"Welcome to the 45th Founders' Party. For those who don't know me, I am Park Chanyeol, inheritor and the current CEO of Park Hotels. As you all know, my father passed on not long ago, and he has entrusted the responsibility of presidency to me. I hope to have the opportunity to work with everyone here and the employees at the hotel as well. Enjoy the drinks and food as we wait for the arrival of all the guests. Thank you." Chanyeol spoke the foreign English words and smiled at Haera as he walked off the podium. She returned the smile and turned to Hansoo.

 

"Hansoo are you bored?"

 

"Very. But since auntie is here, Hansoo isn't bored anymore!"

 

"Aigoo, Hansoo you're good at flattery. You must have taken after your uncle Chanyeol, huh?"

 

"What's fattery?"

 

"Not fattery Hansoo, flattery." Haera laughed at the boy's naivety.

 

"Don't bother with him sis-in-law. He's not all that good with words yet." Yura chuckled as she walked over to the pair. 

 

"Where's your husband, Hae?"

 

"He's with his friends." she pointed over to the 12 familiar boys.

 

"Ah, those little rich kids." Right that moment, the tallest blonde turned to their direction and flashed a bright smile. Haera returned it back and gave a little wave. He motioned for her to come over to their little group and she shook her head in refusal. Chanyeol noticed their little exchange and chuckled as he patted

his tall friend on the shoulder. 

 

"I'll go get her." Chanyeol said as he made his way towards her. 

 

"Oh look, lover boy has finally come to save you from this boredom." Yura smiled towards Haera as she tipped her wine glass towards the younger. Haera giggled at her sister in law and touched the tip of the glass. 

 

"Remember you have a child to take care of, unnie." Yura swatted her hands away and downed the liquid. At that moment, Haera felt fingers enclose around her wrist and she turned to find her husband grinning down at her. 

 

"Come on, my friends would like to have a conversation with you." Haera nodded and interlaced her fingers with his. 

 

The group of boys whistled as they watched the couple walk towards them; seemingly closer than the previous time they had all gathered together. 

 

"Oh so you come over when your husband calls but when I do it, you immediately reject me. What a loyal wife you are, Haera." Kris chuckles as he notices her cheeks pink. 

 

"Sorry, I don't think he'll like it if I came at your command and not his." she giggled.

 

"Is it just me or does that sound more than it should be?" Baekhyun asked Luhan with a smirk on his face and the elder caught him in a neck lock. Chanyeol rolled his eyes and put and arm around Haera's waist.

 

"It feels like forever since I last saw you guys."

 

"it's just been a few months, hyung. you're exaggerating." Kai scoffed.

 

"I missed you the most you little kid." He reached over and ruffled Kai's head. 

 

"Aish, yah hyung! you're ruining my hair." 

 

Haera smiled at their brotherhood and looked around the room. Everybody who was anybody was present in the ballroom. She tried to listen in on conversations which were spoken by most of the foreign representatives and her head swirled at the excessive amount of English they were using. 

 

"Oh and by the way, that dress looks smoking hot on you sis-in-law!" Xiumin winked and Chen followed suit thinking that flirting with her was a wise choice. Obviously, it wasn't. 

 

"Come here the both of you." Chanyeol pulled them by the ears and they whined saying how he should be more respectful towards them because they were hyungs and some other pretty insane things. Haera merely chuckled and tugged Chanyeol away from them.

 

"Aren't you gonna show me around?" she whispered to the taller male once she got his attention. He gasped in realisation and nodded as he slipped his big hand into her delicate ones. 

 

"I'll be going around talking to some of the associates. You guys don't have too much fun around here." The booed at him for spoiling their fun and pushed him towards Haera.

 

"Chanyeol?"

 

"Hmm?"

 

"I can't speak English."

 

"That's okay, as long as you have me, you'll be fine." he smiled brightly, showing off his teeth and that tiny little dimple that Haera loved.

 

"Hey Chanyeol!" someone hollered in English and they both started to walk towards the direction of that voice. Chanyeol shook his hand in a dignified manner and smiled boyishly, speaking casually in English. Haera bowed politely and they nodded their heads in her direction. 

 

"Well well well, who's this Mister Park, your date for the night?"

 

"No Mr Whitmore, this is my sweetheart."

 

"Ahh," he smiled in realisation as he turned towards Haera and offered his hand to take. Her hand automatically shot out and he kissed her hand as he bowed.

