It was only 11:00 am in the morning but the sky was already overcasted with grayish clouds that warned the populace to bring their rain coats and umbrella because at any moment torrents of rain would fall down. Park Shinhye decided to walk faster. She loved to think while walking; thus, she remembered what happened to her that morning when she arrived at the faculty room before she went to her first class scheduled at room 205. She was summoned by her department head who informed her that the university president would want to speak with her.

          "Ms. Park, the university president called me this morning and he instructed me to inform you that you have to see him after your morning classes today", the department head of English and Literature Department informed her. Her department head was an amiable woman around 50 years old, 5'5" in height with fair complexion and good body built.

          "Okay, ma'am, I will see him after I'm done with my class this morning...I only have one class scheduled for the morning and the other three are in the afternoon. I'll finish before 11:00 am", Shinhye answered politely before she bowed and left the office of the department head.

          She was jolted to the present when she felt the light drizzle wetting the surroundings. The smell of wet earth and grasses wafting to her nose; thus, she decided to walk faster knowing that the slight drizzle would end up as a full blown downpour. After 10 minutes of walking and running combination, she arrived at the administration building. The moment she entered the building, the rain started to pour in earnest.

          She smiled to herself as she sat at one of the chairs at the corridor. She brought out her floral handkerchief and started to wipe the sweat from her arms, neck and face from her running and walking combination. "I guess it's my lucky day...i avoided being a drowned rat after all. I hope this meeting will also end up fine".

          She went to the comfort room, fixed her dress, applied light make up and combed her long, wavy, black hair. She looked at the mirror smiled her winning smile and energetically said, "Let's go, Shinhye! This is your lucky day!" or so she thought....

          When she entered the president's office. She saw the an elderly woman sitting at the receiving area. She bowed politely. "Hi, Mrs. Lee, my department head told me that the university president wants to speak with me", she smiled brightly.

          Mrs. Lee also smiled and stood; she approached Shinhye and whispered as if giving a state secret, "Actually, he has another visitor with him...the Secretary of Education of South Korea is with him...I heard your name being mentioned awhile ago".

          "Really...what could the Secretary of Education would want from me", she whispered back while trying to supress her smile at how she looked like playing a whispering game with the elderly woman.

          "Yah...you're laughing at me", Mrs. Lee pouted which caused Shinhye to laugh softly as the woman turned her back and entered the president's private office.

          Shinhye was still laughing softly as she sat at one of the chairs waiting for Mrs. Lee to went out of the president's private office. After 5 minutes, Mrs. Lee went out and informed her that the president and the visitor would be seeing her.

          "Ms. Park, don't tell them what I told you a while ago", Mrs. Lee whispered again.

          Shinhye whispered back, "Of course...it will be our secret".

          Shinhye entered the room and bowed politely to the university president and the Secretary of Education.

          "Ms. Park, I hope that you're familiar with my visitor...Mr. Cho In Su, the Secretary of Education", the university president introduced formally.

          "Of course, she knows me...isn't, Shinhye?" Mr. Cho smiled friendlily.

          "Yes, sir, I know Secretary Cho", Shinhye answered simply...she suddenly became stiff and her smile refused to come out. She knew Mr. Cho since she was a young girl but she had not seen him personally again ever since she decided to forget her painful past with Mr. Cho's only son.

          "Since you're familiar with each other...and since she's the reason why you're here, Secretary Cho, I'll leave the two of you to discuss with each other. I'll have my daily rounds at the university", the university president stood and bowed before he exited the room.

          "Shinhye, you've grown up...and you've grown up to be beautiful...very beautiful", Mr. Cho commented as he perused her while leaning on the chair across her.

          Shinhye felt unease with the way the old man was looking at her. The old man dressed in a decent suit...his clean cut hair which was graying slightly  matched his still handsome face. He also had a good body built. All in all, he looked more than okay but there was something about his eyes that unnerved her...there was a coldness in their depth that made him looked like a prey ready to pounce at any moment.

          "Thank you very much, sir. I-I d-d", Shinhye stammered due to her unease; thus, she decided to clear before she again spoke. "Sir, the president a while ago said that you wish to speak with me".

          "Yes, I really want to speak with you about your future", Mr. Cho said casually as he brought out a brown envelope that looked like those being used in the movies for last will and testament. He laid the envelope on the table.

          Shinhye hesitatingly took the envelope. "My f-future? I don't understand what you're trying to tell me, sir".

          "Simply put, Shinhye, we're going to discuss your future as Mrs. Cho", Mr. Cho said in a nonchalant voice as if he was just discussing the changes in the weather or the dollar exchange rate.

          "My WHAT?", Shinhye surprisingly asked...her eyes rounded like saucers at what she heard before she remembered her manners. "I mean...my w-what?"

          "You're not expecting me to marry you, right", Mr. Cho laughed...yet he sobbered when he noticed that Shinhye was seriously looking at him for explanation.

          "Okay...I'm not the one who will marry you, Shinhye. You will marry my son", Mr. Cho said firmly.

          "No...no...no...not him", she her mind screamed. Yet, she remained quiet...remembering how Mr. Cho's son hurt her deeply in the past...how the jerk wounded her...

          If Mr. Cho noticed her silence, he did not give a sign instead he stood and motioned for her to open the envelope. She mechanically opened the envelope and brought out a paper parchment. Scripts were elegantly written on it and at the bottom was the signiture of his grandfather and the father of Mr. Cho.

          "Shinhye, you know that your grandfather and my father are bestfriends...they were both teachers and they dedicated their lives here at University of Incheon...they also fought in the war together. They treated each other as brothers so they decided to make an agreement 22 years ago", Mr. Cho started.

          "What agreement, sir", Shinhye asked in a low voice.

          "Twenty-two years ago they agreed to marry their grandchildren in order to solidify their friendship", Mr. Cho replied.

          "Have you spoken to your son about this, sir?" Shinhye asked amidst her shock and her resurfacing pain.

          "Not yet", Mr. Cho replied as he stood directly in front of her. "But you know he'll do what i want. So the only thing left is to speak with your parents".

          "Why are you bringing this up, sir, it's been an agreement made a long time ago?" Shinhye tried to think of ways to deny what Mr. Cho said.

          "Simple... because it's an agreement and an agreement that needs to be fulfilled", Mr. Cho vaguely but sinisterly answered. "I'll call you again, Shinhye; and, arrange a meeting with you and my son and with me and my wife with your parents", he added as he walked towards the door leaving Shinhye mortified as tears fell from her eyes. She wiped them and went out of the room. She bowed politely to Mrs. Lee as she rushed outside.

          The rain already stopped and she walked going back to the College of Humanities...tears were falling from her eyes. She was promised to be married to someone she despised with all of her heart. Why would this have to happen to her at the time when she was already set to win the heart of the only man she ever loved.

          "Why? Heavens...why did I have to marry him when I have already given my heart to someone else", Shinhye told herself as tears flowed from her eyes in her mind flashed the images of the man she hated and the man she loved.

Hi everyone! I hope i didn't bore you with the first chapter of my story....the man Shinhye hated and the man she loved would be revealed in the next chapters. Thank you very much for reading this simple work of mine.