Empty Arms

Chapter 1

Now I don't know me.
Who are you?
___________

"Sir should I finalize the deal in France?" His personal assistant asked him in a formal tone.
"Uh..Yes. Sure." Hoseok replied, diverting his gaze from the computer.
"Sir, since the meeting is on 2nd of December, should I book a flight ticket for 30th November?" He asked.
"Sure." Hoseok nodded his head.
With that, his assistant bowed and walked out of the office.

Hoseok let out a sigh and tiredly rubbed his forehead. What the hell was he thinking while agreeing to his parents?

"It'll turn out well, they said." He muttered then snorted, "it would be fun, they said."

On his twentieth birthday, Hoseok's father dropped the bomb: he'll be taking over the Jung Corporation.

Hoseok, who was then on the verge of discovering new things about himself, like his talent in dancing and rapping, was quite unsure as to what he was going to do with his life after college. The idea of owning South Korea's one of the largest company made him a tad bit skeptical. He wanted to pursue rapping or dancing, but in a family where his father was the owner of such a big company, his mother was the owner of Asia's biggest fashion brand, and his sister was a Gucci model, there was no place for a dream like Hoseok's.

He was adamant and stubborn, and tried not to give in. But guess who lost? His parents threatened him to take away from him his one and only passion: dancing. His father and mother were two most powerful people he had ever seen. They get what they want. They don't demand, they made statements, which is bound to be followed. Hoseok was afraid that they'd do something really bad. So he just did what they said.

And now he's a man with millions of regrets.

From his childhood, Hoseok was trained to become a flawless business man. He was trained to become a gentleman, a man with honor. He was made to follow thousands of rules, some of which were: never have a girlfriend, no laughing out loud, no trips with friends, no staying out of the house after 9pm, no drinking in a place that is not a high-class party, and last but not the least, no 'poor' friends.

Hoseok's adolescence was spent, or rather wasted in his parent's attempts of making him the person who is worthy of being called their son. The only memories he cherished were that of his childhood. His entire childhood, since when he was three years old to the day he turned sixteen, were spent at Gwangju with his grandparents, who would take him to parks and theaters. His parents were always busy, and his sister was put under the pressure of tuitions, so she couldn't spend much time with Hoseok. On his sixteenth birthday, his parents brought him to Seoul, and oh boy, was that a mistake. As child Hoseok wanted his parent's attention, but on his sixteenth birthday, he dispised their attention.

Jiwoo, his elder sister, was a person whom he loved a lot. She was beautiful, down to earth and motherly. She was married to a stranger at the age of twenty-one, an idea Hoseok hated like anything. But she found love and happiness in that stranger, and is happy with her life, leaving Hoseok to suffer alone.

So at present, the twenty-five year old, extremely successful owner of Jung Corporation, Jung Ho Seok, was sitting in his office, with a computer in front of him and was regretfully rubbing his forehead.

Miseries of a man.

And the most miserable thing is that, he doesn't remember who he used to be before his parents made him who he is now. He doesn't know, neither does he want to. Then the temptation of returning to his days full of freedom would be unbearable.

He clicked on a folder and analysed its contents before his telephone rang. With his eyes on the screen, he brought the receiver up to his ear.

"Hello? Mr. Jung speaking."
"Sir, your mother is here." His assistant spoke.
Hoseok gritted his teeth together. "Should I let her in?" The assistant asked. He knew what Hoseok's mother was like.
"What else can you do? Let her in." Hoseok spoke tiredly.
"Ok, sir." Pity was evident in the assistant's voice.

Hoseok braced himself for the worst and waited, till the door burst opened.

"Hoseok, there you are." His mother entered. She was wearing black knee-length, full sleeve dress, looking formal as ever.
"Mother. What brought you here?" Hoseok went straight to the point.
"Can't a mother visit her son?" She spoke softly.
"You may have a sit over there." Hoseok said pointing at the white leather sofa.
His mother wordlessly walked upto the sofa and sat down. She looked around trying to think of a way to get to the purpose she was here for.

"So.... how's your day going?" She asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Busy." Hoseok inaudibly muttered. He had diverted his attention back to the screen and was now typing an email.

"Thought of marrying someone?" She said, as casually as she could.

Hoseok stopped typing and glared at the screen, clenching his jaw and the mouse. He smashed the 'f' with a bit more power than he should have.

"Hoseok, I asked question." His mother spoke sternly.
"No. I haven't." He spoke, not daring to look at his mother, as he didn't want to say something he will regret.
"Well then. You don't have to worry." She spoke, looking at her well trimmed nails. "Your father and I have already thought of it."

Hoseok stopped typing, his eyes enlarged. "What?" He snapped his head towards his mother.
"You heard me correct, dear." She smiled, happy to finally get his attention.
"Mother, I clearly asked you both not to interfere in this." He gritted out of his teeth.
"Oh but we care a lot about you." His mother spoke.

Hoseok shut his eyes tightly. That same old pathetic excuse. Sometime he wished his parents never cared for him. He hated how much they 'cared' for him. Were they so blind to see that they have already 'cared' enough and this 'care' has made him someone he himself didn't know?

"We expect you today at 8pm in the Wine and Dine restaurant." She spoke, getting up. "And Jung Hoseok," she turned around before leaving, "Do not disappoint us." With that his mother walked out. How he wished she and his father could walk out of his life like that.

"Disappoint you? How I wish I could do that."

:)