FALLEN WONDERLAND 「LEE SOO HYUK & SEO YEA JI FICTION」

13: Sweet Home

Seo Yea Ji's parent's house was a magnificent mansion in one of Seoul's wealthiest neighbourhoods. The classic estate was situated on a hill and had a captivating view of the city. It was a house that exuded grandeur and opulence in every aspect of its design.

But the real story behind the house was even more intriguing. Seo Byung-Chul, Yea Ji's grandfather, had built the house himself. He had been the chief of police of the Metropolitan Police in Seoul and had gained notoriety for his high success rates in catching criminals. Byung-Chul had two sons - Seo Kwang-Seok and Seo Nam-Seon. Kwang-Seok had followed in his father's footsteps and had become a police officer. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Kwang-Seok was murdered while trying to apprehend a criminal. Byung-Chul had spent the rest of his life trying to find his son's killer but had been unsuccessful so far.

Nam-Seon, Yea Ji's father, had become a reporter and mostly covered crime-related stories hoping that one day he would uncover the truth about his brother's death. Yea Ji had grown up in a household where her grandfather, father, and mother, who was a lawyer, were constantly fighting against crime. Their sole purpose was to bring the killer of Kwang-Seok to justice.

Despite her family's occupation, Yea Ji had chosen a different path and pursued acting. Her family was relieved that she did not follow in their footsteps, as they knew the dangers and difficulties that came with it. However, Yea Ji's strong personality often landed her in trouble. She was a spoiled child who refused to accept defeat easily, and she stood up for herself, which did not sit well with some people.

As she sat in the grand living room of her parent's house, Yea Ji couldn't help but wonder if she had made the right decision to agree to settle things with Lee Soo Hyuk. Their conversation was still ringing in her head, and she was thinking about it.

"I don't understand why you keep writing," her grandfather said, looking at her sternly. "You have done something else with your life. Yea-Ji you do not need that in your life."

"I wanted to do something different," Yea Ji replied a hint of defiance in her voice. "I wanted to make my own mark in the world. And maybe along the way, I could find who..." She halted, recalling that mentioning Kwang-Seok's name was prohibited in this residence. And she always thought it was to shield her, to keep her away from the family's difficult affairs.

"You could have done that without the need to try and cover stories that are far from your leak," her mother interjected. "Do you know how many dangers and risks you face every day?"

"I'm not a child, Mom," Yea Ji said, rolling her eyes. "I know what I'm doing."

Her mother nodded but did not respond. Since she was fully aware of Yea-intelligence, Ji's and how could she not be, she was exposed to a world of individuals who were continually trying to combat crime; how could she avoid it? They were all, in some ways, to blame for choosing that path.

"You don't understand, Yea Ji," her father chimed in. "There are people out there who don't like us, who want to harm us. You have to be careful."

"I am careful," Yea Ji said, her tone becoming more assertive. "But I'm not going to let fear dictate my life. I want to do what makes me happy and keep fighting with you guys makes me."

Her family fell silent, unsure of what to say. They knew that Yea Ji was a strong-willed person and that she wouldn't back down easily. They also knew that they couldn't protect her from everything, no matter how hard they tried. She had taken that path for years now, and until now she had managed to keep it a secret. She managed to be a successful actor and write in secret.

"You're right, Yea Ji," her grandfather finally said. "You have to do what makes you happy. But always remember that we're here for you, and we'll do everything in our power to keep you safe."