Part 1: The Banquet

Insanely Rich and a Little Crazy
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Jisoo stares at herself in the mirror, her jewelry glimmering in the bright lights of her old bedroom. She smiles at her reflection, a pretentious one, and tries to ignore the brokenness that seeps out of her youthful face. She retouches her make-up until she is deemed presentable enough, fully covering the unfixable cracks from inside her heart.

 

She dabs at her eye before an unwelcome tear falls out. She makes sure her mascara is waterproof for tonight just in case. But right now, she looks presentable and beautiful. Not that she’s bragging. It’s impossible to look ugly in the million-dollar dress she is wearing right now.

 

“Are you ready, Jisoo?”

 

Jisoo nods at her mother’s reflection before picking up her purse and taking small strides out the room. She takes her time walking down the stairs, using her heels as a terrible excuse. She has always been strong and independent. But all of that crumbles now that she feels alone.

 

It’s been two days since she arrived at her parents’ home. The atmosphere in her apartment is far too suffocating and it’s not just because of its size. Her excuse about Jinyoung’s absence is believable enough that her parents do not ask any more. Besides, they are too troubled with other matters to be concerned about her now.

 

She watches as her dad reaches for her mother’s hand. They’ve always been this way – gentle, peaceful… the image of a perfect family. Her father brushes away the strands of hair away from Jisoo’s face, looking at her like the perfect daughter she had always deemed to be. All she could do for now is swallow the pressure back down.

 

The car ride is quiet… save for her father’s stories about their business. Her mother quietly listens to him and responds every once in a while. Jisoo instinctively reaches for her mother’s cold hands, though she doesn’t need that to confirm how nervous they are. She keeps their hands clasped but Jisoo looks out into the night sky.

 

They’re on their way to the birthday banquet her paternal grandmother throws annually. As a kid, she looked forward to it, with her siblings in the car donned in pretty dresses and suits. In the past two years, she rode a car with Jinyoung. But now, her husband’s too preoccupied with his tech start-up that he started missing family events. He reasons that he’s just taking the opportunity so he can provide her with a good future together. As a dutiful wife, Jisoo supports him, even though she doesn’t need any of that. Her parents had gifted them a nice apartment as a wedding gift and she can practically buy all her luxuries and even his with her own money. But, to work hard for that business is what he wants. It’s what makes him happy even if it sacrifices her own. As far as she knows, he is currently abroad. He might be back tomorrow or the following week, but she shouldn’t be concerned about it anymore.

 

Another person that’s currently abroad but should be here is her brother, Minhyuk. She asked him to accompany her but that free-spirited brother of hers decided to skip grandmother’s banquet again this year in lieu of final exams in the university he’s working at. As if he couldn’t fly for the banquet and just leave again the next morning. She suspects it’s because of a girl… though Minhyuk denies it. He’s never been good in that department. However, he has always been vocal with her. He prefers staying in the UK away from the spotlight that follows their family in their home country.

 

It’s quiet in the car now. Her father has stopped talking and is now leaning back with his eyes closed, seemingly praying. Her mother squeezes Jisoo’s hand as if she can hear her thoughts.

 

“Feeling sentimental?” Jisoo just looks at her and nods, no words explaining the storm that’s brewing in her mind. Her mother continues the comforting gesture.

 

“You’ve always been a vivacious child. You always made us happy and proud.”

 

Jisoo is sure it wasn’t the intention but she swallows at the sudden weight in her abdomen. Her mind feeds her the interpretation… good job, perfect Jisoo, keep up the persona… and she just wants to hurl.

 

Luckily for her, they have entered the mansion gates. Stepping down the car, she takes a deep breath and readies her most convincing smile.

 

It’s such a normal event that Jisoo thinks she should be used to it by now. Guests are mainly family and close friends of their grandmother. Many others are invited by extension, but mostly they're just people in their close circles.

 

Grandmother looks lovely in her elegant gold dress perched on her favorite chair. Jisoo’s favorite perk as a granddaughter is the kiss she gets from the elderly woman. She misses her dearly and she promises to stop by more often. The conversation turns to her siblings’ whereabouts and she takes the responsibility to explain when she feels her parents panic from behind her.

 

“Mina will be here today. She’s just running late. Yeri is on her way. Sadly, Minhyuk couldn’t fly home but he promises to be here next year.” Jisoo wants to pat herself on the back. She does her best to be the middle ground. Their family’s backward beliefs can be a pain, but she can’t exactly defend her siblings either. Her parents have been kind and yet they still rebel.

 

Guests are crowding now and she excuses her leave when her uncle arrives. Her mother stays beside her and they politely greet other guests, smiles practically plastered to cover their distress. Her mother wraps a tight grip around her fingers and leads her to one of the rooms at the end of the hall. She internalizes again why she is stuck here with her parents’ problems and why her husband isn’t here to help her. Her mother’s hold against her wedding band stings now as she realizes the implications of marrying into a family like hers.

