authors note: here goes chapter 9! enjoy :)

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As Sowon and Eunha walked back to the ballroom hand in hand, they saw Yerin and SinB at one corner.

"Does SinB happen to like Yerin?" Sowon asked.

"I think so... she insisted on coming to this party knowing that Yerin will be around." Eunha replied.

"It will be nice to see my bestfriend getting attached." said Sowon.

"Sowon!" Yerin called out when she spotted the couple spying at them.

"Sorry for disturbing." said Sowon with a hint of teasing in her tone.

"Eunha's parents are looking for you to start the game." said Yerin.

"Does your parents know that both of you are together?" SinB asked Eunha.

"Yeah... but anyway, I will tell you about it some other day." Eunha said looking a little upset and was noticed by Sowon.

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"Sowon, we are all waiting for you." said Mrs Jung when the couple made their way back to the ballroom.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting, let's start the game then." said Sowon.

"There is a slight change. You will be playing with Jisoo instead, she is one of the potentials here." Mrs Jung said.

"Don't worry, I am okay with any arrangement." Sowon replied hastily as she can't wait for the whole event to end.

"Didn't I tell you that you will regret?" Jisoo whispered into Sowon's ear while getting ready for the game.

"Well, this is just a game, we are merely competitors." Sowon whispered back with a smirk on her face.

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"Sowon is really a player, huh?" Umji asked when she saw the interaction between Sowon and Jisoo.

Knowing that she should trust Sowon, Eunha simply shrugged without taking her eyes off them.

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"Ms. Kim, you may begin the game first." said the referee after flipping the coin.

Just as usual, Sowon placed the cue stick over her knuckles and strike the cue ball. This time round, the cue ball only sent 5 balls into the pocket and is definitely one of Sowon's worst performance.

Yet, the first strike already shocked most of the audience.

"Time for me to show you what is the meaning of regret." said Jisoo as she prepared for her turn.

Sowon simply nodded to Jisoo's words and turned back to wink at Eunha.

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"Yah! What is that Sowon doing?" said Yerin who noticed the wink just as she came back with SinB.

"Sometimes, I think Sowon is really a great catch..." said Umji who was somehow mesmerized by that wink.

"I wonder who is the one making the negative comment just now." said Eunha as she secretly laughed at what Sowon is doing when it is supposed to be a serious game.

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Jisoo strike the cue ball at the position where Sowon left it, sending the remaining snooker balls in one by one. Instead of waiting for the cue ball to stable down, Jisoo turned around and said, "Sowon, this is what regret means."

"Oh, I get it. To regret simply means that you send everything, including the cue ball into the pocket." said Sowon as she pointed at the snooker table.

"How can this happen?" Jisoo exclaimed when she turned back to see her cue ball rolling into one of the pockets.

"Not because of your skills, but since this is a party, I guess they can only bring in a new table. You can touch it, a new table's sides are harder and the impact of a ball reflecting off the sides is higher." Sowon replied.

After a moment of silence, the crowd simply put their hands together and clapped for Sowon. Not because she won the game, but her explanation that made her not only a good snooker player, but someone who observes all conditions of a game.

As soon as the crowd is done with the cheering, the emcee announced, "With this exciting last game, we have come to the end of the party! Feel free to mingle around before leaving. And, good luck to all players for the upcoming compeition! Good night!"

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Before anyone can get to speak to Sowon, she just ran towards Eunha and held up the latter's hands.

"Do you enjoy the game just now?" Sowon asked and Eunha simply nodded.

"Sowon, you looked really cool just now, have you consider having another girlfriend?" Yuju joked.

"I am too busy for that." Sowon replied back in a joking manner as well.

"Namjoo and I need to take a leave first. Nayoung called and say that the investigator just found out some stuffs." said Yerin.

“Okay, keep me updated about it then. I won't be going to the lounge tomorrow." said Sowon.

"Before I send all of you home, I need to go and do something first." said Sowon and she walked towards the corner where the association's directors are chatting around.

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"Hi, Mrs. Jung." said Sowon holding onto Eunha's hands.

"Sowon, we were just chatting about you. The association is looking forward to having you as our official player." Mrs Jung replied after she noticed the couple holding hands.

"I will try my best, but I have something else to ask of you. Can Eunha come over to my place tonight?" Sowon asked.

"Oh, sure! Eunha, you should start to learn from Sowon. Hopefully your skills can improve." said Mrs Jung smiling at the couple.

