Chapter 11 - Reasons

Taeyeon’s Apartment Building - 7:46PM

“This isn’t a real relationship?!” shrieked Tiffany, staring at Jiyong and Taeyeon. The three of them were stood outside Taeyeon’s apartment building on the autumn night. Tiffany had just returned from her work when she overheard the revelation between the two.

“We can explain!” protested Taeyeon, quickly unlocking the door to the building. She understood what needed to be done from Jiyong’s darting gaze - someone could be watching them now. She quickly pushed the startled pink clothed lady, whose body was contorted with anger.

“Tell me now! What are you doing Kim Taeyeon?” cried Tiffany, flailing her arms against the short woman who forcefully shoved her inside.

“Let’s talk in the apartment,” Taeyeon suggested, looking back at Jiyong. She gave him the sign to leave and he quickly nodded, not wanting to deal with the hysterical woman.

*

The two were now seated in the living room, with Seohyun between the two almost as if she was a mediator to the conversation.

“Taeyeon, explain to Tiffany then what’s going on between you and Jiyong,” Seohyun said in a commanding tone. She was peacefully sitting cross-legged on the cushion at the coffee table, between the flustered Tiffany and the tired Taeyeon.

“It’s true. We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend,” informed Taeyeon, scratching the back of her head timidly.

“Why?” Tiffany asked, almost on the verge of tears at the thought of her best friend lying to her.

“Well, it’s like this…” started Taeyeon. She explained the details regarding Jiyong’s situation - his mother wanting him to get into an arranged marriage, Jiyong’s aversion to marriage and her role in preventing it all.

“What’s in it for you then?” Tiffany questioned, more accepting of the situation now. From the sounds of it Taeyeon, despite seeming like the victim in all of this, didn’t seem to feel particularly bitter about it. Rather she carried a happy tone when recounting the tale. Still, Tiffany had a few questions left unanswered. “Why are you helping him?”

“He made my mother happy,” answered Taeyeon. Tiffany’s confused look prompted her to continue. “On that day she came by and met Jiyong, he introduced himself as my boyfriend. And you know how my parents are - they want to see me married soon. Especially before my dad moves on…” Taeyeon murmured the last sentence as reality sunk into her. Her father wasn’t getting any better and the doctor had already warned him a few times. She rubbed the butterfly necklace nestled around her neck, the one her father had bought for her 26 years ago, as she continued to recall the most important man in her life. She wasn’t close to accomplishing their fervent desire to see their daughter married to a good man, and now she was deceiving them about her prospects. Was she still a good daughter?

“Ah…” Tiffany accepted, understanding Taeyeon’s plight. Tears were forming in the emotional girl's eyes. “You poor girl. You always take responsibility for everyone…”

“Don’t worry,” assured Taeyeon, reaching over to wipe the drops of water emerging from the girl’s eyes. She brushed off her thoughts and concentrated on the people in front of her. “I’m not in any danger or anything.”

“It’s just I didn’t know the entire time. He was so nice to you that I thought it was real,” sniffed Tiffany, clearing away the moisture from her eyes. “I’m your best friend and didn’t even know you were pretending to go through all of this.”

“He takes care of me well,” reassured Taeyeon. “He makes sure to take me on dates I enjoy and he even took me to his friend’s art gallery!” Taeyeon continued to recall fondly the first date he took her on and the diverse collection of paintings she was able to study in person. It was such an amazing place to her, and if possible she would like to own a place just like it in the future.

“That’s good to hear,” Tiffany acknowledged, now smiling brightly at the happy Taeyeon. She at least had found her joy back, something Tiffany had not seen for a while now. She was at least grateful to Jiyong for that.

“But unnie,” interjected Seohyun who had been quiet all this time. “Why doesn’t he want to get married? Surely it’d be a benefit to his hotel and he must want to get married sometime. Your parents having a bad marriage surely isn’t enough.”

“Hmm,” Taeyeon said, thinking of the possibilities. “You think there’s more to it?”

