Hee Jin got fired from her job, and it didn't take much. It was hard aligning her shifts with the training she was required to get before meeting the grandfather. She pressed her hand over her mouth, silencing it from sobbing, while she got the phone call from the company.
That job was a great opportunity for her. When she escaped her late master's estate to Seoul, Hee Jin had nowhere to go. She was homeless, malnourished and cold. The only clothes on her were what she ran away in. Her feet were covered in nothing but socks, and her clothes were shapeless rags fading at the seams. Despite braving the cold in almost nothing, that might've been the first winter she felt hope.
The first act of kindness she received after the death of her only friend was years later, so she forgot what it was like for a person to be kind for no reason. Hee Jin took to the streets, having nowhere to cower. A senior in high school saw her curling upon herself on the street, fighting off the cold. At first, Hee Jin was mad at the girl staring at her from afar. She contorted her face in a scowl and hissed at her. That used to work on the kids back in the orphanage who wanted to bully her. The young girl backed away and ran.
The snow didn't stop falling. Hee Jin almost believed she wouldn't make it through the rest of the day. Her whole body had gotten numb from the cold. She was content that she would die at least free from her master. That was until she saw a familiar figure in the snow. It was the high school girl again. Hee Jin didn't have any energy to fight anymore. If the girl wanted to watch then let her be. It would be the first time she saw someone die of Hypothermia. The sight wasn't going to be a pretty one. Hee Jin knew from experience.
The girl grew closer and Hee Jin noticed she wasn't empty-handed this time. She had a blanket with her. A plastic plate full of hot food, too. She laid both next to Hee Jin and offered her a smile. She didn't understand what was happening until the girl ran again. She was offering her help.
While the food was gone in a second, the blanket protected her all winter. The blanket made her less lonely. Like the high schooler was a friend watching over her.
With the beginning of spring, Hee Jin had gained enough energy and the wounds she acquired over the years were starting to heal. She started looking for work. While Hee Jin was an orphan without a degree, there was one thing she excelled atâ"cleaning. Being a maid under a gangster's rule who tended to create lots of havoc in his wake had its merits after all. She knew how to clean anything without being disgusted.
She came upon a cleaning company that hired people like her who had no background or identification to vouch for them. They paid much less than what her work cost, but they took her in. That was a stepping stone for her. Even allowed her to sleep in a basement where they stored all their detergents.
She worked day and night in and out of different apartments, restaurants and any place in need of cleaning. When she gained enough money, she rented the cheapest apartment she could find. It was more of a room than an apartment. But to her, it was home. Now, she had to say goodbye to all she worked hard for to a life of imprisonment.
She looked the whole family up on the internet and was surprised that they weren't known just in the underworld. They were everywhere. Woo Bin is particularly known for being in a group called the F4. Although she didn't understand the meaning behind the name, she knew they were a cruel bunch of filthy rich men who used power to crush those underneath them.
She contemplated the thought of rejecting the offer but that would be for nought. A family of billionaires who had a long and deep-rooted web of gangsters throughout the country wouldn't take well to rejection. Especially an old man who wanted to make amends.
After that dinner, instead of fighting, she succumbed to the men who visited her, but she wouldn't go down without trying. If Mr. Song and his son couldn't handle the grandfather then maybe she could. After all, she was the one he wanted to make amends to. She had to have a say in the matter. She was willing to get on her knees and beg. She was used to it. The orphanage had been the first to teach her how to get on her knees as the mistress of the orphanage beat her with a wooden stick for discipline. That had been her idea of taming an unruly child like she had always called her. However, begging was a skill learned from her master when she was taken in. They didn't use wooden sticks for punishment like her mistress used to. In its stead, they used a whip. She uttered the first word of pleading as soon as the whip came in contact with her bare back.
At first, she would beg for all that she was for mercy. It had been their first lesson to her. To break any stubborn strike in her bones. To break her. Thirteen-year-old Hee Jin was too rowdy when her master's men first came upon her, hiding between the trees of a forest from her mistress. She didn't know about gangsters then, but she would soon.
