Beneath_His

** Beneath His Wings

"Happy Birthday to you~~ Happy birthday to you~ happy
Birthday dear mijin~ Happy Birthday to you~~" happy
birthday minji!! WHoo whoo!!~ about 150 of mijin's
friends and family came to congratulate her 16th
birthday at her house. It was possible for all of
them to come because of the size of her house.

"yujin! YUJIN!!!"
" what do you want?" yu jin replied lazily peeking out
of the kitchen
"what? what do I want? I want some respect from you
first. then you can clean up the mess here. I'm going
out to a club with my friends."
"that's not my job to clean after you. your hands not
just there for an expensive manicure you know. make
some use of it!"
" umma!!!UMMA!
"what wrong gong ju? is everything ok? " mrs. kim came
running into the kitchen.
"I told you that yujin would make me miserable. I told
you to lock her in her room or something. it's all
your fault!!"
Mrs. Kim gave a dirty look to yujin. and wispered to
mijin,"i know i know... but you know that your daddy
won't allow that. here take this money and go out with
your friends ok?"
mijin's mood totally changed as she saw five hundred
bill in her mom's hand.
"umma thank you thank you!!! hehe." she snatched it
away from her.
"umma...but minwoo oppa's not here yet... did he call
at least umma? UMMA!! do something!"
" when he comes i'll tell him to go straight to
wherever you are at ok?
mijin scoffed and ran out of the kitchen.
yujin just sat there quietly waiting for all of them
to leave.
after a few minutes of screaming and laughing,
everyone left and the house was quiet again.
yujin slowly got up and went into the livingroom.
there were left over food, empty plates, bottles of
champaine everywhere.

Yujin rolled her eyes and walked towards her room
which was located right in the corner of the Kim's
back yard.
"where do you think you are goin??"Mrs. kim blocked
yujin.
"my room ...
"clean this up and then you can go to your room."
"I have a lot of homework today... Can I clean it up
later?"
"Do you think your parents would be proud of you right
now with that attitude? You should be thankful that
we took you in. you dirty orphan! and all the debt
your parents left...aigoo...did you know that it was
mijin's appa who paid it all back? Huh? did you know?"
" yes...i know...i'm very sorry...I promise i'll pay
you back someday."
"until then you are in our posession so get to work!"
Yujin slowly picked up the trash after Mrs. Kim went
into her room.
all of a sudden she felt hot tears streaming down her
face. She was so tired of all this that she didn't
bother to wipe away her tears.

"did i come to late?"
yujin turned around surprised at the sound of
someone's voice.
"ummm...is mijin..here?"
"she should be at paradise club with her friends."
yujin turned around and went back to cleaning up. she
finally wiped away her tears and pretended like
everything was normal. yujin felt a gaze on her and
felt extremely uncomfortable so she got up and asked
that stranger "Why aren't you going? I told you that
she's at paradise club. can you please get going? I
have to clean up this mess."
she turned around once more...

chapter 2

she turned around once more...
"wait...hey..i don't know where paradise club is..can
you tell me the direction?"

minwoo asked so gently because yujinlooked like she
was going to burst into tears again any moment.
"I don't know where it is..." yujin replied, her back
towards minwoo.
"Oh! minwoo ya!"
Mrs. Kim ahjumma came down from the stairs greeting
him with a big smile.

"Why did you come so late? My little mijin was so
upset. they should be out... I'll call mijiny and tell
her you're on your way."
the sound of her slippers tapping the clear marbled
floor faded away into the ketchen.

"slowly minwoo bent down next to yujin and started to
help her clean up.

Yujin startled by his action looked up with her big
eyes...which were still moist from her tears..

"Minwoo! why are you cleaning this mess? Mrs. Kim
snatched away the trash in his hand and stuffed it
into yujin's.

"Minwoo ya..that's yujin's job not yours!"

"huh? umm... is she a maid here? she looks like she's
around mijin's age..." Minwoo looked confused and
couldn't understand what was going on.

Mrs. Kim furious at where this conversation was going
quickly changed the subject.

"No of course yujin's not a maid. she's a daughter of
mijini appa's friend.don't you worry minwoo..she just
offered to help. Minwoo you are already late..come on
go have fun~" Mrs. Kim said in a overly sweet tone.
"then i'll take this girl to the party. we're almost
done cleaning up." minwoo said looking at yujin.
"umm....oh hmm....yujin..you said that you had a lot
of homework today right? Why don't you go ahead and do
them? go on honey."
yujin understood clearly what Mrs. Kim's intentions
were. she obeyed and with a weak nod, she started
towards her room...in the corner of the huge backyard.

meanwhile...Minwoo suspiciously eyed where yujin was
going.
"where is she...going....??!!"

