Capítulo 62: Chapter Thirty One - Not Being Honest
Chapter Song Suggestion - "Boiling Point by punchnello"
Jindo's a relatively quiet and peaceful island despite being a tourist attraction. As we drive by the coastal line, I wind down the windows to breathe in the briny air. Leaning over the edge, I admire the dancing seagulls dotting the blue sky, the warm sea breeze combing through my hair. "It's beautiful here. The weather is so different from the city. I'm surprised your family has a hanok here."
"It belonged to my great-grandfather's father from the early seventeen century." Dae explains, looking more relaxed than he'd been when we left Seoul. Yesterday he was moody, and the sex was rougher — edgier...like he was racing for an invisible finishing line. "The hanok is a family heritage passed down to the eldest son."
"Does that mean you'll inherit it?"
He shrugs haphazardly, looking delectable in his casual clothes. It's hard to choose which version of Dae I enjoy — the commanding CEO or the laidback hottie. "Maybe. But I'd rather let Ji-Hoon inherit it."
"I'm excited to see what it looks like. Is the original architecture still intact?"
"Yes, although it has been refurbished over the years."
We fall into companionable silence, enjoying the scenery and acoustic music playing in the background. The ride turns bumpy as we go uphill a rickety road. It's narrow and surrounded by a dense forest, sunlight barely able to creep in. Anticipation grips me like an enthralled child.
Towards the clearing, I see wing-curved rooftops the color of a brown shrike's wings - modest yet sturdy, followed by an imposing stone wall surrounding the house.
Driving through the arched entrance, I notice the line-up of luxury cars. The sight alone intimidates me, and my heart rate spikes. "I didn't realize how intimate this gathering will be." Hesitancy sneaks up on me. "Are you sure about this?"
Dae shifts the gear to 'park'. "Remember what I said. Don't let their insults get to you. And stick closely with Kang-Chul or Mi-Cha when I'm not around." He removes his sunglasses and unbuckles his seat belt. "Besides, we won't be here for long."
"Wait." My brows scrunch in confusion. "We're not?"
"I haven't lived under the Yun household for years, and I won't start now." He responds wryly. "An hour in their company is hell for anyone. I'd like to spare us the theatrics and leave as soon as possible."
Somehow, I think Dae dreads this meeting more than I do and it's strangely reassuring because I'm not alone in that regard.
"You could have told me." I mutter irritably. "I was tied up in knots for days because I thought we're going to stay overnight! I couldn't sleep a wink."
Dae has the nerve to smile - it's annoyingly boyish and charming. "We ARE staying for two nights. Just not here."
I tilt my head questioningly. "Then where will we be staying?"
He gets out of the car, rounding over to my side. "There's a rest house a few miles north, by the shore. You'll love it."
He helps me out of the car, and I square my shoulders, feeling like a soldier preparing for battle. "Well then, let's get this over with." Our hands entwine. "Lead the way."
Dae's family hanok is beautiful in the traditional sense, it's natural and practical without superfluous embellishments or garish colors. The house is a neutral palette of cream, brown and a touch of grey. Compared to the family's notorious wealth and reputation, it represents the complete opposite — unpretentious and honorable are the perfect words to describe it if this home was a human being.
A manservant greets us at the main entrance. Poise and elegant, he instructs us to change out of our shoes, and follow him to the living room where the guests are gathered.
"Hyung!" Kang-Chul rises from his seat, giving Dae a hearty slap on the back. "You missed lunch."
"Good. It would have been a nightmare." Dae observes the guests with cold detachment while I stand statue straight beside him. "Where are the others?"
Right on cue, the sound of feminine voices drift from the hallway. "I think that's them." Kang-Chul remarks the minute five women walk in, their lively chatter coming to a halt when they see us - or more precisely, Dae.
"Kang-Dae!" A beautiful woman acknowledges with a megawatt smile. "My son, you're here." She turns to her female guests. "I told you he wouldn't miss our annual gathering."
This is his mother? She doesn't look a day over forty. Her skin's fair and silky smooth, her lustrous hair is pinned up in a chic hairdo and her body is reed slim despite having given birth to four children. While I'm busy staring at his mother, her cronies are inspecting me, their gazes curious but there's no hiding the mild censure. "And who is this young lady beside your son?"
Dae's mother looks down her nose at me, irritation twisting her features. "Yes, who is your friend, son? Did you forget this is a family only gathering?" It's obvious she's clenching her teeth, possibly to stop herself from throwing me out by my hair.
