[ Two Weeks Later ]
[ Asan Medical Center - VIP Exit ]
The sliding glass doors opened.
Kang Jin-woo pushed the wheelchair out into the warm afternoon sunlight. In the chair sat Eun-ji. She looked thin, and there was a thick bandage wrapped around her head under a cute knitted beanie, but her eyes were bright.
"The air smells like car exhaust," Eun-ji said, taking a deep breath. "It smells delicious."
Jin-woo chuckled, tucking the blanket tighter around her legs. "Only you would miss the smell of Seoul traffic."
"I missed everything," she said. "The hospital smelled like rubbing alcohol and old people."
It had been a whirlwind two weeks.
Jin-woo hadn't sent her to Zurich. He realized that separating the family was a weakness. Instead, he had wired 5 Billion Won to the University Hospital of Zurich to "borrow" their lead neurosurgeon, Dr. Schmidt, for three days.
The surgery had been flawless. The tumor was reduced by 90%. The rest would be handled by outpatient chemotherapy.
"Car's here," a voice called out.
A sleek black van pulled up to the curb. The door slid open automatically.
Lee Ji-eun stepped out. She wasn't wearing her usual "Battle Armor" suits. She was wearing casual jeans and a soft beige sweater. She looked less like a Director and more like... family.
"Unnie!" Eun-ji cheered, trying to wave but wincing slightly from the movement.
"Careful, patient," Ji-eun scolded gently, helping Jin-woo lift Eun-ji into the luxurious leather seat of the van. "Dr. Schmidt said no sudden movements for a month."
"You guys are so boring," Eun-ji pouted. "Are we going to the semi-basement? I miss my old pillow."
Jin-woo got into the front seat. He exchanged a look with Ji-eun.
"Not exactly," Jin-woo said. "We moved."
[ Hannam The Hill - The Penthouse ]
The van didn't drive to the crumbling brick slums of their old neighborhood.
It drove up the winding, tree-lined roads of Hannam-dong, past guards who saluted the vehicle, and through a massive iron gate.
"Where are we?" Eun-ji asked, her nose pressed against the glass. "Is this a park? Why are the houses so big?"
"This is Hannam The Hill," Ji-eun explained, driving through the manicured complex. "It's where the safest houses in Seoul are."
They parked in a private underground garage. They took a private elevator that opened directly into the living room.
Ding.
Eun-ji gasped.
The apartment was massive. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the Han River and Namsan Tower. The floors were white marble. The furniture was modern and plush. It looked like a set from a K-Drama.
"Oppa..." Eun-ji whispered, terrified. "Did we break in? Are we robbing someone?"
Jin-woo laughed. He walked over and knelt beside her wheelchair.
"I bought it," he said. "Cash. This is our house now, Eun-ji."
"For real?"
"For real. No more mold. No more cold water. And look over there."
He pointed to a hallway.
"That's your wing. It has a specialized air filtration system, a temperature-controlled bed, and..." he paused for dramatic effect, "...a art studio with a view of the garden."
Eun-ji's eyes filled with tears. She threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Thank you, Oppa," she sobbed. "Thank you."
Jin-woo held her tight, feeling the fragility of her small frame. He looked up and saw Ji-eun standing by the kitchen island, watching them with a soft, melancholy smile.
She looked away when he caught her eye, pretending to check the fridge.
[ 7:00 PM - Dinner ]
The first dinner in the "Glass Castle" was takeout. Pizza, of course.
Eun-ji was tired but refused to go to sleep. She sat at the massive dining table, picking at her cheese crust.
"So," Eun-ji said, looking between Jin-woo and Ji-eun. "Where is Unnie sleeping?"
Ji-eun choked on her water. "Me? Oh, I'm going home soon. I have an apartment in Gangnam."
Eun-ji's face fell. Her lower lip wobbled. It was a weapon of mass destruction.
"But... Oppa can't cook," Eun-ji whispered. "He burns water. And the nurse doesn't come until tomorrow morning. What if I fall? What if I need help to the bathroom?"
"I can help you," Jin-woo said, offended. "I don't burn water."
"You do," Eun-ji insisted. She grabbed Ji-eun's hand. "Unnie, please stay? Just for tonight? Until I get used to the big house? It's scary here alone."
Ji-eun hesitated. "Eun-ji-ya, I don't want to intrude..."
"Please?" Eun-ji widened her eyes. "Pinky promise you'd help the Knight protect the castle?"
Ji-eun looked at the little girl. Then she looked at Jin-woo.
Jin-woo shrugged, but his eyes were pleading. He was terrified of handling the post-surgery care alone on the first night.
"There are five bedrooms," Jin-woo said quietly. "The West Wing is empty. It has its own bathroom."
Ji-eun sighed. She looked at her car keys, then at the siblings.
"Fine," she said. "Just for tonight. To make sure you settle in."
"Yes!" Eun-ji cheered. "Sleepover!"
[ 11:00 PM - The Balcony ]
Eun-ji was finally asleep in her new medical bed.
Jin-woo stepped out onto the wide terrace overlooking the city. The night air was cool.
He heard the sliding door open behind him. Ji-eun walked out, holding two mugs of tea. She handed one to him.
"She's out like a light," Ji-eun whispered. "She's happy, Jin."
"She's safe," Jin-woo corrected, taking the tea. "That's what matters."
They stood in silence, looking at the city lights. Down below, millions of people were sleeping, working, and struggling. Up here, it was quiet.
"So," Ji-eun said, leaning against the railing. "We have the money. We have the house. We have the health."
She looked at him sideways.
"What's next, Boss? Do we retire? You could just go to school and be a normal rich kid."
Jin-woo took a sip of tea. He looked at the skyline—specifically toward the Myung-il Construction tower glowing in the distance.
"Retire?"
He chuckled darkly.
"The Seven Star Gang is coming for us because we humiliated Chairman Choi. Park Min-ho is plotting revenge at school. And the System..."
He tapped his temple.
[ SYSTEM STATUS: IDLE ] [ Next Milestone: 'The Corporate War' ] [ Requirement: Acquire a Controlling Stake in a Public Company. ]
"...the System is hungry."
He turned to Ji-eun. The moonlight caught the sharp angle of his jaw, making him look less like a boy and more like the predator he was named after.
"We aren't retiring, Ji-eun. We're just done with the tutorial."
He set the mug down.
"Tomorrow, we go back to school. And this time, I'm not going to be the quiet scholarship student."
"Oh?" Ji-eun raised an eyebrow. "Who are you going to be?"
"The King," Jin-woo said.