you're so golden! || minsung ||

3♕

There's something about this story that doesn't smell good and that makes him suspicious. And Jisung has known his sister for eighteen years to know quite well the piece.

He should have thought of this before. It's too obvious. It can only have been one person. Jisung then looks at the suspect threateningly.

"It was you..." He says in a voice too calm and contained that he is even capable of frightening himself. "It was you who submitted the application on my behalf. Admit it. It was you, Ha-rin!" Jisung points an accusing finger at his sister.

The way the girl curls up on the sofa and doesn't even dare look at Jisung is answer enough for him. He scoffs, pulling his purple hair back. "I can't believe you were capable of doing such a thing! You had no fucking right to do this behind my back!" Jisung explodes, pacing back and forth in the middle of the living room.

"Jisung. Language, please," his father warns, glancing sideways at his two younger sisters.

"I'm sorry. But I'm really pissed off about this! I don't want to go to the Selection!" Jisung exclaims exasperated. "Why did you do this, Ha-rin? Why did you do this when I said with all the damn words that I didn't want to? I don't even know the prince. And I'm not interested in doing it, for god's sake!"

"Jisung... Let's all stay calm, please," his mother pleads, to which Jisung obeys as he sits shakily on the floor in front of the sofa, leaning his back against the table where the television is propped up. "Maybe it wasn't that bad that your sister submitted an application on your behalf. It doesn't excuse her behavior. At all," the woman scolds, staring directly at Ha-rin. "But if you were one of the selected ones... Well, it means that, in a way, the prince liked you and that's a very good sign."

Jisung growls loudly, banging his head against the television. "Good sign of what? I'm not in the least worried about whether the prince likes me or not," Jisung shrugs, frowning. "By the way, you sure invented a bunch of lies on my application form, didn't you? That's the only way they would pick me," Jisung scoffs while looking sideways at his sister.

"No, Jisung. That's where you're wrong," Ha-rin finally dares to meet her gaze with his. "All the answers I gave in your questionnaire are true. From your job to your passion for flowers. I even mentioned that you volunteer at the hospital and in our caste orphanage."

"Why?" Jisung raises his hands in the air, laughing wryly. "Why the hell would you do that?" He starts to question again, increasingly nervous and frustrated. "You wanted this so badly, Ha-rin. You were anxious and elated at the prospect of participating in this stupid contest. Not me! I never even considered submitting my entry. And what happened? Now I was chosen and you weren't."

"Was it because of the money?" Their mother asks in a broken whisper, drawing both siblings' attention. "Was it because of the money that you registered your brother without his permission? To have a better chance of someone in our family being chosen?"

"Money? What's this money story you guys are talking about?" Their father asks frowning, clearly not liking the topic of conversation.

"If the reason was the money... That's just stupid. I promised I'd work more hours or even get a second job if it were necessary!" Jisung retorts. "We don't need their money-"

"It was and it wasn't about the money, okay?" Ha-rin sighs loudly, bringing his hands to her eyes. "Of course I thought about that bonus. Of course I thought about the extra money our family would receive if one of us was selected. But that wasn't the main reason," she admits.

"What's the reason if it wasn't the money then? And don't tell me it was my crush on the prince when I don't even know his face," Jisung scoffs, bracing his clasped hands on his flexed knees.