Chapter Text
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Oh, The Rain Falls
The prestige and glamour were never different and overwhelming to Jo Hwa Jin. As an heiress, she knew how her own world revolved. Arranged meetings between the heirs and heiresses of each family, endless nights of attending parties, networking and showing off richness and influence, it was Jo Hwa Jin’s perfect normal world. All things around her moved according to how she wanted them to move. That’s why she smiled when she looked at her father’s name in her phone on her way home.
When she answered, her driver looked at her through the rear-view mirror inside the car. She saw how the driver looked at her, almost positive to what she was about to do. She snapped at him and flicked her hand, signaling him to look ahead and leave her alone. She then continued her pretense, being a nice girl and talked to her dad.
“I know, I know. Oh-Wol told me earlier. And she’ll be attending as well.” Hwa Jin said cutely but obviously pissed off knowing that she wasn’t the one who was informed first of this social event. When she dropped her father’s call, she started talking to herself.
“As if you can do anything about me not being the first one who was called to attend that social ball! You’re not that powerful enough, I guess. What a loser.”
To Hwa Jin, there will never be greater than her. Behind that beautiful innocent face and that fake concern, she shows people, is a lady who wants to defeat anyone who gets in her way. This was the reason why she was so angry at the fact that she was not able to receive a call from the host of this event first.
“This is always based on popularity and wealth! Those who are the richest and most popular, they get to be invited first by the host herself.” Hwa Jin continues babbling ruthless remarks about how ignorant the host is, not knowing she was the most popular girl and well, the richest.
When they reach her house, she waited for her driver to open the door for her then hopped on while being still on the phone. She was brought back to the world when her father called her.
“Daddy!” Hwa Jin rushed to her father’s embrace and gave him a hug.
“How’s your dinner with Wol? Did you enjoy it?” He father asked as Hwa Jin as she stood up in front of him, faking a smile.
“Daddy, Can I talk to you about something?” Hwa Jin asked her father and with obvious curiosity, his eyes are fixed to her daughter. Hwa Jin knows how her father was thinking so she continued talking without giving him a room to ask anything.
“Can we talk about it in five minutes dad?” Hwa Jin smiled and walked away after receiving a small nod from her father. She was composing herself for this since she received her father’s call earlier.
When she came back to talk to her dad, she saw him drinking his favorite tea while reading something.
“What’s that?” Hwa Jin was too late to take a little peak at what her father was reading. It looks like an old bundle of papers and her father quickly hid them telling it was nothing. Hwa Jin didn’t mind what her father was reading and continued with her purpose.
“Dad, how did you and mom meet?” Hwa Jin tried to soften the atmosphere more with the question about her mom and dad’s love life way back.
“Huh? Is that what you want to talk about?” Her father asked smiling, excited to share how his wife and he met. Atleast, Hwa Jin could hear stories about her mother and how they met.
“Because well, there’s a guy I like dad. And I think he will be attending the social ball with me.”
“Who is this man?”
“It’s Lee Won Beom.”
“The son of CJ group?” Hwa Jin’s father is now looking at Hwa Jin with his eyebrows crooked, obviously trying to comprehend when did his daughter grew up to talk about liking a boy in front of him.
“Yes. The younger Lee. Well, he actually courted me a while back. But I ignored him because you know me, dad. Studies come first.” Hwa Jin, now very used to telling lies, told her father how she was just caring for her future when in fact, she entertained Won Beom as a suitor for the past two years. Keeping it a secret to the people around her, except for her nanny who knows every single thing about him. She continued talking while her father sits in his chair once more, listening to her.
“Well, I know he will be invited in this ball dad, after all, they are the richest and most famous among all boys in the country. So, he will be there. I actually want to dance with him. And to date him.” Hwa Jin took the opportunity to ask her father to set the two of them together. But when her father started to say his opinion, she was so shocked.
“I don’t want you to be involved with him. It seems like he is not fit with you. Not good enough.” Hwa Jin turned her face sidewards and tried to maintain her posture and her poker face to not let her father sees that she was so angry. Smirking, she thought of an idea to get Lee Won Beom for herself.
