The warm sunlight streaming through the manor's floor-to-ceiling windows cast a golden glow on the polished hardwood floor, illuminating the delicate patterns etched into the wood. The air was filled with the sweet scent of freshly brewed coffee, wafting from the kitchen, and the soft hum of classical music drifting from the sound system. Lee Ahn, dressed in a comfortable cream-colored sweater and beige pants, sat on the plush couch in the living room, her laptop open in front of her.
Bora, wearing a faded university T-shirt and gray sweatpants, her hair tied in a messy bun, descended from her room with loud steps, her slippers flapping against the staircase. The sound echoed through the hallway, accompanied by the pleasant greetings exchanged between Bora and her stewards.
"Oh, Bora, when did you get home?" Lee Ahn asked, her eyes, red-rimmed from lack of sleep, looking up from her laptop.
"Mom, I always tell you to get enough sleep, you're on leave yet you still work yourself out. Look at the bags under your eyes - they're big enough to fit in all your belongings; when was the last time you had healthy sleep?" Bora sparked, concern etched on her face.
"Stop treating me like I'm senile, I'm not a kid you know." Lee Ahn replied adjusting her glasses.
"You're not a kid, exactly why you need enough rest." Bora walked towards her Mother and closed the laptop in front of her,
Lee Ahn smiled wearily, adjusting her glasses. "I'm not a kid, exactly why you need to let me work."
Bora walked towards her mother, closing the laptop with a soft click. "Get some rest, Mom." She removed Lee Ahn's glasses and placed them on the stool beside the chair.
"You're asking when I got home yesterday, but I literally greeted you when I entered, but you probably didn't notice, why? Because you were busy on your laptop!"
Lee Ahn smiled slightly, "Okay, okay, I've heard I'll get some rest." She said and laid down on the couch using a throw pillow to guard her head as she placed it on Bora's lap.
"Mom, why my laps? I'm not your husband. For goodness' sake, you're married to Hyun Jeong Mi; don't you think he'll be jealous if he sees you lying on someone else's legs?" Lee Ahn smiled, and they shared a hearty laugh.
This was one of those rare days where Bora seemed carefree, like a 21-year-old university student without a worry. Lee Ahn savored the moment, knowing the conversation she was about to have would change everything.
As they lapsed into a comfortable silence, the TV's gentle hum grew louder, shifting to the hourly news broadcast and breaking the stillness. The anchor's voice droned on, discussing politics and economic trends. Lee Ahn laid her head on Bora's lap, feeling the softness of her sweatpants.
Lee Ahn knew bringing up the topic of the contract would change Bora's mood and scare her for the rest of her life, but it had already been done.
As they settled into a comfortable silence, the TV in the background switched to the hourly news. The anchor's voice droned on, discussing politics and economic trends. Lee Ahn laid her head on Bora's lap, feeling the softness of her sweatpants.
"Bora," Lee Ahn began, her voice laced with emotion, "I want to talk to you about something important." Her eyes pleaded with Bora.
"No, sleep, and we'll have the conversation when you wake up," Bora replied, stroking her mother's hair.
"As the news anchor's voice droned on, Lee Ahn's expression turned somber. She lifted her head from Bora's lap, her eyes locking onto hers. Bora, she began, her voice laced with emotion...
"Have you ever thought of having a go-to person? Someone to talk to, share your thoughts?"
Bora sighed inwardly. "Yeah, I do – On Dam... Cha On Dam!" She forced a smile.
Lee Ahn's expression turned serious. "Not On Dam, I mean someone special. A boyfriend, perhaps?"
Bora's eyes narrowed. "If you're talking about Su Ki or Kenji, I'm going to leave you here, for real." Her tone held a hint of warning.
Lee Ahn's eyes sparkled as they turned up to face Bora. "Bora, listen to me. This is crucial, for you especially. You know I'll be leaving soon for Paris again, right?"
Bora's expression darkened, her grip on Lee Ahn's hair tightening. "What are you talking about, Mother?"
Lee Ahn's voice cracked. "Just hear me out, Bora. Please."
The room fell silent, the only sound the TV's distant hum and Lee Ahn's ragged breathing.
As Lee Ahn's words hung in the air, the warm glow of the afternoon sun streaming through the windows seemed to fade, casting long shadows across the room. The plush couch, once a haven of comfort, now felt like a battleground.
Bora's grip on her Mother's hair tightened, her mind racing with thoughts of rebellion. "What have you done, Mother? W-What do you mean by hear you out? What did you do?!" she shouted, her heart pounding in her chest. "Who is this person? Why are you doing this to me?" Her eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Lee Ahn's face for any sign of weakness.
Lee Ahn's eyes, red-rimmed from lack of sleep, pleaded with Bora. Her face, normally a picture of serenity, was now etched with worry and desperation. Her thoughts swirled with memories of Bora's childhood, her loneliness and inner angst, and her own fears for Bora's flexible nature. "I know how you've struggled Bora and this time I wanted to try something rather different."
The polished hardwood floor, once a symbol of luxury, now felt cold and unforgiving beneath their feet. The soft hum of classical music, previously a soothing background melody, now seemed jarring and discordant.
As the silence stretched, Bora's emotions seesawed between anger and fear. Her eyes locked onto Lee Ahn's, searching for answers. "Why?" she mouthed, her voice barely audible.
Lee Ahn's gaze faltered, her eyes dropping to the floor. The shadows cast by the fading light seemed to deepen, accentuating the lines on her face. Her thoughts drifted to Yeorin, and the promise she had made to ensure Bora's well-being. "I have no choice," she thought, a pang of guilt stabbing her conscience.
The air in the room grew heavy, and thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. The TV's distant hum, once a gentle background noise, now seemed intrusive, a reminder of the world outside their fragile bubble.
