Sulli

I gave my best friend the silent treatment on the way to the café. “Come on Jin, don’t do this to me.”

“You know you can always refuse their invitation. The whole idea is just so weird for me.” When I finished playing the piano, I thought I was safe already but as soon as Yoona accepted Krystal’s invitation for coffee I feel like someone just buried me alive. It’s awkward already to meet your fiancé with his girlfriend and having an actual conversation with them together is just way out of my league right now. “You owe me big time for tonight Yoon.” She just smiled and thanked me for putting up with her crazy idea.

When we arrived at the café we saw Minho and Krystal sitting on a couch near the window. “I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty to order drinks for the two of you. Is there anything else you want to add in the order?” he asks us. “But Jin doesn’t drink coffee” Yoona answered him. “Don’t worry, I ordered tea for her.” I feel a sudden swell inside my heart, he remembers.

During our text conversation this afternoon, he asked me why do I don’t drink coffee? It’s not that I don’t drink at all but when I was living in England I used to spend time having afternoon tea with friends.

Yoona took the seat beside the window leaving the seat in front of Minho the only choice I have. Krystal went after me for like an hour, she asked questions after questions after questions. Maybe she just wanted to know me better or probably sizing me up so she can plan how to get me in the future. I never really talk about business outside the office so I carefully dodge her questions about me, my career and the company. Minho must have noticed my aversion in her girlfriends question because he suddenly cuts in the conversation.

“Mom didn’t tell me you can play the piano,” he said.

“You should see her play the drums, she’s amazing!” Yoona answered him with a mischievous smile on her face. I suddenly felt sorry for Krystal, when Yoona smiles like that I know she’s already pissed off or irritated because of Krystal’s continuous attack on me. Ever since we were young, Yoona and I encountered numerous women who are either jealous or just want to get the better of the two of us. Over the years, we mastered the art of attack and defense in situations like this. Between the two of us I have been more on the defense side, receiver of the blows because I exercise more patience than Yoona. Yoon being a lawyer is more aggressive and heartless than me in this kind of situations, so as much as possible I try to fix things my way because if not, it usually gets out of hand when we do things her way. I just smiled as my best friend continues to praise and complement in front of Minho’s girlfriend. I saw Krystal’s eyebrow shot up the ceiling and I know Yoon did too, if I don’t do anything I’m afraid tonight’s meeting would turn out to be an ugly fight between the two.  I thought it’s ironic though, because I’m the one marrying his boyfriend but it seems she made an enemy out of my best friend instead.

My phone rang breaking the heated conversation, I excused myself to answer the call and look at Yoona with a you-better-behave king of look, and she nodded and quietly got back in drinking her coffee. Relieve to get away from the two I answered the phone.

“Where the hell are you? I’ve been calling you guys for like two hours now!” I don’t need to ask who the caller is.

“When did you get back and why didn’t you tell us? We could have picked you up at the airport!”

“I wanted to surprise you but I forgot to check on your schedule with your secretary.”

I hung up the phone and went back to the table. “I’m sorry but I’m afraid we have to go now” I said looking at the couple. Yoona looked at me looking for answers, “He’s back, he’s already waiting for us” I said.

Minho

When Sulli’s phone rang, she excused herself and looked at Yoona. I thought Yoona and Krystal would continue bickering with one another but Yoona kept quiet and continue drinking her coffee.

I don’t know why but Krystal’s been acting really weird the entire night. I was surprised when she invited them for coffee, it’s awkward but they’ll be seeing each other in the future so might as well let them be acquainted with one another.

I can see Sulli’s awkwardness towards Krystal’s line of questioning, but she still answered her questions briefly but still politely. I was getting annoyed at Krystal’s continuous attack on her so I suddenly said, “Mom didn’t mention you can play the piano” but instead of Sulli, Yoona answered me. “You should see her play the drums, she’s amazing!”It’s true, mom never mentioned it. When my parents are convincing me to accept the marriage my mom visited me at my clinic…

Flashback

“Mom, I said that I need time to think about this… It’s just too much to take.”

“Son, you should meet her first Mr. Lee’s daughter is different.” How can she be different? I thought to myself. She’s probably one of the socialites who party and shop all day, seven days a week. My mom took out her phone and showed me a picture. The girl in the photo is smiling and her face and shirt is covered with dirt, but she still looks beautiful even in simple clothes and no makeup.

“Isn’t she pretty? I’m sure my grandchildren will look so adorable and pretty if girl and of course handsome if it’s a boy.”

“Mom!” I said, putting a stop in her day dreaming.

“You can listen to me or not but I’m not leaving your office until I finish my piece about her.” I gave up and went back to my desk. “Fine, I’m listening.”

“Her name is Lee Sulli, but her birth name is Lee Jinri, they say that only her close friends can call her Jinri.” I wonder why she is using a different name, I thought suddenly. “Her parents sent her to a boarding school in England; she graduated at Oxford with a master’s degree of Business Management. After studying, an American company offered her a job in New York, that’s where we officially met her. Would you believe that a billionaire’s daughter only owns a small apartment in New York, she can clearly afford buying a condo unit or a much bigger place. She doesn’t have any helpers and uses public transportation when going around the city. She completely refuses any help from her father. Her parents eventually convinced her to come back in the country to run the family business. Ever since she came back, she attended only a handful of social gatherings, Mrs. Lee said that her daughter never liked being watched by the public.

After hearing all this, I felt a hint of curiosity lingering inside my head. Maybe she’s so bad at all; unfortunately I already have Krystal in my life.

End of flashback

I snap back to reality when Yoona stand up beside Sulli. “I’m very sorry for leaving in a hurry but Yoona and I really need to go” she said. “Thank you for the coffee Minho and it was really nice meeting you Krystal; I hope to have another chat with you some other time.”

As soon as Sulli and Yoona are out of the café. “Krystal, I know you’re mad about this arranged marriage but you don’t have to act that way towards her.”

“Now you’re angry at me for irritating your fiancé?” she emphasis on the word fiancé. I looked at her with complete astonishment. I can’t believe she’s acting like this. “I think I better send you home, this conversation is going nowhere.”

“Never mind, I’ll just take the cab!”

I met Krystal at school, unlike others Krystal worked her way to achieved what she has right now. Her parents can’t afford to send her to medical school so she worked really hard to get a scholarship grant in medical school. Our friends set us up together and eventually end up dating. The difference in our social status was never an issue for my parents and they never said anything against her but I know that they never like her for me.

I was almost at home when I received a text message from Krystal.

“Minho, I’m very sorry for the way I acted tonight. I’m just jealous because you will marry her while I wait for you with uncertainty in my heart. I’m just afraid to lose you to someone like her.” I didn’t reply to her text, I was really pissed off and very much disappointed for the way she acts this evening.

When I arrived at my apartment, I was torn between the idea of texting Sulli or going to her apartment but thought that she wasn’t probably at home yet so I just texted her.

“Sulli, I’m very sorry for the way Krystal acted this evening. I hope you can understand her.”

I patiently waited for her reply but it’s already one in the morning and still no reply from her. When I woke up in the morning, I was hoping that she already replied to my text last night but still no reply from her. It’s already ten in the morning so I decided to go to her apartment and personally apologize to her.

***Sorry for a not so good chapter, I promise to make it up to you all next time. Looking forward to read your comments! thanks!***