Song: Arashi - Truth (This song has nothing to do with the chapter, but it inspired me.)

• Chapter III •
According to the Father's Will

The sun was about to set behind the large and sumptuous house where Hara lived with her father. The sky had a rosy hue which announced, not the drama that was about to unfold itself, but a sweet and peaceful love that would never see the light of day. It was quiet because even the wind had ceased. Since the summer had just begun, the weather was still cool and pleasant, but no one seemed to enjoy it. There was no one in the garden surrounding the house, not even a servant.

Hara had shut herself away in her room after eating diner alone. She wasn’t aware of her father’s arrival. Goo Hyung Jin had just returned home from work. He was the dean of the department of Mass Communications at Sogang University. For him, a workday always ended like this, coming back home at eight in the evening. Except on weekends, he had no time to see his daughter.

Butler Cho, informed by the driver of his master’s arrival, had waited in the hall. Upon entering the house, Hyung Jin handed his briefcase to his butler and told him to join him in his office as soon as possible. He did not seem very happy.

''The letter,'' Hyung Jin said in a firm voice when he saw the butler enter the office. ''Give me today’s letter, Butler Cho.'' He reached out his hand.

Butler Cho gently slipped his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small white envelope. He handed it to Hyung Jin with considerable regret. He wanted to give it to the person to whom it was actually sent, the lady of the house, Hara. However, he had promised to give every letter to his master Hyung Jin. Furthermore, he wasn’t allowed to tell anything about them to Hara.

''At what time did it get here?'' Hyung Jin asked, opening the envelope.

''I don’t know, Master Hyung Jin. It wasn’t there at nine o'clock when I first went to get the mail. I only went back to the mailbox after noon.''

A heavy silence settled between them. Butler Cho clasped his hands before him while his master was reading the short letter.

Beautiful princess,
Today is a wonderful day. You finally know my name.
You refused to meet me, I know that, but we are meant to be.
Soon, we will be together. I will treat you like a queen. You'll be my queen.
You'll see ... you will love me.

Hyung Jin's anger erupted. He got up and gave the letter back to the butler so that he could read it. He then went to the window, where he looked at the sun which had almost disappeared.

''See?'' he said. ''I should have put an end to this already.''

''But Master, why don’t you trust your daughter? It is said in this letter that she refused to talk to this boy.''

''I trust Hara, but it seems like he won’t give up easily. I have to take the necessary steps to protect her.''

''The necessary steps, Master? But what do you mean?'' the butler asked, obviously worried.

''Persuade the boy to leave my daughter alone. If he doesn’t agree, I'll have to use strong-arm tactics.''

''Why don’t you let her choose? At this age, girls want to go out with boys. There is nothing wrong with that.''

''No!'' Hyung Jin shouted. He turned to face Butler Cho and continued. ''She's too young and… too easily influenced.''

Butler Cho doubted it, but he didn’t say anything because he knew it was useless. He put the letter on his master’s desk.

‘‘Contact Sang Kook-ssi. I want to meet him at the same time tomorrow. Now, leave.''

Hyung Jin returned to sit in his chair convinced he made the right decision. As for Butler Cho, he left the room horrified by what he had heard. Sang Kook was a redoubtable man. In the past, Hyung Jin had asked him to hunt down a man and beat him up. The recent events showed that history was repeating itself. What fate awaited this young man who had the misfortune to fall in love with Goo Hyung Jin’s daughter?


A/N: Minho is coming in the next chapter... if ever you are interested.

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