'Its not fair!' Hayoung shouted at her mother, her hair in a tangled mess as she flung the sheet of paper in her hands onto the ground.

'I already made the agreement with Mr Kwon, so if you think you can wriggle out of this with that boyfriend of yours, think again, young lady.'

'But I love him and I've never met this Kwon Jiyong person, he's just a rich man.'

'And now you're going to marry him and then you'll be happy, just like when I met your father.'

'You met dad long before you got married and not before he got rich, what makes you think Taehyung won't make it big later on?'

'I'm not going to bet my daughter's future on something unknown, so listen to me and go out with Mr Kwon's son, you hear me?'

'He's eight years older than me, mother, are you crazy? You just want the money!'

'I'm securing your future for you, young lady! You will meet him today, and you will tell him you want to marry him!'

'Its not fair.' Hayoung said again, stomping onto the sheet of paper, containing the details of Kwon Jiyong.

'Its never fair, Oh Hayoung, now go to your room or your father will hear of this!' Hayoung's mother was yelling now, her index finger pointed squarely at the staircase leading up to the second floor. Hayoung screamed, storming up the stairs and slamming the door into her room, locking it before falling onto the bed, curling up with her knees against her chest.

'Tae, where are you?' Hayoung whispered against the soft sheets of white silk, her tears dripping down her cheeks to stain the pristine sheets. Hayoung slipped her hand under the pillowcase for her phone, flicking on the messenger app and to her conversation with Taehyung.

-Last seen, one week ago-

'Its been so long, when will you come back?'

-Kim Taehyung is online-

Hayoung blinked, then began to type rapidly on her phone.

Tae, where are you? My mother wants me to marry someone else, come and save me.

I'm coming, my darling, I'm coming now.

When?

Look out the window, my dear.

Hayoung scrambled off the bed, tripping over the bedsheets spilling over the bed as she ran to the window, looking out over the gardens of her family's home. And there he stood.

Kim Taehyung stood among a cluster of flower bushes, looking up at Hayoung with a little smile, waving.

'Why are you here?' Hayoung mouthed to Taehyung, looking left and right in case someone saw Taehyung and reported his presence to her mother.

'Come down here, and I'll tell you.' Hayoung looked down. It was a long drop, from one floor up.

'I'm scared, Tae.'

'I'll catch you, princess. I promise.' Taehyung ran from the bushes to the base of the building, holding his arms out and waving Hayoung down.

'Promise?' Hayoung swallowed, looking down again.

'Promise.'

Hayoung nodded, taking a deep breath before lifting a leg over the windowsill, then the other, sitting on the windowsill. She was still there when her room door opened, and there stood Madam Oh, staring at Hayoung with horror.

'What are you doing, Oh Hayoung!?'

'Goodbye, mother.' Hayoung pushed off the windowsill, falling down the distance into Taehyung's arms, her arms moving to hug his neck tightly.

'I missed you, you idiot. Where did you go?'

'I'll show you. But first we have to get out of here.' Taehyung lowered Hayoung onto her feet gently, holding her hand tightly and running across the garden.

'Oh Hayoung, come back here right now or never come back again!' Madame Oh screeched, her raised hand clenched into a fist.

'Goodbye mother.' Hayoung didn't even hesitate, running along with Taehyung to the ladder he had used to scale the wall, escaping the gilded prison that was her life.

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The freedom to choose
To be here or be gone
The freedom to say
When it's time to move on 

Kendra Mack, 2016

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Hayoung followed Taehyung into the train station, where they got tickets to Busan.

'T..Tae?' Hayoung fidgeted on the train, holding Taehyung's hand tightly.

'Yes, my princess?' Taehyung smiled to Hayoung, squeezing her hand lightly.

'Where exactly are we going, oppa?'

'Somewhere where we'll be happy together, okay? I got a place to stay for us, and a job.'

'In Busan? Is it safe? Will my mother find me?'

'You'll see. I'll protect you. And look after you. You do trust me, right?'

'Yes oppa, forever.'

'Forever's a long time, princess.' Taehyung leaned into Hayoung, bumping noses with her lightly.

'But I'm alright with spending it with you.' Hayoung mumbled, nosing with Taehyung's cheek gently.

 

 

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Revisiting it after a long time. :)

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