Salt and Spice

Ha-Na felt a lump form in her throat as she stared at the piece of meat on her plate. The gesture was so out of character for her stern grandfather that it left her both touched and wary. She glanced up at him, but his face revealed nothing.

"Thank you, Grandfather," she said softly, forcing a smile as she picked up the chopsticks to eat. The tension in the room was palpable, each family member seemingly holding their breath.

Seeing how things are going with tension filled in air, Ae-Ra and her mother Name So-Hee couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire. "I see you announced your interests publicly. Chairman Kang's granddaughter chose to venture out on her own, ignoring her family... I am sure you must have no idea of the perilous actions you've taken. Imagine how much shame you've brought upon your family, especially your grandfather," Ae-Ra's mother hissed, her voice trailing off into a whisper, meant to sting more than be heard.

Ha-Na's uncle Kang Ji-Sung chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I couldn't agree more with your aunt here. Do you have any idea how much criticism and backlash we were facing from the public and investors? Our stock market collapsed this morning while you were soundly sleeping. You created a huge mess before leaving the country and came back to create another one. Can't you give us a breather?"

Ha-Na felt a wave of disbelief wash over her. Out of all the people at this table, her uncle had no right to blame her for the scandal. Yet here he was, acting righteous and indignant.

Ae-Ra's expression was smug, her lips curling into a satisfied smirk as she leaned back in her chair, enjoying the spectacle of Ha-Na being put on the spot. Her mother's eyes glinted with malice, 

"Won't you stop until you make the family business bankrupt? Looks like you are determined to drag us into the streets," her aunt said, her voice dripping with disdain.

The room was filled with a mix of satisfaction and judgment, each family member seemingly relishing in her discomfort.

"Don't worry, Mother, even if we lose everything, Ha-Na would still be rich. She can just ask her boyfriend to support our family. Oops, sorry little sister. I guess it was a secret you wanted to tell yourself, right?" Ae-Ra dropped the bombshell with a sweet yet venomous tone.

Ha-Na knew Ae-Ra wouldn't stay quiet about her relationship, but she had a knack for choosing the worst moment to spill the beans. The room went deathly silent, all eyes turning to Ha-Na with renewed interest and suspicion.

Remembering the events recently happened, her aunt So-Hee spat,

"How preposterous can you be? All that education and upbringing got her nowhere. Kissing a man in public? How does she think people will continue doing business with us, seeing how compromised their family member's values and morals are? You should learn something from Ae-Ra," her eyes narrowed with contempt.

Ha-Na took a deep breath, steadying herself before delivering her retort. "I didn't know getting pregnant before marriage was one of them. Looks like I have a long way to go."

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Every face at the table registered varying degrees of shock and discomfort, Ae-Ra's smug expression transforming into one of pure fury. Her mother, Jin-Sol, paled, and her uncle's eyes widened in disbelief.

For a moment, it seemed like no one would break the oppressive silence. Then, her little uncle, Ji-Soo, jumped in to rescue her, his voice cheerful and exaggerated. "Little Delight, you looked so stunning in the dress yesterday! I told you, you'd be shining in it! The color really brought out the brightness in your eyes, and the fit was perfect. Honestly, it's one of my finest creations and you were able to make it look magnificent."

At his words, the old man's eyes narrowed. It was clear to him now that his children had been hiding things from him. A sense of betrayal washed over him, deepening the lines on his already stern face. So, both his daughter and his youngest son knew Ha-Na was coming back and none of them bothered to say to him, looks like his family is getting people with more and more secrets.

Ha-Na finally smiled here. That's right, her little uncle and mother were still there for her. Even though, unlike her little uncle, her mother never tried to stop all the remarks shot at her, she was still there, holding her back.

Ji-Soo's sudden change of topic caught everyone off guard. His light-hearted praise seemed to diffuse some of the tension, though the awkwardness still lingered.

Ha-Na gave her uncle a grateful smile, appreciating his attempt to steer the conversation away from the impending explosion. "Thank you, Uncle," she said, her voice steady.

Ae-Ra, however, was not about to let the moment pass without another jab. "Uncle, how preposterous! I told you I wanted that dress for yesterday's party, and you refused to give it to me, saying it was already bought. You know I liked that dress," she accused him, her tone laced with petulance.

Ji-Soo awkwardly smiled, trying to cover up the tension. "Of course, Ae-Ra. It's bought by Ha-Na, and I told you, that dress would have made you look flatter and unattractive. You know what, I could design something similar for you and gift it to you for your birthday," he replied, trying to placate her.

"Spare the effort, Uncle. I already bought a dress for that day," Ae-Ra snapped, her voice tinged with disdain. She didn't want anything that was similar to what Ha-Na had, which was incredulous, knowing how she had a penchant for snatching everything from Ha-Na.

The atmosphere remained tense, and Kang Chang-Min's eyes swept the table, taking in the dynamics at play. His gaze lingered on Ji-Soo, a flicker of disapproval in his eyes. It was becoming increasingly clear that the fractures within his family ran deep.

Ha-Na's mother, Jin-Sol, finally spoke up, her voice calm and measured. "Let's not turn this meal into a battleground."

Her words, though simple, carried a weight that seemed to momentarily soothe the frayed nerves at the table. However, that didn't last long.

"Who made this soup? Why is it so salty, and why do the other dishes not have enough seasoning?" her eldest uncle piped up, showing his irritation.

Unexpectedly, the next second, a glass of water started to be poured into his soup bowl, startling everyone. Silence fell over the room as everyone watched in disbelief.