“Dad?” Hwa Jin forced a calm face. “I am aware that there are many boys who can be in my level but there’s no one like Won Beom.” Her voice is as calm as she explains herself to her father.
“Well, there’s something in him that I like the most. His perseverance dad. When he wants something, he works hard for it and he really gets it eventually.”
Hwa Jin knows how to tickle her father’s heart and he certainly knows when to use it. She waited for a few minutes before hearing the words she was looking forward to hear.
“So, you want him, huh? Okay. Would you want me to set up a dinner for the two of you?” Her father asked her and Hwa Jin nods quickly as she thinks that her masterpiece of a plan worked. She then bid her father a good night kiss, hug him and quickly ran to her room. Even with her excitement, she still doesn’t have a plan to let Oh Wol know.
“Let’s keep this info for now, Hwa Jin-ah. Finally, I can get back what was originally mine. I hope you won’t cry too much, Kim So Yong.”
Won Beom is humming in excitement as he, Kim Hwan and his gang blew balloons for the event he was preparing later that afternoon. Supposedly, they ought to be outside, either driving around the city or drinking in a small bar. Instead, they are inside a classroom, which will be probably vacant for few hours, killing their lungs off in blowing balloons for what he was planning to do.
“Won Beom-ah, are your lungs that strong? I don’t think I can do this even if you pay me so much money!” Hong Du-Il nags his best friend in between blowing the balloons.
“Du-Il-ah, can you be quiet for a moment?” Kim Hwan, also exhausted, growls at Hong Du-Il who looks so pissed off right now.
“Can you two be quiet?!” Finally Won Beom told them and the two of them closed their mouths at once. “I already called for food delivery. Is everyone okay with chicken? If not, then my bad, can’t order another type of food. So, you have no choice but to eat it, okay?” Won Beom talked so fast that the other people around him didn’t have the chance to say a single thing.
Minutes after, Lee Won Beom’s phone rang and it is someone he doesn’t even want to talk to right at the moment.
“Aish.” Lee Won Beom said right before answering the call. “Yes, Dad? What now?”
“Is that the right way to answer the person who is putting food in your mouth?” Won Beom’s father said in irritation before adding, “Go to our hotel’s restaurant after 30 minutes. We’ve got dinner invitation from Jo Hwa Jin’s family.
“Can I skip dad? There’s something important that I need to do. Hyung’s going to be there anyway. That’s enough.” Won Beom said, obviously not interested into indulging himself in this invitation.
“No. Come here or you will pay for the consequences. You want another sparring with me?” The older Lee warns Won Beom, who is really pissed off right now.
Won Beom’s memories of his father consists only of three things: his father commanding him to do whatever he wants, the degrading remarks he hears every breakfast whenever their parents are home and the sparring sessions. All the sparring sessions. And now he needs to do the first one, so he can’t deal with the other two things. He snapped the moment his friend, Du-Il slapped his back hard.
“What now? What do you want?!” Du-Il was startled by the way his friend snapped at him.
“Nothing, I… Well...” Du-il stuttered with the words he wanted to say and Won Beom seems to get it.
“I’m sorry. Uhhm, hey man, can you take over for me here? My family’s asking me to have dinner with them and the Jo family.
“Jo? The Jo we know? Hwa Jin’s family?” Du-Il asked him with great curiosity.
“Yes. Look, I don’t know what she’s been up to, but I feel like this is a bad idea. Should I not go?” Won Beom, now looking at his friend, looked at his phone to see a message that is sent by Jo Hwa Jin. Looking at it, Won Beom raised the phone to show his friend the message he received.
Won Beom-ssi, did your parents already told you that our families will have a dinner together in 30 minutes?
“Hey, it’s just dinner. They will probably talk about business and just go home. That’s it. You know how our kind does business, right?” Du-Il tapped his friend’s shoulder and agreed to finish everything for Won Beom.
“Okay, so by the time she will stand here, I’ll be there. I will make it on time. I will make sure of it. Then, after we do this…” Won Beom repeated the instructions for Hong Du-Il and Kim Hwan and the two of them just nodded their heads in unison, trying to keep up with him.
