At the airport...
"I'll miss you, Mom," Jinny said as she hugged her tightly.
"I'll miss you too," Kaye replied, her eyes glistening with tears. "Please call me often."
Jinny smiled and nodded before turning to Mikhail. She wrapped her arms around him as well.
"Thank you for allowing me to go, Dad. I'll do my best and study hard so you'll be proud."
Mikhail smiled faintly and patted her head. "Take care."
"I will."
She stepped back and looked at her uncles, she bowed respectfully.
"If anything happens, call us immediately," Raon said.
"And if you ever feel homesick, you can come back anytime," Tristan added. "Don't force yourself to stay."
"Just call us," Timothy said. "I can arrange a bodyguard for you."
Jinny shook her head with a soft laugh. "You don't have to. I'll be fine."
Her gaze shifted to her brothers.
Most of them barely looked at her. Some were glued to their phones, others checking the time as if eager to leave. Only Thane and Shuu stepped forward.
"Take care," Thane said gently. "Call me if anything bothers you."
"If you miss me, just say the word," Shuu added with a grin. "I'll fly all the way to Spain to accompany you."
"Shut up, Shuu," Jinny said, rolling her eyes.
Still, she pulled Thane into a tight hug. Among all her brothers, only he—and Cedie—truly acted like her older brothers.
Speaking of Cedie… he couldn't make it. He was busy, but he had given her a gift the night before.
Her eyes scanned the crowd again.
Ran was nowhere to be found.
"He's not here," Shuu said casually.
"I wasn't looking for him," Jinny replied.
Then her gaze landed on Matias.
Their eyes met.
After a brief hesitation, Matias walked toward her. It was the first time he had approached her since they returned from the Serolf Empire.
"Take care…" he said simply.
She nodded.
Jinny turned back to her parents one last time. "I should go. I'll miss you all."
She hugged them again before finally walking away, waving as she disappeared into the crowd.
Once she was gone, the family slowly made their way out of the airport.
"Why didn't you say goodbye to her?" Izak asked Maikell.
Maikell didn't even look up from his phone. "For what? So I can say I'll miss her?"
"Well… she's your sister," Izak said.
"As if."
Izak just shrugged and followed him.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Kiko asked.
"I bet she won't even last a few months," Hajee said.
"Hey, wanna bet?" Harusheen grinned. "How long before she comes back?"
"Two months," Hajee said confidently.
"One," Kasey added. "Hey, Tohru, you in?"
Tohru scoffed. "I don't care if she stays there forever. Honestly, I hope she doesn't come back."
"Harsh," Harusheen muttered.
Tohru only rolled his eyes.
"What about you, Ineah? Imman?" Hajee asked.
"I'll pass," Imman replied.
Ineah simply waved a hand in disinterest.
"Killjoy," Harusheen said.
They continued walking until they reached the parking lot.
"Dad…" Matias called.
Mikhail stopped and glanced back at him.
"Can we talk… at home?" Matias asked.
Mikhail studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Come to my office."
.
.
Inside the hotel room, the atmosphere was heavy and still.
Ran lay sprawled across the bed, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. Beside him, a woman—whose name he couldn't even remember—slept soundly, her arms wrapped around his chest.
He glanced at the time.
Jinny's plane had probably already left the country by now.
His thumb paused as he came across a post from her mother—a photo taken at the airport. His eyes lingered on Jinny's face in the picture.
He sighed.
His father had already warned him… but how was he supposed to ignore his own feelings?
"Damn it…"
Ran shut his eyes, the weight of it all pressing down on him.
.
.
.
"Wow!" Jinny exclaimed as she stepped out of the airport.
She was finally in Spain—together with the other four exchange students.
"I can't believe I get to study abroad!" Rechel said, adjusting her glasses. She was shy and a little nerdy, but undeniably smart and kind.
"I need to take pictures and send them to Dad!" Rona added excitedly. She had a boyish charm and a loud, cheerful personality—but she was sharp-minded too.
"I heard the men here are hot and handsome," April chimed in, glancing around with a dreamy smile. She was kind, a hopeless romantic, and just as intelligent as the rest.
"Why am I the only guy here?" Clarence muttered with a sigh. As the top student—and the only male accepted into the program—he looked both proud and slightly out of place.
Before anyone could reply, a man approached them.
"You must be the exchange students sent by the Fuentebella Group," he said with a polite smile. "Hello, I'm Karlos. I work at Centro Universitario del Valle Escondido. I'm here on behalf of the school to welcome you and take you to your boarding apartment—and later, to the campus."
The group bowed politely and followed him toward the waiting van.
As the vehicle pulled away, Jinny gazed out the window. Everything felt different—the streets, the buildings, the air itself.
It was unfamiliar… but exciting.
She hoped she would make new friends here.
And for the first time in a long while, she felt something close to peace.
No brothers to control her.
No one to hurt her.
She let out a quiet breath.
She was finally free.
.
.
.
Shuu adjusted his shades as he strode through the airport, one hand casually pulling his luggage behind him. A smirk tugged at his lips as he glanced down at his plane ticket.
He wasn't the type to sit around and wait for Jinny to come back.
If she went to Spain… then he'd go to Spain too.
He had already secured his father's approval. As for his brothers? They had no idea he was leaving.
A wider grin spread across his face.
This time, he'd have her all to himself.
No brothers. No competition.