"Erm... thanks, mom." Eunha said softly.

"Dad, Sowon is sending my friends home, so you can go straight home later." said Eunha.

"Thanks, Sowon. My princess, have fun staying over at Sowon's place alright?" said Eunha's dad.

"I will, bye!" said Eunha as she walked off with Sowon.

"What are you thinking?" Eunha's aunt asked.

"The more closer they both get, the easier it is to threaten Sowon if there is a need in the future." said Mrs. Jung.

"Uncle, what are they talking about?" Sungjae asked Eunha's dad.

"It's better not to know. This is very complicated." Eunha's dad replied.

"Just now you told me about leaving the family... is there something to do with this?" Sungjae continued to ask.

"I was just joking. Don't think too much okay?" said Eunha's dad.

"This whole family is getting so weird." Sungjae said to himself when he noticed the frown on Eunha's dad face.

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As the girls got onto Sowon's car, Yuju asked, "Boss, don't you need to smoke? I don't remember you taking any smoke break tonight."

"I already quit smoking. And, stop calling me Boss, I have a name." Sowon replied.

"Did you quit because of Eunha? Oh,this is like the movie we watched previously!" Umji said.

"But the movie didn't end happily..." said SinBwho is feeling a bit upset when reminded about the storyline.

"Erm, I think both of you are getting off track." said Sowon.

"School girls are all like these! You will never know it since your parents didn't even send you to school..." said Yuju which made Umji and SinB stared at her, hinting her to stop it.

"Ah, but my girlfriend is not like this." said Sowon as she looked at Eunha, trying to hide her sadness.

"So, who’s place to go to first?" Eunha asked trying to change the topic.

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"Finally sent the three chatterboxes home!" said Sowon.

"Yeah, there is a convenience store in front, can you drop me there for a while?" Eunha asked.

"Are you hungry already?" Sowon teased.

"Kind of." Eunha replied.

Eunha got out of the car when Sowon stopped it outside the convenience store. "Don't take too long okay!" said Sowon. While waiting for Eunha, Sowon took Eunha's phone and flipped open it.

"When is this photo taken?" Sowon said to herself upon seeing the wallpaper on the phone.

"Time to change one." said Sowon as she the camera mode, took a picture of herself pouting and set it as the wallpaper.

"Back!" said Eunha as she got onto the car.

"What did you get from the store?" Sowon asked.

"Strawberry milk." Eunha replied and took out a bottle of milk from the bag.

"For?" said Sowon as she took over the bottle of milk and start drinking it.

"I know you are upset over Yuju's words. But she is always like this, she speaks without thinking." said Eunha.

“I am okay with it. It has been so long that I am already immuned to it. Anyway, I always forget to tell you. My parents are still alive." Sowon said.

"Really? Are you going to look for them to reconcile?" Eunha asked.

"No, I am planning on a revenge, beside this case is so complicated. There is a long story behind it." said Sowon as she took another sip from the bottle.

"You really want to do that to your parents? Even how much I hate my mom, I will never let anyone hurt her, let alone hurting her." said Eunha.

"But she really seems nice." said Sowon.

"She is really weird whenever you are around. Anyway, let's head home soon, I'm so tired." said Eunha, letting out a yawn.

"But I haven't had enough of milk." Sowon whined.

"I wonder how will the rest react to this action of yours. You can continue drinking at home later." Eunha replied.

"Yes yes, thank you for being so sweet anyway." said Sowon as she drove off.

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"Home sweet home!" Sowon shouted as she opened her apartment's door.

"Oh my god. What happened to your place?" Eunha asked, looking very shocked at the mess.

"Ah, just give me some time, I will clear it up." said Sowon knowing that it was Nayoung’s doing.

"Can I go shower first?" Eunha asked.

"Sure, you should be quite familiar with my toilet already." Sowon replied as she started to clean up the mess.

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"Sowon-ah, I am stuck in the shower room!" Eunha shouted out from the toilet.

"I forgot to let you know that the door is not working. Let me go in and help you." said Sowon.

"No! I am not wearing anything!" Eunha exclaimed.

"Then just put on some clothes first?" Sowon asked.

"How am I supposed to put on my clothes when they are outside the shower room?" said Eunha.

"Okay, I promise to close my eyes! I'm coming in." said Sowon as she went into the toilet with her spare key.

"Is this the glass door?" Sowon asked as she moved around with her eyes closing.

