enthusiastically stirring the fried rice in the pan.
«How do you like working with my older brother? Did he torture you a lot?» Cho Hee continued to have fun.
«No. He didn’t torment me at all. Although no, not like that. He tormented me with his indifference. As the person who knows him best, tell me, does he ever eat at all?» I could not resist asking a question related to my immediate duties.
Cho Hee grinned and took a leisurely sip of water, and then looked at me point-blank, and his grin suddenly changed into a sad smile.
«Honestly, I thought you’d give up on the first day, but… slipping food on him won’t get you anywhere,» he spread his hands out to the side.
«Why? Does he have a special diet?» I was not going to miss the opportunity to unravel Sung Joon’s strange behavior by my standards.
«No. Sung Joon doesn’t eat food that he doesn’t know anything about or gets it from someone he doesn’t trust. I mean, from no one,» he lowered his voice to me, «so you better stop trying to feed him. He and does not drink water if the bottle somehow looks suspicious.
«Don’t you two think it’s not very polite to talk about a person when they’re not here?» Father turned to us and looked at the clock located on the door of our refrigerator. And a moment later, the doorbell rang, «Min Hee, open the door,» the father ordered, arranging the food on plates.
I got up from my seat and walked into the hallway, wondering who it could be. But to my great dismay, it was Sung Joon who entered our apartment without a word, took off his flip flops and went to the kitchen. And from his behavior, I realized that this was far from the first time he visited our apartment.
«Song Joonie, come in. Cho Hee, pour him some wine. Min Hee, daughter, where are you?» My father called me. And I was able to get out of the stupor by closing the front door, after which I trudged to the kitchen and returned to my place. Now between me and Sung Joon was only his little brother, «ok guys, the food is ready,» my father announced in a solemn tone and put plates of fried rice and japchae in front of us, as well as spicy chicken legs that he had just finished cooking.
I felt my stomach constrict in a hungry spasm, and, paying no attention to anyone present, I began to eat, enjoying every portion that I ate.
«Have you not been fed for a week?» Cho Hee asked me through laughter, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed Sung Joon poking his little brother in the side with his elbow.
«Why are you speaking informally? Min Hee is older than you,» he grumbled.
«It’s okay. We’re already, you might say, friends,» I tried to defuse the situation, hastily chewing everything that managed to put in my mouth.
«When did you two become friends?» Sung Joon asked indignantly and, for the first time today, looked at me point-blank.
I was slightly taken aback by surprise and could not immediately find an answer, with difficulty swallowing what I had already chewed.
«We have common interests, and we have already met three times in the last week in the most unexpected places. What is this, if not fate?» With a dreamy look, Cho Hee answered instead of me, after which there was an awkward pause.
My father was watching us with interest all this time. It seems that he was pleased with everything that happened in his house.
«Have you been to training?» Dad asked me when the silence dragged on.
«Uh-huh. First time in a week I went to the gym,» I replied and smiled with satisfaction.
«What sport do you do?» unexpectedly for all present, Sung Joon asked me.
«Boxing. Since the age of five,» I answered too quickly.
«Why Boxing?» he voiced his next question.
«Mom says that I should be able to stand up for myself in any situation. It was the choice of her and dad, which I willingly accepted. Now this sport is an integral part of my life,» I said thoughtfully and drank the rest of the wine in my glass, while I got a notification on my phone, «sorry, I have to look. This might be important.»
I looked apologetically at everyone present and picked up my smartphone, which received a message from Alex:
«I congratulate you! The customer is delighted! Your work is a real masterpiece. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for my exhibition!»
I quickly type out a reply thanking my best friend for the words of encouragement. And I note with satisfaction that a couple of thousand dollars have replenished my bank account.
«Did something good happen?» Cho Hee asked, carefully watching my face.
«I’m one step closer to my dream and have successfully completed the work I’ve been working on for the last few weeks,» I proudly replied.
«Are you moonlighting somewhere else? It’s forbidden in the company!» The young man looked at me in fear, «although… your father is the owner, so…»
«…so it doesn’t change anything,» my father announced and looked straight at me. And I saw determination in his eyes.
«It’s not really a job. It’s my hobby,» I said defensively.
«Min Hee, you must abide by the terms of the standard contract,» the father stated peremptorily.
«So you’re suggesting that I give up my favorite thing?» I asked indignantly, ignoring the guests present in our house.
«If you care about your future, you must sacrifice something in the present,» the father replied with a sage air.
«Dad!» I exclaimed, not finding worthy arguments in my defense.
«Any work or training you have must be consistent with the company. You had to read the contract. In fact, you do not belong to yourself. All your actions, decisions, thoughts and feelings are directly dependent on the company. Your movements, even on weekends, cannot be extended to the territory beyond outside of Seoul, unless your immediate duties require it.»
«In other words, you found a way to keep me on a short leash!» I blurted out angrily.
«Think about it how you want,» the father calmly replied with a look of Buddha, «adult life is full of hardships, humiliations and partings. As with people, so with things.»
«Will you give me back my ’horse’?» I demanded, raising my chin proudly.
«No, your mom and I have decided not to return it to you just yet. Consider yourself on probation,» he replied in a reasonable tone.
«It belongs entirely to me! I bought it with hard earned money,» I protested stubbornly.
«That still needs to be checked. Whether they were honestly earned,» my father continued to reason, testing my patience.
«Is that so? Is that what you really think of me?» breathing heavily with indignation, I asked in a voice breaking from an overabundance
