"What should I do? I keep trying to get rid of these feelings." said Joey, who looked really problematic about him liking Rachel.
Watching my favorite tv series, Friends, inside my room during this cold winter gives me peace. After all the studying I did for the midterm exams, I've finally achieved a weekend of no academics to think about.
But of course, what I said was just wishful thinking since minutes later, after I've finished an episode, my mother and father barged inside my room.
"Is there a problem?" I asked them innocently, blinking fast. Mom and dad walked in and sat on my bed while looking at me. Mom tugged Dad's sleeve to make him look at her, widening her eyes as if to tell him that he should be the one to tell me what's going on.
Dad sighed and held my hand, "Jisoo, you're getting married."
"Married?!" I exclaimed, "But I'm just 18!"
"18 is already legal age, honey." Mom said. I couldn't contain my facial expressions as I looked at them incredulously. "Our company's going bankrupt, Soo. The only way that your father can save it is to make you marry the son of one of the company's big sponsors."
"Why me? Why not Seokjin oppa? He's clearly of legal age, too!"
"He's doing his own thing now. We can't let him marry when he just started being popular, and he's too busy for the new Korean drama he's in. And, honey, I said son. I don't think your brother is into boys." Dad said, adding the 'joke' to lighten up my mood.
I scoffed, "So now you're giving away your daughter?"
"Soo, we've known Mr. Kim for years already and he has been good to us since then. I'm sure his son is just like him too."
"Yeah, YOU'VE KNOWN MR. KIM, not me. That's not the same thing, eomma."
"We're just here to tell you the news, your opinions aren't valid." Dad finally spoke with full authority, causing me to flinch. "We'll meet their family the day after tomorrow."
My parents left me in my room for the rest of the day, making a maid deliver my dinner to my room.
"Lola," I called the maid before she left my room, "Is Jin oppa home already?"
"He's not yet here, Ms. Jisoo. I heard your eomma saying that he won't be home until next week." Lola answered
"Oh, okay then. Thanks, Lola." I said and smiled at her. Lola bowed before she finally opened the door and left.
My life's boring as hell. I'm an 18 year old girl, who doesn't have any friends except my cousin, Chaeyoung, and Lola, our maid's daughter who lives with us too.
I've never had any solid friends in my private school since most of them are either models, who think too highly of themselves, or just stuck up btches and bullies. Good thing I have Chaeyoung with me in school, she's the only one keeping me sane there, that's why we became best friends.
"So, who are you betrothed to?" Chaeyoung giggled at her chosen word while we were having lunch in our school's cafeteria
"I don't know. My parents didn't mention any name. Just his last name though, Kim. And I'm not really fond of going with them during company events so I guess I never saw that dude before."
"You're betrothed?" someone said beside behind me. I looked back to see Niana, her eyebrow raised. "What are you? A princess?" Her minions laughed like what she said was the funniest thing.
"Why? Are you jealous, peasant?" I raised an eyebrow too while smirking. I heard Chaeyoung chuckle beside me.
Niana gasped exaggeratedly, "Excuse me? Just because your brother's famous now and your family's company is at a higher state than mine, you get to be able to feel all mighty and high among us."
"She didn't even mention any of that, Niana." Chaeyoung butted in, "Are you at a loss for any comebacks now?"
"Don't make me start on you, Park Chaeyoung." Niana glared at her and took one of her minion's glass of juice from her tray, "You boyfriend stealer!"
I expected her actions so my reflex of shoving the glass of juice to Niana's face instead of her pouring it to Chaeyoung's head was faster. By this time, everyone inside the cafeteria were already looking at us, some probably whispering rumors about us.
"Get your face out of here, Niana, and don't try to mess with me and my cousin again."
Niana and her minions left us, with Chaeyoung all gloomy because of what Niana basically yelled in the whole room.
"I can't believe she said that! It's not even true." Chaeyoung gritted her teeth in annoyance. "You know I didn't steal Noah from her, right? Noah broke up with her when he courted me."
"I know Chaeng. I know." I caressed her back to calm her down, "Don't let her get into you, and don't worry about what others may think of you. We both know who's in the wrong here."
Chaeng smiled at me, "Thank you."
After our dinner, news online started circulating about my father's company that's close to being bankrupt already, causing my brother to come home sooner than we thought.
"Dad, calm down. You've already got a plan about this. Don't stress yourself out." Jin told Dad while we were all in his office in our house.
"That damn vice president of mine just couldn't keep his mouth shut." Dad yelled in frustration, "I can't believe this is happening."
"Ji-yong honey, I'm sure Mr. Kim won't back down with the fixed marriage we talked about. We'll get through this soon. Just.. Don't let the media know what you're really going through right now." mom said.
"But Dara..." dad said, still wary of the news spreading, "Our company's name is tainted now. We might lose investors."
"Mr. Kim will help you, and you still have a lot of other friends who I believe are willing to help you get through this. Just trust the timing."
"Yeah dad, trust the timing." Jin smirked, "I'm sure Jisoo here is already excited about the engagement party."
"I am not." I huffed and stood up, "I'm going to my room now."
The next day, I was walking upstairs when I felt something fell on my head, and students around me saw it happening. Slowly, I lifted my hand to touch my head, only to feel something gooey. As I checked my shaking hand, I realized that it was an egg yolk. Someone threw an egg on my head.
I looked up and saw Niana snickering with her minions from the third floor, each of them showing me the eggs they were holding. Since they were 5, 4 girls were still holding eggs. One by one, they threw it on me and laughed. "Look who's the peasant now. At least my family's company isn't going into bankruptcy." Niana laughed as they ran away before I could even get to them.
I stomped my foot angrily, not minding the stares I was getting, before walking my way to the girl's comfort room.
Looking at my self in the mirror, I choked back a cry. How dare she mess with my hair? I can accept it if they just threw it on my uniform but they didn't. If there's one thing I don't want people to be touching is it's my hair. Never have I ever let anyone pat my head or touch my hair without my consent. I just find it extremely annoying if anybody does that to me.
After washing my hair as well as the parts of my blouse that was affected by the egg yolks, I walked my way towards the school's gate. However, before I even got near the guard house, another student tripped me and ran away laughing.
I went home after that, clearly not in the mood to attend the rest of my classes.
"Sooya, what happened? Why is your hair wet?" Lola asked me when I got inside my room to sulk.
"Some students made fun of me." I said, "I'm sorry. Can I be alone for the rest of the day? Just call me when dinner's ready please."
Lola sighed, "Talk to me whenever you're ready." I nodded as she went outside me room.
At dinner, Jin, dad, mom, and I were eating silently until dad's phone rang for an incoming call.
Dad stood up, "Excuse me. I'll just answer this."
"Your driver told me that you asked for him to fetch you in the afternoon and it's not even your last class yet." mom said, disappointment evident in her face
Jin raised his eyebrows, "Really? Why, Soo?"
"I just don't feel well." I lied, "But I'm feeling better now, after I got some rest in the afternoon."
"You better not slack off, Jisoo. I'm counting on you to finish your degree without delay."
"I'm not slacking off, mom." I deadpanned.
Before mom could say another word, Dad got back to the dining room.
He sat beside mom again, his eyebrows furrowed like he's angry.
"What happened, dad?" Jin dared to ask.
"Jisoo, your fiancé ran away."