In a family that cares so much about appearance, it’s hard not to make a big fuss about what you’ll wear. In a family that gives more than a damn about money, it’s hard not to worry about the cash you carry. And in a family that makes a big deal out of your marital status, being single is definitely not an option. If you think your family , wait til you meet this family. Once you get to know them, you’ll want to stay with your own clan.

Not that they’re weird or anything but they’re old fashioned and have their standards set way too high. They are the Seo’s. The Seo’s are one of Korea’s most powerful families. They were a small clan but their influence and wealth was immense and known throughout the land. The father, Seo Joon Soo, was one of the wealthiest tycoons in Korea and was also known for his dashing face. His hotel business expanded from the city of Seoul to the provinces of Gyeonggi-do. The still-dashing 53 year old businessman would make millions from his hotels and boutiques. Seo Joon Soo was married to one of the loveliest veteran Korean actresses, Park Myung Jib. Park Myung Jib was the envy of all women and the desire of all men but she knew how to choose her husband. She chose the intelligent and business-savvy Seo Joon Soo whom she knew could give her a greater future, greater than the future that was clear and ahead of her. Together, Seo Joon Soo and Park Myung Jib made the ideal power couple. Powerful, rich, and beautiful. Almost everybody idolized the two. Not a soul in Korea didn’t know who they were.

With a beautiful couple came beautiful children. Park Myung Jib bore two children, a girl and a boy. The boy, who was older, was named Seo Jung Min while the younger girl was named Seo Joo Hyun. Tragically, Seo Jung Min died in a car accident that involved father and son. Seo Joon Soo was able to come out of it alive but his son wasn’t given a second chance to live. Because of this car accident, Seo Jung Min constantly lived in guilt and in pain. No amount of wealth or fame could make him happy nor bring his son back which is why behind his smile was a frown.

The couple was left with only one child, the beautiful Seo Joo Hyun. Ever sicne she was a kid, Seo Joo Hyun had been bred and groomed by the finest teachers from the exclusive schools in the country. All her life she had been with girls and shared a close bond with her mother. Seo Joo Hyun, or Seohyun for short was just like a princess. Quiet, polite, prim and proper, demure. She barely spoke and when she did, she made sure that it was something intelligent. Seohyun was like an angel with her long flowing brown hair, her pale complexion, her innocent face, and her sweet freesia scent. Though her eyes were red underneath, it didn’t hinder her from looking absolutely beautiful. The way she moved was graceful, just like a princess.

Seohyun was interested in a wide variety of things. Among these were playing the piano, reading, writing, oil painting, and fencing. However, when Seohyun was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she had to give up the only sport she loved. Still beautiful despite of the illness, Seohyun just went on with her life doing the other things she enjoyed, with a little bit of care of course.

Seohyun’s beauty was a remarkable one, one that would make the boys outside of her school speak her name. Though the clothes she wore were simple, her face was able to make up for it because to the young men of the neighboring school had never seen a maiden that beautiful as they’d only hear about such beauty from fairy tale books. However, she had no interest in being with men. Whenever they tried to court her, she’d turn them down and give them an answer that broke their hearts.

“I will only love three men for the rest of my life. God, my father, and my brother. With them, I shall want no more.” she told one suitor. The news of her brother’s death was all over the place so the boy had some excuse to get her to say yes.

“Well your brother is dead. So that means there’s a spot for one lucky boy there!” he raised his eyebrows up and down. The fair maiden, like an educated woman, answered,

“My brother may be gone, but he shall be in my heart for the rest of my life. Nobody can take his place. He is alive, to me.” Seohyun answered and walk away. It was just who she was. Seohyun wasn’t a bad girl whose aim was to hurt boys, she was just uninterested in relationships and marriage. It wasn’t worth the pain and she didn’t believe in the lies boys told, she’d say. It alarmed her parents greatly that Seohyun didn’t want to get married but they gave her time, saying that she was too young and she would outgrow it eventually.

Seohyun was very old fashioned, just like her mother. Unlike most heiresses her age who loved to spend all of their parents’ money on clothes and material things, nature pleased Seohyun greatly. Free time was spent frolicking in the yard of their mansion, sitting under the shade of an oak tree, watching leaves fall while writing the contents of her heart down. The wind blowing through her hair and the fresh smell of the flowers always brought a smile to her face and to this simple heiress, no material object could ever replace the joy simplicity brought.

