"You missed the dinner."

Jungkook paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned to face his mother. "Oh, hey mom. You know it's Friday. I was with Jin hyung."

She nodded with a sigh. "We haven't talked in a while." His mother looked tired, but she was still dressed to the nines, not a single strand of hair out of place. He wondered if she had black circles under her eyes. She rarely showed this side of her and honestly he didn't remember a time he saw her losing her composure.

Jungkook regarded her for a moment before gesturing her to the patio outside. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the way the wind caressed his exposed skin once they stepped out.

"You've been awfully quiet about this entire situation," she said, going to occupy one of the chair. Jungkook pushed his hands into his pockets, contemplating for a moment before he went to sit in front of her.

"What's there to speak?" he asked, crossing his legs. The youngest wanted nothing more than to retire to his room for the night, listen to some music and go to sleep.

"Jungkook..." she called exasperatedly. "You know exactly what's there to speak. I don't like this. This will ruin our family."

"You speak as if our family isn't ruined already," he couldn't keep the bitterness from seeping out. He didn't remember a time they spend together as a family and the mandatory breakfast or dinner at home didn't count as family time in his opinion.

"Jungkook... This situation is grave. Everything you worked hard is in danger. You'll lose everything if you don't fight back."

He blinked, trying to read her face. Jungkook loved his mother, god he really loved her. She wasn't a perfect mother, but she wasn't worst either. She loved him in her own way and gave him everything he wanted. His only problem was that, he wished she was stronger and doesn't stick to the norms of her socialite circle.

"She had always been there," he shrugged, trying to keep his words composed so he doesn't hurt her unintentionally. "We have always known of her mom."

"That doesn't mean she can take everything from you."

He scoffed. "Whether we like it or not, everything is hers as much as it is mine."

"Jungkook—"

"You can't deny it just because you don't like her. She was born first. I agree that you had no control over dad's actions, but you had a choice. You could have left him when you learned he cheated on you. But you didn't and you knew what you're getting yourself into. So please...spare me. I'll deal with this when the time comes." He stood.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. She shouldn't be even in our lives. I stayed with him because he signed the papers to give her up for adoption. But he..." she sniffled. "I know what you think of me but I didn't know he went behind my back to support her all these years."

Jungkook's shoulders slumped. He didn't know what to do with this new information. Should he be furious at his father for not being a man and own up to his mistakes? It horrified him to even think his father was ready to give her up.

Despite what his mother and others said, it always bothered him to know that he got to live a privileged life under his parent's roof while she was out there doing god knew what. He always wondered what kind of life she led. What if he was the one who was born out of wedlock? He would have been the one out there hated by all, wouldn't he? This was exactly the thought that kept him grounded when it came to his sister.

Did she know about them? Did she know she had a brother? Why did she stop using the funds? Did something happen?

"Jungkook?"

"Huh?" He looked at his mother, blinking a few times. "Mom...I don't know what to think of any of this. If you're worried about me, then please don't be." He forced a smile. "She has always been a part of our lives whether you like it or not. This changes nothing. I'll deal with it when the time comes."

His mother opened her mouth to say something then stopped. Her shoulders slumped. "Good night then."

"Good night, mom."

When Jungkook climbed the stairs to go to his room, he realized a weight had lifted his shoulders. She had always been a part of their lives. The constant jabs of his mother to his father made sure of that.

Now Jungkook had always been an optimistic person. Though this situation threw him off the grid, he knew it couldn't be that bad. He was never one to chase money or fame. Even if the Jeon assets was divided into two, he could live it off for the rest of his life. Besides, he worked hard and lived on his income he earned as salary. Never once had he depended on his father for his expenses since he started working.

What does this situation change? He will still be a part of this company. He might have to share responsibilities with her, but that doesn't change anything for him. His lifestyle won't change? Perhaps, this situation would give him more clarity.

When he settled in his bed after shower, all he could think about was his sister and how it would feel if they met after all these years. Would they talk to each other? What if she saw him as an enemy too?

He rolled onto his side with a sigh. Plugging in his ear pods, he set his night time playlist, slowly drifting off.

***

It was six-thirty in the morning when Jungkook returned from his morning workout, body sweaty and long hair sticking to his forehead. The weekend has come and gone. It was Monday again. Unlike the others, Jungkook happened to love his Mondays. Anywhere that wasn't home was good and week days offered perfect chance for his escape. He quickly jumped into the shower, washing away the remnants of his workout regime. His phone dinged when he came out, drying his hair carelessly.

Jin hyung [06:45:01]:

Yah!

Wanna catch up for breakfast?

I'm cooking.

Hobi hyung [06:45:25]:

Omw

Jungkook [06:45:50]:

I'll be down in 20

It wasn't every day Jin got a free time to cook after he became a most sough actor. His cooking was to die for and Jungkook's spirits were suddenly high. Food with Jin was always a pleasant event. He quickly dressed, throwing on a Tom Ford blue pinpoint Shelton suit and dried his hair, parted in center and carefully styling it to fall in waves.

