"Hey—" Sehun greeted as soon as Areum's eyes fluttered and opened with great difficulty. "Are you cold?"

Areum shifted in the bed, pushing the duvet away, sniffling. "No." she rubbed her eyes and squint, searching for her phone under the pillow.

"Here" Sehun said as he waved it in the air and placed it beside her bed as he sat himself down and took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"Why?" she asked as she sat up, studying Sehun's face then his attire. He was dressed casually; a Hood by Air radar mono top, grey Givenchy pajama pants and a black supreme sandals. Classy yet comfortable.

"I initially thought it would be fun to see you interact with Chanyeol since you seemed really confident with making them like you." he explained, feeling stupid as he did. "It was childish and plain stupid. I wanted you to know that."

"It's okay." she nod. Stretching her hands in the air, letting out a lazy yawn. Noticing him still sitting despite her acceptance of his apology, she pulled herself back and stared at him. "What?"

"If you've forgiven me, I thought you might want to see this." he said as he stood up and held out his hand for Areum to hold. Which she did, but slowly and hesitantly.

She followed his lead quietly, scratching her head, trying to straighten the nest on it. She bumped behind his back and staggered backwards when Sehun suddenly stopped outside the leisure room. The renovation for the room seemed to be done since she couldn’t hear clanking of metal and weird buzzing sounds, probably from the drilling machine.

"Your room." he said as he pushed open the door wider and shift backwards to let her get the full view of it.

Areum gulped nervously from Sehun to the room then back at him.

The room was the exact replica of her bedroom back at her own apartment, only it was much bigger, tidier, new, her secondhand furniture was replaced with branded furniture and the walls were in a way better condition; no seepage, nothing.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed as she slapped her palms to . "This is amazing Sehun." she shook her head in disbelief, taking a look around the room and the pictures on the wall.  "How did you get these?" she asked, pointing at them.

"It wasn't hard to get." he shrugged, leaning on the white desk beside the door. "You posted most of them on facebook and for the furniture, most of them are new since the ones back at your apartment couldn’t be saved.”

"Oh, right." Areum muttered mindlessly as she grazed her hands over the books at the shelf.

"Do you like it?" Sehun asked as he moved away from the desk and stood beside Areum still mind blown and almost oblivious to Sehun's presence beside her.

"Are you kidding?" she cried happily. "I love it. I-it feels like I'm back home." she said, giving a hug to the shelf, instead of the person itself. "Thank you!"

"No need to." he shook his head and slowly but firmly caught her wrist. "I just thought I could do you something so you won't deny to the favor I need you to do for me." he said. Straight to the point, no buttering, no beating around the bush, no nothing.

"Which is?" Areum turned to face him, her eyes moving from his hands on hers, then back to him.

"Wear this tonight to the ball." he said as he slowly slipped a ring on her ring finger. "My father will be expecting us."

Areum stared at the stone with open. "Y-you can't be serious." she jerked her hand away. As much as she found the ring exquisitely beautiful, she knew she was in no way ready to wear something like that. "Why in the world would I wear that... That too in front of your father, what would he think?" she harshly whispered.

"Well, that's the whole point. He needs to see this on your finger or I'm dead." Sehun simply explained. Although the whole marriage thing would be a faux one, it had to seem as realistic as possible so he'd went out to bank to get his family heirloom from the VIP safety deposit box, the ring that ran down their heritage for 100s of years, because of which he got late. "I already told him we're getting married. So, tonight is like the official appearance of us as engaged couples."

"What?" Areum couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden news break. "God, Sehun. What are you talking about?" she pressed her shivering palm over her forehead. "Just... Just what the hell is going on Sehun? Why would you want to marry me? W-would you please care to explain why are you doing this?"

"I just... Need to. You won't understand." he turned around, facing the window.

