ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

Glass shattered the moment Sehun and his dad walked in through the door. A shriek of agony and fury. Then, “BASTARD!”

“Seoyun! Please!” the deep voice of his older brother Sangki begged for mercy.

Closing his eyes Sehun sighed. He was tired. It was a quarter past midnight. His of a brother was probably cowering behind the piano for cover as another glass cup shattered.

“Freaking hell,” his father muttered stalking past him and down the winding corridor toward the battle cries.

Sighing again, Sehun followed. Five rooms down the marbled hall they finally reached their destination. One of the lounge rooms with an electric fireplace. Stuffed with soft, velvety furniture, an exquisite Victorian painting acquired from Italy, and the grand piano. The room was often dimmed out, it’s purpose for relaxation. Technically not what was taking place tonight.

His sister-in-law, Lim Seoyun, was fiercely crying. A tray of whiskey glasses sat on the table to her left, ready at her disposal. Next could be the glass of liquor.

“What is going on?!” his father roared. Every nerve in the walls seemed to tremble in the following silence. The aftermath felt like a bomb had detonated. Sehun couldn’t move an inch from where he stood behind his father. Waiting for something to finally happen. Another explosion?

“Dad! Dad!” Sangki rushed over. Sehun’s brother was older by four years but they were the same height. His complexion was paler, his face thinner like his body was lanky. Sehun didn’t doubt that beneath his clothes he was probably well built in the right places. Unlike his brother Sehun jogged the trails on their land, went to the gym two times out of the week, and did a round of sit ups or pushups, depending on how he felt, before bed.

“Please, you’ve got to believe me,” his brother whined latching onto their father’s arm. “Please, tell Seoyun I didn’t see anyone tonight.”

Sehun glanced over at his sister-in-law to see her crying disappointedly this time. Sobbing she wiped her face before brushing past and disappearing down the hall.

“What did you do?” his father demanded less harshly now that the woman was gone. Waving his hand in front of his face as he inched back, “You were drinking.”

Sangki’s eyes darted toward him and noticing their father turned. “Sehun,” the old man bellowed.

Sehun shot his older brother one glance before turning around to go down the same path Seoyun had just taken. No question to it. His brother had been out to the clubs. Maybe slept with a woman whose face he didn’t remember before staggering back home like an .

Oh Sangki was like that.

An who catered only to himself.

He’d gotten married to Seoyun when they were fresh out of college. Talked big of a family. All these plans they had in store to raise an heir to join into the company. Poor Seoyun who came from the working class had her dreams crushed when after numerous doctor appointments discovered she was infertile. It was an embarrassment to the Oh family; that they had accepted someone from a blue-collar household into their upstanding family only to be stabbed in the back.

Divorce was a last means, because money would be lost. They kept the situation hush-hush, swept it under the rug like it never happened, but Sangki and Seoyun’s lives were never the same. The heir everyone hoped for remained a hopeless dream.

The back door was open. A soft breeze swept in the house. Their mansion was a quarter size smaller than the Kim’s, but they still had good money on their backs. They had a man-made lake on their land where Sehun went fishing every now and then. It was surrounded by the luscious woods that was the owls’ hunting grounds, where deer roamed, and rabbits hid. That was where Sehun’s jogging trail curbed through and winded back to their mansion.

Out back was a porch swing his mother had built in her younger years before she became bedridden. Now, the housemaids tended to the garden outside. Flowers flourished alongside hedgerows. Out here the smell of grass was surprisingly strong because the housekeeper had cut the lawn. It almost felt like he’d stepped into another dimension as the night sky hovered above him. Lit with a firework of stars and the full moon. A hazy kind of spring that said summer was on its way.

God, he wanted to get out of his suit and jump in the shower.

The sound of sniffing caught his attention. Turning he recognized the silhouette of Seoyun sitting on a lawn chair. Knees up to her s and wiping her tears with her sleeve. Appearing like a lost child hidden in the shadows. The lamp glowed above him as he moved. Plopping down onto the porch swing with another sigh.

“I must look so pathetic,” she sniffed.

