CRAVE (The Escort)

Chapter 25

"Dad ...Dad please, can you just hear me out?" I chase my father down the stairs as he prepares to leave for work. "I need you to cancel your agreement with the Park's. I cannot marry Cho-rong!"

"Namjoon, we have been over this! You are marrying that girl and that's final. Her parents already agreed to it, your mother and I have already agreed to it, even Cho-rong herself agreed to get married. But you...you're the one holding up the process. Why are you being so stubborn?!" he ask, and I'm short to answer.

"I...I just can't marry her!" I voiced while watching him obtain his personal belongings. "This whole arrangement isn't fair. Parents...using their children to ensure that their businesses are securely padded isn't a good enough reason for me to marry. This is my life! Why am I being deprived of what I want for your company?"

"...My company? Namjoon...this is your future business as well! Do you think I'm only doing this just for the money!?" He asks, stepping towards me. "Have you ever gone a day hungry son? Or how about a day without clothes, shelter and transportation? I work hard so I can provide for you! I am the head of this house hold and I will ensure this family is taken good care of. Even if it means that my son; who is next in line to take over, can make a small sacrifice as well!"

"...A small...- a small sacrifice?! All you doing is using me as a formality towards your business! You're allowing your only son to marry a woman whom he's only seen twice; 3 times if you include Saturday night. Someone who I'm going to spend the rest of my life with, someone who I will call my wife; and you're saying it a small sacrifice?! ...You have no idea how much I've already sacrificed for this family. ....No idea! Things...I wish I hadn't done. And yet...all that money I gave you in return to help you close that deal; was wasted. Only because you had to gamble it away! ...I should have just taken that money and left home!" I expressed aggregated, and with a solid right swing; my father slaps my face. as my cheek and jaw burn in the process.

"You ungrateful little- ahh!! The one mistake I made, and you choose to haunt me with it?!!" He shouts as my cheek and jaw burn in the process. "I should just SSt!" He raises his hand again and my mother runs in standing between us both.

"Hunny, stop! Don't strike him again. He's going through a lot. You have to understand. Please...he's your son! Remember that."

With a heavy breath as he straightens his tie; my father looks at me and apologizes.

"...Namjoon...I'm sorry I hit you. I really am. But...the decision has already been made. You have a month before the wedding. Also...take some time off from classes until further notice." He simply says, before leaving the house.

And with gentle hands my mother cups my face; examining the mark he made.

"Look at me Namjoon. Did he hit you hard? ...It seems like the ring on his finger marked you as well."

"heh...I'm fine mom, don't worry. He just caught me by surprise. I haven't gotten a beating from him since I was nine. It doesn't hurt." I bravely say trying to make her feel better.

"...Always so gallant..., my lion heart." She comforts me; gently stroking my cheek. "...Why don't you want to get married to Cho-rong. She's pretty and so nice. What could possibly be the problem?" my mother asks me and I shake my head turning away from her.

"The problem is...I'm not in love her. I never got a chance to tell you but...there is someone I really and genuinely like mom. She was at the party on Saturday. She heard every word of my engagement and... now she hates me."

"Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Because, I planned on asking her to be my girlfriend first. But then Cho-rong showed up and everything went to shit."