Chapter seven

⭐ ୧ She wasn't dating Kim Sanha. It was Kang Hae-joonও ❓

The early morning sun cast a soft glow over the four siblings as they walked to school together, an unspoken rhythm to their steps. Aera moved gracefully, her posture light and poised, occasionally glancing toward Joo-won beside her. It hadn't escaped Aera's notice—the way Joo-won's gaze lingered on Hae-Jun, her expression guarded, her silence unusual. Since the previous night, Aera had sensed something was bothering her younger sister, but Joo-won hadn't shared a word of it. Instead, her face held a blank calm, revealing nothing.

As they approached the school's gate, Joo-won's pace slowed briefly. Without a second glance, she announced, "I'll go ahead."

"Okay," Hae-Jun replied, giving a short nod, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension.

In a blink, Joo-won had slipped away, her figure merging with the morning crowd of students. The remaining three siblings stood momentarily, watching her retreat.

Hae-Jun, sensing something unusual, turned to Aera and Sanha, worry creasing his brow. "What's going on with her? Did I do something wrong?" He reached out, grabbing onto both their arms, as though they held the answers he needed.

Sanha didn't hesitate. "Ah. Hui Joo." His response was almost casual, but the name struck like a spark.

Aera's gaze snapped toward Hae-Jun, her brows knitting together. "Hui Joo?" she repeated, her voice lined with confusion. Her eyes narrowed as they searched Hae-Jun's face, demanding an explanation. Hae-Jun's expression quickly shifted to shock, his eyes widening in panic at the unintended reveal.

"Hui..." Hae-Jun stammered, his voice faltering. "What about H-Hui Joo?"

Sanha took Hae-Jun's hand off his arm, a faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "She's sad you didn't tell her you had a girlfriend," he said, casting a side glance at Aera, his words carefully chosen to land on both of them.

Sanha turned to walk away but paused after a few steps, looking back. "Now she and Aera are realizing that you and they have a shallow relationship," he added with a slight shrug. "It's probably an opportunity for them to learn that." He gave Hae-Jun a reassuring pat on the shoulder, his gaze flicking toward Aera, catching the faint flicker of emotion in her eyes before he continued on his way, leaving them both reeling.

Aera's face was a mixture of surprise and disappointment, her expression slowly shifting as she processed what she'd just learned. Hae-Jun turned to her, panic clouding his features as he took a shaky breath. "We've been broken up for ages!" he insisted, his voice almost pleading. He quickly turned back, watching Sanha's retreating figure with an almost desperate look. "You told her—told them we broke up, right?"

Sanha only offered a nonchalant "Yes," without looking back, continuing his steady pace forward.

But Hae-Jun wasn't satisfied. "You told her why we broke up, right?" he called after him, his desperation mounting.

Sanha gave a shrug, barely glancing over his shoulder. "Why would I tell her that? She didn't even ask."

Hae-Jun's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched his brother stroll away, satisfaction barely hidden in his smirk. "You should have!" Hae-Jun's voice grew louder, his frustration spilling over. "It was because of you!"

But Sanha didn't turn back; he merely raised a hand in a silent goodbye, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips as he disappeared into the building.

Aera stood silently, her gaze fixed ahead, disappointment etched in her face. She gave Hae-Jun a final look—one filled with quiet hurt—before she walked past him, her footsteps steady yet distant. The weight of Sanha's words hung between them, unanswered questions and unspoken thoughts lingering in the silence.

"Aera..." Hae-Jun's voice was barely above a whisper as he reached out toward her, but she didn't slow down. She walked past him, her silence as cutting as any words she could have spoken, leaving him standing alone with the morning breeze and the reality of what he hadn't told her.

The bell had rung for lunch, and the classroom buzzed with the usual lively chatter, but the energy shifted as soon as Aera stepped inside. Though she didn't belong in this classroom—being a year older than Joo-won and Dal—the attention naturally gravitated toward her. She was the kind of beauty that made people pause, flawless and magnetic, and her popularity had reached iconic status. Everyone turned to watch her as if witnessing something ethereal, a sight that was almost too perfect to believe. Aera was used to the admiration, but Joo-won and Dal exchanged wary glances, trying not to squirm under the envious stares aimed their way for simply being near her.

