[4] GLADIOLUS : THE HEIRESS

M-11

Chapter 11: The pressure and burden
"I'm tired."

Treasure walked together towards the school building as usual while girls were following at their backs. Jaehyuk wrapped around his arm around Hyunsuk's shoulder. "Where did you go last night?" He asked.

"Lee's mansion. I talked to Mr. Lee about joining them, seems like my father told him about us joining them too. But we can't avoid the training." He answered Jaehyuk. "Did you met Y/N then?" Junghwan asked smiling at him. Hyunsuk answered with a nod.

"You should have bring us!" He exclaimed loudly. As they get closer to the main entrance, they heard a loud bang from inside. "What was that? Did someone accidentally bumped into a locker that hard?" Mashiho asked.

"YOU SICK BASTARD!"

They were startled by the loud shout of a girl. Hyunsuk hissed, "I don't think someone accidentally bump into a locker." He stated and walked faster leaving his friends who were yelling for him to get slower.

He know that it was Y/N because she swore that she will kill Seo Kangmin if she saw him in school. Last night, her father even asked him to keep an eye on her and don't let her kill the poor boy, even how big their hate for the Seo is.

Hyunsuk pushed away anyone that was blocking his way. After getting a clearer view, he was greeted by Y/N who was choking Seo Kangmin.

"You only want money from my father is it?" She choked him harder. "You are so shameless, the lust for power and money makes me sick." She spat in his face.

Kangmin was squirming and tried to push her away from his neck but she was stronger. "Y-Y/N.. let m-me go.." He pleaded choking on his breath. "5 Billion? You can ask it but not from my father." She continued.

Slowly his face was turning blue because lack of oxygen. Y/N didn't care what condition he is now or how she look like a mad woman choking one boy right now. She just want Seo Kangmin die.

"Y/N!" Her hands yanked away from Kangmin's neck making him fell on the floor trying to catch some oxygen. But eventually he fainted and was carried by his two goons to the nursing room.

Hyunsuk wrapped his arms around her locking both of her hands on her sides, who trying to run over the nearly die Kangmin. "LET ME GO! LET ME KILL HIM. HE--" She was cut by him, "LEE Y/N YOU LISTEN TO ME!" She eventually stop squirming under his grip when she heard Hyunsuk burst.

He pulled her making her back bumped with his chest. "You can't do like this. You nearly kill someone." He whispered angrily. "Who cares if I kill him?!" She shrieked chest rising up and down in anger.

"Lee Y/N, I don't really like your behavior right now." He scolded. "You can deal with him later but not like this way it's so unprofessional." He continued consoling his fiancee. Y/N didn't answer him but just let it be. She felt tears down her cheeks as it started to drip onto Hyunsuk's hand.

Her head was down as she continue silently crying that made the students shock by the scene that happened. Hyunsuk who never touch or lay his eyes on a girl, was still locking Y/N with both of his arms. Y/N, who known as the fierce girl was crying and a man was there to calm her down.

"Go back to your class now!" She heard someone yelled at the students, slowly footsteps were fading away from them.

She pushed Hyunsuk's away as soon as his grip loosen and ran away from there. Hyunsuk just stood there staring at where she ran off. Asahi tapped on his shoulder. "I think you should go after her. She looks so tired." He said.

Y/N sat herself down leaning against the wall with knees towards her chest and hide her face away letting out the tears that she failed to hold. She continued crying that she didn't notice someone sat beside her.

"Rooftop is such a nice place to calm yourself."

She slowly look up wiping away her tears with her palm. "Why are you here?" She asked with cracked voice. He chuckled, "So I'm being your fiance for nothing?" He joked however Y/N stay silent.

"I'm tired." She voiced after minutes of staying silent. "I'm tired of the burden that the clans are giving me. I don't like feeling the pressure and burden. The endless meetings, the endless trainings, the endless of stress." She started. "These past few weeks I have been taking over father's workload. I couldn't let Mr. Joo to handle all of it." 

"Father, he," She choked. "I don't think he can stay any longer. He coughed more blood than before, I even privately asked his doctor and said it is getting bad. I'm scared. All alone in this darkness." She cried.

Hyunsuk bought her closer so that she cried on his shoulder. He rubbed her arm up and down trying to calm her down. "You know, it's good to cry because it releases stress. So don't be afraid to cry." He ignored the wetness that was staining his uniform. They sat there almost the whole first period of their class. "Hey now stop crying." He pushed Y/N's shoulder gently away from his shoulder.

His hand came to her face and wiped away the tears. He smiled. "A strong girl like you shouldn't cry." He bopped her red nose with his point finger that made her giggled. He leaned his forehead with Y/N's.

"I will always be here for you."

After school, Y/N went to a gloomy looking place, which was full with headstones. She bought a bouquet roses walking towards a grave. She put the roses in front of the headstone then bowed respectfully at it.

JUNG YEJI
1975 - 2015
"Here lays a brilliant wife and a mother, rest well angel."

She cleaned out the grass that was grown around the stone. "Mother." She greeted with a smile. "I came. How are you up there? Are you doing well?"

She started sniffling. "Mother, I'm scared. I'm scared of things that's going to happen in the future. He's getting sick day by day." She cried. "Father had arranged me with his best friend's son, Choi Hyunsuk was the name. He is a great guy."

Feeling her legs tired standing, she kneeled on the grass facing the headstone. "I don't know what is this feeling, I feel safe when I'm around him. What does that mean mother?" She still ask knowing that only the sound of silent answering her.

"I don't know how to love someone, mother. I only know how to love father." She chuckled bitterly. "I don't even know if started falling for him." She frowned.

She continued talking about her day at the headstone, who she believes that she was listening from above. After feeling half an hour, she stood up bowing before she left.

"I hope you listen to me or if can answering me through my dream. I love you mother, I miss you. See you soon."