Читать книгу The light of my future - Lee Yeon - Страница 3

Cutting through the noisy streets of Seoul, which were buried in smog and bright summer sun, I added gas and rushed forward. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, and the loud music on my headphones couldn’t stop the roar of my brand new sports bike’s engine.

I stop abruptly at a traffic light and notice a «tail» in the rear-view mirror. Looks like my father sent his minions after me again. The green light of the traffic light turned on and I moved from my place, hoping to break away from the chase. But turning into one of the alleys, I tried to avoid passers-by, when I suddenly noticed a powerful bike that blocked my path. I had no choice but to stop. Removing the helmet from my head, I sighed heavily, straightening my long hair, which was tousled.

The man blocking my path on his sportbike, which was about one and a half more expensive than mine, took off his helmet and pierced me with black eyes that shone with pleasure and adrenaline.

«Who are you?» I called out to him.

«I am the one who guards your father’s peace!» he replied with a wry haughty grin as he slid down from his «iron horse», «he is waiting for you at home. And I am instructed to see you off,» he announced and took a few steps towards me.

«What makes you think that I will obey you?» I asked mockingly, and when I wanted to put on a protective helmet again, I felt that someone had enclosed my hands on both sides in their tenacious grip.

«Your father asked us to bring you to him,» an emotionless male voice called from above me, «we are allowed to bring you by force.»

I turned around and found two guards from my father’s armory. Assessing the opportunity to practice one of my new fighting moves on them, I knew that I would be the loser, despite the fact that the third (the one on the bike) had a rather frail physique and looked like he had been drinking only water for several weeks.

His dark blond hair fell over his forehead and was obviously dyed, and the skin on his face was perfectly even and fair, which emphasized light makeup and the rays of the bright sun.

«Do you think if you put on a leather jacket and leather gloves – you can do whatever you want?» a young man asked me with a haughty air, who did not even try to hide the fact that it gives him pleasure to have at least a small, but advantage over me.

«Who are you anyway, huh?» Losing my patience, I asked the question again.

«Miss Kim…,» one of the guards called out to me, tightening his grip on my arm.

«All right! All right!» I exhaled irritably and gestured that I had given up and was going to get off my motorcycle, after which I followed them into the car, throwing one last wistful glance at the motorcycle, which I had to give into the hands of strangers.

An hour later, I was sitting in the living room of my parents’ two-story penthouse and looking at our family photo, located on the wall above the large fireplace. Mom in an evening chiffon dress with a blooming and rested look after her next trip for a portion of inspiration for a new book and dad, who was standing nearby in a strict expensive suit, hugged us and was just happy that we were there.

My father (my Korean father) married my mother when I was three. From day one, he took care of me like I was his own daughter. He did not have his own children. And he keeps saying he doesn’t plan on having children in the future. Therefore, all his paternal instinct (and there is quite a lot of it) still pours out on me. And not infrequently, in his attempts to protect me from the outside world, he does what he did today.

I looked around at the spacious bright living room and glanced at the dining room and kitchen, which were combined and separated from the living room by a small transparent partition. The entire second floor was intended for living rooms. One bedroom was for my parents and the other was mine. Two more bedrooms were guest. Now the apartment seemed empty and uncomfortable, since I was completely alone on the territory of two hundred square meters.

«Usually children greet their parents standing up and bow their respect,» my father’s taunting voice echoed, and I chuckled as I looked up from our family photo.

«Well, let me greet you Mr. Kim Jae-hwa!» I responded, rising to my feet to bow to him with exaggerated reverence, «what made you show your precious attention to my humble person?» I asked as I returned to my seat.

«You haven’t been home for a long time. And, unfortunately, the only way to contact you is to send messengers. Gone are the days when you could be lured home with candy,» he chuckled and sat down in a chair that was to my left, «you been away for two days, and today I got this,» he took a white paper envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to me, «you almost doubled the speed limit. Do you want my mother and I to go crazy with excitement?» he addressed me in a calm but demanding tone.

«I was just having fun,» I shrugged indifferently, «and it’s not the first time. You know.»

«To be honest, we tried to make you a princess, not a bandit,» he frowned and took a slow, deep breath.

«Looks like something went wrong at some point,» I laughed as I unfastened the rivets on my leather gloves. These were my favorites from my large collection – black leather with small holes and no fingers.