 

"She's a beauty. What a sight on this wonderful occasion." Haera absolutely had no idea what the guy was talking about so she did as she was taught, to keep smiling no matter what. She smiled so widely her cheeks were about to burst. 

 

As Chanyeol continued talking to the man, Haera noticed people staring at  Chanyeol. And not just Chanyeol, they were staring at her as well. She was being evaluated and she almost broke apart from her smiling facade if she hadn't focused her attention in something else. The way those eyes were scanning her body, was not good. 

 

The people around her were so refined, speaking English fluently. And the couples around her, the women could move so naturally in this world, just like the men they were with. This thought made Haera realise that she was being accessed if she was appropriate for Chanyeol or not. And she was scared to know the answer. Chanyeol turned back to his wife and smiled down at her. 

 

"Now that's done, I'll get us some wine. Wait here." he said as he started walking towards the tables. 

 

Haera looked around for familiar faces and the only ones she saw, were Chanyeol's close friends and family members. Everybody else was  a new face. She turned her head back to look for Chanyeol when a sudden nasal voice called out to her. 

 

"It's you, again." The Jung daughter scowled as she took a step towards Haera. The brunette examined the girl as she tried to recall where they had met before.

 

"I'm sorry do I know you?" she asked innocently even though she clearly remembered that day. The Jung looked utterly insulted as she raised an eyebrow and folded her arms.

 

"I'm Jung Anna, Chanyeol's girlfriend." The last Haera had remembered, she wasn't blonde. Haera cringed at the awfully platinum dyed hair.

 

"I'm sorry-" Haera started, wanting to be polite but throwing her pride away in the end. "-about what happened to your hair. Did you get bleach poisoning? That must have been a tragic experience for you." She bit her lip, putting a hand over her chest. 

 

"Wha-what!" Anna sputtered in shock. Her thigh-short mustard yellow dress almost got up skirted as she threw her hands in the air at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. 

 

"You listen here you fake little ." Anna started, biting her tongue so she wouldn't scream. Haera grimaced at the nickname but tried her best to remain nonchalant. "Stay away from my Chanyeol because you're the only thing standing in the way of our relationship."

 

"Last time I checked, I was the one who received the ring from your EX 'boyfriend'. And if, I sincerely quote, 'a fake little ' stands in the way of your nonexistent relationship, then I think that's one crappy excuse for a ruined relationship. so I suggest, you stop barking up the wrong tree and start looking for a new one."

 

 Haera was furious at this crazy chick who was trying to steal her husband away from her and she decided that if she had to fight for him, she would.

 

Anna's translucent skin was painted red as she clenched her jaw in absolute resentment. 

 

"YOU don't talk big. You can't even speak the simple English language and you expect to be his wife, please. He's better off without you being a big burden to him. Whereas, I'm so much better for him than you are." 

 

Haera sighed at the blonde. She hated bullies and she felt like she was in kindergarten all over again. As she opened to speak, CEO Jung walked over and pulled her by the arm, looking frantic.

 

"I'm so sorry about the nuisance she caused, I apologise sincerely on my behalf. i take back everything she said to you with my deepest apologies." he spoke as he bowed a formal ninety degrees and forced his daughter to do the same, to no avail obviously because of that stubborn head of hers. 

 

"It's fine Mr Jung, I suggest that you see to it that she is lives a healthy life." Haera bowed back slightly as Mr Park nodded immediately. Anna huffed in anger at the way her father was acting and immediately stormed away. Haera exhaled a breath of pent up anger through her nose and started towards the open balcony outside the ballroom. 

 

There were many balconies but only one was vacant, without anyone standing around chatting to each other in a foreign language. She needed some peace and quiet to calm and clear her mind from all the stress the blonde was giving her. 

 

She held onto the cold steel railings as she looked up towards the night sky, feeling the wind against her hot skin. It calmed her. 

 

"Hey," a deep voice resonated from behind and she turned around to see Chanyeol walking over with two glasses of wine. "Sorry I took so long, got held up by a few overseas reps." 

 

"No, it's fine." she quietly spoke as he took a glass from him, downing the liquid in one go. 

 

"Wow, you must be thirsty." he laughed, taking a sip from his own drink. She noticed his relaxed posture and decided against telling him about her little encounter with his ex. Well, at least this time she had the courage to stand up to the girl. And she was one step closer to her life goal. 

