IMPORTANT NOTE (applies to all chapters): [kor] before the first speech mark = all speech in that dialogue paragraph is spoken in korean. [kor] after the speech mark = only the sentence/s in between the pair of speech marks are spoken in korean.
examples:
[kor] "hi," he says. "how are you?" = both sentences are spoken in korean
"[kor] hi," he says. "how are you?" = only the "hi" is spoken in korean
"hi," he says. "[kor] how are you?" = only the "how are you?" is spoken in korean
i hope this made sense!
tw: bullying and body-shaming
It's a typical weekday for Kim Seokjin. His loud voice sounds through the tight-spaced two-bedroom apartment at seven thirty in the morning as he yells at his sons to hurry and get dressed for school. While they're taking turns in the shower, he prepares three lunch boxes with a ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise sandwich; a resealable bag containing sliced apples with a sprinkle of salt; a mini tub of sultanas; and a juice box. He makes sure there's an equal portion of every item in each lunch box before he packs them in his sons' school bags.
"Appa, did you sign the permission slip for the science excursion?" Eunho, the second oldest, asks as he enters the living room.
Seokjin grabs a small resealable bag off the kitchen counter, which contains a $5 note and a signed permission slip, and hands it to Eunho.
"Appa, do you know if any of my singlets are dry yet?" Taeyoung, the youngest, asks as he approaches his father.
Seokjin goes to the balcony, grabs a dry singlet from the clothing rack, and hands it to Taeyoung.
"Appa, have you seen my myki?" Jaemin, the oldest, asks as he rummages his bag for his transit pass.
Seokjin unzips the small pocket of Jaemin's bag and pulls out the travel card.
"I literally just looked in there..." Jaemin says, scratching his head in confusion.
"[Kor] You didn't look properly," Seokjin says, and gently flicks Jaemin's forehead.
A small pout forms on Jaemin's face and he puts his myki back where it was before he slings his backpack over his shoulder. Seokjin smiles in amusement and does some last minute cleaning.
As a single parent of three kids, Seokjin had to and continues to make three times the sacrifices in order to fulfil and satisfy his sons' needs. He has shed countless tears due to distress and agony but he endured his suffering and he overcame his greatest struggle which was a battle within himself. Now, the only struggles he faces are associated with money but he manages to settle all his bills. The trick to that is by weighing out cost differences between deals, refraining from careless and excessive spending, and making a Centrelink claim since he's a low income earner so he's eligible for fortnightly payments of a couple hundred dollars from the government.
Since his sons attend a government school, the standard curriculum is taught for free; however, he has to make "voluntary contributions" of approximately $150 per child, per year. In other words, he still has to pay for his sons' schooling but the payments aren't considered school fees. Other payments include school uniforms, textbooks, stationery, excursions, extracurricular activities, and so on. Transport fees are approximately $2500 per year if he combines his sons' student passes and his own travel costs; rent is $295 per week for a crappy apartment; electricity, gas, water, internet, and phone bills total to approximately $500 per month; and grocery shopping never exceeds $800 per month. So much to do but so little money and he's desperate to move into a better house but the rent is ridiculously expensive.
However, despite these financial stresses, Seokjin is happy. He has three sons that he cherishes with every cell in his body and though they may cause a ruckus every so often, his life would not be the same without them. They love him as much as he loves them and he could never ask for anything more.
Once the boys are dressed and ready to go, Seokjin walks with them to the nearest bus stop and they wait for the bus. It arrives sooner than later and the four of them hop on, scanning their transit passes as they walk in. Seokjin notices the way Taeyoung keeps fidgeting so he puts an arm around Taeyoung and pulls him close.
"[Kor] Are you okay?" Seokjin asks, the concern evident in his eyes.
Taeyoung shakes his head.
"[Kor] What's the matter, Taeyoungie?" Seokjin asks softly.
Taeyoung hesitates but eventually answers. "Sometimes I hate this school," he mumbles. It has only been a few days since the school year started and he already wants to leave.
Seokjin sighs heavily, his heart aching for his baby. He has been hoping to transfer his sons to a different school—another reason why he's been house hunting—but he can't do much with his income. A better house means much higher rent and moving services are only going to cost even more. On top of that, he'd have to buy new uniforms for the boys and that's going to cost a few hundred dollars as well. He just can't afford it even with financial assistance from Centrelink. He only makes enough to survive and get by.
This school is the closest one there is to their area but unfortunately, some of the students are extremely rude and downright cruel. Those students are the same ones Taeyoung attended primary school with last year. They used to verbally bully him for his size because he's a little chubbier compared to everyone else. He was also the slowest runner in his class so he was always selected last whenever people were choosing teams during physical education. They don't see him very often now since many of them have different classes but they always give him condescending looks whenever they pass by him.
Seokjin knows his son is a victim of bullying. He spoke to the principal back at Taeyoung's old school but the most the principal could do was suspend the kids for a few days because every student is entitled to an education. He even spoke to the parents of the bullies on multiple occasions but they just brushed it off and claimed it as 'kids being kids'. None of these parents understand the severe consequences bullying can have on a child's mental health and Seokjin even got to the point of creating a petition to have the bullies expelled.
