If you ever want to chat, my tumblr is supernovaesthetic and I love any and all reader feedback, so toss me a DM and we can talk about the future of SoSoo in this story and anything else :)

"Mu will ascend," Yo stated out of the blue, his bony fingers laced around his glass of whiskey. With his elbows resting against his desk, he looked at So who stood still by a window, gazing out at the serene neighborhood. Pyeongchang-dong was a strange instance in Korea; even though it was developed, due to the minor levels of light pollution, the stars were somewhat visible. Yo remembered that So enjoyed stargazing- a pointless trivial sport, but one that was not dangerous, nor life threatening. At least So took care of himself- unlike Jung.

After eating dinner and scolding Jung once more, the elder brothers met in Yo's office to discuss familial matters. So, still pointlessly apprehensive of his older brother, stood by the window, ready to make an escape if Yo decided to reach for the ornamental bow and arrows that were displayed in his office.

Both men kept glasses of whiskey close by, their coats gone and their ties undone. Somewhat comfortable, So kept an eye on Yo's reflection in the window. His brother sat at his desk, leaning back in his leather seat, completely at ease. "And what, exactly, will you receive in return for backing down?" So asked. "It must be something better than being Chairman if you're so placated at the fact that you're willingly giving up something you wanted your entire life."

Yo quirked his eyebrows, drinking slowly from his crystal glass. Humming, he pressed the rim of the glass close to his bottom lip. "The house in Busan, more stocks, a four billion won pay raise, Mu's old title of CEO, and permission to have another child."

So nodded slowly. He remembered being sat down by the Chairman after Wook's wedding and being told that until Mu ascended, he would not be allowed to have any children before his brother or bring excessive attention to himself. Wook and his wife were also told about this rule, but Myung Hee assumed to be too sick to be able to conceive. Yeon Hwa had not even been considered a threat and had been allowed to have her daughter in peace. As for Yo, he had carefully listened to the Chairman's words and agreed before promptly getting his wife pregnant. Gyung, had been a happy mistake that Yo had purposefully forgotten to remind his family about until his new wife was the size of the moon. The Chairman had been furious, but So had been too far away to actually hear what happened. "I assume the Chairman prevented you from having children after Gyung?"

Scoffing, Yo emptied his glass into his mouth and poured more scotch from the decanter beside his hand. "After Gyung, he sat me down and told me that if I had another child before Mu ascended, he'd cut me from his lineage, the bastard."

"So you're giving up the chance at being Chairman for the chance to have another baby as well as a pay raise?" So raised an eyebrow at the man who was so alike yet so different from the Yo he knew in a past life.

"Do you have kids?" Yo asked. Yes, So wanted to say. I used to be a father… not a good one, but yes, I used to have children.

"No," he stated, turning to face his brother. "But from what I remember, you specifically said you would never have children."

Shaking his head, Yo heaved a sigh, setting his glass down onto its coaster. "I know, but there's a feeling that comes over you when you hold your firstborn for the first time," he explained, a certain wistfulness in his eyes. "You look at that tiny face and you see that everything in your life has culminated into that moment. You created something more valuable than any building or any stock and it's a feeling that makes you invincible. You'd do anything for that little person in your arms. You'd kill if it meant keeping that little thing safe."

So finished the auburn liquid in his glass and declined a second helping when Yo offered it to him. "I have to drive," he shrugged, sitting down in one of the chairs in the study. His thoughts drifted toward his daughter and how he had felt the same way towards her in his past life. Seol may have legally been Jung's, but in all other aspects, she had been So's. "So, you're going to try for a second now, you have another house, and you're upgraded to CEO. Congratulations, brother," said So as he crossed his legs.

Yo narrowed his eyes at his brother. "I'm not here to brag about my pay raise. I'm using my time to speak to you because I want you to be CFO," Yo's calculating eyes read So for a reaction, but his brother was too composed to ever betray his emotions. "I need someone I can trust that isn't a half-brother. Incidentally, Jung has no interest in the family business, so here I am, asking you to forego your nomadic life of playing ambassador; to live in Seoul instead. Life is long and I'm sure I'll be able to take charge after Mu."

Though his face did not betray his thoughts, So felt a sense of excitement in his chest. Being CFO as well as a board member meant he would have more than enough money to get Soo anything she wanted. He could afford to give her a lavish wedding, a new house, a good car for her own use, and anything else she might want. Being CFO would mean that his nomadic days of wandering and playing ambassador for his father would end. He could find stability, marry, and finally begin living the life he had always wanted. But at the same time, So would find himself beneath Yo. If Yo knew that So was an executive board member, his offer of CFO meant that he would want So's vote of confidence if Mu's position as chairman was to be overturned.

"What about Won?" So kept his expression impassive as he met eyes with Yo. "Isn't he your loyal vassal? Why not raise him from whatever he's doing to CFO? I thought the Chairman saw all of his children as equals. If you asked nicely, I'm sure Won would be allowed to rise in rank."

