THE SAME

Chapter fifteen

"Don't meet with my mother."

I should've listened to Somchai. Now, I am stuck with this woman who didn't even bother saying hello or apologising for being late. I feel like I'm just sat here looking stupid. First of all, the price of tea in this restaurant is way too expensive and I'd rather starve than order a small, pinky size cube of cake that costs over ten dollars per slice. 

I should've listened to my man.

STOOOOPIDDD.

His mom made me feel so small... I felt like I was back to being the insecure girl who felt small next to the girls who could afford to buy branded things. I don't even know all the brands she wore but just the Burberry trench with the Burberry bag is probably worth my rent and water bill combined... and the food shopping and electricity bill and probably my going-out budget.

MATERIALLL GIRLLLL.

After I met Somchai's parents, I started realising that our worlds may be more apart than I wanted to admit at first... like he literally came from money. He's not new money, he's old money so no wonder he doesn't act like a douchebag who stumbled upon a bag of cash yesterday. 

He's not new to this, he's true to this.

His dad's family owned a pharmaceutical company that had their hand in a lot of things in the health sector and his mom's family had a real state empire that extended beyond Korea. Somchai wears brands I don't even know about... He met people, I would never be in rooms with. I don't even know how he and I were ever in the same time and space and maybe... I'll only ever achieve this, in this life.

 He showed me his family homes in Korea and Thailand and he also showed me the houses that were given to him as gifts and the houses that his family shared... houses I probably could not even afford to Air BnB for a night. He showed me the drugs in which his family invested to help fund and commercialise... he showed some of the things his families started investing in once his mum and dad joined the families.

My family definitely cannot give him, any of that.

He wear Cartier, I wear Bartier. His diamonds fresh out the cave, mine cubic zirconia. We are not the same.

I think he never wanted to show things like that because he knew... he knew that I get so happy when I can buy a Telfar bag on my own or even buy a Marc Jacobs Tote. And he cheers me on and tells me how proud he is but deep down, maybe he wanted to tell me all along, that he could have brought me as much as I wanted if I just asked. That I didn't have to work hard... and maybe that's why he is patient until I buy something on my own before he proceeds to buy me the same thing in the other colours I wanted or jumps to buy the rest of my cart and my wishlist.

Maybe now he can show me the side of him that he was hiding for so long.

But... do I fit in that world? 

"Have you realised yet sweetheart?"

"Excuse me?"

"Have you realised that you don't fit in Sommie's world or do I have to take you where we shop? Maybe take you to one of our apartment buildings... or perhaps the construction site of the hotel chain we're partners of. Maybe fly you out to Monaco right now so we can spend a night at the villa."

Not gonna lie... I'm getting cooked.

"Sweetheart, if you adore Somchai as much as you say, you would think about what is better for him. I'm sure you thought that what you feel for him and what he thinks he feels for you would be enough but... do you think you can stand seeing yourself as his charity case? Never being able to stand next to him as an equal? You could start working your hardest right but getting to where Somchai is right now pre-inheritance, may take you generations and generations and generations and then their generations."

Fuck, I can feel the tears prickling my eyes but I won't let her... I can't let her see me cry.

"... I love Somchai, I-"

"Oh sweetheart," she sighed softly taking off her sunglasses and reaching for my hand proceeding with the softest tone I have ever heard, "I want you gone from Somchai's life right now. I am going to write you a cheque."

"Excuse me?"

Am I in a nightmare? What is she saying to me? 

She softly shushed me looking into my eyes with a warning... a warning not to overreact. A warning to listen. A warning to not draw attention.

 "Oh honey, I know that my naive son may have even fallen in love with you so, it is going to be a beautiful amount, so big that you and your mother can live comfortably for a while. Call it a gift out of admiration... I truly admire how close you got to being a Kim and I also admire that you genuinely thought I was going to let it happen."

"Mr-"

"Now I understand, that a strong black woman like yourself may want to power through and overcome this to be with my Sommie but sweetheart, I am letting you know right now... I am not a docile Asian woman who is quiet and weak," she paused giving me a gentle smile and a soft look almost as if she was comforting a child, "families like ours do not get where they want without getting a bit dirty. You know the saying, 'the devil works hard but Minju Kim works harder?' Anything can happen honey... your mum or you or your extended family or maybe even your friends... we don't want anything to happen do we?"

"No," responded in a small voice, a tear finally escaping.

"Good sweetheart so, I know a smart, young black girl like you is going to make the right choice. Finish your tea and I'll order some cake for you to take home, Nayla" she finished with a smile, "I am so sorry you and our family did not work out."

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, bad bitches have bad days too.