With great determination in her eyes, Minjeong stood straight in front of a lion. Staring at a man expressionless, yet with a strong aura that seemed to linger around her.
She couldn't remember why she came into the lion's den in the first place and never wanted it. However, the thought of wanting to find out more urged her to take action and approach this person without fear.
"What brings you here, Ms. Kim?" Jimin's father gazed at the girl amusingly with a smile that seemed to fill Minjeong with temptation, "Finally here to discuss that contract?" he began to play with a pen by pressing it repeatedly.
Minjeong pursed her lips at the man's words and smiled stoically, "I'm sorry, sir. But unfortunately, no."
"Oh?" Mr. Yu placed the pen back on the desk in front of him, "What's your business here?"
The younger merely stood in silence, still gazing at the man without any expressions. This captivated Mr. Yu and smile at the girl with great interest, he was sure that he won't like whatever the latter's about to spurt out which captivated him even more.
The older rested his elbow on the desk and laid his chin on his palm, observing the girl's statue-like condition.
After a while, Minjeong finally spoke. "I'm sorry for being nosy— It's about Jimin, you've been hurting her at practice... yeah?"
The man snickered, "Did Jimin tell you about this?"
Minjeong shook her head, "No, I knew it for myself... and... you've been forcing her with Jongin, right?"
Mr. Yu was engulfed in laughter, "What are you implying with all of this, Ms. Kim?"
Gulping silently, gathering all of her courage. Minjeong approached the desk and looked at the man in the eye without flinching, she took a deep breath before speaking monotonously.
"I'm in love with your daughter."
Mr. Yu's smile only got wider, "I'm aware Ms. Kim." he revealed calmly.
"So- W-Wait, pardon?"
"Come on, you know how I'm good friends with your father." Mr. Yu nonchalantly pours himself a glass of whiskey out of nowhere, "I've been against it the moment I found out about it when the two of you were high schoolers." he took a sip. "But if you can't marry my son then you should be fine marrying Jimin, no?"
The man finished drinking his glass of whiskey in one go, then opened the cabinet under the desk and placed a piece of paper in front of Minjeong.
"It's a win-win. Sign it, I'm sure Jimin would be delighted to know that she can finally be with you."
Minjeong suddenly felt uneasy as she wasn't expecting the older's understanding point of view. She thought that this man would be like the devil, and once felt it back inside her girlfriend's room that last incident.
"What's the catch?" being wary, she asked.
"Confused?" Mr. Yu laughed again, "I get you Ms. Kim, and I have to praise you for walking all the way here to tell me that you're in love with my daughter. Though, there's no catch. That paper is the same contract you once held the last meeting we had with your father."
Minjeong furrowed her brows, "Then those bad things you've done to her-"
"My fault." Mr. Yu laid his back on the backrest in defeat, "I've been on drugs, I was dangerous... drunk. The dream I never got to achieve, I noticed how much of a prodigy she was— so I took that to my advantage and carelessly placed that weight onto Jimin.
Sicheng, that stupid son of mine made me realize a few things. Because of me, she came to hate the only thing she liked. Because of my selfishness and hatred for her mother... I forced her to transfer out and pulled her away from the person she only loved... you. She tried her very best to find you, you know?"
Sicheng...?
He looked at Minjeong with apologetic eyes.
"After realizing these things, I decided to leave the company to that son of mine and stay at a rehab for a while. I'm sorry, Minjeong."
The man stood up and sincerely bowed at the younger. However, Minjeong solely shook her head and told the older to stand up straight, telling him that he shouldn't apologize to her but to his daughter.
Mr. Yu laughed at himself mockingly, "You're right, I'll do that as soon as possible."
Breathing out a long sigh of relief, something suddenly popped inside of the girl's mind. "Sir, I'm still quite confused and it doesn't make any sense. If you're allowing me to be with Jimin, what about Ka- I mean Jongin?"
"Ahh, him?" The man sat back down on his chair, "The fella said that he was good and would like to go his separate ways with Jimin. So I had no more reason to force her with him, I was only doing it for my and his family company's sake." he sighed in guilt.
This just doesn't add up...
Deep in thought, as if on queue, Minjeong's phone vibrated. She immediately pulled it out to see what it was, and it was none other than her girlfriend calling her.
And when she answered the call, bursts of happiness were heard on the phone.
"Jeongie!"
"Rina...?"
"Okay, this may sound unbelievable but... Kai and I broke up!"
Minjeong expected this but didn't expect to hear the news herself so soon from her girlfriend. All she could do was stand rooted in place and tuck her other hand into her hoodie's pockets inhabit.
"Oh."
"Oh?" Jimin chuckled, "This is what I tell you and you're going to say, oh?"
Minjeong chuckled nervously, "I'm just in shock, that's all."
"Hehe, aren't you glad?"
"I-"
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
"Hey, Dad! I brought Jongin with me today, shall we start discussing- Minjeong?!"
Certainly, that voice came from Win and Minjeong was quick to look directly at the voice and indeed found the guy standing beside Kai who looked just as shocked as him.
It was unusual.
What in the world is going on?
"Jeongie? Are you still there? I'm not bothering you or anything, right?"
Minjeong spoke calmly, "Something came up. Let's meet later in class, kay?"
"Hmm, okie. I'll see you later."
While ending the call, Minjeong saw the two guys who stood near the door whispering to each other. Win punched Kai on the shoulder and pushed him towards the girl, Minjeong got even more confused by this as Kai approached her with a rigid smile.
