Déjà vu | Jungkook fanfiction [Completed]

1.4. A shoulder to cry on

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Stay with me

I need you more than you think

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"Our daughter, Ina is graduating with a law degree this year."

Everyone turned to inspect me with their criminal eyes, a sickening sight to behold that never failed to have me shuddering in repugnance.

I hated times like this. I despised it. I loathed it. I abhorred it.

And yet, I could only force a smile, swallow my words, and glance at my watch, hoping that the dinner ends quickly.

The men and women who gathered around the table donned expensive suits and gowns, garnishing themselves with jewelry they bought with embezzled money in hopes to exhibit their pseudo superiority — a tacky mask to cover up their inferiority complex.

Among them sat my parents and uncle. There was nothing to differentiate them from the other government workers to me...

...other than the blood running through their veins.

"Wow really," Mr. Jang, one of the politicians with round glasses and leaner body exclaimed, his smile wrinkling the corners of his mischievous eyes. He was known to be the smartest among the others and I definitely felt this cold, calculative impression from him. It was his first time coming to a dinner like this according to my mother. "Which university do you study at, Ina?"

I cleared my throat before uttering, "Leovalon University."

"Very good." Everyone nodded, muttering compliments and continuing to gobble up the lavish dishes spread out on the table before them.

"Eat well, Ina," Mr. Jang urged, gesturing at the steak in front of me from where he sat, a few seats away on my left. "A young woman like you needs lots of nutrition to work in the law industry."

I nodded with a forced smile before slicing the meat and bringing it up to my mouth to chew. At a normal restaurant with my friends, I would have been able to savor and enjoy this juicy steak. Unfortunately, it was the place where my parents would hold meetings with people like them and often force me to attend for future 'cooperations'.

The meat was rock solid, hard to chew, and tasted like sand, nauseating my very being.

"So, Aera, how's your business going so far? I heard many patients couldn't get admitted to your hospitals?"

My mother chuckled mockingly as if the question was very absurd.

"You see, the cost of buying new supplies for those patients like beds, sheets, hospital gowns, not to mention, medical appliances can't be covered by the income coming from treating them. I run public hospitals, not charity. So why would I admit them when there's clearly no free spot in my hospitals?" She raised an eyebrow before grabbing her glass of wine to twirl the liquid. "It's none of my concern."

I felt like throwing up.

My mother had heaps of cash coming in from the government and yet, she didn't use it to expand the hospitals like she was supposed to. Instead, she lent it to others at a lower interest rate than banks to make more money.