The men came to her apartment almost every day, having all kinds of gifts from the chairman as they called him. They started with clothes and hearty meals until a week ago, they had a woman along with them. A strict-looking woman with neat attire and a firm face. She looked upon Hee Jin and her apartment in distaste, covering her nose upon entering.
She introduced herself as Ms Kim. She was responsible for launching Hee Jin to the family dinner, happening sooner than Hee Jin would have liked. Unlike the random timing of the gifts, Ms Kim came to see Hee Jin every day. Ms. Kim tried her best to be civil but Hee Jin could tell how well beneath her these lessons were. Hee Jin wasn't fond of her either. She was the indirect culprit behind Hee Jin getting the call from her company that she was fired from a few moments ago. She took most of her day teaching her the basics of etiquette. And on time, just like the last week, Ms. Kim knocked on her door.
"Good evening, Miss Hee Jin." Ms Kim said in her nasally voice.
"Good evening to you, too." Hee Jin opened the door, making way for Ms Kim.
"I won't have the pleasure of being your guest today. We have some errands to run."
"Errands?"
"Yes, the car is waiting for us."
"Let me grab my jacket."
"That won't be necessary." Ms Kim eyed it with apparent disapproval.
"You might want to put on some of the clothes gifted to you. I'll wait for you in the car." She said, bowing then turning her back on her leaving no room for discussion.
"While tears are a lady's greatest weapon, you should not show them to the unworthy." Ms. Kim said. Hee Jin was in a daze looking out the car window.
"I wasn't crying."
"You don't need to lie to me, Miss Hee Jin. I'm neither a folly nor a friend."
"I got laid off from work."
"The sooner the better."
"It was everything to me." Hee Jin replied.
"Not anymore. Now, keep your head up. We're almost there. Remember everything I've taught you until now."
The car stopped in a rich neighbourhood. Hee Jin looked out inspecting the people on the street. They looked powerful. Like animals flaunting their dominance over others.
"Follow me." Ms Kim said, pulling Hee Jin out of her trance.
With a line of bodyguards hot on their tails, Hee Jin felt like she was walking in a parade. She didn't miss the heavy stares from onlookers.
"Relax your shoulders if you don't want them to think you're weak." Ms Kim said, her head held high, looking in front of her. The sound of her heels clicking with the pavement made a rhythmic sound Hee Jin was trying to follow.
Hee Jin tried following her orders. She used to give Ms Kim a hard time when they first met. She didn't need anyone to tell her how to eat and walk properly much less sit. It didn't make a difference in her books. She didn't need to become the perfect Mrs Song. She held on to the hope that she might talk her way out of it.
That was until Ms Kim began a different approach. It was easy to convince her to follow orders if she felt like she was risking looking weak in front of the family. Her old master got a hold of her when she was thirteen. They already had the leverage of knowing how weak she was. But her new captors didn't know, yet. She might have the opportunity to convince them she wasn't easy prey.
Hee Jin followed Ms Kim inside a boutique. Assistants came immediately to Ms Kim's beck and call and eyed Hee Jin with suspicion. She suddenly felt glad she changed her clothes into the ones she got as a gift. She already felt out of place.
"I want you to help this young miss today. Show me what you have." Ms Kim said.
The young assistants scurried along the store, showing Ms Kim all the latest arrivals. Dresses, shows and jewelry Hee Jin couldn't keep up. They didn't acknowledge her as she sat beside Ms Kim asking for her approval.
Only one girl seemed to take a liking to her as she showed her a certain lavender flowy dress. Ms Kim noticed the interaction and said, "Miss Hee Jin, why don't you try this one on?"
"You think so?"
"It only matters what you think. I won't be the one wearing it."
The young assistant got excited, leading Hee Jin into a dressing room.
The dressing room was huge with a little round stage to get on. Mirrors surrounded her everywhere, making her see herself from all angles. Her short hair looked ruffled from all directions.