 

"Yeah." she mumbled distractedly as she turned her back towards her husband. 

 

"Hey, are you okay? You seem a bit dazed. What happened?" he asked, his voice full of concern as he wrapped his arms around her body.

 

"No, I'm just..tired. Just smiling even though I do not understand a word of the language seems to have taken it's toll on me." She forced a smile but Chanyeol saw right through her. 

 

"All right, when you're ready to tell me the real reason, go ahead okay?" he smiled gently as he rubbed his warm hands over her bare arms. He spun her around and pulled her into his embrace. 

 

"I was tired of talking to them. But when I hug you, I feel calm. As if we're in our own world and I feel happy. You give me the energy to go to work everyday and complete the paperwork my father had left me to do. You make me so.... happy I just can't express myself. I'm just really....happy." he chuckled and she giggled as she pressed her cheek flush against his chest. 

 

"Me too." she pulled away and he looked down in confusion. She inhaled slowly and mustered the courage to look up at him. Her eyes glowing under the full moon. She smiled and reached up to peck him on the lips. 

 

"You don't pay attention to me much at parties, huh?" She asked as she avoided his gaze. Chanyeol was still too stunned to reply. He touched his lips with a slight graze of his fingers and he grinned so widely that he thought his cheeks were about to rip apart.

 

"I'm sorry. People like to make the conversation and my friends are usually here so I finally get to see them after so long and... wow, did you just kiss me?" he beamed brightly and the boyish grin remained on his face for a long time. Haera shook her head and laughed as she started to walk back into the ballroom. 

 

"Hey," Chanyeol called as he caught her wrist. He smiles sweetly as he touches her cheek and even though they were in a room full of people, crowded by laughter and conversation, Chanyeol softly kisses her. 

 

And she loses all of sanity. Park Chanyeol was kissing her and it felt so sincere that Haera couldn't help but smile into the kiss. Chanyeol pulled away slowly as his gaze penetrated through her soul. 

 

She was dead. Brain dead. How was he to know that she would simply die theoretically at this simple act of affection? He didn't. And that was why Haera had to quickly pull herself together, slapping her own face to wake her up. Somewhere in the ballroom, she could hear the boys shout in satisfaction at their first real kiss. 

 

"Oh Gosh." she smacked a hand over her face. "Oh Gosh, this is so embarrassing." she rubbed her face with her hand as if it would rub away the glowing red tint on her cheeks. Chanyeol laughed and pulled her closer by the waist as they traipsed back into the ballroom. 

 

"This has got to be the best night of my life." he grinned down at her as he led her to the dance floor where a slow song was playing. Great. Now Haera felt like digging a hole and jumping into it as she felt the stares of everybody on the both of them. 

 

"Chanyeol I'm so embarrassed, I can't even look at you." she commented hiding her face in his jacket as her arms clung around his neck. He burst out in laughter at her sudden shyness and pulled her body closer to his. 

 

"No, Haera. Don't be embarrassed. Do you regret kissing me now?" he poured as he leaned his chin against her head. 

 

"No I don't regret it at all." her voice muffled by the fabric of Chanyeol's clothes. He pulled back and tilted her chin up towards his face. 

 

"Then lift your head up." he smiled and continued to sway to the rhythm of the music.

 

 There was loud chatter near them and it was no surprise that it was the boys who were creating the big ruckus. 

 

"Did you see them kiss?"

 

"I saw them kiss!"

 

"It looked straight out of a movie!!"

 

"It was really cute guys, don't worry about it. You sure gave everyone quite the show." Suho smiled as he patted Chanyeol on the back. 

 

"You guys never fail to ruin the moment."

 

"Hey! You're lucky we didn't interrupt your intimate little make out session!" Tao complained and Haera palmed her face again.

 

"I'll never hear the end of it." Chanyeol whispered in her ear and she giggled at his comment. 

 

"Why don't you guys just shut up about this matter, if we invite you over to our house for a barbecue pool party?" Chanyeol offered and the whole group whooped in joy before Kris shushed them. 

 

Chanyeol chuckled deeply and the vibrations from his laughter tickled Haera's ear. "Now that's what I call crowd control."

 

"You do realise that you've just invited these people over to our house right?" Chanyeol stilled for a moment before groaning at his own stupidity.

 

"What have I done?"