Tteok (떡) to my Heart (MoonSun AU)

Chapter 35 : Adoptteok

Watching Wendy helping Eric as he jogs towards us while dragging his left feet worries me. The absence of Yongsun ssaem and So-Hyun weigh my chest heavier, I knew something must've happened to them since they're not the type who would let an injured person run to us like this.

He briefed us on what had happened earlier, and I was quick on my feet as if it has a mind of its own. Before I could make a sprint, Min oppa held my shoulder and asked, "Are you planning to run there? Let me drive you." I thanked him with a bow, and we agreed to let Wendy take Eric to the hospital while we go rescue ssaem.

I took the name card with an address from Eric and helped navigate ourselves to the Kim residence. Upon arrival, there is a gentleman in a suit bowing to us. I got out of the car, but he stopped me from entering, "I'm sorry, Ms. Moon and Mr. Nam. I'm afraid I can't let you go beyond this point."

"Move. Or I promise you things will get ugly here." Min oppa bellowed, then a few security guards approached us, but the gentleman held out his hand, "Don't hurt our guests. It's fine, leave us alone."

"But Secretary Kwon..." one of the guards said in a worried tone, but he shook his head and they retreated following his instruction. He sighed before continuing, "I understand why you are here. Principal Kim has left a message for you..."

"Ms. Moon, you are hereby invited with your family to the Kim household next Saturday. Not as a student, but as a spouse candidate befitting the Kim's name. Unless you are owner and chef of 3 Michelin Star restaurant, with a notably wealthy family background, I suggest you take your lowly tteokbokki tent bar and leave this premises untainted with your stench."

That last line got me lost my cool as I grabbed him by the collar, "What the fuck did you just say? How dare you call Tteok Tokki a lowly tteokbokki tent bar!" Again, the guards wanted to approach us, but I appeared to be saved by his hand who gestured them to back away, "I'm fine... And Ms. Moon, I'm sorry to convey it in such a way, but it's the principal's direct quote. I was asked to deliver every single word without paraphrasing. I hope you'd pardon my rudeness..." With that, I loosened my grip and he pat his wrinkled collar flat.

"That lunatic... Is he aware she's just a 17-year-old? How does he expect her to attain a 3 Michelin Star restaurant?" asked Min oppa. Secretary Kwon bowed his head even lower than before, leaning closer to us as he whispered as quietly as possible so that the guards couldn't hear him, "I'm sorry that all of this happened. But you must find a way. Please, please get Yongsun agasshi out of here. Otherwise, he'll send her back to Harvard and she won't be able to return to Korea until she married a man over there."

I drew a blank while I was lost in thought, the world felt like it had collapsed and crumbled to pieces. My chest hurts so bad, it pains me to feel useless in this situation. The man before me bow to me, begging me to save the love of my life. But how? I'm just a 17-year-old student, adopted into a family whose dad expense me away for his better future. But somehow, I felt that if I see ssaem again, I might have more courage to face this.

"Where... Is she now?" I asked. He lifted his head and said, "They... Yongsun agasshi and So-Hyun agasshi won't be able to leave this premises for a while."

Feeling resigned and exhausted, I droop my head and return back to the car, leaving trails of my tears on the staircase. I sat inside the car in absolute silence while leaning my head on the car window. Min oppa drove me back home and handed me a tissue to wipe my tears away, I took it with a sigh, "Oppa... When is this going to end? It feels so close yet so far. I just thought after winning against you, things would get easier for us since we passed the difficult times."

"What's this? Why are you moping around like it's the end of the world?" He replied as he parked his car next to the building to my house then looked at me, "Byulyi, look at me." I didn't want to give him any eye contact because I'm afraid I might really cry out loud at this rate. But he held my chin to face him, and I could see a serious look on his face, "Are you going to give up just like that? Shit! Did I just lose to someone this pathetic? What happened to all that big talk about seeing a future with her? Was it just all-talk?"