John Mayer- Daughters [Heavier Things]

“My house is right here.”

Jaejoong’s car rolled over to the edge of the sidewalk curb, idling in front of a red-bricked house, small in size, but inviting to the eye. A thin stoned walkway led to the front door of the house, starting from the white fenced gate whose paint had slowly chipped away after years of exposure to rain and other harsh weather conditions. Cutting off the engine to his car, Jaejoong unbuckled his seatbelt as he and Hae Bin both exited his car. Hae Bin led him across the uneven walkway, as she peered over her shoulder every so often to see if he was still walking behind her. Unlocking the front door, Hae Bin pushed the door opened, giving Jaejoong an inside view of her cozy, humble abode.

In Jaejoong’s eyes, the house was nothing particularly special; the walls, painted a golden yellow to brighten the house with warmth with several family photos decorating the walls and tables. As he looked at the framed photos along the lobby table, Hae Bin peered over towards Jaejoong by the foot of the wooden, lacquered stairs.

“Just make yourself at home,” she said, breaking Jaejoong’s train of thought. “I’ll be down in a couple of minutes.”

Jaejoong looked up from the photos and nodded towards Hae Bin as he watched her shuffle up the stairs until he heard a bedroom door click shut. Heading into the living room, the first thing he noticed was the large family photo resting above the fireplace: a mother, a father, and a daughter, each exuding smiles of genuine happiness. Upon the fireplace, he saw more photos of Hae Bin, as he watched her grow from an infant into the mature woman she was today. As he watched Hae Bin’s life along the fireplace, Jaejoong’s eyes halted on a framed photo of two young children; a boy and a girl. It didn’t take long for him to realize that the two children was himself and Hae Bin for he too, had the same picture resting somewhere in his parent’s house.

It stilled troubled Jaejoong to know that he was going to marry someone who he’s supposedly known nearly his entire life, and yet, knows nothing about this woman. And with a marriage to come with someone who lived in a middle-class society, there was bound to be the press and media watching their every move.

Living the high-class life was a no-brainer to Jaejoong. He’s adapted to his lifestyle for his entire life and knows what to expect of it. After all, the media has always been cruel, harsh, and unforgiving. His main fear now is whether or not his future wife-to-be will have what it takes to sacrifice her current life of freedom and privacy and handle the pressures of being a new socialite.

Would Hae Bin break down from the demanding life of the wealthy?

Or could she adapt her way of life to appease the arranged marriage?

Well, it looks like he would find out for himself.

----//----

Upstairs, Hae Bin scanned through her closet in attempts to find anything appropriate to wear for tonight’s dinner. Luxury wasn’t a word in Hae Bin’s vocabulary for she was raised to believe that what she had was enough. And that was evidently revealed to her after rummaging through her clothing racks. Sighing heavily, Hae Bin grabbed a classic number that has yet to let her down at every special occasion she attended.  She slipped into a sleeveless, cream coloured dress that reached just above the knees, synching at the waist to accentuate and give shape to her tiny figure. The neckline was a high scoop-neck, making it appropriate for this important, and quite possibly life-changing, dinner. To finish it off, Hae Bin pulled her well-beloved and trusty pair of heels and headed over to her small vanity to freshen up.

Pulling out her hair-tie, Hae Bin loosened her hair and lightly combed it through with her paddle brush. Her hair lightly rippled into loose waves as she quickly pulled it into a loose, side chignon and carefully pinning it into place with a couple of bobby pins. Looking at her reflection in the vanity mirror, Hae Bin skipped any heavy makeup, but added a hint of pink lipstick on her soft lips to add a little colour to her face. Hae Bin reached out to her small jewelry box, opening the top to reveal a ballerina dancing with a soldier spinning in place, dancing to the quiet tune of the music box. Hae Bin pulled out a pair of pearl earrings that she received from her parents on her 16th birthday and a dainty silver bangle that once belonged to her great-grandmother, given to her by her mother.

Before heading out of her bedroom to meet Jaejoong back downstairs, Hae Bin looked over at a picture frame with a photo of her mother tucked safely behind the place of glass. Her mother had a carefree smile, one that she always carried on her face as her gaze looked back towards her daughter.

“Do you think this is the right thing to do, mum?” Hae Bin asked quietly. “What would you have done if you were still here?”

With the lack of response from the picture, Hae Bin quickly shut her music jewelry box, grabbed her small crossbody bag and turned off the lights to her room before shutting her bedroom door.

Halfway down the stairs, Hae Bin stopped in her tracks as she saw Jaejoong, back facing towards her, as he held his phone upon his right ear, with his left hand in his trouser pocket.

