Changes and Chances

Chapter 21

It took Ryujin several days to get over the embarrassment and Yeji waited patiently until she's ready to discuss it.

"So... your mom", the brunette brought it up voluntarily during one of their usual dinner dates.

Yeji was a bit surprised but she also felt glad that they would finally be able to talk about it.

"My mom..."

"She's one of the biggest figures in business. In the whole country. And even internationally. Everyone knows her name, despite her choosing to keep most of her life private."

The cat-eye waited.

"And you-you're from a family of billionaires."

"Gosh. It's a little intimidating."

Yeji steadied her girlfriend and smiled at her softly.

"I am from a family of billionaires, but I am not one. I'm just... Yeji. A college student who's pretty much like everyone else."

"And I'm really hoping that you won't see me differently after discovering that part of my life."

Ryujin looked at her intently. "Of course not. I'm just a little... surprised by everything."

"But you're still my Yeji. And that won't change."

The cat-eye let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Good, because there's more that you ought to know about that."

Yeji started to tell Ryujin everything.

How her parents have been absent pretty much her whole life, how she spends holidays and birthdays alone, how she grew up with no one besides Chaeryeong. The pressure and the expectations of her being the sole heiress of her family's wealth and the frustration that comes with the fact that she's a woman and that she should feel more obligated to be perfect. Because she's supposed to feel less.

So all these years, her parents have been preparing her - enrolling her in the best university, and even offered to have her study abroad (which Yeji adamantly refused), gave her all the resources she needs and checks on her grades and performance every single time.

And Yeji agreed to do it for a small condition - a part of her freedom. She was allowed to have her own apartment (next to Chaeryeong's unit, of course), and was allowed to drive and live her life without bodyguards and assistants following her around. At least that was what she was promised. She didn't mind that the hidden PAs slip every now and then and crosses Yeji's paths. She knows she got the two assistants that were closest to her - and so far, they haven't spilled anything about the cat-eye's private life. Otherwise, her Mom would've gone ballistic a long time ago.

Of course, the most important part - Yeji's parents don't know she's gay. And they're both lowkey homophobic. They would probably bring up protecting the family's name and all, ask the cat-eye what the hell she was thinking, tell her that she didn't raise them that way (even though they pretty much didn't raise her AT ALL), and more nasty comments covered in corporate and prim language.

She couldn't even begin to imagine what her Mom would do once she found out.

This is where things get a little complicated.

Even though it was Yeji's own choice not to commit before, a big part of it was because she knows it wouldn't be easy to date someone she likes if that person isn't a) A son or someone from a family of a business tycoon; and b) A man.