Chapter 7 🥕
Milim sat silently in the car, trying to calm the storm raging inside her. She gripped the not-so-thick stack of money in her hand, breathing heavily, her eyes tightly shut. Deep down, she realized that the job of accompanying men for drinks was never meant for her. Even without Dylan's tricks tonight, this job wouldn't have lasted long.
Meeting Dylan, then — was it a blessing or a curse? She couldn't tell. Either way, there would be no second encounter. Shaking these thoughts from her mind, Milim forced herself to stop thinking about him.
It was already half-past ten when she arrived home. Most of the house was dark, the family long asleep. Only a single small lamp illuminated the hallway. It wasn't left on for Milim; rather, it was customary to keep it lit so the siblings could find their way to the bathroom at night without tripping.
Moving quietly, Milim slipped into her room and saw her little brother already fast asleep. Carefully, she placed her hand on the upper bunk, climbing up slowly so as not to make a sound. Though she had slept most of the morning, exhaustion still pulled heavily at her limbs. In the stillness of the night, her slow breathing filled the room — and within minutes, she had fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep.
---
The next day was a weekend.
May had risen early and prepared breakfast for the family. At precisely eight o'clock, she called everyone to the table.
"I have something to say," May announced, buttering slices of toast. "Your elder sister will be going to study in the United States during the summer vacation. What should she bring back for you?"
Lin immediately raised his hand, just like he did in class.
"Mom, I want a set of books," he said seriously.
May smiled at him and asked, "What kind of books?"
"I already told her," Lin replied, meeting his mother's gaze firmly.
James, eating silently until now, chuckled as he reached over to tousle Lin's hair fondly. Memories of his own youth came rushing back — the stress of exams, the close call at his college entrance exam, and the life that unfolded afterward.
Turning his attention to Milim, who sat sluggishly at the table, he asked, "What about you, Milim?"
Feeling everyone's eyes on her, Milim let out a big yawn and said lazily, "Nah, I don't need anything."
May frowned. "Did you come back late last night?"
"No," Milim replied, swirling her fork around the plate and flipping her fried egg. "It was about eleven."
James raised his head and suggested, "Milim, maybe it's time to change jobs."
Although he said it casually, he wasn't too concerned about his daughter coming and going alone at night.
"Okay," Milim mumbled, taking a tired sip of milk. "I'll go look for a new part-time job today."
"That's good," James said, smiling with satisfaction.
"How about working at a restaurant?" Lin chimed in with a serious look.
Milim, dumbfounded, stuffed a bite of egg into her mouth and said flatly, "I'd rather work at a coffee shop."
"Not today," May decided after a moment. "It's rare that you have no classes on the weekend. We should visit Grandma in the suburbs."
May's parents lived on the outskirts of the city. James's family was from another province altogether. After marrying May, James moved to the city, and over time, they limited visits to once a year, with his parents preferring to stay in their hometown.
Though James's parents once joked that he had 'become part of another family' by marrying and living near May's relatives, May wore a bright smile whenever the topic came up, silencing any gossip.
May worked hard, juggling her job and managing the household. Even though she started her career alongside James at the same foreign company, after ten years, James had risen to deputy minister while May remained an ordinary employee. Expectations for women to manage both work and home life limited her career growth.
Milim, meanwhile, disliked visiting her grandparents. To her, their affection always seemed conditional — measured by her academic performance rather than her feelings. While Lin was praised as brilliant and exceptional, Milim was criticized as lazy and ignorant. Even her parents remained silent as she was judged.
After exchanging basic pleasantries with her grandparents, Milim quickly excused herself, claiming she wanted to go for a walk. But just as she stepped outside, Lin chased after her.
"I want to play with you too!" he said, raising his serious little face.
Milim sighed and gently pinched his chubby cheeks. "Fine. But remember me when you become rich someday, alright?"
Lin tilted his head. "If I get rich and don't share it with you, won't you still take me to play?"
Milim was stunned, feeling once again like the whole family bullied her.
"You little white-eyed wolf. Let's go," she grumbled. "What do you want to do?"
"Pick out some bird eggs!" Lin declared.
Of course, they didn't actually steal any eggs. They climbed a sturdy tree, took pictures of a nest filled with tiny eggs, and climbed back down without disturbing anything.
Scrolling through the photos, Lin said proudly, "I'll send one to Big Sis!"
Ava, still at school, received the photo at noon. She replied sarcastically,
> "Of course it's your brother's masterpiece."
> Lin: What's wrong?
> Ava: If you disturb the mother bird, the whole nest could be abandoned.
> Lin: The mother bird flew away before we climbed up.
> Ava: I really don't understand you guys. It's better not to harm others unnecessarily, even if it's unintentional.
Reading Ava's messages again, Lin began to understand why his two sisters didn't get along. Their worldviews were just too different. Milim thought Ava was an irritating perfectionist who loved arguing, while Ava saw Milim as average and directionless.
Still, Lin liked being around Milim — she made him feel comfortable. And he also liked discussing academic stuff with Ava. They were simply different types of people.
---
After their short visit, they returned to the city on Sunday afternoon.
When they arrived, it was still early. Milim asked to be dropped off along the road.
"I'll look for a part-time job. I'll be home around six."
Lin, ever ready to follow her, was immediately pulled back by his mother.
"What are you doing? Go home and study!" she scolded gently.
Lin pressed his face against the car window, watching Milim walk away with a pitiful, abandoned puppy look. Milim smiled and waved.
---
Meanwhile, Dylan wasn't having the best weekend either.
He had received an urgent call from his parents, summoning him home for a serious family discussion. As he sat in the study room, facing his father Maverick, his mother Lucy, his aunt Erza, and his grandfather Tom Maverick, Dylan sighed and leaned back in his chair.
When everyone had settled, Maverick spoke solemnly.
"We're here not to blame anyone, but to solve a problem."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Dylan leaned forward. "Do you think it's a problem if I don't get married at twenty-nine?"
His father snapped his head toward him. "If it's a problem, only you know. Whether you choose to share it with us is up to you."
Father and son locked eyes in a silent battle of wills.
Finally, Dylan said firmly, "I don't want to get married."
The room fell into an icy silence. Everyone stared at him, shocked.
"Is this true?" Father Maverick asked after a long pause.
"It's true," Dylan answered steadily, facing them with a calm, unshakable demeanor.
Dylan was the sole heir of the Maverick family. The pressure was immense.
As the conversation drifted from marriage to business, Dylan gave a report about company matters — resource integration, layoffs, and future development.
"If employees are outstanding, they can transfer to other companies," his grandfather Tom suggested pragmatically.
Lucy, feeling the discussion had veered too far, interrupted. "I'm talking about marriage, not business!"
Father Maverick coughed awkwardly. "Yes, back to the topic."
He fixed Dylan with a serious look.
"Dylan, life involves birth, aging, sickness, and death. If we all pass away and you're alone, what will happen to the Maverick family? Have you thought about how we feel?"
Dylan hesitated. He looked around at his aging parents, his frail grandfather, and his concerned relatives. Guilt gnawed at him.
After a long pause, his father said, "I'll give you two more years. Think about it carefully."
Lucy looked like she was about to protest, but Maverick waved her down. "Take it easy."
All eyes turned to Dylan, waiting.
Clenching his fists so hard his knuckles whitened, Dylan finally nodded. "Okay."
Everyone exhaled in relief.
"But," his father added, "during these two years, you must actively meet the women we introduce to you. Whether you like them or not, you must at least try."
Dylan gritted his teeth.