i'm yours to keep | winrina

- 9

Minjeong lays on her bed, propped on her side so she can stare at the cactus Jimin gave her yesterday. She hums gently in its direction, wondering if the action will help it grow. After all, music helps babies develop, right? Maybe plants weren't much different. At the very least, humming and singing to her cactus wouldn't hurt it. It would just be weird.

She sighs, turning to stare up at her ceiling instead. Jimin hasn't texted her yet, even though it's nearly two in the afternoon. It's definitely possible that her dad took away her phone, but Minjeong was hoping that wouldn't be the case.

Man, she really messed things up. What kind of person thinks a party would make for a good first date? And then she just had to ask Jimin if she wanted to drink and break into Mr Park's pool with her. That was so idiotic. Even if Jimin didn't tell her dad the whole story, he'll probably figure out she was up to something illegal just by mentioning Minjeong's name.

A knock on the front door has her hopping off her bed to answer it; her mom is still sleeping off last night's shift, and any persistent knocking is likely to wake her up. Trudging out to the entrance, she swings the door open, expecting a delivery person or a solicitor.

Instead, Principal Yu looms over her, a stormy expression on his face.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" She exclaims out of reflex. But then she remembers she's not just talking to Principal Yu now, but Jimin's father, and she tacks on a reluctant. "...sir."

His eyebrows raise slightly at that addition, since it's the first time she's ever called him 'sir' in a non-sarcastic manner. "May I come in?"

Minjeong swallows hard. "S-sure." She opens the door further and steps to the side, allowing him to pass her.

He gives the space a cursory look before settling in at the kitchen table. He gestures to the seat across from him, but Minjeong is too nervous to sit down right now. She leans against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms over her chest as if it will protect her.

He stares at her for a long moment, sizing her up. She should be used to that strong gaze being on her, but she's always the one to look away first. This time it's different though, because she knows this isn't about school. So she stares back at him defiantly, daring him to look away first.

His dark eyes briefly flicker to the counter behind her. Steepling his hands on the table, he calmly says. "I don't want you to see my daughter anymore."

Minjeong bares her teeth. "You have no right to come here and tell me I can't see her—"

"Yes, I do." He says, his voice carrying over hers. "Congratulations, Minjeong. You have gotten my attention, so there's no reason to continue seeing her."

"What?" Minjeong gapes at him. "I'm not trying to piss you off by seeing her. I like Jimin. I really do. And I'm not asking for her hand in marriage, but I...she makes me happy. And I make her happy too."

Mr Yu is silent at that, eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly to reassess his arguments. He shakes his head after a moment. "That's irrelevant. I don't think you would be good for her. You do nothing but cause trouble and leave other people to clean up your messes. You do the bare minimum to stay in school, and you've maxed out the amount of days you can skip your classes without being expelled." His jaw works, and he says his next words slowly and deliberately.

"You're a toxic influence to those around you, and you are not good enough for my daughter."

Minjeong's hands shake in anger, and she clenches them by her sides, blinking hard. Damn him, he is not going to make her cry in her own home. She opens her mouth, ready to say something that will prove him wrong, when she hears her mom's door slam open.