Our Story - Binjin

Chapter 109: The Engagement (Part 2)

Author's Note: Hello! I hope everyone is doing fine and no Monday blues! I'm sorry updates have been taking so long the last couple of weeks... I had originally planned to write on the engagement itself but I found myself wondering what was a possible reason why they would want to keep their relationship under wraps. Hence this chapter and my view of what a plausible reason could be 😊 You can let me know if you think otherwise...

I hope you enjoy the chapter. And thanks again for waiting, as well as all your votes and comments - they are much appreciated! I hope you enjoy the chapter. Have a good week ahead! For folks who are voting... I can only say hang in there! 🧡 (lol, hearts actually make me shudder now)

The Night before the Engagement

Ye-Jin's Apartment

Ye-Jin's usually tranquil and peaceful home was a scene of merry chaos. For the first time in a while, her entire family was spending the night together. Her parents have been living with her since the COVID outbreak and her sister's family was staying over for the night.

Everyone was looking forward to the ceremony tomorrow. Her brother-in-law and the children were engrossed with video games and Mrs Son was nagging Mr Son to try his hanbok one more time to ensure the fit was good.

Meanwhile, Ye-Jin and her older sister, Eon-Hye, were in the bedroom helping each other with mask packs. The two sisters were seated on the bed, resting against the headboard, Ye-Jin on the left and Eon-Hye on the right. They were both silent as they did not want to disturb the mask. Ye-Jin had closed her eyes and was just relaxing. Eon-Hye, on the other hand, turned to look at her baby sister as she reminisced about their past.

Eon-Hye had married at a relatively young age and moved to live with her husband in Seoul. When Ye-Jin first moved to Seoul to start her career, she lived with them. Eon-Hye's husband was a doctor and worked long hours. Eon-Hye and Ye-Jin had spent countless evenings exactly like this - sitting on the bed, masks applied onto their faces as they spoke about everything and anything. They knew everything about each other's lives.

Ye-Jin did eventually move out and as they became occupied by their individual lives, they spent lesser time together. But both sisters always knew, they had each other's back.

Eon-Hye felt tears well up in her eyes as she recalled their childhood. Ye-Jin had always been a precocious child. When they played with their friends, her baby sister would be sitting by the side observing rather than actually playing. Ye-Jin became more social as she grew older but she was always more sensitive and felt more deeply than the average person.

Eon-Hye was very proud of Ye-Jin and everything she had achieved. The public saw only the glamorous aspects of her career - her successful projects, the awards, gorgeous clothes, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous and living the high life. Eon-Hye had seen the other side of Ye-Jin's life. The tears, uncertainty, insecurity, bullying, horrible words and betrayal.

Her heart ached every time Ye-Jin went through a trough. Especially during the first few years, Ye-Jin would periodically come home crying - and there were many reasons for her tears. Ye-Jin had been denied opportunities because she wasn't willing to play the game, she had to tolerate unfair criticisms and treatments, she suffered from self doubts, she wasn't sure if what she was doing was right - Eon-Hye could still vividly remember so much tears.

Eon-Hye had been frustrated because there was so little she could do to help Ye-Jin. She was helpless when she realized all she could offer was a hug and a shoulder to cry on. On the few occasions when things got really bad, she would quietly tell Ye-Jin it was fine to quit, there were so many other things she could do and nothing was worth this heartache.