BLACK ROSE IN SEOUL

---### *BLACK ROSE IN SEOUL — Chapter 10: The Brother's Blood and The First Kiss*

The tablet was half over the edge of Han Tower. 60 floors below, cars looked like ants. One wind gust and it would fall.

Minho dived. His fingers grabbed the edge of the tablet. Wet. Slipping.

Anna screamed: "MINHO!"

Jae-won was still on top of Jay, his fist bleeding. Jay was laughing even with blood on his mouth.

"Hit me again, little brother! Hit me for a girl who will leave you anyway! Father is watching on CCTV! He sees everything!"

Jae-won froze. He looked up. On the corner of the rooftop, a small red light blinked. CCTV. Chairman Han was watching.

Minho pulled the tablet back. He stood up, holding it like a weapon.

"Enough!" Minho shouted, rain soaking his hair. "Both of you! This is Anna's life! Not your family business!"

Jay stood up slowly, wiping blood. "Minho Kim. The adopted brother. Always so protective. Tell me, Minho... do you protect her because she is your sister? Or because you want her for yourself?"

Minho's face went white.

Anna looked at Minho. She had never thought about it. Minho always held her hand. Always slept outside her door when she was scared. Always said "No boy will touch my sister."

Jae-won looked at Minho too. For the first time, he saw Minho not as a friend, but as a rival.

Jay smiled, because his words worked.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Jay said to Anna. "Your dear brother Minho told my father last month: 'Please don't let Jae-won near my sister. I will take care of Anna myself.' Didn't you, Minho?"

Anna turned to Minho. "Minho? Is it true?"

Minho couldn't speak. His hands were shaking around the tablet.

"It is true!" Minho finally shouted. "Because he is DANGEROUS! His family films girls! His father—"

"STOP!" Anna cried. Rain was pouring now. Her white shirt was transparent, she was shivering. "Stop talking about me like I'm a thing! I'm not your sister to protect! I'm not your heir to fight over! I'm Anna!"

She ran to Minho and snatched the tablet from him. Before anyone could stop her, she smashed it against the concrete floor. Hard.

CRACK.

The screen broke. Then she kicked it. Over the edge.

Everyone watched as the tablet fell 60 floors, spinning in the rain, disappearing into the darkness of Gangnam.

Gone.

Jay's smile vanished. "You stupid girl. I have backup on my phone."

"I know," Anna said, tears mixing with rain. "But this one is gone. And I'm tired of being scared of videos."

Jae-won stared at Anna. Soaked, shaking, brave. He had never seen a girl like that. Yuna cried to manipulate. Other girls in Seoul Academy cried to get his attention.

Anna cried and then broke the thing that scared her.

Something in Jae-won snapped.

He walked to Anna. Fast.

Minho stepped forward: "Jae-won, don't—"

Jae-won didn't listen. He grabbed Anna's face with both hands. His hands were cold, bleeding, shaking.

"Anna," he whispered, so only she could hear in the rain. "I was going to wait until you were not scared. But I can't. If my brother wants you gone, if everyone wants you gone... I want you to know..."

And he kissed her.

For the first time.

Not like in dramas where it's soft and perfect. It was desperate. Rain on both their lips. Salt from tears. His lip was bleeding from fighting security, so Anna tasted blood. His hands were so tight on her face like he was afraid she would disappear if he let go.

Anna's eyes were wide for one second. Then she closed them. She didn't push him. After two years of loneliness in Seoul, after being the "adopted African girl," someone was kissing her like she was the only person in the world.

It lasted 5 seconds. But in K-drama time, it was forever.

Then Minho made a sound.

It was not a word. It was like someone hit him in the stomach.

Minho had loved Anna since the day Mrs. Kim brought 12-year-old Anna home from Uganda. He taught her Korean. He walked her to school. He told everyone "She is my sister" because if he said she was his sister, he could stay near her forever without anyone questioning.

And now he was watching his best friend, Jae-won Han, kiss his sister in the rain on top of Han Tower.

Minho's fists clenched. The jealousy was not childish. It was adult, painful, ugly.

Jay started clapping slowly. "Wow. First kiss. On my rooftop. How romantic. Should I send this to Father too? He is watching, remember?"

The rooftop door slammed open again.

This time, it wasn't security.

It was Chairman Yoon Han himself. In a black suit. No umbrella. Two bodyguards behind him holding umbrellas for him, but he was already wet.

He looked at the scene: Jay with a bleeding nose, Jae-won holding Anna's face, Minho standing alone, destroyed.

Chairman Han looked at Jae-won kissing Anna. His voice was ice.

"Jae-won. So you choose her over Han Group?"

Jae-won didn't let go of Anna. He turned his head, still holding her.

"Yes," he said.

Anna's phone buzzed again in her pocket. The mysterious "A Friend" message:

> "Parking Lot B2. Now. I have Ms. Lee's original phone. And it proves Yuna didn't just film — she PLANNED to sell video to Jay for 5 million won. Come alone or I delete it. — A Friend"

Anna looked down at her phone. Then at Jae-won, who just kissed her. Then at Minho, whose eyes were red with jealousy and pain.

If she leaves now to meet A Friend, Jae-won will think she ran away after his first kiss.

If she stays, the only proof that could destroy Yuna and Jay forever will be deleted.

Rain was falling harder.