Meeting her in the flesh, I understand why Dae labelled her as a selfish hypocrite. Her displeasure is blatantly on display, yet she conveniently acts ignorant - like an ostrich sticking its head under the ground. That way, no one can point fingers.
I refrain from shuddering. Society women are scary, vain creatures.
Dae materializes beside me, his arm curving possessively around my waist. Her forehead creases at the bold gesture and I stifle a smile. God forbid she gains a new wrinkle on her face because of it.
"Everyone, I'd like to introduce the woman I'm going to marry." Dae announces in a clear, unwavering voice.
The room falls into pin-drop silence.
"What!" His mother screeches, her eyes wide as saucers. "Have you lost your mind, Yun Kang-Dae?"
Incredulous whispers erupt from the guests, their heavy stares judgmental and accusing. It feels like a thousand needles piercing my skin, the weight of their disapproval was an invisible force pushing me back. Dae holds me steadfast, his fingers digging into my flesh.
"Unbelievable! His wife isn't even cold in the ground yet..."
"It hasn't been three months and he's already seeing someone new."
"She's beautiful but she'll never be Joo Mun-Hee…,"
"Look at how shabbily she's dressed. I bet she's just a poor girl Kang-Dae is stringing along. He'll get bored of her soon."
"How dare you bring an outsider into our home and disrespect me with such nonsense!" His mother's polished veneer cracks. She takes a threatening step towards me. "You! Get out this instant!"
Pounding footsteps from the hallway intrudes upon the scene. "What's with all the noise?" A young woman rushes in, her eyes darting to Dae. "Hyung, you came."
This must be his sister.
A tall, lanky man bearing the family resemblance emerges from behind, his disinterested gaze sweeping the commotion. That must be his youngest brother.
"We'll leave after I talk to father." Dae is a picture of calmness, resembling the man I first met – jaded and unemotional.
"You are not going anywhere until you explain yourself, Yun Kang-Dae!" His mother insists passionately, bodily blocking us from leaving.
Dae ignores her and turns to Kang-Chul. "Is father outside?"
"He's at the bonsai garden."
Without warning, Dae pushes his shell-shocked mother aside and tugs me along. His long strides take us deeper into the hanok until the end of the hallway. Turning right, there's a sliding door leading outdoors.
"Is it okay to leave her like that?" I bite my lip, still reeling from what happened.
"Ignore her. My mother is like a chihuahua with all bark and no bite. The one we came to meet is my father." He helps me down the uneven stone steps and we cross an arched bridge stretching over a lily pond.
"Isn't there a less extravagant way of telling your family that we're dating with marriage in mind?"
Dae gives me a look between amusement and hopelessness. "You just met my mother. Do you think she can handle a conversation any better than how she did?"
My first inclination is to agree. "Well...you could have eased her into it. You weren't exactly tactful."
"I ran out of patience for her long ago." He says gruffly. "No amount of tact is going to change her or the outcome. It's best to give it to her straight."
I dig deep for courage. "I hope your father is more restrained."
Dae stops in his tracks, his eyes focused on something up ahead. I follow his gaze to find an older man hunched over a bonsai tree, looking anything but intimidating. "Is that your father?"
Dae nods reflexively, suddenly pensive and withdrawn. Recalling Dae's infernal childhood, I'm certain the monster he fights with is the one standing a few meters away.
"Hey," I touch his shoulder. "You got this, Dae. We didn't come this far to let him win, did we?"
Tormented dark eyes turn to me. I've only seen them once — after my accident. Dae's vulnerability tugs at my heart and I itch to wipe away his traces of pain. "For what it's worth, I can't say I understand what you experienced growing up with a man like that but, I am certain that you're nothing like him." I inject a wealth of emotion into my voice. "Do you know why I fell in love with you?"
His throat bobs up and down as he watches me with open interest. "Why?"
"Because you're a protector first, and a fighter second." There's no hesitance to my truth. I felt his feelings and witnessed his actions for my own. "And what these two roles have in common is defiant courage. It's one of the things I love about you."
Like the sun peeking through the clouds after a storm, the darkness clears from his eyes. He hisses out a breath, seeming to have let go of whatever's holding him back. "Thank you, hellcat. I never knew you thought of me that way," A smile spreads across his face — mischievous and grateful. "I needed that."
I return his smile, squeezing his hand. "Anytime."
"Kang-Dae! Come back here!" His mother's shrill voice butchers our shared moment. I blew out a deep breath. We're dead if she catches up to us.
"Come on," Dae pulls me forward.