“To be nice, I won’t say it,” Sehun said rocking himself back and forth gently with his feet. Staring off into the distance wondering what animals had come out of hiding now that it was dark.

“Why can’t your brother be more like you,” she cried. “He’s this spineless jackass who only wants to have children.”

“Then why haven’t you left him?” Sehun looked in her direction.

“You know why.”

“I would do it,” Sehun said, “divorce him, if I were you.”

She glanced up at him. He saw the reflection of tears in her eyes before looking away. Leaning further back into the porch swing he stared off into the distance again.

“Why let something like that stop you if you can be happy?”

“Then, what about you?” Seoyun hiccupped. “You’re marrying that girl not because you love her.”

Sehun blinked taken aback that she’d pointed out something he couldn’t counterattack. “Yours and mine are two different things.”

Deciding not to let her have the last word, he hopped off the porch swing. “It’s been a long day.” Stretching, he glanced back. “A woman’s tears shouldn’t be wasted on a man who doesn’t love her.” Turning away he said as he walked off, “I’m going to sleep now.”

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

Sehun showered, changed into his pajamas, and stood in front of his bedside table. Only his alarm clock sat on it. Below were three drawers of his belongings. Opening the first one he stared at the small velvet box.

He immediately slammed it shut when the bedroom door burst open and his brother poked his head in. Heaving the nth sigh of the night, Sehun bit his lower lip.

“My brother!” Sangki called out. “How did your night go?”

“Lovely,” Sehun replied turning to look at him. Asking more seriously, “Is there something you want?”

He knew Sangki. They may have gotten along when they were younger, but their older years had fared much more differently. Due to many circumstances. One of them being Sehun wasn’t as self-centered as his older brother. Yet the both of them lived to please their father. For some damn reason.

“How is Seoyun? Did you talk to her?”

“Maybe you should care more about her and not try to bring a mistress home,” Sehun shot, and he meant it.

“Look at you, trying to act so wise,” Sangki grinned, but Sehun knew he didn’t like being told off even if he was in the wrong. If Sangki had hurt someone he still had to be tended to first.

“Are you done? I want to rest,” Sehun said.

“Just wait until you get married, Sehun. We’ll see how upstanding you can still be,” Sangki’s eyes narrowed before he turned away.

Sehun nearly hissed underneath his breath. Walking toward the door he shut it and locked it.

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

The lock jangled before Namjoo managed to unlock the dressing room door.

“I don’t like this,” she said poking her head out. Hong Leah, her personal housemaid-slash-friend, had woken her up early morning to go shopping. For a wedding dress. It was long overdue on their schedule. And Hong Leah was the only person who had a copy to the lock on Namjoo’s door.

She was her trustee. Who, if Namjoo died, would give all her money to. Besides Eunwoo, Leah was her closest family. They’d grown up together as two little girls. Deeply bonding because Namjoo had no sibling and her parents were constantly off to big adult gatherings. Becoming even lonelier when her beautiful mother left her behind. Leah was her everything. Her sister, her best friend, her twin soulmate. All her secrets, her unspoken feelings belonged to this one woman who was three thousand throngs below her. Fifth in line of her generation to serve Namjoo’s family, Leah had submitted to her fate.

“Let me see,” Leah urged grasping onto the door. Letting go Namjoo let Leah have a full glance of her wedding gown. A trumpet dress with a mermaid style. Lace at the top, satin all the way down. It was the plainest in the store. Namjoo had chosen it at first sight because she gave less of a about how she looked at a wedding she didn’t want. The tail wasn’t even two foot long.

“Oh…” It was a subtle gasp. “So, you do want to look y?”

“y?!” Namjoo’s jaw dropped. Pressing her lips together appalled she grinned the next moment. “Lets go hooker style.” Turning around she called out, “Excuse me! I’d like to try on another dress!”

“Namjoo! No, wait…” Leah whispered from behind. “Your father will kill you! And me!”

The corner of her lips curled, satisfied with the comment. Now she’d made up her mind. She might care about the wedding after all.

