Much later that evening, Wooyoung walked exuberantly in the front door of his house, his face glowing. It felt so good to have things back to normal again with Yeonjin. He paused for a moment in the foyer, puzzled by the house's silence.
"Hello! Anybody home?" he called.
"Wooyoung, we're in here," his father called from the living room.
Uh-oh...
His Mom's words at dinner suddenly came back to him. This is it! Wooyoung walked into the living room to find his parents sitting together on the sofa and Heyi slumped dejectedly in an armchair, an embarrassed look on her face. Shinhye was sitting up straight with his arms crossed, and his Dad, Geun-Suk was wearing a light windbreaker, as though he'd been out.
Nope, Wooyoung thought with foreboding as he took a seat in a chair near his sister. This doesn't look good.
"Dad, why do you have your jacket on?" He asked.
"Oh, I just got back from fetching Heyi from the police station," his Dad said lightly. Heyi squirmed in her seat, her face flushing.
"What?" Wooyoung gasped, looking from his Dad to his Mom.
"Your sister was trying to retrieve a letter from the mailbox," explained Shinhye. As his Mom recounted the evening's events, Wooyoung's heart started thumping in his chest. Were they in trouble for trying to help San?
"They wanted to press charges," said Geun-Suk, taking over from his wife, "but my law firm has done so much work with the precinct that they just let Heyi go with a warning." He looked at his daughter sympathetically. "I think they were just trying to scare you, darling," he said.
"But that's not why we're here," said Shinhye. Wooyoung's heart began pounding so loudly that the sound of it filled his ears. Had Heyi told their parents what the letter was? He held his breath as he waited for an explanation.
"We're not concerned with Heyi's letter. After all, Taylor Swift is in the United States," Shinhye continued. "Of course Heyi is going to write to her."
Wooyoung let his breath out in a rush. "We're concerned with last week's, er, escapades."
"We're both grounded," Heyi burst out. "For a whole week. For holding a pool party here on Saturday night without their knowledge or permission."
"That means no dates, no visits to the mall, no parties," said Geun-Suk firmly. "But of course, Heyi is free to go to cheerleading practice, and you can stay after school to work at HALA HALA," he added, his voice softening
"But it's not fair!" Heyi protested. "How come Wooyoung and I get the same punishment when he was the one who had her girlfriend living with him for a whole week?"
"Heyi, that's enough," said Shinhye, throwing her a stern look. "I believe you were the one tampering with the federal mail tonight."
Heyi sank down into her chair, looking as if she had been dealt a fate worse than death.
"As for you, Wooyoung," said Shinhye, turning to him briskly, "we've discussed the fact that you decided to practice living with your girlfriend at the age of eighteen." Wooyoung swallowed hard and his face turned red. But he sat up straight in his chair and held his head high, ready to accept his punishment with dignity.
"We've decided that you will do all of the chores this week, including making dinner, doing the laundry, taking out the trash, and cleaning the house," said Shinhye.
Wooyoung grimaced, but nodded. "That sounds fair," he said, relieved to lessen the burden of guilt he felt at having deceived his parents the week before. Heyi's eyes lit up when she heard Wooyoung's punishment. For once her perfect brother was in more trouble than she was. 'And I won't have to do any chores for a week', she thought gleefully. Then her face fell as she remembered her own punishment. She wouldn't have anything at all to do, since she couldn't go out, she realized glumly. Heyi stood up suddenly. "Can I go to my room now?" she asked.
"Of course, dear," said Shinhye.
"Good night, honey," added Geun-Suk.
Heyi pecked her parents on their cheeks in an obligatory manner and made her way slowly out of the room, looking like a wilted flower.
"Night Mom, 'night Dad." Wooyoung jumped up after her and raced up the steps, impatient to get all the details of the love-letter fiasco.
"Okay Heyi, let's have it," said Wooyoung, following Heyi into her room.
Heyi sighed melodramatically and flung herself on the bed. "This has been the worst night of my entire life," she declared. Wooyoung smiled in spite of himself. For Heyi, there was rarely any middle ground. No matter what event occurred in his life, it constituted either the best or the worst of all possible worlds.
Wooyoung shoved a pile of clothes aside and sat down on the desk chair. "So what happened? I want all the gory details and tea."
Heyi quickly filled Wooyoung in on the evening's events. "I can't believe Jeong Yunho drove by just as you were standing there with your hand in the mailbox," Wooyoung said, chuckling. "So Heyi things to do."
"I know," Heyi admitted. "I've never been so humiliated in my whole life!"
"Well, at least you got to meet him," Wooyoung pointed out, teasing her.
"Uh, right," Heyi mumbled, having neglected to tell Wooyoung that she had claimed to be Jang Wolyoung, their youngest sister who was currently studying in New York. "Well, we're just going to have to call an emergency meeting to come up with Plan B. How about tomorrow at lunch?" Wooyoung suggested.
"Plan B!" exclaimed Heyi.
"Heyi, you told San you'd help him come up with a plan," Wooyoung reminded her.
"Exactly," said Heyi confidently. "A plan. Well, I came up with a plan and it didn't work. So now I've done my duty."
She had a determined look on her face. There was no way she was going to waste her time helping Choi San. Especially now that Jeong Yunho was in the picture. Heyi had more important things to worry about-like the way Chanty was dying to dig her claws into him.
"Besides," she added, thinking quickly, "Mercury is in retrograde. If we tried to help San this week, it could end in total disaster. I mean, just look at what happened tonight. First my hand got stuck in the mailbox, then I was taken down to the police station like a common criminal, and now we're grounded. And this is only the beginning."
"Oh, no you don't," Wooyoung said, refusing to take the bait. "You're not going to weasel your way out of your agreement with San."
"I am not trying to get out of it," Heyi responded indignantly. "I'm just saying that the timing is bad. Maybe next week-"
Wooyoung looked at his sister, considering. "You know what I think?" he said finally.
"What?" asked Heyi.
"I think you're scared," Wooyoung declared.
"Me? Scared? Ha."
"Yep, scared. You're afraid you won't be able to get San's parents back together. Your reputation as master manipulator is at stake," Wooyoung said.
"I am not scared!" said Heyi enthusiastically. "I could easily get San's parents back together."
"Oh, of course you could. We all know that. But if you didn't... Well, I guess it doesn't matter if San thinks you've lost your touch." Wooyoung paused for a moment to let his words sink in. "You know, I think I saw him talking to Jeong Yunho today at school. But I'm sure he would never mention to Yunho that your spark is gone." He shook his head, pretending to mull over the situation. "No, I'm sure he wouldn't. And you wouldn't care anyway, right?"
"There's no way Jeong Yunho would be friends with Choi San!" Heyi exclaimed.
"Why not?" Wooyoung asked. "After all, they're both seniors. They're both rich. They both live on the hill."
Heyi hesitated, considering the situation. If Wooyoung was right about Yunho and San becoming friends, then it was definitely in her best interest to stay on San's good side. Heyi rubbed her hands together.
Hmm..
San's parents' reconciliation could turn out to be the key to Jeong Yunho's heart. 'If San is going around singing my praises...'
"So," he interrupted Heyi's thinking. "What time did you say we were meeting tomorrow?"