Aera stood next to the classroom window, where her sister, Joo-won, leaned, her arms crossed, looking out at the school grounds. Dal stood  in front of them, her posture attentive, as though she were waiting for a piece of news. Joo-won broke the silence, her voice low but clear.

"She wasn't dating Kim Sanha," Joo-won said, eyes still trained on the scenery beyond the glass. "It was Kang Hae-joon."

Dal's eyes widened in genuine shock. "What? Really? Are you sure?"

Joo-won, sensing Dal's disbelief, looked at her with curiosity. "Why are you so surprised?" she asked, oblivious to it all.

Dal fidgeted, looking for a convincing excuse. "Oh, I mean... I just can't see them together," she murmured, her voice faltering a little as she played with her fingers, nervous but unremarkably so to the others.

Aera, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head with a thoughtful look, clicking her tongue in understanding. "Maybe that's why they broke up." She couldn't imagine Hae-joon with Hui Joo either; the pairing just felt... off.

Dal seized the opportunity, leaning forward. "So did they break up?" she asked, a glimmer of unexpected hopefulness in her tone.

Both Aera and Joo-won nodded, and a small, barely restrained smile appeared on Dal's face. "Still, you two must have been sad they didn't tell you," she added softly, as though trying to disguise her sudden joy.

Joo-won clicked her tongue, feigning annoyance. "We'll just stay angry for today and forgive them tomorrow," she said, glancing out the window again with a shrug, her eyes glinting playfully.

Aera gave a thoughtful nod. "He must have had a reason he couldn't tell us," she mused, more understanding of her older brother than most.

Dal pressed her lips together, nodding in agreement. "True." She paused, almost to herself, muttering, "There's no way he didn't have a girlfriend." But Aera, ever observant, caught the slip, her brow furrowing as she sensed something in Dal's tone that suggested more.

Just then, Joo-won's eyes lit up with a new observation. "She's pretty," she said, gesturing toward Hui Joo, who was walking across the campus grounds, seemingly untouched by the bustling noise around her.

Aera's gaze followed, and she crossed her arms, studying Hui Joo critically. "Why would a girl like her ever date Kang Hae-joon?" she asked, her tone dripping with skepticism. Hui Joo was effortlessly beautiful, poised—and honestly, Aera couldn't see her with someone like Hae-joon.

As if sensing their attention, Hui Joo looked up at the window and smiled, lifting her hand in a casual wave. Both Joo-won and Aera glanced behind them, unsure if she meant someone else.

"Us?" Joo-won asked, pointing to herself and Aera.  "Are you looking at us?"

Hui Joo nodded, mouthing "You two" with a soft smile, leaving the sisters bewildered.

"Why is she interested in talking to both of us?" Joo-won muttered, turning to Aera with a raised eyebrow. Though Aera's popularity made it obvious why someone like Hui Joo might want to talk to her, the same wasn't true for Joo-won. It was unusual, and both sisters knew it.

Not long after, Aera was pulled away by a request from her art teacher to retrieve something from the office. She told Joo-won to handle the conversation with Hui Joo, hoping her sister could unravel the mystery.

After completing her errand, Aera made her way back, heading outside when she noticed a crowd gathering by the football field. Her heart quickened as she caught sight of Joo-won, Dal, Hae-joon, and, lying on the ground, Hui Joo. Aera hurried over, piecing together the fragments of an unfolding scene.

A concerned girl bent down to Hui Joo. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Get up," another girl urged gently, helping Hui Joo stand. She pointed at Hui Joo's scraped knee, where blood was beginning to trickle. "Look at your knee! You're bleeding!"

"Look at the blood! It must hurt," murmured another, her voice thick with sympathy.

Joo-won stood back, her expression blank. "No, I didn't do that," she said, her tone steady but the disbelief in the crowd evident.

"She tried to push me into the pond last time," one girl sneered, glaring at Joo-won. "She's a repeat offender. She should go to a disciplinary hearing. You're all witnesses. Understand?" She looked around, her words stirring nods of agreement from the students nearby.

Hae-joon moved closer to Hui Joo, extending a supportive arm that she gratefully clung to. "Let's go to the nurse's office first," he suggested, as Hui Joo leaned against him, her posture feigning vulnerability.

Joo-won stared at her brother, feeling a pang of betrayal. "So you won't apologize, right?" Hui Joo asked innocently, her tone laced with practiced innocence.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Joo-won responded immediately, her voice calm but resolute.