His phone dinged again announcing Hoseok's arrival. Jungkook grabbed his phone and wallet, pocketed his keycard for the office and hurried out of his room.

"Great morning, Jungkook-ssi. The breakfast will be served in thirty," the butler greeted with a soft smile.

"Good morning, Sungmin-ssi. Tell mom I'm eating with Jin hyung today."

"Very well." The old man nodded curtly.

"Someone is in a great mood today." Hoseok rewarded him with a sunny smile that instantly warmed his heart. Everyone thought him to be cold and arrogant, but Jungkook knew otherwise.

"Jin hyung is cooking. Do you need more reason?" Jungkook returned his smile and Hoseok winked.

"Nope."

The trip to Jin's three-bedroom apartment was short. He lived closer. Upon arrival, Jin greeted them with a wide grin and a slap on the back, delicious aroma of food wafting from the kitchen.

"I made bibimbap," he said leading them to his open-style modern kitchen, the dishes already laid out on the dining table.

Jungkook plopped on the kitchen stool, digging straight in. "This is so good," he mumbled with a puffed cheek, earning a heartfelt laughter from Jin.

"Eat slowly, brat. Don't choke on your food." His playful smack on his shoulder made Jungkook laugh.

Among the three, his Hobi hyung had the most energetic and brightest persona. While Jin hyung was funny and charismatic, cracking dad jokes and wrestling with him at every chance he got, Hobi hyung was a little ball of energy, brightening the room and mood just by being present.

"Thanks, hyung. I'm glad I don't have to eat with dad this morning."

"Mhmm... Is there any update, Jungkookie?" Jin asked, taking a huge bite of his food.

"What update?"

Jin rolled his eyes. "About your sister of course?"

Jungkook shrugged. "I don't know."

"How are you feeling?" His features etched with concern.

Jungkook shrugged again, focusing on food. "I've always known I have a sister, so it's not surprising."

"You do realize what happens if she comes home, right?" Jin continued.

Jungkook nodded. "I'll be lying if I said I'm not worried. This is all I've ever known, guess I just have to suck it up and accept whatever is going to come."

"You okay with that?" Hoseok intervened. "I know how hard you worked all these years. I've heard your father has a proposition for her."

"I don't care, hyung. Really." he said softly. "It's between her and dad. I don't see my life changing much with her in the picture. She has every right as much as me." He dropped the chopsticks, reaching for the juice pitcher. "Like I said, I'll just face it when the time comes."

"You've grown up well, Jungkookie." Jin smiled. "But be prepared for the drama. You know how aunt is."

"Yeah. I'll try my best to stay out of this."

"I'm with you every step of the way," Hoseok said before turning to face Jin. "Hyung, you said you were taking a short break." Hoseok sipped his water. "Wasn't expecting you to cook today."

"I have an early morning meeting with Vinora." He sighed. "And it's been a while we had breakfast together."

"Meeting? Don't you have a manager to handle this stuff," Jungkook asked.

Jin rolled his eyes. "Apparently Plexis wants Vinora's photographer on board for this new drama we're set to shoot. They were trying to hire her for several months and she shot down every single offer they put on her table."

"Wow," Hoseok mumbled. "And Plexis pay well I guess."

Jin smirked. "The pay was higher than they offer any other photographers."

"Is she that good?" Jungkook lifted a brow.

"She's good. Yeah." Jin nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Why would she turn down the offer if the pay is good?" Jungkook wondered.

"Not everything is about money, Jungkookie. The thing is this photographer is...ah, how do I say it? She's not just a photographer, she's also a founding partner of Vinora and is exclusive to Vante and La Perle."

Jungkook scrunched his nose remembering the brand names from Jin's earlier conversations. He'd heard Vinora was a huge deal in the US.

"She doesn't take external projects. Plexis know this, but they still try to get her on board. Now they know that I'm a model for Vante collections. Vinora signed me for two years. And...ah..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "They found out who my girlfriend is."

"Girlfriend?" Hoseok lifted a brow, whistling low. "You've known her for what? Two months? Or is it three? That's fast."

"Says the one that put a ring on a woman he met in the streets of Vegas. Was it a week? If my memory is right, you proposed to her on the 5th day."

Hoseok's features tightened. "Hyung..." his tone rang out in a warning.

"I know. I know. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." Jin lifted his hands in a surrendering motion. "Anyways, this photographer is a close friend of my girlfriend. Plexis has signed Porshiya to design the jewelry they'll be using for the drama."

"So they can ask Porshiya directly." Jungkook shot, not liking the way they were dragging Jin into this.

"That's the thing. Porshiya shot them down, saying she doesn't intervene with her friend's business." He pushed aside the empty plate, pouring a cup of juice for himself.

