Quit Smoking Hotline (Min Yoongi x OC FF)

Thirteen

A/N; DISCLAIMER: Any mention of real-life political events is part of the storyline. What the characters in this book express in relation to the events DO NOT reflect their personal opinion in ANY WAY. 

No disrespect is intended for the real-life events and people mentioned in this story. The 2019 Hong Kong Protests and the ongoing movement is a serious matter, and Hong Kongers' freedom is continually being stripped every day. Please continue to show support for the movement. It is ok if you personally hold a different opinion, but please refrain from sending hate in the comments. You are entitled to your opinion as much as I am entitled to mine. That, dear reader, is the value of Freedom of Expression. Lastly, FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, STAND WITH HONG KONG. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the rest of the book.

Iji's POV

We sat down across from each other with our brilliantly cooked lunch spread across the dining table, after our harmless spat from earlier.

Florence + The Machine continues to play from the record player. Other than that, a comfortable silence washes over us as we enjoy our meal.

Yoongi-oppa's eyes wander around the decor of my flat again, stopping at the posters and souvenirs that lined the walls between my own artworks.

Then, he made an observation that shocked me.

"Those posters and sculptures you have scattered around the house, and some of your own works too. They are from the Hong Kong protests, no?" he asks.

To say I was caught off-guard was an understatement. Throughout my time studying in the UK, no one had ever been able to derive that from those posters and artworks without me explaining to them. The protests weren't really represented in international media at the time, and any reports made were quickly overshadowed by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to pick out that theme, or even be aware of the event," I say, after a momentary pause. I was getting wary of the topic. I didn't know how this conversation is going to play out.

"You said before that your family had to move from Hong Kong to the UK," he continues. "I presume it's because of what happened?" he presses.

I hummed in response.

Noticing my apprehension, he quickly backtracks.

"Sorry," he apologises. "I realise now that it's a sensitive topic for you. It must've been hard. You and your family were very brave," he sympathises with me.

An uncomfortable silence settles over the table. I didn't want it to turn out that way.

"No," I say, "it's ok. It's not your fault for asking, it's just that I've learnt to be a bit more reserved when I talk about what happened." I finally decide to let out.

I continued. "As a creative yourself, you would know- we value freedom of expression very highly, so does my family. My grandparents on my dad's side escaped Communist China in the 50s, seeking refuge and rebuilding their lives in Hong Kong, under British rule. My grandmother on my mum's side fled to Taiwan during the Vietnamese War, where she eventually met my grandfather. They relocated to Hong Kong when my grandfather received a job offer. Anyway, what I mean to say is, I guess for my family it is a generational thing to run from the communists," I joke to lighten the mood.

"So when the time came that our freedom was once again threatened by the tightening iron grip of the CCP, we had to make the painstaking decision to move again. It was hard, leaving my home and my friends behind. But what was harder was my grandparents refusing to come with us, saying they were too old, and that they could survive the new political climate since 'they didn't have long, anyway'" I air quoted, growing frustrated.