"She isn't going to apologize?" someone muttered in the crowd, her words feeding a murmur of judgment that rippled through the students around them. "She's worse than I heard. So mean"

"She was like that to us, too..." chimed in another, and a chorus of murmurs followed, the crowd collectively condemning her.

Hae-joon leaned in, his voice barely a whisper, urging Joo-won, "Say you're sorry."

Joo-won looked up at him, her heart twisting with a mix of hurt and disbelief. He was siding with Hui Joo—over his own sister.

But before she could muster the words, Aera's voice rang out.

"Sorry for what?" Aera strode forward, cutting through the circle of students. Her face held a fierce intensity, her gaze locked on Joo-won protectively. She gently pulled her sister behind her, a wall of solidarity. "Did you push her?" Aera asked, her voice calm but steely. Even as she posed the question, she already knew the answer. Joo-won, her usually gentle sister, would never do such a thing.

"No, I didn't push her," Joo-won replied, her voice small but firm. "Really" She shook her head, her confidence bolstered by Aera's presence.

Hui Joo's jaw clenched, though her expression remained feigned innocence. Aera glanced around, her gaze sweeping across the crowd. "Who saw her push her?" she challenged. Silence blanketed the group; no one met her eyes. Hae-joon finally stepped away from Hui Joo, joining Joo-won's side, while Sanha appeared next to Aera, his face set with quiet satisfaction.

"Anyone?" Aera repeated, her tone like ice. The students averted their gazes, unease flickering on their faces.

"Are there people who don't know about her bullying?" one of Hui Joo's friends ventured, but her voice wavered under Aera's steely gaze.

"Bullying?" Aera scoffed, fixing her with a deadpan look. "What bullying? Falling into the pond? Do you want me to explain how that happened right now?" Her voice dropped lower, each word a threat. "I can report spreading rumors to bully someone as school violence, right?"

Sanha stepped forward, his arms crossed. "Plus, Hui Joo, you're going to Seoul National University next year" he asked, his tone razor-sharp. "You wouldn't want to bother with a school violence disciplinary hearing. Right?"

Hui Joo's defiance crumbled. "I didn't say anything," she mumbled, her voice strained with defeat.

Sanha nodded, satisfied. "Then we're settled."

Aera turned to Joo-won, her face softening. "Let's go." She wrapped an arm around her sister, gently guiding her away, with Sanha and Hae-joon following. Once out of the crowd, Joo-won turned to Hae-joon with a frown.

"What? Say I'm sorry?" she muttered, shoving his arm playfully. She glanced up at Aera and Sanha, a bright smile overtaking her face.

Relieved and grateful, Joo-won slipped her arm through Aera's, snuggling against her. Aera looked down at her with a soft smile, ruffling her hair in a quiet display of affection.

The four siblings gathered on the terrace of their apartment building, each feeling the quiet beauty of the chilly night. The dark sky above stretched into infinity, punctuated by the faint glimmer of stars, while a cool breeze carried the fresh scent of the distant sea. In the stillness, the four of them stood together, a united front against the chill that painted Aera's nose and cheeks a delicate shade of red. She wore a thick purple hoodie and comfy pants, warm enough for the weather yet letting her feel the thrill of the cool night air, something they all secretly cherished.

While the rest waited, Hae-Jun had gone out to pick up food for the evening. This was their night to spend together, just the four of them, undisturbed by anything else. As he made his way back onto the terrace, a white plastic bag in hand, he flashed a smile. "I got both fried and marinated chicken," he announced, his voice carrying a hint of triumph. He carefully unpacked the food, setting it on the small traditional Korean table they used for eating together on nights like these. The scent of the chicken quickly mixed with the crisp air, filling the terrace with warmth.

Yet, despite his return, the three siblings barely seemed to notice. Aera and Sanha were focused on Joo-won, who leaned against the terrace railing, her expression serious as she recounted her recent exchange with Hui Joo. Sanha and Aera stood on either side of her, listening closely, their gazes drifting to the street below as they imagined the encounter.

"So?" Sanha asked, prompting Joo-won with a subtle nudge, eyes fixed on her.

Joo-won turned, resting her back against the railing, still processing Hui Joo's words. "She said if we were a real family, we'd have papers. She said me and Aera were fake siblings." Her voice was laced with disbelief, her brows furrowed as she relived the moment.