“Yes mother, we’re on our way,” Jaejoong half-heartedly responded. “We’ll be there in twenty minutes. Love you, too. Bye.”

Placing his phone in his inner jacket pocket, Jaejoong turned around, sensing someone’s gaze towards him. He looked up to see Hae Bin cleaned up from her previous outfit of a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

“You ready to go?” he asked in a monotonous tone.

She nodded as the two exited the house, leaving Hae Bin to lock the door behind her. They both entered Jaejoong’s vehicle as Jaejoong buckled in his seatbelt and the engine before shifting the gear into drive and head over to the restaurant.

----//----

==AT DINNER==

In an upscale restaurant in downtown Seoul, the Kim’s had reserved a private room for tonight’s dinner. On one side sat Jaejoong’s parents and himself, while across from them sat Hae Bin and her father, who was also dressed for the occasion in a charcoal grey suit and a baby blue tie that Hae Bin had given him for Christmas five years ago with her first paycheck. Sitting next to his daughter, the similarities were visible, despite her father’s aging face of growing wrinkles and graying hair.

As everyone was quietly enjoying their meals, Jaejoong’s mother stopped her cutlery before looking up from her plate and smiling gently.

“Is the dish to your liking?” she asked.

Hae Bin’s father smiled whole-heartedly, with small crow’s feet becoming visible at either side of his eyes. “Yes, the food is exquisite. It’s been a while since we’ve shared a meal together, hasn’t it?”

Jaejoong’s father chuckled. “It really has.”

Jaejoong’s mother looked over to Hae Bin, who was gracefully cutting her piece of steak, but much of her meal had yet to be consumed. “Hae Bin-ah, is the meal not to your liking? Would you like to order something else?”

Hae Bin looked up before shaking her head profusely, with a hint of colour rising to her cheekbones. “N-No! The food is amazing. There’s really no need for that.”

“You’ll have to excuse my daughter,” her father said. “She has iron-deficiency anemia, so she doesn’t always have the biggest appetite.”

“I see,” Jaejoong’s mother nodded in concern. “Well, eat as much as you need to, but don’t hesitate if you want anything else.”

Hae Bin smiled at Jaejoong’s mother’s kindness as she brought her piece of steak up to to digest.

Looking up from his plate, Jaejoong watched Hae Bin slowly eat her meal as he did the same with his. By the end of the meal, she had barely eaten half of her dinner before the plates were taken away by the waiters and tea was placed before them.

“Well, I guess we should discuss what we were here to talk about,” Hae Bin’s father spoke up as he set his cup of tea back onto the small dish.

Jaejoong’s father nodded. “Yes. Well, our son, Jaejoong, has yet to find himself a suitable fiancée and his grandfather has been very strict about his grandson’s marriage. Like our previously stated marriage proposal, if he found a fiancée before he turned twenty-seven, this arranged marriage would be annulled. But, because that wasn’t achieved, this arranged marriage is still up and running and we wish for it to happen as soon as possible.”

“We understand that Hae Bin is still in her last semester in graduate school,” Jaejoong’s mother added,” so I will be taking care of all the plans and arrangements for the engagement party and wedding ceremony. Of course, I will need Hae Bin with me when we go for the gown fitting and getting her opinion on some little details, but otherwise, she won’t have to worry about a thing.”

“We want to make the transition comfortable as possible for Hae Bin,” Jaejoong’s father said. “Not to mention that we want what’s best for her and for her health. Even after all these years, we still want to treat Hae Bin like our own daughter.”

Hae Bin’s father looked towards his daughter, who had barely spoken this evening, just listening to the parents reminisce of the good old days and discuss wedding preparations. He wouldn’t know what it feels like to be bombarded with wedding arrangements, but he could only imagine that being “overwhelmed” would be an understatement.

“Well?” he asked. “What do you think Hae Bin?”

Hae Bin looked over at her father then looked back across the table. “It…It’s very generous of you for doing all of this, but I wouldn’t feel right if you took care of everything-“

“Sweetheart, I live for these kinds of things,” Jaejoong’s mother interrupted, a smile forming on her lips. “You’re giving your hand in marriage. I think that’s more than we could ever expect from you.”

Hae Bin quickly glanced over at Jaejoong who was in his own little world, his elbows resting against the arm rests with his hands enveloped together as he stared off into space. She quickly turned her attention back to his mother as Hae Bin made the best effort to put a small smile across her face. It was a little awkward, but the smile was still there.

“Sweetheart, you’ve barely said a word this evening,” Jaejoong’s mother nudged her son. “What were you thinking about?”