Unfortunately, very few parents signed the petition and the ones that didn't (specifically the parents of the bullies) turned Seokjin into a laughing stock. He was utterly humiliated but he didn't care because he was standing up for his son. If he had the money to transfer his boys to a better school, he would. If he had the money to make his sons' lives better, he would do it in a heartbeat.
"[Kor] Do you want to stay at home today? You can come to work with me," Seokjin says, not wanting his baby to go to school and experience discomfort.
Taeyoung wants nothing more than to stay home or go somewhere with his dad but he had too many absences last year, which was his final year of primary school, and he refuses to repeat the same mistake this year. There may be some mean people at his high school but he rarely sees them and he has some good friends who make his day much better. His brothers are also there to protect him now.
"It's okay, appa. My friends will be there," Taeyoung says.
"Are you sure?" Seokjin asks.
Taeyoung nods and Seokjin flashes a small smile before he kisses Taeyoung's forehead.
They soon arrive at the high school. Seokjin walks his sons to the front gate and kisses all three of them on their foreheads before he lets them go. He watches as the three make conversation while walking together and his lips curve into a broad smile. If there's one thing he loves more than his sons, then it's their relationship with each other. They may bicker a lot but at the end of the day, they always have each other's backs.
Seokjin soon crosses the road to take another bus home. He could easily let his sons travel by themselves but he prefers not to because they're still kids and have no phone to contact him in case of an emergency. Well, two of them are teenagers but they're still little kids to Seokjin and their safety is his priority.
When he gets home, he puts the dirty clothes to wash and cleans up a little around the house. There's not much to clean since his sons helped with the chores last night before going to bed so he gets started on making lunch. After he's done, he stores the cooked food in the fridge for after school, hangs the washed clothes on the clothing rack on the balcony, grabs his necessary belongings, and leaves for work.
-
*All dialogue in this scene is spoken in Korean, unless specified otherwise*
Situated close to Melbourne's Central Business District is a small casual dining restaurant that offers a variety of Korean dishes from bibimbap to rice cakes. The cozy atmosphere and the dishes on the menu board attract a number of customers but the quality and quantity of the food is what persuades those customers to return. Staff service is also exceptional—according to dozens of online reviews—and the prices of the dishes are reasonable.
As usual, it's a busy day. Almost all of the tables have been occupied as it's the peak lunch hour and the three cooks in the kitchen are multi-tasking to prepare the orders quickly. Seokjin finishes preparing a bowl of vegetarian bibimbap for a customer and he places it on the counter that separates the kitchen and the payment desk. He rings the service bell to inform the waiter that an order is ready before he starts on the next order for another customer.
"Why are you youngsters obsessed with pop music?! Listen to more classics!" the owner and manager, Donghyun, complains as the youngest employee plays chart-topping music through the restaurant.
"Sunbae, this is 2019. Only old people listen to folk music," the employee, Minsoo, says while chopping some carrots.
"Yah! Who are you calling old? I will sack you!" Donghyun shouts.
Seokjin stifles a laugh as his 42 year old boss and the 17 year old employee bicker back and forth.
"Seokjin-ah, what do you think about this pop garbage?" Donghyun asks his favourite employee and quietly adds, "Please agree with me."
Minsoo gasps. "[Eng] Garbage?! [Kor] Sunbae, don't be a hater!" he shouts.
Donghyun gives Minsoo a dismissive wave and looks at Seokjin, awaiting an answer.
Seokjin laughs lightly. "I don't think pop music is that bad. Most songs are repetitive but they're very catchy," he says.
"[Eng] Thank you!" Minsoo breathes out in relief.
Donghyun scowls. "You were supposed to agree with me!"
Seokjin grins in response before he returns to cooking.
The restaurant closes just after 2:30PM. The workers clean up and some of them stay back for a few more minutes to prepare some things for the night shift while others leave straight away. Seokjin leaves immediately because he has to pick his sons up from school.
-
The boys are waiting near the front gate by the time Seokjin arrives at the high school to pick them up. Jaemin's talking to a few of his friends while Eunho and Taeyoung are staring ahead into empty space. The only girl in the group spots Seokjin approaching them and she taps Jaemin on the shoulder before gesturing to his dad with her chin. Seokjin gives her a kind smile and waves at her when he makes eye contact with her. Her eyes slightly widen by this and she smiles shyly, blushing a little, and waves back before she says goodbye to Jaemin and leaves.
"Appa, I swear she has a crush on you," Jaemin says out of nowhere.
Seokjin bursts out laughing. "Really? I thought she would be crushing on you," he says, smiling in amusement.
"I know, right? I'm the hotter Kim after all," Jaemin says and pops his collar playfully, making Seokjin laugh even louder.
"You wish!" Eunho shouts from beside Jaemin.
"Well if it wasn't for me, none of you would have your good looks," Seokjin says in a teasing manner, though he isn't lying.
"That's true," Taeyoung says, clinging onto his dad's arm.
Seokjin kisses the top of Taeyoung's head and gestures his boys to follow him. They make their way to the bus stop and catch the bus home. Once they get to their apartment, Jaemin takes an envelope out of his bag and hands it to Seokjin.
