Chunji seriously couldn't believe that this was happening to him. He thought that he'd outgrown all of this. He was a university student now. He was older and more mature. He was responsible; he lived by himself in an apartment closer to the city. He was completely independent. Wasn't that supposed to mean that his parents couldn't do this sort of thing to him anymore? Wasn't he too old to be set up like this?

“What? No way. I'm not doing it. I don't care what you say the answer is still no.” he spluttered, irately at his father, crossing his arms in an attempt to show the older man that he was not prepared to enter into any discussions on the matter. He was a mature, responsible adult; he wouldn't be bullied or goaded into doing anything that he didn't want to do. And he certainly didn't want to do this.

His father sighed, at first having appeared as though he were prepared to sympathise with his son, although that apparent sympathy would not have led to any changes in the way the matter was going to be handled. Now his father seemed just as stubborn as his son on this matter. Still he tried to play down the significance of his request, to make it seem as though it wasn't as big a deal as his son was making it out to be.

“Look, I wouldn't ask you to do this, if it weren't necessary, but they're desperate! You're the only person that can help. They need you, and what's it going to cost you to help out, hmm? A few hours at the most, and you're done.” he explained, sounding like he was almost ready to beg his son to help him out with this small favour.

Please! Small! This was by no means a small favour!

It wasn't the first time that his parents had volunteered him to do things that he didn't want to do. They'd been doing it for years. That was why he was so excited when he left for university. He was independent; they weren't around anymore. Hence, no one could push him into doing anything. He did whatever he felt like. If he didn't want to help someone, he was welcome to just turn them down.

He comes back for one weekend, to find that apparently, that's a long enough period of time to start volunteering for him to do things for people they know, once again. He wasn't going to be pushed around; he wasn't going to back down like he did when he was a child. He was free, and he would fight for the chance to be free once more!

“I don't care how much time it'll take. It is my time, to do with as I wish. I don't want to help, so you can't force me to!” he stated, realising as he spoke, that although he thought he was doing this because he was a mature adult, he probably sounded like a big kid, speaking so petulantly.

His father's temper had clearly gotten the best of him, all pretence of understanding and commiseration with his son, long gone, replaced with frustration at his son's stubborn refusal. “I am your father, and I will continue to tell you what you will do until the day you die! I have already agreed on your behalf, and you won't disobey me, do you hear? You are going to help!” he exclaimed, storming off in a huff.

Chunji stood, feeling as though sitting down before the older man was out of sight would be viewed as a sign of weakness. He ran a hand through his hair, irritation welling within him. This wasn't fair!

Why did this always happen to him?

But his father was right. Now that they'd already agreed, on his behalf, Chunji wouldn't have it in him to turn around and say no. It seems that he was going to be stuck, helping after all.