“Krystal?” I looked up from my diary and a familiar head was peeking into the room. “Are you in here?”

“Oh, uhm, yes…Mrs. Oh” I motioned her to come in and I scooted over to make room for her. “Please do come in.”

Mrs. Oh came in shutting the door behind her. She walked over to the couch and placed herself on the end of the couch, not looking at my direction at all. Instead she was looking at some kind of a binder in her hand. As I waited for her to say something, I slowly tried to shove my diary underneath my bum. I was just hoping and praying she wouldn’t question my weird actions and such.

“Wedding in two days, huh?” Mrs. Oh finally said letting her authoritative voice ring in my ears. I nodded my head.

“Yes ma’am.” I didn’t try adding any funny business. Just a simple, yes or no will do.

“No word from your parents yet, huh?” Mrs. Oh pointed out as she flipped the page of the binder. I gulped. Hard. Oh no…what was I going to say now? I had no Sehun to back me up. No, Soo Yeon, Amber or Kai…She had cornered me into her trap and I got caught.

“I got in contact with them” I lied fiddling around with the skirt of the dress I was wearing. I could feel her eyes burning through my cold body.

“Oh is that so? What did they say?” Mrs. Oh asked. I couldn’t tell from the sound of her voice whether she was buying it or not.

“They will most definitely be here the day of the wedding.” And if they aren’t I could blame a flight delay or sickness or something—right?

The only sound you could hear between us was the flipping of the pages in the binder. What was only a minute or two, felt like a millennium had passed by. Mrs. Oh’s long pause only made me just as nervous as I was around Sehun sometimes, but she had a way of holding it without eye contact. So this is where Sehun got his cold side, huh?

“You said they were coming from where again?” Mrs. Oh finally spoke up. Oh! I remember this lie!

“They’re coming from China ma’am” I tried to say as appealing as possible. “They were there for an exhibition on fine jewelry and—“

“China?” Mrs. Oh nodded closing the binder in her hand and finally looked at me. “Odd.” Odd? My heart began to pick up pace. Did I mix up my lies? No, I couldn’t have…I couldn’t possibly have because—“Last I heard, they were in the Valley.”

My heart dropped.

I couldn’t say anything to defend myself.

She knew the truth.

“Fine little vineyard your parents own, Krystal.” She took some papers out of the binder she was holding and placed it on my lap. “Or should I say… Jung Soo Jung?” I looked at the papers: it was pictures of my family and I when we were still a family. Soo Yeon, the twins, and my information all on with paper, printed with black ink and the official stamps. She had my high school diploma in here, random stalker shots of me out and about in different situations…

Silence. Done. My heart, if not officially, did stop. I can’t believe she found out. It was always a possibility, but I thought getting this far meant that we had made it. I was wrong. Now, the consequences I had only dreamed about—worried about just a few minutes ago were now happening in real life.

“I contacted your parents, and they are expecting you tomorrow.” This was the first time I saw Mrs. Oh smile. “I didn’t explain the situation you are caught up in with my son. That’s more of a personal matter for you to explain. If you decide to tell them about it.” She took out another piece of paper and placed it on my lap.

It was a contract.

Not just any contract.

A modeling contract.

“Now you see my dear, I will look over your faults and all the lies you have spun. Frankly because business is business, and you create good business.”  She pointed at the contract. “You see, your work in our company has gotten other agencies interested in you. I would let you into our Oh! Model Agency, but that would be a confusing cover story now wouldn’t it.” She looked out into the general air as if she could see headlines. ”‘Ex-fiancée of Oh Sehun signs with Oh! Model Agency.’” She looked at me giving a smie. “Doesn’t sound kind, does it?”

I shook my head. The only thing running through my head was the words “ex-fiancée.” This is it. This was really coming to an end. I know I should speak up for myself, but I just couldn’t find the strength to do it. All the guilt was building up inside of me and fast.

“Look Soo Jung, darling.” She placed a hand under my chin to keep my eyes on her. “You don’t have to worry about a thing. I will set you up in a good place, and Sehun will be just fine. Really. He will.” She placed the hand she turned my head with on top of the ones I was clutching on my lap. “Just follow what I have to say for you to do, and everything will be merry at the end all right? I won’t even give you a headline of disgrace…I would but just the look on your face is enough for me.”

I watched as a few teardrops fell onto her hand.

“First off, we are going to make this look like one huge publicity stunt all right? We’ll tell the press that, yes, you were playing a fake fiancée for Sehun to hide the REAL one he’s going to marry. Our publicist can make it look like that, really we have the best.” Mrs. Oh stood up wiping her wet hands with a handkerchief she had from the pocket of her blazer. “Second, as Sehun and his real fiancée get married, you will be on a plane back to Korea to pack your bags and will be sent to New York. I heard you were interested in a certain Fashion Design program at a certain prestige university, and I had just the right strings to pull that for you.”

Mrs. Oh handed me the binder from her hands. “Third off, you are to cut off all contact with Sehun. Even if he tries to come in contact with you, just ignore him.” She placed her hand on top of the binder. “Everything you need to know is in here.”

