"Are you planning to visit Ji Ah's daughter?" Y/N asked.

Jimin nodded in affirmation.

"Then let me accompany you," she said.

Jimin had already sent money to Ji Ah, a gesture that served as a small compensation for the hardships she had endured due to Grandma's actions all those years ago. Their perspectives had always been at odds, making it challenging to place blame squarely on anyone.

Grandma's ruthless actions were driven by her desire to protect Lee Taemin, even though her methods were questionable. In her own way, she believed she was safeguarding her grandson's future. Jimin, however, couldn't bring himself to condemn his grandmother entirely, understanding that her intentions were rooted in love, even if misguided.

When Y/N expressed her desire to visit Ji Ah's daughter at the hospital, Jimin readily agreed. They made their way to the hospital and entered the room where Ji Ah's daughter was staying. Ji Ah, who had received the money from Jimin earlier that morning, couldn't help but feel uneasy when she saw him.

"Mr. Park, why are you here?" she asked cautiously, her worry evident. "Are you having second thoughts?"

Ji Ah feared that Jimin might change his mind about the financial support he had promised, leaving her in a difficult situation.

Jimin reassured her with a calm and steady voice, "Don't worry. I never regret my decisions."

With a sigh of relief, Ji Ah inquired, "Then why have both of you come here?"

"We've come to visit your daughter," Jimin replied kindly.

Ji Ah peered into the room and explained, "She just took her medicine and hasn't woken up yet. Her illness is becoming more serious, and the doctor said she needs surgery soon. Fortunately, Mr. Park provided the money just in time. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do."

Jimin offered some reassurance, saying, "Consider this money as a gift from my grandmother. So, please don't feel too modest."

Ji Ah nodded gratefully and continued, "Thank you. Please, come in. My daughter is unaware of her connection to Lee Taemin, so if you could..."

Y/N interrupted with a warm smile, "Don't worry. We know how to handle it."

They entered the room and saw a frail girl lying in bed, her face pallid from her illness. She had likely been asleep for a while and appeared disoriented when she saw Y/N and Park Jimin.

Ji Ah rushed over to help her sit up and introduced, "Hyein, these are Mr. and Mrs. Park. They are the ones who generously provided the money for your hospital bills and fees."

Ji Ah had shared this with Hyein the day before, and now Hyein felt deeply moved as she expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Park, Mrs. Park."

Y/N replied warmly, "Don't be too modest. You need to rest well and prepare for the surgery. Everything will turn out fine."

Realizing they shouldn't overstay their welcome, they made their way to leave. However, as Ji Ah saw them off, she called them back, saying, "Mr. and Mrs. Park..."

Jimin inquired, "What is it?"

Ji Ah handed them a clear plastic bag and explained, "This contains Hyein's hair. You can use it for a DNA test to confirm that I'm telling the truth. Hyein is indeed Taemin's step-sister."

Jimin accepted the plastic bag and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you."

Jimin had no doubts about Hyein's true parentage, but he recognized that having this proof might be necessary for someone else in the future.

-

Taemin sat at the bar, nursing his beer, with an empty seat beside him. Many women had attempted to strike up conversations with him earlier, only to be met with his cutting remarks, leaving them embarrassed and infuriated. It seemed highly unlikely that any woman would dare to approach him again.

In silence, Taemin continued to sip his drink, lost in his own thoughts. Unexpectedly, someone took the empty seat next to him. Without even bothering to look up, Taemin curtly remarked, "Go away."

"Whisky," came the calm response.

Taemin furrowed his brow, his cold smile forming. "What's this? Are you here to drown your sorrows too?"

"I'm just here to enjoy a drink," Jimin replied, smiling.

Taemin paid no heed to Jimin and instead focused on the performance of the singer, who was an elderly artist.

Many years ago, Taemin, Jimin, and Jin used to frequent this bar together to enjoy the tunes of this particular singer.

As the singer wrapped up her set, she walked past them and ordered a glass of beer before turning to offer a toast. "It's been a long time since I last saw you guys," she remarked before downing her drink and departing.

Jimin then ordered two more beers and placed one in front of Taemin. "Two days ago, grandma's tomb was vandalized," he stated, his tone serious.

