Nine

+

She sat down and buried her face to her palms, “I don’t wanna marry Youngbae, Jiyong. I want to marry you!”

“Ouch, that’s hurt.” A voice from behind Chaerin made her startled.

She turned her head and found Youngbae in the kitchen.

“What are you—” Chaerin popped her eyes out.

“He’s here to help me with something…” Jiyong said.

“Youngbae, listen I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

“Its fine, Chaerin.” Youngbae laughs. He walked to the dining table, brought a glass of apple juice with him. “The juicer I bought for you is working perfectly.” He said.

Chaerin just smiled.

“Anyway…” Youngbae sat beside Chaerin. “Don’t worry about that, he solved it already.”

“Really?” Chaerin asked Jiyong.

“I tried, I sent some guys to Australia along with my father and also hire some lawyer besides our family lawyer to investigate it deeper, today I received news fro the court that the corruption is proofed not from the core structure but from outside, so we already cut them, now I’m working on the media and news, I have to spread it worldwide to lift Kwon’s stock price again.”

“I knew it!” she said.

“Knew what?” Jiyong asked.

“I knew from the start that the fraud must be from outside, because insider wouldn’t be so stubborn by leaving so much evidence.”

Jiyong and Youngbae exchange gaze.

“You have to be detailed about the suspect background, the amount of money that he steal is not very big, so, I kind of wary, maybe he’s main purpose is just to desecrate Kwon ent. name.”

“Chaerin…” Jiyong couldn’t say anything.

“Sorry, I made a little research about it, mostly from the law side because I’m taking law classes this semester.” She cleared .

They sent Youngbae to the door and Chaerin threw herself to the couch while Jiyong locked the door.

“So, you want me to drive you home?” Jiyong asked.

“Oh… you’re right, I suppose not be here.” She said.

“But if you want to stay… you still have your room upstairs.”

Chaerin stood up. “No… I’ll go home tonight. I’ll be back here after anything settled.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“I brought my car.” she said.

“Then I’ll walk you to the parking lot.”

Chaerin nodded.

They entered the elevator and said nothing.

“Thanks.” Jiyong finally spoke.

“For…?”

“For choosing me over Youngbae.”

Chaerin scoffed.

“Why you only stays at your car and didn’t came in to my house and speak to my parents?” Chaerin asked.

“When?”

“The day you saw Youngbae’s family in my house.”

“How did you know…?”

Chaerin smiled.

“I was…” he didn’t know what to say, “Anyway, my father said he will meet your parents right after he landed. They should talk about all of this again I guess.”

“Tell your parents I’m sorry about my parent’s actions before, that suddenly forced me to starts seeing Youngbae.”

“Do you want to get married to me that bad, Barbie?” Jiyong .

“No freaking way, I just defend myself from looking like a by broke up with you and marrying your bestfriend.”

“Oh… make sense.” Jiyong nodded. “Even though I know you were rejected by Youngbae.” He couldn’t hide the grin.

“What do you mean?”

“He explained to me earlier that he doesn’t want to marry you…” he chuckles, “poor you Chaerin, the prettiest girl in school got rejected by Youngbae.”

“Even though he said yes, I will refuse to marry him.” Chaerin cleared , “I made a promise to meet you at the alter.”

Jiyong paused, he turned to Chaerin.

Chaerin feels her cheek got red because Jiyong looking at her with such a intense gaze.

“Hey, Barbie…” he stepped to Chaerin’s front.

“Oh stop calling me…” she stopped when Jiyong put his close closer to Chaerin’s.

Chaerin froze, all she could do is looking at Jiyong’s lips that slowly but sure getting closer to her.

Jiyong tilted his head, ready to kiss her.

When their lips only separated by thin air, the elevator tinkling, signing that they reach the destination floor.

Chaerin sighing and pull her face away from Jiyong. But in split second she saw Jiyong pressed ‘hold’ button, the elevator door stay closed and it stops.

Jiyong pull Chaerin closer and capture her lips.

+

It seems like a slow motion, when Jiyong caress her cheek, kissing her and pushed her gently to the corner without breaking the kiss.

Her knees transform into a jelly when she feels her lips pressed by Jiyong’s, and he kiss her deeper.

Jiyong pressed his forehead in her forehead when breaking the kiss. Still close his eyes, still reminiscing the moment, the little romance he just made with Chaerin.

Chaerin panting, like she just run a marathon. What just happened is beyond her expectation.

Jiyong just stand there in front of her, doesn’t really know what to say until Chaerin reached the hold button and pressed it again so the elevator starts moving again, the door immediately open.

“That’s my car.” Chaerin pointed at her car. “Good night.”

She stepped out of the elevator and walked fast towards her car.

Jiyong frozen in his place, looking at her disappear into her car.

“.” He mumbled.

+

Chaerin walked passing her parents who sat in the main living room watching some news on TV. She could see worlds are talking about Kwon’s stock price. Its rising again because the case is solved.

Chaerin smiled.

“Chaerin.” Her mother called her when she just walked pass by without say anything.

“Yes?” she stops.

“About the marriage…” she continues.

Chaerin took a deep breath.

“I’ll marry Jiyong, eomma, Youngbae rejected me.”

“Youngbae what?” she asked.

Mr. Lee also alerted.

“He rejected me, he doesn’t want to marry me, and marrying Jiyong is better than having no fiancée at all, isn’t it?”

Mr. and Mrs. Lee didn’t say anything.

“I’m sure the Kwons will think the same.” She said then continue walking, but she stops near the door. “Anyway, I’m moving to the apartment again today. See you on my wedding day.” She said.

She gets into her car and driving somewhere. She has no class today and going back to the apartment now scared her, she hasn’t ready to bump into Jiyong just yet. She doesn’t know how to react in front of him after their kiss several days ago, even Jiyong didn’t text or call her after that.

Chaerin parked her car, she walked to the hills, she hikes for around 10 minutes before finally reach the place she want to be.

Her brother’s grave.

She kneeled down in front of the stone and put down a bouquet of flower she bought earlier.

“Oppa… how are you?” she caress the stone. “I miss you.”

She wiped tears that falling down to her cheek.

“I should’ve come here earlier, I have so many things to talk to you…” she looked down and crying, “I’ve been through hard times and you are the only person who loved me truly…”

Chaerin inhaled, “last time I came here was around six months a go, right? At that time I was sad because I won so many prize from school but appa and eomma never cared about it, I know I’d never be the heiress of Ciel because I’m a girl, but then… around three months a go I was matched with a the heirs of Kwon enterprise, oppa, do you know him? His name is Kwon Jiyong, he’s cold and mysterious. I mean he’s not mysterious like spies, but I can’t read his mind. I’m engaged to him already.” Chaerin chuckles.

“I know you’re popping your eyes out up there and said ‘what the heck, Chae!” but that’s the truth, I’ll marry him for the sake of the family. And I never told you because, at first, I was so mad at you. You made me get through all of this, oppa.”

She sighed, “I know its not your fault, I know its my fault that I have to be born as a girl.” She wiped another tears. “I can’t help but mad at you… maybe I’m mad at myself… oppa… I know I always say this useless thing, but I really miss you and I wish you were here by my side… I need you…”

+

Chaerin took a deep breath before entering the apartment.

“I’m home…” she said carefully, part of her wishing Jiyong is not there. And when she realize Jiyong is really not home at the moment, she relieved.

Chaerin went upstairs at her room and changed her clothes. She feels a bit hungry because she hadn’t had anything today, so she walked towards the kitchen, she’s planning to quickly cook something easy and then go hide herself again in her room.

Its silly, she kno