Pay With Your Heart

The death of a loved one brings family closer but Dan-Han didn't think this applied to this case as he stared at the man standing in front of him. His scrutinizing eyes looked him over and the anger that burned in his eyes was visible to all.

"You must be courting death." He hissed under his breath making his aunt jerk to her feet and approach her son who had unceremoniously walked into the office.

"Ji-Tae, what do you think you're doing?" She asked in a cautious tone, her frantic eyes shuffling between her son and Dan-Han.

Flashing a playful smile at his mother, he replied, "Are you not happy to see me, Mother?" He tilted her chin up with his hand while she gulped unsure of what to say. Of course, she missed her son, but that wasn't enough for him to do whatever he liked. He knew he wasn't allowed to return home until Dan-Han and the whole family said otherwise. The boy was a reckless child.

She watched as his smile broadened and he looked over her shoulders to Dan-Han, and said, "I thought using a visit of condolence would be a medium to escape exile for a while, mmm. Am I wrong, president Lee?" A taunting smile curved his lips.

"Ji-Tae!" An angry voice roared in the office, making the women in the room flinch and Ji-Tae laugh as he tilted his head towards his father.

"It seems you're still as energetic as I remember, father. But save yourself the trouble, I'm here to support the family and president Lee in his perilous times." 

"Lies," Ni-Na mumbled under breath attracting Ji-Tae's attention to her. If he was here, it meant he had come to create trouble for Dan-Han and everyone in the family. 

"Hello, little sister." He beamed, but she scoffed and rolled her eyes at him. As expected of the little sister who disliked him the most.

"We all know you're here to make trouble, so save us the drama and just leave." She hissed out making the man rupt out in laughter. That annoying laugh of his! 

Ni-Na felt her stomach churn whenever she saw him smile or laugh like that. No one should ask her while she despised her brother. The man was just too sly and troublesome for his age.

"I'm happy to see you too, little sister." He smiled, revealing that almost perfect dentition of his, before glancing at Dan-Han who has not for a second taken his eyes off him, looking at him with scrutiny.

"My sincere condolences, president Lee." He bowed but Dan-Han stayed mute. An awkward moment of silence reigned in the room with almost everyone feeling the slow torture of suspense as their eyes stayed on Dan-Han who was quiet. 

Ni-Na couldn't tell what was going to happen to this brother of hers especially now that Dan-Han was going through an ordeal. 

"What do you want, Ji-Tae?" Dan-Han finally asked in a bored tone making the man chuckle recklessly. But the cold warning look on Dan-Han's face made him turn slightly serious before replying.

"I'm tired of being away, president Lee. I want to be with my family." 

"You don't have a family here!" His father snapped while Ji-Tae tsked and shook his head.

"You don't have to be so mean. Even president Lee hasn't disowned me from the family yet." 

"Then maybe I should." Dan-Han snarled as he rose to his feet, his eyes shooting lethal glares at Ji-Tae, but the man remained unfazed as he revealed a taunting smile that riled Dan-Han to the bones. It seems sending away didn't change him at all. The child still knew no fear.

Ji-Tae was one of those reckless and overly entitled children who did whatever he desired. Creating and leaving chaos in his wake. His foolishness and lack of responsibility were appalling and a major source of concern, but no one paid much attention to him as they all excused his shortcomings for youthful exuberance. But little did they know, the young boy would slowly turn into a careless and sly young man. His attitudes became intolerable, and his last act of mischief had him sent to the least of the Lee corps in a third-class country, on exile - courtesy of Lee Dan-Han. But here he was again.

"I'm sure you can, but I don't think we can lose one more member of this family. After all, we just lost aunty." 

"Ji-Tae!" His parents snapped simultaneously. 

"What?" He shrugged, feigning ignorance. He sighed and glanced back at Dan-Han before stretching a file to him, one they didn't even notice he had been holding, all except Dan-Han. Dan-Han's eyes fell on with but he didn't bother to receive it.

His father stood up, his suspicious eyes fixated at the file. "What is that?" He curiously inquired but his ever rude and annoying son didn't even bother to look at him, but he just replied, his eyes intently staring at Dan-Han.

"I did what was expected of me. You sent me away because of my behaviour and I'm back with better results. So this is my way of saying I'll be staying here no matter what because I've earned it." He said still stretching the file out to Dan-Han, but it was obvious he wasn't going to receive it.

Ji-Tae sighed as he placed the file on the centre table and bowed to Dan-Han and his parents like a filial child. 

"In the absence of nothing to say, my lords and Lady," He gave a theatrical bow with a smile tugging up the side of lips, "I'll be leaving now to go mourn aunt, of course, as I'm clearly not welcomed here." He said before walking towards the door where he suddenly stopped again when he remembered something.

"And oh before I forget, I must say thank you President Lee for accepting the investor from my company on the new project. I thought you'd give us a hard time, but you surprised me."

Dan-Han shot him a questioning look as he didn't understand what he was saying. When did he accept an investor from his company? He knew some of the companies were expected to provide a list of potential investors for the new project as it was a very big one. It was the biggest project they've ever engaged in, but he didn't know one of the investors had been from Ji-Tae's side.

Ji-Tae smiled when he saw the confused look on Dan-Han's face. "You don't have to worry President Lee, you'll love her. I promise you." He waved before walking away from the office.

A frown creased Dan-Han's brows as he pondered about his words.. What was Ji-Tae up to? Whatever it was, he had a bad feeling about it.

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