Nevermind

Chapter 52: Be Cruel to be Kind

Your mom was too quiet as she brought the dirty dishes to the kitchen for you to wash. Normally it would work the other way round, she washed and you dried, but it looked like she wanted you to stand by the sink without moving. You hated feeling trapped.

When the table was cleared, she stood next to you, grabbed a dishcloth and started drying and putting things away. You swallowed hard, her silence was unnerving. What was she waiting for? There was no way she was going to let you off the hook.

"Jimin seems to be such a sweet boy" she commented and you simply nodded in agreement. "A great catch, dear" she added as if he was a fish, but she would talk about men like that.

Her ideal man didn't only have to be handsome, but also have a good social and economic position. On top of that, Jimin had a pristine image and much more than she could have ever dreamed of for herself.

She was a happy housewife and lived comfortably with your dad and brother, but she was thrilled her daughter could achieve greater things than she had. Your work wasn't appreciated, it was a shame because you were so good, but they hadn't promoted you in years.

All your efforts would finally pay off though, she'd raised you to be the ideal housewife. Not only did you know how to dress and apply make-up like a pro, you were well groomed at all times, had basic knowledge of etiquette, were well-mannered and educated.

You knew how to conduct yourself in public perfectly with grace, were courteous and considerate and could fluently communicate in Korean, Japanese and English. She had taught you to keep yourself informed so you could tackle any conversation with anyone.

Your cooking skills and preparation to receive guests and make them feel at ease would come in handy if you wanted to invite people into your home and leave a good impression. You were strong and would not let anyone abuse of your kindness.

A perfect partner for someone of Jimin's status, a renowned celebrity all over the world. Unfortunately, your weakest point was not your image, but your struggle with weight. You didn't seem to have enough control when it came to food despite her having worked with you since a very young age.

This would definitely attract negative attention and it was less than ideal, specially in the entertainment industry in which people need to be up to a certain standard. You didn't match up to Jimin in that sense and it was concerning. It could be a serious deal-breaker in the long run.

While others could be polite face to face, dirty looks and talking behind your back was inevitable. She wouldn't be surprised if you were criticized for standing out. It could overshadow all your other qualities, all the more so if they didn't know you well.

Your body never fit the beauty standard, you weren't built that way, but you could work with what you had and hope for the best. The real problem was you had never been disciplined enough. This was a one in a lifetime chance for you, however, and your mother was here to help.

"Have you been exercising?" she brought the topic up out of nowhere, as expected. It didn't mean you felt prepared to have this conversation though.

"Yes, eomma. Twice a week as I always have" you replied dryly, here came the usual assessment.

"Maybe you need to change your routine? Why haven't you stuck to the meal plan we came up with when I visited last year?" she asked concerned, "you don't have to let yourself go, dear."

"I haven't, I just can't exercise more than I do" not only because you didn't have enough time, but because what you did manage to do already was exhausting with your energy levels. You were really pushing yourself to get through it at least those two days.