"[Kor] What's this?" Seokjin asks.
"Just open it and see!" Jaemin says, the excitement in his eyes.
Seokjin's eyebrows furrow in curiosity and he takes the envelope. The first thing he notices is the Kim College logo—one of the most prestigious schools in all of Australia despite being only two years old—on the top left of the envelope. This has been addressed to Jaemin specifically even though it was mailed to the school. Seokjin takes out the letter, unfolds it, and reads every word carefully. By the end of the letter, tears cloud his vision. Soon enough, droplets of the salty substance slip from his eyes and roll down his cheeks. He doesn't hesitate to throw his arms around Jaemin and hold Jaemin tightly.
"Appa, why are you crying?" Jaemin asks, feeling a little panicked.
"I—I'm so proud of you, Jaeminie," Seokjin sobs, his words choked but still clear.
The letter isn't just any letter; it's a scholarship offered to Jaemin to study at Kim College.
Jaemin had written a persuasive essay for his school magazine late last year about allowing students more creative freedom. The principal of Kim College, Taehyung Kim, was impressed by Jaemin's piece and decided to offer a scholarship because he saw potential in Jaemin. Unfortunately school was over by the time Taehyung stumbled upon the essay so he was unable to contact Jaemin's school until the beginning of this academic year which was just a few days ago. Whether Jaemin is to accept, decline, or defer this scholarship, a parent or guardian must contact Kim College and inform the school of his decision as soon as possible.
"[Kor] Kim Jaemin! Why did you make appa cry?!" Eunho scolds Jaemin, and playfully flicks Jaemin's forehead.
Seokjin chuckles lightly and dries his eyes as he sniffles. He has always known his sons excel in certain areas but the fact that they (or one of them) has been recognised for it makes him the happiest father alive. His income is low so he can't afford to enrol them in classes outside of school because the fees are costly and transport is also a major issue, so the most he can do is hope that the school they attend would give their talents and skills some recognition. He's gleeful that Jaemin's work was discovered amongst hundreds of others from different students who go to different schools.
"Hyung, are you going to change schools?" Taeyoung asks, eyes wide with curiosity.
Seokjin looks at Jaemin, anticipating an answer. Jaemin is conflicted because he has one good reason why he wants to go but there are too many reasons for him not to. First of all, he doesn't want to leave his younger brothers at this school. It's not just because he's going to miss them but also because he'll feel guilty for studying at a high-class school while his brothers are studying at a not-so-high-class one. Secondly, this separation is going to be an issue for his dad. It's going to be too much of a hassle travelling to two different schools that are approximately 20 minutes away from each other. And lastly, Kim College is a private school so his dad will have to pay for his education. Even though the scholarship includes the first year free of charge and the following years a 50% discount, the fees are still quite expensive. That's the main reason why Jaemin is hesitant.
"Do you want to go, Jaeminie?" Seokjin asks when Jaemin doesn't answer Taeyoung's question.
Jaemin hesitates but eventually answers as he says, "No. I'll stay at this school."
Seokjin frowns. "[Kor] This is a huge opportunity. You shouldn't turn it down."
"Appa, what's the meaning of [Kor] 'opportunity'?" Taeyoung asks.
"Opportunity," Seokjin answers, then looks back at Jaemin. "Think wisely, Jaemin-ah. I think you should go. This school would have so many opportunities for you."
Jaemin purses his lips and looks away, and Seokjin eventually figures out why Jaemin is acting this way.
"Is this about the money?" Seokjin asks softly.
Jaemin's silence confirms Seokjin's suspicion, and Seokjin sighs heavily as he gently cups Jaemin's face.
"Baby, don't worry about the money, okay? If you really want to go then you should. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the school was even generous enough to offer us a 50% discount for the next years," Seokjin reasons, his doe eyes soft. "I can handle the money and I'm sure they have payment options if we can't settle the fees upfront. Just don't turn down this scholarship if you want it, okay? Think about yourself for once."
"You can't expect me to think about myself when you never think about yourself, appa," Jaemin says, tears building up in his eyes.
Seokjin blinks back his own tears and attaches his lips to Jaemin's forehead, leaving a sweet and lingering kiss.
"[Kor] I can handle it," Seokjin says, and looks at all three of his sons. "Nothing matters to me more than you three."
He holds his arms out and his sons come into them. He wraps his arms around them and holds them close. He kisses each of them on the top of their heads and closes his eyes with a soft sigh.
He's going to call the school tomorrow morning and arrange a meeting with the principal as soon as possible because there's no way he's going to let this opportunity go to waste. He doesn't know a lot about Kim College besides the fact that it's a relatively new and rapidly growing school but he recalls Donghyun telling him that it's a good school especially for those who are interested in the arts. It's a well-known school amongst the Korean locals because it's owned and run by a Korean man.
This isn't going to be easy financially but Seokjin's going to do everything he can to make sure his sons get the best of the best. If an opportunity comes then he won't reject it and he won't let his sons reject it either.
***
the first few chapters might be a little slow and boring because they're introductions to the main characters' lives
taejin meet next chapter :)