He found that the most draining aspect of life was pretending to be insincere. This made social interactions feel like a chore, as if he was constantly putting on a facade and playing a role. He had abandoned this fake persona a while ago and made a conscious effort to be authentic, especially with himself.
His previous lifestyle had become exhausting, filled with superficial pursuits that ultimately left him feeling empty. It was a breaking point for him, a moment of realization that he needed a transformation. He craved a journey of self-discovery to reclaim his lost sense of self, as he felt himself slipping away, losing his sanity and composure to the allure of shallow distractions.
Haein returned home with a sense of detachment, his thoughts lingering on the interaction he had at the bakery where he had spoken his mind to a woman. Closing the door behind him, he let out a sigh and felt a twinge of regret wash over him. Little did he know, the one person who knew him best, his mother, was about to confront him about what had transpired.
"You kept me waiting long enough," a loud yet steady voice called out from the background. Haein snapped his eyes open, his heart racing, as he slowly made his way to the living room.
"Mother? What...what are you doing here?" Haein asked, his gaze narrowing as he took in the sight of his mother sitting on the couch, her eyes fixed on him.
"Well, you don't expect me to stay away after what you told your brother!" she retorted, taking a sip of the tea she had brewed for herself. Haein sighed in annoyance, quickly crossing the room to sit in a chair opposite his mother, maintaining unbroken eye contact.
"Why is it that every time you come to me, I feel like you're going to disrupt my life? Mother, please... let me go... let me live the life I want to live... don't make me a pawn in father's game, I won't stand for it!" Haein declared, his eyes narrowed as he tried to meet his mother's gaze. The skin around her eyes creased, reflecting nothing but coldness.
"I have fought for you, Haein! Countless fights and disputes with your father and those around him... I have done everything in my power to ensure you could live the life you wanted... But... I can't do it anymore. Haein... I never thought your father's words about you were true. I always saw you as a free-spirited person who only craved freedom," his mother confessed, her voice wavering with emotion.
"However, I recently discovered something... and it made me see that all you've been doing for the past few years is escaping your reality and shirking your responsibilities! You're just running away!" she accused, her voice firm as she rose from the couch. Her eyes scrutinized every expression on his face.
"Running away? Mother, you know me better than anyone! I have always been the outcast... the child who was never good enough in father's eyes! I was different then, and I'm still different now! How could you say I've been running away? What I've been doing is living my life unapologetically... without letting anyone dictate what I should or shouldn't do!" Haein defended, his voice filled with emotion and conviction.
"Confronting my father and standing up to his selfish hopes, dreams, and expectations for me is now considered running away? I have been honest and direct with you, father, and my brother about my life choices. There is no way I have been shirking my responsibilities... especially when they were never truly mine to bear in the first place!" Haein declared firmly, his resolve unwavering.
"I didn't choose to be born into this family... I didn't choose to be my father's son... I didn't ask for any of this!" Haein exclaimed loudly in response to his mother's accusations. Seeing the desperation in her son's demeanor, Haein's mother tilted her head slightly and approached him, stopping a few feet away.
"I should have been stricter and enforced rules and obligations on you from a young age! I was too lenient and soft because now I see the harm it has caused your father," his mother confessed, her eyes welling up with tears. Haein's eyebrows shot up in disbelief at his mother's unexpected words.
"Mother?" Haein whispered, his eyes filled with sadness.
"Unfortunately, I can't carry on like this... Your father is on the verge of breaking down, the K-Group is pushing him to resign if targets aren't reached! He needs you now more than ever! Please, think about it this time..." his mother implored, her gaze unwavering. All she wanted was for him to consider helping his father, but that hope quickly faded as he stepped back, his eyes filled with defiance.
"This is absurd," Haein scoffed, shaking his head in simmering rage.
"You and father have always made it clear that the K-Group comes before anything else... above Seokjoon and me! Our lives were never truly ours... they always belonged to the K-Group! What does this billion-dollar conglomerate offer us besides money and power?"
"NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT I CARE ABOUT! I REFUSE TO BE INVOLVED BECAUSE I WILL NEVER BE PART OF THAT CULT!" Haein shouted in defiance. Just as he turned to walk away, a chilling revelation from his mother froze him in place.
"Will you still refuse to consider it if I told you I found out the real reason behind your running away? The reason you returned now and not in the past years?" his mother asked, her voice soft yet firm. Haein felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed the cold, ominous tone in his mother's voice.
"I know what occurred on May twentieth, four years ago, Haein! I am aware of every detail of that pivotal day that made you reevaluate your life once again! I understand your love for freedom, but there are limits to the extent of freedom one can have. You were never just an ordinary boy! You were never meant to be what you are now! You have always been a part of this family... destined for greatness!" his mother declared with conviction.
"I understand that your uncomplicated outlook on life led you to believe this wasn't your path, but the reality is that you were destined to be a part of this," she asserted without hesitation. Her words carried a weight that shook Haein to his core, the stark truth of her statement sinking in. Haein's body tensed with anxiety, his chest constricted and his mind reeling as he grappled with the weight of his mother's words.
"I am your mother, but I am also your father's wife! I will not overlook this as I have done in the past! The time for leniency has passed! You must accept your fate as your father's son and heir to the K-Group... or I will take away your cherished freedom indefinitely! I expect your decision by tomorrow morning," she declared firmly, leaving Haein to grapple with the weight of her ultimatum.
"I know I can be ruthless when necessary," she said with a faint smile, before turning and walking away. Haein released a deep, exasperated breath that quickly turned into loud sobs. His knees buckled beneath him, and he crumpled to the floor, overwhelmed by the weight of his mother's words.
Some secrets are meant to be buried forever, but to his dismay, he was too afraid to bring it all to an end.
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