Chapter 23

"You have done enough"

Yeonjun stared at the screen on his phone, internally reading the email over and over again while his heart kept beating faster and faster. His brain understood every word, but yet he couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Yeonjun, aren't you coming down for dinner?" asked Yoo Jin and Yeonjun looked up in surprise, finding Yoo Jin standing right in front of him. He didn't even hear her enter his room.

"I am coming," said Yeonjun and shut off his phone and put it in his pocket, whereafter he got up from his bed.

"Is everything okay?" asked Yoo Jin, who had only taken a few steps outside, waiting for Yeonjun to follow her, "you look really pale."

"Do I?" said Yeonjun, without showing any emotions on his face. Yoo Jin opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again, deciding to let him be since they were close to the kitchen and he might not want this kind of conversation in front of their parents.

"There you are," said Jeong-Yeon when both of her children entered the kitchen, "now we can finally eat."

After Yoo Jin and Yeonjun sat down, the food got passed around at the table and everyone filled their plates, everyone except Yeonjun.

"Why aren't you eating anything? Are you sick?" asked Jeong-Yeon and looked at Yeonjun in worry.

"No, I am fine," said Yeonjun, "I just… I have some news…"

"Oh?" said Jeong-Yeon while she and Se Hyeong moved closer to the table, both of them looking at Yeonjun in anticipation while Yoo Jin watched from the side.

"I got a call from BSB Entertainment yesterday," said Yeonjun and watched his parents trying to comprehend the information, "they accepted me as a trainee. They sent over the contract today."

It turned completely quiet in the kitchen, the tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Yeonjun lowered his head, not able to look his mother in the eyes. Yoo Jin got eye contact with her father, both of them having the same nervous look on their face and Jeong-Yeon just stared into the air, no words leaving her mouth and no emotions showing on her face. For a minute, it felt like even time stood still in the kitchen, no one daring to move a muscle, waiting for the inevitable to happen, waiting for the silence to make room for the storm.

"No," said Jeong-Yeon all of a sudden, short and firm, whereafter time started flowing again.

"What do you mean 'no'?" asked Yeonjun, finally looking at his mother.

"I mean exactly what you think I mean," said Jeong-Yeon, "I will not allow this, I will not allow you to ruin your future." Se Hyeong let out a sigh, already looking tired from this conversation and Yoo Jin gulped, looking at her little brother, whose eyes were locked on their mother.

"You can't be serious," yelled Yeonjun and stood up, the chair screeching as it got pushed back on the floor, "we already went through this discussion before, and you gave your permission."

"I had no idea there was any company out there, stupid enough to offer you a contract," said Jeong-Yeon, "I thought you required some kind of talent for a company to sign with you."

"Did it even occur to you that I might actually have a talent?" asked Yeonjun, still standing tall, looking down on his mother, "or at least a spark, something, enough for them to know they can use me."

"Nonsense," said Jeong-Yeon, "and no matter what the case is, I will still not allow it. I will not allow both my children to put disgrace on our family."

"Both?" said Yoo Jin in a low voice, immediately regretting her decision to speak up when her mother turned her face and looked at her.

"It can't come as a shock to you, that after more than a year as unemployed, people will be talking," said Jeong-Yeon in a disappointed voice, "they will be wondering why you aren't able to find anything. Then they see you with a young boy, acting like a silly teenager in love, and they finally piece everything together. 'Ah, I see, this is why she can't find anything. She is spending time with an immature young boy, instead of looking for a job.'" Yoo Jin felt her heart stop in her chest, her throat closed in and no words were able to leave her mouth while she continued to stare at her mother.

"But mother," said Yeonjun then, gaining Jeong-Yeon's attention again, "that is Noona's business, it shouldn't have anything to do with me or my future."

In the flash of a moment, Jeong-Yeon got up from her chair, making the same uncomfortable noise as Yeonjun did when he got up.

"What do you think people would think after hearing you want to became an idol? Do you think they would be thrilled?" yelled Jeong-Yeon, "no, they will gasp. They will whisper in the corners. They will talk ill about you, about your sister, about your father and I. Wonder how we have raised our children for them to turn out in such a disgraceful manner. Is that what you want? Is it?" Jeong-Yeon stared at her son who seemed to have no words left in his mind. He was frozen on the spot, feeling his mother's gaze dig deeper and deeper into his heart, tearing him apart inside.

Se Hyeong and Yoo Jin were both looking up, hoping and praying for the fight to end. And so it did. With no words, not even a nod, Yeonjun turned around and left the kitchen, slowly walking up the stairs and disappearing into his bedroom.

After Jeong-Yeon plopped down on her chair again with a huge sigh, Yoo Jin quickly got up as well, and before either of her parents could say anything, she had run after her brother.

Not even caring to knock on the door, she barged inside, finding Yeonjun on his bed, his face buried in his hands, until he heard Yoo Jin enter and he looked up in anger.

"What are you doing? Don't just barge in!" yelled Yeonjun with tears still glistering in his eyes.

"Yeonjun, I am sorry, I really am," said Yoo Jin and took a step closer, "Mom is being unfair… that is just how she is…"

"I don't need your pity!" said Yeonjun, "this is all your fault anyway! Just because you suddenly have to relive your youth, my dream is being crushed."

"You are not being fair," said Yoo Jin, trying to hold back her own tears as she spoke, "I didn't plan to fall in love with Taehyun… I never meant for this to hurt you."

"'You didn't plan to fall in love with Taehyun?' Oh please, there is no 'love' about the way you feel about him. You won't even hold his hand in public." Yoo Jin stared at her brother in surprise until he continued.

"Yes, he talks to me about those things," spat Yeonjun, "not only do you take away my best friend, you also ruin my hopes and dreams and for what? Some fake relationship to keep you entertained while you are unemployed and bored."

"That is not what this is, I truly do care for Taehyun!" said Yoo Jin, feeling the tears sliding down her cheek even though she did her best to keep it in, "but our relationship has nothing to do with other people, I just don't want them to ruin what we have."

"Sure, if you want to keep lying to yourself, let us just go with that," said Yeonjun in a sarcastic tone.

"That… that isn't…" stuttered Yoo Jin, trying to think straight, but Yeonjun interrupted her before she could continue.

"Please, just leave me alone," said Yeonjun and diverted his eyes, "you have already done enough."

Hello everyone!

I hope you have entered the new year safe and sound. I am sorry this is not a more cheerful chapter to start the new year with, but hopefully you still liked it and felt entertained.

Please don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below, it always warms my heart to read them. 

Take good care of yourself and stay safe!

Love, Annalise~