 

Her mother heaves a sigh when they close the door of the library. She lets go of Jisoo’s hand as she tries to fan her eyes that are currently tearing up.

 

“Please call your sisters. I need to make sure they're arriving.”

 

Jisoo sighs and assures her that they are and without the nuisances that her parents think will arrive with them. She knows her sisters well. They all used to be close until Yeri and Mina decided Jisoo is far too old and mature to understand their problems.

 

“Irene,”

 

The two women turn when Jisoo’s father arrives. He steps aside and Yeri enters the room, baffled at the drama. Their mother rushes to hug her and the younger reluctantly accepts.

 

“Did you greet your grandmother yet? Come on.” Their mother is now too uncharacteristically cheery and beckons the girls to follow her. Their father links their arms as they walk to calm her down.

 

Yeri reluctantly follows behind them. Jisoo takes this time to warn her sister to stick with the plan if she doesn't want her parents breathing down her neck.

 

“Trust me that I’ll help you work it out in the end. Why are you in a hurry? Are you pregnant?”

 

“No!” Yeri whisper-shouts. “But I will be married off next after Minhyuk. And I don’t want to know what happens at that point.”

 

When Yeri announced her engagement to the family, appalled was an understatement. But Jisoo doesn’t recall her parents meddling with their dating lives.

 

“Mom and dad are never arranging marriages for all of you.”

 

“Not even Mina? And how about you?” Yeri stopped walking now to face her older sister, awaiting her response.

 

Taking a deep breath, Jisoo sternly answers, “Definitely not Mina. That’s just cruel. And I met, dated, and married Jinyoung out of my own will.”

 

Unconvinced, Yeri just shakes her head. “You just got lucky his military background made him qualified to enter the family. You know that’s not true for anyone. And I’m sure you know why you chose him in the first place, albeit unconsciously.”

 

With that, Yeri walks ahead, leaving her behind. Jisoo know that she’s angry. She’s expected that. It’s been a month and yet the news still hasn’t left the household, as if it would die out on its own.

 

Jisoo parts ways with her family, searching for a place to breathe. With all the problems her family’s causing right now, she’s just glad that for once the attention is away from her. It’s a bit rude, and she is anything but. She notices the stares, always have, but she never minded them. She is somewhat of a fashion icon even though she only dresses glamorously for herself, and she hopes that image alone can help drown out any bad rumor spreading about her.

 

“Jisoo, your earrings look lovely. Blue diamond?! How lucky!” Kristine, a known rumormonger, stares at the elegant gems cascading from her ear to form a teardrop. She returns a smile and a nod to the middle-aged woman, knowing full well that whatever she answers will be passed on to other rich socialites the minute she turns her back. Unfortunately in these events, money doesn’t guarantee class.

 

“Thank you. My husband gave it to me for my birthday.” Jisoo flashes her popular gracious smile, earning looks of envy from Kristine. What she said wasn’t true. Jisoo bought it directly from her famous jeweler friend. Her husband couldn’t afford even one piece of this set but nobody has to know that. Besides, it was an unintentional splurge, as it happened to be at the time she was suspecting him of cheating with another woman.

 

Jisoo spends the next hour walking around and greeting people. Some of them she v

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kiara216
I know I said this is CRA inspired but if you need a visual, Jisoo here is kinda like Jisoo in the Flower MV teaser 😭
(at least in the upcoming chapters)

Comments

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dolcerina
#1
Aaaaaaah jensoo
sapphicjns #2
Chapter 5: i love this story
Twinjung88
1057 streak #3
Chapter 5: oh Jisoo Mina is right you have to figure it out and fast before its too late for you...
stankimsojung #4
Chapter 5: Thank you for the update! Was nice to see OT4 together. Now I hope Jisoo will make a move soon and choose happiness over moral.
may_bee #5
Chapter 5: Jennie deserves to get Jisoo 😽
AnDEUSAgrega #6
Chapter 4: Yeah he is right
AnDEUSAgrega #7
Chapter 3: Jennie you fool, i want to hug you
Jisoo you are a warrior i would never be able to do that
AnDEUSAgrega #8
Chapter 2: Jennie your whipped baby
She sounds like Astrid from Crazy Rich Asians for sure
sweetaswholes #9
Chapter 4: Ahhhh so happy you updated this! Jisoo definitely reminds me of Astrid from Crazy Rich Asians, but with this wonderful backstory of memories with Jennie interlaced. I can't wait for your next update =]
Twinjung88
1057 streak #10
Chapter 2: So shes married but her husband left her? and probably the reason why Jennie went abroad is because Jisso rejected her confession in the past?