IZ*ONE University

Chapter 16: If I go a little farther

Kim Chaewon's POV:

I kept running wherever my feet could take me and I ended up arriving at a familiar place. The lights were off, but there were sounds of glass shattering on the floor and the screams of a man were heard echoing yet I did nothing but stay frozen. Should I help her or do I want her to feel pain? I sighed and knocked on the door, the sounds were fading.

"Who's there?" asked the man.

"Kim Chaewon," the door opened and I saw Hyewon staring at me with her eyes wide open and her dad was looking down on me.

"What do you want?" he asked in a hurry to close the door.

"For both of our problems to be solved, sir."

Hyewon gave me a look, but I focused on the matter with her father more. He seemed intrigued and he kept scratching his, as he thought about what I was going on about.

"Well, what is it?" he opened the door wider and gestured me for me to enter.

I looked around and saw shards of broken alcohol bottles and dirty laundry all over the floor; moreover, there were also piles of uncleaned dishes on the sink. How could Hyewon live here? I was walking towards what I assumed was the living room when a hand grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing here?" Hyewon asked while looking down.

I retracted my arm forcefully and just snubbed her, as I sat myself down on their couch.

"Chae-"

"I'd like to discuss about where Hyewon will be living until she graduates college, sir" Hyewon and her dad looked shocked at what I said and after a few moments he just laughed.

"And how will you be able to take her away from here? Money? Bribery, is that how low you think we are?"

I felt abashed and flustered because I didn't even know what I was doing. I went here without even thinking and everything else that led me here was just a spur of the moment.

"You see, Chaewon I know something that you don't and that information is-"

"That Mrs. Kang killed my mother?" I said in a monotonous voice, not breaking eye contact with him and I saw Hyewon tearing up from my peripheral vision, while looking away. He was shocked by what I said which meant he knew something else and it irritated me that I didn't know.

"I bet you know all about business and I think you forgot to place your emotions in check," he kept smirking and now I know where Hyewon gets her judging look, "before I went rogue and into crime, I was your grandfather's favorite student."

Everything that I've learned and my family's history with Hyewon's was just too overwhelming for me and I just feel so... lost. I hated it because I was raised to know everything because information is what can bring you up or down and not knowing it makes your choices harder to choose from.

"I could have destroyed Kim Group years ago, but I owed your mother a lot" his face softened and he sat back down, "you aren't a Kim, Chaewon..."

I tensed after he said that and I was overthinking about what he could say next and I really wished it wouldn't be the worst thing that was coming to my head.

"Your mother had an affair because your dad was a merciless as your grandfather. She was tired of the fighting and the lying so she went to me because I used to be her best friend at IZ*ONE U and your father was her bully. She called me to pick her up and one thing led to another and we made a mistake because we were both married and Haewon was pregnant with Hyewon. We ignored each other but weeks later your mother called and said that she was pregnant with you. Her pregnancy caused your dad to be gentler and more caring towards her."