The Kims

CH 35 - Marriage

On his way over to Taehyung's house, he took the route he usually did. Hoseok climbed their unsecured backyard and hurled himself over. Feet planted onto the grass, he walked along the edges of their house, trying his best to stay invisible.

Lately, it's been difficult to meet up because of how busy they are. Ah Young's technically supposed to be scavenging for a husband to marry in a few months but instead finds ways to see Hoseok and vice versa. She's quite fond of the boy, although there's a slight age gap, she feels like Hoseok is different.

Swiftly, like a stray cat, he started climbing the fence walls. He tried his hardest not to prick himself with the roses. He's never been this reckless; meeting his girlfriend at 10:33 pm at a house he's not supposed to be at. You guessed it, he's never ever going to get used to this feeling of teen rebellion. 

To his luck, Ah Young's window was slightly ajar, he smiled upon noticing. Just as he was about to enter her bedroom, her door popped open. Startled out of his wits, he slowly cowered away from anyone's view and clung onto the fence for dear life. 

Mrs. Kim, Ha Eun, and Ah Young entered her room. Ah Young appeared stressed, pissed off at her mother for some unknown reason. Hoseok leaned in a little closer to eavesdrop on the conversation. 

"All I'm saying is, is that I want to speed up the marriage process! Tell me, what's so wrong about that?" Ha Eun asked. She's confused at how Ah Young's sheepishly backing out of the whole arranged marriage thing. A whole month back she had fully agreed to getting married as soon as possible. It doesn't make any sense.

Ah Young sat on her bed, eyeing her fingers in a perplexed way. "Why are you having this sudden change of heart?" Her mother questioned, analyzing her dejected daughter.

"Aren't I allowed to be alone for a little longer?"

"Oh God, don't even get me started. If you stay single for the time being, you'll end up just like Jeongyeon. You'll be chasing the wrong crowd all over again. You won't fool me this time around Ah Young," Ha Eun went off on a tangent. The air around them thickening with this eerie tension.

"Your father and I know about your little boyfriend; Jung Hoseok." 

Afraid that he'd fall from his spot, Hoseok's fists tightly curled onto the fence in front of him. He wanted nothing more but to lunge himself inside and tell off Ah Young's mother. Instead, he remained still. 

Ha Eun continued, "We were going to let you decide on who you wanted to marry. Since you went behind our backs, we've got different plans for you. Remember the Jeons?"

With a quick nod, Ah Young stared at her mother in confusion. "Decisions have been made, plans have been settled. Both parties think it's best to wed both you and their son."

"Jungkook? But he-" Ah Young stopped herself from telling her mom more than she could've. Her brows furrowed in agony. She can't just reveal Jungkook's relationship with her brother but she just can't marry Jungkook either.

"But what?" Ha Eun pressed, raising an eyebrow

But he's in love with Taehyung, Ah Young thought.

Ah Young took in a sharp breath then let out a minute sigh. She looked her mother in the eye, concurring with her proposal. "But nothing... I'll marry him, I'll marry Jeon Jungkook."

She wanted nothing more but to run away, crawl into a ball and disappear within thin air. Ah Young wanted to do so many things but if it meant protecting her loved ones, she'd do exactly that. It's terrifying you know. Every outcome will leave someone bent out of shape, there's no easy way out.

There sure as hell isn't an alternative.

If it means marrying Jungkook, all she'd have to do is act in love then toss him over to Taehyung. She could still be with Hoseok but would have to pretend like they're strangers in public. Discarding him for just a few moments would feel odd but it'd please her parents nonetheless. All because they're competition, they're currently The Kim's biggest competitors in fashion. 

Buzz!

Upon hearing this flabbergasting news, Hoseok felt hollow inside. Slowly but surely, he climbed down the fence and landed on their backyard once again. He reached for his cellphone and read Ah Young's recent text message. 

come over, my parents are going out tonight - ah young ♡

As if she didn't just have a fight with her mother, her text felt flawed. Shaking his head, he realized he had to make up a convincing excuse. Leaving the area, he treaded along the sidewalk, he disappeared like time itself.

can't i'm busy - hobi

Ah Young sat there perched against her window, hand tightly grasping her phone. She watched him for what felt like the last time. Pulling her knees in closer to her chest, she eyed the ginger increasing the space between them. Like he was on a mission to get as far away from her as possible.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I OBJECT!