Once alone, Hee Jin admired the dress in her hands. At first, she only liked it because it was the most modest out of all the others. She wanted to cover up all the bruises serenading her skin. But upon further inspection, she grew a liking to the soft material. She had never seen anything quite like it before. Or anything the other assistants were holding. It was both interesting and frightening. It felt so foreign yet captivating.
She put the dress on and slid the curtain, revealing herself before Ms. Kim who seemed to be impressed for the first time upon seeing her.
"It looks wonderful on you, Miss." The young assistant said.
"I agree." Ms Kim said.
Hee Jin looked at herself in the mirror by her side. She looked different. While wonderful wouldn't be what she would describe herself, but her looks improved. The lavender matched her eyes. Her eyes were the most prominent feature on her face, and she had always thought of them as a weakness. They showed her fear too well. Nonetheless, the eyes reflected before her seemed to be a sign of beauty, not a weakness.
"I have chosen other dresses as well." Ms Kim said.
Hee Jin retreated into her dressing room, letting out a sigh. She didn't have the confidence to voice her opinion or utter a word of approval.
She began feeling trapped in that dressing room, trying on dresses of various shapes and colours. But she remained adamant about refusing dresses that showed her back or letting any of the assistants help her dress.
However, the young assistant who Hee Jin had taken a liking to, seemed eager to help. When Hee Jin had taken longer than usual trying to zip up a particularly stubborn zipper, the assistant slipped inside.
"Let me help you, Mi-." She didn't continue as she saw Hee Jin's back in full display.
She staggered back, letting out a big gasp. Hee Jin saw the ugly scars all around her reflected in the mirror. She couldn't hide from them and neither could the young assistant as she remained rooted to the ground.
"I told you I didn't need any help!" Her Jin said, louder than she liked.
"I'm sorry, Miss." She slipped away, quickly.
Hee Jin got angry at herself for scaring the girl, but mostly at the girl's reaction to her scars. That's why she hid them. They were inflicted on her, so she had to deal with them alone. She wasn't any less disgusted by them than any other person.
Frustrated, she put her own clothes on and slid the curtain forcefully.
"I think these are enough dresses for the day." Hee Jin sighed.
"Me, too." Ms. Kim said, looking at her with disapproval.
She stepped off the little stage and followed Ms. Kim. While Ms. Kim took care of paying for the dresses, Hee Jin noticed the young assistant being scolded by her seniors. She was nodding in guilt as she received her berating.
They probably heard Hee Jin shouting at her and were teaching her a lesson. But it wasn't the girl's fault. It was Hee Jin's for overreacting. She didn't take it well when someone forced themselves into her space much less see her scars. It was a force of habit. She had to be on the defence line all her life.
Feeling guilty, she went up to the girl and smiled at her.
"Is there any problem here?" Hee Jin asked.
"It's nothing, Miss. We'd like to assure you nothing like the mistake that happened earlier would happen again. She's still a recruit, so she's lacking." One of the older assistants said.
"It's alright. If anything, it's my mistake. I got startled that's all."
"No, Miss." The girl waved her hands and bowed again.
"It's fine, really. I hope this doesn't turn into a bigger issue than it is." Hee Jin replied.
"Don't worry, Miss." The assistant replied.
"Miss Hee Jin, let's go." Ms Kim called.
"Thank you for your service." Hee Jin attempted a smile and joined Ms Kim out of the boutique.
"Control your emotions better than this. You can't lose yourself every time someone does something you don't like. Believe me, that's all that will happen when you meet the rest of the family. Especially the chairman."
"I'm doing my best here. I'm sorry that I don't meet the criteria of the future Mrs Song. Maybe you should tell your chairman that I lack all the qualities to be fit for his granddaughter-in-law."
"You'll be sorry if you continue to act like that. There are greater forces at hand here, so if you think acting up like you did in the store back there would get you out of this, then you're wrong. Your situation is already bad enough."
