Running away from the male lead

Chapter 5: Graduation & Birthday

I walk out and beeline to where Yesung and Grandfather were, I sit down and look at him waiting for an explanation.

“My best friends son is the business and economics in school, yesterday when I went to their house. He told me about you. What is happening at home, I don’t understand why you bear that horrible daughter of mine and that useless husband of hers. Just slap them in the face and come to my place.”, he complains.

“Grandfather, at this age you still work. You own one of the biggest Hotel chains you are always busy, don’t worry I will be fine. The only reason I am bearing those people is because of Yesung. According to what I overheard, a year and a half later when Yesung is 12, they plan on sending him to a boarding school. So he will be fine after he leaves until he leaves I am not leaving.”, I explain hoping he would understand.

After that we talk for some time, I see some of the students like. The seniors Kim Eunho, Min Sungjae, I'm Eunae and some others. She seems to be talking but none of them are even bothering with her.

Jinyoung walks up to me and taps me on the shoulder, “ Grandfather Moon, do you mind if I take these two, Mom wants to talk before we leave.”

Grandfather nods and we walk to their table, “ Jinyoung go with Yesung get something to eat and come back.”, his mom says as she grabs my hand leads me to the corner of the room.

She suddenly touches the cheek which Dad slapped, I flinch. “Is it okay, does it burn? Aera you know, we are there for you right. I was surprised when I first heard Jinyoung was friends with you, on the first of school. You are so different from what I heard. You are always welcome to our house.”, she says. I have a few tears in my eyes.

”Oh don’t cry.”, she says as she pulls me into a hug. Wiping the tears, I whisper a thank you.

______

18th birthday ( A year and a half later)

I sit on the bed, checking through my bank statement. We finally are opening the studio. The bed was a mess, with papers littering everywhere. School is much better, a few weeks after the party, grandfather talked with the principal so that I don’t have to sit during class. I sit in the library and do whatever I want. After the finals, when I got 1st everybody we're surprised and when I was called out during the award ceremony, not many recognised me as I never attended class. 

When we started the next year, Jinyoung finally stopped me about liking Eunho, because I really didn’t know him, to like him. I told him the truth about me, that I was from a different world. He was shocked but then he started asking a billion questions. I told him whatever I knew.

From coming here, and slowly settling and being told I could never go back. Then gaining Park Aera’s memories.

(A/n: She doesn’t remember the original plotline of the story)

Grandfather still asks me to move out once in a while, but I keep refusing. 

I walk down early in the morning, to see the maids preparing food.

”Young Miss, Happy Birthday. I made your favourite, come and eat before your parents come down.”, I sit and eat, more gobble up the spicy tteokbokki. As I finish, the maids come up and put a small box in front of me. 

I look up in surprise, ” What is this?”. I grab the box and observe it. The small box was a black, with a dark red ribbon. 

”Open it.”, the maids said as the gathered excitedly, ” All of us took part, and made it.”

Surprised, a few tears gather in my eyes and wipe them off before they fall. I open the box to see a hairpin with light blush pink small flowers and a faded mint green leaves. It was long and matched the dress that I made for myself.

I look at them in surprise, graduation was today. Honestly, I didn’t expect anything, just a high school diploma and some good food at the party, which I didn’t want to go to.y

Thanking them, I go to Yesung’s room to wake him up, but was surprised to see him already and ready. 

”Woah, wow my Yesung is all grown up.”, as seen as he hears my voice he turns in surprise.

”Sis, Happy Birthday!”, he says as he runs and jumps onto me. Damn it he has become to tall, even though he is extremely mature and cold, when I see him with his friends outside school when I go to pick him up.

”This is for you.”, he says as he passes me a book with a lock, ”You draw your designs and lock it, that way nobody can steal your designs.”

( An hour later) 

I smooth the long light mint green pleated skirt with hands as I step out of the car. The bottom of the skirt had hand-painted pink flowers, the top of the dress was white with pink tint at the top. The hairpin was in my hair was loose and fluttered with the wind.

” Hey Birthday girl, Mom has been rushing around the kitchen all morning preparing for your birthday dinner at my place.”, he hugs me tight and lifts me up and starts spinning around.

”She didn’t even do that for my birthday, I am telling you the love you more than me.”, he says as he keeps me down, after getting hit on the back.

”Wow, I am so jealous. I bet that those two are dating.”, we heard someone say.

”Dating you? Nope, that would be lowering my standards.”, I say. He looks at me horrified. Pinching my cheek he glares at my and I wack him on the neck.

”Yeah like I would date someone so violent, I like my bones in my place. Place my mom, would kill me and say that you are too good for me.”, laughing we walk to the hall.

After sometime, the graduation starts and my name was called out.

”Park Aera”, as they call my name I walk onto stage. The announcer, who is Mr.Choi, says, ” I keep wondering how she not only passes all her classes but she tops all of them, even though she barely ever appears in class.”

None of them knew that I wrote my exams a year back and I am already in college. I am even speeding through my bachelors, and I only have one year left. Smiling, I take a picture with the principal.

(A few hours later at the lunch party)

”Well if it isn’t Miss Park, the business topper. The cold and unapproachable socialite.”, blabbers Jeon Jonghyuk, Jinyoung’s older cousin.

”Haha, very funny. What you doing here?”, I say dryly.

”We were invited, as alumni don’t you think it we should come.”, he replies, as I glare at him.

”Stop bothering her.”, Jinyoung hits his brother on the shoulder.

”Whatever. I have to go, Eunho texted, someone is bothering him.”, he smiles as he goes to the other side of the room.

”So are you ready, the studio opening is tomorrow.”, he asks, ”Mom has already been marketing for us.”

”Yeah, I am nervous, you Mr.Vice president?”, I ask.

We continue chattering and occasionally mingle with our classmates.

(a few days later)

”Aera, sit down.”, my Mom says.

I look at her, I have a horrible feeling. There are some guests at home for dinner. Mr and Mrs. Do, and their son.

I am lost through dinner, as the parents chat me and the other guy, whose name is Byungwoo, stares at me awkwardly. After dinner, Mom sends Yesung up for bed.

As we walk over to the living room, I sit on the single sofa. 

”They will look good together.”, said Mrs Do. Wait what are they talking about.

”Yes I am so happy my Daughter is marrying into your family.”, what the hell is that crackhead women saying. Is she trying to marry me off. 

” Byungwoo, take her into the next room.”, he offers his hand hesitantly. Still lost I hold his hand and follow him to the other room. Still in shock I sit on the edge of the bed as he sits a bit far from me on the sofa in front of me.

”So I am guessing you had no idea what your parents were planning.”, he asks and I slowly return to reality.

”No.”

”I am guessing you don’t want to marry me.”, I nod, ” Okay, I am slightly offended but who would want to be in this situation.”, he chuckles

”If you don’t mind me asking, can you find a way out of this. I have tried, my fiancee is miserable, my parents are pushing me to marry you.”, he explains about what happened to him.

Nodding in understanding I tell that I would try my best. After talking a bit more, I see that he was truly in love. Smiling as he talks about his early days with his girlfriend, we return back to the living room.

Sometime later they leave, and I rush back to the room and swing the door shut and lock it. As I mean on the door, silent tears stream done my face, unab, e to comprehend what I happened I fumble for the phone.

”Grandpa, Help me.”, hearing my sore voice he instantly asks me what happened.

”They are trying to marry me off to someone.”, I cry.