Jaejoong snapped out of his thoughts. “Hm? Oh, I was just thinking about a couple of things at work,” he lied.

“Why don’t you and Hae Bin go out for a night stroll?” Jaejoong’s father suggested. “It’s a nice night and it’ll give the two of you some time to catch up on all the years you’ve missed.”

Jaejoong’s mother clapped her hands together. “Oh, yes! That sounds like a lovely idea! And it’ll give us, parents a chance to catch up some more. Go on, off you go.”

Jaejoong was nudged out of his chair as he stood up from his seat by his mother’s persistence. With slight hesitance, Hae Bin followed, standing up from her seat, but not leaving without giving her father a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll be home before midnight,” Hae Bin said, not knowing how long this “catching-up” session would last.

Her father gave a small tired smile and nodded. “Alright. Have fun, you two.”

After practically being kicked out of the private room of the restaurant, Jaejoong and Hae Bin now awkwardly stood in the hallway.

“Well…” Jaejoong sighed, breaking the ice. “Shall we?”

----//----

Big Baby Driver- You Are Everywhere [A Gentleman’s Dignity OST]

Standing outside a coffee shop, Hae Bin looked towards the city life as she watched pedestrians walking down the sidewalks underneath the lighting of street signs and street lamps. Hearing the bells on the coffee shop door, she turned her head to see Jaejoong emerging from the café with two paper cups in his hands, both covered with a traveler’s lid and a sleeve. He forwarded a cup towards Hae Bin’s direction.

“I wasn’t sure what to get you, so I got you a latte,” Jaejoong said.

Hae Bin lightly bowed and gratefully accepted the drink. “Thank you.”

“Think of this gesture as a genuine way to apologize for my behaviour at the restaurant two weeks ago,” Jaejoong said.

Jaejoong took a sip of his coffee and the two began walking down the streets of Seoul. The walk was quiet, but peaceful, as the busy nightlife surrounded the two. Occasionally, Jaejoong would look Hae Bin’s way as she continued her gaze towards her, sipping her latte every so often, finishing her sips with a quiet sigh of warmth and comfort from her hot beverage. Looking straight ahead once more, Jaejoong sipped his black coffee, allowing its bitter taste to envelope his taste buds.

The walk eventually led them to the Han River, where the two stopped by a cobbled stone wall in Seoul Grand Park, where Hae Bin leaned upon it with her bare elbows against the concrete railing to see the city lights and the peaceful state of the park. Meanwhile, Jaejoong leaned his back against the wall, his legs crossed over one another, and his right hand tucked inside his trouser pocket.

“So…why did you agree to all of this?”

Jaejoong peered over towards Hae Bin, who met his gaze with her warm eyes as loose strands that had fallen out of her chignon danced in the cool, autumn breeze.

Lightly sighing, Jaejoong pulled his gaze away from Hae Bin and looked ahead as he took another sip of his nearly empty cup. “Truth be told, I don’t really have much of a say in this marriage proposal. If it’s my grandfather we’re talking about, any opinion that doesn’t agree with his is out the door.”

Hae Bin lightly frowned, forming a small crease between her eyebrows. “But, shouldn’t you be arguing for your freedom? That this isn’t right?”

Jaejoong lazily turned his head back towards her way. “Sweetheart, I’m just as displeased about this marriage as you are. In fact, I think it’s a load of bull..”

“Then why are you letting your parents and your grandfather deciding your own fate? And can you stop calling me ‘sweetheart’?” Hae Bin frowned, her tone deepening in a serious matter.

Jaejoong thought about Hae Bin’s question carefully, wondering why he was allowing his family to create a life that wasn’t chosen by his own choices—a life that wasn’t his own. He lightly chuckled to himself as he turned around to lean his elbows upon the concrete railing, setting his coffee cup beside him.

“I want to make my parents happy.”

There was a moment of silence between Jaejoong and Hae Bin, as Hae Bin looked up to Jaejoong, her eyes softening from understanding. They stood beside each other, quiet, allowing nothing but the cool, autumn breeze whistling around them.

“Now, I’m not saying that this marriage won’t be beneficial for me, since I will inherit the company shortly after,” Jaejoong added. ”But, despite all of the crazy, and might I add insane, choices our parents have made in the past, isn’t it a subconscious goal of ours, as a son or daughter, to not let our parents down with our decisions?”

Hae Bin slowly nodded, agreeing with Jaejoong’s argument.

Jaejoong straightened up and faced Hae Bin, his feet pointed towards her direction. He lowered his head slightly, so he was hovering over Hae Bin’s small frame ever so slightly. His voice was firm, but gentle enough to Hae Bin’s ears.

