Flowers Over You | Kth

Chapter 10: Stay Over

"Overprotective? Controlling, you mean?" Hayan said, her expression dropping.

"Hayan," Mrs. Kim began with an uncomfortable look on her face as if she already knew Hayan wasn't going to believe anything she said. "I know it might not feel like it but Milan cares about you a lot. You probably can't understand but I was there to see how broken your mother was when the doctor told her she couldn't have another baby after you were born. Even your birth was difficult and there were little chances of you surviving but somehow you did, and that was when you became her everything. She's loved you so deeply, probably a little too much. Trying to give you the best life possible, she's become obsessive,"

"Toxic love," Hayan mumbled, not loud enough for Mrs. Kim to catch the words. She didn't believe her mother loved her. Control or obsession could never be love.

"But when children grow up, we have to let them go and let them live their life however they want. I think your mother doesn't want to admit that she needs to let you go,"

"And you don't expect me to be understanding of that, right?" Hayan raised an eyebrow, looking displeased.

"Of course not. You have every right to be angry with your mother. That's why I offered to talk to her."

"Please do."

"I will," Mrs. Kim stated. "It's getting late so I'll leave you to rest now. I'm getting quite sleepy myself."

"Goodnight," Hayan sent her a smile as Mrs. Kim got up from the bed and leaned over to pat Hayan's head before making her way toward the door.

"Sleep well." She turned to tell Hayan before exiting the room.

~~~

If there was anything Hayan loved about growing up in the penthouse, it was Mrs. Kim's habit of leniency, something her own mother lacked. As she looked back on her time in the penthouse, she couldn't help but remember how Mrs. Kim raised her in a very unconventional way. There were no strict rules or curfews imposed on either Taehyung or Hayan. The house was like a haven of freedom for anyone living inside it. Mrs. Kim always made sure to avoid anything that would make a child feel controlled and bound to do certain things.

Instead of resorting to traditional discipline, Mrs. Kim had this unique tactic of making Hayan listen to her by saying things like, "I know you're a smart girl, so I trust that you'll do the right thing." And, "I know you'll do your homework because you don't want to fall behind." It was as if she believed in Hayan's inherent goodness and used that trust to guide her in the most gentle way possible. At times, it felt like a magical spell that compelled Hayan to be responsible despite being a problem child sometimes. That approach had fostered a sense of independence and self-discipline within her and she believed that it would have been a truly liberating way to grow up if only Mrs. Yeon wasn't there to ruin everything Mrs. Kim built in Hayan.

Hayan didn't like to think that her mother was mean to her intentionally, but she knew that as an adult she should have known better. The personality Mrs. Kim had tried to develop in Hayan had been forcefully distorted and twisted by Mrs. Yeon's horrible parenting and brutal remarks and Hayan had grown up with nothing but resentment for her for that reason.

As a child, Hayan had wished her mother was more like Mrs. Kim, and at times, she had resented Mrs. Kim for not being her actual mother. Then that feeling of bitterness had shifted toward Taehyung and she started hating him for having better parents. In the end, she foolishly grew bitter about everything.

After crying to Sara on the phone for an hour, Hayan had finally decided to leave her room when anger had replaced her sadness, anger that was directed at Kim Taehyung. Under the cover of darkness, she navigated through the silent house with soft steps. With nothing but evil on her mind, she headed for Taehyung's bedroom. She was still so angry at him. He had caused unnecessary drama knowing how Mrs. Yeon would react and he'd shoved Hayan into a scene she wanted to avoid at all costs. She wouldn't have had to hear her mother's hurtful words or cry if only Taehyung kept his mouth shut like she had requested him to.