"minwoo hurry up...you don't want to miss mijin's
sweet 16 do you?" Mrs. Kim's eyes were almost begging.
She almost pushed him out the door and waited till he
got in his silver benz SLK and took off.

* in the backyard*

Yujin sat on a hand made swing that was connected to
two huge trees.It was such a beautiful night. silver
stars were spread out on the night's sky.
all of a sudden she felt a great force pulling her by
her arm. it started to drag yujin towards the back
gate.
"AHH stop!oh please don't hurt me... no..no!!.."

"shut up..keep it down low.. it's me..."
yujin stopped and reliezed that it was the guy who
came late to mijin's birthday party.

"what the hell are you doing? and who the hell are
you? what are you doing?"

"just get in the car."

"I can't...i have to go back....let me go!"

but it was too late. she was already in his car and
the car was speeding away in minwoo's control.
"do you know what deep trouble I am in now>? why are
you doing this?

Minwoo just grinned and glanced at yujin with his deep
eyes.
yujin finally got a clear glance of his face, now that
her tears were dried.

"I thought you would need some fresh air. Let's go to
the party together."

"(sigh) I don't need anything. so just turn the car
around."yujin said with a higher tone.
"come on it will be fun. don't even try to change my
mind... it's a waste of your time." Minwoo said
turning the wheel to a street named 'paradise'.
"hey.. i thought you didn't know where the club
was..." yujin said.
" well, i guess i do after all."

************************************************

chapter 3

Minwoo skid his car in an empty parking spot and came
to a sudden halt.

He casually got out and walked around the front of his
car to Yujin. Minwoo opened the passenger door and
motioned Yujin to get out.

" I am NOT going into that club!" Yujin said looking
straight at Minwoo with her lean arms crossed infront
of her.

" Weh?" Minwoo asked.
" I can't...."
"Give me a good reason."
"...because I-----
" Minwoo oppa? OPPA!" Mijin came running towards
Minwoo with a smile as if she had found a treasure.
But the smile faded away as soon as Mijin discovered
who was sitting on the passenger seat.
" May I see your invitation? I don't remember
inviting YOU to MY party." Mijin spat these words
directly towards Yujin.
"This is why." Yujin said to Minwoo and stormed out of
the scene.

Satisfied by her victory, Mijin linked her arm with
Minwoo's and gave him a sweet smile.
"Oppa, what did you bring for my present?"
"What the hell's wrong with you?" did you have to talk
to her that way?" Minwoo pushed her arm away with a
great strength and started to run to catch Yujin.

"she's just an orphan you know."

'an orphan?' minwoo thought to himself.

seeing minwoo stop from running to Yujin, mijin
continued,
"she can't live without the charity we provide for
her. No need to feel sorry for her oppa!"

minwoo slowly closed his eyes and shook his head. a
sudden feeling of guilt and regret flowed over
minwoo's heart...
'i gotta find her.'

"excuse me... do you know which way to go to find
oxford st?"
"sorry miss."
(sigh) Yujin felt hopeless. she had to go back as soon
as possible. the face of mrs. kim came to her so
vividly that she subconcously shook with fear. Yujin
slumped down on a bench infront of a bus stop.

suddenly, yujin felt something warm covering her
shoulders. yujin looked up and found minwoo's eyes
delicately set on yujin.

" keep it on... it's cold at night..."

yujin started to say something but minwoo cut her in.

"you said you had to go home right? let's go. I won't
push you to go to the party with me." minwoo slowly
helped yujin to her feet.

this guy she just met...the guy who she met only 4
hours ago...was confusing yujin. at first, he was so
aggressive and stubborn and HAD to have everything his
own way and now he seems... so... opposite.

'watever..' yujin just shrugged it off and decided to
concentraate on what was ahead... mrs. kim...

on the way home, minwoo didn't say anything.
He just kept his eyes set on the road..just driving...
Yujin peeked a glance and saw that he had a little
frown on his face.
'i wonder what he's thinking.' yujin thought.

the rest of the drive was awkward.
as soon as the car stopped about 1 block away from the
house, yujin felt relieved and hesitant at the same
time.

minwoo stopped the car engine and leaned back on his
seat from a tiring night.
from the corner of his eyes, he saw yujin looking up
at the lighted window of mrs. kim's room with a
worried look on her face.
"wow... mrs.kim sleeps really late huh?" minwoo asked
yujin.
"..."
"are you worried that you'll get into trouble?" minwoo
asked yujin, searching her face for an answer.
"no..." yujin answered avoiding his eyes.
"alright then... go." minwoo said waiting for her
reaction.
Yujin fidgeted with her haands in her seat for a
moment. then, she nodded towards minwoo indicating a
little thanks and closed the car door. yujin took a
deep breath and walked with small steps toward the big
house infront of her.