Taemin continued to drink in silence, offering no immediate response.

Jimin maintained a gentle smile as he carried on, "Then I found out about a middle-aged woman named Ji Ah. She claimed to have had an affair with Lee Tae Kyung, and she admitted to desecrating Grandma's tomb out of her resentment. Do you know why?"

Taemin's interest was piqued, and he finally raised his head to meet Jimin's gaze.

"Grandma forced her to undergo an abortion, and she ended up taking a pill for it. However, the baby survived, albeit with some health issues. She's currently awaiting surgery for a heart condition," Jimin explained further.

He continued, his voice tinged with emotion, "That year, Grandma compelled her to terminate the pregnancy because she didn't want you to discover the truth about her and Lee Tae Kyung's affair. Taemin, in your perception, was Lee Tae Kyung truly a loving and devoted father? A faithful husband to your mother? It never crossed your mind that he might have had a mistress, did it? Grandma didn't want to shatter your idealized image of your perfect parents, so she took it upon herself to resolve everything, even to the point of considering ending an innocent life..."

"Grandma became the antagonist in this story," Jimin continued, "and now that little girl is fighting for her life in the hospital. If she doesn't have the money for her surgery, she won't make it through the year. But who was all of this sacrifice for?"

He dropped another bombshell, "Lee Taemin, you have a step-sister."

"Nonsense!" Taemin immediately rejected the notion, cutting Jimin off before he could finish his sentence.

Jimin remained calm, sliding a clear plastic bag containing the girl's hair across the table. He placed it down gently, saying, "You can verify it yourself. This is the girl's hair. You'll know the truth when you conduct a DNA test, right?"

He added, "Oh, and by the way, back then, Auntie and Lee Tae Kyung didn't actually choose to commit suicide. To put it more accurately, Auntie had already made plans to die alongside him."

With that, Jimin left Taemin to process the startling revelations.

Taemin stared at the plastic bag, his fingers curling around it. His initial impulse was to toss it aside.

It all seemed so absurd. Why should he believe Jimin's words?

After all, he should be the one who knew his father best, right? Who was Park Jimin to claim that his father had an affair?

In Taemin's mind, his parents had always appeared deeply in love. Their relationship had been strong. If it hadn't been for the dire financial situation facing the Lee family and the Park elders' unrelenting refusal to help, Taemin's parents would never have found themselves in such despair, resorting to the tragic act that ended their lives.

Jimin's claim that his father had an affair and his mother had planned their suicide seemed unfathomable to Taemin. He couldn't believe it. His father, betraying his mother?

It couldn't be true.

He tried to convince himself that Park Jimin was a liar, that these were baseless accusations, but doubt lingered in his mind. The clear plastic bag with the hair sample weighed heavily in his pocket, a constant reminder of the unsettling revelation.

That night, sleep eluded Taemin. His thoughts revolved around the disturbing revelation, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there might be more to his parents' tragic end than he had ever known.

Taemin's mind was consumed by thoughts, his memories piecing together clues from the past. He vividly remembered the days leading up to his mother's tragic suicide. She had been deeply troubled, her mental state deteriorating. She would often seclude herself in her room, crying and throwing things in frustration. Taemin recalled her saying that Lee Tae Kyung was a bastard.

At that time, he had attributed her distress to the dire financial situation the Lee family faced. It seemed reasonable, given the mounting pressure. However, a new realization dawned on him. Those days, Lee Tae Kyung had been conspicuously absent. He hadn't been there for his wife when she needed him the most.

A strange feeling gnawed at Taemin. He didn't want to readily believe Jimin's claims, but he couldn't ignore the mounting doubts. He felt compelled to investigate further, not to vindicate Jimin, but to unravel the truth behind the mysteries of his family's past.

The following morning, Taemin arose with a sense of urgency. He clutched the clear plastic containing the hair sample and made his way to the DNA testing agency. Days passed in restless anticipation until he received a notification to retrieve the results.

Upon obtaining the envelope, he eagerly tore it open, flipping through the pages until he reached the conclusive section. His expression shifted drastically, and a surge of disbelief washed over him. He crumpled the document in his trembling hands, feeling a rush of anxiety and confusion.

-

A/N: Taemin knows he has a step-sister, what do you think will happen next?