Sanha let out a short, humorless laugh, shaking his head. "Wow. You heard all that from Hae-Jun's ex-girlfriend?" he repeated, lingering on the last part just to jab at Hae-Jun a little.

"Right?" Aera added, voice tinged with a mix of shock and disappointment. She had always admired Hui Joo for her elegance and warmth. To find out she was capable of something so hurtful was a betrayal that stung deeper than she expected.

Joo-won continued, her voice firm as she pushed off the railing and moved to sit at the table. "So I told her I don't need a validation from a piece of paper. I don't think the legal adoption is as important as I thought." As she sat, Hae-Jun, ever attentive, quickly wiped down the spot as if he were her servant, trying to make amends for any slights she might feel toward him for his former relationship with Hui Joo.

Hae-Jun placed a drumstick on Joo-won's plate with a small, almost pleading smile. "Drumstick," he said softly, adding another to Aera's plate, hopeful they'd let the tension slide.

Joo-won's lips quirked as she shot him a side glance, then took another drumstick from the box, a silent test of his patience. Sanha watched the exchange with amusement, leaning back slightly as Joo-won gave Hae-Jun an expectant look. Wordlessly, she gestured toward her drink, and Hae-Jun immediately poured her a glass of soda.

"Hey, isn't this a little weak?" Sanha asked, breaking the silence as he helped himself to the drumstick from Aera's plate. "They even got called fake sisters," he added, glancing at Hae-Jun, whose eyes flashed with mock irritation. "That's right"

Sanha then extended his own glass for a refill, which Hae-Jun dutifully poured, his gaze briefly hardening before softening in resignation. Aera lifted her glass too, and Hae-Jun, without hesitation, poured her a drink as well. It was clear he'd go to any lengths for forgiveness tonight.

Hae-Jun muttered under his breath, just loud enough for them to hear, "Stop making my surprise feel meaningless." He cast a sidelong look at Sanha. "Don't you ever do anything wrong?"

Aera looked at him, slightly taken aback, though curiosity sparked in her eyes. "A surprise? What surprise?"

Grinning, Hae-Jun reached beneath the table, pulling out a small green box that instantly made Joo-won and Aera's eyes light up with excitement. "Ta-da!" he said, opening it to reveal a beautifully decorated cake. "Do you want to have this and stop being angry? Or do you want to skip it and stay angry?" His eyes sparkled with satisfaction as he held it out, gauging his sisters' reactions.

"We'll stop. We'll stop," Joo-won replied, her irritation all but forgotten as she accepted the cake with an eager smile. "We're not angry anymore. We haven't been angry in a while!" She took the box from Hae-Jun's hands, eyes wide with excitement.

Sanha raised an eyebrow as he watched her dig in. "Just like that?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. Aera, too, took a spoon and dug into the cake, her expression pure bliss as she savored the first bite. "Don't get it all over your face," Sanha teased, leaning over to brush a crumb from Aera's lips. She grinned, scooping another bite and offering it to him. "I'm fine," he said with a dismissive wave, but as Aera insisted, he gave in and took a bite, visibly enjoying it.

Meanwhile, Hae-Jun looked on, waiting expectantly, lips forming a soft "Ah" as he hoped for the same treatment. Joo-won gave him an amused look, taking a small piece and holding it out. Hae-Jun's pout deepened slightly at the modest portion, but he accepted it with a pleased hum.

"Not you!" Joo-won exclaimed, standing up and moving toward Sanha, who ducked away, laughing as she held the cake up threateningly. He backed up, hands raised in surrender.

"Fine, fine," he relented, watching as she resumed her seat, smiling as she settled back into the circle of her siblings.

With laughter and easy smiles, the four of them settled back around the table, finishing off the food and cake, letting the chill air brush over them. Under the vast night sky, they felt wrapped in the warmth of family, their bonds untouchable and unbreakable—no matter what anyone said.

࿁ • 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘬 . . . 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝒚𝒐𝒖
ྀིྀི 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝒎𝒆 𐙚 ~ @ 𝑾𝒐𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 • ࿁

Sorry for my late update. I was supposed to publish this chapter on Wednesday, but I got so busy with school work. Hope you understand.

I won't be able to update as often because of school. I have plenty of essays and projects I have to finish so I will be a little busy. Sorry!

See y'all in the next chapter! 💗