boy meet evil (⩩)

૪ maza (4)

𝓘 saw Park Jinyoung arrive a few minutes after everyone had climbed back into their cars and left for home. Dad had stayed behind in the office to go over a few papers with Mr. Ko from the bank.

I took a walk through the horse barn as I waited for Dad to finish. The sweet aroma of fresh straw made me happy, and I imagined the stalls filled with horses.

When I heard the hard thud of boots stomping over snow, I peered out the window and saw Park Jimin walking fast, his purpled-gloved fists swinging at his sides.

I held my breath. What is HE doing here?

Park Jimin isn't tall or big or muscular. But he looks powerful and important. It's hard to explain. Hm. He isn't very good looking. Whatever. He has tiny black bird eyes the size of marbles, and a turned up nose, and his lips are practically as pale as his skin. Just mention. He's in his forties, I think, but he has sharp bristly white hair, cut short in a flattop. His head always remind me of a hairbrush.

I've never seen him smile :-\

Dad once said that Park Jinyoung is like a shark. He never looks from side to side. He just barges forward with his teeth snapping.

He wears very expensive suits that he buys in New York and colorful wide ties with wild flower designs that don't suit his personality at all. And he splashes cologne on his face that makes him smell like a lemon.

Through the barn window, I glimpsed his long black overcoat with a fur-trimmed collar and his polished black boots as he hurried over the snow to the office. At first, I decided to stay in the warmth and safety of the stable. But my curiosity got the better of me, and I crept to the side door where I could overhear the conversation.

The door had a frosted glass window. I stayed back a few feet, eager not be seen. Through the smoky glass, I watched the blurred image my dad jump up from his desk. "Jinyoung? What are you doing here?" He couldn't hide his surprise.

Jinyoung's heavy boots made the floorboards creak as he crossed the room. "I think you forgot to send me an invitation, Yang," he said.

His voice is deep, but he always speaks softly, as if holding himself in. His parents came from another country, Ireland, and he speaks with a tiny bit of an Irish accent. Dad says he puts it on because he thinks it's charming.

"Well, I'm very surprised -----" Dad started.

"I'm the one who's surprised, don't you know," Jinyoung interrupted. "I expected gratitude from you, Yang. Instead I get betrayal."

My dad hesitated. "Betrayal? That's strong word, Jinyoung. I haven't betrayed anyone, especially you. If you're talking about this stable . . . I . . . I discussed it with you and-----"

"And we decided it was a mistake, a bad idea." Jinyoung snickered. "An idea whose time hasn't come."

I clinched my fists. I wanted to shout in protest. I held my breath to keep my self from making a sound. Even through the door, I could feel the tension in that room. Distorted in the frosted window glass, I saw Park Jinyoung lean over the desk, bring his face close to my dad, challenging him.

"Yang, did you really think I could allow this to happen?"

Dad was silent for a moment. "You have no choice," he said sharply. My dad can be tough when he wants to be.

"No choice?" Jinyoun guttered a mirthless laugh. "This stable will not be standing in a year. That's not a prediction. It's a fact."

Dad stood head to head with Kim Taeil. "I-I don't think we have anything to say to one another," he stammered. "I think-- "

Park Jinyoung slammed a fist on the desktop. "Do you really think I will allow a stable boy to destroy my business?"

"I think you should leave," Dad insisted. His voice trembled with anger. "I think you should leave. I was your business manager. I ran your business. I've earned a little respect. I'm not a stable boy, Jinyoung. Perhaps you need eye glasses. I'm not - "

"And how can you explain your daughter?" Jinyoung suddenly changed the subject.

I gasped and took a step back from the door. Did he see me? Is that why he mentioned me?

My dad sputtered in surprise. "Explain?"

"My nephew Jimin tells me she keeps rejecting him. Does Jennie really think she's too good to go out with a Park?" Jinyoung boomed. "You've put some bad ideas in her head, Yang. Bad ideas. Your daughter is very confused. But don't worry. My nephew Jimin will teach her what's that."

Dad had remained in control. But now he began to shout. "Why are you talking about Jennie ? Why do you bring up my daughter? Your worthless nephew isn't going to teach her anything. Get out of here, Jinyoung. You have no business talking about my daughter. You have no business - "

"You're a stable boy, Yang!" Jinyoungscreamed back at him. "You're a stable boy. You belong with a shovel in your hands. Only, you know what? I think you're not good enough to shovel what my horses leave on the ground. You need to be taught - "

Jinyoung never finished the sentence. I heard a hard thwack.

I gasped as I realized my dad had punched him.

Jinyoung's cry rang off the bare stable walls.

My hands trembled as I pulled the door open a little wider. My heart was racing, beating so hard my chest ached.

Park Jimin's head was lowered. He rubbed his jaw. He raised his face slowly. His cheeks were scarlet, his eyes watery pools.

My dad stood behind the desk with fist clenched. Beneath his open suit jacket, Dad's chest was heaving up and down.

Jinyoung bent to pick his hat up off the floor. Still rubbing his jaw, he narrowed his eyes in a cold, menacing stare. "I'll be back, stable boy," he said softly. "You've made a big mistake."

It wasn't an empty threat. Two days later, my family paid for the punch Dad had landed in Park Jinyoung jaw.

Two days later, my life ended.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

TO BE CONTINUED -

━━━━━━━━━━━━
𝓢poiler
⤹
   Again, i heard my dad's terrified cries. Again, the bleats of the horses drowned him out. I heard the crash of horses kicking their stall walls. A burst of icy wind blew through the courtyard.
    I murmured the words... whispered... repeating them again... again. Then in the rushing wind with the horses kicking and crying, i opened my eyes to see what i had done- and gasped in horror.

►