Bora's thoughts crystallized into a single, burning question: "What have you sacrificed me for?" Her voice, barely above a whisper, cut through the tension.
Lee Ahn's eyes snapped back to Bora's, her expression resolute. "Everything I do, Bora, is to protect you, to give you the life you deserve."
The words hung in the air, a promise and a plea.
"Bora's words trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes. She took a shaky breath before continuing, her voice trembling. 'And when have you ever done that, huh? When! All you do is control me like I'm some toy that came out of you." She wiped the tears off her face, "Tell me, who was it this time? Kenji? Who?"
"No, no, no it's not Kenji or Su Ki or anyone you know it's my childhood friend's son. We met at the gala after almost 25 years and caught up on our last and you guys came into the conversation."
"Wow, you seem elated even when you're explaining it, your friend's son, which of them, I know all your friends Mom."
Lee Ahn stood up from Bora's lap, "Oh you don't know this one, he's a guy, h-his son also goes to Jukheon, just like you, he's also an art lover just like you, you guys seem to be interested in the same thing."
Boring smirked, "I'm still finding it funny how you seem so eager to talk about it. Am I just a pawn in your chess game, and you can do whatever you want with me?"
Lee Ahn's face dropped, "Bora, it's not like that, you know it's almost time for Haranjung's yearly event."
"Haranjung? The one where you guys must come with your couple and meet that weird old man? So now I'm for business purposes?" Bora wailed.
Lee Ahn sighed and placed her hands on Bora's shoulder, "Bora, you're not a kid anymore, you are old enough to be introduced into the family business."
"Are you seriously trying to rationalize this? Family business? Dad's company is doing fine why do we need Haranjung's investment again?" Bora said.
"Come on Bora, you know how the world works, just because..."
Bora nodded her head weirdly, 'why does she always do this to me?'
"Stop lying Mom, so using Haranjung as a cover, we both know you don't care about Haranjung."
Lee Ahn's face dropped. "If this is how you want to treat me, why not just marry me off, Mom." Borak sparked.
"I already signed the contract Bora, I'm sorry." Lee Ahn said.
"Lee Ahn's words hung in the air like a wrecking ball. Bora's eyes widened as she processed the revelation. Her gaze dropped to a file sitting idle on the table, and her face paled. 'W-what did you say? C-contract?!".
Her eyes immediately scanned through the content of the material, her facial expression changing with every line read.
"What is this? Me and someone in a relationship for two years....?
"B-bonding contract...?"
"If either of the party is to break the clause stated in this contract before its expiration the Party is to pay a sum of 30, wait, wait, wait... 30 million Won?" Bora looked at her mother in confusion, "I'm not sure I'm reading this correctly. You put its release clause as 30 million Won?"
Lee Ahn looked at Bora short of words. Bora continued reading out the details of the contract - "on breaking any clause, remuneration must be made directly from faulty Party to the guardian of faulted Party from their own personal funds.."
"What's all of these, so if he decides to cancel the contract the money gets to go to you? Gosh! You're so selfish and self-centered."
Lee Ahn sighed loudly, "Yes Bora, maybe I'm selfish and self-centered, I'm probably even worse than that I guess. I'm forcing you into something you don't even want so for some stupid reason and my satisfaction, I don't even know if the other person would make you happy and I signed it already - I guess I messed up there too, I signed on your behalf."
Lee Ahn smiled slightly with tears full in her eyes, all the sleepiness and traces of fatigue seemed to vanish, all that was left on her face was her red-hot eyes reeling from self-disgust and imperfection.
Bora who noticed that it was signed quickly took a look at it, "Woah, seriously Mom, how could you even do this to me and you call me your child, I'm your only child, only daughter, but-but you treat me like someone you were forced to adopt."
Tears rolled down Lee Ahn's cheeks, her red face had veins all over it, her eyes had sunken, and her breathing became rather tensed, "B-Bora, I-I..."
"You know, those tears don't move me anymore Mom, because no matter how much you apologize, you always repeat it and claim that you're doing it for my sake... God knows what your excuse is this time for doing this."
Bora took a deep breath and stood up from the couch sobbing slightly, "I'm still marveled by your ability to always mess up my life, Ma. From now on I'll be what you want me to be - your child toy."
Bora turned around and began to walk towards the stairs leading to her room, she was about to begin ascension when Lee Ahn showed her name, "Bora." Bora came to an abrupt stop, suddenly she felt her Mother's arms wrapped around her, "I'm sorry, I had good intentions, I only went about it the wrong way, I'm leaving for Paris in two days, I'll be out of your life for good..."
"I never wanted you out of my life, Ma, actually, I always wanted you close, I want to talk to you, I want to tell you stuff but you're never here. I had to get used to being alone, hiding my feelings, smiling a lot when I was down inside... I just miss you, Ma."
"I'm sorry, Bora, I'm really sorry... That's why I did this, I know I'll not be here for you to talk to, so I thought bringing someone to do that for me in the meantime might help." Lee Ahn pleaded.
"What do you mean by, I'm the meantime?" Bora's voice turned stern.
"I made the contract two years because I'll be retiring in two years."
Bora looked at her mom in shock, "what do you mean?"
" I also want to spend time with my daughter, I want to plait her hair, I want to talk to her about her school life, I want to help her do many things. You think I hate you but that's not just the case, I was just brought up differently, that's why I'm a little weird." Lee Ahn said wiping the tears off her face, "Please Bora, just do it for Ma, hmm (okay)?"
Lee Ahn unwrapped her hands around her daughter's waist. As she was about to go Bora held her hands and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry," she said busting out in tears, "I'll do it, I'll do whatever you want, it's just two years right? I'll wait for you, Mom, I'll wait."