Make It Real: Chapter 4

 Minho and Yuri were already ten years living in yet they decided to keep it secret avoiding social strata issue. When he was still in Oxford Academy, they sometimes slept either in hotel or his friend's house. Now with his job, he rented two condos in Boston, one for him which can be found in Marlborough St. and the other one he registered to Yuri's name which was located in Mandarin Oriental. Usually, he spent his rest time in his girlfriend's unit. Fifteen years in America, his parents seldom visit him in U.S. and he too occasionally spent vacation in SK. His parents were so busy in their business and socialization that they trusted their son enough to live by his own.

It was weekend when Mrs. Sunhwa decided to shop with  Mrs. Hasun. As she reached the house, it was Juniel who welcomed her. The girl kissed her on her cheek as a sign of respect.

"Good morning Auntie Sunhwa." She greeted the old woman with a sweet smile on her face.

"Good morning too angel. Where's your mother?" Her parents and auntie called Juniel angel as she resembles like one.

"My Mama went to Japan yesterday. She was invited in some arts exhibition there but she'll come back tonight she said." Juniel was now sixteen years old and petite with only 5'3 height. She has a long and waivy natural brown hair with her adorable chubby cheeks. She looks so innocent with her soft-spoken mannerisms and gestures. Mrs. Sunhwa knew her since she was a baby but it was not until now that she saw her shining beauty as her attitude.

"I see. Do you want to come with me instead? We'll go shopping together?" The old woman asked the girl. Mrs. Sunhwa with her black V-neck lacy sleeveless dress and 12cm stiletto, she towered the poor girl's height. In fact it was a common fact that Choi Monghee's family is also popular for their tall height. The couple is both standing 5'8, while Minho has 5'10, and Sulli with 5'7.

Juniel is kind of introverted person that she rarely goes out but her aunt's idea was good enough as she was missing her Mama. "Okay auntie. Wait I'll change my clothes." The girl went quickly to her bedroom and after short minutes, she returned wearing a basic blue blouse with pocketed skirt. It was too unsophisticated for a billionaire-status girl.

"What are you wearing?" Mrs. Sunhwa's eyebrow raised, the fashionable woman was very unpleased with this girl's bland clothing. Juniel's fashion looks so effortless that the old woman had an urge to tear it for her.

The girl was too clueless when it comes to fashion. Whenever she went out shopping with her Mama it was her mother who usually picked clothes for her. However, she seemed so comfortable with unflashy clothing.

"Can you change that?" Asked by Mrs. Sunhwa, seemingly unhappy about it.

Juniel checked her dress again "I'm sorry auntie but what's wrong with my clothes?" She asked naively.

"Haaay we really need to shop. You have tasteless fashion." The auntie dragged her by her hand towards her sedan, sitting besides her at the back. It made the girl felt awkward after receiving such criticisms.

Mrs. Sunhwa brought Juniel to Sue Wong's branch at the SK's Beverly hills counterpart, Gangnam district. The old woman picked some dresses from a group of hanging trendy dresses. "I never let Sulli dress in bland clothes." She told her "Vanity is everything for us. You should know how to represent yourself with pride. Here." The old woman handed her a romantic rosette and brilliant sequins mini dress. "I want you to wear that kind of dresses from now on."

"Yes Auntie." She replied politely though uncertained about it.

Aunt Sunhwa clearly saw the difference of their lifestyle from the adopted girl. She thought that Juniel being not vain may due to her unprivileged gene. She is so meek and docile contrary to Choi's dominance and willful characteristics. The old woman was actually fascinated with the girl's down-to-earth personality.

After the girl changed her clothes, her looks bloom instantly as her appearance conforms with her lovely dress. Her long untied hair matched the vibe of the dress that it makes her look even prettier. "You see, you look better now." Mrs. Sunhwa complimented her appearance with a pair of black strappy heals.

"Thank you." She blushed. It was like a torture when Juniel tried her best to balance her weight with the height of her heels. She did not want to frustrate her Auntie and so she had to bear that all trough out. She already wear some shoes with heals in school but not as high as this. "Auntie, can we rest for a while." She asked her, looking so uneasy with her footwear.