Minwoo couldn't stand seeing yujin so scared like
this. he wanted to help her. he wanted to make her
life easier... somehow he felt like he owed it to her.

yujin stopped half way to clam her pounding heart.
suddenly she felt a familiar force pulling her toward
the house. within seconds yujin was standing at the
front door with minwoo.

chapter 4

"yujin ah...didn't you tell me that you were gonna
stay in your room? didn't you tell me that you had a
lot of homework?"
mrs. kim's rage was clearly seen in her sharp eyes.

"yes ahjuma..." yujin couldn't look into mrs. kim's
eyes for another second.
"mrs.kim it was my fault. i forced her to come with me
to the party." minwoo apologized.

"o...reallie? ok then minwoo thank you for taking
yujini. why don't you go home now. don't you have to
go to work tomorrow?" mrs. kim pushed minwoo.
"....goodnight yujin..."
yujin wanted to stop minwoo from driving away.
" ya!! you little dirty girl! who told you to go after
minwoo? are you out of your mind?" mrs. kim expressed
her anger physically now. it was too much for her to
keep it all inside, but now that minwoo was gone, she
did as she pleased.
all yujin could do was shut her eyes as tightly as
possible.
in seconds, yujin's whole body was aching in pain.
somehow, yujin managed to get herself into her room
and cried herself to sleep.

**next morning during breakfast**
"yujin and mijin, you guys are aware of the business
party tonight right?" MR. Kim reminded mijin and yuji.
"yesh appa...minwoo oppa's coming too. right appa?"
Mr. kim gave mijin a reassuring smile.
"yujin a, i thought you would need this."
mr. kim took out a light pastel colored dress
" ah juh shi...."
"be sure to be there yujin. you are like a daughter to
us."

"are you seriously gonna wear that AND also go to the
party with us tonight?" mijin asked yujin after her
dad left for work.
" I don't see why not. weh?"
"nothing." mijin crossed her arms and stomped upstairs
in her room.

'so minwoo's coming too....'
yujin, quickly shook her thoughts and tried to
concentrate on washing the dishes.

'how am i gonna stop yujin from going to the party? I
have to stop her...i have to...' mijin walked back and
forth in her room.

"mijin ah~~ we only have 30 minutes! let's go"
"ok umma! i'm almost ready."

yujin was already ready to go. she couldn't wait to go
to her first party ever. she imagined how it would be
all day.

"yujin can you get me some juice?: mijin asked.
since yujin didn't want anything to ruin this night,
she agreed.

"here." yujin handed mijin a glass of punch with a
bright smile.
mijin snatched the drink from yujin, and poured it on
yujin's dress.
" this isn't a party for you to go to. i hope you
understand." mijin smirked and slammed the door behind
her.

yujin tried to wash the stain off but it was no use.
yujin finally gave up and slumped down on the kitchen
floor.

'i'm not going to cry. i'm not...'
reassuring and comforting herself only led yujin to
feel more pathetic and slowly...tears strolled down
her face.

*at the party*

"excuse me."
minwoo, subconciously was looking for a certain person
at the party...yujin...
"oppa! you look really good today."mijin gave him a
smile.
"where's yujin?" minwoo asked,his eyes still looking
around the room.
"...she didn't want to come. she said she doesn't like
parties."
"o..." minwoo pulled out a cigarette and slowly walked
towards the door.
"oppa where are you going? oppa! the party JUST started!"

**********************************************

chapter5
yujin felt her hot tears dropping onto her stained
dress. She felt her integrity and dignity all drowning
out of herself. The hate mijin showed when she
purposely spilled punch all over her dress....it was
clearly stated in her eyes...and it made yujin shiver.
'Why does she hate me so much...she has everything she
needs, friends, nice home, and especially a nice
loving family...'
yujin promised herself not to cry over her once happy
family, but it wasn't that easy to keep that promise.
she found herfelf breaking that promise more often
these days. She was told by many people that she was a
very strong person but yujin felt her heart more
fragile now than ever.
'okay...it's just a stupid party right? i don't need
to go...it probably would have been just a waste of
time.'
comforting herself just made yujin feel more pathetic.