“Why are you doing this?” I spoke up. Mrs. Oh looked a bit shocked at the words that suddenly came out of my mouth. I even was a bit taken back myself. “Why aren’t you turning me into the authorities or anything? I lied. I could’ve destroyed your empire if all this was found out—“

“It could’ve destroyed you.” Mrs. Oh crossed her arms across her chest. “You see my dear, I’m not as evil as everyone perceives me to be. I’m really a mother at heart... The only best interest I have is for my children, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take care of others, does it?” She placed a hand on her heart. “No need to thank me really. Just be glad that I caught this right before hell appeared.”

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK**

“Omma? Omma are you in there with Krystal?” Sehun’s voice…

“Look, I do what’s best for my family and my company.” Mrs. Oh started walking towards the door. “You are a wonderful, young lady its just—you’re not what’s best for either my family or the company.” She dared to give a mischievous smile right before opening the door. I heard her voice peak an octave in joy, as if all the words she said to me before was happy words. I could hear her making up excuses for Sehun not to come in, but inside my head I was screaming over her voice. Just screaming.

Mrs. Oh succeeded in leaving me be, and the closing of the door made my heart crack into a thousand pieces. As each shard was cutting my insides, I tried to keep myself sitting up as I looked into the binder that Mrs Oh prepared for me: plane tickets, pamphlets on the agency and university I was to be in, and what surprised me the most was not the check of 10 billion won.

It was Sehun and I’s wedding photos that we took.

“Hey…” I looked up from the desk and saw Sehun leaning by the doorway of the restroom. He was dressed in a business suit with a toothbrush in his mouth. I couldn’t help but smile at this view of him: the scene of such a man doing daily routines like everyday people.

“Hi…” I waved my hand at him closing my diary. Sehun walked towards me while brushing his teeth, he took the other and placed it on top of my head.

“Are you okay now?” Sehun asked between the bristles of his brush. I nodded my head. When Sehun saw my face coming out of the room after rehearsal, he immediately knew something was up. Instead of asking straight up what happened, he just kept me attached to him at all time. Usually I would whine and complain to pretend I didn’t want it. But, knowing that this may be the last time I see him… I held onto him as well.

Sehun shook his head. “Yah. You’re lying to me.” He crouched down and looked up at me with his toothbrush still sticking out of his mouth.

“Ani. I’m fine! Really!” I immediately grabbed the brush and motioned him to open his mouth. He did as he was told and I continued his routine. “What your mom said was just touching that’s all.” Lie.

Sehun raised a brow. “My mother giving you touching words? She barely gives me praise when I accomplish something.” He grabbed my hand preventing me from continuing to brush his teeth. “Soo Jung.”

“Sehun.” I pulled my hand away from his and pushed him a bit. “You better go wash that off or else you’re going to get it on your suit…” I pushed him to stand up as I stood up as well. “Kaja…” I took his hand and pulled him into the restroom to the sink. I motioned him to wash out the toothpaste as I started to check myself out in the mirror. I secretly watched him from the corner of my eye. Just watching him: the way his lips moved, the look of confidence in his eyes, the way he wriggled his eyebrows when fixing his hair, or tucking something in here and there…

“Look, I know she said something to you Soo Jung.” Sehun was now watching me fix myself in the mirror. “I’m not going to let this go with you thinking I don’t care about this because I do.”

I sighed. God, what was I going to say? Should I tell him the truth? No. At least, not the whole truth… “We were talking about the future.” That’s not a total lie. We we’re talking about MY future…not necessarily OURS. Together…

“Oh? What did she say to make you cry then?” Sehun asked as he straightened out his tie. I turned towards him and started helping him out.

“Just…stuff…girl’s stuff about being married and all.” I kept my eyes on the tie and not him. “You’re a guy. You wouldn’t understand…” I forced a smile on my face when I looked up at him finishing his tie. Sehun’s face didn’t look entirely convinced, but he was definitely loosening up a bit.

“All right then. If that’s what you two really talked about…” Sehun took my hand in his and squeezed it. “You wouldn’t lie to me now, would you?” Sehun chuckled and placed a kiss on my forehead. My heart dropped, though the fake smile on my face only got brighter.

“I think I’ve lied enough already through the course of being with YOU.” I poked Sehun’s nose then took the lead to walk out and move. “Tonight, let’s not even think about that all right? Let’s just relax and enjoy the time we have while we’re still single!” Sehun gave me a warning look. I cleared my throat. “Single-ish…”

Sehun smiled and caressed my head. “Two more days.” He pulled me towards him and kissed the top of my head. “Just hang on there for two more days okay?”

I sighed and nodded. Really though for me: It was only one more day.

Just one.

As Sehun and I walked out of the room to the elevator, hand in hand, I couldn’t help but wonder how Sehun would react to the whole situation. Would he be one of those guys who won’t give up on finding me? Or would he focus himself on the business side of the prospect? As in, his actual fiancée (aka not me) who will set him up for an even better future financially?

“So, just so I know in advance…Where would you like to go for our honeymoon?” Sehun asked as we stepped into the elevator. He pressed the designated floor button.

I pretended to tap my chin in thought while looking up at the ceiling. “Hmmm…I don’t know…Their probably isn’t anywhere new and exciting since you travel everywhere, all the time.”

