Sometimes Love...

Chapter Twenty-Six: Taehyung

I stood in front of my father's desk dutifully while we went through his monthly rant. "Do you have any idea how much you're spending? How on earth does a young man go through this type of allowance in one week? Have you any concept of money? When are you going to start putting in your time at the office? It's about time you learned where all this money you spend comes from."

I struggled to maintain a stoic façade until he told me calmly to sit down. I flickered a glance at him. He usually didn't do that. I sat on the edge of one of the leather chairs facing his massive desk. As soon as he started to harangue me again, I leaned back into the chair, slouching to show him that I really wasn't interested in what he had to say.

"Do you see what I mean?" Kim Jihoon bellowed as he got to his feet. "Look at you! You just sit there as if nothing I'm saying is important! I know you do this on purpose just to get me angry." He took a breath and sat down again. "Listen, Taehyung. I don't want to fight with you every time I see you."

"That's news," I mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

"You spend more in a week than some of my employees make in a month. You don't see a problem here?"

I rolled my eyes and bit back my opinion that he should pay them more. Instead, I glanced at my watch. "Sir, I do have a class in a short while and—"

"A class? As in one class?" he asked mockingly. "That's the other thing. If you are serious about college, then start doing something to advance your education. One class a semester is pointless. I'm going to tell you this only once: either you start applying yourself to your studies with a real degree in mind, or I stop your allowance."

"What? You can't do that. I'm twenty-one," I sputtered, sitting up.

"According to the trust fund rules, you don't reach majority age until twenty-five," he replied with a smirk. "Did you forget? If you don't do something to contribute to this family's standing or finances, then you're cut off for the next four years. Understood?"

"That is unfair," I muttered. "Taewoo isn't—"

"Don't start about your brother," he interrupted me. "As dim as he is, even he got a college degree, and he's married."

"Some marriage," I replied. "Binna barely lives with him. She's always off traveling, and Woo's always holed up with some slut or other. Good luck getting a grandson. Yet you still give him money."

"This is not about your brother," Jihoon said sternly. "He did what I asked. He got his degree, he married advantageously, and he works for me. Which of those have you done?"

"I'm only twenty-one," I said sullenly.

"You're still a Kim," he replied angrily. "You still have responsibilities to this family. If your brother doesn't come through for the family, some of those responsibilities fall on you."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything our family owns depends on having a next generation to pass it on to, so that they can keep it going. Elite Eight interests in this town are always under attack, and we must continue to hold the line. Your lifestyle won't last five years after I'm gone if there is no one to keep our family interests going. If your brother can't give me those heirs, then it will fall to you."

I tried not to smirk. "Heirs? From me?"

He shook his head. "I've spoken to Yoo Wonshik. His oldest daughter Mayong is due to finish her degree in a year."

"Yoo Mayong?" I sputtered. "No. May is not wife material. She's...she's, uh, no. She's got more miles on her than an old Greyhound bus."