Apart

300 HOURS
Please Subscribe to read the full chapter

The night before my seventh birthday, my father came home early from work and my mother went down for dinner. They both had smiles on their faces and they all looked excited to eat dinner with the six-year-old me. Little did I know it was something they staged to give me a proper birthday family dinner before my mother’s lawyer comes in barging to my birthday party the next day. I remember my dad being furious; I could hear him yell from their room even with my guests laughing loudly at the clown tricks. Growing up, I realized my last dinner with them was fake. We only sat around the dining table because they wanted to spare their son’s feelings, yet still pursued the separation. I’d say it was the worst thing they did. I already knew they weren’t on good terms, they yelled at each other a lot and fought almost every night, but that dinner gave me hope that maybe they’re trying to work things out, only to find out I was holding onto a nonexistent strand of hope.

 

Since then, I was never enthusiastic about dinner with them—or even the mere fact that I’ll see them. It’s because every single time I sit across one of them for a meal, it reminds me of that one particular staged dinner. I get a bitter taste in my mouth every single time I remember that my last dinner with my parents was a lie. None of them was thrilled to sit there. None of them sat there and thought, “this is exactly what I want” like I did. None.

 

“Your father and I spoke on the phone earlier. He said he’s going back to London for business so he won’t be here for the gala,” She says as she takes a sip of her wine, “Too bad he isn’t going to be here when you announce your engagement with Catherine,”

 

“All he’s going to miss is my birthday party,” I tell her as I slice the steak and take a bite. I look up at her as she plasters a sweet—fake—smile across her face. She lets out a small chuckle.

 

“Aww, you’ve always been such a cheeky little boy, you know,” My mother smiles again as she lets her fingers fidget on her ear, feeling her diamond earing, “So you’ve decided to date that intern?”

 

“I don’t see anything wrong with that,”

 

“Of course you don’t. She has you fooled,” She remarks with a small smile and I give her a look of disinterest, “Honey, you’re one of the wealthiest bachelors in all of Korea. Do you honestly think I’m going to let her off easy?” Her smirk makes me glare at her. I’m baffled by her selfishness, really. I’m shocked by how she wants everything to herself. In terms of business, she hasn’t been involved in the company as much as my father has been. And it makes me sick to think that she’s only doing this to boost her ego.

 

“Haerin stays out of this.”

 

“Oh, not anymore sweetie,”

 

“Are you really going to do this to your son?”

 

“Well are you really going to do this to your mother?” She bits back and then looks at me intently in the eyes, “I worked twice as hard as your father did and all I get is what? Forty percent? Do you realize how absurd that is? It isn’t fair at all,” She asks, furious.

 

“Can’t you two come to an agreement?”

 

“Honey, what did you think was the reason of our divorce?” I briefly look away and then glare at her. The atmosphere turns dark and she’s the only one amused in this conversation, “I cannot believe I’m arguing with my son about a petty local girl who honestly thinks she can go through me,” She adds.

 

“Oh, she’s not trying to get through you. I am,” I tell her and hangs open as I stand up from my seat. I wipe my mouth and drop the napkin on the table, “Let’s not have dinner again. It seems to only make things worse,” I walk away from my seat and finally breathe properly.

 

“Is she worth all of this, huh?” She asks me before I could get out of the door. Her questions had stopped my tracks so I turn to her and she looks at me with disappointment and furiousness filling her eyes, “Is she worth leaving your mother behind?”

 

“Is your new husband worth leaving your son behind?” I ask and she freezes on her spot with agape. My mother never looked as shocked as she is now. I feel a sting in my chest and I scoff, “Thought so,”

 

I hear her call my name and the seven-year-old me reappears inside my head. He’s sitting on the staircase while they screamed how life was worse having each other around, how things are not the same anymore and that it makes them sick to even be breathing the same air. He looked so hopeless and scared but still believed that maybe they’d work it out. But they didn’t.

 

My phone rings as I step inside my car. Once I fish it out of my pocket, I see Jongin’s caller I.D flash on the screen, “Hello?” I answer, settling myself in the vehicle as I insert they car key.

 

“Hey man. Hate to bother your reunion with your mom but when are you getting here?”

 

“I’m just about to leave, why? Is there something wrong?”

 

“I wouldn’t call it wrong because it’s totally natural for a brother to reprimand her younger sister after missing for three days with her boyfriend,” Jongin remarks and I can hear Jaejoong yell, although I couldn’t make out the words because Jongin seems to be standing away from them, “Just get here fast and do some explaining,”

 

“Alright. I’m on my way,”

 

 

I pulled by the curb and immediately step out of the car. The moment I reach their gate, I see Jongin standing by the front door as he’s looking at the ground with his arms crossed across his chest. I hear Jaejoong’s voice emanate from inside. Jongin looks up at me and he shakes his head, “It’s ugly in there man. Do something,”

 

“How long have they been in there?”

 

“Half an hour? I don’

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter
Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Baekhyunsoul
#1
Chapter 29: The dream within a dream I wanted to die for her
Baekhyunsoul
#2
Chapter 27: This part was beautiful 😻
Baekhyunsoul
#3
Chapter 26: Well damn— now I’m crying for him😭😭😭
Baekhyunsoul
#4
Chapter 25: Okay so I’m crying now for real 😭that was so harsh
Baekhyunsoul
#5
Chapter 24: I don’t get it!?? I don’t get him- why did he break her like that!?? He had the perfect opportunity to change things 😭
Baekhyunsoul
#6
Chapter 23: I ship them- I wish he gave her fuzzies as much as Sehun Since he’s liked her from the very very beginning 🥹
Baekhyunsoul
#7
Chapter 22: Honestly- I’m so proud she said as much as she did to Sehun. He didn’t even give it a good moment before he backstroked out of it as hard as he did
Baekhyunsoul
#8
Chapter 19: Ughh….! It’s so hard to decide who to ship because Sehun has been so sweet and heartfelt but Jongin was there from the start being warm and witty and welcoming and wanted her first
Baekhyunsoul
#9
Chapter 18: The whole chase scene made me think of them in the mud- I have that pic of Baekhyun, muddied and smiling on my phone
Baekhyunsoul
#10
Chapter 15: That last moment made me squeal inside 😍