Jungkook hummed. "But they're now trying to exploit your relationship to their gain," he scowled. "You shouldn't entertain them, hyung."

"Yeah, about that..." Jin drawled. "You see, if Katy accepted this offer, Porshiya gets to stay longer in Seoul...so..."

"Ah, that makes sense now. You're basically convincing your girlfriend to persuade her friend so you both can spend time together," Hoseok snickered. "Still, it's...can't you both work on something else?"

"You know how our schedules are. It's not like I can date openly. If Porshiya's friend took this offer, it will give her a reason to be in sets with me. And we will be able to continue a bit longer without all those attention on us."

"What's wrong in dating openly?" Jungkook asked. "You're not a rookie anymore. You're free to have girlfriends."

"I know. But our relationship is very new, Jungkookie." Jin sighed. "I haven't felt this way with any other women, you see. I want to get to know her better and you know how toxic media attention is. I just want to cherish this phase without having to bother with what others say."

Hoseok reached out to pat Jin's hand. "I understand. I wish your girlfriend's friend accepts the offer for your sake."

"Porshiya says Katy can never say no to her demands."

"I'll wash." Jungkook stood, collecting the empty dishes, carrying it to the sink.

"Hobi-ah, we need to talk... It's almost a year. You refuse to speak about that night," Jin coaxed.

Jungkook listened to their conversation as he quickly cleaned the dishes.

"What do you expect me to say, hyung?" Hoseok's voice was barely audible. "That she made me feel like I was the luckiest man on the planet only to vanish the next morning without a trace."

"You should find her, hyung," Jungkook tried to comfort him though his knew it wasn't that easy.

All Jungkook knew was that Hoseok fell in love with a woman he met during his Vegas trip. One week of whirlwind romance and a drunken night led to their wedding, which his hyung claimed he wasn't drunk at all. The woman disappeared the next morning. Hoseok tried to track her down using the ID she provided for their wedding, only to realize she had moved out of that address. But then if Hoseok wanted to find her, he could have. He gave up thinking she dumped him. Jungkook could tell his hyung was still in love with her. How someone could fall in love in a short time as one week was still beyond his comprehension.

Hoseok stared at his clasped hands on the table. "It's been a year. She must have already moved on."

"But your marriage is legal," Jin argued. "You have American citizenship, Hobi-ah. She has to track you down and you both have to end this legally if either of you have to move on. Don't get me wrong, but this isn't good. Whether you want it or not, you have to find her. Better get it done sooner than later."

That was the catch. Jungkook grimaced. Hoseok was still legally bound to that woman he met in Vegas.

"What's her name?" Jungkook asked. It was something Hoseok never liked to speak. "You never told us her name."

"Jeoni," Hoseok whispered, his voice soft and an involuntary smile lifting the corners of his mouth as if remembering her. "She's a photographer."

"Damn," Jin cursed. "Did you look her up on the internet? Which world are you living in?"

Hoseok shook his head. "I didn't look up."

"Huh?" Jin cast an incredulous look. "Why would you do that? What's her last name?"

Hoseok ran a hand over his face. "Listen, hyung, can we not talk about this?"

"No. I'm your hyung and I let you get away with this for so long. Now that Ahn Eunji is actively stalking you everywhere you go, I need to know who this woman is."

Hoseok sighed. "It's not that easy, hyung."

"Why didn't you call her then?" Jin was getting annoyed and didn't bother to hide it anymore.

"Hyung, you already know the answer," Hoseok sighed. "I lost my phone in the airport. Her number, photos...all gone." He let out a humorless chuckle. "It's like the universe telling me it's a mistake."

Jin snorted. "That's bullshit. You met this girl, fell in love and got married. Not to mention, you both were drunk when you pulled the stunt. Did you think she might have panicked?"

"We were not drunk. At least not on our wedding night." Hoseok looked away. "It's complicated."

"Hobi-ah, do you even understand what we are saying here. It doesn't have to be complicated. What if she thinks you want nothing to do with her?"

"Hyung, Uncle Heesung wants you to marry soon. You have to do something before he finds out," Jungkook insisted.

"That's right. Now give me her full name, brat. What you gave isn't enough."

"Leave this to me. I'll look her up," Hoseok grunted and stood. "Jungkookie, our first meeting is at eight-thirty. We should get going."

"Yeah, right. As soon as I bring her up, you go throwing work on me. I've seen that before, Hobi-ah." Jin caught his elbow, halting him. "Internet is the best way to find someone. She's just a few seconds away. You better search her or hyung has his way to search her for you."

"Hyung..."

"Don't hyung me now. You know I'll do it." Jin squared his shoulders, his expression serious.

"Fine." Hoseok grunted.

Jin shared a look with Jungkook that said 'we have to do something' and Jungkook agreed.