Persuasion

Word count: 2, 811

4 months ago

His unwavering stare matched the minimum noise level that had taken place in the small living room, murmurs travelling throughout the non-spacious area as the other two females silently discussed among themselves. He listened closely, inwardly disapproving the statements the ladies had been talking about. He ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair, a sign of the that clearly displayed itself in front of his daughter besides the stern personality that he openly exposed. He looked fairly young for his age, not many creases on the slightly tanned skin that one would expect at this stage of life.

The older female sighed, insecurely tucking the loose strands of hair that unfastened itself from her messy ponytail. She carefully listened to what her daughter had been explaining, paying close detail to her statements, yet, her husband did not seem to approve of their child’s desire. But the mother seemed to be convinced by her daughter’s words of persuasion. Unlike the head of the household, only several silver strands of hair were hinted in the long locks of smoky charcoal. It was truly a warm, motherly image that was presented in front of everybody.

The contrast in the couple’s nature stunned all those who met them, slightly shocking those people who could have easily recognised the difference in their character. A very firm and dominant lion, pairing himself with a butterfly, a creature who cannot even hurt a fly. A gentle and gullible living thing.

Then, there was Lucy. A pure combination of both, having the stubbornness of her father and the innocence of her mother, yet, her bowl was empty, waiting to be filled up to the rim despite the abilities that she was capable of. She respected her parents, with all honesty, doing whatever she could to make them happy even if they had had several bumps on their path that had driven her furious.

“Please understand that going back to Seoul to study is something that I’ve wished to do for as long as I’ve remembered. I've always wanted to teach english there rather than here." Lucy begged, eyes full of aspiration. She hoped that despite her father not obliging her to go, her mother would be able to assure him that everything would be fine.

“I’m a big girl now,” Lucy continued, looking directly into the eyes of the tiger, “Up until this day, I’ve always kept both you and mum’s teachings at heart. If I have always remembered them until now, why won’t I remember while I’m studying abroad?”

The older man exhaled, prolonging the harsh release of air and emphasising that he wanted to keep his daughter within arms length. Just like any father, he was worried; he wasn’t concerned with his daughter rebelling against all he had taught her. He was worried about her safety, anxious if Lucy would be able to fend for herself without his or his wife’s guidance.

“Just say we let you go,” he breathed out, “How will I know that you won’t go against anything that I’ve taught you?”

Lucy inwardly hissed, “I don’t understand. I’m going to be more than a thousand kilometres away, dad, how should I know?”

She knew the risks of what she said but her parents couldn't keep her with them forever; they had to let her go someday whether it would be in tomorrow, next week or in ten years, one day, the time will come.

The smokey haired woman raised her worn out hands towards her husband’s back, gently his craned figure as a sign of comfort, “Honey, she’ll be fine-”

“No,” he cut her off without a thought passing by, eyebrows furrowing, "I was like you at your age. I promised my parents that I wouldn't do anything stupid when I came here to Australia but in the end, because of my foolishness, I took advantage of the freedom that I had -"

"I know, I know. You realised all the wrong things that you had done and went back to Seoul where you met mum and then came back to Sydney after you became married." She shrugged, hearing the story more than once, she knew how it started, what happened in-between and what made things end.

But things hadn't really ended, has it?

"The fact that you know means that you understand why I'm very reluctant to let you go, right?" Han Dae Hyun, the head of the austere family rarely obliged to anything that anybody would have said. He understood the advantages that might or might have not benefited him but if it meant losing something that was important, he simply could not budge.

Taking a sharp intake of air then breathing it out, Lucy bit her lip, trying to control herself from saying anything inappropriate in front of her father, "Dad, I don't know what else I can say to you seeing that you are not giving me permission to study in Seoul. All I'm going to say is: please. I want to know what things are like there. I want to have a completely new experience in another country. I know that I'm lucky enough to study in the school that I am in now but I need to learn more things outside the box and have a diversity of knowledge in teaching if I really want to be successful when I get older - if you want be to be successful."

Dae Hyun's daughter's words did nothing to change what he wanted from Lucy but it managed to soften his decision whether he would allow her to study overseas. He leaned back, slouching his back on the leather sofa and closed his eyes for one moment, thinking and trying to settle a conclusion that would determine Lucy's future. He was a man of his words that stayed absolute the minute it escaped his lips. It was now or never.

