SeungHyun's POV

Everyone was silent for a few seconds.  No one could react to what SeungRi suggested.   

I simply didn't know what he was doing, but I played along, "I'm OK with the idea.  But the ladies have to agree as well."  I turned to look at Hilary while she looked at me with wide-eyes.

CL clapped her hands and said, "I agree.  I think it will be fun.  We get married at the same time.  We pregnant at the same time.  That way we can take care of each other along the way.  I like the idea."

"Honey, babies are not something you can make as you wish.  I'm not quite sure about the part being pregnant at the same time." SeungRi still hung on to mother and didn't let go.

"Oh..."  CL shrugged with a smile.

Father grabbed mother's hand and smiled, "I think it's a very good idea.  What do you think, dear?"  He gave her a squeeze on the hand and looked her in the eyes.  I could see that mother's eyes softened right away.  Mother loved father very much and never once stood against any decision father made.  She would follow if father requested her so.

Father took out a little red box from his pocket and opened it.  It was a diamond ring.  A huge one.  I would guess a 10-carat diamond there in his hand.  Father took the ring out and slid it on mother's finger.  I could see tears formed in her eyes.

"Dear!" Mother said softly.

Father gave her a peck on the cheek and said, "Happy Birthday!  And thank you for giving me two precious sons."  He smiled at her gently.  A tear fell down mother's cheek while she choked in tears and couldn't speak.

SeungRi hugged mother tightly and said, "Mom, I love you!  Happy Birthday!  You are best mother on earth!  You deserve a tiara for that.  Dad, you know what to do!"

Father chuckled, "Well, I'll ask Kim Biseo to take care of it."

Mother giggled and pushed SeungRi away, "I'll be much happy if you don't do anything to upset me."

SeungRi threw her hands up in the air and said, "I have done nothing to upset you for a lonnnng time, OK?  I mean, I've been a good boy lately.  Thanks to you-know-who!"

CL blushed all over and hit him on the arm.  I couldn't help but smile at them.  I glanced at Hilary and found her eyes filled with tears.  I wanted to hug her close so badly, yet I dared not do so in front of mother.  I knew how she felt.  Seeing CL being accepted by mother while mother resented her, she must have felt terribly upset.

"Mother, Happy Birthday!" I said with a smile.  Mother looked up at me and then at Hilary.  Hilary dared not look up at all.

Mother threw me another glance and said, "Well, if you two really want to get married at the same time, we should probably look for a date."

Hilary and I looked up at her at the same time.  Mother gazed at us both and said to Hilary, "One more chance.  If you fail me again, I will never forgive you.  Clear?"

Tears poured down Hilary's cheek as she nodded her head with a big smile.  I smiled and said, "Thank you, mother!"

The corner of mother's mouth slightly curved up as she looked at father.  Father leaned close to her and gave her another kiss on the forehead, "Thank you!"

I looked at SeungRi and said without sound, "I love you, brother!"

"OMG!  Brother, what did you just say?  Say it out loud!  I want to hear it!  Man, you have to say it out loud in front of everybody, at least once in your life.  Say it, brother!" SeungRi jumped on his feet and said.

I smirked, "Not a chance!"

"HYEONG!"

CL pulled him by his sleeve and asked softly, "What did he say?"

Mother looked at him and asked too, "Did SeungHyun say something?"

SeungRi fell into his chair and looked at me, "HYEONNNNG!"

I shook my head with another smirk and turned to Hilary to give her a kiss on the forehead.

"ARGHHHHH.....   MOM!" SeungRi whined.

"What?  What did he just say?" Mother asked.

SeungRi let out a heavy sigh, "Forget it!  He will say it out loud one day.  I'm sure!"

I chuckled.

*  *  *

Hilary's POV

Everything still seemed so unreal.

I felt like this was all a dream, that I would realize none of these actually happened when I woke up tomorrow morning.

The birthday dinner went alright at the end.  Willingly or not, Mrs. Choi finally approved us.  I was overwhelmed with the joy and sense of relief when she said she would give me one last chance.  I was so grateful to Choi Hwaejang and SeungRi.  Without their kindess and effort in persuading Mrs. Choi, she wouldn't have agreed to give me the chance.

"Are you alright?" SeungHyun held his steps and pulled me towards him as he asked me.

I looked him in the eyes and put my hands on his chest, "Tell me!  Am I dreaming?"

He chuckled, "Do you want me to pinch you?"

I pouted, "No!"  I pushed him away and just when I was to turn around to walk away, he pulled me back and kissed me on the lips.

SeungHyun slid one arm around my waist and pulled me super close to himself, while the other hand cupping my face as he kissed me deeply.  I closed my eyes and kissed him back.  In the middle of the street.

*  *  *

A month later.

Rumors about SeungHyun and I getting married spread in our circle in the past couple days.  No matter how hard we tried to keep a low-profile, people somehow still found out and rumors spread.  Gossips about the uniting of ShinHwa and T.O.P by marriage flooded the internet before our public relations team could do anything about it.  We were forced to make an official statement on our marriage immediately to straight things out.

"I don't want this." I threw the papers on the coffee table and walked towards my desk.

DaeSung followed me to the desk and said, "I know.  But you have to."

"NO!  I do not have to.  It's my marriage.  My life.  Don't I have a say on what should be done?  Why do I have to issue a statement on my engagement?  Why do I have to tell the whole world I'm getting married?  This is non-sense."  I was furious about the idea.  And mother has been urging me to give the statement or else she would do it for me.

DaeSung let out a heavy sigh and said, "EunHi, I don't want to say this.  But, you know this would happen someday.  You know who you are and you just can't get away from it.  Especially you are marrying Choi SeungHyun.  Haven't you realized that both of you are just not anybody?"

I threw him a sharp glare and threw myself onto the chair.  I didn't know what to say for he was right in every bit of what he said.

He sat down in front of my desk and continued, "EunHi.  Sis.  Being stubborn about it will get you nowhere.  There are only two ways of doing this.  One, you and Choi SaJang issue a statement together.  Two, you two issue your own statement.  A or B.  Simple as that."

"I want C." I said bluntly.

He let out a laugh, "And what is that?  You want your mother to do it for you?  Or you want the Group to issue one on your behalf?  Oh, that would be D."

"OPPA!"

He laughed, "See?  There's only A or B.  And since both of you don't want your marriage to tie with business, the only choice left would be B.  You issue your own statement."

I let out a heavy sigh and said, "Meaning I don't have a choice after all?"

DaeSung drew his brows together a little and answered, "Well, you can say that.  I mean, it's just a statement.  If you don't want to write it yourself, I can do it for you.  I already thought of a few things to say."

I raised my eyes at him and asked, "What few things?"

He cleared his throat and smiled, "Well, listen carefully.  I, Kim EunHi, hereby issue this statement on my engagement to Choi SeungHyun.  There have been a few rumors about Choi SeungHyu and I are engaged.  Therefore, I am issuing this statement to address the issue.  SeungHyun and I met.  We fell in love.  We had our differences.  We had fights and we made up.  We went through ups and downs together.  We overcame the obstacles on the way and finally reached to a stage that we decided to take a big step forward.  To become one and to build a family together.  Simple and pure as that.  Without any other reason nor influence, but only love.  Please give us your kind ble