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A few weeks before

Hyeji

"What? No. No."

"You don't have a choice. The decision's already been made years ago."

"So why only tell me now? You could've told me years ago, 'Hyeji, we've arranged for you to marry the guy that you don't know! He's swell, and his family can bring us in a lot of money!' I'd imagine I would've been able to grow with the idea if you'd told me before."

"You weren't of legal age years ago. And you know very well that's not the reason you are marrying this boy."

Hyeji sighed. "Mom, I can't marry this guy. I've only met him once; I practically don't know him."

"Enough," Mrs. Lee declared, and stood up. "You are going to marry this man - whether you like it or not - by the end of this month, and that is final." She added extra emphasis on the last word, then turned around and walked out of Hyeji's bedroom. Hyeji, confused, angry and saddened all at once, sat on her bed, shaking.

"Ugh." She groaned and buried her face in her pillow. She was torn by her emotions; she didn't know whether she wanted to burst out crying or shout and scream. But, despite everything, she kept quiet and continued to lay face down on her pillow. She absolutely hated arranged marriages - not just for her but for everyone. But given her current situation, she considered her case of arranged marriage to be a little different.

She was in love with someone else. To be more specific, she was in love with Jang Intae, and she had been ever since she met him. Of course, her feelings were kept a secret from everyone. The only person she had told was her brother, who had bribed it out of her. She and Intae were only friends, but she was determined to change that.

Until her mother announced the arranged marriage.

"Aish, why does she have to be like this, " she mumbled, and covered the back of her head with another pillow. Sure, from the very little that she knew and had seen, the guy was pretty sweet. Park Jisu, she remembered his name. He was actually sort of cute too, she had to admit. His eyes disappeared completely whenever he smiled, and he smiled a lot. But he seemed fragile, and that wasn't her type of guy. Well, not the type of guy she'd want to spend the rest of her life with. No offense, she thought, even if it was only to herself, but I want a guy who'll protect me when danger comes, not someone who looks like they'll run and hide behind me if it does.

Suddenly, a knock on her open bedroom door interrupted Hyeji's train of thought. "Uh, sis? Mom said you'd might need some cheering up, so I came... is something wrong?" a familiar voice spoke from the entrance of the room.

Hyeji uncovered her head from the pillow and looked up at the door, smiling sadly at who she had recognized as her younger brother. "Hey, Dongrim."

"You look really down. Tell me, what's wrong?" Dongrim asked, sitting down on the bed next to Hyeji. "Don't tell me Mom gave you one of her painful lectures because of money issues again."

A soft laugh escpaed Hyeji's quivering lips, and she shook her head. "Not this time," she said quietly, sitting up and pulling her knees to her chest. "It's a little bit more serious than that." Her fingers played with the loose thread hanging from her pants leg, wrapping it around her finger to imitate a real wedding ring.

Seeing Hyeji's state of near depression, Dongrim shifted closer to her and poked her shoulder. "Then tell me. What could be more serious than money issues? Come on, Hyeji noona, I'm here to help."

"I'm getting married, Dongrim."

Dongrim's eyes widened a little. "Already? I never knew you confes--"

"To a total stranger."

".. O-oh."

As if she had deflated, Hyeji's shoulders slumped sadly. Dongrim, still struck, stared at Hyeji with shock. "But noona! You can't marry a stranger, you love Int--"

" I know," Hyeji laughed yet again, but more sadly this time. "Too bad, kid. Mom and Dad already made up their minds." She patted his head and sighed, blinking away the small tears that were forming in her eyes. "There's not much I can do, to be honest."

"But you're a legal adult! Surely there's something you can do?"

"Not as long as I live in this house. Damn, I should've moved out sooner. Oh well."

"But noona..." Dongrim began to speak, but his voice trailed off when he saw the extremely sad look in Hyeji's eyes.

Hyeji managed to smile and shrugged her shoulders, despite the bitterness that filled half of her heart. "Can't change what's already been done, now can we?" She got up from the bed and stretched her legs. "I'm gonna go for a walk. You can go back to whatever you were doing before." With that, she left the room and walked outside, leaving Dongrim sitting alone on the bed.

"This.. this is not good," he said to himself, burying his head in his hands.