she looked at the most beautiful scene she
treasured...the night's sky with stars all spread over
and she smiled through her tears.
Minwoo gasped for air as he stood infront of the back
gate of the Kim's house. As he saw yujin quietly
shedding tears on a swing, he carefully walked over to
her.
"wha...what are you doing here?? aren't you suppose to
be attending a party tonight?"
yujin asked minwoo.
ignoring her question, minwoo wiped away yujin's tears
with worry in his eyes.
"you should go back to the party..."yujin dropped her
head stopping minwoo from touching her face.
"weren't you invited too yujin? why didn't you come?
seeing you in a dress and all, it seems like you were
ready to go to the party. what actually happened?
honestly."
"i just felt uncomfortable dancing and eating with 500
people." yujin simply replied.
"o really? me too."
yujin looked up at smiling minwoo surprisingly. yujin
saw minwoo's eyes twinkling at her...like the silver
stars she loved so much...and she found herself
returning his smile.
minwoo breathed in the crisp air and offered his hand
to yujin.
"since we both don't like dancing in a room with 500
others, why don't we make this backyard our little
dancing floor?"
yujin gently put her hand into minwoo's.
"but...we don't even have music..this is ridiculous."
yujin started to back off.
"no it's not."
Minwoo pulled her in his arms and gently moved around
with his arms around her waist.
yujin felt so warm in minwoo's arms. she smiled and
finally came to realiize how beautiful their
surroundings were.
"i always find you on that swing over there by the
tree. is that like your favorite spot in this house or
something?"
minwoo asked still dancing.
"something like that...i feel really comfortable and
protected there.don't ask me why."
"hmm really? let me try sitting on that swing." minwoo
took yujin's hand and walked towards the swing.
"i see what you are talking about." minwoo nodded with
a smile.
"hahaha" yujin let out laughing at minwoo's actions.
seeing yujin actually laughing out loud for the first
time, minwoo felt happy inside.

"....you watch yujin....have fun while you can...."
mijin watched the two with rage from her bedroom
window.

'you just watch what i'm going to do...i'm going to
ruin your already worthless life.' mijin talked under
her breath.

chapter 6

"mmmm...."yujin woke up with the sunlight beaming at
her face.
'did i just wake up from a dream?' yujin wondered.
"Oh no..it's already 7:30. i only have 30 minutes to
get ready."
yujin quickly got up and ran to the bathroom which was
located inside the house. after brushing her teeth and
washing her face, she walked through the living room
to get to her room outside...
"good morning yujin a." Mr. kim greeted yujin.
"ahn nyoung hee ju mu shut uh yo?( did you sleep well
yesterday)
"yes i did...but yujin..why weren't you at the party
yesterday? i was expecting you in the dress i bought
for you."
"oh..i didn't feel well yesterday." yujin replied.
"are you sick? is everything ok?" Mr. Kim searched
yujin for an answer.
"i'm ok now..thank you."
Mr. Kim finally smiled and patted yujin on the back.
"appa!!~ good morning!" mijin came down the stairs and
gave her dad a kiss.
"yes mijin. did you sleep well?"
"appa. did you know that our swing in the backyard is
broken down? I noticed it this morning."
"huh what are you talking about mijin?" Mr. Kim went
out to the backyard to see what had happened.
'the swing? oh no.' yujin came running after Mr. Kim
and saw the swing broken down into little pieces.
"hmm...it looks like someone did this on purpose."
yujin noticed mijin stepping back a little at her
dad's response.
"i think we should have more enforced security..." Mr.
Kim went back into the house with a worried look on
his face.
yujin couldn't believe her eyes.
'where am i going to go now to find comfort or to just
rest from a tiring day?' yujin started to pick up the
pieces.
"that's what you get for TRYING to steal minwoo oppa
from me. you better watch your back yujin." mijin
warned yujin and walked away.
'i should have known...' yujin walked into her room to
change her clothes.

"umma umma! i have to talk to you." mijin said waking
up her mom.
"yes yes....talk..."
"i think yujin is trying to get minwoo oppa.
umma...what do we do now?"
"what did you just say?" Mrs. kim quickly got up from
her bed.
"minwoo is yours honey. there's no need to worry.
we've been planning this marriage for years. just wait
until you graduate honey."
"no...no...i think minwoo oppa's falling for her
tricks...we have to do something umma....."