“Okay, okay. We got it, Won Beom-ah.” Hwan, now slightly annoyed though excited, said and told Lee Won Beom to go and be quick so he can come back in no time as well.
“I’ll be back before she comes here so no worries.” Won Beom ran to the parking lot as fast as he can and turned his engine on. After several minutes, he arrived at the restaurant and saw Jo Hwa Jin who is outside the premise, looking so worried but it’s the least of his concerns anymore. He has to get back before So Yong gets done with her classes.
“Won Beom-ssi, do you have any idea what is happening? I am confused.” Hwa Jin using her very common puppy face and soft voice. But Won Beom won’t be fooled anymore. He looked at her, nodded a little and went his way straight to the reserved room in the restaurant. All he wants is nothing more than finishing their agenda so he could go back.
Hwan-ah, keep So Yong in there, okay?
He texted Kim Hwan and went directly to see his family, sat by their side while Hwa Jin walks behind him, catching her breath, trying to catch it.
The moment they both sat down, the elder Jo started to talk.
“It’s so nice to see you both, sitting face to face.” He looked at Won Beom to Hwa Jin and back. Lee Won Beom’s father smiled widely and started to laugh so loud as he looked at the two and said,
“I don’t know how the two of them can’t seem to see how compatible they are. They look so good together.” He continued laughing and Won Beom seemed to notice how his father is trying to sugarcoat them with words.
“I’m so sorry father, but I have to go, I need to finish a project with Hwan and my other classmates.” He already bowed and go, leaving both of the families shocked. Hwa Jin followed him, nodding quickly and called him. Won Beom turned around when Hwa Jin got a grip of his left arm.
Catching her breath, she started to talk.
“Won Beom-ssi, can you just stay for a while? I mean, just for a few minutes?” She paused to take a deep breath and continued talking.
“I know that you will be punished if you don’t comply with your father’s request...” Won Beom, with his curled eyebrows looked at her and attempted to get out of his grip but Hwa Jin only tightened it. She took another deep breath. “…Command. Your father’s command. I know you don’t like to be here, but please, just stay. For your sake. And for everyone’s peace of mind.” Won Beom looked past Hwa Jin and saw that even his older brother looked so worried about him. It was his turn to take a deep breath.
“Thirty minutes. And I’ll go. You should tell them that. Tell them that I have an important engagement.”
“Yes, of course.” Hwa Jin somehow assured him.
Hwa Jin loosened her grip and Won Beom took the opportunity to go as quick as possible. When they once again went into the reserved room, Hwa Jin went inside first and told everyone that she knows how important it is for Won Beom to finish his project and it seemed like everyone agreed to let the man go. Well, everyone except his father who did not exactly look at them when they came in.
“So, what are we waiting for? Let’s eat. Waiter…” Hwa Jin’s father instructed the waiter, who by then is keen to go out and told every single staff that they are ready to eat.
The atmosphere inside the hall seemed so light and fun. Everyone was laughing and complementing each other except Lee Won Beom. The time is so slow and he keeps on looking at his phone for updates. They were just finishing their appetizers when he opened his phone and saw a text from Kim Hwan.
Hey, So Yong is done with her classes. Where are you?
.
.
Dude, where are you? Du-Il and Yeon, they are on their way to So Yong’s office.
.
.
Won Beom-ah, So Yong is on her way here. Should I let her wait?
Won Beom replied.
I’ll be there in a minute. Can you ask her to wait for me?
Then another message arrived and Won Beom read it quickly and looked at Jo Hwa Jin.
Won Beom-ah, can you stay a little longer? I thought about it and you will go to So Yong, right? Think about this, you will not be the only one who will get reprimanded. I will be too. Just 20 more minutes. Is that okay?
Won Beom was confused and was about to stand up when Hwa Jin looked at him with such pitiful eyes. But he just doesn’t care at all. He once again opened his phone when his father took it from him and looked at him dangerously. When he leaned down, trying to get his phone from his father, he sat down automatically after hearing what his father said.
