Promise U

Chapter 12: The Truth

(Yongsun's POV)

Fuck fuck fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

I didn't want this to happen. I don't know what I thought would happen, but I wanted to forget about the possibility of it happening.

I knew the truth would come out at some point, but I just wanted to tuck it away for as long as possible. I didn't want Byul to know about who I am, who my family was, about Eric of all fucking people. I wanted to feel like a normal human being for once, by getting to know someone without my family influencing it every step of the way.

But here we are. Standing in my fucking mansion of a house, with Byul on the way in a fucking private car, to expose the truth about my background and all its fucking glory.

I'm pissed at myself for not coming clean with Byul. But I'm also pissed at myself that I could've just ruined whatever I had going on with Byul. She was beautiful, and made me feel warm and safe from the moment I laid eyes on her.

And just like that, like all of my other dreams in my life, they've been taken away.

Mere moments later I heard the sound of tires crinkling on the gravel out front. I peeked out my window, only to see Byul being ushered out of the car and into the house. Her eyes wide at the sheer size of this place and all its surroundings.

I rush downstairs as she walks through the front door.

"Thank you Mr. Park, you're excused." I say to the driver. He bows and heads back to the car.

Byul is quiet, skimming her surroundings, taking it all in. I slowly walk up to her, unsure of how she's feeling. As I approach her slowly, she looks at me and smiles subtly.

"Hi" she says to me.

"Hi Byulie."

"Nice place, it's uh..."

"Unnecessarily massive? Yes, yes it is."

We both laugh. I feel a little weight fall off my shoulders, because at least she doesn't hate me enough not to laugh with me. But I can still feel the thickness in the air.

"Um, let's uh, let's go outside. There's a nice private garden in the back, we can talk there." I cut through.

"Sure, that sounds nice." She replies.

I extend my hand to her to take ahold of. Bold move on my part, but if this is the last time I will see Byul, I want to make the most of it. She immediately accepts.

I take her out back, past the pool, past the tennis court, and to a little private bench behind our full botanical display.

She's silent the whole way. But who could blame her, this property is a spectacle in and of itself. And to someone who isn't used to it all, it's pretty overwhelming and ridiculous.

As someone who is used to it, I also find it pretty overwhelming and ridiculous.

She sits for a moment taking it all in, and all I can do is watch her. I'm praying to literally anyone that will listen that this isn't the last time that I'll see her.

Cause I'll head straight back to the bridge if it is.

I can't hold it in any longer.

"Byul, I wanna start by saying how sorry I am. I never should've hid my background from you. I just-"

Byul cuts me off by placing her hand on top of mine. "Shh Yong, it's okay. You don't have to apologize to me."

I felt reassured in that moment, but I can still see the hesitancy in her eyes. I deeply exhale before continuing.

"It's just, I didn't think that we would hit it off so well. But then we started to talk more, and I just didn't want you to think of me any differently once you figured out who my family was."

"No Yong, I've been eager to get to know you and spend time with you. Not because of who your family is or anything like that. Just you."

I feel my cheeks blushing. Byul makes me feel like a person, despite the overwhelming and ridiculous lifestyle I've been brought up in.

"It's just..." she trails off.

"What Byul? What is it?"

She hesitated. I braced myself for what could possibly come. I don't wanna see you anymore. I hate you for lying to me. All seem like a logical response.

"You're getting married?"

My eyes lock with hers to try to find any sort of reasoning behind the question. Is it relief? Anger? Disappointment? I search and search but I can't seem to find anything behind her glassy orbs.

I take a deep breath in, "Yes I am, unfortunately."

She looks confused by the latter part of that sentence.

"My father is a very powerful man Byul. And unfortunately that makes me a token of his power. He'll do anything he can to maintain the whole spectacle, even if it means auctioning me off like a trophy for it all. And Eric's father is of similar stature. Arranging a marriage is the perfect business opportunity for the both of them. I don't really have a choice."

Moonbyul looks at me with pity in her eyes. I don't think she'd ever be able to fully understand a situation like this, but at least she can offer sympathy.

"Do you love him?" She states.

I'm taken aback by the bluntness of her question. But it is a valid one.

"Eric is a nice man. I've only met him a handful of times actually, but he's nice. It's just.." I'm interrupted by my own soft laughter.

Byul looks at me with much confusion. "What's so funny?"

The laughter grows and grows, going from almost silent to nearly hysterical. I'm cackling at this point, and all Byul can say is "Yong!"

"Byulie... I'm gay! I'm a full on lady lover, and I have to marry a man! Ha ha ha!"

The laughter is probably masking my pain inside. The reality of the situation is becoming so clear, and I'm not too sure how Byul will react to it all.

She takes a beat, looking at me so heavily confused. But to my surprise, she joins in on the laughter. Like it was a contagious disease that she just fell victim to.

"You're gay, and have to marry a man! That sounds like my worst nightmare!" She laughs.

"Your worst nightmare, being gay or marrying a man?"

The laughing slowly dies down. "Yong, look at me, do I look like I will be marrying a man? I'm gay too."

Moonbyul has such a handsome charm about her. I didn't want to assume that she was gay, but with a style like that, it's kind of inevitable. But my heart skipped a beat. Because the connection we have wasn't something that I made up. It was real and genuine.

We both lock eyes as if we've answered all of each other questions. And we spend time trying to search for more. All of the anxiety and fear I was drowning in moments ago has washed away. Everything bad could wash away in her eyes.

Byul places her hand on mine, slowly intertwining our fingers, and my heart flutters. We both smile.

"Byul?"

"Yes Yong?"

"How would you feel about coming up to my room to watch a movie?"