A confused Chanmi descended to the first floor, her fingers massaging her head. She asked Jisoo for painkillers, looking at her with envy in her eyes. Her friend had been walking around the house like a chisel since early in the morning, even though she had been partying just as hard.
- How do you do it, Jisoo? Do you have a head of steel? - She asked in a tired voice, resting her cheek on her hand as she sat at the dining room table.
- You have to be born with this gift, my dear - the brunette replied in an amused voice, placing a glass in front of her. - Are you going to sleep half a day again?
- And should I get tired? I'd rather sleep it off than slumber like a zombie.
From the kitchen, the housekeeper's call could be heard asking Jisoo for help. The brunette left her friend hunched over, muttering under her breath the whole time how much she was suffering.
- Not a bad way to show off, Cha-Cha said.
Jungkook sat down across from her with a glass of water in his hand. He measured her with furious eyes, as if she had done him an injustice.
- Give me a holy break, you bastard. You stalk me like a shadow. I feel cornered.
He forced a mocking smile, then took a sip of water.
- I will control you twenty-four hours a day, this is the wish of my dead friend, and I keep my word. I can't let any harm come to you.
- Stop making excuses for Chansung. Just admit that you are sick in the head, and that tormenting women makes you happy.
She opened her eyes wider, forgetting the pain for a moment as he grasped her hand tightly, pulling her close. She hit the table-top with her stomach, which made her even angrier.
- Don't confuse the concept of protection with harassment. After all, I said that I intend to get you out of this hell. Your sister and mother are the only women I intend to torment to death.
The redhead snatched her hand from his grasp.
- I warn you: stay away from me. I won't put up with this for long, and I'll start attacking you myself.
- I understand that you live here, but why have you become so stupid? You are just a surrogate product, a ninny who fills the gap in your mother's heart.
- This is my family, I am the youngest child here, and I love my siblings with all my heart. I don't know how much Chansung has told you and how much you add from yourself, but keep some things to yourself before you open your mouth.
- So have you already forgotten that you were bought by this family and were originally only supposed to be a heart donor? Do you love them so much, although they wanted to kill you? Your mother wouldn't hesitate to do it even now if she had the chance. You are lucky that their biological daughter managed to die before the operation took place because now you would be turning over in your grave.
Tears streamed into her eyes. She energetically rose from her chair, pushing it back. She swept Jungkook's face with a wounded look, and her headache intensified.
- I've managed to forget about it already. I accept my family, no matter what they are, since I have a comfortable life thanks to them, so never mention it again. It's none of your business how I feel about them. Jin would give his life for me if he could. He is the greatest brother under the sun.
- Perhaps he is the only one who loves you in this house. Certainly, not your parents and sister.
Chanmi grabbed a plastic tissue container and threw it at Jungkook, then left the dining rooms. The young man got up from his chair and followed her into her room. The redhead didn't have an opportunity to close the door because he pushed her away and stepped inside.
- You have no right! Get out! - she said in a raised voice, looking frightened.
- Not until I talk some sense into you. Do you really not realize how mental your mother and sister are? Get a grip on yourself, for God's sake. You can't live on their garland any longer. Get a job and get out of here while you can!
- Give me a break - she said. - Her voice faltered. He gave a start to something she had long since shutdown. All the pain of not being a biological child, and she was only supposed to be a heart donor for their real daughter, came back to her with redoubled force. - It passed... They have loved me for twenty years, treating me like a member of the family.
- It seems to me that you were smarter as a kid. You even wanted to run away with Chansung when you discovered the truth. Have you been brainwashed since your whole life revolves around this house and family?
- This house and family is everything to me! I have nothing to do with myself, I have no job, I have nothing, and these people are the only ones I love. Without them, I am nothing - she said.
Jungkook grabbed her hand as they stood in front of the balcony window. He looked deeply into her eyes, wanting to restore her sanity as soon as possible.
- You are a substitute product! - He pressed his finger to her forehead, increasingly indignant at her childish behavior. - Soon they'll marry you off to some rich tyrant, just to make a profit, after which they won't give a damn what happens to you!
- And you are clairvoyant!
- I'm just not as stupid as you, and I can see what's going on.
- You should become a writer. You create such scenarios that all books would become bestsellers.
- These are the words I heard from your sister! She and her mother have been discussing the subject. They even already have a candidate for you. They have also planned your brother's life. Tonight you will see that I am telling the truth. In the end you will believe me.
- Even though I have to sacrifice myself, I will not leave this family. I may be a surrogate product, but I owe them a lot.
- A lot? Even the fact that they killed your best friend and his family! - he tore at her, and his face was so furious that she felt anxiety. - What do you owe them, stupid girl? A life of luxury and money?
