Hyun Bin POV
I heard some PSS agents around me were fussy over something, mentioning Amethyst1, Yejin's code name.
"What is it? Are you talking about Amethyst1?"
"Mr. Hyun, Miss Choonja is down. The rest of the agents who supposed to be with her are unreachable. We believe that Mrs. Hyun is unguarded now. The protocol is to secure you as soon as possible. We have to move to the safe room."
Panic. Absolutely panic. I stayed quiet and followed them walking out and eavesdropped over the agents' communication responding to their earpieces.
"Tiger1 is on the move to birdnest."
"Picking up Sharon1 on our way."
Mom. They would fetch Mom along with me. I walked fast and met my mother in the hallway, walked out together, heading out to the safe room.
"Where's Dad?" I asked.
"National Assembly building. He should be back soon but I'm not sure about this emergency situation. I hope Yejin is okay out there. Do you know why she was coming to her old flat?"
I noticed that these days, since Choi Jaewook called off his deal to let Yejin go from us, Mom started to mention Yejin as Yejin, my wife, not Miss Son the crisis staff. She and Yejin got along preparing the banquet for the Japanese. Mother didn't complain a lot like she used to do. She followed her direction to address my latest scandal, and I spotted them together on numerous state events.
"I don't know. I thought she's in her office. Choonja her guard, was shot down but still alive. I want to look up for her but damn this protocol. Can I find my way out?"
"You can't. Don't endanger me and your Dad too by going reckless outside by yourself!"
"It's my wife out there!"
"Then what? You're going to draw attention out there. We have the best agents to track her down and bring her here safely."
I would be dying so helpless, being the son of the most powerful man in this country but unable to save my own wife. We almost reached the safe room, located under the back yard of the Blue House, hidden in the middle of the garden.
"You know me, Mom. It's either you let me go guarded, or I will find a way to escape that safe house."
"No way! I'm not going to lose you!"
"I will be okay out there! I just want to bring her safe. Let me go with some agents or I will-"
She stopped her step and pulled me closer to speak with a lower voice.
"You stubborn! Wait until it's sure that you and I are safe. I know this isn't what you want but for God's sake, you are Hyun Bin the son of President Hyun! You can't just walk away on the street like that! She is with a well-trained man so I believe that she should be safe."
"Well trained?"
"Choi Youngjae."
"What the hell?!"
"Language, Mr. Hyun!"
"I'm sorry, Mom, but..oh shit." I put both hands on my face.
"Get yourself together! The PSS agents are looking out for her."
"Mrs. President, Mr. Hyun, I am sorry for interrupting," Mr. Han, my mother's most trusted PSS agent cut us off.
We both turned to him with a questioning look. He pulled off his earpiece and spoke with a low voice.
"We were just instructed to pull back and not looking after Mrs. Hyun. We will escort you back inside the Blue House. I am sorry."
"Whoa whoa whoa...not looking after my wife? What do you mean?"
"Mr. Han, tell me, who gave the order?" mother asked.
He looked hesitant but finally answered. "President Hyun. He wishes to meet you all in Mrs. President's study as soon as possible."
My Dad the President, was already waiting for us in the study. He asked everyone out, left him with me and mother. Once everyone out, I burst out in anger.
"What the hell, Dad? Why did you pull the agents who were supposed to guard my wife?"
"Shut up you ungrateful kid! Listen to me! The reenaction act voting is going to be held in an hour. It's supposed to be tomorrow but Choi Jaewook managed to pull it earlier. He will attack me the dirty way if the voting's result were in my favor. Your wife secretly met his son and she has something on us. I can't risk it. If that blows, then the worst scandal of our family will ruin the campaign before it's even started. That woman supposed to be on our side but she met Choi Youngjae behind your back."
"You're talking nonsense, Dad! What does Yejin have on you? Something that scandalous? Is that why Park Heesoo was missing as well?"
"Honey, you can't just draw a conclusion like that! She is part of the family now and if someone finds her unguarded or in a bad shape out there, wouldn't that be something that going against us too? Her bodyguard was being shot and in the emergency room now!"Mom was questioning Dad's decision.
"I pulled everyone but an agent insisted to cover her and they got to shoot her down. Do you want that to blow, honey? Really? Are you ready to lose him? Son Yejin is a staff and her, and everyone who seems to have it, they better be gone. I used to like Miss Son but she went too far."
"Mom, Dad...what is it? Is there something I don't know?"
They both look pale. But Mom quickly pulled herself together. She approached Dad behind his desk and slapped his cheek.
"No one can take him away from me. Not Choi Jaewook, not Choi Youngjae, not Park Heesoo, and neither Son Yejin. Not even you Hyun Woosung! Hyun Bin will always be a part of me."
"What the fuck, Mina!" he touched his red cheek.
"I don't care if you were a president or not. Get everyone to find her! Our son loves her, she is his wife, a part of us, and she might be carrying our grandchild! It's either you order your agents now or Bin is going to find her by himself!"
"You're weak on this. You always overthink. If she was pregnant, it might be Jaewook's grandchild, not ours. I want to end this family's tangled oo mess with them."
"Dad!" I pushed Dad, angry and offended with his words.
"Bin! Woosung! Stop!"
"Dad! Watch your words. Please. She is a lady. My lady. She isn't like that. Since the wedding, she always stays with me. The fact that she went to meet Youngjae, there must be a good reason for it. I know you assigned her to marry me for your own concern and benefit. I was going crazy with you pushing me to divorce her because you're too afraid with Choi Jaewook, but guess what? I love her, Dad. Mom is right. I'm going out of Blue House."
"If something happens to Bin, you won't just lose him but me as well, Woosung. I'm holding on to you because of Bin!" she was really pissed off with Dad.
