Prostitutes,Money And Love

Chapter 38 /We're A Family Now/

"Are you going to wear that?"Hyuk scrutinised me up and down,shaking his head in disapproval. "We're going a hotel's restaurant,shouldn't you match the location?"

"I'm not going to dress up for them."I stated coldly and it was enough to shut him up. It was finally the day where we sat down together but not as a family but instead something like a business deal. My brother and sister were dressed up to the nines but I decided to wear what I usually wear. They can kick me out of the restaurant for dress code anyway;the meeting is for my siblings,not me. I've seen enough of them. It's the first time Hana sees the parents that caused her agony and the reason why she's living miserably while for Hyuk...it's the first time he's even seeing his parents.

"Don't get too emotional,hm? It's your first time seeing them and I understand you will feel pressure but you have to maintain calm for me and Hana to negotiate some terms,alright?"I said softly,stroking his hair. He pouted cutely and nodded his head like a little child.

With that,the three siblings stepped out of their shabby apartment and headed towards the hotel's restaurant,where tears are sure to shed and anger to consume them.

+++

"Ready?"I asked the nervous looking Hyuk who was fiddling around with his fingers and the blacked-face Hana who looked like she was ready to beat some people up. Hyuk nodded hesitantly and Hana stayed still. I sighed and pushed open the doors to my father who was sitting in the room with his body guard standing straight in the corner.

I entered the room,holding Hyuk by the hand and giving my sister a reassuring squeeze of the shoulder. It was dead silent as we took a seat. Hana was looking anywhere but him while Hyuk was staring blatantly at him.

"Where's your mother?"my father asked,finally breaking the suffocating silence.

"She's either running late or standing us up."I replied curtly and scanned through the menu for a drink.

The doors were abruptly opened and entered a pissed mother,taking her seat far from both children and ex-husband.

"Since we're all here,let's start. I have to go soon."she said.  What an obvious lie.

"Fine."I snorted and looked over to Hana,gesturing to her to start first.

"I don't need an explanation from both of you because I was old enough to understand what was happening. What I want now is to never see each other again and to completely cut off our ties. Officially. We go to the office and cut off our ties legally so that we're no longer related."she said coldly and looked straight into their eyes with her piercing stare.

"Fine by me."my mother smirked while my father kept quiet.

"Hyuk?"I nudged him and he shaked his head.

"I have nothing to say,I just wanted to see how my parents looked like. Nothing more."

"My turn then."I grinned and stood up. "Obviously,you two don't understand what we've gone through,especially for Hana,who raised us up single-handedly without complaint. They want simple things but I want more for them. We're living pathetically and it's unfair that you are living in riches. I demand a fair and reasonable compensation. Firstly,enough money for both me and Hyuk to finish our studies. Secondly,I want a new house. I don't need a mansion,I just need an apartment about the same size as what we have but only less shabby and in a better neighbourhood. Thirdly,a sum of money to help Hana kickstart a better career. I'm sure $200,000 doesn't mean to much to you,especially since you guys are splitting it up."I stated. "In return,we promise to pretend you never existed."

"Good."my mother said. "I agree to all but once you break the agreement,I will sue you for a refund."

"I disagree."my father finally spoke. "I don't want to cut off our ties. I want all of you to come live with me. All those terms are unneeded. I'll do them and even more. Whatever you what,I'll give it you. I just want you to live with me."

My sister snorted. "I refuse to. Even if I have to continue living my current life,I will never stay with you."

"I'll give you a new home and I'll pay for all your studies. I'll even give you a starting fund for a business."he tried persuading her.

"Take them then. I'll just get my compensation for a new career to pretend you never existed."she looked at our mother then to our father,"I don't want to live with you. Just make sure you don't let them down like you did for me."

"Unnie..."my voice trailed off as I grabbed her arm. "I'm not going if you're not."

"Hyun-ah,just take it. You deserve it. I want a better life for both of you. We won't be living together but we'll be able to see each other. I can't bring myself to stay with someone like him. I'll be fine."she assured and squeezed me assuringly,her gaze filled with determination.

"Deal or no deal?"

"Deal."they said in unison.

Suddenly,the doors slammed open and revealed a petite woman with Soyeon. Soyeon grabbed the woman's hand,whom I suppose is her mother and stomped right up to me.

"WHAT IS THIS?!"she screamed. "Stop scamming my stepfather with your pathetic lies just so you can get your money. If you want money so badly,you just need to beg me!"she raged and threw money in my face.

"Stop your nonsense this instance!"the petite lady surprisingly hollered and gave Soyeon a tight slap across the face. Damn... "Don't be rude! Apologise and pick the money up! I don't give you allowance to be rude to your siblings."she warned intimidatingly before turning to me with a gentle smile. Soyeon gritted her teeth and glared me,scared to utter another word and did what her mother had ordered her to do. Talk about switching faces...

"Honey,are they your children? How lovely!"she said. My father nodded.

"You knew about this?"Soyeon asked,shocked.

"There needs to be honesty to maintain a relationship."she replied,short but straight-to-the-point.

"I hope you accept me warmly."she said and bowed. Somehow,I felt obliged to stand up and bow back and so did my siblings.

"We're a family now."

a/n:helloooo i know it's pretty boring reading about the family dispute but it's finally over. however,does it really solve everything or does it just make everything worse? hehe who knows? >:)