"minwoo's coming to take you guys to school today."
mr. Kim said at breakfast.
ding dong*
"it's minwoo oppa!~"
minwoo came in and said hello to everyone. He tried to
catch yujin's eyes but she didn't even give him a
glance.
"let's go oppa i'm gonna be late." mijin linked arms
with minwoo and led him out the door.
yujin followed them and took the backseat.
the drive to school was loud with mijin's voice.
"oppa do you know what happened? somebody broke into
our house yesterday and broke our swing. isn't that
wierd? who would just break our swing and leave?"
minwoo skidded his car on the side of the road.
"yujin are you ok? you didn't get hurt or anything?
The rober didn't go into your room or anything?"
"(sigh) no...."
"oppa! i was in the house too not just yujin!"
"yea IN the house!Yujin's room's like right next to
that thing!"
"geez oppa, you don't have to yell at me!" mijin
slamed the door and ran inside her school.
minwoo opened his mouth to break the silence.
"...you sure you're ok?"
"yea i'm fine...well i'm going to go in now...bye.."

minwoo was expecting a smile from yujin when he
arrived at her house...the smile she had shown him
last night. He wanted to bring back her smile
again....... and he knew just the thing.

****************************************************

chapter 7

yujin's steps were more heavier than usual...
"da nyuh wat suem nee da."
"oh good, yujin's here. yujin can i ask you a big
favor?" Mr Kim asked yujin.
"of course Mr. kim. what is it?"
" it's regarding mijin's engagement with minwoo."
"..."
"you see, our family has been planning their wedding
ever since we can remember. And even though mijin's a
little early to think about marriage, we thought it
would be good for both our family...and we were just
wondering..., since you are the only sister like
figure here in this house, will you help mijin get
ready for her wedding?"
"nae..."
"yujin, let's go in my room to talk about it." mijin
said with an exaggerated smile.
yujin got up, controlling her shaky legs.

"now that you know me and minwoo oppa's getting
together offically, did it get into your thick skull
that maybe it's time to stop flirting with him?" the
atmosphere around mijin changed and gave a shudder to
yujin.
"...i see that minwoo oppa built a new set of swings
for you..." mijin said looking down from the window.
'set of swings? he made it?' yujin couldn't hide her
shock.
"don't get your hopes too high because he rebuilt a
swing for you. minwoo oppa is naturally nice to the
poor. only... to the poor. "
"..." yujin only fidgeted with her numb fingers.
seeing her victory in this conversation, mijin
transitioned to the topic of the wedding.
"so...tomorrow i think umma and minwoo oppa's mom will
be looking for our ring....."
mijin's words just faded into the distance as she
babbled on and on walking around her room. Yujin just
set her eyes outside of the window...where she could
see the swing...

finally getting out of that suffocating room, yujin
walked out into the garden.
there she saw a set of swings. a set...2 swings next
to each other...side by side...
yujin situated herself in one of the swings and
observed every cut.
'did you really make this minwoo? why? why did you?'

"nae? a wedding? with who? MIJIN????!!! father, i'm
not ready for this. and i'm sure mijin's not either."
"minwoo...you know that you are the heir of my company
and it's time you think about your future. as you know
already, if Mr kim's company and our company become
allies, we will benefit much much more."
"no father,i can't do this."
"why i though you liked mijin."
" she's only a little dong sang to me...and
besides....I like someone else."

It was a beautiful saturday morning. these days,
yujin found herself on the swing more often.
minwoo quietly came in and sat on the swing beside
yujin.
to break the silence, yujin spoke," so...i heard about
your engagement...congratulation."
".....i told my father that i'm not getting married to
mijin."
"....why?"
"because...i like someone else..." minwoo's eyes
started to tremble...
'he likes someone else? who could it be?'
"...i like..a girl named..chae yu jin..."
startled, yujin got up and started to walk away from
minwoo.
'no don't do this. even though i longed for those
words from your lips...this is wrong.'
minwoo grabbed yujin by the shoulders and stopped her.
"say something. yujin...anything...please."
"mi an hae oppa..." those were the only words she
could get out from her choking throat. tears started
to develop in her eyes.
"you love me too right? you do right?" minwoo started
to shake yujin more violently and....her tears started
to drop...
"why are you crying? don't cry..." minwoo caressed
yujin in his arms.
'i can see it in you eyes...yujin ah...why can't you
say it? what's stopping you from coming into my
heart?'
yujin, devastated from finding where her own heart was
opened up to cried in his arms.
'mi an hae....if i say those words...if i confess
those words back to you...it'll be betrayal to the
Kims....especially ah juh shi who took me in from
being an orphan...i can't do that to him...no human
would do such a thing... i'll just write those words
carefully in my heart...and hopefully, i'll be able to
send them to you
someday...someday...somewhere...anywhere but
here......sarang han da go...

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