Forbidden Love's Gamble | KTH

CHAPTER 1

"WHAT?!" Your shriek echoed through the apartment, bouncing off the walls like a frantic pinball. Mr. Kang, your kindly landlord, flinched, wincing as he covered his ears. His nose scrunched up at the sudden assault of volume.

"How can you do this to me, Mr. Kang?" you demanded, your voice dropping to a furious accusation. Disbelief painted your face as you glared at him. Mr. Kang, ears now uncovered, met your gaze with a sorrowful slump of his shoulders.

"No, don't," you interjected sharply, the second he opened his mouth to speak. "I don't want to see those pitiful eyes."

A sigh escaped Mr. Kang's lips. "I'm truly sorry, my child," he offered in a placating tone. "But I don't have any other choice."

You scoffed, a huff of anger escaping your nose. "There has to be another way, Mr. Kang! Please, I beg you!" Your voice trembled, laced with a desperation that shone through your tear-filled eyes.

"Hey, you're practically my own child," Mr. Kang said gently, his voice soft. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

The sentiment felt like a cruel joke. "Then why are you doing this to me?!" you cried, your voice cracking. You blinked fiercely, willing the tears back.

Mr. Kang held up a placating hand. "Listen, Y/N," he began, only to be cut off by your outburst.

"But what?!" you shouted, your voice thick with betrayal. "You can't just drop this on me and expect me to pack my bags overnight!" Tears welled up again, overflowing this time and tracing a glistening path down your cheeks.

The weight of his words crashed down on you. This tiny apartment, crammed to the brim with your life, wasn't just your living space – it was your sanctuary. Every chipped mug, every worn throw rug held memories. It was the place you'd painstakingly built a life after the uncertainty of the orphanage.

"Where will I go?" you pleaded, your voice trembling. "This has been my home ever since I left the orphanage. I've always paid the rent on time, never caused any trouble. I followed all your rules, and this is how you repay me? By throwing me out on the street?" A single, choked sob escaped your lips.

Wiping at your streaming eyes, you sniffled. "Where am I supposed to go, Mr. Kang? I have nowhere. Nowhere at all." Your voice hitched, laced with a deep, raw despair.

The once happy reunion with your landlord had turned into a nightmare. Mr. Kang's unexpected visit, initially a source of joy, had left you feeling utterly lost and alone. The future stretched before you, a vast, empty landscape with no familiar landmarks, no place to call home.

The knock on the door was like a punch to the gut. You hadn't seen Mr. Kang in a while, but you never expected this. Four years you'd lived in this apartment, a haven he'd offered when your pockets were as bare as the winter branches outside. Back then, a fresh-faced orphan with dreams bigger than your bank account, Mr. Kang had seen himself in your eyes – a reflection of his own childhood, shadowed by loss.

"Don't worry, child," he'd said with a warm smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Get on your feet, and then we'll talk rent." That kindness had blossomed into a bond that transcended landlord and tenant. You were practically family, sharing stolen cookies with Mrs. Kang and movie nights huddled together.

So, when you opened the door to see Mr. Kang's face etched with a sorrow deeper than any you'd seen before, your heart plummeted. The air hung heavy with unspoken words.

"Mr. Kang?" Your voice cracked, the question hanging in the air like a cobweb.

He shuffled in, his shoulders slumped, the weight of the world pressing down on him. "Y/N," he began, his voice hoarse. "There's no easy way to say this..."