"What does that mean?" Hee Jin asked.
"You'll find out soon enough. Now, let's get this over with if you can control your emotions, that is."
"Fine." Hee Jin huffed, staring at Ms Kim in anger.
She was feeling frustrated, being kept in the dark like that. Suddenly, she had all these responsibilities laid at her and she didn't ask for them.
She didn't want any amends. She wanted to go home to her small bed and relax her bones. She didn't want to be misunderstood by Ms Kim who she felt was taking her side. She had never asked for anything in this life more than to be left unharmed, and it seemed like she was being punished for that.
She swallowed the tears threatening to escape. She had dealt with harsher words yet they seemed to cut right into her chest.
"I'll leave you tomorrow to be. It'll be the last day of relaxation you get before you meet the chairman the day after."
Hee Jin nodded her head, not trusting her voice.
"I need your words, Miss Hee Jin."
"I understand."
"Good."
Bile was threatening to rise up her throat. The lavender dress was comfortable and heavenly on the skin, but now that she was walking the hallway into the living area of the mansion, the apple she ate for breakfast was threatening to get out.
"Your head up and your shoulders lean." Ms Kim warned.
Hee Jin tried following her orders, but her bones were shaking too much that she couldn't tell if she was doing it right.
She heard Ms Kim utter something to herself akin to useless, and that was Hee Jin's last straw.
There was still a spike of stubbornness inside her soul that neither her mistress nor her captors could touch.
She wouldn't be called useless, not if it were her last day on earth. She was more useful than all the people inside this mansion combined. She hadn't survived all this long for this old hag to call her useless.
Despite her shaky bones, Hee Jin followed Ms Kim with her slouchy posture and stiff walk. She wasn't going to listen to that old woman anymore.
With some of her nerves relaxing, she could take in the luxury of the mansion surrounding her. It was dark, barely letting light from the outside. The walls were mahogany with the furnishing posh and loud. The inside of the living area was rich and loud. She saw an old man sitting at an antique chair at the head of a small table. Two couches of the same walnut colour were on both sides of the chair.
They all noticed her entrance and they stopped speaking as soon as she arrived. Ms Kim was the first to bow down, greeting them. Hee Jin came closer to take in her new captors. She recognized Woo Bin from the back of his head. He was sitting on a couch with his back facing her.
Two women and a man were sitting on the couch opposite hers. They didn't look welcoming. The older woman, drenched head to toe in wealth, stared at her in disgust. It reminded her of someone. The woman was elegant chic and most obviously powerful. Women in power were a rare sighting to her since she had been raised in a predominantly male environment that thrived on humiliating women. The last female authority she encountered was the orphanage's mistress.
The other woman paled in comparison where her youthful beauty showed immaturity compared to the fierce woman beside her. The man, whom Hee Jin assumed was the husband of the young woman, didn't stick out to her. He looked strong, surely but not as strong as her old captors.
"How wonderful to see you! I heard a lot of things from Ms Kim right here." A man said, making her break the staring contest with the people on the couch.
That had to be the chairman. With all the talk about him, Hee Jin expected him to be a big man, but before her was an ordinary-looking grandfather who was smiling at her. If she was naive enough, she'd even think him a sweet old man. Yet his smile wasn't genuine. It felt like a snake hissing at its prey.
Her stomach started acting up again, but she stood her ground. If she was up to his liking, then this matter would be over before it began, and if he still felt inclined he could offer her a sum of money, but Hee Jin wasn't expecting anything more than getting out of this unscathed.
"I heard a lot of things from Ms Kim, too." Hee Jin responded politely.
It felt like a reflex reaction to lower her head in obedience but she didn't.
"Woo Bin, welcome your fiancée."
Woo Bin turned his neck, looking at her. He didn't look glad at the mention of his fiancee. He fixed the suit he was wearing and stood to face her.
