CHAPTER ONE – The First and Bad Encounter

(Jieun’s POV)

The jet-lag still made me dizzy, but now, when I walked my first step on this country, I can feel the warm filled my entire body. It slowly touched my cold heart of the coldness France I’ve been living for five years and it quite delighted for me. Then the second, third, and even the four steps; make me feel that my decision to come back to South Korea wasn’t bad at all. Everything went good until the memory on yesterday filled my brain. ‘Your brother will wait for you in the airport right on two, so don’t be late’

Now that memory haunted my head, and with the fearness, I glanced at my watch. Gasped at how late I am now. It already thirty minutes late and I knew that my only brother hated ‘waiting’ very much.

So, there I am. Running as if some buffalos’ chasing me. The two bigs luggages in my hand and the high heels I’ve worn, didn’t give any impact to slower my speed. I kept running and running, until the unwanted accident happened. Like the dramatic story, I bumped into someone and we both fell down. Everyone stared at us, but then came back to their own business. And the most annoying for me is, the coffee in his hand fell down and soiled my vest.

Then I gave him the best expression I have. “Yah! Don’t you have eyes?!” The coffee actually wasn’t hot at all, but it made my vest dirty, and today I have to meet someone really important, and now this guy distracted it! Actually I’m not the type of girl that would shout at someone I even didn’t know, but I think I’m really mad now.

“Ouch!”

Suddenly, I came back to the reality as if pulled by his groaning. With the irritated look, I bowed to see him and gasped. His knee is bleeding! And I am sure that’s because of our crash each other just now. “Sorry. . . but are you okay?” I asked, lower my tone. He looked at me sharply. “Hey! Are you kidding me?! A minute ago, you yelled at me; and now you asked me if I am okay?!”

His words made me lost my temper again. “You are the one who kidding, sir! I’ve said sorry and worried about you, but instead of being nice, in fact you yelled at me?!” Didn’t know why, but usually I am not this kind of girl. But today, I feel that I am a different person.

“Being nice?! Why do I have to being nice to you, if you not even being nice to me?” He still sitting on the floor, ruffling his bleeding knee. Finally I could control my anger and gave him a cloth from my luggage. “Okay, use this to stop the bleeding and I’m sorry for that, and I’m sorry once again for this.” Before he could speak anything, I stepped his legs and ran again, didn’t mind his groaning.

“Jiyoung-oppa!” I waved at my only brother. He replied my wave and when I approached him, he smacked my head. “Yah! You already late for thirty minutes, young lady!” He said and we laughed. Hugging each other.

“I miss you very much, Jieunnie.” He said as we entered the car. He started to turn on the engine and the car started to moving. “Me too, Jiyoungie-oppa.” I answered, pinched his cheek. “If you feel the same way, why don’t you reply my email? I thought you has lost in France, you know.” He started to chatter again, made me laugh.

“Mianhae, oppa. I was busy back then. You know that the school made me crazy.” I said, as he chuckled. “Mom and dad miss you so much, you know.” I nodded and smiled to him. “I heard that my future husband will come to our house today. How is he? Is he handsome?”

Jiyoung-oppa chuckled. “I don’t know. I’m never see him directly, because he’s in Italy right now. Mom and dad said that he will come back to South Korea today, in the same time with you. But I’ve ever seen him in the photo and I think you will like him, Jieunnie. His face and all about him are exactly your type!”

Suddenly my face changed to redder and hotter than before. “Yah, Lee Jieun! Our parents arranged the married for you! Usually, the girl in the drama will refuse that; but why do you seem very happy with that?” I laughed when Jiyoung-oppa said that. Yeah, my parents arranged the married for me to the son of their bestfriends. Actually I’ve not quiet agreed with it, but I didn’t want to make my parents felt dissapoint at me, so I agreed it. It’s not a big loss for me though. “Umm, eventhough it seems old-fashioned, but I don’t mind about that.” I said, smiled to him. Jiyoung-oppa ruffled my hair. “You have turned to be a good woman, Jieun-ah.”

I blushed and then decided to see outside the window. I bet everyone knew that France is more beautiful and wonderful than South Korea, but I couldn’t even deny that South Korea is the warmest and the lovely place to live.

“We arrive!” Jinyoung-oppa’s voice made me come back to the reality again. I opened the car door and smiled while seeing my house that I lived five years ago. Everything is still the same. Just the paint looked newer, I am sure that my dad painted it, like he used to did back then.

