A Thousand Purple Stars (JinJi)

Goodbye Dream

"We talked about it for so long, weighing the pros and cons," he told his daughter. "But in the end, there was no decision to be made, because our minds had been made from the beginning. We wanted you. She wanted you. I wanted you."

Her throat tightened as she choked back a sob.

"It must have been hard for you to lose her," Jisoo whispered.

"It was," her father said. "But not as hard as it would have been if I didn't have you. It wasn't an easy choice to make, but having you with me made it easier."

He reached across the table and put a hand over hers. Jisoo looked up at her father, who was staring at her very intently.

"I love you, Jisoo," he said. "I have since before you were born. I couldn't have given your mother up for anyone or anything else if not for you. Every hope I had, every dream I dreamed, I'd give it all up to have you and to give you a chance at life."

Jisoo felt one stubborn tear roll down her face.

"The only thing you've ever had to do to deserve my pride was be true to yourself."

It was obvious now what she had to do. Mama and Appa didn't raise a liar.

Her knuckles were white as ghosts as they held onto the edge of the cart. It was loaded with food for the big meeting with Mr. Jeon on the fourth floor. She was standing outside the door, listening through the cracks to Julie Kiyoko explaining to her editor-in-chief exactly what they wanted to do with the redesign of the journal.

Jisoo's heart was racing, but her breathing was even. She had expected a sense of calm to wash over her the minute she made her decision. But on the inside, she was still a mess of conflicting emotions and reactions.

This is it, she thought as she pushed the door open. Goodbye, dream.

Jisoo walked through the door and pushed the cart inside. She wasn't assigned to catering. Normally, this was the job of a secretary or a receptionist, but Jisoo wanted an excuse to be in the room so she volunteered for the job. Julie Kiyoko paused mid sentence and stared as Jisoo wheeled the catering cart into the room. Jisoo set it against the wall and started to straighten things out.

She didn't miss Julie's suspicious pause. No doubt the managing editor was wondering what she was dong there. Jisoo tried not to make it obvious that she was looking at the people in the room. Every seat at the conference table was filled by a man or a woman in a crisp business suit, all eyes on her nefarious managing editor.

And there, in the chair right behind her, was Mr. Jeon of Jeon & Sky Publishing himself. Editor-in-chief of every publication housed in this building. And Jisoo needed to speak to him before he finalized the redesign. Before Julie could put her plan into motion.

"Mr. Jeon?"

Julie paused, and everyone in the room turned to look at Jisoo. She cupped a hand over her mouth. She didn't realize she had said that out loud.

"Jisoo. We're in the middle of a very important meeting," said Julie, smiling. "Go back to your work station."

Jisoo was about to turn tail and do as she was told, but something snapped in her. She was going to let this psychopath tell her what to do anymore. Through the cracks, she felt her old fighting spirit coming back to her.