A dry smirk graced Yo's lips before fading quickly. A muscle in his jaw ticked and he tapped his nails against the desk before scoffing. "The Chairman may see his sons as equals, but I don't," Yo reached for his tablet at the edge of his desk, his pale hands moving past perfectly stacked folders and plastic wrapped documents. He sniffed as he unlocked the sleek, black screen, punching in a passcode and flipping through pages. "Won may be my dog, but he will never be equal to you or Jung in my eyes. His mother was a mistress of our father's and not even famous or well connected like Baek Ah's mother. How could I favor him over my own full-blooded brother?"

The tablet was passed over from Yo's side of the table to So's. "That's from Won," he said.

Collecting the screen from the table, So raised an eyebrow as he read aloud from Yo's e-mail. "Met with my informants. Mu called a doctor to his home twice in the past week. Eun made plans with his girlfriend but was unable to see her due to scheduling conflicts. Wook's wife is pregnant- maybe two or three months along. No other news." Setting the tablet down, So frowned at his brother. "So Won is spying on our brothers." He felt a cold dread wash over him as he wondered if Won knew about his relationship with Soo.

"If Wook's wife gives birth, son or daughter, Wook will have the Go Group clamoring to support him as heir." Yo gave his brother a pointed look. "Which is why I want you to be CFO instead of Won or any of the others. I need as many Yoo family barriers as possible, and whether you like it or not, you're as much a part of the Yoo family as I am.

"I don't spoil my subordinates," continued Yo. "I support my brothers. If Jung wants to go and get beaten up on the streets, I'll protect him from Mother and take care of him. You too, So. I'm giving you an out from your incessant travelling. You can live here if you're growing tired of Wook. I'll handle Mother and you can stay with my family until you get a place of your own."

Yo took his tablet back from So, shutting it down and tossing it back onto his desk. The resounding clack did not echo as the tablet fell onto the table. Each second that passed only sought to entice So further. "And what, exactly, is it you want from me in return?" So knew that his brother was not one to give gifts freely. He wanted to hear with his own ears if Yo knew that he was an executive board member. "My being CFO would mean that you would have another person to contend with. I'm only two years younger than you. Do you really need more competition?"

"I need you to work," Yo stated simply. "Work and support me if the need arises. The company must continue no matter who holds its reins. I intend to place Jung into the company once he's had his fill of gold medals and simple glory. And if Father agrees, I'll have Jung cut some of Wook's claim to the Hae family's support by marrying him to that Hae girl-"

"No," So interjected. He sat forward as Yo mentioned Soo. Yo's eyes narrowed and he leaned against an elbow as he eyed So.

"No? Then do you intend to marry her?" Sarcastically asked, but seriously answered, Yo's eyes widened when So said, "Yes."

It was past three in the morning when So stumbled into Wook's apartment, his eyes heavy and his body sluggish. Kicking his shoes off, he sniffed and held onto a door to steady himself. Vertigo swayed his vision and he squinted, trying to make sense of where he was headed. Right? Left? Which hallway was he in? Why was Wook's house so huge?

After telling Yo to back away from Soo, they had drunk more. Congratulating So, Yo had called for bottles of aged soju and whiskey, opening both at once and declaring they would drink until they were two shots from death. "After all, how long has it been since either of us have been well and truly drunk? I'll call you cab if you don't want to stay tonight," his brother had laughed. "Look at you, you bastard, falling to a girl eleven years younger than you- I see I'm a worse influence than I thought!"

Swallowing, So paused when he saw a light at the end of the hallway. He blinked at it and nodded to himself. Staggering forward, he leaned onto the wall for support, his gait sloppy. Each step felt like molasses and he yawned as his sight shifted from left to right.

Pushing the door open, So almost collapsed as the door moved further than he had anticipated. He looked up at the most beautiful face he had ever seen in his life. Dark hair flowed past a pale face and pink lips. She wore a sleeveless shirt with cats on it. "Mm, Soo," he slurred, gazing at the angel that sat up in bed. "Soo, my Soo," So giggled to himself as he ran a hand over his face. "My beautiful, beautiful person. You're so smart and sweet and caring and…" he waved a hand in front of his face, tracing over Soo's blurry silhouette with his finger. "Sexy," he emphasized each letter to make sure she understood him.

His head moved from side to side and So shuffled to where he thought the bed was and laid down. Something smacked his head and So grunted when he suddenly found himself on the ground. "Soo, where'd you go?" he said as his view blurred and refocused into what looked like the underside of a bed.

"Are you alright?" he heard someone say. So felt himself being helped up and then he saw Soo. Beaming, So wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

"I'm fine now that you're here," he murmured into her hair. Closing his eyes, he swayed and held onto his Soo. "Hm… How do you think about a house in Pyeongchang-dong? We could watch the stars there and our children could play with Mu's and Yo's kids… we could start a family!" Excited, he kissed Soo's forehead and stifled his laughs. "Little girls and boys. Like Seol! Remember her? Our little girl," he laughed at the memories from Goryeo that flashed through his mind. "She was such a lively girl… I could swear she was part bird if I didn't know she was half you and half me."

"So, you need to sleep," Soo's sympathetic words seemed to bounce off of him. She looked up at her drunk partner as he spoke about someone named Seol. It did not take much thought for Soo to realize that he meant her child. Her heart ached, but at the moment, she could not grieve. She could only focus on the present and in the present, there was someone that needed her. So nodded and held onto her shoulder, using his other hand to gesture into the air.

