to calm her down.

'Seok-kyung is one thing but Eun-bi too?'

'What did you do to her, Bae Rona?'

I breathed deeply as I held her firmly in my arms.

"Bae Rona, Joo Seok-kyung and Ha Eun-Byeol, to my office, now!!!"

Cheon Seo-jin finally appeared, glaring at all of us.

. . . 

Seo-jin pov:

I wanted to talk to Eun-bi about Eun-byeol, but I arrived at school and saw her on the floor, all scratched up and messy.

"What do the three of you think you're doing?"

"Is the school such a barbaric place for the three of you to be brawling like animals in front of many people?"

"Eun-byeol started it!!"

Seok-kyung scoffed at Rona and said, "Yah! Don't blame us for your own bitchiness!!"

"Don't get involved!! Why are you even here!! This is between. . ."

"Yah!! You were pulling her hair so hard, and what!! Should I just watch your filthy hands pull my friend!!"

"Friend, my ass!! The two of you aren't really friends!! You're simply using each other because both of you benefit each other!!"

Slap.

I was shocked by how my daughter looked at Rona so deadly.

'I've never seen her like this before.'

"Shut up!!"

She prepared to slap Eun-bi when she received another, right in front of me.

"Bae Rona!"

Rona instinctively stepped backward with how Eun-bi looked at her.

"I am Ha Eun-byeol. My mom is the director of Cheong-ah high, and my grandfather owns the Cheong-ah group. My father is the best neurosurgeon at Cheong-ah hospital."

"It is very easy for me to make you disappear, but I want to think that I don't have to do such a barbaric thing because, as you said earlier, you are a smart girl."

"But if you keep attacking us simply because of your insecurities, I will not hesitate to swat you like a fly, understand?"

I smirk at my daughter's attack on Rona.

These are the moments that my daughter really proves that she is indeed my daughter.

"Eomma! I'm sure a few students took a video of what happened, and some witnessed everything from the beginning. It will prove that Seok-kyung only protected me from Rona if you investigate it. This has nothing to do with her." She looked at me as if expecting me to defend Seok-kyung.

"Whoever started this doesn't matter. All of you disobeyed the rules."

"That is why?"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

We all turned to the door, and Min-hyuk entered and bowed.

"I took this from a student who witnessed everything. This will prove that the first one to attack is Bae Rona. Eun-byeol just defended herself, and Seok-kyung defended Eun-byeol when she saw Rona attacking her."

Min-hyuk put the phone down the table and bowed again before leaving.

I took the phone from the table and watched the video until Seok-kyung entered the picture.

"I've watched the video, and this proves that Eun-byeol and Seok-kyung only defended themselves."

"However, violence is violence." I really wanted to let her off the hook, but many students witnessed it.

"So, Ha Eun-byeol and Joo Seok-kyung are punished with 1-week community service at school."

"Bae Rona. You who started the fight will be suspended for seven days. You are not allowed to go to school, nor will you be allowed to take any special quizzes or be given grades on the duration of your suspension."

"This is unfair!!"

"THIS IS UNFAIR!!!" Rona shouted and cried before leaving my office, banging the door closed.

'Did you only realize that?'

"The two of you may go now. Your community service will start tomorrow."

When all of them left, I slumped into my chair and closed my eyes.

'I forgot to tell Eun-bi about Eun-byeol. . .'

'I'll call her later at home.'

I was about to call Yoon-chul to ask him if he wanted to go with me to Eun-byeol when Joo Dan-tae's name appeared as a caller.

I looked at it long before wiping it off and calling Yoon-chul instead.

. . . . . . . . . .

"So, what's the occasion?"

I smiled at Kyu-jin and toasted him.

"We have successfully closed a deal, so we expect a lot of return this time."

"Oh!! That is indeed good news. Too bad Dr. Ha isn't here to share the good news with us."

"Well, that is his loss, not ours," I smirked as the two of us enjoyed our drink with other women hovering around us.

My secretary arrived just in time and gave me his phone.

"Wait a minute!"

I went out with my secretary and scrolled on the photos.

"So this is why you're not answering my calls, Cheon Seo-jin?"

'Did the thing that happened with Su-ryeon make you closer with your husband again?'

I kicked the wall and glared at nothing.

'I need to do something!'

. . . 

Seo-jin pov:

"Yes, make sure to bake the cake my daughter likes the most."

"Yes, it's blueberry cheesecake."

I smiled at the chef and prepared other things as I signed off papers while waiting for Yoon-chul.

'He's not going to be late, is he?'

I made sure to rent out an entire stage for my daughter since I've never been to any of her performances.

After signing all the papers, I checked myself in the mirror and smiled while retouching my makeup.

"Mrs. Cheon?"

I looked at my assistant, who opened the door wide.

Joo dan-tae came in without even asking for permission.

"What are you doing here? You should have called first?"

"I thought I should surprise you." He raised a bouquet of flowers in front of me, saying he had prepared something for me.

I nodded to my assistant as she left the room in a hurry.

I smiled at him and received his flowers, smiling at them.

'It's not as if I'm a teenager who will be moved by some flowers.'

"Since it's already almost evening, should we have wine?"

I smiled wider as another knock was heard.

'That must be him.'

"What should I do? I already made plans."

"Hmm. . ."

"Yes, come in."

Yoon-chul showed up in a black turtleneck long sleeve and a grey tux.

"My daughter asked us to have a family dinner tonight, so I'm afraid I can't."

He looked really disappointed when I gave his flowers back to him.

"You should call next time, so I don't waste your time."

I smiled at him, taking my bag and holding the outstretched hand of my husband.

"See you at Hera palace, Mr. Joo."

I almost laughed as Yoon-chul tried to piss him off.

. . . 

Yoon-chul pov:

"She's already there at the Hayeong."

"Yes, I was also told she's already there."

"You didn't have to rent out the entire Hayeong arts and music hall for this."

"No one knows about Eun-bi yet. If the media finds out that Eun-bi has been going to Cheong-ah high, she will be severely criticized for it. It's best to wrap this up silently."

I smiled at my wife as we both headed to Hayeong.

She requested yesterday night to Eun-bi that she wants to watch her winning dance in Prix De Lausanne.

Since she couldn't watch her winning dance, she asked if she could dance it for her before they went to Eun-byeol to the states.

Even though what happened to us that night is awful, I guess it's not all bad.

'I've seen a different side of Seo-jin because of that.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TO BE CONTINUED