SHINAE POV
As expected, no one noticed that I wasn't home last night. No one to notice. No one is home.
Or so I thought.
I was heading up the stairs when I heard rustling in the kitchen, and made my way there. A woman wearing nothing but a robe was in my kitchen, digging through the fridge, while the kettle was boiling on the counter behind her.
'Umm, excuse me. Who are you and what are you doing- oh.' I realized who it was the moment she turned. It is that same woman from last night.
She closed the firdge and looked me up and down. 'I'm sorry. I don't see why I should tell you who I am.'
'Considering you are in my kitchen, you kind of should.' I crossed my arms and tilted my head to look at her
'Yours?' She squinted at me, then blinked a few times in confusion. 'I didn't realize he had a daughter.'
'Something tells me you didn't ask.'
'Well. Either way, I'm Elina. It is only proper to meet your future stepmother.' She walked over and stretched her hand out for me
This woman... she is serious. She honestly thinks she's going to... I couldn't handle it and started laughing at her, while she only observed me like I'm a lunatic.
'I'm sorry, but what's so funny?'
'I'm sorry, but.. how old are you?' I ask purely our of curiosity. She can't be much older than me.
She is taller than me. Her legs seem to go on forever. And she is definitely a beautiful woman. She could be a model. But other than that, she is very clearly young. Her voice alone sounds like she's a teenager, not a grown woman.
'25. What's it to you?' She scoffs
'You are almost my age. You could be his daughter. How are you not ashamed? Or in the slightest, disgusted?'
'I like older men. Is that really so wrong?'
'Or maybe you like my father's deep pockets.' I chuckled and watched as her face turned redder with anger
'You should show some respect! I am older!'
'Why should I respect you when you don't even respect yourself?'
'ARGH!!' She threw a mini tantrum and then ran past me with her fists tightly balled up
I listened as her footsteps receeded into nothing, and then she slammed the bedroom door. I suppose I poked right into her nerve.
Good job, Shinae. Proud of you.
I cheered for myself with a tiny clap, thinking about how many times this had happened already. My father is a whore through and through.
There was not much to do today, so I figured I'd catch up on some studying and such, but my plans were quickly shut down when my mother dearest came home and shat on my will to live.
'Shinae!!!' She yelled at the top of her lungs, so I figured I must have killed some of her plans with my existence, and ran down ready to be told off for no reason. But nope.
'Everyhting okay?'
'We have a dinner tonight with the Kim family.'
'Ugh... that's tonight?' I groaned and threw my head back in annoyance
We have a few families we are friends with. Well, they do. And ''coincidentally'' all those families are rich and influental. Nothing different than Kim family. But I am pretty sure they have certain plans for me within this family. They have a son my age, and they are not that good at hiding the fact that they want us together. Which will never happen.
'Yes. Make sure you look presentable and be ready within 3 hours. And my god do something about... that.' She grimaced as she waved her finger in front of my face
Thanks for confidence boost, mom. Always helps.
I know there is no way out of this, so I just went with it and got ready. Unlike my family, the Kims are actually lovely people. They might be rich and stuck up at times, but as a family, they care for each other, and they have always been nice to me. Nicer than my own family. I don't want to ruin their night for no reason.
I did my makeup just lightly and made some light curls, letting them drop down my back. As for the clothes, I didn't want to go overboard, but a bit fancier won't hurt. So I put on a cute dress in greyish/blue colour that overlaps over my chest, is fastened by a decorative belt. I honestly never wore it before, but there is a first for everything.
'Hmm...' My mother looked me up and down when I came down to meet them, and gave me some judgemental look. 'Is that the best you can do?'
'I'll take that as a compliment, mother. Now, shall we?'
My dad didn't bother to even comment, but he was obviously listening and simply got up at my question and walked out.
We rode to their house, or should I say mansion, in silence, but once we got out of the car, we were the happiest family this world had ever seen.
The two of them hand in hand, smiles from ear to ear, leading their loving daughter ahead.
Acting, on.
'Good evening. Please, this way.' Their butler, Jongwoon, greeted us as always, and led us to their dining room where the Kim family was waiting for us. As always.
'Ah, my lovelies!' Misses Kim clapped in delight and nearly ran over to greet us, hugging us all one by one. 'Oh, you just keep getting prettier, my dear.' She gently touched my cheek
'Thank you, Misses Kim.' I smile politely. 'It's lovely to see you.'
'Joon.' She kind of hissed her son's name, motioning for him to get over to us while trying to keep it unnoticeable
'Mom, please. Everyone can see you.' He chuckled at her but still did as she wanted and walked to us.
