Just an important note:

If there are any further changes or additions, I’ll post them in the A/Ns in the future. Continue reading :3

-Chapter 14-

It was almost that time of the year. For everyone else, maybe it was one of the only few times they get to meet their relatives back at their own hometown to gather together to celebrate the one of the most anticipated day of the year; Christmas. But for the Jung family, they were always five of them whenever it was or wasn’t Christmas either way. It has been like that since their own relatives were too ignorant of their family to even care, especially since JuYeon’s mother was faced with a divorce case due to the crazy ex-husband who kept getting into trouble when the two eldest children were still so young. The family of five had never expected their festive holidays to be any more than the ordinary they usually had with each other.

So when JuYeon ‘magically’ and instantly got engaged to one of the most wanted accomplished CEO bachelors in their country – who unknowingly had been the woman’s first and only love in JuYeon’s quiet thoughts – they were almost negligent enough to forget the fact that that current year, most of their holidays would be in addition of a few changes, one of them which included celebrating Christmas together with their future-family-in-laws’ side; the Kims. The powerful family were very serious in their gatherings for such festive celebrations such as this one, and with a new addition to the member who went by the name Jung JuYeon to be wedded to one of the Kim Brothers soon, the upcoming event for the family just might become merrier that year for both families.

But there was a tiny little problem for the eldest child of the Jungs.

JuYeon still hadn’t gotten to buy gifts yet.

What with all the whirl wind of dramas she was into the past few weeks, buying Christmas gifts would be the last thing on her mind to worry about. But as the D-Day for the Christmas family gathering with the Kims for the first time was around the corner, JuYeon knew it would leave a bad impression if she came empty handed during the evening. She was currently emailing some online documents she had to forward to her boos back in China. Even though it was her yearly holidays that were meant for her to take her leave days off enjoying her time by spending it with her own family, the woman wasn’t used to not doing any work that has not paper signings, stirring green tea in the Boss Mug, scheduling and rescheduling appointments and meetings, lots of dolling up for events and functions and lots more translating to her boss during meetings.

And with that, the Korean female demanded from LuHan to let his elder brother’s secretary to pass up some online work she could do back in her hometown. That was why the woman was lounging on the two-seater with her head snug on top of the armrest, the back of her knees slung over the other one. Her eyes were leisurely skimming over the proposal from an interior designer for the new ballroom they had manage to gut in from the previous smaller one in Beijing that LuHan were in charge of reporting the financial costs and leading as both head of finance and vice president. There were a few mails she had yet to send from their company to others in terms of the men they need to hire to carry out the whole project and other, much minor details. Well, she could at least take her mind off of the wedding she actually needed to start thinking of.

Then there was another fact – a rather huge one she had forgotten ever since the instant-engagement with JoonMyun. She was working as LuJiang’s interpreter and EPA in the Lu’s company. And she’s engaged to their business partner company’s CEO. Well, maybe it was a rather shocking and gossip-worthy news, but the fact that the Lu’s themselves weren’t aware of their upcoming wedding including the ravenette friend she had gotten close with – Xin Feng – was a rather disappointing action on her part. The Lu’s were her superiors no matter how kind and generous they are (even though the younger Lu could be an most of the time) and Feng was her closest girl friend she had gotten know of ever since she worked there. She really needed to tell them soon or their company and the Kim Brother’s partnership and reputation could be jeopardized by the media if they get their hands on the news first.

Yes, she was going to have to get a hold on all three of them fast.

Oh, and while she was going to do that, she might as well need a long chat with Heechul too.

That’s a lot of work cut out for the young woman.

Her phone rang from the coffee table in the middle of the living room adjacent her sofa, and the EPA turned her head boredly towards the rose gold-coloured device, before reaching out to take it off of the immobile table. JuYeon slide the answer icon. “Hello?” She greeted the person without even checking who her caller was. “Hey, baby doll.” JuYeon was greeted by her fiance’s voice on the other side of the line and was immediately swarmed by the fluttering of her heartbeat. “JoonMyun. Why did you call?” She sat up from her lying position earlier, curious as to why the man was calling her just after daybreak. “It’s nothing terrible, but I was hoping we could go out together today. I’m on my way to your house now, actually.” He said, and the younger female raised her eyebrows. “What, now?” She looked at the giant analogue clock above where the little flat screen was fixed on the wall. “Yes, now, baby doll. I’ll probably be there in about half an hour or so.” She heard him chuckled.

“Well, I guess we can, but why all of a sudden?” She stood up before shutting down her iPad Pro and slid it under her arm, carrying an empty mug of hot chocolate to the sink before walking upstairs towards her bedroom. “I knew you were going to ask that,” he paused a bit, “I was hoping to pick a gift for my grandmother. Maybe you can accompany and help me in on that?” There was a slight tease in his tone, mixed with a hopeful voice. JuYeon shook her head as she almost undressed herself out of the grey Rick Owens’ oversized hoodie she loved to snatch from her brother’s closet, sandwiching the device between her shoulder and ear as she rummaged through her closet for something warm to a day out with her fiancé. “Well, I think it’s your lucky day. With everything that’s going on, getting gifts were almost out of my to-do-list ever since I got here. Maybe we can search for them together.” Then she spotted Marni’s black denim jacket with contrast stitch details that stopped her hand from taking off her hoodie before a smile broke from her lips, immediately wearing the denim jacket over it. She just grabbed a Versace skinny and Burberry checkered scarf both in ivory before she slip the holder of her punk-rabbit clutch from MCM into her wrist of the same color.