"You didn't see her grow, but I did. She was so beautiful, our little Seol," So ignored Soo as he continued his intoxicated rant. "She called Jung her father, but I knew she was mine. My little snowflake. She was all I had left of you…" Soo bit her lip when So's eyes grew wet. Her heart felt like it would shatter as he rested his head against her and held onto her arms.

"Why can't I ever have both of you?" he whimpered, weeping into her shoulder. Breathing deeply, he huffed and Soo ran her hands through his hair, feeling So's tears trail down her bare arm. His breath reeked of stale whiskey, but Soo found that she could not care. "In one life I have you and the other I have Seol, but I can never have both of you. I can never just be a husband and a father at once. Why am I so torn? Why am I so tired?"

Closing her eyes, Soo patted So's back and eased his coat off of his shoulders. "You need to sleep, So. You're… You're distressed."

She helped him stand and Soo pulled So's arm around her as she guided him out of her room. Knowing that he would be hungover in the morning, Soo could not risk letting him sleep in her room that night.

Opening her door, she helped him shuffle through the dark hallway, leading him to his room. "No no, it's this way," she whispered when So attempted to drag her toward the kitchen. Grunting under So's weight, Soo did her best to lead him in a straight path.

The massive house seemed to echo each little noise So made as Soo led him toward his room. Each clumsy footstep was a dull thud and each noise ricocheted off the walls until Soo gasped when the door to the master bedroom opened and Wook stepped out looking tired and confused. He seemed to wake as soon as he saw So leaning against Soo, drunkenly stumbling around.

Without blinking, Wook walked over to So's other side and pulled So's arm around him, his strength enough to take his brother off of Soo. "Did he just arrive?" Wook grunted as he helped So into his bedroom.

"I was getting water when he walked in and he collapsed in the doorway. I thought I could help him to his room," Soo lied. She ran into So's room and unmade his bed as Wook helped his brother beneath the sheets.

"I knew he would drink when he was with Yo, but I didn't think they would drink this much," muttered Wook as he rubbed his eyes and pulled the covers over So's body. "I apologize for my brother, Soo. This isn't like him," he looked at the younger woman who bobbed her head in response.

"It's alright," she said as So muttered something unintelligible before rolling over and falling silent. "He looks peaceful when he's sleeping," she noted aloud.

Wook agreed with a perplexed look before he led Soo out of his brother's bedroom. "You should get some sleep. I'm sorry you had to see him in this state," he stated. "So is usually so careful about drinking, but he and Yo must have had something to celebrate."

They parted ways and Wook returned to his bedroom, yawning and stretching his arms. Soo lingered behind and waited for his door to shut before she returned to So's room, gently closing the door behind her.

Wook had put So in bed still wearing his work clothes, and though So slept peacefully, Soo knew that he would want to be comfortable when he woke in the morning.

Pulling the gray and blue sheets aside, Soo began unbuttoning So's shirt, pulling it off inch by inch and moving his dead weight around so that she could remove the white button down from his torso. Soo folded the shirt as neatly as she could in the dark. She then placed it on the desk, beside where she had placed his folded jacket.

She moved on to undo his belt, pulling the leather away from his waist and rolling it into a coil against her hand. A quick search around the room showed Soo and So kept his belts in a sectioned drawer. Soo placed the belt beside the others and quietly shut the drawer.

Deftly, she unbuttoned So's pants and pulled the blue material down. This was her greatest obstacle and though she wanted to laugh that even in this life So wore black underwear, the weight of his legs took all of her concentration to lift so she could remove his pants. The once pressed pair were wrinkled and Soo doubted a nice folding could fix these wrinkles, but she folded the pants anyways.

After taking So's socks off, Soo tucked him back into bed, pulling the covers over his bare chest and up to his shoulders. She sat on the bed, watching as So turned to sleep on his left side, facing her. Her hand drifted over his smooth face, tracing the small lines of age that had formed around his eyes as well as the place where a scar had been in their past lives. He looked so peaceful.

"Good night, my King," Soo whispered as she pushed So's hair away from his face. "Sleep well and we can discuss marriage and having children when you wake." Leaning down, she brushed her lips to So's forehead before sliding off the bed and walking toward the door.

Looking back, Soo wished she could sleep beside So, but she knew that the risk of being caught was too high. "Just seven months," she said to her sleeping lover. "After Myung Hee has her baby, we can live together, my love. I'll be your wife and we can have children... and maybe we'll have my... maybe we'll have our girl back." And with that, she left the room, ready to fall asleep in her own bed and forget about her sorrows.

Seol, Soo thought. So Jung named her after the snow... She smiled softly, wiping her eyes. Soo had not lived to her baby girl's 100th day- let alone her naming day. She had not been there to name the little girl she had made with So in a past life. She did not hope to meet her daughter again- wishes like that would be devastating if they never came true. Instead, she only hoped that her little girl had been happy in Goryeo. Soo hoped her baby had grown up and flourished outside of the castle.