“Jieun-ah!” Dad hugged me tightly when I entered the house. “How about mom?” I asked, worried about my mother’s condition. Her health isn’t too good, even when I was in elementary. “She’s okay. Don’t worry too much.” My father said, guided me to the living room. My mother was sitting there, with two unfamiliar persons. “Jieun-ah. . .” Mom hugged me tightly. I could feel the warm suddenly filled my heart.

“Ohh, and this is your future in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Jang.” They smiled friendly at me. “Annyeonghaseyo.” I greeted, smiled as sweet as I could. “This is Lee Jieun? Wuahh, she’s so beautiful. Our son will like her.” Mr. Jang said, smiled brightly. “Yes! Wooyoung will like you very much.” Mrs. Jang continued, also smiled. “Kamsahamnida.” I said, bowed to them.

Mr. and Mrs. Jang are very friendly to me. Their apperiance and character are very good too. This make me more curious at how nice is my future husband would be. “This is his photo when he’s still baby. Cute, isn’t it?” Mrs. Jang gave a photo of his past. I nodded and blushed. “Yes, Mrs. Jang. He’s very cute. Can you tell me about your son?” I asked, politely.

“Don’t call us like that. Just call us ‘mom’ and ‘dad’. You will be our daughter in-law, right?” Mrs. Jang said, made me blushed again. “Oh, and Wooyoung is a good boy. He’s just older than you by two months and he’s now attending the university—just like you. His mark is good too, expecially in math. He went to Italy for already seven years and today he’ll come here. You’ll like him, so don’t worry too much.” Mr. Jang explained, made me blushed once again.

Suddenly, Mr. Jang’s phone rang and he took it. “Hello? Wooyoungie? Where are you? Everyone has waited you.” Then, I could heard his words. “Sorry, dad. I has a little accident, but now I’m in the taxi. Just wait for me.”

“Accident? What accident?” Mr. Jang asked, a little worried. “Not too bad, dad. Just a little bleeding, but now I’m okay. I’ll talk about it later. See you there.” He ended the talks. Make me blushed. He seemed a good boy and a manner person too. “Now, I can die peacefully if know that Jieun will have a good spouse and good in-laws.”

“Mom! Don’t say like that.” I pouted to my mother. Made everyone laughed. “Yes, I’m very happy right now. Finally our promise to married our children is be a reality.” My father started to talk too, made me smiled. “Jieun-ah, make some drinks to your future in-laws.” My mother told. I nodded and went to the kitchen. Made the teas to my future in-laws. Eventhough it’s a arranged of the married, but I like it very much, expecially when knew that my future husband wasn’t bad at all.

(Wooyoung’s POV)

After paid for the taxi, I walked limply to my future wife’s house. Eventhough my injury wasn’t too severe, but it still very hurt. And that was that annoying girl’s mistake! She bumped at me, yelled at me, then stepped at my legs. Hoped that I would never met that kind of girl again in my entire life. But, I didn’t need to think about it more, because now I’ll meet my future wife.

My parents told me to married their bestfriends’ daughter. First, I didn’t want to, but my dad forced me and threatened me to take all my credits card plus my car and money if I didn’t want to do that. Of course, I didn’t have any choice beside agreed to married the girl I even didn’t know. Moreover, my mom said that my future wife is very beautiful, so it’s nothing to lose for me though.

I stopped at the house with number ‘07’ on the top. Dad already said that this is my future wife’s house. I approached the door and knocked it. A man that I assumed is my future father in-law, then opened the door. “Are you Jang Wooyoung?” I smiled and nodded, hugged my future father in-law. “Let’s come in.”

I nodded again, walked limply and followed my future father in-law. “Just come in to the living room in there. I will take medicine box. I think your legs must be very hurt, right?” Mr. Lee—my future father in-law said and excused himself. “Annyeonghaseyo.” I bowed to everyone in the living room. In there, I could see my dad, my mom, a woman that I assumed is my future mother in-law, and a boy whose not too older who I assumed again is my future wife’s older brother.

“So this is our Wooyoung?” Mrs. Lee asked, hugged me warmly. “Wooyoung-ah, this is Mrs. Lee; and this is Jiyoung, your future brother in-law.” Suddenly, I blushed when my mom said that. “Ahhh, Wooyoung-ssi is look like Jieun if they’re blushing!” Jiyoung-hyung suddenly added, made me more blush. So my future wife’s name is Jieun? Lee Jieun? ‘What a cute name!’, I thought, smiled widely.

“Wooyoung-ah, what happen with your legs by the way?”

My dad asked, as I remembered the pain of my legs. “That’s a long story, dad.”