"How are you?"

Joohyun smiled at the waiter who showed up to hand them their drinks before turning back to Sehun once he'd walked away. "I'm... okay, I guess. The best I could be." she responded truthfully. "How about you? Jongin said you've been a bit moody lately."

"He did, huh?" Sehun muttered, rolling his eyes. "Traitor."

She smiled a little at that before looking down at her hands on her lap guiltily. Sehun frowned as he watched her but said nothing, knowing that she was trying to arrange her words. He was right, because she parted her lips and spoke again a minute later. "Was it because of what I said?"

"Yes." Sehun didn't find the need to beat around the bush. He preferred being honest with his thoughts and feelings in order for her to understand him better. Joohyun seemed surprised with his honestly, but at the same time, she looked relieved to hear him say it. "But I don't blame you, of course." he added. "It's not your fault that I just showed up into your life and ruined whatever you've dreamt for yourself."

"Don't say that," she chided him softly with a shake of her head. "You didn't ruin anything. It was a one-sided thing anyway."

Sehun deflated at that, half glad yet half upset for her. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. I know it was never going to work out. He only sees me as a friend; a sister too, maybe. We were never meant to be together, and I'm not only saying that because of this whole marriage thing."

"I see."

They both turned towards the door of the cafe Sehun had brought her to when they heard a commotion, but it was nothing of interest to the male so he turned back to focus his attention on his companion. Joohyun's gaze was still fixed on the couple arguing at the door and she clearly did not like the commotion based on the way she kept scruntching her face as she watched them. Feeling his gaze on her face, she turned back towards him and unexpectedly turned pink in the face when their eyes met.

Sehun smiled at that.

"What were they fighting about?" he asked her when the manager of the cafe managed to take the couple out of the room.

"Uh, something about the girl meeting his friend behind his back. Something like that," she replied and took a sip of her watermelon juice. "To be honest, I really don't like it when couples argue in public. It's supposed to be something private; something between the two of them and they should not let strangers listen in to their argument just because they're both upset."

"So no arguing with you in public then?"

Joohyun blinked at him before straightening up in her seat with a frown on her face. "You still want to do this even though I made you upset?" she asked, honestly curious.

"You said it was a one-sided thing," he shrugged. "What makes you think that I can't make you fall in love with me once we're married?"

"Wh-What?" Joohyun was lost for words now. "Have you always been this blunt?"

"Does that bother you?" Sehun asked with an amused smile.

"N-Not really." she confessed and shook her head. "I mean, it's better than having you lie to my face, right?" Sehun nodded at that. She calmed herself down as Sehun's previous words rushed through her head. "You know, I don't mind that."

"Pardon?"

"I..." She hesitated for a moment, embarrassed with the thoughts in her head but it only took one glance at the encouraging look on Sehun's face made her part her lips again. "I'd like it if I could fall in love with you instead."

If her words took him by surprise, he didn't show it but he clearly showed how happy he was to hear her confession. He smiled widely, eyes almost disappearing into crescents which Joohyun find very adorable, and suddenly he looked bashful as he rubbed his nape with his hand. "Thank you," he said quietly. "Can we give us a go then?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

*

*

*

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Jongin asked as they cuddled together on the couch in Soojung's bedroom after dinner. 

"Us." was Soojung's response. She lifted her head off Jongin's shoulder to peer up at him, and Jongin fought the urge to kiss the lips that was just inches away from his face. "I wanted to talk about us."

"What about us?" he asked although he was afraid to hear the answer.

"I love you, Jongin." Jongin's eyes widened at that, earning a sweet smile from Soojung. Even though they're technically together, Soojung had never once told him how she felt about him. "Yes, big guy. I love you, a lot. I've loved you for a very long time n