Strawberries | SKZITZY

45 ~ love is silly

"Are you bored?" Hwang Minhyun asked as he stood, with a hand in his pocket, outside Hyunjin's door.

"It's none of your business. Leave." Hyunjin threw the ball he was playing with and strode to shut the door.

"I'm getting married."

Hyunjin paused at the statement his older brother just made. Yet another unhappy marriage to be added to the family like there weren't already enough of them.

There was a long pause before Minhyun started talking again. It was awkward for they had barely even properly met for several years now.

"The girl is pretty and educated. Well mannered too. She will fit our family perfectly." Minhyun explained.

"Did dad choose her for you?" Hyunjin stared at his brother, whom he once looked up to, with derision.

Minhyun nodded.

"Why do you live your life like that? I will never understand. You know dad can't give you the company you are working so hard for unless grandma approves of you?" Hyunjin nagged. "Can't you just live your life the way you want it?"

"Hyunjin... I'm way beyond help. I have always lived my life the way dad wanted and if I were to live the way I want, I don't even know what I would truly want for myself." Minhyun sat himself on the chair while Hyunjin continued standing.

"That's why while you are still young, don't throw your life away trying to rebel against grandma. I know you are doing all that so that she changes her mind. For me."

"I didn't do anything for you." Hyunjin rolled his eyes stubbornly causing Minhyun to shake his head.

"Was it for a girl?" Minhyun smiled this time at his teenage brother. "The reason you got grounded."

"Sort of." Hyunjin shyly scratched his head. He was angry only a minute prior and then awkwardness enveloped again.

"That's a great change. The rumors I heard about you were really concerning. I'm glad they weren't true." Minhyun patted his brother's shoulder.

"What rumors?"

"That the youngest son of the Hwang family changes girlfriend like he changes his clothes. You even dated girls in college?" Minhyun's eyebrows creased with concern.

"Ah. Huh. Those are just rumors." Hyunjin laughed awkwardly, turning to sit on his bed.

"How is she? Are you serious about her?" Like the older brother that he is, Minhyun tried to be curious about his little brother's love life. Searching for a way to finally make up for all the time he's been away.

"Why do you suddenly care about my life? You will go back anyways and forget all about me like you always do." Hyunjin sneered.

"I'm sorry for being away too much." At first, Hwang Minhyun left home to study abroad because he found out that he was the illegitimate son of his father. From then, the relationship between the two brothers got worse. Hyunjin, who once admired his brother and always tried to be like him in an attempt to make his father proud too, somewhat found himself bearing resentment towards him.

"You know it's not easy for me... being in the same place as grandma. Also, just listen to her. You know she favors you the most amongst all her grandkids. Who knows you could be the next chairman of Hwang group?" Minhyun sincerely advised.

"Tsk. If there's anyone worthy of taking over the Hwang group, then it's you hyung." Everyone knew how capable Minhyun was, he also has the Hwang family blood running in his veins, yet he received such discrimination. Old hags might adapt into the society and accept the new norms but certain beliefs are hard to change. To Mrs Hwang, illegitimacy was such one case.