"Glad to see you today. Thank you for joining us." He monotonely said, taking her hand. She felt uncomfortable with her hand clasped in his. She knew it was only a matter of etiquette, but it made her hands clammy in fear. She didn't want him to figure out how terrified she was. If she were to end up trapped by him, she wouldn't want him to know how easily she was frightened.
He guided her to take place next to him on the couch. Unlike what she expected, it felt stiff to sit on. Art pieces like this weren't meant to be sat on, but maybe it sent a message. They were rich enough to sit on a couch that looked like it belonged in a museum.
"Where are your manners? Introduce yourself to our guest. She's going to become family soon enough." The chairman jabbed at the arrogant peacocks sitting in front of her.
"I'm Hae Ra, Woo Bin's cousin, and this is my husband, Hyun Woo." The younger woman said.
"Nice to meet you." Her husband bowed his head lightly, clearly not interested in this whole ordeal.
"Likewise. I'll be in your care." Hee Jin replied.
"You're the bride-to-be." The older woman, who still hadn't introduced herself, said as a matter of fact. It wasn't hard to tell that she disapproved of this union. Everyone did, except the chairman of course.
"Yes."
"You're late. You made us all wait for you."
"It's my fault, Mrs Song." Ms Kim said. Hee Jin had almost forgotten she was there, standing on the sidelines.
Mrs Song gave her a look of disapproval, not in favour that someone came to Hee Jin's side.
"Call for my sons. We're about to eat." The chairman ordered Ms Kim.
"Right away, sir." She quietly retreated.
Hee Jin held both her hands in fists, her knuckles white. She calmed her breathing as everyone stared at each other, sizing each other, and waiting for anyone to make a move.
She could feel Woo Bin glancing at her from time to time and when she shared looks with him, he'd have his eyebrows knotted in confusion. Hee Jin shot him a glare of annoyance. He didn't have anything to be scared of, but her whole life was on the line, depending on how this dinner went. If she behaved well throughout the dinner, she'd ask for a talk privately with the chairman. He could understand her situation. It could be that he thinks it's the best course of action. but she could convince him otherwise. She would do well, she promised herself.
Hee Jin had to fight through the tension-filled dinner where all the family members would peak at her lack of culinary skills and gawk. It didn't matter that Ms Kim taught her over and over again which spoon was to be used for the soup. Either way, she wasn't going to follow through.
The way they looked at her reminded her of her mistress like she were some rabid animal in need of taming. That's what the gangsters thought, too. But in the end, no one could fully make her lose grip of herself. And while she may not have remembered which spoon was to be used for what, she wasn't going to accomplish what anyone at this table was waiting for her to do.
Woo Bin's mother's looks of dismissal were louder than any words she could've used. It did make sense that a mother would be ferociously protective of her son, but what harm could Hee Jin inflict on her son? She was blinded by rage, that matter was obvious for she couldn't see that the one who had everything to lose was Hee Jin. Maybe it was because Woo Bin's mother had been lucky to live in a family that respected her, but that wasn't the case for most wives of gangsters. Hee Jin could end up with more bruises as soon as that wedding band was slipped on her finger.
Only Woo Bin's father seemed to be kind enough to her as he joined them on the dinner table with his brother, who seemed about interested in this as his son in law.
Despite this Hee Jin managed to down the food in front of her. Either way, food was food, and she knew chances like these came rarely.
"I'll be waiting for you in my office after you finish." The chairman said, that despite not looking at her, Hee Jin knew she was the one he intended.
"Yes, sir." Hee Jin replied.
The chairman stood up, leaving the table. The servants attending them quickly got on their feet, clearing out the table in front of them. Hee Jin still had more room for food, but Ms Kim had told her before that they were only allowed to eat when the chairman was. She didn't know that Ms Kim meant it so literally.
A spoonful of rice was still in her hand when a servant came up to collect her plate. Woo Bin's mother let out a scoff at Hee Jin. She didn't miss a single chance to make her feel like an insect leeching off of them. Enraged, Hee Jin made a spectacle of eating that last spoon instead of dropping it. She made eye contact with his mother as she did so.
