37

                                    

                                          
The living room buzzed with laughter as Jinhee, Jihoon, and her parents wrapped up another round of their board game. The glow of the Christmas lights cast a cheerful ambiance, adding to the spirited mood. Jinhee stretched, arms reaching skyward, before glancing at the clock.
"There's going to be a fireworks show in an hour," she announced with excitement. "It'll be at the beach. Should we go?"
Jihoon's grin mirrored her enthusiasm. "Sounds great. Let's get ready."
As he stepped into the guest room, Jihoon slipped on his coat, still soaking in the energy of the evening. A buzz from his phone on the nightstand caught his attention. Picking it up, his expression darkened as he read the notification: a message from his father.
Jihoon opened the message and froze. Two photos stared back at him, clear as day. One was of him and Jinhee laughing together at the market earlier in the week, and the other was of them standing on the beach, her hands clasped in his as they talked. Beneath the photos was a single line:
"I see you're having fun in your hometown, son."
Jihoon's chest tightened. His thoughts spun as he stared at the photos, his pulse quickening. His fingers moved instinctively, dialing his father's number.
The phone rang twice before his father's calm, authoritative voice answered. "Jihoon."
"You.. hired someone to spy on me?" Jihoon's voice was sharp, disbelief and anger laced in his tone.
There was a pause on the other end of the line before his father replied, unfazed. "I'm just making sure you don't do anything foolish while I'm out of the country."
Jihoon's grip on the phone tightened. "Foolish? Like what, exactly? Living my life? Making my own decisions?"
"Watch your tone, Jihoon," his father warned, his voice growing colder. "You know how important our family's reputation is. You're not just anyone. You're my son. Everything you do reflects on us."
Jihoon's jaw clenched, frustration boiling inside him. "You have no right to invade my privacy like this. Who I spend time with is none of your business."
There was a brief silence before his father's voice softened, though it didn't lose its edge. "I see you've found someone. A girl. I hope she's.. suitable for the kind of life we've built. If she's to stand by your side at the ball, she'll need to meet certain expectations, do you remember?"
Jihoon's stomach twisted at the implication. "This isn't about you or your damn standards," he snapped, his voice rising. "Jinhee—" He stopped himself, realizing he'd said her name out loud.
"So her name is Jinhee," his father mused, his tone almost smug. "I look forward to meeting her. Don't embarrass the family, Jihoon. That's all I'll say for now."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Jihoon staring at the screen, his chest heaving with irritation. He paced the room, his thoughts a whirlwind of anger and worry. How long had his father been watching him? How much did he know? And most importantly, how could he keep Jinhee out of this mess?
A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. "Jihoon?" Jinhee's voice called softly. "Are you ready? We should go soon if we don't want to miss the fireworks."
Jihoon took a deep breath, forcing a semblance of calm before opening the door. Jinhee's bright smile greeted him, but it faltered when she noticed the tension in his expression.
"Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her eyes.
Jihoon hesitated, his gaze lingering on her face. He didn't want to ruin the evening for her, but the weight of his father's interference hung heavily on his mind. Finally, he nodded and managed a small smile.