Mrs. Sunhwa treated Juniel to the famous 5cijung Cafe. It was Sulli's favorite cafe with their signature foamy bear on top of latte macchiato paired with dark cheese cake. "Wow so great, thanks auntie."

"Did you know Sulli loves that?"

The girl nodded and sipped carefully the creative hot drink. "It's delicious."

"Juniel, what's your plan after you finish high school?"

"I don't know. It depends on my parents." She replied.

"Why, you don't have goal at all?" She asked her while taking her drink as well.

"Papa asked me the other night on what thing that interest me. I said that I really love culinary which is my hobbies ever since." She answered.

"Won't you try some business course afterwards? I'm sure your parents wanted you to manage your company."

"Yes." Juniel bowed her head showing some depression in her voice. "But I'm afraid Auntie. I'm not smart and skillful as them. I'm trying my best to put an interest to their work but I always feel upset everytime I fail their expectation." Some tears started to fall down from her eyes. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm not their daughter."

Juniel is indeed not a Choi but her parents tried everything not to expose her real identity and put their best to treat her like their own blood. The girl's performance however did not comply with their mission. Sunhwa felt sad for the Juniel's situation, it must be a high pressure for her. She hugged her niece, expressing some sympathy while recalling Sulli's story on how Juniel was often teased for having poor grades despite her eagerness to learn. "Don't say that. You'll improve Juniel."

The two went home early as her Papa called to spend lunch break with his daughter

"Hello Papa." Juniel kissed her father on her cheeks. The old man cheerfully returned her kiss while embracing her angel. "You know Papa, Aunt Sunhwa treated me some foamy bear latte and bought me this dress." She pointed to him the one she was wearing.

"Ohh that's lovely. Well, thank you Aunt Sunhwa for the gift." He smiled at his loving cousin's wife.

"Welcome Sungho oppa."

Juniel went to her bedroom to get some nap, leaving the oldies to talk with each other.

"I was being cynical with Juniel that I thought she'll grow up ill-mannered with this instantaneous wealth. Like some cases of adopted children rebelling against their adopters."

"Juniel is really special. The first time I saw her I know she's the answer. We're never wrong."

"Yes. But I wonder what if she'll discover about the truth."

"We're doing our best to remain it secret though the girl is wondering at times like why she was born too late or, why she's not intelligent and so forth..."

"Indeed. When I asked her about her future plan she just felt upset on how she's different from you. The poor girl is having her biological gene controlling her."

"Yes. Nurture could not shade those natural traits."

"Like having her own bland style and poor academic skill?" Sunhwa added.

"I think we need to reveal it in proper time. It might affect her psychologically if we'll tell this early."

"Despite of that, I really admire her humble personality. It is a rare trait among our circle and such inspiring for me."

"Yes." Sungho then diverted the topic to Minho as he remembered his bright nephew he last saw ten years ago "How about your son? When is he planning to go back to help your husband?"

"He said that he'll return possibly next year. He got a job from JP Chase were he is taking some experience too."

"Oh that man is really clever as his father."

"He had promise us that he'll continue the legacy of improving the performance of our company. He wanted to make CFG as number one finance service in SK and probably the rest of Asia. I'm really praying for that." Mrs. Sunhwa smiled thinking his son's vision.

"Yes I wish that too. As partly owner of your subsidiaries in Vietnam, I wish we can expand more branches and strengthen our corporation's presence in there."

"My son is capable enough. In the future, he will replace his father as CEO and that we should trust him."

"Yes I want to support him the way I'm doing with Monghee. Yet I'm quiet worried now that I'm 72 and should be retiree. I would like to pass the responsibility to my successor as I'm getting more and more weak. And that's the real problem because Sunhwa is 68 and old as me while Juniel is still high school with her limited abilities. If ever time comes, I have to leave the company to them." The old man shook his head while worrying at that circumstances."

Sunhwa thought that if that unavoidable passing would come, Hasun and Juniel could not retain their company's service with their lacking managerial skills. They surely needed that someone who is expert enough to lead it. The banking industry is so vulnerable to bankruptcies if not properly handled unless they allowed CFG to take 100% ownership of the sister company but it seems impossible. She was taking note of other possible options and it just made her head aching.

to be continued...