24

As I stare outside of the window of the private jet I'm in, all in courtesy of my dear Oppa, I remember how the past one month and a week has been.

The first three weeks had been them talking, the doctors by the way having meetings, telling me what I could eat or not eat before the surgery and telling me what it would be like.

"You would still have to wear a strap on" One had said.

Hoseok had no liked that response and neither had I as he continued "You would not be able to hide your vagina so it would be possibly be...."

"Instead of a strap on" I say "Why not some sort of underwear? I don't know"

"Panties underwear?" Hoseok asks, turning to me with an aghast look on his face "Bikini? But you're a guy now!"

I send him a glare as I say "Boxers, sort of, the small tight ones?"

"The whole idea of the strap on is to make it less obvious that you don't have testicles" The doctor says then proceeds to wipe out some sweat that I cannot even spot on his forehead as he says "Sorry for my language"

I sigh, resting back in my seat "Continue"

After the surgery, I was told that I had to rest for a while, but no one had to tell me.

I felt like I should rip it out sometimes when it suddenly began to itch, or when I couldn't walk and I fell everytime because of the pain.

The doctors kept saying that I needed to rest for at least another week, or maybe a month but I never let them even agree on it.

Hoseok somehow made it to every session, staring at me with cold eyes from the window glass whenever I tried walking and falling.

He was not looking at me with irritation.

No.

He was looking at me with pride, that he believed I would get better before the whole month ended.

Though I got better after one month and a week, Hoseok was there all through, helping to clean me up when I began to bleed there or I suddenly plunged into some sort of fever at about three am every morning.

The whole prosthetic thing looks real, if it was, I did not want to know, it is connected to the oestrogen hormones in my body and though I still have the strap on, it gets erected if I am turned on.

Though I don't know about that yet.

They all tried getting me to have an erection but it failed everytime until I told them never to show me disgusting things as that again.

Sometimes I bleed from where it's connected, just a bit above my vagina, technically, but I have to take pills continuously to help reduce the pain, or any other thing that might come up.

When I finally had my things packed, Hoseok hugged me, his words still lingering in my head.

'I would be always be here if things don't work out'

I want to tell him that it WILL, that it has to, because I am not sure how long I could be stable if he eventually decided to let me go...

But I don't say anything and let him hug me.

Now, as the plane lands, a message comes in from him immediately that has a small warning.

'Appa'

I do not need anyone to tell me what that means.

I sigh, crossing my legs as the plane comes to a stop before I see the air hostess walk up to me, a fixed smile on her face "We are in Seoul Madam"

I ignore the kindness in her voice, because as it always is, it's fake, it's her doing her job, nothing more "How many are there?"

Her smile slowly fades away "What?"

"The men Father sent" I say "How many? Or are they still in their cars? How many cars are outside? Rough estimation. I know you Air hostesses have impeccable eyesight. How many?"

She seems shocked that I already am aware as she stutters "F-Four"

I nod, taking my briefcase from the seat next to me as I bow and say "Thank you" And then walk out of the plane.

As I go down the stairs, the sunlight shining down on me makes me want to wear my glasses but I sigh, removing my suit and folding the sleeves of my shirt as I stare at the black Porsche's infront of me as they all come out.

Men in black suits and black glasses, typical Father behaviour as one walks to me, an obvious frown on his face "Sorry Madam, but you need to..."

I push my suit to him as I say "Where is Zephyr?"

He does not look surprised as he takes the suit from me "He has gone out of our radar Madam"

As expected.

I bring out my new phone, dialing the second traceable number that Zephyr had which only I knew as he immediately picks and I tell him to come take me to Appa's office which he says he would be on his way.

As I hang up, the other male with my suit says "How was your trip?"

"Excellent" I say "Till I saw the entourage. Who told on me? Hoseok? No, he wouldn't dare, Father would hunt him down and bring him back too. Olga?"

He nods.

A small smile comes to my face as I remember the ever snarling female whose favourite fur coat I burnt.

Now, I don't feel bad for even doing it.

A white Audi pulls up as I walk to it, Zephyr heading out of it to open the passenger seat as I slide in and he enters the front, handing over an iPad to me "She says she wants to speak to you"

I take it from him, crossing my legs as I call Noona.