Shooting his eyes open, he straightened his back and gave his wife a considering look, nodding. He looked back at Lucy and his heart immediately soothed down, staring at the subject of all the sacrifices that he had done just for Lucy. Her features had matured and were chiseled into sharper features over the years of her youth, resembling the same characteristics that his wife had.

"Please, dad. Can I go?" Same eyes, same nose and the same smile that both her and her mother shared. Lucy could almost see the jarring syllable of a 'no' coming out of her father's lips. She fidgeted with the hem of her blouse, rubbing her sweaty fingers on the soft fabric.

Please.

"Okay. You can go." Dae Hyun answered hesitantly but the burden that had seated itself on his shoulders seemed to slowly lightened. He felt like his decision was wrong, separating her from him and his wife might be a grave mistake that he would later on regret in the future. But the words had already broken free from his mouth. He could not take it back.

Lucy's eyes widened and she gawked, barely able to contain her excitement and happiness, "Are you serious? Can I really go?"

"Yes, I am serious," even Dae Hyun's wife, Mrs. Han Ji Yu, could not believe what she had just heard, "But, there is one condition that you have to follow while on your stay in Seoul."

"And what condition is that?" Lucy gulped, the joy she had several seconds ago started to decrease by the nervousness that had started uncovering itself. Knowing her father, it was impossible for that condition to be too small. She predicted that it would be something that might had been very hard for her to obey.

"Don't fall in love."

 

-



That one sentence echoed in her head, bouncing off the walls of her conscience and not failing to give her a rest.

Lucy collapsed onto her bed, cupping her arms around her crown and gave herself time to think. She was glad that her father gave her permission to walk up the stairway of independence but she was very unsure if she would be able to follow his rule obediently.

Like a dog, she thought.

Was it possible for her to stop the feeling of affection overcoming her? Would it be right to deny her want for intimacy when the time came?

She tossed and her bed, proceeding herself in uncomfortable positions that brought pain to some parts of her body but she didn't mind. She was starting to get restless, burying her head into the comfort of her pillow, taking big breaths of air before dumping her head back into the big mound of cotton.

"Sweetie?" a muffled voice called from behind her door of what seemed to sound like her mother, Mrs. Han Ji Yu, the woman of multiple beliefs, believing in every single superstition that could possibly exist. In contrast to her husband, she was rather naive and relatively indecisive with the things that she says, "Can I come in?"

Lucy groaned from underneath the covers and dragged her feet across the maroon-tiled floor. Putting her grip rather lightly on the knob, she twisted it open and peeked outside reassuringly that it was her mother. Nodding after confirming her assumption, she glided back to her bed and buried herself underneath her blanket.

"Tell me what's wrong," Ji Yu asked, finding an area to sit on her daughter's bed, "Your father allowed you to go to Korea. Shouldn't you be happy?"

"Happy?" Lucy croaked, "I am happy. Very. But what's troubling me is the regulation that dad set out."

"Hm," the older woman nodded, "The one where you can't fall in love?"

"Yes, that one. There is only one rule, mom. Besides the basic rules that I have to follow while I'm away." you can't trust people too easily, you can't drink, remember to always check that the locks are closed before you get out of the house, don't go into red light districts, etc.,

"I've tried talking to him but it didn't help at all. You know how he is, once he has made his decision on something, there isn't much that we can do."

"I know. But still…" Lucy trailed off, slightly dissatisfied and upset. She wanted several words of comfort by her mother.

"He's your father, Lucy. I'm sure he knows what's right for you."

Lucy immediately got up and sat on her bed, frowning at her mother, "So are you saying that what dad's doing is right?"

"No, honey, that's not what I'm saying. I don't entirely think that it is effective in a sense that it will help you with your development but at the same time, I am quite worried about you being by yourself without us."

"Mom, I'm seventeen. I'm turning eighteen next year. I can't be within arms grasp of you and dad all the time."

"Honey," she leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead then giving her a tight hug that she hoped, might ease her daughter's troubled soul, "Trust your dad and trust me, in the end, it might be worth it."

