Jiwon walked in the lobby, her brows still scrunched together. She grew aware of the stares she earned, she paused.

“Should I duck and cover?”

She looked up, Mark was walking towards her with a Starbucks drink in hand.

“Huh?”

“You look you’re out to kill somebody.” He said with a small smile, Jiwon shook her head before taking the drink from him.

“You’re welcome.” He mused before leading her to the elevator, Jiwon shook her head and smiled.

“I just had a bad…day, have you eaten lunch?” She asked as they got in the machine.

“I have.” Mark nodded and pressed the button on the wall.

“What happened? Your parents again?” He faced her.

Jiwon exhaled and bit her lip.

“No, work.”

Mark’s brows went up.

“Which work?”

Jiwon paused, she looked at Mark again and shook her head.

“Why can’t it be like that?” She spoke quietly.

“What?”

“Why can’t it be easy?”

Mark blinked, but he just offered his hand to her.

“I’m sick of this, Mark. I’m sick of trying to please my parents. They never seem to be happy about anything.” She muttered, Mark saw how her tears were threatening to fall, he pressed for the basement.

“It’s tiring.” She said before placing her hand on his, the doors pinged again.

Jiwon halted.

“Ya, this isn’t the~”

“We’re moving the meeting, work can wait.” Mark said before pulling her with him.

“You’re going to get us in trouble again.” Jiwon said as they walked towards his waiting car, she took note of his security detail.

“Don’t worry, we’re not going with them.” Mark chuckled before opening the car’s door for her.

“Where are we going?” She asked as she climbed into the vehicle.

“Away from work,” He chuckled before kissing the side of her head and closing the door.

 

 

Luhan exhaled as he paced back to his desk.

“Ya, relax. Maybe she’s just out for some air.” Chen tried to placate him, his secretary looked on, worried.

“Nobody can reach her, not even her friend Songah. Even her parents!” Luhan stated.

“She’s an adult, not a child.” Chen reasoned.

“People are watching us, what if rumors start again?” He shot back, Chen exhaled and shook his head.

“Anything about her last whereabouts?”

The secretary paused before speaking again.

“She was supposed to have a meeting at TGH’s main office for that partnership project.”

Luhan halted.

“Tuan, again?” He shook his head.

“So, what happened from there?”

“The meeting went on, but without the two executives.”

“Mark and her weren’t there?” Luhan’s forehead furrowed.

“That’s what I heard, sir. But, director Hong’s car is parked at the basement of their building.”

Luhan turned away from the two, he crossed his arms.

“Trace her phone’s signal. Try Mark Tuan’s too.”

“Hyung!” Chen intervened, but his friend ignored him.

“S—Sir, but..but~”

“Just do it. And send it to me after.” He barked before leaving the office.

 

 

“Why are we here? Sightseeing?” Jiwon was confused when she slid down from the car.

“Could be.” Mark mused before gesturing for her to walk with him.

“I haven’t been here in years.” Jiwon recited as she glanced at the map of Changgyeong Palace by the entrance.

“What’s bothering you, Red?” Mark asked as they got inside, Jiwon shrugged and just hooked her arm around his.

“I don’t know, I’m trying. I really am.” She said softly, Mark glanced at her briefly.

“It feels like I’m bound on a leash or something.”

“I thought you wanted to patch things up with your parents after that scandal thing.” Mark said carefully.

“I want to, but I know that if I do that, they’ll expect me to follow them again without saying anything.”

“Is this about Luhan?”

Jiwon paused, her lips pursed together.

“Did he do something to you?” Mark tensed, but Jiwon shook her head quickly.

“It’s my fault, actually.”

“Red~”

“He asked me to give him a chance, and I did.”

Mark paused, his eyes went to her. Jiwon pulled away from him.

“Do..you perhaps have feelings for him?”

“Does it matter?” She replied as they reached the glass greenhouse.

Mark was about to reach for her, but Jiwon had simply walked towards the entrance. His jaw clenched and unclenched before following the girl.

“It does.”

 

 

“Your nose is all red.” Jiwon chuckled as they stepped out of the greenhouse, Mark rolled his eyes at her.

“It is a bit chilly, maybe we shouldn’t have gone here.” She recounted while looking around, there were a lot of families and young couples walking around, enjoying the nice weather.

“Aniya, we both needed the break.”

“We always need breaks.” She chuckled as she noticed at the small coffee shop across them.

“Coffee’s on me.” She stated before taking his hand and pulling him to the building, Mark smiled and looked at their hands together.

“What would you want? Latte?” She asked him as they reached the counter.

“Extra milk.” Mark winked at her before looking for a table, Jiwon proceeded to order their drinks and walked towards Mark.

“They have cinnamon buns too. So I got some.” She said as she sat across him. Mark leaned back on his seat.

“Aren’t you busy? You always end up having to hang out with stressed out Red.” She spoke to him, Mark was about to speak but his eyes were diverted away from her.

“What~”

Mark stood up and yanked Jiwon off her seat, she was stunned as he pulled her behind him.

“What are you doing?” A familiar voice asked, Jiwon stilled.

Luhan was standing in front of him, his shoulders tensed and the look on his eyes were cold.

“Get your hands off my fiancé, Tuan.” He barked, other customers started to stare at them, but Mark didn’t move.

Jiwon bit her lip before moving forward to look at him.

“It’s not what~”

“You’re going to explain for him again now, Won? Can you even hear yourself?” He looked at her.

“No, we were just talking and we decided to~”

“He’s brainwashed you!” Luhan grabbed her wrist, it was only then when Jiwon realized that Mark was still holding onto her other hand.

“Are you not going to let go?”

Mark shook his head at the other male.

“You? When will you ever realize that she wants you to.”

Jiwon glanced at him, her eyes wide, Mark was facing Luhan, his eyes taunting the other male.

“What did you say?”

“When will you realize that she wants you to let go?” Mark repeated, Luhan started to laugh.

“Mark, please, don’t.” She pleaded, but he shook his head at her.

“You’re stepping over the boundaries here, Tuan. I already let you off once, now, let go of her while I’m being nice.”

“What if I don’t want to? What are you going to do?” Mark switched to Mandarin, Luhan smirked at him.

“Do you really want to start this? She’s mine. She’s going to be my wife.”

Jiwon glanced at the windows, she could see Luhan’s bodyguards waiting outside, her brows as she noticed they had brought her car along with them.

Luhan had traced her via her car.

She exhaled.

“Says who? You?” She spoke up, Luhan’s eyes widened.

“You know what, I’m not doing it.” Jiwon shook his hand off her, Mark let go of the other.

“I’m done, Luhan. I can’t do this. You can kiss that partnership goodbye, you can tell on me on my parents, do whatever you want.”

“Won, I’m~”

 

“Just back off.” She stated before leaving the building.

 

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