ꜛꜛꜛꜛꜛ

“I heard the gate keeper’s boy’s been flirting with you,” Namjoo said as she drove down the winding street toward home.

Leah’s mouth parted surprised. Flushing with guilt she shook her hands, “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

Mischievously glancing at her from the corner of her eyes, Namjoo assured, “Do it.”

“Eh?” she gasped shocked.

“Do it,” Namjoo encouraged, “have a baby or something. Run away with him.”

“What are you saying?” Leah squeaked, suddenly shrinking in the passenger’s seat. “I don’t even like him.”

“He likes you,” Namjoo reminded slowing down the car in front of the iron gates. Taking her moment’s chance to look at her friend. “You can’t come with me, and I don’t want you to stay here, so run away when you can.”

The housemaid’s eyes trembled with uncertainty before they both jumped upon a thump on the hood of her car.

“What the …” Namjoo cursed when she saw Eunwoo in front of her car. Raising a hand up to wave and unleashed his charming smile. Unlocking her seatbelt, Namjoo said, “Drive in.”

“Namjoo, I’m not supposed to…”

“Drive in,” Namjoo repeated, “the way I taught you to. Dearest daddy will foot the repairs for any damage.”

Leah frowned at her as she stepped out.

“She can drive?” Eunwoo raised a brow watching Leah slide over the shift gear into the driver’s seat.

“No, but she can,” Namjoo ambiguously answered. Watching from the corner of her eye as her car zigzagged through the open gate burning concrete in its trail. The wheels cried into the distance and she laughed underneath her breath. “She’ll be ok.”

“You’ve done this before?” Eunwoo wondered.

Crossing her arms, Namjoo shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”

“It’s dangerous. She could get hurt,” Eunwoo emphasized the danger.

“Are you here to lecture me?” Namjoo asked. “I’m out of school you know. A graduate with a bachelor’s degree.”

He sighed and touched her arm soothingly. “Sorry. Anyway, where did you come from?”

“Nowhere,” she lied. “Why are you here? I thought you had a meeting with your father outside the city?”

“Investment talks, about opening a new branch,” he explained, “I didn’t think I needed to be there. It’s been a few days since I’ve seen you. How’ve you been?”

“You’re being weirdly sweet. Are you up to something?” Namjoo smiled.

He teasingly brushed her cheek, “Want to go somewhere?”

“Yes, lets,” Namjoo grinned harder, excited at the thought of a few hours with him which meant more time away from home. Glancing past him, “Where’s your car?”

“Hidden.”

Namjoo giggled, gleefully. She gently punched his chest as if suddenly shy. Then the beep of a horn blasted the moment into shards. Their heads turned to look at the offender. Oh Sehun stared right back at them through the windshield of his Lexus. Eunwoo began withdrawing his hand from her arm but Namjoo held onto him.

“Why, Sehun,” she welcomed as he stepped out of his vehicle, “what a surprise.”

“Don’t you have a meeting somewhere else?” Sehun stared at Eunwoo with emotionless eyes.

“Uh…well…”

“Get moving,” Sehun gestured toward the street for him to .

“If he’s an , call me.” Eunwoo gave her arm a squeeze.

“I’ll call.” Namjoo promised. The guys looked at each other once more before Eunwoo disappeared through the woods. Arms still crossed, Namjoo glanced at Sehun. “So macho of you, sweet fiancé.”

“Quit it,” Sehun coldly spat. “His father’s on the verge of bankruptcy, and you still want to fool around with the likes of him.”

“Do you want to donate some money?” Namjoo asked.

“Get in the car,” he ordered. Without budging Namjoo watched him backtrack toward the Lexus then turned and walked toward the gates. Less surprised by the fact that he sped past her than the fact that he had shown up.

“,” Namjoo cussed underneath her breath, staring down the silver vehicle becoming a speck in the peak of a second. As if he wanted to marry her anyway.

By the time she reached the dozen marble steps leading up to the expanding front doors, Sehun was standing by his car. Staring at his watch. The sight of him was mind boggling. At most, irritating. Namjoo wanted to take off her chunky heels and toss them at him or his car, even better. Except she walked past him and up the white stairs without saying anything.