"Maybe I would, if you would explain." she said gently as approached his lean frame and reached for his equally shaking hands. Whatever reason he was doing this for, it had to be big. He wasn't the kind to do things without any reason, she learnt that just by spending a month and few weeks with him. "If it's that important to you. I would do it. I promise, but just.. Just talk to me." she pled although she didn't know why. He didn't have anything to lose while... She'd lose her image, respect once the marriage would end. But after all his help, Areum knew she'd already become indebted to him the day he took her in. "Will you?"

Sehun closed his eyes and released his hands from her grasp. "I will."

"Are you ready?" Sehun called out as he knocked on Areum's bedroom door. "The limo's here." he said, fixing the collars of his Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo for the umpteenth time. His nerves were getting the best of him, never in his life had he ever publically displayed his female acquaintances but now, all of a sudden, he's going to introduce his fiance, whom he kind of proposed forcefully a few hours ago.

"Mr. Oh," the stylist he hired for Areum walked out of the room and gave him a thumbs up, not knowing what to make of it, he walked into the room, fixing his cufflinks.

"You ready?" he said when he turned around and found her standing behind the full length mirror. "What're you doing Areum?" he asked, tapping his watch with his fingers. "We're going to be la—" his words got stuck in his mouth as soon as she walked away from the mirror and hid her face with her hands.

"I can't go like this." she shook her head and groaned. "It’s too revealing. Look!" she complained pointing at the slit of the gown, revealing her slender milky white thighs. “I’m going to freeze to death.”

"Y-you.." Sehun stuttered, feeling his blood rushing to his face, he cleared his throat and knit his eyebrows together. Suppressing his erted thoughts he turned away and fiddled with his golden cufflinks that matched with Areum’s dress. "You should hurry."

"Let me grab my coat." Areum said, struggling with the train of her dress and reaching for the Halston Heritage black faux fur coat on the top coat rack.

"Let me" Sehun said as he held her by her shoulder and got the coat for her, holding it out so Areum could snake her arms in. "Shall we?"

If it weren't for her make up, Areum was sure Sehun would've been able to see her face turn as bright as a tomato when he suddenly intertwined their hands and lead her down the stairs. Like a true gentleman would.

"Areum?"

"Huh?" Areum turned to face Sehun who sat at the other end of the car fiddling with his shoe laces.

"Once we get off the car, there're going to be lots of cameras. So if you can, just don't act too surprised okay?" he warned and she nod. "And if I initiate skinship, don't be surprised. Also, if people ask us how we met, go with the flow."

"Go with the flow?" Areum tilt her head. "Why don't we just, think of something now?" she suggested, grazing her fingers over the studded embellishments on her Alexander McQueen Metallic floral rectangle box clutch.

The stylist she worked with earlier kept on blabbering about how first impression makes everything. The Zuhair Murad golden gown she made her wear was something that was classy, looked elegant and stylish; showing the right amount of skin. Her hair, made into a messy updo at cascading down her left shoulder.

"How about we met at SNU?" he suggested, making Areum scoff and roll her eyes. "What?" he spat.

"You didn't even go there." Areum explained the reason for her expression. It was impossible.

"But well, our company is funding the institute so... You know, it does make sense. Somehow." he replied, crossing his legs like a boss before pouring himself a glass of campaign.

"Am I supposed to be my father's daughter in case people ask me? Or am I supposed to not know him? Give a brief please. I'm lost." Areum asked helplessly and Sehun couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Yes, yes. You're your father's daughter. If people ask you how we happened." he gestured with his hand. "Just answer however you want to, I'll just keep nodding."

"That was helpful." Areum dart her eyes out the window. They were almost at the venue as she could see a mob of media people pointing cameras at the important people entering. Unknowingly, she started bitting her bottom lips, her hands fiddling with the ring on her finger.

"Don't be nervous." she heard Sehun say before their limo stopped right in front of the flashing cameras. He held out his hand for the second time and she took it, suddenly feeling all her nausea poof into thin air like a bucket of water being poured over a bon fire. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Areum tried her best to not hunch, it wasn't womanly. She knew that much. Occasionally she would greet the people who'd come over to greet them. But the conversation would only continue with Sehun speaking, talking about the various charity events, his thoughts about various new companies. She too would've joined if only she wasn't too hungry.