"Thank you for the meal." She stood up and bowed, leaving them sharing their heated gazes of hatred.
A servant followed her, showing her to the bathroom. Once done, the same servant guided her to the chairman's office. He knocked on the door and opened it for Hee Jin when the chairman granted his permission. Hee Jin took a big breath and stepped inside. The office was just as rich as the rest of the mansion.
"Take a seat, child." He ordered.
Hee Jin sat on the couch beside his armchair. The leather squeaked under her weight.
"I'm sure you have so many questions so feel free to ask as many as you would like." He started.
"I'm grateful for your generosity, but I don't understand what's to be expected of me." Hee Jin said, glad he paved the way for her to speak out.
"Nothing is expected of you except of becoming part of our family." He said, smiling.
"I was told my family had connections to yours. Can you tell me who were they?"
"Your grandfather worked under me for years, and so did his father. His son, your father, wasn't fond of his father's life choices. He strayed, going years without contacting him. Your grandfather to his deathbed regretted letting his only son go. He asked me to put him under my care when he passed. Unfortunately, your father's life ended shortly after. I never got the chance to follow through with my friend's wishes."
"How did my father die?"
"Both your parents died in a car accident. Didn't they tell you that at the orphanage?" He inquired.
"That's what they told anybody who asked about their parents. No one was ready to tell ten-year-old kids that their parents abandoned them." Hee Jin replied, with a dark smile.
"But I don't understand why now?" She added.
"I know I'm many years too late. I knew about your father's passing years after. I was complacent in finding him, knowing his disapproval of ourâparticular lifestyle. When I heard of his death, I didn't place any more effort into the situation. It's taken me this far in life to understand my wrongdoing. I know I'm atoning for my sins too late, but I'd rather do it now than never. My friend lost his family serving me, now it's time to take care of his."
"Sir, I'm grateful but I must decline your offer. I hardly know your grandson and nor does he. I get your noble intentions but your amends aren't for me to make. It's much too late now." She replied.
"I expected as such from you, but this isn't a matter of negotiation." He said.
"It is my life and my marriage. I decide whether it's a matter of negotiation or not." Hee Jin replied, getting angry. At first, she thought she might be able to get this old man to reconsider. She felt him sane enough to see reason, but now she was getting frustrated that it wasn't the case. She couldn't control the feelings sipping through her tongue.
"You're my responsibility till the day you die. This marriage is the best option for you." He replied.
"If you truly wanted to make amends, you could've offered me a job or tried to contact me years before. You're only trying to relieve the guilt you feel." She fizzled.
"I will not tolerate such behaviour, child. You seem to forget to whom you're speaking. This marriage is happening whether you like it or not."
"You can't force me." Hee Jin stood up, enraged.
"Sit back down, child. If it comes down to forcing you then that'll be the case." He shouted.
"I'd rather die than be tied to a family of criminals." Hee Jin spat, storming out of the office,
Before she got a chance to slam the door, the chairman said, "In this world, you have no one but me, and my words are law."
She shut the door, only to see Woo Bin standing before her, having been eavesdropping on them.
"Move." She ordered.
"You're a little fool." He leaned his head down and whispered. His eyes were fierce and serious. She had never seen him like that. Anyone for that matter. She was no stranger to anger, but in his eyes was a volcano waiting to erupt.
"I said move." She pushed him to the side, with shaky hands, hoping he didn't see her fear.
No one followed her on the way out and she was relieved. The mansion was so far away and she had to walk miles before she found the nearest bus station.
Hee Jin sobbed, taking step by step on the street with all the effort she could muster up. She was tired of fighting. Every day since she was born she had to fight for survival. Sure, she had her temper, but she wasn't a bad person. She didn't deserve to be punished so harshly in life. But now she had to fight some curse her grandfather left her.
Part of of being an orphan was that she didn't get to inherit anything from her family whether good or bad, and with her luck, she seemed to have been the first to inherit a debt disguised as a favour.