Her grip tightened on the innocent glass. Oh, how she wanted to scream and thrash around but she knew she couldn’t. She’s not allowed. Even through her intoxicated mind, she knew what would happen if she does that, if she follows what she really want. All her life, she was bottled up inside her family’s stupid ‘image’. Every move she makes, every word she says, every smile she gives, every laughter she conveys were ORDERED. Every success and failure was publicized. Every right and wrong was being watched. Everyone who thinks she got a perfect life; she would willingly walk to each of them and punch them in the gut. Hell, she’d even trade places with them. But of course, she can’t do that. She’s required to be prim and proper. She was never able to show her real self. The Sandara Park that every girl looks up to or every boy admires was a façade. The Sandara Park everyone knew was the image of what her mother created. Ironically, she loves her mother, her family, even if all they ever did was change her, manipulate her and stuff. Yeah, that’s the prize of being a Park. Her mother owns one of the top modeling agencies in the world and a fashion house. Her grandfather owns a series of hotel; her father runs a bank while her cousins got their own advertising agency. As for her? She was nothing but a puppet to them, a fancy trophy to show everyone because of her exceptional beauty. If not for her beauty, she doubts her family would even give a damn about her. That’s why even if she doesn’t want to; she followed everything they said in hope that somehow, they’ll show her some affection, love or even respect. She hoped that somehow, they’ll acknowledge her as HER, not the girl they’ve created. When her mother told her to enroll in a famous fashion school, she did. When her cousins asked her to be the model of their projects, she complied. When his grandfather asked her to be the face of his charity works, she obliged. She did everything they asked of her, even when they arranged her marriage to Ok Taecyeon, her childhood friend. Everything was in set. Her wedding was supposed to be a month from now. But just the other day, at their well-publicized engagement party, the guy announced that he’s backing out, making all of the guests surprised, especially the press. She knew Taecyeon wasn’t the type of person who would let other people control his life so it didn’t really surprise her. What surprised her though, was the thought of Taecyeon ditching her in front of the WORLD.

 

The press definitely had a field day that time. They didn’t care if she was humiliated. She was hurt, of course. But what hurt her most was the look of disappointment and shame in her family’s faces. They blamed her for it. They blamed her for Taecyeon’s impulsive decision. They said she might have bored him or disappointed him or she might have done something wrong that led to Taecyeon’s decision. Her face has been plastered all over the place – from the television, to the internet, newspapers down to the magazines. That’s what led her to where she was now, all drunk in a club with simple jeans, shirt, black hoodie and dark glasses. If anyone realizes who she was, her family would definitely disown her.

 

“One more hic ovher herre!” she called to the bartender.

 

“Meh toh!” a male voice called from the left.

 

She looked to the side and saw what seemed to be a guy. She rubbed her eyes and squinted, trying to see the person in her left but she was really dizzy that she can’t see his profile that much. “Yah! Yah, you!” she called.

 

The guy glanced at her, frowning. “Mee???” he asked, pointing stupidly to himself.

 

  “Yesh. . . .” she nodded clumsily. “You. . . hic. Yoh drunk!”

 

He snorted. “I’m not! You are!”

 

“I’m nhot druhunk, either,” she shook her head. “Why are yoh drinking?”

 

He laughed. “My life’s ed hup!”

 

“Oh!” she chuckled. “Mine toh! Let’s have hic. . . uh. . . toast.”

 

“’Kay,” he nodded. “Toh my stoopid father!”

 

“Yesh! Toh your stupid. . . err, what was that? Oh, never mind. Toh yoh stupid whatevah!”

 

“Toasht!”

 

“Bottom’s up!”

 

“’Kay!”

 

After drinking their respective drinks, Dara slightly moved her body to the left. “Sho. . . hic, tehell meh. What’s your hang up?”

 

“Huh! My stoopid father remarried without even telling meh! He even threatened to disown meh if I continue disrespecting his new wife. Then, we had an argument about me taking my position in the comphanee… oh, I mean company. But I told heem I want to have fun first. We had a fight.”

 

“Oh,” she mumbled. “Lucky yoh. At leasht he pays attention to you. He let’s you doh what you hic. . . want?”

 

“Sort of but with tons of lectures.”

 

The girl grimaced. “I envy you. I can’t even doh what I want.”

 

“At least yoh don’t receive stoopid lectures every now and then.”

 

“I wawd take lectures than. . . hic. . . become the pressh people’s meat.”

 

“Eh?” he ushered blankly.

 

“Yoh shee, I was supposed toh get marreed. I mean, married but my fiancé ditched me. And now, I’m the town’s laughingstock! Stupid guy!”

 

“Stoopid guy!” he agreed, nodding his head clumsily.

 

“I bet if yoh see my face, you’ll hic laught at hic meh, too,” she said.

 

“Ah,” he breathed. “I’m. . . I just hic came back phrom the States sho I dohn’t really hic. . . have any idea of who’s who here.”

 

“That’s good!” she grinned stupidly. “I can take my disguise off then,” she said and pulled her hood off of her head, followed by the removal of her dark glasses. “I’m Shan. . .ah, no, Ssanda-ah. Sandara Park,” she groggily added, reaching out a hand to the boy. Then, she leaned forward for a whisper. “I’m Lois Lane in my past life!”

 

“Jingi!” the guy answered in a high-pitched voice, making the girl laugh.

 

“Jingi?” she asked, imitating him.

