Chapter 106 - Hint of love

"Welcome in, Noona," Hyunbin voiced out— his tone sounding excessively sweet. The scowl on his face showed something else.

'Noona? Wait! Does he know everything then?'

"You know about it?" Jinhee questioned, arching her eyebrows at him.

"That you're my half-sister? Definitely not," Hyunbin stated sarcastically.

Knocking her fist on his forehead, Jinhee wore a smile on her face and said, "Now that you know I'm your older sister, call me noona or I'll be spanking you."

Hyunbin rolled his eyes.

"An old lady like you doesn't deserve to be my noona!" Hyunbin exclaimed. 

To Jinhee, Hyunbin sounded like a little kid, who is annoyed because he had to share his toys with someone else.

"Old lady, hmm…" Jinhee voiced out, "I'm pretty sure it will be you who will laughed at when others' know your older sister looks like an 'old lady'"

Even though Hyunbin tried to be hostile towards Jinhee, she could see that Hyunbin did not actually hate the fact. The annoyance he tried to show on his face made Jinhee amused.

"Hyunbin-ah, who is it?" Jinhee heard Sooah call out.

"Someone who is supposed to be my older sister," Hyunbin shouted with a groan. 

Seeing that Hyunbin was about to leave the mansion, Jinhee held him by his collar and restricted his movements.

Turning his head back, Hyunbin glared at Jinhee and asked, "Yah! What are you doing?"

"I have a nagging feeling that you're going to create trouble so yeah, I'm preventing that," Jinhee voiced out in a light-hearted manner.

Holding Jinhee's wrist, he pulled it away from his collar, and a dark look appeared in his eyes as he stared at her.

"Don't try to act like my older sister," Hyunbin voiced out in a grave tone.

'Here I am, trying to prevent your death yet you're this ungrateful!'

Pinching his cheeks with appropriate strength, Jinhee said, "Let's take this to your father. What was it that you're doing yesterday? Yes, attack a man with a crab. I'm pretty sure you have more on that criminal record of yours."

"Jinhee-ah, you're here!" Jinhee heard Min Sooah exclaim in a joyful tone.

Releasing her hand from Hyunbin's cheek, Jinhee turned back with a feigned, polite smile sitting on her face and bowed.

"Sorry for coming here without informing you before," Jinhee said.

"No, dear, you don't need to apologize. You're always welcomed here," Sooah vocalised, causing Hyunbin to scoff.

"No, you're not," Hyunbin expressed.

"You ill-mannered boy! Go and prepare some lemonade for her," Sooah ordered, staring sternly at Hyunbin.

"Why should I do it, mom? I don't want to," Hyunbin whined with a pout on his face.

"Acting cute won't get me convinced. Go inside and prepare some lemonade," Sooah stated, "Come in, Jinhee-ah."

Shooting a fierce glare at Jinhee, Hyunbin, holding a grudge, stomped into the house loudly. In Jinhee's opinion, Hyunbin was a big baby.

Nodding, Jinhee followed after Hyunbin and entered into the room. Occasionally, Hyunbin turned back to glare at her whilst Jinhee gave him an innocent smile.

"Jinhee, it's you! What a surprise!" Min Yoojoon exclaimed excitedly whilst walking close to Lee Jinhee.

"Sorry for showing up without prior notice," Jinhee said as she was about to bow.

Holding her by her shoulders, Yoojoon stopped her from bowing and stared at her with a joyful expression.

"Treat this as your own home, and as I said before, you don't need to be that formal with me," Yoojoon voiced out.

Hyunbin scoffed.

"What a touching reunion!" He commented before walking into the kitchen.

"Don't mind that boy. He has been spoiled too much by Sooah and me," Yoojoon said. 

The hint of love and care in his eyes as he talked about it was noticed by Jinhee, and a part of her yearned for it.

"He is not that bad of a guy, Ahjusshi," Jinhee replied with a slight, polite smile. 

She did not miss the wave of sadness that passed over Yoojoon's face, and Jinhee had an idea on why it was there. It was because of Jinhee's way of addressing him.

Nonetheless, she could not bring herself to call him 'father'—not when she could not bring herself to accept him completely.