After spritzing Narciso Rodriguez EDP, she skipped down the stairs in hurry as she was sure the man she was going out with was outside, waiting for her by his car. JuYeon slung the door of her house open. Well, she wasn’t completely far from truth. He was just about to ring her doorbell before freezing mid-action as he caught sight of her. “Morning to you, baby doll. That was… Quite fast. Again.” He said as they stood staring at one another, and then both snorted out in chuckles. He bent down his head for a kiss on her cheek and hand reaching down to interlace with her slightly smaller ones. “Shouldn’t I at least greet future ‘mother-in-law’ before kidnapping you?” He jerked a single eyebrow with a lopsided grin as he tilted his head at her. “You should, but my mother is currently with her yoga friends about an hour ago, but you can see her after we’re done with shopping. I’m sure JaeHyun will pick her up by then.” She said after slipping on her MSGM black leather platform slip-ons with red motives on it  as they got inside his car and all buckled up.

“Hmm, yeah. Maybe I can do that later. Are there any places in your mind?” JoonMyun steered the wheel out of the residence and into the streets. JuYeon pursed her lips. “What do you want to get for your grandma? You should know her preferences.” She suggested, staring at him driving. He flickered his gaze to her figure for a moment. “Well, there were those old vinyl records she loves to collect. But I really don’t know where to find them here in Busan. I don’t know if there are many in Seoul too.” He spoke as the car stopped at a red light temporarily. “Oh! I know a place. It’s not really a shopping mall that you always go to, but I saw the cool old vinyl records when I was exploring the town. It’s right at an old bus stop. And it’s actually a really amazing place for a flea market. When I go there with omma the last time, it was like there was always something that always manage to catch your eyes!” She grinned, then turning to JoonMyun who was gazing at her with amusement dancing in his eyes. Embarrassed at her sudden burst of excitement, the female visibly turn her head away and tucked a few loose strands of her mid-ponytail behind her ear.

“Sorry.” She pursed her lips awkwardly as she felt blood rising up her neck. Then JuYeon heard a chuckle from her fiancé. “No, don’t apologize. This is the first time I see you so excited from your usual calm, and if this means you are comfortable with me, then I would feel happy if you continue opening up to me as I do the same to you.” He flashed her a genuine smile, the angelic one that caught her heart in a stuttering stampede ever since they were in elementary when the young woman didn’t know the very definition of her heart’s unusual reactions at the sight of this very man when they were eighteen years younger. And now, they were both twenty six year olds with responsibility growing load on their shoulders towards their career, life, families – and just about to build their own when they tie the knot soon. The question was: Could they make it through if they took the risk? Her, falling for him deeper than the first as her heart unlocked the door that sealed away her deepest affections and admirations she held for this man without him knowing? Him, brave enough to try and fall in love with her that he was so sure there would be no one else for him just waiting outside?

She didn’t know. But one thing was for sure, JuYeon would hate herself forever for not even trying to when she had the chance to take that risk at all due to her fears. Between trying to work this relationship and future marriage out with the results being his true devotion and love for her or filing a divorce when he found someone else than and not trying to try at all and lose the ‘what-could-have-been’s, the woman would definitely want to choose the former one. Why not when she already failed hard to guard her walls and barriers up to keep him from intruding? Why not when he had never hurt her in the first place? Why not when his eyes told her to trust him with genuine? Why not when he dared to lie to protect her from her own father? Why not when he ended up taking the risk himself? And why not when he was so adamant to learn how to love her and reject for even thinking he could fall in love with someone else?

Why not? She found herself thinking.

“I’ve been hurt enough in the past, JoonMyun. I don’t want history to repeat itself again.” She quietly spoke. “What if I get heartbroken in the end? Where will you stand on that point of time? There is no guarantee that we would even be in love by that moment or at least for maybe one of us. I don’t think I want to be hurt in the end, and I don’t think I can face whatever I did in the past. You of all people should know what I’m talking about, JoonMyun. You don’t know all that’s going to happen.” She muttered under her breath. He said nothing, but then the car sidetracked to the edge of the lane to stop temporarily. “JuYeon. I told you before, I want to take the chance, at first because I want to protect you from that man, but then I also realized that this is my chance to love someone truly as we live our marriage soon, and I really hope so it’s true. I don’t know what will await us in the future, but I’d rather try than not at all. And for what it’s worth, I will explain myself to you what you want to know of so badly, why I did what I did before – things that confuse you. But until I know that you are safe with me from all the danger you are not probably aware of yet, I can’t tell you everything just yet. Not when I just found you. I’m sorry for making you confused and hurt, baby doll. Please forgive me.” He held the sides of her face as tears streamed down her cheeks the moment her eyes fluttered shut, the same moment he leaned in for a kiss on her temple.

Even his words are still so cryptic, leading her to a new hint every single sentence, but not a true answer. Did that mean he was actually in love with her? But JuYeon didn’t want to get ahead by herself with no reassurance. And that reassurance was with JoonMyun who told her to wait and hold on a little bit longer, and then maybe… Maybe JuYeon would unveil the hidden stories and revelations she so badly wanted. And maybe, she would actually get to know his truest of feelings he was so secretive of.

But what he said was true; she was going to have to be patient just a little while longer, even though she was unclear of the current status of his feelings.

“I’m sorry, baby doll. You don’t deserve all this hurt, but even back then when I was the one who could help you, I couldn’t even do so and protect you.” He reminded her of the bitter school memories she had thrown away far from her mind, and she clenched her eyes tighter. “It’s okay. But please, just don’t mention it anymore. I don’t want to rem