Betrothed

It was the night before her 20th birthday. Everything had been planned months a head of time. Ryunhee had finally come of age. Namyeon her older brother, knocked on her door, and she walked over, opening the door slowly.

"Good morning. I uh...breakfast is ready. I have to tell you something. Come down when you're ready." He says, smiling softly.

With their father gone, Namyeon was the head of the house as well as the family business he had duties to uphold and one final wish from their father.

Once she was dressed, Ryunhee went down to the dining room. Their mother sat there a small smile on her face. Ryunhee took her seat across from her mother. Namyeon took his seat at the head.

"Ryunhee, as you know. Father had one last wish that would set into effect on the eve of your 20th birthday." He says softly, almost apologetically.

She looked at her brother and nodded. "Yes, I remember. What is it, Namyeon?"

"Tomorrow is not just your birthday celebration." He says his heart, breaking for her.

"What do you mean 큰 형" She says her eyes full of confusion.

"We will be announcing your engagement 여동생." He says his eyes averting from hers.

"ENGAGEMENT! ENGAGEMENT! I'm not engaged! I DON'T EVEN HAVE A BOYFRIEND!" She yells.

"딸! 충분 해! 소리 지르지 마!" Their mother scolds Ryunhee soft but sternly.

"엄마!" Ryunhee pleaded. "An engagement!?"

Her mother gave her a sad, empathetic smile. "미안해, 내가 도울 수 있으면 좋겠다. 할 일은 끝났다." Their mother said sadly.

Namyeon reached over and took his sister's hand in his gently trying to give her some reassurance.

"Since the day you were born, you have been promised. Betrothed. Destined to join our family with another. It was fathers dying wish that you see it through." Namyeon says softly.

"Excuse me." Ryunhee sobs and runs up to her room, slamming and locking the door behind her.

She jumps onto her bed, burying her head into her pillow, crying softly. Asking herself why, asking her father why.

"Betrothed...." She whispers to herself softly.

~Meanwhile~

"Yejun? Are you ready for tomorrow?" Chungjae asked.

"What if she hates me. Namyeon said she wasn't aware of the betrothal like I was. And if she's anything like him, she'll hate being told what to do. It just feels wrong forcing someone into an engagement like this." Yejun said.

"Yejun, your father expects you to go through with it. I'm sure she will be fine. It will join two prominent mafia families together. Namyeon is the head of his fathers estate and became leader of the Kim family, but he already has an established gang."

"So do we. She probably knows nothing about what really goes on in the field." Yejun said softly.

"Jun, just give it time. You guys have been promised since the day you were both born. Your parents were best friends. Jeonghoon was your fathers most trusted friend. It was his dying wish that you two would go through with the marriage." Chungjae tries to ease is friends mind.

"You don't have to remind me. Jeonghoon was also my godfather." Yejun grumbles.

"Just... make a good impression. Try to meet her before you're announced. Then maybe she'll see past it. Don't lie. Obviously, if she asks, tell her the truth. It might sound better coming from you anyway, especially if you went to her yourself." Chungjae suggests

Yejun nods. "You're right. Thanks, man." He smiles slightly.

"I heard Yeongbae and Jeongmin planned her party. So I bet it will be a rave. I mean, after all, it's her 20th birthday. She's of age now." Chungjae said matter-of-factly.

Yejun nods. "I'm going to town. Need to get something to wear." He said

"We'll all go." Chungjae says and leaves to tell the others.