The Light of Dead Stars | KSJ

02

"You didn't have to cut your trip short for me, bug," your dad tells you as you caress his hand. "It's not that serious."

"You fainted due to pain, Dad. What's not serious about that?" You frown at him.

"It's not a bullet to the chest," he smirks, earning him a roll of your eyes.

"Don't think you're invincible just because you survived that. And that was years ago. Your body isn't the same," you reprimand him.

"Yah, am I really getting a scolding from my daughter before my surgery," he tries to laugh. "Cut your old man some slack."

"I will, when you start listening to the doctor," you cross your arms. "You're so hard-headed."

"Like father, like daughter, hmm?" Your mother laughs from next to you.

You continue scowling at your father while he's being wheeled away by the nurses, with you yelling an I love you when the door closes. Your mom goes with him and says she'll call the insurance for some questions, leaving you with your brother in the room.

"Am I really hard-headed like him?" You ask Hoseok, who merely laughs at your question, one you've asked him a bunch of times.

"Only sometimes," he says, sitting next to you on the couch.

"I have my reasons, though," you defend.

"Reasons I'll never understand. Like agreeing to some bullshit marriage arrangement, and letting your husband keep his mistress."

"I forgot we're still not over this," you pout at your big brother, whose displeased face quickly turns into an endeared smile.

"It's still too soon. I'm just a little upset that you didn't talk to me about it, about any of it," he sighs. "I could've convinced you of another way and protected you from all that."

"Protect me from what, exactly?" You say. "We'd be needing more protection if I hadn't agreed to the marriage. And I'd be way more stressed than I need to be if I made a big deal out of Jin having a girlfriend."

"I told you, we could've figured it out, borrowed money from friends and relatives or something, instead of being indebted to a family like theirs."

"We can't pay our debts by having more, you know that," you argue. "It was the only way. His grandparents offered; it felt like a win-win for everyone - their name protects us, their son gets a wife."

"You do know they expect you and him to have children, right? He's the eldest, after all. How are you supposed to do that if he has a girlfriend?"

"Well, they're not in a rush," you argue. "There's still time to get out of the marriage and still be free from danger without having to have a family with Jin. I've been saving up to pay off Dad's debt with interest. I just need time."

"Wait, that's your grand plan?" Your brother turns to you. "You're gonna pay off what Dad owes while carrying the Kim name so we're all protected, and then divorce your husband? That's... cruel."

"Hey, he's in on it, too!" You pout, hating being called out. It did sound better in your head and when you pitched it to Jin, who agreed that it was a sound plan.

"You're both dumb."

"Do you really think I want a relationship?" You exclaim. "Do you think one Kim Seokjin will make me want one?"

"Well, not if the man is cozying it up with another woman under your watch!"

"That's not the point. The point is, I don't really care. I care about my career, my family, my friends... and Jin doesn't want this, either. He's just following orders, and I don't want him to be miserable just because he didn't have a choice."