Chaebol Fate

THE PRESENT

The remaining days of our honeymoon seemed to go well. We went shopping, visited some historic sites, ate delicious food, and put on a G-rated act for the public. It seemed as though we were forming a friendship, as well. He was quite funny and I found myself enjoying spending time with him. On the last night of our honeymoon, Jimin surprised me with a present.

"Oh! How thoughtful! I feel bad, Jimin. I haven't gotten you anything."

"I hope you like it."

I carefully unwrapped the box, opened it, and pulled back the tissue paper. Inside, was a beautiful silk chemise. My face grew flushed with embarrassment.

"What...what the hell, Jimin?"

"You've worn that old set of pajamas every night since we got married. I thought you would like to wear something different for a change."

"You mean you'd like to see me in something different for a change."

"No, not at all. I just thought you'd like something pretty to wear."

"Oh, so I need to wear stuff like this to feel pretty?"

"That's not what I mean. Geez. Can't you just appreciate that I got something pretty for you?"

"There you go again, Jimin. What are you expecting? Do you think I will just put this on and suddenly I'll want to sleep with you?"

"No! Why do you keep assuming I want to sleep with you?"

"Jimin, men buy lingerie for women they want to have sex with. Period. Buying me this tells me you want to sleep with me. I hope you kept the receipt so you can return it. I'm not going to wear it. Plus, you're going to need the money to pay me the 500,000 won you now owe me."

"Keep it. I'm not going to return it." He grabbed his wallet off the desk, pulled out 500,000 won, handed it to me, then slammed his wallet back down onto the desk. "Here's your money, even though you're wrong. It's pointless to argue with you. I won't bother to do anything nice for you from now on."

"Seriously, Jimin? Stop being such a child. No matter how well-intended you claim your gift to be, it was purchased with sex in mind. You can deny it all you want. The fact is, you want to see me in it and especially out of it."

He shook his head at me. "You're being ridiculous. I do NOT want to sleep with you."

"Fine. I will prove you wrong."

"Go ahead. Give it your best shot."

I popped into the bathroom, changed into the chemise, did my bedtime skincare routine, and walked out. I proceeded to walk right past Jimin and turn down the bed. I then grabbed my hairbrush and sat on the side of the bed. I undid my chignon and started gently brushing my hair out. I could feel his eyes on me. He was turned on.

I turned and tucked my legs under the covers, grabbed my book, and started to read. "I'm tired. Are you coming to bed?"

I looked up at him to find him glaring at me, his jaw clenched. He knew he was beaten. Instead of admitting he was wrong, though, he grabbed his wallet and left in anger.

After reading for about thirty minutes, mostly waiting for him to return, my eyes grew tired and I decided to go to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night, I heard him stumbling in. It was obvious he was drunk. I pretended I was still sleeping, even though the bed shook a lot as he sat down and began to undress. He slid into bed, but then suddenly he mumbled, "Let's get rid of these things. I don't need them. Stupid pillow wall." Jimin grabbed the pillows dividing our two sides of the bed and threw them off the bed. I began to tense up and readied myself to fight him off.

He scooted up close to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. "See, Ji-Hye. Nothing north or south of the equator. No problem. Not interested." He was asleep within a matter of minutes. I don't know why, but I began to cry. Was it because I had hurt his feelings? Was it because he was not at all interested in me after all? Did I want him to be interested in me? Did I actually want him as more than just a friend? I closed my eyes and softly cried myself to sleep.

We hardly spoke to each other the next day. We played our roles for the cameras, but turned it off the moment we arrived at our new home-a luxury 3-bedroom condo that had been prepared for us by our mothers while we were on our honeymoon. They arranged everything from hiring the moving company to buying new furnishings they felt would suit both our tastes.

The tension finally cut, our return home brought us relief. Our new home meant separate bedrooms. We flipped a coin, and I won the master bedroom. Left with two bedrooms to choose from, Jimin chose the bedroom furthest from mine even though it was the smallest.

Months passed, and we each kept to ourselves. We were polite to each other as we sat together at meals, but no conversations about our daily activities ensued. He often went out at night. I stayed in.

Unfortunately, the media had started to speculate. We had stopped attending our usual social events. We were never seen out in public as a couple. Someone had leaked that our relationship was cold and that we were on the brink of a divorce. We were summoned to Jimin's parents' house for dinner.

"What is going on with you two?" Jimin's father asked.

"Nothing," Jimin responded.

"That's exactly the problem!" my mother chimed in. "Ji-Hye, we need to see the two of you out together more often. They need to see that you are a couple in love."

"But we're not, are we?" I replied in a snarky tone.

"Don't you use that tone with me!"

"I know what we need. A baby! A baby will show everyone that all is well with you two," Jimin's mom smiled.

I became filled with dread. I could see Jimin was, too.

"I'm not ready to become a mother yet, Mrs. Park."

"Nonsense. Just hire a nanny."

"I want to play an active role in raising my child. I will not use a child as a social media pawn." I bit back.

Jimin glared at me. "Please watch your tone with my mother. Show her some respect."

I became enraged. Did he seriously think bringing a child into the world was a good idea? And how would such a child come into being? A miracle from God? Artificial insemination?

He turned his eyes on his mother. "I do not believe we are ready to become parents yet, Mother."

"I have a proposal." His father spoke up. "I will have someone leak to the media that Ji-Hye had a miscarriage just a couple of months into the marriage and that you two are heartbroken. That will explain your behavior as a couple and the fact that you have not attended any social events since your marriage."

As much as I hated to lie, it was a much better alternative. I nodded in agreement to the solution, and Jimin agreed to it as well.

"But it's time for you two to start going to more social events as a couple. It will look as though you are finally ready to move on from your loss," my father added. "And it starts this Friday. You two will be attending the charity gala being put on by SG Group."

"We already have plans," Jimin spoke up. I had no idea what his plans were, but I planned to take a long soak in my bathtub and go to bed early.

"Change them," his father ordered. "This isn't open for debate."

Jimin glanced at me, then turned to his father and silently nodded.

"And for goodness sake, make sure you two come across as madly in love. We need to spin the story," my father grumbled.