Chapter Text
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single person in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a spouse.
However little known the feelings of views of such a person may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that they are considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their devoid children. An unmarried child with no rights to any inheritance is a dreadful strain upon the serenity of their parents, with only one proper cure.
“Yeobo Park-ssi,” said her lady to her one day, “have you heard that Bangtan Estate is let at last?”
Park-ssi replied that she had not.
“Why, yeobo, you must know, Choi-unnie says that Bangtan is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north-west; that he came to see the place and was so much delighted with it that he agreed to let it immediately; and that he is to take possession before Chuseok!”
“What is his name?”
“Kim Namjoon.”
“Is he married or single?”
“Oh! single, yeobo, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our boys!”
“How so? how can it affect them?”
“Yeobo,” replied her wife, “how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
“Is that his design in settling here?”
“Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”
“I see no occasion for that. You and the boys may go, or you may send them by themselves.”
“But consider your sons! Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Choi-ssi and Choi-unnie are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.”
“You are over scrupulous, surely. I dare say Kim-ssi will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the boys; though I must throw in a good word for my little Minnie.”
“I desire you will do no such thing. Minnie is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure he is not half so handsome as Jin, nor half so good-humoured as Taehyungie. But you are always giving him the preference.”
“They have none of them much to recommend them,” replied she; “they are all silly and ignorant like other devoid children; but Jimin has something more of quickness than his brothers.”
“Park-ssi, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”
“You mistake me, yeobo. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.”
“Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”
“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”
“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”
“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.”
Park-ssi was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make her wife understand her character. Park-unnie’s mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her children married; its solace was visiting and news.
The couple had three boys, all devoid offspring with no rights to any inheritance, as Park-ssi’s estate was bestowed upon her fettered, and would be lost upon Park-ssi’s death. The eldest boy, Seokjin, was uncommonly beautiful and exceptionally good-natured; the younger of their sons, Jimin, had a certain charm about his features but was generally considered more beautiful when animated than in repose, with a sharp wit that won him friends and enemies in equal measure. The couple’s third boy was not their son, but a ward, of the same age as Jimin. Taehyung had fine features and an air of innocence about him, was universally popular, and was expected to rival Seokjin’s beauty as he grew into his features. But they were all three without fortune or prospects, save a suitable marriage.