To Be or Not To Be A Family - Chapter 58

Young-Jae was shocked at Ashma’s lies. Instead of telling people what they really talked about she was portraying him as a saint which confused him further. Why was she doing that? What did she want to prove? He met with her at the terrace, he never went into her room. Why was she inventing lies like that? Did she really forgive him or was this part of an elaborate plan?

Ashma continued with her lies, “let me tell the story, senior Park. He said he felt bad about what he said, he felt bad about what he did. He said he will try to be civil with me from now onwards. He wants me to collaborate with Mr Park. He wants to increase the popularity of ‘Susegong’.”

“What?” screamed Young-Jae and Young-Soo in unison. Young-Soo stared at his father.

“Yes, he said he has been feeling guilty about how he treated you, what he did to you. I couldn’t see him crying so I forgave him. You all should forgive him,” said Ashma with a sad face. A single tear fell out of her eyes.

“What superb drama she is doing? When did I ever say anything remotely resembling what she said? What is she trying to do?” thought Young-Jae.

“Are you out of your mind?” shouted Bong-Cha.

“He even called me sonnyuh,” Ashma played her best hand.

“He did?” Bong-Cha melted. Everyone looked at Young-Jae with slight sympathy. He was now in everyone’s good books.

“I did?” Young-Jae was shocked. “Why is she picturing me as a big-hearted person? What is her endgame?” thought Young-Jae.

“Yes, he was sobbing small tears. My heart melted. I began crying, then he hugged me and apologised again. He kept caressing my hair for long,” Ashma was sobbing like a child. Water was coming from her ears and nose. She wiped her nose and looked at Young-Jae with puppy eyes.

“Oh my god! She is an expert. She is a complete drama queen. Look at everyone, they are so gullible, eating up her every word like it’s the truth,” said Young-Jae to himself.

“You apologised to her?” asked Bong-Cha.

“That I did,” said Young-Jae. He knew this was the only truth Ashma told, else everything was a lie.

“But before you all forgive him, I want to give him something,” announced Ashma.

“What?” all said in unison.

She placed her hands inside her purse and took out a traveller’s cheque. She shoved it in Young-Jae’s face with a sweet face. “This is a cheque for five million rupees which would be around 80 million Won. Whatever damage I cause to your brand, this is the compensation for that. Also, the payment of staying in your house is included,” she said with gratitude.

“You are paying for staying here?” screamed Bong-Cha.

“Ashma!” shouted Eun-Kyung.

“Please, Bong-Cha, Mumma, I stayed here as a stranger. And now I paid for it. Now I will stay as his sonnyuh,” she pouted at Young-Jae and said like a sweet kid.

“So, our sister?” said Baek-Hyeon sceptically.

“Hmm,” growled Ashma at Baek-Hyeon.

“Okay, fine,” said Baek-Hyeon disappointed.

“Only his Sonnyuh,” said Ashma and ran towards Young-Jae. She went and hugged him dearly. Young-Jae froze. He had no idea what was happening, how to react to Ashma’s every word, every touch, every gesture. She kept telling lies after lies and he could nothing. Even if he told everyone that she was lying people would be furious at him as they would think that he didn’t apologise to her which he did. So either he could go along with her lies or tell people that he was a heartless man who hit a girl and never even apologised.

“Thank you harabuhji for saying sorry to her. Thank you for accepting her. I was so angry at you but now I am not,” shouted Bong-Cha and hugged him. Before Bong-Cha could enclose Ashma too in her arms, she jumped away from Young-Jae and Bong-Cha.

Yong-Sun noticed that. He was uncomfortable as Ashma was acting strange. She was stoic, indifferent but suddenly she was sweet as honey. So sweet that some might get diabetes. He was trying to understand what was going on in her mind. Why was she acting so strange?

“Me too,” said Eun-Kyung.

“Me too,” nodded Hei-Ran.

“Me too,” said Hae-Won.

“I forgive you too,” said Jong-Woo. Yong-Sun was silent. He said nothing. He kept staring at Ashma. Something was going on between Young-Jae and Ashma and he was keen on finding.

“I am still angry,” said Young-Soo and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You still have to apologise to me,” chided Vidhi.