As we approach the older man, his back stiffens visibly but doesn't acknowledge us, concentrating on his task at hand.
"Father." Dae speaks first. "I brought her like you requested."
Wait a second. Dae and his father talked about me?
"And so? You expect me to accept her on what basis?" His father responds coldly, grooming his plant. "She's the reason you're going to abandon your family. I will never acknowledge her." Snip. Snip. "She pushed Mun-Hee over the edge."
That's bullshit! I want to yell. Joo Mun-Hee was crazy from the get-go.
"Mun-Hee was sick and you knew it. My dead wife is water under the bridge." Dae makes it clear he doesn't want to talk about her. "I came here today to tell you that I'm leaving the Yun family. All these years, I pushed myself to meet your expectations, and not once did you acknowledge my efforts." Dae releases a sardonic, brittle laugh. "I'd be a fool to wish for it anymore. Aera's made me realize I don't need your approval. I am enough for the people who love me, unlike you who will never be satisfied. As of today, I am officially resigning as the President of Yun International Group. I'll be sure to compensate the company for its loss. I wish you good luck finding a capable successor."
"Daeshim!" Dae's mother traipses to her husband's side, panic setting in. "What is your son talking about?" She must have overheard everything. "Kang-Dae cannot resign from the company! You must stop him!"
"Quiet, woman!" Her husband barks fiercely at her.
Like a trained pet, she shrinks back reflexively, rousing my sympathy for her. It's pitiful to see how powerless she is in her own household, being married to a man who clearly doesn't respect her.
Setting down his tools, Dae's father straightens to his full height. "If you marry this woman, I'll disinherit you." Finally, he turns, revealing a startlingly robust face for a man in his sixties. His hair is salt and pepper, neatly combed back from a wide forehead. He's an older replica of Dae. "A man who ruins himself for a woman is an idiot."
Anger consumes me and I open my mouth to rebut but Dae squeezes my arm in warning.
"You do what you have to. My resolve is firm and I'm ready to shoulder the consequences. If there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's how you've trained us to be resilient and strong-minded." Dae shifts his attention to his mother. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, mother. I don't want to live under the Yun family's thumb anymore. I don't want a marriage like yours."
I involuntarily flinch. That was a shot through the heart. His mother gasps sharply, hurt filtering her expression. Like I said...poor woman.
"I'm going to marry the woman I love and live a happy life. Joo Mun-Hee's death is unfortunate, but she was mentally unstable before we married. I should have investigated her but being President meant more to me at the time. Everything that happened in the past only brought me and the people around me unhappiness." He paused, contemplating his next words. "I hope you can be happy for me."
"You're giving up your legacy for a woman?" His mother cries, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"You married father for his wealth." Dae counters with icy calm. "I'm marrying for my happiness."
"Disrespectful brat!" His father roars, the color rising from his neck. I'm worried he might fall over from an apoplectic fit. "Apologize to your mother this instant!"
Dae doesn't even blink at the heavy menace in the air. "I will when the both of you can make peace."
"This is what I get for raising a son like you." Chairman Yun's eyes darted over Dae's shoulder. "Ungrateful lot — all of you!"
Feeling a presence behind us, I turn to see the three siblings watching the scenario unfold. Kang-Chul looks troubled, while the other two isn't the least perturbed. Dae's youngest brother even looks like he's enjoying this. What a dysfunctional family!
"I've said everything I came to say. After today, there's no reason for us to meet again." Dae's words are final, and he braces to leave. "Even though you aren't perfect, I'm still grateful for being born and I wish you a healthy, long life. Goodbye, Father. Farewell, Mother." He executes a ninety-degree bow, parting with his final respect.
Dae's mother breaks down into sorrowful mourning, her sobs pluck at my heartstrings. As a stranger looking in, I realize Dae's parents aren't completely cold-blooded. The signs, while subtle, are apparent if anyone bothers to look for them.
If his mother truly hates her son, she wouldn't have made a scene, throwing her pride to the wind. And if his father truly loathes his eldest child, then the ripples of anguish in his eyes must be a trick of the light. This family doesn't know how to be honest with their feelings. Fixing a rift that has been dilapidating for decades will require a miracle but, if I don't do something now, then it will be forever broken.
Shaking off Dae's grip, I step forward. "I'd like to say something."
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
nessawrites
nessawrites Note : 'Hyung' means older brother or male figure of a male person and a 'hanok' is a traditional Korean house like what you'd see in the Joseon period.
Song Suggestion : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkN6iEIrNhw
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder