Do you ever experience of feeling your head spinning due to the unbelievable information that you just heard? To the point that you wished it was just a joke, even if it was coming from your very strict and serious parents?

Yes. That was what's inside Minjeong's head the moment her parents dropped the bomb to her when they were having a peaceful- oh well, it wasn't as peaceful anymore. Right, they were having a breakfast together at their hotel after attending the wedding of their cousin previous night.

"I'm sorry dad. I don't think I heard you right. What was it again?" Minjeong asked and leaning her body to hear her father's reply properly.

"I said, we'll marry you off to my friend's daughter." Mr Kim said, his face showed no hint of jokes.

Minjeong leaned her back against the chair's backrest and looked at her father like he had just grow some nonsense stuff inside his head.

"Dad. This is 2021."

"And?"

"We don't do that kind of stuff anymore."

"Who says?"

"Dad!"

"Minjeong, you are not growing any younger. Look at your cousin, she had settled down already and-"

"And my life is not the same as hers! Let me live my own life with my own decision." Minjeong frowned.

Her father sighed and looked at her mother.

"Dad. This is my life." Minjeong said again.

"Dear, this is for you-"

"This is not for me, mom. I know you both know this too." Minjeong said.

"I never ask for anything, Minjeong ah."

Minjeong closed her eyes and shook her head when her father started to use his soft tone. Minjeong is always weak when it comes to her parents. Her parents have been so loving towards her and were always there for her. She loves them and respect them a lot.

"Just this once. Please, Minjeong ah." Her father pleaded again.

... 

Minjeong could not count how many times she sighed already. She looked at the restaurant's view from her car as she released another sigh again. She agreed to meet the woman that her parents told her to marry. However, she requested that she would meet her first before deciding if she would want to continue the marriage or not.

"I guess, I can't really escape." Minjeong whispered to herself before she took off her seatbelt and turned off her car's engine.

She did not even bother to wear something impressive and only wore something decent enough for the lunch. She came inside and a staff approached her immediately, asking if she has any reservation made in advanced which she replied by mentioning her father's name.

The staff then proceed to lead her to the private room before bowing politely and opened the door for her.

Minjeong thanked the staff and entered the room, only to have her head spinning again upon seeing the face of a woman who once took her whole heart before leaving her with nothing but a broken and empty heart.

"Good afternoon. It's good to see you again, Kim Minjeong."

Minjeong gulped silently, thinking if she should just leave or not.

"Please, have a seat."

Minjeong only snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door being closed by the staff earlier. She sat down carefully, not looking at her who was sitting in front of her.

"Hi." She greeted Minjeong again.

Minjeong clasped her hands on her lap and rub her thumb on her other hand to calm herself down.

"Hello, Yoo Jimin." She finally looked up straight at her and oh god, that was the first time her ex's name came out of again after 2 years.

Jimin smiled at her and Minjeong had to admit that her smile is still the most beautiful smile she has ever seen which never fails to make her fall for her. Minjeong's heart felt the familiar ache after seeing Jimin's smile.

"You remember me." Jimin said.

"Hm." Minjeong nodded her head slowly.

"How are you-"

"Do you know that it was me?" Minjeong asked, cutting her off.

"Pardon?"

"The girl you're going to marry. Do you know that it's me?" Minjeong asked again.

"Yes." Jimin answered, loud and clear.

"And you agreed?" Minjeong asked, her brows furrowed.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I-"

"We broke up. You broke up with me. So why do you want to marry me?"

Jimin's heart was beating faster. This Minjeong in front of her is not the same Minjeong who used to be soft on her. This current Minjeong was cold. Well, she cannot blame her though. After all, she broke her heart before.

"The same reason you agreed to meet me here." Jimin said.

"I came to see if the person is worth it or not since my parents insisted on this arrangement." Minjeong replied.

"Oh. Um, well... I don't have any problem with this arrangement our parents had set up for us."

"But I do."

Jimin sat up straight and looked at Minjeong with concern.

"Are you- no. Do you not want this marriage?" Jimin asked.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Minjeong asked in disbelieve.

"Did you forget the part that we broke up long time ago?" Minjeong asked.

"I know. I remembered everything, Minjeong ah."

Minjeong looked away. She hate the fact that she still like the way her name rolled off her tongue.

"But I am still willing to marry you for our parents." Jimin told her. That's a lie. Jimin would throw tantrums if it was someone else but this is Minjeong, her Kim Minjeong.

So when her parents told her who's the person she's marrying, she agreed right away.

"Well. Unfortunately, I am not willing." Minjeong said.

"First, we got history. Second, I don't want to marry anyone due to family arrangement. Third, this is just absurd." Minjeong added.

Jimin ignored the ache in her heart hearing the words coming from Minjeong.

"We do not need to marry each other right away." Jimin said.

"Then what is your plan?"

"We can hang out together again and I don't know, to see if we can... You know." Jimin shrugged.

Minjeong sighed, again. She looked elsewhere as she bit her bottom lip. 

"Don't you even have someone? Anyone?" Minjeong asked.

"No."

"This is not right, Jimin."

"We can-"

"Look. Listen. Like I said, I'm not really agreeing to all of this. So, how about this... You do your own thing and I do mine."

"Uh, okay. And then?"

"3 years."

"Huh?"

"I said, give it 3 years."

"What?"

"Within 3 years, I want us to continue our life like usual. There's no you in my life and there's no me in yours. Then, if we were to meet someone and fall in love, we should cancel this arrangement and tell our parents. But, if after 3 years, we still cannot find anyone then I'll agree to this. I'll marry you."

Jimin blinked her eyes as she thought hardly of what Minjeong just said.