Affection's Facade

In-yeon

Elera's first person pov

There's a word in Korean I like, In-yeon. It translates to "fate," but it delves deeper when speaking of relationships between people. If two strangers merely walk by each other on the street and their clothes brush even so lightly, it's said there must have been some connection between them in their past lives.

Sometimes I found myself staring at my life wondering if there was any truth to it.

The soft awareness of a stranger's smile even when there's others surrounding you. This connection your heart has to their being and essence even in the slightest was In-yeon. This concept always fascinated me, the idea that our souls have intertwined with countless others before this life.

That every fleeting touch, glance, or whispered word might be a result of a bond forged in another time. I wondered what wrong I did in my past life to be in the situation I was in now.

My mother was a cleaner, my father a driver for the Kim family. Was it our In-yeon to live that way? Scraping for the bottom? Was it my In-yeon to have to care for a sick mother and a father that was labeled a murder and a thief. Or to be where he was? leaving my mother and I here. Did I have a say in any of this? The choices that life seems to be forcing onto me, with the purpose of making me feel rejected.

It wasn't Jae-hoon, my family, my history or even So-yeon that added complexity to my life. It was him the familiar stranger that lived just a few houses away from me. In one of the other largest mansions in the neighborhood. But as confusing as that connection of fate felt with Jae-hoon, it paled in comparison to the depth of emotion I once shared in the past with another. At the time, when we were together, the world made sense. However the essence of our relationship was a confusing one. As I watched him and a close friend get married. Did it matter? Maybe it did.

Because everytime time Jae-hoon's fingers brushed against mine or our gazes locked for a fraction longer than necessary, that word echoed in my mind. In-yeon. I was fated for a loveless life.

Now, as I stood under the cascading water of the shower, I let the heat seep into my skin, trying to wash away the remnants of our latest confrontation with Jae-hoon. I close my eyes and picture that first encounter with Tae-hyung, wondering if our In-yeon was a blessing or a curse.

Late into the evening, after I got out of the shower. Jae-hoon was nowhere to be found. What did it matter? He never often was.

I dried my Afro as I messaged Min-ji. Soon after, the doors of Cheongdam's Paradiso, one of Seoul's top restaurants, opened with a silent grandeur. As I stepped in, the scent of truffle and exotic wines welcomed me. The ambiance was a gateway of gentle murmurs, clinking glasses, and soft laughter – a symphony for the upper crust. Somewhere we came to be seen, more than it was a place for us to actually eat. The portion sizes controlled and small, while we paraded about in even smaller jewelry and accessories that were even louder.

"Elera!" A melodious voice called out. It was Min-ji, glowing as ever. Her seat was in the private alcove, a spot we often occupied when we dined here. Her fashion-forward bob haircut and the glint of her latest Van Cleef & Arpels necklace made her every inch the socialite. " When did you start dressing like your enemies?" I asked as I chuckled to sit.

" Isn't it gorgeous?" She smiled as her hands softly touched it. " I told Brandon I didn't want it but he insisted." She looked around. " For our two year anniversary." She added.

I nodded my head with a smile. " Lucky." I chuckled. Min-ji gestured with her eyes that there were some people coming in at the entrance.

As they walked in, faces turned subtly to look at me, their recognition followed by polite nods or gentle waves. My reputation preceded me, and in this world, being unnoticed was a rarity I seldom enjoyed.