Nouveau Love

Chapter One

It’s morning. You know this because sunlight crept through the blinds and reached to your eyes. You could feel the typical pains whenever you stayed the night there. It was pretty much normal of you to pull all-nighters. Your only older brother knew it was a constant and bad habit of yours.

“I have extra clothes. Don’t worry,” you’d say. “And I have everything that I need, Changmin, just worry about the patients.”

The headache from last night came back with full force as a reminder of what you’ve done last night and many nights before. You placed a hand on your forehead in a vain attempt to cool yourself down. Instead, you just cover your eyes with your forearm.

I don’t want to get up, you thought as you tried to take at least a small nap before the day started. Then there were a couple of knocks on the door. Of course, you already knew who it was so you didn’t bother get up or even wake up. You just wanted to enjoy a small nap.

“Hae Yu! Have you been in here all night again?”

He knew the answer. Why would he even bother asking that question? There was no point in fighting.

“Hae! Wake up!” A lot more knocks followed.

“Changmin! Stop!” You tried to yell but your voice was quite hoarse. You still didn’t get up. Changmin had his own key anyway. “I’m tired.”

For a moment, there was silence. Then you could hear the door unlock. You continued to lie there as your older brother walked in. Shim Changmin is only a year older but he already became quite the prolific doctor in your parents’ hospital. However, he does have quite a vice: gambling. The Shims became extremely popular due to the fact that the hospital is in a very discreet location. Of course, the surrounding town would often be patients for them but, especially recently, celebrities have chosen that hospital because of its location. As a result, your family became nouveau riche or “newly rich”.

For the most part, life was wonderful for you and your family. You went to the best private school and it was a pretty typical story. You had boyfriends but nothing serious ever came out (not that you really looked for anything serious anyway). After high school, you became suddenly serious and buckled down on your studies hard so much that no one from your old high school circle recognized you. You’d tell them you didn’t want to dwelling on the past – the scars would be too much.

Unlike you, though, Changmin couldn’t cope with the pain so he went to the casinos instead and spent the majority of his and your family’s earnings. It was just a vain attempt to get past his sorrows. Naturally, debts started to climb and pile up so you confronted Changmin about it. Because of his addiction, you both agreed to give him an allowance (with you routinely checking his financials daily).

Suddenly, you could feel Changmin shaking you to get up.

“Hey, Hae Yu.” His voice sounded closer. “Come on.”

You groaned out loud which let him know that you pulled yet another all-nighter, you were tired, and you didn’t want to get up in so many words.

“Come on,” he continued. “You need to get ready!”

“Ugh, Changmin,” you manage to finally say. “Is it another meeting? I seriously just had one last night about the new quarter and the finances and—“

“No,” he interrupted you. You were naturally annoyed at the sudden abruptness. “You have that arranged marriage meeting, remember?”

Oh yeah, you suddenly remembered, I have to meet the Chois.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” You turned around to see Changmin’s scowl. “You should marry for love. This – this is just another business transaction to these people!”

“Changmin, the only reason why we’re even standing in this office is because of those people!” You stood up because of a multitude of things. It was too early to fight. Changmin was the reason why they were in the situation in the first place. And he was right. You know you should marry for love – what woman wouldn’t? But they couldn’t afford it and Changmin knew it.

In haste, you grabbed your purse and stepped out even knowing that Changmin saw a few tears trickle down your cheek.