“Definitely. He seems to be quite a logical man. A marriage could be a massive boon to the business at least, and he seems to be an affectionate person to you at least,” reasoned Seohyun, looking at Taeyeon who blushed at the younger’s words. “It’s not like he doesn’t like woman. Something definitely feels off.”

“Yeah!” concurred Tiffany wholeheartedly, clasping her hands together. “He does treat you awfully well. If I didn’t know better I’d say you two were a real couple.”

“I’ll ask him next time then about it if you two think something is off,” agreed Taeyeon. She didn’t know too much about Jiyong’s personal circumstances she realised -  he had often refused to answer, about the reason he stayed with the hotel despite hating his parents and their obsession with the business, why he didn’t pursue his art instead and now according to her two roommates there was more to his reasons for not wanting to be married.

*

Seoul Galleria Forest - 8:22PM

Jiyong walked into his apartment, already illuminated by clear white light emitted from the lights ingrained into the ceiling. The interior was decorated with modern furniture, of plain white and black colours. A tinted glass coffee table took the centre of the living room, surrounded by black leather sofas. Over to the left of the living room was a clean kitchen, complete with a black refrigerator and cooking utensils of all kinds. Seated at the table in the kitchen was an elderly woman, who looked as if she had been sitting there for a  while.

“Mother,” greeted Jiyong warily, walking over to the fridge for a bottle of cold water. What was she doing here so late at night?

“So you’re finally back,” she stated indifferently, looking up from the book she was reading. “How was your night?”

“It was good. I spent it with Taeyeon,” Jiyong emphasized, twisting the cap of the bottle.

A small chuckle emanated from the woman, as if Jiyong told a joke. “Taeyeon? The one you’re apparently in love with?” she said mockingly, placing the book away in her handbag.

“Yes. The one I introduced you to last time,” Jiyong replied, taking a refreshing sip of the chilled water. What was she planning?

“I wonder then,” she paused. “Why do you always send her home? Have you never spent the night with her?”

“How do you know about that?” Jiyong retorted. He knew the answer, but at the very least he could make the prideful woman admit it.

“You know I have people watching you two,” answered mother Kwon. “And from what I’ve heard she was always returned to her home before the night is over.”

“Why does that matter?” argued Jiyong.

“I know as well as you do the number of woman you bring back here. Everyone talks about the infamous Kwon Jiyong and his legacy with those cheap woman,” she accused. “Is she perhaps not to your liking? Her features are not the ones you usually go for. Is that why you haven’t brought her back here?”

“I’m very serious about her so we’re not rushing things,” Jiyong answered, dismissing the woman’s provocations.

“Not rushing things? You’re getting married to her in 5 months. You better find out if you two are even compatible first,” mother Kwon corrected, rising from her seat.  

“From the looks of your relationship it seems like compatibility doesn’t even matter,” remarked Jiyong snidely.

“You’re right. It doesn’t,” she stated before laughing bitterly. “Since it doesn’t matter then, you’ll get married to who I want you to.”

“I refuse. I have already found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Jiyong lied, as he watched the woman approached him. “If you really don’t want her then you can just tell me. Then I’ll never get married.”

“I know this is all just an act. As soon as I find the smallest kink in your armour I will destroy your facade,” she whispered threateningly into Jiyong’s ear. “You will marry someone more appropriate. I’ll show you what a cheap woman your girlfriend is.”

An uneasy feeling loomed within Jiyong.. His mother was clearly planning on doing something other than the surveillance so far. She was a capable woman, and usually she got whatever she wanted. Jiyong didn’t get into conflicts with his mother much, but this was a case in which he would not budge. Whatever his mother would attempt Jiyong knew he had to prevent.

*

Taeyeon’s Bedroom - 11:02PM

Taeyeon stepped into her bedroom, just freshly out of the shower. She brushed her wet blonde hair lightly with a pale yellow towel and sat at her small make-up table. Taking the hairdryer in her hands, she began to think about what she would say to Jiyong next time. For someone who didn’t want to dedicate themselves to marriage, he certainly knew how to act like a good boyfriend. It didn’t seem he was so opposed to commitment, as he hated cheaters as well - evident from their first meeting where he had helped her deal with her own cheating ex. Did he just think he was too young to be married? Was