 

“No, no,” he shook his head, laughing crazily with her. “It’s Jiyong. Kwon Jiyong.”

 

“Nice to meet yoh Jiyong, Kwon Jiyong hic.”

 

“Nice to meet you, too Shan. . . ah, no. Ssandara-oh. Sandara Park,” he returned and shook hands with her. In a whisper, he added, “Or Lois Lane in your past life.”

 

“How about you, who are you in your past life?”

 

Hmm. . .” he thoughtfully mumbled. “I think I remember something about being William Shakespeare then. . . Clark Kent!”

 

“Ooh, interesting!”

 

Out of nowhere, they suddenly burst out laughing.

 

“HAHAHAHA! THAT WAS FUNNY!” she laughed hysterically.

 

“I KNOW, RIGHT?” he laughed back. “And your name’s really hic mouthful!”

 

“I know, right? HAHAHAHA. Stoopid parents,” she laughed nonsensically. “Call me hic Daraaaaaah.”

 

“Daraaaaah it is.”

 

The two then started laughing their heads off again.

 

“Sandara Park?”

 

Dara looked over her shoulder and fell off her stool as she saw the owner of the voice.

 

“She’s not Sandara Park,” Jiyong said, picking the girl from the floor. “She’s Daraaaah. You heard? DARAAAAAH!”

 

“And you are?”

 

“Kwon Jiyong,” he answered.

 

“I know you!” Dara smiled. “You’re a tabloid writer! How are you doing?”

 

“That’s right,” the writer said. “So tell me, what’s the real reason why you’re fiancé ditched you?”

 

“Fiance?” Jiyong repeated incredulously. “Pft. We’re actually here to celebrate our engagement!”

 

“E-engagement?” the tabloid writer echoed.

 

“Yes, we’re going to get married later, just a private wedding with just the two of us. You see, Dara and I have been in love for quite some time now. And the truth is, SHE DITCHED the other guy, not the other way around.”

 

“Really? Can I accompany you two?”

 

“Shure,” Jiyong waved off. “Daraaaah, let’s go.”

 

“Huh? Where are we going?”

 

“We’re getting married!” he chuckled.

 

“Really?” she asked. “We are? Why?”

 

“Because we’re engaged,” he answered.

 

“We’re engaged? Since when?”

 

“Err. . . I can’t remember! Hahaha!” he laughed.

 

“Hahahaha! I can’t remember being engaged to you, either!” she laughed back. “Oh this is SOH fun. Do you think my family would be proud?”

 

“Of course,” Jiyong answered. “I’m the best guy to marry anyways.”

 

A dark smile came to the tabloid writer’s face. He knew it’s not the right thing to do but this will be the talk of the town for the next days or so. And he, Jung Changmin will be making some money for this exclusive scoop.

 

“Where are we going again?” she asked as soon as they were inside the cab.

 

“You’re getting married,” Mr. Jung, who’s on the passenger seat, answered.

 

“Really?” she asked, getting teary eyed. “I’m getting married?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Will that make my family happy?”

 

“Very.”

 

“Waah!” she suddenly bawled. “I’m getting married! Huhuhu. Mr. Taxi driver, I’m getting married!”

 

“Congratulations, Miss Park.”

 

“Aww, you’re so kind Mr. Driver!” she sniffed. “Thank you. Wait, where’s mah groom?”

 

“He’s beside you,” Mr. Jung answered.

 

Dara glanced beside her and saw a sleeping guy, snoring quietly. “Ya, groom!” she called, shaking him.

 

“H-huh? What?”

 

“We’re getting married!!!”

 

“Really?” he sleepily asked. “That’s good.”

 

“I know, right?” she chuckled and leaned back.

 

~o~

 

There was a dull ringing sound somewhere, making Dara grunt in annoyance. Her head was pounding painfully and she wanted to curse out loud for it. But she knew she can’t, she’s not allowed. If the maid’s happened to hear her, for sure, they’ll immediately report it to her mother or any of the family members. Despite what she feels, she tried to reach out for her phone on the lamp table but there was nothing. She opened one eye to look for it but upon seeing her unfamiliar surroundings, she suddenly jerked up. In doing so, she oddly felt cold. She hugged herself tightly and was surprise to feel the bareness of her upper body. She looked down, frowning. What she saw made her scream for her dear life. She was !

 

“Wha-what happened?” a male voice was heard through the scream, suddenly sitting up.

 

Dara glanced sideways and was greeted by a guy with his hair in disarray. Both eyes went wide. Then his eyes went to her bare chest, making her pull up the blanket to cover herself. “You. . .” she almost cried, stepping off the bed with the blanket tightly clutched around her, leaving the other totally . “You !”

 

“?!” he echoed, putting a pillow on his lower part. “Do I look like a dog?”

 

“A wh-what?”

 

“You’re not even my type! You’re skin and bones so why on earth would I attempt to you?”

 

“How would I know?!” she cried. “I’m the victim here!”

 

“The victim?! Look, if-” he started but stopped as something glittered at the corner of his eyes. He looked down at his hand and saw a ring on his ring finger. Then, his eyes darted to the white sheet and saw a red stain there. A string of curses suddenly flew from his mouth. He glanced up at the girl, who was cowering away from him with obvious fear in her eyes. His eyes went to her hand and saw the same ring on her ring finger. His eyes scanned the room and his brows knotted upon chancing on an envelope at the bedside table. He reached out for it and took out what’s inside. His eyes scanned the whole page.

 

He was married!