A+, meanie

Torture

Mingyu finds himself getting more and more sour about his mother these days, ever since she demanded his and Chaeyeon's relationship again last week. His mother disgusts him, as she's been doing anything and everything in her power to spark something in Mingyu's supposed 'dull brain'.

Being the ever-influential owner of South Korea's leading news agency, she could do anything: make up fake news or indirectly instruct her stupid doormats to spew any random shit they felt like on National TV, without any evidence. Everyone still wouldn't think twice before believing whatever was being said; if Kim Minkyoung says it, it has to be true.

If it isn't, she makes sure it manifests. False news has been turned into reality not once, but several times before, just because Kim Minkyoung wanted it to.

Mingyu wouldn't be surprised if she announced on television his and Chaeyeon's relationship being a real thing, and he's sure as hell it would pressure the poor girl, putting a strain on her girlfriend's life in the process. People clouded with the need to trust in Kim Minkyoung's words would readily demand the 'couple's' public appearances and all. Mingyu doesn't think his mother would think of the high chances of him and Chaeyeon getting mobbed, if that ever happened.

He hasn't been showing signs of getting convinced, to his mother, and he would never. It's this strange, new feeling of wanting to actively rebel against the woman that's Mingyu's drive these days, and he also shows her he can do just as much. He is her son, after all. He nearly has the same magnitude of power in his hands. He hopes he wouldn't have to step out of his shell to actually fix things if his mother starts being overly paranoid. He'd rather stay behind the scenes, and let his mother handle all the crap she runs.

"This unacceptable behaviour of yours is getting out of hand!"

Minkyoung suddenly slams her fist on the glossy white marble of the dining table, over dinner.

Evening rolled by, compelling Mingyu to reluctantly sit across his mother once again, having to tolerate any shit she spits.

Glassware, ceramics and cutlery set on the table quiver briefly, not having the least effect on Mingyu - who calmly continues with his dinner. If he doesn't concentrate on trying to gulp it down, he might end up and gagging and throwing up the disgusting content in his plate. He's been subtly eyeing the dessert ever since dinner began.

"You're supposed to listen to me while I talk, Mingyu." She demands, sounding almost desperate. Mingyu absolutely enjoys the upper hand he gets by remaining silent.

"My ears aren't shut, Mother, I'm perfectly able to listen to everything being said."

He's sure he hears Minkyoung growl in dissatisfaction, or probably fury -- Mingyu can't really tell the difference between his mother's emotions. They all look the same to him.

Mingyu briefly looks up from his plate, and witnesses his mother practically shaking in anger in her chair. She looks ready to flip the table upside down. Ah, Mingyu gets it now; Minkyoung's not able to handle the mere disobedience Mingyu displays. After being used to nearly the entire country bowing down to her, a simple act of not reacting to her words must anger her a lot, wouldn't it? Mingyu would have mock tutted at her 'miserable' situation if he could, but he wouldn't go to such lengths of disrespecting his mother. He isn't that trivial.

"What is this sudden ridiculous behaviour, Mingyu?" Minkyoung demands, steely eyes staring angrily at the boy.

"What behaviour, Mother? You've told me to never react, or reply, to your words, and I'm just following your instructions."

Mingyu observes his mother's face as he speaks, seeing the gears turning violently in her head. He's not looking forward to what she might be planning.

∿

Mingyu had originally planned to have breakfast, wait for his chauffeur to fucking show up, and be on his way to Pledis like clockwork, the next day.

Instead, he's just informed by a maid that his mother would be absent for breakfast, since she has important matters to attend to. Mingyu frowns, he'd seen her in the living room as he'd been walking to the dining room. Nonetheless, he silently acknowledged the maid bowing and leaving, and sits at his usual spot to eat.

Once he's done and out of the dining room, Mingyu's eyes land on a bunch of workers he's seen around earlier, huddled around the eye-catching fireplace in the living room. One of them is on the top of a fucking ladder, while the other two stand on the floor beneath him, and his mother's watching the proceedings with a look Mingyu hasn't seen on her face in a while. It's a pure look of satisfaction and smug victory she wears, and Mingyu wonders what's gotten her so delighted.

No one seems to have noticed his presence in the room yet. He curiously peers at whatever's going on, waiting for the workers to be on their way so he could see what they'd been doing. It should be done in a few more minutes, Mingyu concludes, since he catches something like a photo frame behind the guy on the ladder, and light noises of something being hammered into the wall.

The worker finally readies himself to get off the ladder, and Mingyu wishes he'd never waited to see what was happening. His worst nightmare, his biggest headache - the fucking photograph he'd seen a little less than a year ago.

Fucking hell. Realisation dawns upon Mingyu when his mother turns and faces him, her expression not having shifted in the least bit. Apparently, she knows Mingyu's in the living room.

She knows. Minkyoung fucking knows about Mingyu little problem. Before the pounding in his head gets unbearable, Mingyu figures this was what she'd been thinking of towards the end of yesterday's dinner.

How hideous could she be to do this? All deliberately, just to put Mingyu, her own son, in so much turmoil until she gets what she wants. "You're foul for doing this. YOU KNEW, YOU FUCKING KNEW!" Mingyu screams, ignoring the ache swelling in his head.

"I'm not letting my years of hard work drown, just because my son can't handle being in a simple relationship. It isn't difficult to follow your mother's instructions, Mingyu. You could have avoided this."

Those are the last words Mingyu registers before passing out like a weakling in front of his mother, giving her the satisfaction of regaining her unbeatable upper-hand once again.