CHAPTER 1: Wedding Anniversary Gifts (Part 5)

The marriage proposal between the two families progressed faster than expected. There was a suggestion from Kim Seo-wook’s side to meet in person before the marriage, and Moon-kyeong had to go to that meeting.

As she walked into the hotel restaurant, a familiar man stepped into her line of sight.

“Kim Seojun?”

Although she recognized the face and was momentarily surprised, she didn’t have time to confirm it properly because the man turned his face towards the window.

At the same time, Kim Seo-wook spotted Moon-kyeong and stood up.

“Ms. Seo?”

Contrary to the rumors she had heard from Bora, his first impression was quite neat.

Moon-kyeong straightened her posture.

“Yes, hello. I’m Seo Moon-kyeong.”

“I’m Kim Seo-wook. You’re much more beautiful than I’ve heard. Please, have a seat.”

The dinner was not particularly pleasant. Although Moon-kyeong was kind enough to answer Seo-wook’s inquiries, who showed interest in her, her mind was already elsewhere.

She kept wondering about the identity of the familiar man she had seen earlier, so she turned her gaze in that direction, but he had left the restaurant after Moon-kyeong began her meal.

After he left, she lost all the composure she had managed to maintain.

Putting down the water glass she was drinking hastily, Moon-kyeong spoke.

 “Let’s end our meeting here today.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well.”

Somewhat awkwardly, she asked him to take her home.

Moon-kyeong knew all too well how to behave without offending the other person. Seo-wook’s face brightened quickly.

“Sure, I’ll drive you home.”

“Thank you.”

Back at her studio apartment, Moon-kyeong took a bottle of water from the fridge and gulped it down. She felt angry.

She was well aware that she would eventually have to enter into an arranged marriage with the man her family had arranged for her. She had confidently stated that she would go through with the marriage, but it wasn’t the truth.

“I hate it so much.”

Truly, she despised it.

Initially, when she became the daughter of Seo Jaewoo and Do Hye-ran, Moon-kyeong was ecstatic. But as time went on, they forced a lot of things on her.

Not only was she not allowed to eat common snacks, but she had to live a controlled life. At the slightest hint of rebellion or stubbornness, Hye-ran was quick to provoke her.

[Daughter, don’t you think you should repay the favor? Right?]

Those words haunted Moon-kyeong like a nightmare, even in her sleep.

It reminded her that she was not her parents’ biological daughter, but was adopted at the age of nine.

Although she didn’t know the intentions behind her parents’ decision to adopt, in her naive childhood, Moon-kyeong dreamed of being a good and kind daughter.

She used to recite a mantra every night at bedtime about how she wanted to be such a daughter.

As time went by, she gradually discovered the truth. What her parents truly desired wasn’t a daughter but a puppet. A puppet to fulfill their desires.

There wasn’t a single thing she could do according to her own will. Hye-ran tamed her, smiling as always.

[Your fellow orphanage friend, what would happen if we cut off our support? All the things you’ve been doing so far were at my request, but I have no interest in such things. So, gratitude needs to be repaid.]

It was a threat that cut like a knife through a young girl starved for love.

Never one to cry out loud, Moon-kyeong lived the life they wanted her to live. Her tastes were entirely shaped by the things Hye-ran created, to the point where she didn’t even know what she truly liked.

This marriage would somehow be arranged. Hye-ran would eventually marry her off to the Lee Han Group.

Once again, she would use those words as a weapon and sell Moon-kyeong off.

Still, she didn’t want a husband who thought of her as a pawn.

Moon-kyeong looked at her toes, all gnarled from years of practice, with a numb gaze.

Late at night, she called Hye-ran.

“Mom, it’s me.”

Perhaps she had just gone to bed because Hye-ran’s voice sounded a bit hoarse.

• Daughter, what’s the matter at this hour? Your skin is important. You should go to bed early.

“Um, am I getting married soon?”

• Of course. Mr. Kim must have thought you were very attractive when he met you today. They are planning to send an engagement date soon. We won’t let this opportunity pass this year.

“So soon?”

• Mr. Kim is not young, you know. You’re still young.

“I have a favor to ask.”

• A favor?

“If I get married, I’ll quit ballet.”

The sound of Hye-ran abruptly sitting up could be heard. It seemed she was quite surprised.

• What are you talking about?

“I don’t want to do ballet anymore.”

Moon-kyeong, who had been glancing at her toenails, which she often casually picked, put strength into her voice.

If you like it so much, then you should do it yourself. You know I’ve never liked this shitty ballet.

“I want to quit. Please let me.”

With those words, Moon-kyeong hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

Without politeness.

She had no knowledge of Hye-ran’s vast and abundant grace.

Hye-ran belatedly called again, but Moon-kyeong didn’t answer.

After rejecting several calls resolutely, she finally answered the phone, well into the early morning.

Suppressing her anger to the fullest, Hye-ran asked her daughter. She was curious about the intentions of Moon-kyeong, who had never rebelled so strongly before.

“What on earth are you talking about? I must have misheard, right?”

• No, you heard it right.

“Seo Moon-kyeong!”

Hye-ran abruptly stood up. She couldn’t understand her daughter’s sudden decision to quit ballet.

Moon-kyeong’s path as a ballerina had been exceptional.

Not only did she perform as a soloist at a young age, but within four years she was promoted to principal dancer.

Many ballerinas put their lives on the line for ballet, very few become soloists and then choose to quit.

When she transferred from the renowned Russian ballet company Olga to a ballet company in Germany, ballerinas from around the world, renowned in 80 countries, fiercely competed against each other.

The probability of a principal dancer emerging in South Korea was very low. Moon-kyeong was the first to achieve such a title.

Returning to Korea, as if coming back with a golden return, it was now the time for her to influence the National Ballet of Korea. To suddenly decide to quit ballet was a shock.

Moreover, the reason Moon-kyeong had caught the attention of Lee Han Group was because of her status as the world’s top ballerina. Of course, she would have to retire eventually, but they wanted her to continue performing for a couple more years.

Hye-ran pursed her lips in shock, it felt as if she had been hit on the head with a hammer.

“Moon-kyeong. Say it again. Mom needs to hear it clearly.”

• I said I’m quitting ballet.

“What on earth is your reason? Are you rebelling because I’m trying to send you off to marriage all of a sudden?”

• Mom, do you know what I hate most in the world?

“Are you seriously saying that it’s ballet right now?”

• You knew, didn’t you?

“……”