Her “princess” breeding separated her from other heiresses as well. While most young girls her aged partied like animals and could care less about their manners, Seohyun was one very well-mannered young lady. She would rather eat with her family, practicing good table manners and often staying very quiet at the dinner table, taking in only very small portions of food. Not to mention the way she dressed. Seohyun dressed in a very respectable manner, opting for a simple blouse and jeans or a dainty little dress. Nothing provocative. Neither did she put on too much makeup. Seohyun was the kind of person who was so beautiful in her own way that she didn’t even have to put makeup on just to enhance her looks. Naturally, she was very beautiful. Her intelligence made her even more beautiful. Seohyun excelled in her exclusive school and was a consistent honor student, valedictorian at that! She spent her nights studying and did all her schoolwork before 10 pm, her designated sleeping time. And she was very disciplined and time conscious as well! She had a time for everything and would get really frustrated if she failed to follow her schedule. Obsessive-compulsive? Yes but this was the secret to her glowing beauty and academic success.

Seohyun seemed like the perfect child, the kind you’d want to have. But there was one thing that Seohyun didn’t do well in. Social life. Face it. Seohyun would rather spend time with her nose in the books than mingling with snobby socialites and narcisstic heirs. It was as if she was blown in from the early 19th-20th century. She would rather read, play the piano, and collect sentimental things like music boxes and lockets. Seohyun was an old-fashioned girl; polite and demure. The dream daughter of every mother.

At 18 years old, Seohyun was already a young woman. Despite her age, she still maintained her old-fashioned ways. She still lived with her parents, still collected the vintage things that she loved to collect. She basically went on with her old ways that it worried her parents. The fact that Seohyun still hadn’t outgrown her childish hobbies and her interest in men was still inexistent made her parents panic.

“When we die, she’s going to have to take over. And she needs to have an heir.” said Myung Jib.

“But our daughter doesn’t seem to be showing interest in men. I think she plans to be a spinster.” Jung Soon said worriedly. Seohyun overheard their conversation but paid no mind. She thought that her parents were just being too idealistic and that she planned to keep things her way.

“I think we better talk to her about this. You know, get her to open up.”

“I don’t want our daughter to end up a lonely old lady.” said Myung Jib. Minutes later, she called her daughter in for dinner.

“SEOHYUN!!!!” she called from the first floor. The young maiden was busy sketching when she heard her mother’s voice from downstairs. Pretending that she didn’t overhear their conversation, she stood up and ran outside her room to the staircase.

“Yes mother?!” Seohyun said from the staircase.

“Dinner’s ready. Get out of your rags and try putting something nice on.” Seohyun nodded and dashed back to her room to pick out a beautiful dinner dress. She wasn’t in rags but she was in a very simple looking white nightgown. Her parents were very particular about the way she dressed and when it came to dinner, her mom especially, they expected her to look her best. Seohyun called for Yu Min, their servant and her best friend to come and dress her up.

“Yu Min-unnie!” she called with her soft voice. Seohyun’s voice was beautiful and resonant when singing but when it came to speaking, it was as soft as a mouse’s squeak. Not literally, though. Yu Min heard her master and came rushing to her side. Yu Min was a woman of 33 with an expertise in hairdressing. Seohyun never treated this maid, who was one of their 5 servants, as a slave rather a sister. She and Yu Min shared secrets and Seohyun would open her heart to Yu Min. Not that the young heiress had no friends but because of her limited number of pals her age, she opted to confide in the househelp. Seohyun was mature for her age and despite her fragile stage, she knew what she wanted.

“Well what hairstyle would you like tonight, sweetheart?” Yu Min Seohyun’s soft, naturally brown, hair. The heiress was seated in front of the mirror, looking into it with her innocent eyes. A small Mona Lisa smile came across her face as she wondered what would look good on her.

“Maybe a loose, messy, Greek-goddess style bun. I feel like wearing a white dress tonight.” she said. Yu Min agreed.

“I think you would look like a goddess, Seobaby.” she called Seohyun “Seobaby” because of her innocent and fresh attitude.

“You think so?” Seohyun touched her soft hair with a sweet smile on her face.

“Anything looks good on you.” Yu Min nodded. She began to work her magic on Seohyun’s hair. It wasn’t hard to fix her up because her hair was so soft and smooth that styling was one of the easiest and best things you could do to it. Within a matter of 3 minutes, Seohyun’s hair was beautifully up in a messy bun.

“Have you picked out a dress?” asked the faithful maid. Seohyun leapt up carefully and opened her closet, showing Yu Min the dress she chose. It was a simple white dress with a ribbon in the chest area. Yu Min quickly approved of it and helped her put it on. The dress fit her perfectly and it seemed to compliment her hairstyle. With white pumps on her feet and a dash of perfume, Seohyun was ready to have dinner with the family.

Myung Jib and Jung Soon saw their only daughter walking down the stairs in a beautiful white dress, looking more al than ever. She bowed down before them like any regal, respectful child would do and sat down. The meal was grand, too grand for three. There were noodles, rice, meat, fish, dumplings, rice cakes, and others. Seohyun looked at the foods and smiled. The chefs had prepared her favorite dishes and she was in a beautiful dress, eating with her family. Though she insisted on a simpler dinner, things like this filled her heart with joy.

