[Monsta-X] Perhaps...

Part 1: Prologue

The lights celebrating the Baby Jesus's birth twinkled here and there in the streets. This surely was a most distressing moment, crossing a city filled with raucous music and people's cheers. Me, I prefer to avoid every noisy and fancy thing in the world, so Christmas was just one of those useless days that I wished would pass as soon as possible. I usually just lean my head against the windowsill and steadily breathe during times like these.

Among the news flooding in as a new year began, the hottest topic was the M Group's charity work with sports. The news was mostly about how the M Group was the first among the affiliates to found a Swimming Foundation and how the woman known as the chairman's granddaughter was going to hold the post of the foundation's trustee. Amid all the ruckus, I was the only one to remain calm. It certainly was a shocking move for me to become the representing director of the foundation since the only 'sports' I've ever done in life was walking.

There is no doubt that people are going to gossip about how I, the family's black sheep, finally managed to scrounge a position. But this was surely a satisfying decision for me since I would rather choose to live a quiet life scrounging for a position than appearing on the news with my parents and grandfather every other day.

Although I was quite uninterested in this field, the man who happens to be my grandfather had given it to me. Since the news of a young woman, ignorant of sports, granddaughter of the chairman with an insignificant career, and her becoming the new foundation's representing director spread like wildfire, it was now inevitable that I face public denunciation. Hundreds and thousands of comments were written about my bloodline and the malicious nepotism of the plutocrats. But as always, these kinds of public opinion would die down after some time.

This new foundation was established in the name of charity work for future swimming prospects. However, every member of the Kim family knew this was the chairman's special measure for the youngest nephew who had recently begun swimming. Grandpa must have been a bit embarrassed to extensively ask for outside support since he had been criticized by the public about the inheritance tax issue lately. I clicked my tongue when thinking about how he had to come up with an excuse by creating a position for his youngest granddaughter like this.

"You are late."

"Mind your own damn business."

"Watch your mouth!"

"You're one to talk. Why don't you stop trying to pick a fight? Grandpa's here."

Surprisingly, my sister, the second of the three siblings, who were often the talk of the town for being most promiscuous, had shown up at the family gathering. I snorted when I remembered that she had recently spent a fortune trying to settle a scandal with some actor that she was dragged into. After the little spat, due to that dreadful hot-temperament of hers, she took a seat and browsed through the wine list with the help of the waiter. But I guess she found nothing to her liking, as she just ordered a bottle of seltzer.

"b**ch."

"I know I am; why don't you shut up?"

"Grandpa, why in the world did you make that b**ch the trustee of the Swimming Foundation? You should have left her with nothing and kept her cooped up in the house. She goes to loony bins, you know."

I was a patient person, but there were a few things that I found intolerable. The comment she had just made was the worst one of them all. When my family had found out by accident that I was going to therapy at a psychiatric clinic and was taking medication, my sister habitually took advantage of this weakness.

"At least I'm on medication. I bet medicine can't fix your problems! Losing your mind, flinging yourself at men like that, you'll become a junkie in no time."

"What did you say...?"

"The movie ad on the biggest billboard in Gangnam Station, I heard that was your doing."

"You, you insane b**ch!"

"I knew it. A no-name like him taking up a spot like that, it seemed like your work."

"Shut your damn mouth!"

"Uh-uh. Hope you enjoy looking after your sugar-baby till the day you die."

"Girls, watch your mouths at the table!"

Our conversation was cut short by Mom's piercing screech. However, my sister was so vexed about having to shut up before being able to retort that her face was all crumpled and full of anger. Her blotchy face and lips looked as if an obnoxious stream of swear words were about to burst forth, but it was obvious that it wasn't I, but her, who would be held responsible for not being able to control her anger. Word was around about how she was keen on inheritance these days. She held back, for she would be digging her own grave if she made another scene in front of the whole family at this point.

"Everyone, let's enjoy our dinner," said Grandpa.

At his words, everyone picked up their cutlery in unison. I quietly picked up my glass instead. The sound of knives and forks clattering together rang out instead of conversation. Not a drop of blood was shed, but the war had already begun.