Lucy chuckled, "What might be worth it? Me having the restriction of not being able to be in a relationship?"

"You know that is not what I am talking about but please, Lucy, trust us. In the end everything that we do just for you will benefit you."

Lucy recalled all the times she had caught her father staying up late, trying to design a suitable house for his clients. His hair would always be in a mess, minute after minute, he would vigorously dig his hands into his head in hope for inspiration. By the next day, he would always be victorious in coming up with a successful design. He openly expressed the joy that he had with the model he constructed, head held up high yet he managed to maintain the precise and humble personality that distinguished himself from other people.

"And who knows," Ji Yu continued, letting go of her daughter to fix her hair, gentle fingers swiftly moving across her features where a small 'crow's nest' slowly started to form, "Maybe you might end up that 'Diamonds Boy'."

Lucy leaned backwards, resting her back on the headboard and recalling an event that happened almost 13 years ago; she was only four years old. But in spite of all that has happened in-between that time frame, her mother never failed to remind her at least once a day of that occurrence.

It almost seemed like it was just yesterday, Lucy wasn't even taller than 3 feet with black doll shoes and bright coloured dresses, either with flower or fruit patterns that reflected her purity.

She kicked her shoes off her feet one afternoon after coming back from a walk around the garden, receiving a small scolding from her father because it was rude and her clothes were dirty. Running up to her room, slightly upset that the head of the house showed no mercy in his reproach, she took out her pack of crayons and her sketchbook.

Drawing had always been an activity that would never fail to ease her mind, almost feeling like she became one with a stronger force from outside the world, distracting her from the flaws from her own dimensions. The god-like power controlled her movements, even manipulating the way her mind functioned while she was at work.

She was only four and yet, the simple pastime allowed her to feel such capabilities and control, making her believe that she was highly competent in doing such wonders.

Even Lucy could not believe it.

That's how she felt the minute the thick block of blue hit the undiluted drawing pad; she felt dominated by the control of the strength that she suddenly felt.

She allowed it to control her.

Her crayon glided across the blank sheet of paper, cobalt blue starting to form the shape of a man's clothing. She then grabbed another art material but this time, a peach coloured pencil. She used it to draw arms, reaching out towards it's viewers; almost like he was asking them to take his hand, to trust them that the road of which they would embark will be safe.

A black marker was used to draw his features, though her skills in art had not yet been excelled at her age, the level that she was in was simply extraordinary for a four year old. His eyes were nothing but plain black dots yet it showed the eagerness and the motivation that Lucy wanted to portray. A red marker was later used for his lips, closed tightly but it was perfectly curved into a warm smile. The young girl thought it was slightly mysterious rather than enthusiastic.

When she was finished, she thought that it looked plain. The toothless grin that he showed, the calm blue clothing that he wore and the position that he posed in was satisfying.

"But not satisfying enough." Lucy shook her head but her features still twinkled, excited for the finished product.

She took another crayon. It was tinted in a bright azure, almost invisible on her milky paper but tinted in the right shade that suited Lucy's taste.

She drew diamonds, big, small and shaped into all sorts of forms, sparkling to it's heart content, immediately capturing it's audience with it's astounding shine.

Lucy smiled to herself, grinning from ear to ear that her masterpiece was complete. She took the drawing in hand and quickly showed it to her mother who immediately interpreted it in her own explanation that confused Lucy. She tilted her head sideways, putting on a bewildered look on her face while her mother used foreign words in front of her.

It was only when Lucy grew older and reached the age of eight that she understood what her mother was talking about.

Diamonds, one of the most priceless objects that could only be bought by the fortunate represented the jewels of life; freedom and possibly even the 'spice of living', the things that Lucy might end up missing out on when she grew older.

The man was the force; the force that drove Lucy to walk on her own path of liberty without following her father's teachings all the time. Ji Yu continuously told Lucy that one day, she could make her own rules, go crazy and all out without worrying about the regulations that she had to follow. The regulations that chained her down from enjoying the spices that awaited her.

Whenever Lucy thought about this, even when she was seventeen, it thrilled her. It brought chills and rushes of excitement down her spine but in the end, she always shook the thought away.

It wasn't that easy.