Sun Woo had arrived early at the meeting place where he was supposed to meet In Ha and Jang Hee.

Until the two arrived, Sun Woo focused on watching a video on his mobile phone. It was a driving lesson video. His eyes watching the screen were sharper than ever.

The day before, he had struggled to suppress his exploding emotions several times while giving Young Hwa driving lessons.

“No, no! It’s dangerous to change lanes while reducing speed!”

Young Hwa’s motor skills were much worse than expected. Moreover, why was she so scared?

“What can I do when I’m scared? This isn’t me slowing down…”

It felt fortunate that she didn’t cry.

“Wow, you really can’t do it. You haven’t learned to drive, you’re incapable of learning.”

“What did you say?”

How could her posture be so stiff? Anyone looking would think she was a mannequin.

“Forget it. I won’t learn.”

After driving on the road for about two hours, Young Hwa, thoroughly scolded by Sun Woo, finally raised both hands in surrender.

“What do you mean you won’t learn? Are you going to live your whole life without driving?”

“Even if I do, I won’t learn from you, so don’t worry about it.”

Until then, Young Hwa had looked so cold that she seemed like she wouldn’t bleed even if pricked.

Sun Woo felt excited as if he had discovered a new side of her.

Her face, completely deflated and on the verge of tears. The way she gripped the steering wheel tightly and trembled looked as cute as a child.

He felt like hugging her tightly and comforting her.

“Next time.”

“There won’t be a next time.”

“I’ll teach you without getting angry. Come back after learning properly.”

“What?”

“Of course, I just came thinking about when I learned. Next time, I’ll know better. How to properly teach a beginner.”

Sun Woo hesitated, then raised his hand to stroke the back of Young Hwa’s head.

Her tense nape was stiff.

So he was watching driving lesson videos from time to time, intending to give a more systematic explanation next time.

“Why is driving difficult?”

Jang Hee, who arrived a little earlier than the appointed time, asked while bending down to look at Sun Woo’s mobile phone screen.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“What kind of video are you watching?”

“Mind your own business. What does it matter what I watch?”

Sun Woo indifferently turned off the screen.

“Is that how you speak to your elder sister?”

Sun Woo chuckled.

“Where’s In Ha?”

“Well, she hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Haven’t you called her? You should go pick her up.”

“I said I’d pick her up. But she said she had an appointment in the afternoon, so she’d come on her own with her car. She’ll find her way here.”

“This brat. What do you mean she’ll find her way? Aren’t you doing things properly?”

“She’s not a child. This is the center of Seoul. It would be strange if she couldn’t find it.”

“Seriously. This is why you always get rejected by women.”

“Who’s getting rejected? You’re the one getting rejected, elder sister.”

Thwack.

Finally, Sun Woo got hit on the back of his head by Jang Hee before taking out his mobile phone.

“Who did you inherit that violent habit from?”

Sun Woo muttered the entire time he was making the call.

-Sun Woo. I’ve arrived. I’m at the entrance.

“Understood.”

Ending the call, Sun Woo waved his mobile phone in front of Jang Hee’s face. It was to show her that he had done everything as told, while she was frowning.

“I really don’t like it.”

“The feeling’s mutual, dear sister.”

“If only you couldn’t speak.”

At that moment, In Ha approached the two with a bright smile.

“Hello… there.”

In Ha’s face stiffened when she saw an unfamiliar woman at what she thought would be a place with only Sun Woo.

“What’s this? You didn’t tell her?”

Jang Hee was equally surprised.

“This kid, really.”

Jang Hee glared at Sun Woo, then smiled at In Ha.

“Let’s sit down first. I’m Sun Woo’s elder sister. Kang Jang Hee. You’ve heard about me, right?”

“Ah. Yes. I heard. That you were working at an overseas branch.”

“Yes. I came back briefly and heard about my brother’s engagement, so I wanted to at least see your face and asked for this meeting to be arranged.”

“Oh my, hello. I had no idea. My attire…”

In Ha’s outfit was by no means formal. It was casual wear. Moreover, thinking she worked in the fashion industry, In Ha liked to wear eye-catching, flashy clothes.

“It’s fine. You look pretty.”

In contrast, Jang Hee preferred to wear achromatic colors. Being tall with a good build, she avoided flashy outfits.

“Sun Woo, say something.”

It was a voice mixed with slight resentment and aegyo.

“It’s not like she’s my parents, why would I tell you about meeting my sister? Just think of it as seeing her face. It’s not a difficult situation.”

Sun Woo’s voice was indifferent.

Only after In Ha filled the table did the three order food.

But perhaps because all three were conscious of each other, even as time passed, the food didn’t decrease much.

If anything, Sun Woo was in the middle of slowly chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, as if he didn’t want to join in the conversation between the two women.

“You’re the daughter of Chancellor Ji Kang Seok?”

“Yes.”

Jang Hee asked intentionally, wondering if Young Hwa’s name would come up, but In Ha’s response was brief.