“It doesn’t matter where we go…” He pulled out intertwined hands up, planting a sweet kiss, softly on the back of my hand. “As long as I am with you.”

I shook my head at his lame attempt of pulling a corny line. “I can’t with you really.” The elevator dinged and the doors open. We both stepped out and began walking. “Oh! I have an idea!” I turned to him quickly jumping a bit in excitement. “Let’s go to New York!” Hopefully, he would take the hint on this one… Hopefully, he’ll remember this moment when he tries to look for me.

If he tries to look for me…

“New York?” Sehun asked ringing on the doorbell of the door. He shrugged. “All right. I can handle that…” He turned to look at me. “You just want to go there for the shopping don’t you.”

I shrugged. “That and other things.” As in, find me if you can Sehun…please.

“Oh well look who it is…” Kai’s voice greeted us as he opened the door. “If it isn’t the Princess and her—“ Kai looked Sehun up and down. “horse.”

“Yah!” Sehun stepped forward a bit and I stepped in between the two. “Who are you calling a horse?”

“Well, you don’t look like the princess…” Kai retorted. I tried to keep myself from laughing and I pushed my arms between them.

“You two! Really now!” I looked between Kai and Sehun. They’re eyes were still burning with fire and judging at this rate I would need some back up. “AMBER!!”

“Hither! Thou hither here!!” Amber came out wearing a blonde wig and a plastic dress-up knight outfit on a fake wooden horse. “I shall save thee who calls my name!” She posed in the middle of the foyer. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. What kind of friends do I have? Then again this was part of the plan we came up with earlier… Our “lets-get-Kai-and-Sehun-to-be-friends” plan. Hopefully, this would work…

“Amber, why aren’t you ready yet??” I acted out pointing out at her attire. I didn’t know she would go THIS far into being “underdressed” for the part. She took out her plastic sword and pointed it at all of us.

“I am protecting the Princess and her dragon pet from the evil witch out looking for the two!” Giggles were heard behind the door of one of the rooms. If Amber was dressed like this, god only knows what the twins and probably Soo Yeon looked like…

“So, wait, is she coming or ??” Sehun asked looking at the confusing scene.

Kai pointed at Amber. “I kept telling her to get ready!”

Amber shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a er for dress up games!” Amber looked at me giving me a wink and I tried to hold in my laughter.

“Sehun oppa! Kai oppa play with us!!” Haru came out from behind the door. She was dressed in a pink princess dress, one of her mother’s heels, and a long, braided brown wig on her head.  “You can be the princes of the castle!”

“Or more dragons!” Hansol came out following his sister’s steps. He had on horns, fake claws, and messy red lipstick all over his mouth, even reaching his cheeks. “I’m the dragon see!?”

“Or you can take over my place as the wicked kitty witch…” Soo Yeon stepped out from behind the opposite room. Her hair was tied up into two messy, high pony tails and had black lipstick all over her nose, mouth, and eyes with whiskers on her cheeks. “Me-ow.” She weakly showed her evil claws.

Hold in the laughter…Hold it in… “Yah! Amber! I’ll help you get dressed.” I walked towards Amber pushing her towards her room. I looked back and pointed at Sehun and Kai. “You two can wait for us in the car downstairs. Amber won’t take too long.”

“Are you sure?” Kai asked crossing his arms and looking at Sehun with a stank eye. Sehun didn’t look too happy either. Sehun avoided Kai’s eyes and looked straight at me…it was as if he knew what was going to happen. I gave him pleading eyes.

“Yeah…let’s go Kai.” Sehun finally gave in motioning him to come with him. “See you all—downstairs.” He looked at Kai then me and gave me the “I-know-what-you’re-doing-look.” Kai, completely clueless on what was happening followed Sehun out saying his goodbyes. Once they were gone, I heard a huge sigh of relief from all of us.

“Ugh, tell me why I had to participate in this shenanigan?” Unnie looked at herself in the mirror and started to undo her hair.

“I didn’t think you would take it to THIS extent…” I pointed at the costume attire they were all wearing. “Besides, there are some important matters that I have to discuss with you two.” Unnie and Amber looked at me more seriously.

“Wha-did something happen?” Amber asked with a concerned look on her face. Soo Yeon looked at me with the same look; except I couldn’t take them as seriously as I would like, because of the ridiculousness of their outfits.

“Yeah…” I let out a sigh. “Mrs. Oh…”

“She knows doesn’t she?” Unnie finished for me. It wasn’t a surprise that Unnie could tell something was up…

Amber gasped. “SHE DOES?!”

I nodded my head. “That and—“ I looked at my older sister. “She found out about mom and dad.”

Soo Yeon’s face dropped. Not only did I see it in her face, but I could hear it in her heart as well. “W-what about them?”

“She told them that we’ll be there to see them tomorrow…” I began to take off my heels, letting them fall to the ground without a care.

“So, will they be at the wedding then or ??” Amber asked pulling off her wig.

“There isn’t going to be a wedding…” I looked at the ground getting a glimpse of the diamond ring on my finger. “At least…not for me.”