«Well, let’s move on to what I called you here for,» my father leaned forward slightly, and only now I noticed that there was a folder next to him, which he handed me, «you received invitations from the top five universities in Korea. And you didn’t apply to any of them. Didn’t you plan to go all out after getting your bachelor’s degree to get a master’s degree in management? You know that sooner or later you will have to take my place at MW Corporation.»

«I only got a bachelor’s degree in business administration because you insisted on it. I don’t think I need to explain to you that I’m not going to take your place in a music agency,» I breathed out and we didn’t say anything for a while to each other, «Dad, I know that you have plans for me, but… I don’t want this at all,» I breathed conciliatoryly, «I told you that I was collecting documents for admission to an American university. And yes, I know that neither you nor my mother will give me one won to pay for a foreign university, especially one in which I will study directing, so I intend to get a scholarship.»

«The problem is not that the university you have chosen will be located outside our country, although this will cause us certain concerns for you. It is all about which direction you have chosen,» my father explained his dissatisfaction with the direction I had chosen in life.

«What’s Wrong with Film Directing?» I asked irritably, «I want to shoot action movies. I want to show real action!»

«That’s commendable, but…» He took a slow, deep breath and shook his head indignantly.

«Please, dad, just tell me what you want to say,» I pleaded, leaning slightly towards the side where my father was sitting.

«Well, you’re right. I won’t wait any longer. I’m offering you a deal. You are a stubborn girl with us. And you always get your way. And I believe that everything can work out for you without our help. But still I will offer you something,» Father looked into my eyes and, with genuine love in his eyes, smiled. Can a person love another person like that with paternal love that has no boundaries, while knowing that this child is not your own? «It will take you at least a year to put together your scholarship documents and build your portfolio, assuming you do everything on your own. And for this year, I want to make a deal with you.»

«What deal?» I asked warily.

«Our agency’s lead artist is Min Sung Joon. You know that we’ve been working with him for nine years,» he felt the need to clarify, to which I nodded my head indifferently, «he doesn’t intend to renew his contract next year. And this is a big blow for our agency. Moreover, Sung Joon refuses to remain with our agency as a producer, mentor, or any other position.»

«Does your most profitable artist want to retire at the height of his fame?» squinting suspiciously, I asked, «maybe he decided to change the agency?» I made a very logical guess.

«I doubt it, although I thought about it,» the father sighed heavily for the umpteenth time.

«Maybe he’s just tired,» I said thoughtfully, reflecting on the unenviable life of an idol. Love of admirers and hatred of envious people; big money and lack of freedom of action; beauty created by cosmetics, plastics and fashionable clothes; and loneliness… all this is destined for those who embarked on this thorny path.

«Min Hee, I want you to be his assistant this year and try to convince him to stay with us. Ideally as an artist, but I agree if he stays at least as a producer,» his father announced after a short pause.

«What makes you think that I’m capable of this? That is, why do you think that I can convince him? As far as I know from your staff, none of his assistants lasted two weeks. It’s terrible to imagine how many people have changed among his work environment,» I chuckled, vaguely imagining how I would work with someone like Sung Joon.

«You are not an ordinary person. I am sure that you will succeed if you set a goal for yourself,» the father continued to insist on his own.

«Why do I need such a goal?» I chuckled, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at my father, as I suspected that he had already thought everything through.

«If you fulfill my request, I will pay for your education at any university you wish. I will provide housing, and everything that will be necessary to gain knowledge and skills. In other words, I will provide you with a peaceful existence anywhere in the world for the entire period training,» the father enumerated in a seductive tone the benefits of working with him.

«Hmm…» I chuckled thoughtfully, appreciating the offer, which was hard to refuse, «perhaps I will agree, but on one condition,» I slightly leaned forward and gave my father a sly look, «for the duration of our agreement, I will live separately, and in doing so, you will cease to follow my every action.»

«I’ll take down surveillance on the condition that you answer my calls,» he replied after some thought, «for some reason, in a country that has provided millions of people with telephones, I can’t get through to my own daughter.

«Great! Agreed?» I held out my hand to him. And at the moment when he was already ready to seal our agreement with a handshake, the father returned his hand to his knee and slyly grinned.

«About separate accommodation. Here’s what I propose. If you last a month as an assistant, I’ll give you separate accommodation. Is this offer suitable?» he asked while his eyes glowed with smugness.

«It suits me!» After a short pause, I slapped him on the newly outstretched palm, feeling my parents’ trap slam shut.