Her face comes up on the screen immediately as she says "Oh you, you're so screwed young woman..."

"How pissed is he?" I cut in.

"You don't even have to worry about how he pissed he is because he is definitely not that. He's TERRIFYING as hell right now!" She snaps "How could you go AWOL like that? Without telling me at least?!"

"There are two reasons" I say "One, you would bring me back, two, you would tell Father"

"I'm your Sister!" She snaps "I'm obviously always going to be on YOUR side no matter what you do! Do you know how worried I was?"

Her voice becomes teary there, and I am just blinking at the screen as she covers her face, letting out a sigh "Just... Just come here, we'd settle this as quickly as possible when you're here"

I stare at the now black screen as she goes offline, my emotions now getting all tied up.

Why... Why does she sound that sad?

I know I should have told her, Noona's main job was to worry over me, as she always did, and shout and snap when it was necessary.

I expected them both when I began to hear the sadness in her voice, I'm not even sure how to react anymore, if that makes sense even.

I stay quiet, setting the iPad next to me as Zephyr pulls into the Autumn corporation building, the guards already there as they bow.

When I enter the elevator, Zephyr stays behind, bowing before it shuts close and it begins to take me up.

Three minutes.

I stare at my watch, wondering how long it would take before the whole dramatics end and I can be on my merry way before the elevator opens and I am out.

Through the glass walls of Appa's office, I can see him standing at the same place I had been standing at the last time I was here, Noona next to him in her suit, head bowed and a file in her hand.

Then an additional bodyguard who I have never seen before.

I walk to the office, entering as I can already feel the tense atmosphere in it, walking to Father "Appa, I..."

The slap is unexpected.

My head is turned, a burning sting on my face that my brain is trying to understand, plus the fact I was tasting blood felt so alien to my whole body.

I can also see Father's face, full of rage and anger that he had been suppressing for a long time that as he yells "How dare you?!"

I nearly laugh.

Why?

I remember Kim Geon Woo.

And Father's slap, I am sure, cannot be compared to the punch he had given before and would possibly give me again.

Though I am not laughing, my face is in a smile, I suppose the first real smile my Father has seen on me in years as he says "You're... You're smiling?!"

I turn to him, the sting no more hurting anymore, as a smile comes on my face "I watched your campaign in Russia. It was excellent, might have needed a little bit of authenticity from you because you have been a horrible liar. Oh yes, there's this thing you do when you're lying, you drum on the podium, I suppose you have not noticed but I have, try being more observant next time Father"

His eyes widen, shock? I am not sure, but I keep on "I apologize that I also missed all of it but I am here now and to do all your bidding, no matter how many times you hit me, because who am I? Just your daughter who has to do this little thing for you, as always. Isn't it Father?"

He says nothing, his mouth is slightly open as if he has something to say and he finally says something "I let you do your stupid art nonsense! You should be grateful!"

"But I am" I say "I always knew you thought it was worthless. Your lying habit remember? But you at least tried to pretend for me so I am indeed grateful. Father, can I leave? I shall be at my place whenever you deem it necessary but I have a throbbing headache and my cheeks are beginning to hurt because of the rings you have on your fingers"

This is the first time that I have not given him the chance to talk, usually I nod and bow, say one sentence, repeat my earlier behavior but at the same time, I said what he wanted to hear.

He suddenly turns away, his hand behind his back as he says "Get out"

I bow "Thank you, Father"

I am out of the office, fast, and in out of the elevator.

The people around notice the red mark on my face and there are little murmurs going around but as I reach outside, Zephyr is standing there, bowed and my passenger seat open before I hear someone call my name.

"Eul Yi Song!"

I turn, meeting my Noona who has a red face "Eul Song, I..."

I smile at her "Just like old times, isn't it Noona? You remember don't you?"

The tears build up in her eyes as she says "Eul Yi Song..."

I smile brightly at her, bowing "It was nice seeing you do nothing as usual Noona"

Then enter into the car.

Zephyr is inside immediately as I say "Geon Woo's place please"

As he gets the gear in drive, I sneak a glance at Noona.

The tears are now falling as she stares, speechless for the first time in a while that I had seen her, before he drives away.