I thought my mother disliked Yejin. They started nice but went rough as Dad was pushing the silly divorce plan to hand her to the Chois. But when Choi Jaewook called the deal off, she talked about divorce no more but I didn't know that Mom has grown to like her as a daughter in law. This time, my Dad was the one who dislikes her.
I liked the idea of Yejin carrying my child, even though that may be too soon, but Mom indeed has a soft spot for children. All of her philanthropies were focused on misfortune children.
"You know who is Choi Youngjae, Bin. He is after your wife. What could possibly happen-"
"Woosung! stop! not everyone has a dirty mind like you! He is a gentleman, and Yejin is a lady! Don't mix your past with the present. You were the one who can't keep your hands off her!"
"Mom? Her? Who? Yejin? Wait...keep hands...did you touch my wife, Dad?"
"No, Bin. No, it's not like that," Dad quickly answered me.
"Bin, I wasn't talking about you Dad and Yejin. I think it's better if you hear it directly from us rather than the TV news. Take a seat, my son, I have something to tell you," Mom held my arm.
My head was spinning, learning the fact that I was Youngjae's half brother by mother. I was Hyun Woosung's son, but Lee Mina who I have known as my mother was not the one who gave birth to me. She couldn't have a child. Dad cheated on her, having an affair with his stockbroker, Choi Jaewook's wife Oh Hyewon, resulted in Hyewon got pregnant.
Even though that she was stressed out that her husband was asking for a divorce, dying Oh Hyewon knew how hard Lee Mina trying to conceive so she gave me away to her, hoped that Mina has a big heart to accept and raise the result of her husbands' affair. Me.
Dad initially refused the idea but feeling guilty of his infidelity, he agreed to raise me and set everything up to convince the public. It was Park Heesoo who helped him. Mr. Park was our family lawyer before Dad's political career began. He was supposed to keep everything as a secret until I was conflicted with Youngjae.
Who didn't like Youngjae? Even Mr. Park took pity on him and told him not to compete over his little brother for a woman. He didn't easily accept it but then Youngjae came to my Dad to confirm it. Dad had no choice but to confess. From there, Dad secretly threatened Mr. Park for spilling the secret to Youngjae.
Dad assumed that Mr. Park also left clues and trails to Yejin so she could learn it. Dad was being noticed that Yejin used Mr. Park's access to look up for the Hyuns and Chois old files so he was sure that Yejin was digging up his secret.
So this, Dad was afraid that Choi Jaewook going to blow this to the media.
Mom was sobbing as she told me the bitter past that she and Dad have hidden for more than 28 years. I bent in front of her and held her hand.
"So what, Mom. You're forever my mom. I don't know Youngjae's mom. I'm still processing this but...thank you for raising me to become what I am today. I am sorry I still haven't made you proud yet. Please, don't cry.."
"Bin, Hyun Bin my baby, my son.."
"Mom, I need some fresh air. But don't worry, this doesn't change a thing between us, I'm still your son just like 28 years ago, yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever," I kissed her cheek and turned to my Dad, "I don't get what's going on in your political career, you are literally my father but you don't act like one now."
In the middle of my frustration, I decided to make a call I thought I would never make.
"Youngjae. It's Bin."
"Yejin is fine."
"Oh, God. Thanks. Where are you?"
"We're still in Seoul."
"Where? I need to see Yejin."
"What are you going to do to her?"
"Taking her back to my house, of course. She is my wife. Are you going to take her away? Take her to me or I will hunt you down-"
"The last two hours we've been attacked by mercenaries. I know one of them is your father's guy. The order is to take me and Yejin down."
"No place is safer than the Blue House. Get your ass here and bring Yejin-"
"Then what? You're going to shoot me at the front door? The order is from the Blue House. Choonja was shot by one of them."
"You can't just take her away like that! How are you going to run and hide if the PSS agents and mercenaries were hunting you? I know it's my Dad but I am not him."
"I used to be one of them, I have my way. We both want her to be safe so can you calm down? We need to figure this out."
"I need to talk to her."
There were some seconds longer waiting then I heard her voice.
"Bin..babe?"
"Yejin! Yejin, love, are you okay?"
"I am. I am exhausted but I'm fine. But Youngjae isn't, Bin. We're being hunt down by some men and Youngjae is wounded now. We're in a small clinic to give him some stitches."
"Where are you, Yejin? I can protect you!"
"No, Bin, Blue House has given orders to kill me and him. We can't just meet like that. We need to separate for a while. I need to get away from Seoul. Bin, we all need to be safe first and we will give you some clues later on where to find us."
"I hate this, Yejin. Do you have to be with him?"
"Please, trust me, I'm not cheating or running away from you, but I can't trust no one but him now. I gave you a clue this morning, babe. If you happen to figure it out-"
"I know. I have just known. Mom has confessed...I understand now the similarities you mentioned. Yejin, just...be safe, okay? Babe, can you give the phone back to him?"
"Okay. Reach me later through this number. I love you, Bin."
Yejin gave the phone back to Youngjae and I thought this time I need to put aside my anger and work with him. A part of me was jealous and upset over the situation but relieved at the same time that Yejin was with someone who's very well trained at this crisis situation, and likely to be armed with guns.
"So, Yejin trust you. Fine. Can you escape from the agents? You can't come to us with the whole gang."
"Of course. Do you forget who I am?"
"Don't underestimate them. Listen, I will figure out how to bring her out of the country, but now I will take her to my place. Let me know when you manage to get out of the Blue House. We might need to run away from Korea, away from your comfort palace, Tiger1. Have you made your choice, her, or your Dad?"
"Don't underestimate me too, Choi boy. Do you forget why they gave me that stupid code name? I'll come and get you."
So, now what? Son Yejin, Hyun Bin, and Choi Youngjae run away from the most powerful man in this country? Bring it on.