The light ofВ my future
Lee Yeon
When Min Hee accepted her father’s offer to work with famous pop singer Sung Joon, she had no idea that her dream of becoming a director would suddenly turn into something she would want but fear.Young people have to go through the pain, dangers and beauty of youth, getting to know each other, in order to make a choice under the weight of circumstances, their own ambitions and love, answering the question of what to do when the light of your future darkens the pain of betrayal.
The light ofВ my future
Lee Yeon
© Lee Yeon, 2022
ISBNВ 978-5-0056-5750-3
Создано в интеллектуальной издательской системе Ridero
PROLOGUE
В«Where are you?В» AВ demanding rough voice ofВ aВ man was heard, and the young girl who was standing inВ the old, shabby telephone booth unconsciously shuddered with fear and disgust. The memories ofВ the man who was on the other end ofВ the line returned toВ her.
Now that she had learned the horrifying truth about the cases he was actually involved in, she had no choice but toВ run. And she was going toВ take advantage ofВ the chance given toВ her.
«I took Alina away. We won’t be back. Please don’t look for us,» she pleaded in a trembling voice, continuing to shake all over, fearing that she was being followed.
В«Valya, you know that IВ will find you wherever you go,В» the man answered inВ aВ menacingly calm voice, В«IВ will do everything so that my daughter is withВ me.В»
The woman pressed closer toВ herself the bundle with aВ little girl who, at three months old, looked at her mother as if she understood what was happening.
В«Goodbye, Andrey,В» the woman ended the call and hung up on the payphone, then got out and headed for the taxi, which sped her along with her little daughter toВ the airport.
The woman knew that she must leave the country and protect her child from the fate that was prepared byВ the monster, so skillfully hidden behind the mask ofВ nobility, kindness and reliability. Her love for him dissolved into lies and fear.
But now she had only one goal – to protect her child at all costs…
CHAPTERВ 1
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.
IВ stop abruptly at aВ traffic light and notice aВ В«tailВ» inВ the rear-view mirror. Looks like my father sent his minions after me again. The green light ofВ the traffic light turned on and IВ moved from my place, hoping toВ break away from the chase. But turning into one ofВ the alleys, IВ tried toВ avoid passers-by, when IВ suddenly noticed aВ powerful bike that blocked my path. IВ had no choice but toВ stop. Removing the helmet from my head, IВ sighed heavily, straightening my long hair, which was tousled.
The man blocking my path on his sportbike, which was about one and aВ half more expensive than mine, took off his helmet and pierced me with black eyes that shone with pleasure and adrenaline.
В«Who are you?В» IВ called out toВ 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.
В«What makes you think that IВ will obey you?В» IВ asked mockingly, and when IВ wanted toВ put on aВ protective helmet again, IВ felt that someone had enclosed my hands on both sides inВ their tenacious grip.
В«Your father asked us toВ bring you toВ him,В» an emotionless male voice called from above me, В«we are allowed toВ bring you byВ force.В»
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 ofВ the brightВ 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.
В«Who are you anyway, huh?В» Losing my patience, IВ asked the question again.
«Miss Kim…,» one of the guards called out to me, tightening his grip on my arm.
В«All right! All right!В» IВ exhaled irritably and gestured that IВ had given up and was going toВ get off my motorcycle, after which IВ followed them into the car, throwing one last wistful glance at the motorcycle, which IВ had toВ give into the hands ofВ 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.
IВ 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 byВ aВ 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 IВ was completely alone on the territory ofВ 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.
В«Well, let me greet you Mr. Kim Jae-hwa!В» IВ responded, rising toВ my feet toВ bow toВ him with exaggerated reverence, В«what made you show your precious attention toВ my humble person?В» IВ asked as IВ returned toВ 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.»
В«ToВ be honest, we tried toВ make you aВ princess, not aВ bandit,В» he frowned and took aВ 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.»
В«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,В» my father explained his dissatisfaction with the direction IВ had chosen inВ 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.
В«Please, dad, just tell me what you want toВ say,В» IВ 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.»
В«What deal?В» IВ 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.»
В«Does your most profitable artist want toВ retire at the height ofВ his fame?В» squinting suspiciously, IВ asked, В«maybe he decided toВ change the agency?В» IВ made aВ very logical guess.