- If only. Even if they marry me off, I'm already set for the rest of my life.
Jungkook couldn't stand it. He grabbed her below the waist and lifted her up, then walked out to the balcony with her. He sat her on the railing, making her heart beat harder out of fear.
- So just die. That will be the best solution for you, since you are not the Chanmi you were ten years ago. I'm not going to watch you ruin your life for this ungrateful family.
- Are you crazy? Get me out of here! - she tore at him, not caring that someone might see them. - How can you know what I was like ten years ago? Chansung described every detail of my life to you? What are you playing at?
- I'll give you until tonight, and if you don't change your mind, you might as well die. I want to help you, but if you're still brainwashed tomorrow, I don't see any point in it.
He put her down, then left the balcony and her room. Chanmi watched him until he disappeared from her sight.
No doubt he was mentally unbalanced.
*
She was supposed to sleep and recover, but couldn't get a wink of sleep because of Jungkook. In addition, he made her feel worse, and while lying in bed, reflections on her life came over her. She thought about everything. She had known for more than ten years that she was a surrogate product, and she discovered this accidentally in the basement.
While looking for a teddy bear, she had received as a gift from Chansung, which her mother had purposely thrown in the basement. Thinking she was too big to play with mascots, she accidentally heard her parents' sharp exchange of words.
She will never forget how horrified she was. It was then that she learned that she had been bought to give her heart to their real, very sick daughter. Unfortunately, she died the same day, and Chanmi was used as a replacement and assumed her identity.
It's unclear what the parents' intentions were in deciding to take such a step. But the truth was that Chanmi was a surrogate product and largely filled the gap in the heart of a mother who had lost her youngest daughter.
Now she sat at the table during dinner, watching her parents' faces. The father had finally had a chance to meet Jieun's fiancé, who also made an electrifying impression on him, largely due to his background.
Everyone laughed at the table, with only Chanmi looking stricken.
- Why do you have that look on your face, little sister? - Jieun took a glass of red wine in her hand and took a sip. - You should be happy. It has come to my attention that Roowon returned, and you spent time with him at the party. - The redhead fluffed her eyes at Jin, who innocently shrugged his shoulders. - This boy is an excellent party and has liked you for a long time.
She felt Jungkook's intense gaze on her, however, after a moment he grunted and turned to his fiancée:
- For you, any guy is a good match. Consider your choice.
- You are my best decision ever, Jungkook.
Jin stared at Jisoo, who was standing in the threshold of the dining room, smiling flirtatiously at him. Fortunately, this went unnoticed by his mother, who was focused on Jieun and her fiancé until a guest appeared.
- Oh, Yeeun. I was worried that you wouldn't get to us again.
The blonde, who was brought by the attendant, bowed to the elders.
- Please forgive me for being late, but I was stuck in traffic. There was a terrible accident.
- Nothing happened, sit next to Jin.
Yeeun took the chair next to the boy, smiling fleetingly at him. Jisoo, who was standing in the threshold of the dining room, squeezed the tray tighter in her hands. She hated this girl, and the sight of her accompanying her guy caused a monstrous feeling of jealousy in her every time.
- Since you're all here, I'd like to announce something. - The mother's face betrayed how overjoyed she was with the news she was going to tell the others. - Yeeun's family and I have agreed that we are going to throw a lavish wedding for the young couple soon.
Little did Jin choke on the water he was sipping. He stuck his mother's eyes full of disbelief, thinking it was a joke.
- What are you talking about? - He sounded too dry as the woman pierced him with her eyes.
- I'm talking about your wedding to Yeeun. It's time for you to go.
- Excuse me very much, but don't I have my opinion? Why are you determining behind my back what my life should look like, and worse, with whom?
Yeeun looked confused by Jin's words. Probably not the reaction she expected.
- If you don't like it and want to live on your own, go ahead. Pack your bags, cut yourself off from your family and live somewhere for a measly pittance. - The mother sipped her wine, looking overly arrogant. She knew that she was the alpha in this flock and no one had the right to oppose her.
- Why do you not count our feelings at all?
The father remained silent, leaving the power in the hands of his wife. She was on the hook for his troubled past, so the last word always was hers.
- What matters is status and how we want to spend the rest of our lives. Love burns out quickly. Later on, romances occur anyway and everyone does what they want.
Jin fixed a horrified gaze on Jisoo, who looked depressed. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she slowly retreated backward, unable to look at it any longer. He wanted to rise from his chair and run after her, but was stopped by Yeeun, who took his hand.
- I assure you that I will do everything to make you happy.
Chanmi discreetly glanced at Jungkook as her sister stirred the vegetables on her plate with a slight smile on her face.
He wasn't lying.
So, was she actually facing the same thing as her brother?