"Yeah..." Eunha replied softly.

"I am going to push the shower door hard, don't stand behind the door okay?" Sowon said and started to force the door open.

After a few tries, Sowon pushed the door with all her might, falling into the shower room at the same time. Because of the slippery floor, she lost her balance and fell right onto Eunha which made the latter screamed out in pain when her head hits the floor.

"Are you okay?" Sowon asked.

"I... am..." Eunha replied softly which made Sowon realise that she has just opened her eyes, completely forgetting that Eunha is not wearing anything.

"Am I supposed to get up or continue to stay in this position?" Sowon asked.

Not knowing what to reply and already blushing like a tomato, Eunha simply grabbed Sowon's neck and pulled the latter in for a kiss. And it seems that the couple has been yearning for each other for a long time, they couldn't stop kissing, with Sowon's hand rubbing Eunha's legs at the same time. And after a while, Sowon just removed her own clothes in the midst of making out with Eunha.

"Sowon, I... love you." Eunha moaned softly when Sowon's lips started to move down to Eunha's body.

"Looks like later you have to shower with me again." said Sowon as the both indulged in this special night, right in the shower room.

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"So, what news you have for us?" Yerin asked as she took a sip of coffee from her cup.

"I only managed to find out the kid that is exchanged with Miss Kim. This is her recent photo." said the private investigator as he pushed the photo to the trio.

"What the…" Namjoo exclaimed.

".." said Nayoung, looking shocked over that photo.

"Mr Park, I think you don't have to check on Sowon's parents anymore. We will contact you if we need help again. Here is the money." said Yerin as she passed a cheque to the investigator.

"I wonder how will Sowon react..." said Yerin as she puts the photo of Eunha on the table.

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"I'm hungry." said Eunha as the couple walked out of the toilet together.

"Supposedly, you should feel tired more than being hungry…" Sowon replied.

While Sowon is preparing the cup noodles, Eunha flipped open her phone to check if there is any messages.

"Like this picture that I've taken?" Sowon asked as she placed the noodles on the table.

"The previous photo was taken long time ago. Maybe we should take a photo together now..." said Eunha.

"Hey! You don't like my pouting face right!" said Sowon, pretending to look hurt.

"No, I just want a picture of us together." Eunha replied softly.

"Okay... as an evidence of our marks." said Sowon as she pointed at her neck.

"Yah, Sowon!" Eunha shouted and the camera mode.

"1, 2, 3!" said Eunha as she pressed the button on her phone.

"It's nice." said Sowon as she looked at the picture whereby Eunha is smiling shyly and Sowon's eyes are closed, as though she is drowning in the pool of happiness.

"You are so different from the first day we knew each other." Eunha said.

"Maybe because of my background, I prefer to be cold around people." said Sowon as she started to dig into her cup noodles.

"Do you want to tell me the long story that you mentioned just now?" Eunha asked as she eats her noodles.

"I found out that I am actually exchanged with another kid just because of my health." Sowon replied.

"How can your parents do that?" Eunha asked.

"I don't know and I doubt the kid knows about it at all." said Sowon.

"If I were to find out that I am an exchanged kid, I guess I will most probably end my life." Eunha said. "Family is really important to me. Without them, I am just no one but a loner." Eunha continued.

"Silly, you have a perfect family. Besides, I am around. You won't be alone okay." said Sowon.

"Really? You won't dump me like how you did to your previous girlfriends? Especially, we just..." Eunha said softly.

"You are not my one night stand partner and there won't be any in the future. I will never dump you, I promise. Finish it up your noodles before it turns soggy, okay?" said Sowon, smiling at Eunha.

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"Dear, are you really going to claim Sowon back?" Eunha's dad asked.

"Yes, by hook or by crook." Eunha's mom replied.

"There is no other way out?" Eunha's dad continued to ask.

"This is a perfect plan when I can use them as a tool to threaten each other." Eunha's mom said.

"Do you not care about Eunha's feelings?" Eunha's dad asked.

"I won't care for someone who is not related to me." Eunha's mom replied.

Standing outside their office room is Sungjae who caught the whole conversation.

"Eunha is not uncle and aunt's real daughter and Sowon is the one?" Sungjae said to himself, not being able to accept what he has just heard.

Just then, Sungjae's mom saw him standing outside the office and she walked towards him, saying, "If you reveal this secret, I will ruin your snooker career too, even if you are my son."