'A secret?'
"If this is why you called me over...I don't see the importance."Tae mumbled, looking right at his father's serious eyes."Everyone has secrets. If you've been hiding this from me since I was born...would it really affect me now?"
"I know but son th-"
"You love me right?"Tae asks, making his mother hug him from the side."If you loved me and kept this secret from me for that long it must have been pretty insignificant right?"
Instead of questioning his father, it seemed like he was questioning himself. Tae looked as if he was doubting his own trust in his parents, it was like he was breaking down right before me but refused to admit it.
"Of course we love you Taehyungie. It's just we want you to understand that since you are an adult now, we believe that you have the right to hear what we have to say."
Tae blankly looks back at the table and his father began to speak once more,"This secret...isn't something that can be easily said son. We wanted you to be mature enough to understand our reasoning before we told you."
"What is it then? What's this 'big' secret that you two hid from me for so long?"Tae asks.
"Kim Taehyung."his father starts, catching Tae's gaze from the table to meet his own eyes."...That was the name your grandfather chose for you. Our beautiful first child. Back then...our family wasn't well off. We were farmers, working for the little money we earned to put food on the table. You know this part of the story, we wanted to give you the best life we could. And to do that...we needed to make sure you would have a family of your own someday."
Tae's eyes widened slightly in realization while I still had no idea what was going on."So, Appa...you're saying..."
"Yes. When you were born we had arranged a marriage for you."his father said."We wanted to make sure you would have a job, finish school, go through miltary service...knowing that you were someone's other half."
Tae blinked with confusion, his eyes wavering, "How...how could you do that? Look at us...look at me now. Why would you underestimate me and your own skills?"
"We just wanted to make su-"
"What about that girl? Who's that girl you promised me to? How do you think she feels? Being forced into this at birth and waiting for marriage. I'm never going to accept marrying someone I've never met, it's illogical to say the least and I bet she would agree. Now she's going to know that she waited for nothing. She's going to know that she wasted every day knowing that she belonged to someone she never knew. Maybe she found her true love but I was still in the picture so she pushed her desires away...I can't handle thinking about that..."Tae rants, shaking his head."Where is she?"
"That's the thing son...we don't know."says his mother.
"What do you mean 'we don't know'? Aren't you supposed to keep tabs in deals like this?"Tae asks, his firey gaze sticking to his hands.
"We lost contact with her as well as her parents a few years after we had arranged everything. Her parents were close family friends so that was how we started."
"I don't understand...they cut us off? Appa, Did they cancel the deal? Do you know the girl's name at least?"
"Let me finish!"
A strong fist slammed onto the coffee table, making the empty coffee cups rattle with the force Tae's father had created. The loud bang echoed against the plaster walls and everything became silent.
"Please let us finish before asking questions Taehyungie."his mother pleaded, feeling overwhelmed as a few tears ran down her face.
Tae bit his bottom lip before nodding and keeping quiet as his father continued after calming down."Son. Her parents died."
That was when Tae stiffened, his mouth opened to say something yet nothing came out. He relaxed and nodded to signal his father to continue silently.
"Her parents had moved to the states to have her there. Their plan was to have her study there and come back to Korea to marry you once you two were of age."he said, slowly."But they got into an accident, causing their deaths. So in a way, that did cancel our plans for the marriage. As for the girl...I don't know where she is right now. My thoughts are that she's dead as well."
Tae shook his head."No. I don't belive it. This is too much to ask me to believe."
"Taehyung, we know that you're uncertain but this is the truth."
"What's her name. Please at least tell me her name."Tae pleads, his eyes glazing over with frusterated tears."Please. I need to know this at the very least."
His parents looked at each other, talking to each other through only eye contact before nodding. His mother sighed, her eyes meeting Tae's as she said the girl's name.
"AJ. AJ Torrez."
