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Chapter 2

In a completely different lifestyle, Hong Oseong was sitting patiently at his parents' enormous dinner table. Even though he was already 19 years old, his parents wouldn't let him move out because the rest of society was "too far below us" (their words, not his). He lived in a prim and proper rich family where you had absolutely anything and everything you wanted as long as your parents agreed with it. In Oseong's case, they did not agree with what he wanted.

"I still cannot believe that you are taking a gap year between high school and college. You have so much potential to be more than your father and I have ever been, but what have you chosen to do instead? Music?" It was already almost a semester into the school year, and his mother was still fussing.

"Your mother is right," his father agreed. "You could do anything in the world, but you choose... music?" He said the word with an overwhelming amount of disgust. "What good will that do for you? What will it bring into our family?"

Oseong let out a long, slow breath because it wasn't polite to sigh at the table, "Mother, Father, we've been over this. Music is my dream. You both have told me countless times that I can be anything and everything I want to be, and this is it. Music. I want to make music. Is that so hard to accept?"

His mother's frown deepened, "I am absolutely astonished by how stubborn you are, Oseong. Yes, you can have and be anything and everything you want to be, but that does not include music or art. These two things... they're so... feminine."

"And you are a man, Oseong," his father continued. "Ever since you were little, we let you have and do everything you wanted to do, even when you said you wanted to dye your hair pink. But now, it is time to grow up. You're running out of time, Son, and your mother and I have already given you so many options to choose from. Why must you keep your mind set on such useless dreams?"

"Music and art... They make me happy," he said, desperate for their approval. "Ever since I was a child, when you let me take dance lessons or piano and guitar lessons or even simple art lessons, everything was because of my dreams. This is what I've always wanted to do, and I'm begging the both of you to support me."

His mother took a deep breath and released it slowly, "We only let you do those things because you were a child, Oseong. If we knew you'd end up like this, we never would've allowed such behavior."

His father nodded in agreement, "You must live up to our family's name, Oseong. These foolish ideas you call 'dreams' are only distractions. The only thing that can truly make you happy is having money, Son. If you do not, then your life will always be a struggle, and the world will lose all of its beauty. Do not let yourself fall so low because of these pointless dreams."

"But—" he began.

"This is the end of this discussion, Oseong. Our answer is never going to change, so don't waste your breath by asking again. You will go to an elite college next year, and you will become a successful businessman under your father's company. When the time comes, you will take over. Anything less, and we will have to see you out of this family," his mother said matter of factually. "Now, finish your dinner and head to bed. It's getting late."

They ate the rest of their meal in silence.

Before his parents left their enormous dining room after dinner, they turned to face their son with cold, serious eyes.

"Don't disappoint us, Oseong."

~*~*~*~

On that same night in a different household, Eunbi returned to her house around midnight. Like Oseong, she still lived with her family, but that was mostly because she had no need for her own house at the moment.

Her twin brother, Euntaek, also lived with them. To match her soft pink hair, he had dyed his own hair a beautiful, pastel blue. Unlike his sister, though, he was currently in his first year of college because he didn't want to take a gap year like she did. He lived in the dorms at school, but he spent most weekends at home to spend time with his family— though, if he were being honest, he would rather be anywhere but at home.

If you only looked at their faces, you could tell at once that they were indeed twins. It was impossible for them to be identical twins since they were different genders, but they weren't far from it. Their faces were almost exactly the same except for a few small differences, and they were the same height, unless Eunbi decided to wear high heels, which she usually did.

"How's my baby brother doing?" Eunbi asked cheerfully, ruffling Euntaek's cotton-candy blue hair. "Are you still getting good grades? You are the smarter one out of the two of us, aren't you?"

He brushed her hand away gently and carefully ran his fingers through his hair, fixing the mess she'd made, "Everything's fine. Mom's just mad that you come home so late. She doesn't think babysitting should make you come home at midnight."

She shrugged, "I'm fine with it, so it really doesn't matter." She paused for a moment, studying her brother, "But you're sure everything's okay? With you, I mean. Are you okay?"

Briefly, for an unnoticeable moment, his smile faltered, but in the blink of an eye, it went back to normal.

"I'm okay."