“You know, I would like to meet that girl.” Won Beom’s father dangerously told him. Apparently, he is willing to end this dinner just to meet the girl Won Beom is so eager to meet. Won Beom knew it would be dangerous if he tries to push his dad more.
“Won Beom-ssi, can you stay for thirty more minutes? It would be dangerous for you to go, it’s late already.” Won Beom thought the only thing he needs to deal with tonight is his demanding father but well, there’s more: this cunning woman in front of him.
He sat down when his father forced him to. He looked at Hwa Jin and the moment she started to look directly at his eyes, he glared at her and turned his head away.
Thirty more minutes?! How is that supposed to be fine? So Yong is waiting! He looked at his brother and Gyeong Eung automatically stood up, went out and called Kim Hwan.
“Hello, Hwan-ah? Are you with Kim So Yong? Won Beom is kind of in an emergency right now. Can you take So Yong home tonight?”
“Where is that jerk? We’ve been waiting here for nearly half an hour. If he can’t do this, he shouldn’t have started this at all.” Lowering his voice, he told Gyeong Eung that So Yong has been so excited the whole time but now she’s so upset and worried.
“Yeah, same as Won Beom here. Well, except for the fact that he wasn’t excited since the beginning of our dinner. Look, Hwan-ah, can you just tell So Yong it’s an emergency and just take her home. Won Beom will be coming to her after our dinner.” Gyeong Eung heard Kim Hwan’s confused response and he turned his phone off to go back.
The moment he entered, everyone was talking to each other, and there was Won Beom, at the side, just looking down, thinking about how he could get out of that place. When he saw his shadow nearing, Won Beom raised his head high and anticipated a response from him, which he quickly gave. He saw Won Beom’s face turn from gloomy to a complete hundred and eighty degrees when he nodded to him.
“Thanks.” Won Beom mouthed as Gyeong Eung sits beside their father. The moment he settled down, Hwa Jin’s father started to open his mouth and told everyone about the social ball.
“Has everyone been told about the social ball already?” Jo Hwa Jin maintained her poise as she looked down at her fingers, now fiddling on the table napkin in front of her. “I know both of our children will attend.” Her father continues.
“Ah, of course, Madame Kim’s Social Ball, the most talked about event of the century.” Won Beom’s mother took the liberty to add.
“Oh, I’m sure it will be. So, I want the both of you to go together as a couple.” The most terrifying thing went out of Won Beom’s father’s mouth.
“What? As a couple?” Won Beom rose from the table due to shock because of the news. “You are joking right? Mr. Jo, Hwan Jin-ah, no offense. It’s just that, I don’t even have a plan to go to this ball.” Won Beom told everyone in the room. This obviously took the life out of Hwa Jin’s hopeful yet cunning face.
“Won Beom-ah, calm down. Let’s talk this out.” Gyeong Eung tried to calm his brother down by holding on to his shoulders. He knows that those shaking shoulders only meant a thing: Won Beom will burst in no time. He saw Hwa Jin stood up, unsure whether she would touch Won Beom or not. Hwa Jin’s quick action to touch Won Beom’s arms are nothing compared to the speed of Gyeong Eung blocking it.
“Not now, Hwa Jin-ssi. Not now.” He said in a low voice. He then bowed to everyone, on behalf of his brother and turned back to go still holding Won Beom, supporting him. His younger brother was so heavy because of all the weight that he was forced to carry just for that night. And he thought, that was only the tip of the iceberg. Later, when he gets home, he will be confronted by their father who was obviously angry, although his face said otherwise.
When they went out, Hwa Jin and the rest of the adults were left behind all calm. They already know that not giving a damn is the most normal that they can do. Besides, Won Beom can’t do anything about it. Hwa Jin, looking at the door with her pretentious eyes was thinking about something other than what had happened just a few moments ago.
You know what, Won Beom-ah. I am not worried about you. The important thing here is me… and what I want. And you already know that Jo Hwa Jin gets what she wants. Whatever she wants.
That night, as they were on their way home, Hwa Jin was still silent, mainly thinking about her plan to get Won Beom say yes to his family. And she was about to initiate the steps starting with the first.