Destination Wedding

48

Back at the resort, Mrs. Kim trudged back to her suite to find her husband clearing an empty takeout box, which served as an impromptu dinner after the fiasco at the steakhouse.

She sat down before her husband, waiting for him to speak first, but he said nothing. She looked in his eyes and only saw disappointment, which had rarely been reserved for her in the past. The look in his eyes absolutely killed her.

"I'm... I'm sorry, dear," she attempted shakily.

"I'm not the one that you owe an apology to. You're my wife, and I love you. But whatever vendetta you have to rejoin our son with Bogum, it... it has to stop."

She took a deep breath, feeling she owed her better half an explanation. "I just thought that they could make amends. I thought that Taehyung could go back to this relationship he already invested so much time in, and be... be secure," Mrs. Kim stated, smally.

Mr. Kim cleared his throat. "I know that Bogum comes from a wealthy family, but his behavior is inexcusable. Do you really want that kind of relationship for our son? Haven't you seen how heartbroken he's been? He was so hurt that he moved away. Don't you realize how difficult that must've been for him, to separate from his family? His brother?" Mr. Kim spoke calmly, struggling internally with understanding his wife while defending his son.

"Of course, I know. But I worry about him, dear. What if he can't support himself. Just... just taking pictures?" Mrs. Kim groped.

"Then you clearly have no faith in his talents. He's gifted, and he's chosen a difficult profession to break into. But I have no doubt that his eye for beauty and his skill for photography will be appreciated in due time. And even if it weren't the case, could we not support him? We have more money than we know what to do with," Mr. Kim argued.

"Us support him? I certainly didn't have that luxury. My parents were dirt poor and I had to scrape and claw to put myself through college and establish a semblance of a career before I met you."

"So Taehyung should suffer your past and fend for himself, lest he commit to a relationship with financial security despite infidelity and heartbreak? Are you hearing yourself right now?" Mr. Kim's patience was waning.

"I thought it was his best option," sighed Mrs. Kim.

"I'm sorry, dear, but that isn't sensible. There are a multitude of other options that Taehyung could pursue in lieu of getting back together with Bogum. And even if he was considering it, I don't think I could allow it. Not after the heartbreak that he's endured."

"But-"

"But nothing. I simply won't allow it. I am his father and I will protect him. I won't let you continue with this pursuit any further." Mr. Kim was trying but failing to keep his voice down. "Your sense is clearly being clouded by money and materialism, and I know your life has change dramatically compared to the poverty you used to know, but Tae's happiness is of utmost importance here. I need you on my side with this."

Mrs. Kim fell silent, saddened by the revelation of how flawed her thought process was.

"You hurt him deeply tonight," continued the patriarch. "Because of your little arrangement, Taehyung believes you don't find him worthy of a healthy relationship."

"I never meant to portray that," croaked Mrs. Kim, her eyes welling with tears.

"I believe you, and I think that in some twisted way you thought you were doing what was best. But you hurt him. I think he was even considering coming home, but now I'm not so sure. If you push our son away from me, from us... it will break us," Mr. Kim answered solemnly.

"Please don't say such things, dear," the matriarch cried softly.

Mr. Kim took a deep breath. "This is the gravity of the situation. You need to look outside of yourself and this luxurious lifestyle that you've grown accustomed to and realize that not all that glitters is gold."

"I... I understand. Please, let me make it right with him," she pleaded.

"I am certainly not stopping you. I want nothing more than to see our family close again. Not just in proximity, but in the substance of our relationships. We need to support him and let him come back to himself. The young man who used to be so tender and carefree. I think that side of him began to dissipate after he and Bogum became boyfriends. Long before that idiot ever cheated."

Mrs. Kim thought back to the two years that her son spent at Bogum's side. She couldn't deny that he was more withdrawn, less exuberant. It made her heart ache now, as she paid it little mind at the time. She was so thrilled about what a supposed catch Bogum was, that she failed to address the changes in her son.

"I suppose your right. His personality changed so much. My harping on him to pursue a lucrative career and establish financial security since his college years probably didn't help, either," she admitted, sniffling.

"You've been hard on him for a long time. And perhaps you thought it would strengthen him, but you never used the same firmness with Jin. Maybe because he chose a more traditional career path. But Taehyung is a brilliant young man, and an adult capable of making his own choices. We need to support him now, dear. Can you do that?"

Mrs. Kim broke down. She felt awfully convicted by her husband who's wisdom on the matter made her narrowed perspective pale in comparison. She felt the crushing weight of the err of her ways, and how it impacted her family.

"I've failed him, haven't I?"

"Being a parent is excruciatingly difficult at times. And this wasn't your best. I just wish you would've confided in me about all of this. You made these arrangements behind my back and it's been difficult for me, feeling deceived by you," Mr. Kim supplied soberly, unable to hide the hurt in his eyes.

"I don't understand how you're so calm, because you're right. While deceiving you wasn't my primary goal, I know that I kept this from you purposely. I felt like a woman on a mission and I guess I didn't want any impetus. I see now that had I just talked with you, I could've avoided so many missteps. I even encouraged Bogum to fly his boyfriend to Hawaii, just to remind Taehyung of what he could have. How could I do that?" She felt so ashamed.

"And how could you not see that by complying, he was willing to use his boyfriend just to win Taehyung back? Did you think about how that man would feel, if he came on this trip just to be dumped like yesterday's trash if your plan actually worked? That's tremendously hurtful."

"I didn't... I didn't consider Seojoon's feelings. I've been so blinded by my own selfish wishes and I see that now. I'm so sorry and I don't deserve it, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." Mrs. Kim sobbed. "I... I love you so much, jagi."

"I know you do. And if you truly see everything wrong with this picture, I believe you can make things right with Taehyung."

Mrs. Kim was crushed. She could tell by her husband's tone that he had lost trust in her, still questioning whether she comprehended how she'd gone astray. She would have to fight, not only to regain her son's trust, but her husbands as well.