(Kris' POV)

"This is unacceptable, and I know you are aware of that," Mother growled, glaring at me with crossed arms.

"He's not my father," I said without hesitation. She's hardly my mother either, but that was besides the point.

"I don't care if he's not your father, he's put a roof over both our heads so you better respect him!" She hissed.

I rolled my eyes. "He's put jewels around your neck and a crown on your head."

SMACK

"You watch your mouth boy!" She said, hand still in the air. "Ten years old is much too young for such a disobedient tongue. You will treat Mr. Kim with respect or I will have to knock some sense into you."

"Like always," I sighed, feeling the sting still on my cheek.

"Excuse me?" She yelled. "Do you understand me boy?"

"Yes, Mother," I repeated, not hiding the glare from my eyes.

"Good, now go apologize to Kim Apa," she commanded.

I slid off the bed and made my way out of the room. I really didn't feel that there was a need to apologize.The only person that was offended was Mother, and that's just because she's never been one to like my honesty. I think it's because the truth scares her.

Nonetheless, it's not the first time I had to lie to save my skin. Adults in particular were fairly easy to please.

So I found myself walking down the marble hallways, ceiling so high above me it felt like a sky. My steps echoed through the hallways, and I found myself humming, just trying to fill up empty silence in this gigantic hallway. 

Turning the corner, I took a deep breath before knocking on the tall mahogany doors.

"Who is there?"

"It's Kris," I answered.

"Ah, come in Yifan."

I opened the door slowly, taking a deep breath, noting he called by my real name without my consent, before stepping inside.

"Mr. Kim, I apologize for my behavior earlier. It was inappropriate and out of place. I won't do it again," I recited, bowing a deep ninety degrees.

"What behavior?" Mr. Kim asked, his head turning to the side slightly. "Ah," he said, setting his pen on the desk. "You mean our conversation the other day, while we had tea."

I nodded. I want going to tell him that I still want sorry, that I still don't respect him, or that I could really care less to be in his large, fancy home.

"It's quite alright, I know this transition has been hard for you," he said, a small smile on his lips.

"I actually find your sharp tongue quite amusing. Your mother overreacts about such little things," he chuckled.

I was going to agree, but my pride kept my mouth shut. Though, I didn't have to worry about explaining myself or suffering through more small talk when I heard the door open behind me.

"Sir?" A burly man in black appeared behind me, and I noted his not-so-concealed pistol tucked into the right side of his blazer. "Debt reports are in. We'll be going to collect soon."

"Status on Ahn Yeongsu?" Mr. Kim asked, hands folded.

"No change," he replied.

Mr Kim sighed. "Pity. He's a good man. I'll have to think of something... How are the shipments going?"

"Without a hitch. Passed through the border just yesterday," the man answered.

It was like my existence was completely forgotten, though it was like this when Mr. Kim talked business.

Or, to be more specific, his underground business. They thought I didn't know, I'm only ten years old. I knew about the dark side of KWu Industries. The drugs, brothels, briberies, embezzling, and violence it used to get to the top. It was disgusting, yet this man was now legally my father.

"I'll be going now," I said, interrupting the two men.

"Wait, Yifan," he called. I stopped and turned to face him, almost out the door.

"Since I'm going out, is there anything you want? I can bring you a gift back," he smiled.

I didn't want anything from him, I didn't trust him, and whatever he'd bring me, it'd be from his dirty work.

"No," I replied simply.

"Are you sure? You don't get bored in this house?" He asked again.

"I do, but you can't fix it," I told him.

"Try me," he dared, a smirk on his face.

"Whatever you buy with money will never satisfy me. I'm not that shallow," I told him, exiting his office, using all my restraint not to slam the doors.

<>

Aimlessly staying at my ceiling, my feet hung off the bed, swaying gently. 

"Yifan!" I heard Mr. Kim call, his voice not far from the door. He called me by my name again...

He walked in with a spring in his step, eyes glimmering. He was obviously happy about something, which only caused me to doubt his smile even more.

"I thought about what you said yesterday," he began. "I think I understand. I find it so interesting that you, even at such a young age, don't want trivial toys or any other sort of empty entertainment. You want it to be real."

My face furrowed in confusion. Where was he going with this?

"Come on," he said softly, gaze drifting out of my room.

A small girl stepped in tentatively, and I could see her shaking. Her hair was long and pitch black, shining in the light that drifted in from my room. Her eyes were glued to the floor, round face with a reddish tint. I could see she had been crying.

"What is this?" I asked him, not pleased in the slightest.

His smile only faltered for a second, before he explained. "This is Soojin. She can be your friend," he said, very pleased with himself.

I stared, looking at him, then Soojin, then back at him. I clenched my fists, feeling the anger boil up inside me, not caring to hold it in anymore. Mother could best me too I was black and blue, but this man was unbelievable.

"How did you get her?" I asked, keeping my tone low.

"A trade, I guess you could call it," he said after thinking for the right wording.

The girl, Soojin, turned to face him, face filed with fury. 

"Trade?!" She screeched. "So taking me away from my father was a trade?!"

His facial expression changed so quickly it even frightened me for a moment. "Listen her girl," he sithed, eyes filed with a dark, evil, intent. "I could of taken his life, left you to clean the mess, but instead I took you. His life or your time. Would you have rather me chosen otherwise?"

Her head bowed low, and she avoided the man's eyes. He sighed, plastering a smile on his face again to speak to me.

"Now Yifan, I hope-"

"Don't even start, old man," I growled.  He blinked, strartled. "You think it's enough, to pretend you were merciful, by taking a man's daughter away, leaving him alone, to give me some servant? Is tearing apart people's lives amusing to you? You're sick, I can't stand you. You think by just giving me this girl, we'll become friends and I'll finally accept you as my father? I may be the child, but you're so naive. You disregard human nature, emotion. But I'm not surprised. How could you understand? You're a monster."

He stared at me for a long time, and so did the girl. His silence actually made me nervous. What if he started to beat me? I had confidence he'd be crueler than mother, especially after all that I had said. What's more, what if mother decided to beat me too?

"If you don't want her, I suppose I'll find another use for her," he replied finally, the spite heavy in his voice. Her eyes widened in fear, and she looked at me desperately.

"No!" I called quickly, trying to maintain confidence. Not much usually scared me, but the darkness in Mr. Kim's face made me feel uneasy.

"Excuse me, but I thought you didn't want her," he said too sweetly.

"Well, I don't want an innocent person to suffer from your mistakes."

He actually smiled, but maliciously. A smile I did not trust.

"Boy, you'll learn about mistakes soon enough."