It wasn't her fault, the stylist had been adamant about her not having a heavy lunch and the mouthwatering dishes placed at buffet.

After Sehun excused himself for a little while, Areum made her way towards the food, eyeing the dishes that looked the most delicious with keen eyes. Suddenly she felt a breath against her neck and she stiffened.

"I see you're wearing the ring." the deep voice said and she relaxed right away. "Didn't think you'd agree."

"I'm full of surprises." she grinned, picking up a glass of ginger ale and offered another one to Jongin who shook his head and held up his own glass of red wine. "You clean up well." she mused. Gone were his just-out-of-the-bed tousled hair, gone were his leather jackets, torn jeans, boots. "I'm impressed." She grinned, taking a sip of the weird tasting ginger ale.

"So do you." he grinned, eyeing her from head to toe and suddenly leaned down to stare at her, almost making her lose her balance as she stepped backwards. "The make up artist did a good job with the cut on your face. You can barely see it." he said. That's what he was staring at? Areum thought.

"Yeah!" she mumbled, patting the perfectly covered yellowing bruise on her cheeks she got that one time she got attacked in Hongdae. "I forgot I had it too when I looked into the mirror." she smiled, taking a few steps forward, Jongin's free hand supporting her from behind as he placed his hands on her back.

"Where's Sehun?" Jongin asked, placing his empty glass on a waiter's tray and snatching another glass of white wine.

"He had to talk to somebody." she shrugged. "Do you know everyone here?"

"Nope, maybe just a few. They're all mostly clients from different countries and just, allied company CEO's and their board of directors. Most successful companies come together in the name of charity, basically." Jongin replied, pointing discreetly at an elderly man chatting with a middle aged woman at the far end. "The old guy? Owner of KBS Network, ing ert. Bet ya he's trying to hit on that poor lady even though his wife is just 4 feet away." he snickered and continued to pass playful comments about everyone in the room, causing Areum to have little laughter fits. Being with Jongin was like spending time with a very old friend and although their circumstances of their first encounter had been trivial, Areum knew at the back of her head that he would become someone very dear to her. Her little bubble got burst when she heard a familiar voice speak from behind her.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Areum's insides turned and twisted knowing that she was now under the same roof of the one man she hated most in the world. "My lovely daughter."

Jongin quickly turned around, protectively gripping her hand as she too turned around and met the face of the man she'd tried so hard to erase from her memories but would never succeed to. Swallowing the lump in she feigned a smile and inclined her head a little. He didn't deserve it, she knew. But she wasn't raised by her mother and grandmother to not show respect to elders whenever greeting them, even if they were s like Kim Changho.

"I didn't think I'd see you here either." she said politely but her voice full of venom. She placed the glass down and carefully slipped her hand away from Jongin's protective ones and gave him a look that said 'I can do this'.

"Well, I did hear from somewhere that you were back in Seoul. How was France? Your mother did an amazing job at hiding you." the smirk on his face said it all as Areum started shaking, her hands clenched into tight fists. “I heard about your grandmother. I’m sorry, cupcake.”

Cupcake

14 years ago

"Areummie, daddy's home. Go greet him." Taehee said as she knocked on her 8 year old daughter's bedroom door.

The little girl quietly and slowly made her way to the door, ignoring her mother's constant warning of not showing a glum face to her father because God knows what'll he do?

"My cupcake!" Changho exclaimed, pulling the little girl into an embrace and throwing her up in the air the, back to his arms. "Were you doing your homework?" he asked as they sat down. All the maids had already started to roll the luggage into the master bedroom when suddenly Changho bellowed in a loud voice. "Who told you to put it away hng?" his nose flared causing Areum to quickly cover her ears with her tiny hands in relfex. "Look what you made me do?" he said pathetically at his maids. "My cupcake is now afraid. Tsk, shame on you all." he shook his head dramatically and pulled out a red envelope and tucked it into Areum's hands. "Daddy couldn't find a gift so, take this okay?" he cooed, but all little Areum felt was pure disgust. Even at the tender age of 8 she'd somehow developed a sixth sense of knowing when people pretended and were themselves. The only problem with Changho was, pretending or not... He was a monster.

