"You unfilial creature" President Kim roared at his daughter throwing the bill of the tattoo on her face. Kim Yumi and her mother were rooted to the ground. They have never seen President Kim being so angry at his younger daughter.
"You think I won't know the truth? do you take your father for some old town fool?"
Kim Yerin was just back from the airport, heading towards her room upstairs when her father caught her for the long awaited confrontation she was trying to escape since the night of the ball. Having nowhere to go she patiently replied "I am sorry father, I know I have crossed the line this time and hurt you but honestly, I really wanted to get a tattoo.....I just couldn't control myself."
"How dare you ink your body? is this some kind of joke to you? not only that you also opened an opportunity for that half breed and his daughter to insult you like that" President Kim often called his brother "half breed" whenever he was angry.
"I never did anything intentionally why are you yelling? she tricked me you know that!! it wasn't my fault." she was loosing her endurance.
"Don't you dare talk back at me! I have had enough of your foolishness. Don't you know being too naive is also a weakness?"
Tears made their way out of her eyes as she spoke "I am really sorry. I would never again think about doing something like that."
"Your sorry means nothing to me. This is the first time you have lied to me. Maybe those girls were right about my failure to raise you as a father, maybe I spoiled you too much."
All the pain, anger and frustration she was suppressing inside her since last night suddenly overpowered her and for the first time she yelled back at her father "I never lied to you in the first place. I was silent the whole time until uncle Joon Ki came to my rescue. but if you don't want to accept my apology then fine. You know what? I DON'T CARE!!" she finished, screaming the last part a bit too loudly.
"Yerin!! mind your tongue how can you—"
before her mother could complete her sentence a loud slap made everyone go numb.
"PAK!!!"
President Kim hit her so forcefully that she fell down. Everyone went silent, even Kim Ji yeon was scared to look at her husband.
Thankfully Gong Joon-ki who had entered the scene with Heo yun-ji rushed to save her. He pushed President Kim "Kim seo Joon!! you are crossing your limit. Leave that child alone."
Before being the President's personal assistant and adviser Gong Joon-ki was his childhood best friend. He had this special authority to dominate the President.
Gong Joon-ki never had a daughter. only blessed by a pair of boys, doted Yerin more than anything else.
"You got bold enough to raise your hand on your child? don't forget she is my daughter too. Haven't you experienced adolescence already? so many times you raised your voice against the Patriarch have you forgotten all that? compared to you back then she is quite polite enough." Gong Joon-ki was angered by the President's harsh way of punishing his daughter but the President ignored him as if he never heard anything "you don't spoil her anymore. she has already grown ungrateful enough."
"oh stop it now. you are making me sick!" Gong Joon-ki was frustrated, how can the President be so blinded by the incident that he never saw the pain Yerin was going through.
so it was time for him to speak up "Do you even know what happened last night? you have no idea what she is going through, atleast be considerate enough to understand her feelings and ask her about it first before jumping into conclusions."
Heo yun-ji had earlier informed Gong Joon-ki about the drama Yerin had with Jonghyun.
"I don't want to listen anymore nonsense. and you—" he pointed to yerin "get out of my sight. you disgust me." with that he walked away inside his study followed by Gong Joon-ki and Heo yun-ji.
***********
A day passed since Jonghyun left. Kim Yerin had locked herself inside the room for the whole day refusing to come out, not even for a meal. Her sister and mother tried various excuses and tricks to lure her out but nothing worked.
"we have to do something. She didn't take any meal the entire damn day. what if she gets sick? thanks to Jonghyun, my daughter is blessed with an ankle injury too."
"Mom can you stop mumbling? it's actually annoying!! she won't come out, haven't we already tried every possible trick!"
Kim Yumi knew how determined her sister was. No one can change her mind unless she herself decides to, so instead of troubling her brain she silently set down inside her study enjoying a bowl of ramyeon with kimchi listening to her favorite jazz music long abandoning the idea of luring her sister out of her Fox den.
"the smell of ramyeon is making me worse!" Kim Yerin cried in amusement holding her stomach which was begging for food. She thought she could win her father by going through a hunger strike that she usually did before until she realised the damage she did this time was indeed bigger; there was no way her father's gonna come for her this time. A few times she thought about preparing a gift and sincerely apologizing for her deeds but then let it go as the ego within her pulled her back "why do you have to apologize again for something you never did? you never lied to your father in the first place. It was uncle Gong Joon-ki who broke the silence before you uttered a word that night then how can it be your fault?"
unable to take the stress she snuggled on her pillow and mumbled to herself "Kim Yerin why did you lost your temper!! now starve till death!!"
Her heart was constantly making her remember Jonghyun.
click! she heard her door unlock. who could it be? nobody had access to her room unless
"Uncle Gong Joon-ki ??"
He came inside with a blank expression and teased "suffering a hunger strike are we?"
he sat down on the couch beside her bed.
she scoffed "it's most likely to be 'ME' and not 'WE'!"
"this hunger strike trick is a little outdated now don't you think so?" he was familiar with this much old trick of her to blackmail her father.
she made a face "if you have a better option then spit it out."
He pulled a guilty expression "well honestly No, I dont have any idea how to console your father. He is far ahead of you in the game of stubbornness but—"
"but what?" she quickly asked. He smiled and showed her the bag full of food "but you must eat and take a break to calm yourself."
"woah! chicken soup?" Yerin's face brightened at the sight of chicken soup.
"Good thing you are not picky" he opened the bowl of soup and passed it to her. The real fact was that he knew what she liked to eat according to her mood.
she was still twitching her face deep in thought slowly sipping her chicken soup.
"Exactly what did you meant earlier when you asked me to take a break?"
"so you are finally becoming much better in catching my words." he giggled.
"don't try to confuse me. Get to the point."
Gong Joon-ki changed his posture "didn't you planned to go to L.A in order to attend a concert?"
Yerin checked the date on her phone in a flash, her mind was so occupied in the drama that she completely forgot about the Seven X concert.
"Pack your stuff. I have already arranged the private jet for your departure. You can leave tommorow."
Her eyes brightened up and she immediately hugged her uncle "thank you so much, you are really my life savior."
Gong Joon-ki winked "I know right."
He got up to leave "I am quite busy today. I am leaving. Enjoy yourself and don't stress."
she signed "you adults are all business machines really!!! don't you get tired? anyways I will call you when I get there."
"okay"
"don't tell my father. let him miss me."
Gong Joon-ki laughed and teased "offcourse young miss as you wish."
Just after he left a maid came in with a tray of food in her hand.
"Young Miss, the first miss has sent it for you."
Kim Yerin smiled in admiration for her sister.
she screamed in delight at the sight of the food. "R-A-M-Y-E-O-N!!"
Kim Yumi never shares ramyeon with anyone let alone her sister.
"Is she really being so kind or is this some kind of trick to boot lick me?" she thought.
Her stomach desperately growled for food, unable to control her craving she halted her thoughts and started to eat.
The next morning she directly escaped to the airport without meeting anyone however she left a handwritten note for her mother explaining her reason of departure so that she doesn't freaks out.
"Is everything ready there?"
Yerin's cold voice greeted the assistant on his phone.
"yes young miss I personally arranged everything."
"If anything goes wrong I will make you responsible for it." her threatining response sent a chill down his spine making him nervous as he answered "I understand."
The moment she sat on the plane excitement hit her. She smiled trying to recover from her wounds. Doesn't matter how lost you are there is always a miracle that changes our lifes and she was waiting for one.