“I graduated from Korea University too.”

“Oh my, really? I also graduated from Korea University’s Fashion Department.”

Ah-.

Jang Hee swallowed hard the groan she was about to let out.

Sang Hwa also majored in Fashion.

“You must take after your father.”

“Yes. My father’s help was significant. I’m still far from following in his footsteps though.”

Jang Hee, wanting to talk about Young Hwa somehow, thought it might be better to throw a curveball.

“Are you an only child? You look like a beloved youngest child who received a lot of love.”

Sun Woo, who had been eating like a glutton, finally raised his head.

“Ah. Well.”

In Ha put down the fork she was holding.

“I have an elder sister above me.”

“Elder sister?”

“Yes. She’s not my biological sister though.”

To Jang Hee’s ears, In Ha’s words were too slow. It felt like her insides were burning up.

“Why do you keep asking such things! Did you come for an interrogation?”

You glutton. Just keep eating your food.

Jang Hee wanted to say this, but replaced it with a smile.

“Sun Woo. Eat your food.”

“What?”

“If she’s not your biological sister, then?”

“There’s a bit of a story. My father sponsored her and took her in as an adopted daughter. Her name is Young Hwa.”

Young Hwa.

So Young Hwa really did become Chancellor Ji Kang Seok’s adopted daughter.

Jang Hee felt like her breath was caught in her throat.

“Do you get along well with your sister? I only have a dark younger brother, so I always wished I had an elder sister.”

“Dark? My skin is fairer than yours.”

Since Jang Hee couldn’t show it outwardly, she kicked Sun Woo’s shin with her heel under the table.

A faint groan escaped from Sun Woo’s lips.

“Yes. We get along well. But, our personalities are quite different.”

Although In Ha was being polite, somehow unconvincing statements kept coming out.

A sister who suddenly came in one day.

It might be difficult to get along well, Jang Hee thought.

Jang Hee felt the same way. It took a long time for her to accept Sun Woo. But in the end, if you have to live together, shouldn’t you see more of their good sides and embrace them?

That’s how she came to regard Sun Woo as her real brother.

“What do you mean by different personalities?”

In Ha sighed visibly.

“My sister went through a lot of hardships. Given her difficult circumstances, I understand, but… All our family members suffered a lot because of her. Now, we just hope she lives properly enough not to bring shame to my father’s name.”

What?

Doesn’t this feel like she’s intentionally belittling her?

The way she was putting down the other person with an angelic, bright face was too clear in Jang Hee’s eyes.

“I see.”

“Yes. I give her a lot of counseling and advice. But it’s difficult because a person’s nature doesn’t change easily.”

She calls her sister, but counseling and advice?

This is elevating herself while putting down the other person.

Even after that, In Ha continued to talk about Young Hwa without Jang Hee’s questions, as if a dam had burst.

But Jang Hee found it hard to understand.

The Young Hwa that Sang Hwa had told her about was smarter than herself, always maintaining top ranks without academies or private tutoring, a model student.

So she had a wish to earn money as soon as possible to properly educate her younger sibling.

She doesn’t study?

Her behavior is rough?

Her nature is not good?

None of these matched anything she had heard from Sang Hwa.

And even if In Ha thought her sister was wrong, would she lay it all out like this in front of someone she’s meeting for the first time?

This young lady is airing dirty laundry.

After the meal, In Ha was the first to rise from her seat.

“I’m sorry. If I had known your sister would come, I wouldn’t have made another appointment.”

“No, it was nice to meet you.”

“Sun Woo, thank you for the meal.”

“Yes. I’ll see you at the company tomorrow.”

With that, In Ha left her seat, and once again only Sun Woo and Jang Hee remained.

“Cancel the engagement.”

Jang Hee coldly ordered Sun Woo as if giving a command.

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s not the one. Give it up.”

“Who decides that?”

“I decide, you brat. Do you have no eye for people?”

Thanks to Jang Hee raising her hand again, Sun Woo blocked his head with both hands.

“Really, elder sister! Why isn’t she the one?”

“Hey, even if she’s an adopted daughter, she’s still her sister. Who puts down their own sister in front of others!”

As Jang Hee lowered her hands, Sun Woo got up, dusting off his wrinkled clothes.

“Well, it must be hard for her to have good feelings towards her sister too.”

“Why? Because she’s adopted? What’s wrong with that? She’s still family!”

Sun Woo flinched at Jang Hee’s words.

“Well. ……There is a reason.”

“What reason?”

Sun Woo pulled his chair back, widening the distance from Jang Hee. Only after moving to a distance where her hands couldn’t reach did Sun Woo difficultly move his lips.

“I… slept with her.”

Jang Hee tilted her head, not understanding immediately.

“What? Slept with who?”

“That. That. That. Young Hwa. I slept with Young Hwa.”

Jang Hee’s face turned blue as if she had become a Smurf.