“His father is a beggar. He’ll just embarrass your family,” Sehun muttered catching up to her.

Namjoo refused to look his way to satisfy him. “And you care?”

“At least my father will never cheat yours.” Sehun had the last word as she stopped, and he surpassed her. Her brows dug into her face. Her hostility for him growing an edge deeper, wondering why he thought he stood above all.

Voices started chattering away when Namjoo neared the dining room. A wide room decked with a too long maple table. The kitchen cooks were currently bringing out dishes for an early lunch, each plate freshly steaming. They were having lunch with her to-be-in-laws and she didn’t know. Spectacular.

Shuffling up to her from behind, Leah dropped her keys into her palm discreetly. “I parked it crookedly, but Chauffer Lee corrected it.”

“That’s fine. Thanks.” Namjoo quietly whispered.

“I heard you’re visiting the wedding hall later,” Leah looked over her shoulder at the men engrossed in conversation. “There might be dinner.”

“Ok.” Namjoo said.

“So, you’re back.” They turned upon the approach of her step-sister, Kim Hea. Biologically her father’s daughter. Actually the reason why her father had remarried. It had been a shotgun wedding and Namjoo had been unforgiving. “Did you find a wedding dress? Is it pretty? You should have taken me.” Looking at Leah, “Leah doesn’t know elegance the way I do.”

They may be separated by eight years, but Hea was intelligent for her age. Leah gave her a short nod before disappearing into the kitchen.

“Oh? Did I offend her?” Hea wondered looking in the direction of the kitchen. “It was the truth. I think I’d know my brother-in-law’s taste. He was mine before yours. By the way, have you two kissed yet? I hugged him once and…”

“Do you need me to pull your chair out for you?” Namjoo turned to look at the younger girl.

“I wasn’t insinuating anything, Namjoo. Not to be offensive,” Hea said. “I heard from mom you were late to the reception yesterday. She’s quite unhappy.”

“It’s something that runs in our family, don’t you think?” Namjoo asked.

Hea broadly smiled, “I hope you won’t be late to your wedding, then.” Turning away she walked up to her father, casually immersing herself into their manly world.

“Hea! I heard you were top of your class,” Shiwoo exclaimed with haughty laughter. Namjoo rolled her eyes. She was getting a headache. Unable to contain the sight she exited the dining room.

Since lunch wasn’t fully on the way she walked into her bedroom and dug through her drawers for some painkillers. Snagging a water bottle she dumped the pills into and gulped down the liquid. Hoping for a while it’d take the headache away. She was sick of this life. Always needing to escape it, but to where? She didn’t know where to go. In a month she was getting married. Her escape was to a house with a man she didn’t know, didn’t want, didn’t love.

Namjoo laughed at herself. She was ing ridiculous. Run away she had told Leah as if it was something easy to do. Pack up, leave in the middle of the night. But even Namjoo couldn’t will herself to do it. Why?

She stared toward her window where sunshine cascade into her room. Imagined herself dancing underneath the light. As a little girl with her mother. Twirling together. Pretending she was a ballerina and laughing happily. Mother cheering her on with the clap of her hands. The beautiful woman who had graced her with life and beauty. Her very existence had comforted Namjoo’s small soul. Sadly, she hadn’t lived enough for Namjoo to learn about the tricks of life from her.

If she ran away, she would be abandoning the last traces her mom left behind. The glorious house. The memories, laughter. The love. The last traces of her life that smeared the walls of this home, this land. It was all Namjoo had left of her.

The one person who had loved her most.

Sensing an unwanted presence Namjoo abruptly turned to find Sehun standing in her open doorway.

***so, we learn about the dynamics of their lives. Namjoo is lonely so she acts out. Sehun is merely there to please his father under the pressure of his imperfect brother, and there's a hint of sibling rivalry. At least he has a friend in his sis-in-law and Namjoo in her housemaid. But then, the two of them neither understand each other or know anything about each other...yet