"I come home from work and nothing's done! Seriously Sooyoung, can't you cook a single meal for your mother? Goodness!" 

 

For 21 years Sooyoung does not remember NOT hearing this phrase everytime she came home from a class.

 

"I just came home from school mom, but I promise I'll come home earlier next time." Sooyoung said in a small voice.

 

"School? Aren't you tired?" Her mom said incredously.

 

And for the entirety of her college life, she has never heard her mother acknowledge her efforts.

 

Sooyoung has always been told to just stop and work because their family couldn't afford to send her to college.

 

"Mom, we've already had this conversation. Let's not talk about it, I'm tired."

 

Sooyoung was a ticking time bomb. It was as if she was going to explode anytime soon. She knows better than to talk back, so she counts happy memories in her mind.

 

"We can't afford that damned college! I didn't even go to college, what makes you think you're different? Why can't you understand?"

 

"I'm going to get a higher paying job if I graduate mom. I'm going to work hard, I promise."

 

Sooyoung was 10 when her father left, leaving her mom to take on his role, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Everything went okay for a couple of years, until one day they had woken up to the news that her father has passed away. 

 

And he had lots of debts.

 

Several men had come into their house to harass them into paying his debts. This was what made Sooyoung resent her father. He leaves and suddenly a bunch of people endanger their lives and for what? Because he couldn't handle his responsibilities? A load of crap, if you asked her.

 

Years later, they were still in the same position and Sooyoung swore, that one day she'll be the one to get them out of this mess.

 

"You're hopeless, Sooyoung!"

 

"Mom, please." She whispered, as her tears threatened to fall.

 

"Please just trust me on this."

 

Sooyoung took a deep breath and spoke again.

 

"Look mom, I'm on a scholarship and I have a part-time job. You're literally not paying for my education. Also, Chanyeol and I are offering music lessons to children so--"

 

"And you have time for that boyfriend of yours?" Her mother scoffed.

 

"That's it, I'm leaving." Sooyoung finally said. 

 

"If you're not going to help me then, go! No one's going to stop you. You'll come back crawling to me anyway."

 

She made her way to her room as her mom followed her around. She packed her things in haste and hurriedly grabbed everything she could fit into her suitcase.

 

"You won't survive a damn day without my help! For 21 years, I've fed and I've clothe you and this is what you pay me back?"

 

Her mom was now throwing her clothes at her were whilst pointing a finger to her face. Sooyoung felt like she couldn't breathe, as she hurried to get herself out of that house.

 

"Go run to your boyfriend and get yourself pregnant! One day, you're going to see that I was right after all, you ungrateful brat!"

 

Sooyoung was pushed out of the door as she walked away from her house. She sat down at a curb and sighed. 

 

"Yeol? Please pick me up."

 

---

 

Sooyoung went inside and stared at the moving lights going past Chanyeol's truck. It has been about 30 minutes since she asked him to pick her up and Sooyoung did not utter a single word.

 

"You can tell me, you know."

 

Sooyoung just looked at him with a blank expression. Her eyes devoid of emotion, her lips pale and Chanyeol grew extremely worried. 

 

The problem with Sooyoung is that she bottles up all her feelings and emotions and refuses to open up to anyone until she just explodes, the incident earlier proving to be an example.

 

Chanyeol sighed and smiled at her apologetically. They stopped at a convenience store and Chanyeol bought her some snacks. 

 

"Cheetos? I got the green jalapeno ones you like." Chanyeol offered.

 

Sooyoung gave him a faint smile and took the snack from his hands.

 

"Geez Sooyoung, you're upset but you can never say no to Cheetos, can you?" Chanyeol chuckled as he made his way to the driver's side of the truck.

 

"Budget's a bit tight right now, I hope water's fine? They didn't have the soda you liked."

 

"It's fine, Yeol. I'll pay you back." Sooyoung whispered.

 

"No it's okay."

 

Sooyoung looked at him with guilt. What did she do to deserve someone like him? She must've won the lottery that fate decided to give her Park Chanyeol. Sweet, caring, perfect, Park Chanyeol.

 

She closed her eyes and leaned against the window of his truck as an uncomfortable silence came upon  them.

 

"I'll graduate, get a job and make sure I become successful. I promise you." Chanyeol suddenly said.

 

"Me too."

 

"Architect Sooyoung Park, Engineer Chanyeol Park. Woah, sounds good!"

 

He took her hand and his eyes sparkled with such fervor. He smiled and spoke again.

 

"One day we're going to build our own house. I'd build you a walk-in closet and that weird vanity thing you like. Oh and a bathtub too!"

 

"And I won't have to work so hard to buy the things I want. I won't have to worry about money to try things I'm passionate about." Sooyoung whispered.

 

She smiled as she shifted to lean on Chanyeol's shoulder. This man was everything to her. She met him at one of her classes, wooed her the next day,  persistently asked her out for 2 years until she finally said yes.

 

Sooyoung was sure she'd have a future with him. She was certain that he was the one. Had fate really been kind enough to let her have him?

 

"We could have an art studio in the house and we'll frame all your paintings!" Chanyeol continued.

 

"And a music room because I want a piano." Sooyoung commented.

 

"Then we'll hone your cooking skills." 

 

"Hey my cooking isn't that bad!" Sooyoung exclaimed.

 

"You obviously haven't tried your own cooking, Sooyoung." 

 

Sooyoung was about to say something when Chanyeol put his finger on her lips and patted the top of her head.

 

"But that's fine because I can cook any meal for you and we can practice." He said as he kissed her forehead.

 

Sooyoung felt hot tears stream her cheeks as Chanyeol patiently wiped them off her face. And they stayed like that for a while as Chanyeol rubbed comforting circles on her back.

 

"Do you want me to sing?" Chanyeol offered.

 

"I don't desrve you, Yeol."

 

"I'll make sure to be with you every step of the way."

 

Sooyoung tightened her grip against his shirt as her tears continued to fall. The cheetos he bought forgotten, as she struggled to breathe. She felt like the whole world was closing in on her.

 

"And It'll be okay to fail every once in a while without having my mom's expectations holding a knife against my neck." Sooyoung said bitterly.

 

Chanyeol frowned and held her chin to make her look at him. He continued to wipe off her tears as he held her against his chest.

 

"You'll never be at peace if you keep on holding a grudge against your parents." He said sternly.

 

"I know." Sooyoung sighed, defeated.

 

Chanyeol held her tightly and closed the space between them. Trailing kisses against the top of her head and forehead.

 

"Someday, I'll marry you."

 

"Then we'll have our own family."

 

"It's a promise."