acatalepsy ‣ l.hs

010

Pressing the highest floor, she stood there, not anticipating her visit at all.

The elevator door opened and she greeted first his father's secretary who grinned at her nervously. "Ms. Jung. Your father is waiting for you in his office."

She nods. "Yes thank you." She pushed the door open and she sees her father sitting in his chair while reading a piece of paper. His eyes immediately averted to his daughter who had just entered. She bowed and smiled politely to him. "You asked for me?"

"Yes, we have to talk about something." He puts the paper down and crossed his arm. "Take a seat."

Hana sat at the couch and wandered her eyes around for a second. She, of course, caught sight of the picture frame of Hana holding Haneul when he was a baby in his desk. Tearing her eyes away from the frame, she looked back at her father who had a stern expression plastered all over his face.

"I also have to talk to you about something." She said.

"Oh? How about you go first? I want to hear what you have to say." He leaned on his chair as he waited for her to speak.

She inhales. "What do you really intend when you asked me to be friends with Jihoon?"

"So you caught on." Hana wasn't dense, especially since she knew very well the man sitting in front of her. "You must be worried about being arranged to him. Is that it?"

"Yes." She admits. "I don't want to dad."

His chuckle caught her off guard. It wasn't a cheery laugh but rather a condescending one. "As of now, I have no plan to arrange you two, especially since our partnership is doing good. I just want you to be in good terms with their son now that I know his father's health is slowly deteriorating."

"Your friendship will serve you well once you inherit the company." He adds.

"What if..." Hana trails off. "What if I don't want to be friends with him?"

His expression changed after hearing what she had to say. "Oh?"

"Dad, I don't want to use people for my own benefit. I think as my father you should already know that about me." Hana voiced out her thoughts. "I can't be friends with Jihoon because you said so."

"This is for your own good Hana, you may not understand now but you will in the future." He sternly says. "So you have no choice. You have to be in good terms with him and his family otherwise..."

"... I'll take your freedom from you."

Her eyes widened. "Y-You can't do that. I've done everything you asked me to."

He scoffs. "I'm being too soft on you. I allowed you to do everything you wanted even if you continue to disappoint me because of your academic performance." He massaged his temples.

She couldn't speak and instead she felt like she was about to throw up, but she held it back and sat there prim and proper. After that conversation, he instructed her to stay so she could learn more about the company.

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Hana couldn't disobey her father, not if disobeying him costs her freedom.