"Hey, comrade. Can we talk...?"
When glancing over to look at Win, the guy averted his gaze and began to whistle as if he wasn't a part of the situation. Minjeong could only sigh and focus her attention on Kai, he then explained how he wants to discuss something important.
Later, the two stepped outside of Mr. Yu's office and made their way towards the empty living room. Both sat down on the couches, across from each other.
"What's up, Kai?"
Kai snickered, "Not much, I just think that I should be honest with you."
"Is this connected to you breaking up with Jimin?"
The guy nodded his head with a bitter smile, "Yeah. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard your conversation with Jimin inside that storage room."
Minjeong's eyes widened, "How?"
"I was sleeping at the back behind a stack of boxes. When I heard the two of you coming inside, believe me, I was really going to tell you guys and leave but it was all too late when I heard you talking about that incident between me and her. I was unable to do anything but stay in place."
"Then you know our relationship now?"
"Yeah..."
"Kai- I... I'm really sorry-"
Kai smiled, "Your relationship with her has nothing to do with me, Minjeong."
He paused before continuing.
"I knew very well that Jimin has been always in love with you. I've just been forcing myself into her since I only had little time left and felt the need to have someone beside me. She's the only one who's been there when I was all isolated in high school. The only one who I fell for sincerely."
"How much time left...?"
"Two weeks, I only have two more weeks. Tragic, right?" Kai laid his back on the backrest and closed his eyes, "Seeing you two talk back there really slapped some sensed into me— Then I've settled with parting ways with her since I can't force her to love me when she's deeply into you."
He sighed.
"Haahh... Love, why do we get caught up by such troublesome feelings? The mind couldn't ever get things straight, and you lose control to know what is sensible. Deep down it's all so vexing."
"I'm really sorry." Minjeong bit the inside of her cheeks, "...You're fine with parting ways with her just like that?"
"If she's happy with you, then I can't do anything about it. I'm going to disappear anyway, so what's the point of forcing her more, right?"
Minjeong clenched onto her elbow, silent.
Kai moved over next to the girl and punched her shoulder softly.
"Is it so strange to do something for her? If Jimin can stay smiling tomorrow with you... then you can call me foolish or whatever. As long as she's happy, that's enough." he said before standing up to stretch his arms. "Take good care of her, okay? I need to go."
The girl's mouth felt dry as she raised her head to look at the guy with upturned eyes. She asked Kai where he was going to go, only to get an answer that he was going to spend all of his little time left with his little sister as she was his only family left aside from his dying grandmother.
Minjeong forgot that he had a sister. She felt really bad— and a dying grandmother?
Then she's going to be all left alone?
Minjeong knew how that felt. She recalled how treacherous it was for her as a child when she was left alone inside the apartment where Tae, Seulgi, Juhyun, and she lived.
Enduring it for three months, forcing herself to be independent which led to what she is now. She couldn't imagine what the guy's little sister will go through.
The world is cruel after all.
"Oh, before I leave." Kai gazed at the girl with full intent, "How much do you love Jimin?"
"So much that I'll give her my heart."
Minjeong didn't even hesitate to answer which earned a chuckle from the guy. Promptly, Kai playfully ruffled the girl's hair and casually made his way outside of the residence.
With the guy now out of sight, Minjeong lingered her eyes around the area subconsciously and was instantly met by a figure who had his back laid against the wall.
"Ain't things getting better huh, MJ?" Win flashed a smile and unwrapped the lollipop he had in hand to put inside his mouth.
Minjeong narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "You had something to do with all of this, do you?"
"Yes and no...?" Win slightly tilted his head in thought, "I did nothing but tell father a few things about Jimin's situation and maybe blurted some things about you in some cases, but anyway! I only helped Kai get over his anxiety and gave him a few life pointers which apparently led to this. I think."
"Ya think?" The shorter raised a brow.
"Okay okay! I did um... a 'few' things, and helped out." Win turned away and tucked his hands into his pockets, "Noon- I mean Jimin, she sacrificed a lot of things for us brothers back in high school. I just couldn't stay and do nothing, so I decided to do those 'few' things."
He mumbled but was still enough for the girl to hear because of the living room's silence. Minjeong snickered and stood up from the couch to approach him, she punched his chest softly a few times before staring at him with earnest eyes.
"Dude, thanks."
Slightly embarrassed by the odd closeness, Win took a step back and stuck his gaze to whatever object was nearby. "Don't thank me— it was for Jimin. Not you."
The girl found it odd how he mumbled the last part, though quickly shrugged it away and focused her attention on the situation.
Minjeong snickered, "If I hadn't known your sister. Then maybe, I would've fallen for you already, seriously."
Win turned around to face the wall, "Shut up, MJ. I was just going through moving on, and you do me like this? Tsk tsk tsk!"
Minjeong laughed, "Bruh, you blushing?"
"My sinuses are acting up again, I need to take my medicine." Win composed his expression and patted the girl's shoulder before hurriedly walking his way upstairs, "We're going to form a five-man party later. You better go online, alright?!" and disappeared within the latter's sight.
Minjeong found the situation funny and snickered, "That guy must've really liked his sister. Definitely a nice dude, about time someone sweeps him off his feet."
She stood in place for a prolonged time as the smile on her face gradually dissipated. Compiling all the situation, and huffed.
Maybe in another universe Sicheng... maybe.