Empress Ki Heirs: Episode 9

Empress Ki HEIRS

Episode 9

Ta Hwan sees their family car parked from a distance and offers Seung Nyang to bring her home which she hesitantly accepts. Driver Cha also sees them and tries to hide from them. They reach the car and are confused at Driver Cha’s strange behaviour. Ta Hwan introduces Seung Nyang as his assistant and asks him what’s wrong but he just shakes his head while hiding his face. When Seung Nyang recognizes him and starts calling him as her father. Ta Hwan is surprised on what he just heard. Driver Cha makes a long sigh and innocently smiles at them.

There’s a long silence inside the car. While driving, Driver Cha secretly glances at her daughter who is seated next to him. Seung Nyang catches her father’s eyes and looks at him suspiciously while Ta Hwan stares at them confusingly. After they drop off Seung Nyang at her house, Ta Hwan courageously asks Driver Cha about his relationship with her which he honestly confirms and tells him not to tell anyone specially his mother or else he will lose his job.  Ta Hwan promises him that he won’t and is amazed that he is already a family man at a very young age. Driver Cha laughs it off and advices him to enjoy his single life and to get married at the age of 40. Ta Hwan just silently giggles.

They reach his family home. His mother happily greets and tells him that she cooked his favourite food. At the dining room, Ta Hwan hungrily eats his Mianxian noodles when his mother mentions about his marriage with Oh Young. He stops eating and tells his mother that he will not marry Oh Young. His mother suspiciously looks at him and asks if there’s a third party involved. In order to protect Seung Nyang from his mother, he lies to her that there’s no one involved and further tells her that he and Oh Young are still young to get married. His mother just stares at his son in deep thought.

Oh Young looks depressed on what Ta Hwan told her at Jeju. Oh Soo is bothered when he sees her like that so he comforts and assures her that everything will be alright. She doesn’t respond to him and looks at him sadly. It’s almost past midnight. Oh Soo wakes up and finds himself on Oh Young’s bed. He remembers that he waited for his stepsister to sleep but turns out that he also fell asleep. He looks at her lovingly and tries to touch her cheeks but decides not to so as not to disturb her sleep. Then his gaze settles on her soft, pinkish lips, he slowly leans closer and closer when suddenly she murmurs Ta Hwan’s name. He stops and looks at her pitifully.

Next day at Yuan Group, Joong Won congratulates Ta Hwan on his successful project at Jeju Island so as a reward, he gives him two tickets to a hiking event. He also mentions about their new competitor, the LOEL Group, who is sponsoring the event and is currently building a shopping mall that is bigger than their own. Ta Hwan is grateful that his brother is beginning to trust him and tells him that he will look into it. Joong Won innocently smiles at him however, there’s something fishy on the way he smiles. Is he up to something again?

Seung Nyang is busy doing some research when she receives a call from Tal Tal. He asks her if she wants to go hiking this weekend which she immediately agrees. Then Ta Hwan sends her to his office, he asks her if she want to go out-of-town with him this weekend. She honestly answers him that she had already an appointment with her friend. He looks jealous and mentions Tal Tal’s name but there’s no response from her. She goes back to her work leaving him throwing tantrums inside his office. Ding! When something crosses his mind, he makes an evil laugh that echoes throughout his office.

After Young Do’s part-time work as a dishwasher at the Zeus Hotel, he visits his older brother at his office. They are not talking too much and Young Do secretly glances at his brother who is busy on some paperwork. Oh Soo breaks the silence and asks why he is looking at him like that. The younger Choi denies it and continues reading the magazine on his hands. Oh Soo tells him to stop fooling around and tells him how he can read the magazine upside down. He rattles for a bit and bravely asks about his older brother’s feelings towards their stepsister. Oh Soo looks troubled and tells him to stop saying nonsense things. 

Young Do tells him, “I saw you, Hyung last night...you want to kiss her, right? Don’t deny it anymore.”

He just stares at his younger brother with tensed eyes.

It’s already weekend. Tal Tal is fixing his things when his mother calls him to accompany her to a dance studio. Because he is a good son and he doesn’t want his mother to feel sad, he obediently goes with her. He calls up Seung Nyang and is sorry that he cannot go with her. She looks disappointed but tells him that she will still be okay because her brother will come with her. 

Lots of people continue to arrive at the inn resort. The Cha siblings are amazed to see some famous people from the business and entertainment industry attending such an event. When she hears a familiar voice behind them.

“Aigoo, what a beautiful day for hiking!” Ta Hwan makes a deep breath then faces the siblings. “Omo Seung Nyang, you’re here!” He says while pretending to look surprised. “Where’s your friend, Atty. Jin?”

 “He can’t come today because he has to do an errand for his mom.” 

He chuckles and whispers to himself that his plan worked well. 

Flashback. He investigates about Tal Tal’s work and family background and is surprised to know about his parents. Tal Tal’s mother is his mother’s long time friend so he contacts her and asks her to do him a favor.

The emcee of the event welcomes everyone and introduces the CEO of the LOEL Group. Ta Hwan and Seung Nyang are surprised on who they saw. A smiling Joo Won goes up to the stage and tells everyone to enjoy the weekend. After his speech, he approaches Seung Nyang and offers to be her tour guide but she refuses and doesn’t want to burden him. 

Ta Hwan interrupts their conversation and tells him that he is surprised that he is the CEO of the LOEL Group, Yuan Group’s number one competitor. Joo Won just smiles while Ta Hwan stares at him annoyingly. When someone catches their attention, Joo Won greets Oh Soo.

“You know him?” Ta Hwan asks looking confused.

 

***

To be continued

Writer: Janice

Pictures credit: as tagged, to owner