"Baby?" a nudge woke her up from her short journey to the nightmare-lane. She whipped her head up to find not Jongin, but Sehun standing beside her, his arm protectively hung around her waist, the other holding her coat. "Are you okay?"

She nod absent-mindedly and took the coat from Sehun's hand to wear it on top of her gown.

"Kim Changho, is it?" Sehun said in a firm voice, reaching out to shake the elder man's hand. "Sehun. Oh Sehun." he said. Giving a loving look at Areum before continuing. "I see you've met my fiancé." She now realized what Sehun had addressed her as was all because of show, pretense and somehow, she felt her insides drop at the thought.

"Fiancé?" the elder man raised his eyebrows but managed to smile, his eyes disappearing into little crescents. The sight of Sehun or Jongin's smiles would send her into cardiac arrest. The good type. But Changho's only made her want to remove her 5 inch shoes and nail the heel into his forehead. "She indeed is very beautiful. Just like her mother."

"She is, isn't she?" Sehun smiled a much more convincing smile than Areum as he slowly reached his hand down to grab her sweaty and shaking hands, rubbing his thumb over the back of her palm. "She seems a little sick. I'm going to have to excuse ourselves from this wonderful meeting, Mr. Kim. I hope you understand." he said, taking a few steps backward, bending down to pick up Areum's train.

"Oh, don't worry Mr. Oh. We're going to meet again." Kim Changho grinned, holding up his glass towards the departing two. "Very soon."

 "Are you okay?” Sehun frantically asked as he stopped her by pulling her wrists. “I didn't know he'd be here too. I swear. He hardly appears at any events." Sehun said as soon as they reached the balcony, cupping her chin to look into her eyes. "Areum?"

"I'm fine Sehun." she waved it off, averting her gaze. Anywhere but his eyes. "We should go back in."

"I can take you somewhere else if you want." he offered, pulling back her hand when she made a move to go back in. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"We're going to meet your father, aren't we?" she asked, stepping closer to Sehun. "I promised you." she said, holding out her left hand in front of her. The ring shining in all its glory. "I never break my promises."

"Sir?" Sehun tapped his father's shoulder lightly. "Sorry, please excuse us." he said politely to the people his father was speaking to.

"Ah, Sehun... And, Miss Son?" Mr. Oh exclaimed excitedly. Grabbing the girl's hand and kissing it. "You look beautiful my dear." he complemented, making Sehun roll his eyes at the corner for his father's way with girls. But in all honesty, he kind of agreed with him on this one, although he’d never admit it aloud. "Let me introduce you to my colleagues here." he said, patting a short bald man on his shoulder. "Mr. Yoon, this is Miss Son Areum. A delightful young lady." he paused then turned to look at Areum. "Dear, why don't you introduce yourself to them?"

"Of course." Areum forced a smile, much more convincible than before. "I'm in awe of how important you all are making me feel when in actuality, I'm a nobody." she cleared slightly, slipping her hand away from Sehun's grasp. "I'm only an SNU drop out. I have no degree, no stable job, yet I'm wearing this expensive designer gown that even my 10 year’s annual salary won't be able to cover." she chuckled. "Mr. Oh here is the most wonderful person for giving me a chance to be with his beloved son who's impeccably intelligent, smart, talented, hardworking and do I even have to mention about his looks because, God! He's the most handsome human being I've seen my entire life." she started fanning herself when she felt her audience widen as everyone started to stop talking. "I... A nobody, I'm just a charity case that people often to only pity upon. But this man right here." she pointed a shaky finger at Sehun, who's eyes were now as wide as golf balls. "Despite my status, he's marrying me. Can you believe it? He's—"

"I'm sorry guys, my girlfriend is a bit... Drunk." Sehun chuckled as pulled Areum towards him, while took a few steps back.