“Thank you for this dinnner, father and mother.” she said. Myung Jib smiled at her and began to speak.

“You know your father and I are very proud of you. Yes we are. You’re intelligent, beautiful, kind, smart. You’re everything a parent could ever want in a child.” Myung Jib flattered her daughter. Seohyun’s eyes squinted because of smiling too much.

“But you see, there is one problem.” Jung Soon said with his hands clasped together. Seohyun’s smiled faded and she looked at her father with a worried facial expression.

“Huh?” Seohyun asked. She took a sip of her tea and felt a bit weak in the knees.

“Yes because you see, you are 18 years old. You are a fine young woman and all but we believe that something is missing.” Jung Soon said.

“What is it?”

“I’ll try to make it simpler for you, sweetheart.” Myung Jib said. “Do you have any crushes outside of school?”

“No.” she said with her soft voice.

“How about guys? Any good looking guy friends?”

“No mother. I am not interested in guys.” Seohyun said with conviction.

“That’s what’s wrong with you.” Jung Soon said. “Sooner or later you’re going to inherit all our riches and we do not want you to take over the family business as well as care for the riches alone.”

“This is for your own good.” Myung Jib said. Seohyun furrowed her brows and shook her head.

“No. I will not get married! I don’t like boys, mom. “ Seohyun protested against her mother’s wishes, futher disappointing the actress.

“You can never tell! If we introduce you to a handsome young man right now you might just fall in love!”

“I am not that easy, mother. I have my principles.”

“Well you cannot stay like this forever!”

“Yes I can. I want to be alone. Single. I don’t want to get hurt!” Seohyun was starting to cry, ashamed and hurt that her parents were forcing her to get married.

“Hurt? You don’t know what hurt is. You’ve never been in love!” Jung Soon said. Seohyun didn’t want to have any more of her parents’ persistence and for the first time in her 18 year existence on Earth, she stood up and walked out of the dinner table and ran all the way to her room. Yu Min, who was busy fixing things upstairs, saw this and ran after her.

“Don’t follow me, please! Leave me alone!” Seohyun cried as she locked herself in her room and threw herself on the bed. She removed the clamp that held her hair together and down fell her brown locks. Good thing she had no mascara on, she was able to cry freely without having to worry about the sheets. Too much pressure and crying made Seohyun’s head hurt.

“Ouch.” she whimpered. Lying flat on her back, she reached for her drawer and opened it. She felt for her pill bottle and when she got it, she took 3 pills and washed them down with a glass of water that had been sitting there since 6 pm. Seohyun fell asleep immediately after taking the pills.

The following morning, the beautiful heiress woke up at around 4 in the morning. She found herself a cried-out mess. Her hair was tossed messy, she was still in her white dinner dress and was barefooted. Seohyun shook her aching head and stood up. She walked to the door and slowly unlocked it, opening it slightly, peering to check if anyone was up. Luckily, everyone was still asleep and it allowed her to get out of her room without anyone waking up and questioning her. With barefeet, Seohyun walked on the ice cold marble floor all the way to her favorite room, the music room. In the music room was a grand piano which Seohyun played a lot ever since she was a kid. The music room was immaculate. The floor was made of marble, the racks had Seohyun’s piano recital trophies as well as some portraits and pictures of people she didn’t know and knew. She entered the music room and closed the door but before she could even sit on the piano bench, she took a while to go around and look at the pictures. Most of the pictures astonished her, maybe because Seohyun had a thing for old pictures and though she didn’t know those people, she thought that they were absolutely beautiful. The way the sepia and black and white effects played on their faces which were fitting to their era amused her greatly. Seohyun walked back to the piano and sat on the bench. She lifted the cover and prepared the music sheet that she was going to play, Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”, a piece that she held very close to her heart. Seohyun lightly placed her frail fingers on the keys and started to play. Beautiful music filled the room, the fruit of years of practice and playing the same piece every single day. Seohyun was so immersed in playing that she forgot that it was only 4 in the morning and the other people in her house were sleeping. She played like she was in a concert, pressing down the keys with passion.

Suddenly, the door behind her opened up, making her jump out of her skin and out of the bench. Seohyun whipped around and saw her father at the doorway, holding the knob with a not so pleased look on his face.

“Joo Hyun!” he called her by her real name. “What are you doing up so early?” Seohyun stepped away from the piano and bowed before her angry father.

“I’m so sorry father. I got up early and I wanted to do something.” Seohyun apoloigzed with her head down, unable to look at her father in the eye. Jung Soon rubbed his chin and said,

“I’m gonna let you slide but only for today. Go back to bed. You know your medical condition and you need rest.” Seohyun nodded meekly and quickly exited the music room, afraid that her father would say more. She rushed to her bedroom and threw herself on the bed, hoping to fall asleep quickly. And she did.