“Given these circumstances, I can’t assure you that I’m going to be the husband of your dreams,” Jaejoong said, with sincerity laced between each word, “because I can’t give you what a true husband would offer to his wife—his love. But, what I can give you is the security and the spotlight that comes with being a member of the Kim family. You wouldn’t have to work another day in your life and live a life of an A-list socialite by attending all the red carpet events, exclusive parties, and balls. With the perks, also comes the downfall; the media will constantly be at your tail and the privacy that you have now will be a scarce privilege. All of this is yours as well as the most important thing…”

Hae Bin’s head tilted up, her face a mere inches away from Jaejoong’s.

“And what may that be?” she asked, almost in a whisper.

“My permission to break from this marriage if you ever happen to find someone who you could truly call your ‘husband’.”

Hae Bin stared at Jaejoong, searching his eyes for any faltering in his vow, but she saw nothing but sincerity and seriousness. As his head shifted ever so slightly, the moon caught the reflection from Jaejoong’s eyes, letting them twinkle before Hae Bin. A small smile formed on Jaejoong’s lips, a smile that Hae Bin has yet to grow accustomed to, leaving her slightly flushed in the cheeks.

“So…what do you say, sweetheart?” Jaejoong quietly asked. “Will you, Miss Chu Hae Bin, have the honour of marrying me?”

Who was this man with multiple personalities?

Why was she blushing over a man she barely knew?

And how did he manage to get under her skin so easily?

“…Well, it’s not like I can say no at this point, can I?” she responded honestly.

Jaejoong let out a chuckle, one that emerged deep from his throat before shaking his head. “I’m afraid not, sweetheart.”

Unconsciously, Hae Bin couldn’t help but to smile softly at his response.

----//----

A black BMW rolled along the curb in front of the Chu’s residence at a quarter to midnight, with Jaejoong emerging from the driver’s side walking over to the passenger’s side to assist Hae Bin. As a capable woman herself, Hae Bin helped herself out of the vehicle, but it was Jaejoong who shut the door for her. The two walked along the cobbled walkway up until they reached the door to Hae Bin’s house.

Face-to-face, Hae Bin said, “Thank you, for tonight.”

“It’s only accustomed for the man to make sure the lady gets home safely. Or so they say anyway,” Jaejoong joked, placing his hands in the pockets of his dress pants.

There was a moment of an awkward pause, before Hae Bin remembered.

“Oh! Here, your jacket,” Hae Bin said as she began removing Jaejoong’s blazer off her small shoulders.

During their walk around Seoul, Jaejoong had loaned Hae Bin his blazer for the temperature had dropped slightly and she did not have anything to cover her bare shoulders from the breeze.

Jaejoong placed a hand on Hae Bin’s right shoulder, preventing her from removing the blazer.

He flashed his million-dollar smile with that twinkle in his eye, the very same twinkle during their first encounter on school campus. “Keep it on. You can return it whenever we meet again, which I’m pretty sure it’ll be closer than you think. Besides, I think it suits you. Well…good night.”

“Good night…” Hae Bin slowly responded back as she watched Jaejoong heading back to his car.

She watched his figure walking down the stoned walkway, but he stopped in his tracks and started retreating back to where he last stood. With the mischievous gleam in his eyes, he pulled out his wallet and flashed a 20,000 WON bill, pulled the small pocket of his blazer and tucked it in.

“For the dry cleaning bill,” he winked.

Jaejoong skipped back to his car; as Hae Bin watched him turn on the engine and drive off into the night. With a light-hearted scoff, Hae Bin pulled out her house key, unlocked the front door to allow herself in.

“Dad? I’m home.”

============

Hello everyone!

Long time to see! I can’t believe that it’s been nearly 2 MONTHS since I’ve posted chapter 2 of Something Good and deeply apologize for that. I honestly have no good excuse for my lengthy absence other than sheer laziness and a lack of motivation. And with my preparing for 1^st year university this upcoming September and constantly watching the 2012 Olympics on television, I used those as an excuse to pass over writing chapter 3. And for my utter laziness, I hope you enjoyed this long chapter J as a token of my gratitude for you guys, my readers, for waiting this long! <3

And to all the new readers, welcome! Thank you for coming on this journey and to watch the unfolding of this story between two people.

Well, that’s all I have to say for now. I do hope that chapter 4 will not take as long, but if it does, I really do apologize!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

If you have yet to subscribe, please do! And do leave comments below and tell me what you think J

Until next time!

-dbsk408-