WHAT IS LOVE [KIM TAERAE] ✦ZEROBASEONE✦

PART 14

{SOOYEON}

"what..?" i furrowed my eyebrows. "but hanbin is my.."

i feel so betrayed right now. even my mom lied to me.

i stood up. mom worriedly looked at me, "honey, i'm so sorry. it's just that this deal was made a very long time ago to help your father but he.." she didn't continue.

she swallowed as tears started to form in her eyes too while hanbin looked down & his father was unsure on what to do.

"and.. i decided t-to continue the deal for you.. i want our company to be successful for you, so you can live the life you deserve.." she continued.

"and marry some guy i don't love?!"

hanbin then abruptly stood up & left the room.

"sooyeon, i'm so sorry.."

i shook my head in disappointment at her & didn't say anything more.

i left them and ran out the house, letting the tears that i've been holding back to flow.

it was night time & i know it's not a good idea to run around empty sidewalks. you never know who or what is lurking in the dark.

but this is better than being under the same roof with those liars.

i stopped by the playground of our neighborhood and sat down on the swing, wiping my tears.

yeon, stop crying. they're not worth your tears.

i tried halting myself from crying and took a deep breath.

after all the years i've been living with hanbin, thinking he was really my step brother... it was all a lie.

i did love him, as a big brother.

how can he do this to me?

how can they do this to me?

i was already contented with just living with my grandparents while she work for years abroad. it'll be okay, even though i won't see her often. she didn't have to set me up to marry the son of another company.

having the thought of my dad made tears roll down again.

all of a sudden, someone threw a hoodie at me and sat down at the swing beside me.

i turned my head to the person.

"i thought i heard a dying donkey but it was just you crying here again." taerae bluntly said without sparing a glance at me.

i glared at him with my puffy eyes and hugged the hoodie he threw at me.

"don't use that to wipe your snot. wear that, it's cold out here." he said.

i nodded and wore the hoodie. it was so warm & comfy. "you own this?" i asked.

he shrugged, "maybe i do, maybe i stole it at a yard sale."

not gonna lie, i snorted. his presence made me feel better.

i hugged myself in his hoodie to give myself warmth.

"why did you cry again?" he asked.

i didn't want to tell him but i want to at the same time.

i then noticed that he was just wearing a thin white shirt. oh, was he wearing this earlier?

"aren't you cold?" i asked.

"i asked you first."

"okay then." i took off his hoodie and threw it back at him.