"It's okay." Mr. Oh smiled genuinely, which surprised Sehun but he chose not to say anything. "Go on, take care of her." he laughed, patting his friends on their tensed shoulders. "Funny isn't she?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sehun dragged the semi-conscious girl out of the ball room and checked into a hotel nearby by exiting through the back doors to avoid being clicked by the press.

"What did you drink?" Sehun asked as he helped Areum walk into the luxurious suite. Holding her still by looping his arms around her waist. "I thought you don't drink."

Areum burped as she hung onto his arm weakly. "I... I had a ginger ale." she burped again. "And... And uhm, a little bit of... S-sparkly water? I don't, r-remember."

"That wasn't ginger ale silly, that was vodka and whiskey cocktail with a bit of ginger ale." he chuckled, amused. "How could you not know?"

"I have a cold, remember?" she pointed at her nose then slammed her back on the springy bed. "I ruined everything with your dad didn't I Sehun?" although she was drunk, she seemed perfectly sober with the way she spoke seriously.

"You didn't." Sehun removed ed a few of his upper buttons, slamming his back on the bed as well, landing on Areum's hands.

"Ow!" she cried, pulling her arm away, the stone on her ring poked her skin causing it to peel off a bit. Quickly Sehun took her hand and blew on it, seeing the tiny blood oozing, he put her finger into his mouth, the blood until it stopped.

Seeing this, Areum in her drunk state, got . Slowly and stealthily she moved closer and closer until her free hand found itself around Sehun's hair and smashed it to her face, almost crashing their noses together. Nonetheless, Sehun responded to the kiss, passionately devouring her lips, and nibbling her bottom lips until it got swollen. His hands slowly moved under her neck, drawing lazy patterns on it.

Sehun's eyes shot wide open when suddenly he felt Areum cup his clothed member and a soft moan escaped .

"Areum..." he breathed as he pulled their lips apart. "Y-you should just rest." he said, grazing his thumb over her cheeks now, finally seeing her tear strained face he hadn't noticed before.

"No.. Please.." Areum pled, his shirt. "Sehun." she breathed nasally, but cutely. "Please. I-I want you now."

"We shouldn't." Sehun shook his head as he shot up straight. At the back of his mind, there was a piece of him telling him to not let this go on and end it here. They weren't here to have fun, their relationship was supposed to be strictly professional,  no emotions related. And him being the sober one (since a few glasses of wine didn't affect him, unlike Areum) he knew he'd be the one responsible.

"Y-you don't want me?" Areum asked in a shaky voice as she pulled her knees to her chest. "Y-you don't want me." she stated it this time, eyes b with tears. Slowly, she pulled herself off the bed to bend down and search for her shoes when suddenly a pair of strong arms encircled themselves around her small waist and pulled her back to the bed.

"I want you so badly." Sehun growled ily into her ears, nibbling the flesh gently. "I just wanna rip off your clothes right now—“

"No!" Areum shot her hands on his chest and shook her head with wide eyes. "She'll kill me!"

Sehun knit his eyebrows together as he hovered above her and pushed away the hair on her face. "Who will?"

"The stylist unnie!" Areum cried, while the other just laughed as he shook his head and grabbed the dress from the neckline and ripped it apart to Areum's horror.

Placing a soft kiss over her slightly open mouth he smiled. "If she touches you, I'll kill her myself."

A/N:

*Wiggling eyebrows* y, protective Sehun. Woohoo!

Okay, since I'm a er for fashion and all things related to fashion. I just wanted to show you how the ring looks like.

 

It's simple; with a golden band and cluster diamond design. 

And yeah, if you guys don't like the gowns etc etc, feel free to imagine Areum wear something else.

JUST LOOK AT THEM! *nose bleed*