Who could that be? Who could that boy in the picture be? Seohyun thought over and over in her sleep. While in the music room, Seohyun caught sight of a portrait of a young boy who must’ve been around 8 years old in the picture. She knew it wasn’t her brother because he looked very different from when her older brother was that age but there was a slight similarity. It could be a cousin. Or an uncle. Or a relative. She didn’t know. All she knew was that it was a portrait of someone she couldn’t recognize. Someone she hadn’t seen before.

Why is it that I’ve never seen him in my life? Questioned Seohyun in her mind.

Later that morning, Seohyun got up and made her way slowly down the stairs to have breakfast. She was still very groggy because of last night and her early morning escapade. The maids noticed Seohyun’s tired and weak appearance and escorted her immediately to the breakfast table where they served her rice cakes and milk tea. Seohyun thanked them and began to eat very slowly. Seohyun always looked and acted weak, maybe because she was so sickly that weakness had become a permanent feature of hers.

“A note from your mother.” handed one of the butlers. Seohyun put her small rice cake down and took time to read this.

Our Daughter Seohyun,

Do not go to school today. We want you to take the day off and stay here at home. Rest, relax, and eat. You need to look healthy and beautiful for tomorrow when we meet the Jungs. You do not want to look like a leukemia patient in front of our family friends, now do you? I’ve told the maids and the butlers that today is your day off and they will take care of you and cater to your every need, like they normally do. Get lots of rest and try not to wear yourself out, alright? We love you and we’re doing this for your own good.

Love,

Mom and Dad.

“The Jungs?” Seohyun asked. “Who are they?”

“The Jungs are also a rich family that’s had connections with your father ever since he began. Great business partners and a very rich family.” explained the butler. Seohyun furrowed her brows and placed the note down.

“I’ve never heard of them.”

“Maybe because when your parents speak of them, you’re busy floating away in your own world.” what the butler said struck Seohyun. Seohyun continued to eat, with her appetite slowly diminishing.

Since her mother told her not to go to school, Seohyun spent the entire day locked up in their mansion, either writing in her room, frolicking in their huge garden or in the music room, but most of the time in the music room. Seohyun didn’t want to just play, she wanted to discover the pictures and the secrets as well as stories behind them.

I wonder who this boy is. She held the picture in her hand and stared at it closely. No way was it her father. Neither was it her deceased brother. It could never be her uncle nor her cousins. Maybe it was an old relative. But the hairstyle seemed to recent to be a relative from the past. Whoever he was, Seohyun was greatly curious about him.

Did we have another family member? Seohyun decided to find out more about him by opening the frame and taking his picture out, just to check if there were writings at the back because usually, this was the case. Seohyun took a look at his picture and smiled. The boy was good-looking but his face had a touch of malice and naughtiness on it. It was the kind of face that was handsome but you knew he was playful. Seohyun giggled at the smile he had. It was playful, kind of like a male Mona Lisa. She took great interest in the picture and thought of keeping it, not because she developed a crush on the boy but because the way the photo was captured was so beautiful and she knew she just had to have it.

That very night, while Seohyun was in her room sketching flat on her stomach, a knock came on the door.

“Come in!” she said not taking her eyes off the portrait. The maid came in and with her was Yu Min, Seohyun’s favorite stylist. She threw the sketchpad and ran to Yu Min, throwing her arms around her like they hadn’t seen each other in ages. Seohyun felt like a child around Yu Min, treating her like a sister and a mother.

“I missed you.” Seohyun whispered. Yu Min rubbed her back and pulled away.

“Let’s get you ready.” Seohyun frowned upon Yu Min’s words. “What’s wrong my dear? Why are you so sad?” Yu Min brushed away some strands of hair from Seohyun’s face and lifted her chin. She looked into the young heiress’ eyes and saw tears forming, threatening to spill from her brown eyes. Seohyun tried not to blink, hoping to hold them in longer but she couldn’t. When she closed her eyes, tears fell from both eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Seohyun wiped her tears away and threw herself at Yu Min once more. She refused to speak when Yu Min repeated the question. Seohyun pulled away and turned her back on Yu Min.

“I don’t want to speak.” From then on, Seohyun kept shut and just let Yu Min fix her. Seohyun finally cooperated and sat in the chair, watching as Yu Min curled the ends of her hair. Seohyun just stared at the mirror and watched her tears as they fell. They were like rain, drip after drop and they just wouldn’t stop. Yu Min really wanted to comfort Seohyun but it seemed as though she was pushing her away. Yu Min took the dress designed for Seohyun that night and told her to look at it. It was a short, lace dress that was blue with a touch of black. Seohyun didn’t actually care. All she wanted was to get this over with.

I don’t know what’s going on but a part of me knows that it’s what I always thought it would be.