Thy Art | Park Seonghwa

9.0

( 🎵 Paul Kim – Me After You )

The dining room space felt like it was half of its usual size for both the lad and lass sitting. There were 6 people in the room, all of them sitting in silence as 4 were waiting for the youngers to talk. "We... we have decided," Eunji started, hands clammy and trembling from below the table as the words didn't want to escape her lips.

"We have decided to not get married," Seonghwa finished her sentence for her, knowing he should be the one who tells two of their parents.

The taste of each of the words were foreign on his tongue, he was relieved but he didn't know whether or not being happy would be allowed as he could practically hear the heart for which belonged to the girl sitting beside him, shatter into pieces; and as if the shards that fell to the ground had bounced back up and scrap over his skin, he could feel her pain.

"Wha...what?" Mr. Park was the first to respond but like the others, he too, had his eyes wide opened. Surprise being an understatement to describe how he felt right then.

"Why?" Mr. Son's voice came through next and he wasn't able to contain the shock as well.

"We don't love each other," Eunji firmly answered, "I don't love Seonghwa, nor does he love me." Each word flowed out so smoothly, the lie came out so believable but the lass felt like she was convincing herself more than anything.

"Seonghwa," Mrs. Park called out to his son who had his back straight yet head tilted down, "this is because of Yunhee, isn't it?"

Seonghwa lifted his head and once again, his mother came into sight of his eyes that didn't look like it belonged to the son she had raised for years. "This has nothing to do with her."

"Oh yeah?" His mother provoked, "then why is it that the two of you only come forward now that she's back in town?"

"Had we only realize how wrong this felt as we're getting closer to the wedding," Eunji quickly replied, "it only hit us now that it's in front of our eyes."

"I don't want to marry someone I never loved," Seonghwa's tone was laced with anger and it was almost venomous. What he said, felt like knives thrown at Eunji's heart but he had to let that be known. And she had to understand.

"And same goes for me," Eunji added and she then looked to the side, signaling Seonghwa to bow with her. Both of them lowered their head to the elders as she was the one who continued talking. "So allow us to end this engagement and not continue on with this wedding."

"We're really sorry for letting the both of you down," the lad continued, "but we can no longer continue being in this relationship."

"Unacceptable," Mr. Son blurted as he stood up, his wife following suit. "You two are getting married, end of discussion." He circled around the table to where his daughter was sitting at, grabbing her wrist to pull her up, "Eunji, we're going home."

"What?" her eyebrows knitted. This was the first time. The first time where her father would listen to what she wanted and the way she was pulled to stand up, startled her more than anything. If he could buy her dozens of things that she like, why can't he agree to her not wanting to marry the guy that was never meant to be with her. "Dad, we're serious."

"Oh, so you think I'm joking?" her father scoffed, "we're going home. Right now."

~

Yunhee always wonder how did she survive 5 years without seeing Park Seonghwa, forgetting about the fact that she felt like a part of her soul has been ripped away from her. Now, she could see him in the morning and then miss his smile by night. She could see him in the evening and longed for his touch when midnight strikes.

But she didn't want to pray that he'll magically appear by her door. At least not anymore because she realized by the end of the day, she was the one who chose to give up, knowing how she couldn't do anything but to wait for him to finish battling his parents' decision. She couldn't have hold onto him knowing she could only sit while he put his relationship with his family on the line for her.

Seonghwa, however, knew he would do that if that means he'll be able to have her in his arms. He'll give the company up for her, give his family, who never respected and considered how he felt, up for her. He'll go back to square one and he was sure he could succeed because at least he had her by his side.

"Yunhee, with all due respect because you're older than me, you're really stupid," Jongho saying that had halted her from peeling the apple for him. She slowly looked up to see him, his face not having the slightest bit of indication that he was joking.

"What else can I do?" she asked, "literally all of you called me stupid for letting him go and tell me to fight for our relationship when that means I have to go against his mom." She heaved out a sigh and averted her attention back to the fruit in her hand.

"You could've at least... not give up?" he trailed, "You could've at least let him try to work it out with his parents."

"I did though."

"When?" the younger inquired.

Yunhee bit on the inside of her lips, not knowing what to answer as she in fact, had never given him any chances before. He has yet to start talking things out with his parents and she had went all 'let faith do her job' on him. "Can we talk about something else? Like you and my sister for example?"

"Why would you want to talk about that?" Jongho's expression may have remained stoic but really, he was trying his best to suppress a smile and stop his cheeks from reddening.

"I don't know, maybe because I have never asked about how did you get closer to Jiwon?" she teased.

"I've always liked her," he confessed, "I've liked her since highschool, from before she suddenly dropped out."

"Did she like you back?"

"I don't think she did," he chuckled, "she probably thought I was weird. Bringing a whole apple to school only to split it in half and eat it right away is not a common personality trait."

"I remember her telling me she got fascinated the first time she saw you do it, though," she told him, earning a small hint of red from the younger lad's cheeks. "And when she first got back to school in Daegu, she said no one left an impression for her as no one was able to split an apple in half with his bare hands."

"Well," he took the apple that was freshly sliced, putting them in his mouth and chewing it down. "She fascinated me as well and it was only through her mere presence. But unlike Wooyoung or San, I could never approach a girl just like that and before I knew it, time has slip away and it was too late."

"Is that why you're so... aggressive this time around?"

A small laugh escaped the younger's lip upon hearing Yunhee's choice of word but he nodded. "I didn't want to lose my chance again."

"I see..."

"It doesn't feel nice, you know?" Jongho remarked.

"What?"

"Losing your chance. The regret came after. I was pissed at my coward ass for so long, thinking maybe, just maybe, I could've made her mine even from back then. But again I would've lost her right?"

Yunhee was quiet for a second before she nodded. "Yeah... we had to go one way or another."

"Jiwon allowed me to not waste the chance I was given this time around. But you're making Seonghwa throw away his after he lived through years wishing for another chance to make you happier than you were before."