The Contract

The Funeral

"Alright. Let's get this over with. At least this will be the last time he has to be involved in my life right?" Jieun said with a frustrated sigh. She straightens her dress one last time before grabbing her bag and keys from the hooks by the door. She makes her way down the stairs to the apartment complex's parking lot. She'd been living there for the past year so she went into autopilot, making her way over to her beat-up but an oddly reliable car and getting in without a second thought. Driving to the funeral home for him was more out of obligation than out of respect, honestly, she felt nothing but pity for the man she'd once called her father.

She not once ever thought of even going to his funeral after what he'd done to her in the past. She takes a deep breath as her car comes to its final stop, stepping out she sees a few mildly familiar people entering the beige building. Old family friends and distant relatives she'd maybe met once or twice in her childhood waited outside the door as Jieun made her way through the crowd of people, as the last of his direct family, it was her "responsibility" to handle the arrangements. The funeral began as any other, people grieving the man they had known and loved, each person trying to share a fond moment they'd had with him before he passed. With each story came more of the deep disdain she felt towards him, if he was so great why would he have abandoned me as he did? Why did he use my savings to try and "win it all" instead of just being happy with what we had? She felt herself getting worked up but she managed to take another deep breath and calm herself.

If she got worked up it would just upset others more so she'd push through the rest of this mess and that will be that. Something, or rather someone caught her eye at that moment. It was a man in a suit, nothing special about that aspect of him however he had a scar on his eyebrow. Usually, this wouldn't stand out too much to her but something about him gave her the chills, she couldn't help but think how did this man know my father. The man smirks as he seems to notice her confusion and quickly pays his respects to her father before exiting the room, glancing back at her again as if to see if she was still watching him. The rest of the funeral passed without problem but the question kept running through her mind, how would someone like that know him? She quickly packs her few things up after the ceremony, just wanting to go home and relax at this point. She turns to the photo of her late father and finally gets to say her last words in peace, away from everyone else's judgment.

"Well dad, looks like you were able to put on a good front for all of them eh? You had the time and energy to make those strangers love you but not your daughter? I guess I see where I stood to you, good riddance." She says with an almost annoyed scoff. As those last words leave her lips she's met with a hand on her shoulder. It startles her and she quickly turns around to see a man, couldn't be much older than she was but he was strikingly attractive, almost unreal. She moved away from him, letting his hand naturally fall off her as she looks around to check if there was anyone else in the room. Unfortunately for her, she was, completely alone with an un-naturally handsome stranger with no personal space boundaries.

Almost as if he read her mind he smiles, of course, it had to be just as pretty as expected from this man. "Hey there," He says in a voice that perfectly fits the handsome, well-built man that carried it. "I'm looking for Mr. Nam's daughter, Nam Jieun. You wouldn't happen to be her would you?" She gets a bit nervous and nods her head, "What's this regarding?" She says trying to keep her cool, it wasn't like she was in danger, so why did she feel like she couldn't trust him. "Well, that is something I can't disclose to just anyone, all I can say is my boss has some unfinished business with Mr. Nam and he would like to discuss the contract he'd signed before he passed regarding his daughter." She mumbles softly, "Now what did that man get me into." rolling her eyes as she sighs, "Yes I am Mr. Nam's daughter. Where would you like to meet to discuss this contract?"

She asks mildly curious as to what "business" her father was in, then she remembered the man from before. Could they be from the same company? Who knows, she just wanted to get this over with so she could leave this mess in the past. "Well you see, that's the thing. Now that we have confirmation you are Mr. Nam's daughter, you'll be coming with us immediately to meet him. We will send someone over to your apartment to collect your things and we will make sure you are very comfortable throughout your stay with us." He says with another smile as he takes her hand. Confused and a bit caught off by what he'd said she follows the man without any struggle, after all, he was bigger anyway it was not like she'd be able to get away. What was she being pushed into now...

____________________________________