Chapter 1 : Part one
" Is my father home?"
It was the first thing I hurrily queried when I saw my mother, sitting at the livingroom the moment I walked in. But I didn't wait for her response, I could hear his voice already coming out his study.
" I disagree. Mr. Lee will never agree to the changes you suggest."
I heard my father speaking confidently, apparently he was discussing about their potential client with my brother who I heard him replying calmly;
" Mr. Lee is a taugh customer, but he can be reasonable if he's approached correctly. If you.."
The conversation continued and I decided to stride off to my bedroom before my father catching me sneaking.
" Please don't call me for dinner, my stomach is not feeling well."
I lied and turned on my heels but then I stopped midway and looked back at mom again. Why she was not responding to me? I just said I had stomachaches but she didn't react at all. I threw my gaze toward the office, I should at least know if father was doing okay, so I could avoid clashing with him by knowing his current state.
" Is he angry?"
Mom stared up at me, giving me one of her famous indignant look. Her legs crossed while she was knitting. She seemed not willing to drop the needles any soon, just as if I was invisible to her,
" Eomma.."
I stepped forward timidly but froze in spot when I felt the presence of my father, I turned my head to find him already out, standing at the doorway of his study, giving me an exasperated sigh. Failure written on his face.
I didn't need to query any further because I knew what that grim expression on his face meant at that very moment.
They definitely got updated on the blind date they set me with Kim Jeon something; I already lost interest by his third syllable, one of my father's acquaintances son to marry me off.
For the past two years, my marriage seemed to become the only 'important ' agenda in their life. They're completely unsatisfied with my single life, and eventhough I'm 32 years grown up independent woman, they're still insisting to get me into an arranged marriage.
"Good evening, father, I'm home. "
I bowed slightly. He looked at me with a frown and a raised eyebrow. Behind him there was my older brother, Seong-Woo, coming out the study and stood right behind dad's back. I nodded slightly to him, as well.
"Hey there, finally you're back! I'm hungry!"
He teased. I could see him fighting his laughter. To him, this was just another worn out episode of me trying to sneak into my room then get caught off guard like a deer in a headlight.
"Prepare the dinner!"
My father ordered, his eyes were on me,
"After dinner we have to talk."
He said then left to his room after calling my mother to tail him. I glanced over at oppa who was shaking his head ever so slightly, but that was his only reaction.
I knew what was going to happen after dinner. I was certain that it was the stillness that follow the ravages of a howling storm.
And all what I could do was; to try to be calmer. I needed the strength to remain calm, otherwise...
"How was your date?"
My father was still insisted on asking about my dates whenever they sent me to meet up with the suitors. Today's suitor was marked as the 24th in less than three months.
We had already finished dinner and now we were sitting at the livingroom to discuss my supposed marriage with the guy they sent me to meet this afternoon. My parents, my brother Seong-Woo and Hee-Jin his wife were all looking at me, I felt as I was in an interrogation room instead.
"Well.. let's say I wasted an hour of my life that I'll never get back,"
I said with a sigh, knowing where this conversation was going to.
"It's been months since I persuaded him to agree on that date. How was he?"
My father inquired,
"Honestly, everything about him has been too ridiculous.."
"You should change your childish attitude with the prospective grooms. You're not getting any younger you know."
I ignored my sister in law digging about my age. Funny when they used my age for their advantage like, I'm old to get married but not old enough or too immature to decide on my own who I wanted to be by my side. And if I objected, I'd be ended up crucified by their harsh criticism.
I looked at Hee-Jin, I frankly could cope with dad and his temper, but the grim ripper a.k.a my sister in law on the other hand, was simply a nasty piece of work. Needless to mention how she was close to my father, way closer than his own daughter a.k.a me.
"I was sure you were going to give us happy ending this time, but what's gotten into you?"
She said, not quite dripping in sarcasm.
"Now you mentioned it.."
My father spoke to his daughter in law then turned back to me,
"You know it took some doing, my young, to be able to negotiate the alliance between our family and the Kim's, right? But what did you do? You carelessly terminated it by freaking the guy out..."
He paused and took a sip from the herbal tea my mother prepared, since he had weak bowels then continued
"I think I got too easy on you, sending you alone but received nothing in return.."
My father said condescendingly.
I could see my brother making at least some effort to hide his amusement, but he couldn't masked the wide grin on his face.
If we talked customarily, then most marriages in my family- were arranged. Take my parents and my older brother as a living example. My parents were like those old fashioned parents who would look around for a suitable partner, then would fixed a date before they made the final decision.
Eventhough the customs had altered and modernized over the decades, my family–mostly my father, was just like the bygone times. As a patriarch of the household, he simply made decisions unilaterally, regardless of what we thought, and it still bothersome that he could still effectively vetoing our choices.
I was nervous about this concept, to be forced to wed to someone I had no feelings for. I didn't want to be like them ending up in a miserable marriage. What if I got stuck with someone cold, or someone who was shallow, greedy or annoying.
I considered myself as a fish and love as water. I can't live without love and I'd be just like a fish out of water. I just can't survive the negligence I often see my mother live, or see how my oppa constantly trying to make his marriage live longer and still struggling, even after he adopted a child. It's sad that his wife despite being an obstetrician, she refused to go through the pregnancy process. Oppa couldn't said his opinion so he just decided to bring an orphan who needed a family to take care of.
To be continued..