Ashma jumped towards Young-Jae, wrapped her arms around his upper arm and said, “He will mom, of course, he will. He wanted to say sorry to you but I told him not to disturb your sleep. Right, Senior Park?” Young-Jae looked at Ashma with disgruntlement. She was telling lies after lies and everyone kept believing them. He used all his superior brain but could not figure out her plan.

“Why are you calling him senior Park, call him Harabuhji,” commented Bong-Cha still clinging to Young-Jae.

“I am shy, first ask him to call me sonnyuh. Then I will call him. It’s a new relationship for me,” Ashma lowered her head and said with all the shyness one could find in the whole wide world.

Young-Jae’s eyes widened. Suddenly the lightning struck in his brain. Now her plan was clear as a day to him. She wanted him to lose the challenge. If family members pressured, he would have to call her sonnyuh and he will lose. She was clever and she was about to win. He had to get away from there somehow, but there was no excuse in the world that would help him now.

“She is right, Harabuhji. You were at fault you have to initiate now,” pressured Bong-Cha.

“But I called her last night, she said herself,” Young-Jae counterpointed. He thought he was being smart but he didn’t know he was now playing Ashma’s game.

“What? What did you call me?” asked Ashma innocently.

“Come on Harabuhji, I want to hear it. How did you say that?” shouted Bong-Cha, excited.

“I too want to hear it. I thought everything happened because of me. You have no idea how happy I am right now,” said Chin-Sun.

Hearing the words out of Bong-Cha’s and Chin-Sun’s mouths, the width of Ashma’s smile kept increasing inch by inch. She was on the verge of winning. She kept her head lowered and grinned like a Cheshire cat.

“Come on Shiahbuhji, don’t be shy now. I know you felt bad. I know you have a golden heart,” said Hei-Ran. Ashma was on cloud nine. She was almost at the finishing line.

“Yes, Shiahbuhji, say it. We all want to hear it,” said Hae-Won with a bright smile on her face. Vidhi was happy right now. Her daughter was about to get the acceptance she wanted for her, her whole life.

“If you want my forgiveness, call her your sonnyuh,” said Young-Soo.

“Yes keunahppa,” said Jong-Woo.

“Yes harabuhji,” said Baek-Hyeon.

Yong-Sun never spoke a word during the whole drama. The cogs of his brain were working overtime.

“Fine, my Sonnyuh,” shouted Young-Jae. Ashma won. She crossed the finishing line. She was in the seventh heaven.

“Yes, dear harbuji,” said Ashma with a wicked smile on her face.

“Harabuhji,” corrected Bong-Cha.

“Oh sorry, hara-buh-ji,” enunciated Ashma.

“Nice,” said Bong-Cha and high-fived Ashma.

“Thank you. So I will take your leave, I have to send this dress to India. You too go to college if you feel like it. Bye, everyone. Bye, harabuhji,” she addressed everyone. Before leaving, she winked at Young-Jae. She left him fuming with anger.

After saying goodbye to everyone, she moved outside the house. She was waiting for her cab to arrive when Yong-Sun followed her.

“What was that?” asked Yong-Sun.

“What was what?” asked Ashma.

“All that acting?”

“He scolded me in front of everyone, now he accepted me in front of everyone. I told him I believe in tit for tat.”

“That’s not acceptance,” said Yong-Sun.

“Do you really think I care about that? I don’t care if he accepts me, I care that he bowed down in front of me. That is enough for me,” yelled Yong-Sun.

“Did he really talk to you yesterday?”

“He did. He wanted to apologise but he was still arrogant while doing that. So I challenged him that he will call me his Sonnyuh and I won,” said Ashma with pride.

“So fake love is enough for you?”

“I know he will never love me. I don’t want his love. I don’t want a relationship with him. I want nothing to do with him. I just want him to lose, always. His weakness is his family. I don’t have that weakness. My family is in India. So when I fight with him in front of his family, I will always win,” pointed out Ashma.

“So you cheated?”

“First he cheated, I learned from him.”

“How did he cheat?”

“He called me a bastard and rendered me speechless.”

“So you took revenge.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think you were right?”

The next moment she heard a car horn. She looked at the car and then at Yong-Sun.

“Will talk later, my car has arrived.”

“Fine meet me at Café Amour.”

“Fine.”