'Hello, Shinae.' He smiled at me, flashing his adorable dimples
He was my age, but he looked older, and not in a bad way whatsoever. He had manly features that guys our age only got a few years down the line. But there was still something boyish about him. Like his dimples. They really make you want to touch his cheeks.
'Hello, Namjoon. Great to see you.' I smile back at him
He leaned in to whisper 'Same plan as always?'
I just chuckled and nodded as he took my hand and led me to the sit next to him.
We have had these dinners for years. Practically since high school. With time, we developed our own little way of coping.
We suffer through a part of this nonsense, and then he saves us both with excuse of having some time alone, when all we really do is go to his balcony and talk about his girlfriend, which he had for the last 2 years, and his family doesn't know about her.
'Shinae darling, how is school going? Are you enjoying it?' His dad flashed the same dimples at me, looking truly interested in what I do. At least someone.
'So far, so good. I suppose I'm good at arguing.' I joke a little
'And how is your... love life?' His mom adds
I heard Namjoon mumble 'here we go' under his breath and it took a lot not to laugh
'She is free as a bird.' My mom jumped in with the speed of light, fake smiling. I couldn't be bothered to fix her shit, so I just smiled along. No matter what they say or do, Namjoon and I never saw each other that way, and we cleared that out years ago.
'That's good to know, isn't it, Joonie?' Misses Kim smiles at Namjoon, who just did his best not to roll his eyes
'Sure is, mom. But should we start the dinner?'
'Ah, yes. Of course.'
Soon enough, the table was filled with enough food to feed 6 families, and it finally got them to stop asking dumb questions.
Namjoon and I counted down the minutes until we could run, and then he practically jumped up, offering his hand to me.
'Shall we take a little walk and leave the oldies here?'
'Don't mind if I do.' I chuckled as I placed my hand in his, listening to his parents swoon over us
We kept the smiles until we left the room, and then everything dropped. He let go of me and took the deepest breath.
'Jesus fuck they tire me out.'
'Don't you want to marry me and have small dimply children?' I bat my eyes at him cutely, making him snort in response
'Still crazy I see.' He laughed as we started walking again, and he took us to his room. Well, his balcony to be more precise.
I sat down on the little egg chair, relaxing into the spring evening, while he sat opposite me on the chair and lifted his feet on the balcony. Reaching into his pocket, he took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, lighting the tip of it. The scent filled the air for a few moments as he took the first inhale, holding it in for a few moments, and then creating a little cloud of smoke as he exhaled in what sounded like relief.
'I thought you quit.' I tease him
'I wanted to. But then I remembered that I didn't want to.' His little snicker followed after his sassy answer, and he inhaled the smoke once more
'How is future Misses Kim?'
'Nervous.' He chuckles. 'I plan on bringing her home in a few weeks, and she's scared. She is trying to postpone it. Again.'
'I kind of understand. She is probably worried that she won't get accepted. I mean, your backgrounds are different and all that.'
'I know. That's why I'm trying to give her time to be okay with it.' He sighs. 'What about you? Future Mister Moon anywhere on the horizon?'
'My horizon is moonless and pitch dark.' I chuckle
'Still don't believe in love and all that?'
'It's not that I don't believe in love, Joon. I just... I don't think I'm made for it, you know.'
After watching the shitshow of a thing my parents call marriage for years, I don't know if I could ever be capable of being with someone. I know what a relationship is supposed to look like, but I haven't seen many of those. And I certainly haven't experienced one. Not that I ever tried in fear of it becoming like my parents. All I ever did was mess about for a while and then run before I fall for the person.
'How could you know if you're made for it or not if you never tried?'
'I don't want to try.'
'Yeah, I know.' He chuckles. 'You've been preaching about it since the moment I met you.'
'Please, Joon. You were worse than me until you met her.' I roll my eyes, earning a giggle from him
'True, true. Only goes to show how wrong I was, and I bet you anything it will be the same for you.' He grinned at me like a mischievous child
'Keep being a little shit and I'll tell your mom about the smoking.' I threaten
'And I'll tell them who really broke their crystal vase 6 years ago.'
'Empty threats.'
He laughed in response, knowing full well how true it was, for both of us.
'Here. Relax a little.' He passes me the cigarette, holding it out for me
'Right. Cause I was always into that.' I roll my eyes
'Well, I don't have any chardonay or don perignon around here. Apologies.' He mockingly bowed, still sitting down
'Keep the smelly stick and tell me more about Miss Wifey.'
'We got time to kill anyway while they plan the wedding.' He snorts. 'Sit back and relax. This will take a while.'