В«IВ doubt it, although IВ thought about it,В» 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.
В«Min Hee, IВ want you toВ be his assistant this year and try toВ convince him toВ stay with us. Ideally as an artist, but IВ agree if he stays at least as aВ producer,В» his father announced after aВ 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.
В«You are not an ordinary person. IВ am sure that you will succeed if you set aВ goal for yourself,В» the father continued toВ insist on hisВ own.
В«Why do IВ need such aВ goal?В» IВ chuckled, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at my father, as IВ suspected that he had already thought everything through.
В«If you fulfill my request, IВ will pay for your education at any university you wish. IВ will provide housing, and everything that will be necessary toВ gain knowledge and skills. InВ other words, IВ will provide you with aВ peaceful existence anywhere inВ the world for the entire period training,В» the father enumerated inВ aВ seductive tone the benefits ofВ working withВ 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.
В«Great! Agreed?В» IВ held out my hand toВ him. And at the moment when he was already ready toВ seal our agreement with aВ handshake, the father returned his hand toВ 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.
CHAPTERВ 2
«Al, are you sure you can handle this weirdo?» my best friend’s tense voice came over the phone, «I’ve read a few articles about him on fan sites and I’m scared for you. He likes to sleep. He hates to be disturbed over nothing and easily breaks off any relationship. In general, despite the fact that his fans try their best to idealize him, he does not come across as a good, kind guy. Although his former assistants did not say a single bad word about him.»
«Alex. You don’t need to worry. I’m not a sweet Valentine’s gift for him either. I have motivation. Father always knows what needs to be done to make me obey. He thinks he outsmarted me, but I won’t be indebted either in front of him,» I voiced my thoughts to him regarding what was happening in my life right now.
В«Well, good luck!В» he said through aВ laugh. Obviously, he was amused byВ the situation IВ was in, В«But IВ hope this does not affect your appearance at my exhibition?В»
В«IВ will definitely be. Tell me when you decide on the time and place.В»
«I’ll send you an invitation. Don’t get lost and know that you can count on me. If you need help, contact me,» Alex said goodbye and hung up.
I looked longingly at my phone and realized that I miss my friend, whom I have known for over twenty years. His parents live in America, that’s where we met when my mother stayed with them after she moved from Russia. Since then, we have kept in touch with him every day. And once a year he came to visit me. In the past ten years, I have never crossed the border of Korea because of my workload, first at school and then at the university.
I felt proud walking through the building of my father’s music agency. It took him fifteen years to climb this Olympus. And now it was important for him to stay on it.
I used my pass and went up to the thirtieth floor of the building, which was wholly owned by MW Corporation, and greeted Eun Ji, one of my father’s secretaries. A young woman with short dark hair in a navy blue pantsuit.
«Min Hee,» she turned to me and rose to her feet with a smile, «you haven’t been here for a long time. I hope you didn’t do something that would make him worry?» she asked, looking at me point-blank.
«Min Hee,» she turned to me and rose to her feet with a smile, «you haven’t been here for a long time. I hope you didn’t do something that would make your father worry?» she asked, looking at me point blank.
В«Ever since IВ got into aВ fight with aВ classmate six months ago, IВ try not toВ get into trouble. IВ decided not toВ protect the weak and the underprivileged anymore. At least as long as my father is my guardian,В» IВ smiled and tried toВ push away the memories, which marred my graduation from the university.
«Then I hope this lasts at least until you get married!» she laughed and was distracted by the internal phone signal, after which she informed me that I could enter my father’s office.
«Well, no goodbye. Now I’ll be a frequent visitor here,» I winked at her, after which I hurried into the CEO’s spacious office and greeted my father with a smile. But when I realized that he was not alone, I stopped in place and felt joy slipping from my face.
В«Song Joon, here comes your new personal assistant, Min Hee,В» Father joyfully introduced me toВ his ward, and IВ felt an unusual panic.
IВ knew who Sung Joon was. IВ do not think that inВ this country someone did not know about him. But IВ was not ready toВ meet him inВ person. His face, shining inВ the daylight with aВ straight, perfectly even chin, tired, languid dark brown eyes, and black-dyed hair, gave the impression ofВ reliability, sincerity and an aura ofВ divinity.
