Chained by Expectations | Park Sunghoon

Thirty-eight

Haneul stood on the sidewalk, waiting for Jake to pick her up after work so she could see Sunghoon. She took out her phone and sent a text, asking if he was almost there. As she pocketed her phone, her thoughts drifted to the past few weeks. Sunghoon and Haneul had kept up with their secretive routine.

However, the absence of So-he and Heeseung had brought her a sense of relief, it was as if they had finally given up on their malicious plans, allowing her and Sunghoon some peace.

Lost in her thoughts, Haneul observed Jake's car approaching. When it pulled up in front of her, she eagerly jumped into the backseat, ready to make her way to Sunghoon's place.

"You took forever today," she teased, still focused on adjusting herself in the backseat. The absence of a response prompted her to look up. However, her casual tone quickly shifted to alarm as she realized that the person in the driver's seat was not Jake.

Before she could react or say anything, a sharp pain surged on the side of her head. The world around her blurred, and a wave of darkness engulfed her vision.

Sunghoon's POV earlier that day:

Sunghoon stood patiently in front of Mr. Kim's home after knocking on the front door. When there was no immediate response, he knocked again. This time, the door swung open almost immediately, revealing Mr. Kim.

"Hello, Sunghoon," Mr. Kim greeted, a hint of surprise in his voice. "What can I help you with?"

"I came here to talk to you," Sunghoon began, looking directly at Mr. Kim. "About Haneul."

"May I come in?" Sunghoon asked, and Mr. Kim, taken aback by the unexpected visit, moved aside to allow him entry. They made their way to Mr. Kim's office, and there, he urged Sunghoon to get straight to the point.

"I want to get your blessing," Sunghoon said directly. "I know that Haneul and I ended on bad terms last time, but I have never regretted anything more than what I did to her."

Mr. Kim remained composed, but Sunghoon could sense a deep concern within him. As Sunghoon spoke, Mr. Kim shared a shocking revelation about the day of their breakup.

"I saw her that day, Sunghoon. I saw her heartbreak. I hit her," Mr. Kim confessed, his voice filled with remorse. "I slapped her, thinking that she was to blame when it was you."

Sunghoon felt his heart shatter at the truth. Mr. Kim continued, revealing the emotional weight of that moment. "I don't think I can handle something like that happening to her again," Mr. Kim stated sternly. "But sir, I can promise that I will do my best to-" Sunghoon began, only to be cut off.

"The choice is ultimately hers," Mr. Kim interrupted. "But I can't give you two my blessing, and I know how important that is to Haneul. I can't give my blessing to someone who has broken her heart already once."

"Now please," Mr. Kim said, "I have a lot of work to do." He pressured Sunghoon to leave, and understanding the dismissal, Sunghoon got up from his seat.

"I will do my best to prove it to you and to her," Sunghoon declared, determination in his eyes. With those words, he exited the room, leaving Mr. Kim in contemplation.

Sunghoon drove back home, lost in thought. Approaching a stoplight, he took out his phone to text Haneul, asking if she was on her way. To his surprise, the message bounced back, stating that it could not be delivered. A feeling of unease crept over him. Sunghoon then messaged Jake, inquiring if he had picked up Haneul, but there was no response. Deciding to visit her office, he quickly made his way to KIM Enterprise.

As he entered the building, the receptionist greeted him kindly. "Hello, Mr. Park. How can I help you?"

"I'm here to meet with Ms. Kim, is she available?" Sunghoon asked.