EUPHORIA ¦ PARK JIMIN

Chapter 27

December 3, 2010

Jimin, finally being able to get out of his room walked inside his office with his usual sulking face. Everyone at his department as soon as seeing him enter, stood up and greeted him.

'Congratulations, huijang-nim,' they all said in unison as a result for Jimin to halt from his tracks and go back alittle.

'Congratulations, for what?' He questioned with a confused smile.

The employees appalled, they all just smiled.

'We heard l that you were engaged,' Baek HwanSeong blurted out from the corner.

'En-engage?' Jimin muttered, taken aback.

He was surprised on how the news had spread even if it wasn't actually true. Well, it was as a matter of fact true that he was engage but he had never agreed to it and he never will. Chae In was a loud talker, he had to admit that.

'Ah...' Jimin nodded and gave all of them a smile before he walked away to his office.

'Why does he look like he doesn't know of his own engagement,' Jae Soo muttered.

Jimin hurried to his office, completely ignoring Ha Eun who stood up and did her usual routine when ever he would arrive.

'Where's the fire?' Ha Eun asked as Jimin zapped passed her.

She left her desk, carrying a royal blue bag and entered Jimin's office. When she approached his desk and began to speak, Jimin gave a signal to stop.

'You're not going to say congratulations as well, are you?' Jimin asked.

At first, Ha Eun was perplexed about his question but soon realised what he meant.

'I was about too, huijang-nim,' She said causing Jimin to secretly roll his eyes. 'Anyway, Miss Bong Chae In came over just now and dropped this for you,'

'What is that?' He asked.

'I didn't open it, huijang-nim,' She replied and handed it to Jimin.

Hesitant to even take it, Jimin pushed back the bag. 'Open it. Please, '

As Ha Eun opened the bag, Jimin immediately asked what the content was.

'A chocolate cake and a letter,' She replied.

'Read the letter,' He said.

Why am I even doing this?! Ha Eun heaved a sigh and picked up the folded paper from the bag and read it out aloud. While she was reading Jimin couldn't take his eyes of her and how the watch he bought for her fit her so perfectly. All his thoughts of yelling at Chae In and his mother was washed away for awhile as he smiled, watching her.

'Oppa, I hope you like the cake. I made it for you. Saranghae!
-Your fiancé

Ha Eun cringed at the first word. She dropped back the letter on the bag and passed it to Jimin. After Ha Eun informed Jimin about his meetings and appointments, she bowed and spun around to leave, somehow feeling suffocated with all the news that Jimin was engaged.

'Where did you all get the news that I was engaged?' Jimin called back.

Ha Eun stopped from her tracks and looked back.
'I had bumped into Miss Bong yesterday and she had told me about. As of the rest of the employees, I don't really know how they found out,'

'I see,' Jimin replied.

Ha Eun then gave a bow before completely disappearing from Jimin's sight.

What the hell is wrong with Chae In?! He slacked on his seat when his phone vibrated upon arriving a message from his mother inviting him another dinner at their house tonight. That was just perfect for Jimin.

Throughout the rest of the day, wherever Jimin went around the building, his employees had said congratulations to his engagement. Chae In was surely getting on his nerves. By half past six where most of the employees had begun to pack up and go, Jimin had also left his office but felt unusual that Ha Eun hadn't bid goodbye to him like she usually did.

When he arrived at the main exit, a familiar figure of a woman stood by as if she was waiting for someone. Jimin, recognising who it was hurried and before he could approach her, Ha Eun had made her way towards another red car where Hae Jin had hopped out. She hurried towards her bother's car with a smile and Jimin had concluded everything that Hae Jin was Ha Eun's boyfriend.

Upon arriving at his parents' house, his mother had welcomed him at the front door and soon was directed to dining area where his father and Chae In was beginning to have their dinner.

'Wow, what a complete family!' Jimin exclaimed with a forced smile as he slammed his hands on the granite table. 'It's very rare to see this now a days,'

'Jimin, are you alright?' His father asked as Chae In innocently looked at him.

'I've never been alright, Appa!' Jimin replied and loosened his neck tie.

Everything was suffocating. He was raging in anger deep inside. First, his whole life had been planned out ever since he was a child. His parents had always told him that he had to be perfect in every single way and be successful like his father. Second, his actions were controlled by his mother ever since and he felt like a puppet. Third, now that he had done every thing that they planned for him, they were already planning out his marriage to some stranger. He wouldn't blame his parents since their marriage was arranged as well and they didn't know each other very well when they got married but it just doesn't apply to everyone.

'Jimin, sit down. What's wrong with you?!' His mother asked and wrinkled her forehead.

He scoffed and soon laughed as if insanity had just hit him.

'Everything. Everything is wrong,' He said in a hoarse voice, as a response to his mother's earlier question.

'How could you do this to me?' Jimin asked with a frown. 'All my life, I had followed all your rules and now, you--you even plan my marriage?! To someone I don't know?!'

'Jimin, show some respect to your fiancé!' His mother shot up from his chair and Chae In merely looked so innocent.

'She's not my fiancé! Never was and never will!' Jimin snapped, his voice echoing around the four corners of the house.

'Jimin, let's talk outside,' Chae In butted in.

'Don't tell me what to do,' Jimin scoffed at her. 'You dare tell people that we're engaged when I never even agreed to at the first place. I'm not marrying you, Chae In. I never will,'

'What do you want to do with your life?!' His mother shrieked and began to cry.

'I don't know, mom! I don't fucking know!' Jimin shouted in rage.

'Jimin, that's enough,' His father sprung up from his seat and attempted to drag Jimin away from the dining room but his son remained persistent.

'I want to live my life the way I want to. I want to marry the woman whom I love and not a stranger. And I don't want any one of you controlling me ever again!' He added with emphasis on alk the words he spat like venom.

'And you!' He pointed at Chae In. 'Stay away from me. Say another word of that fucking false engagement to people and I swear I'm suing you!'