“What happened here?!” a familiar voice asked aloud. I turned around to find my mother making her way through the crowd to get to the scene. “This is supposed to be Jiyeon’s party, what are you boys up to? Why is there blood on the floor? What was this fight about?”

“Mom…” I mumbled as I shook my head subtly.

“I apologize to you ma’am. I provoked him, it was my fault.” Kai said all of a sudden shocking the people that were involved. I looked at Chanyeol to see him hardly controlling his anger.

 
“Alright, the party is over. Everyone should return home now, it’s late and you have school tomorrow.” My mother demanded as she noticed that everyone was staring. It wasn’t like she could stop them from gossiping about this.

 “The little fighters and the witnesses can stay. I will have a word with all of you.” She spoke before she left to show the guests their way out.

“You’re bleeding.” I turned my attention to Kai and stepped towards him. 

“It’s alright, I’m alright.” Kai said as he saw how concerned I was.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into him and—“

“You do realize that I can hear you, right?” Chanyeol spoke harshly.

“You should be the one to apologize. You had no right to do this to him. Look at him! Are you out of your mind?” I responded with the same tone in my voice.

“Watch it. Your mother doesn’t intimidate me. Her presence here won’t retain me from hitting him again.” His reaction made my blood boil. 

“Chan, stop this. We told you we will look after her and she was just flirting around! Nothing that’s abnormal for a party!” Chaerin broke out in frustration.

“Aish, I shouldn’t have told her that you were away with another girl. Both of you are ridiculous. You know each other since yesterday morning and you behave like jealousy has taken over all of your senses.” Drunky Baekhyun spoke as he played with his bottle of alcohol. 

“Baekhyun, shut up.” Chanyeol groaned and quickly grabbed my arm dragging me after him.

“Do you even have a limit, Chanyeol?!” we heard Kai yelling at us from behind. I struggled to release my arm from Chanyeol’s strait but he didn’t let go until we were out on the hallway, just the two of us.

“How drunk are you?” Chanyeol hit the wall in anger making me jump.

“It’s none of your business what I’m doing! I don’t belong to you and you won’t have any control over me like the elders! I can promise you that. So stay out of my way with all of your stupid and childish games! You deserve what I did to you out there, but I didn’t think that you would take your anger out on Kai just like that.” 

“I’m going to kill Baek—“

“No, you aren’t. Just because we are now engaged, that doesn’t mean we can’t flirt or mess around. It doesn’t make any sense, I know, but you said it earlier.” I spoke as I noticed the confused look on his face. “Shall I find the girl you left me for? And pull her hair out? You said you don’t want me around Suho, but I’m letting you know that I will be friends with whoever I want. Just because we are talking that doesn’t mean I caught feeling for him, even if I did, it shouldn’t concern you. I felt sorry for what he did to you, but you said it’s been a long time since then, so grow up and move on and stop bully him. Kai is a different story and you seem to know each other.” 

“Why do you have to be so stubborn and narrow minded? Can’t you just shut up for a minute and hear me out? You only know how to jump to conclusion and you barely have any information.” Chanyeol replied desperately.

“Hear you out? I don’t need to hear you out because I don’t care where you’ve been! Let’s just follow your advice and do what the elders tell us to. Huh, what moment you see me under you, next second you leave and find another girl, and then you break my dance partner’s face. You’re nuts!” I complained loudly.

“Jiyeon!” I heard my mother calling me. “The chauffeur is ready to drive us home.” She said as she walked near us.

“Jiyeon’s mother?” Chanyeol questioned her curiously.

“Yes, I’m Lee Hee Jin. I’m sorry if she caused you any trouble, Chan. It’s my mistake I didn’t prepare her for this.” My mother replied causing me to gasp. “No more words Jiyeon, I will explain everything you need to know later.”

“What more do I need to know? I’m already fed up with everyone! You’ve been letting me down since we moved here mom!” I yelled as I spotted Chaerin, Baekhyun, Kai and Jiyong running to us. I was going insane, and fast. 

“Stop screaming, you’re making a scene! How much did you drink? This is not you reacting, but the alcohol.” My mother spoke as she grabbed me by my arm.

“With or without alcohol, I’d still behave like this! Mom, I am begging you, send me back to the US. Let me go back! Mom!” I implored as my tears were already trickling down my face.

“Shall I walk her to a suite? Perhaps going home isn’t the best idea for her now that she is in this state of mind…” Chanyeol proposed.

“You… keep your mouth shut!” I screamed at Chanyeol causing everyone else to startle. I looked around to see everyone with a worried expression on their face. I was losing it, and I was losing it completely.

“Jiyeon, calm down…” I heard Kai as he and Chaerin came by my side.

“Aish, you again. You really can’t keep your hands off her, the hero gentlemen of the night.” Chanyeol spoke to Kai in a sarcastic way and my mother walked to Chan to whisper something into his ear.

“Is this why you said that my mother doesn’t intimidate you? It’s because she’s on your side!” I yelled again defeated by paranoia.

“Home, immediately!” My mother responded. Without any other words she grabbed my wrist and dragged me against my will to the exit of the hotel.

“Let go of me, mom! Let me go!” I struggled and released myself from her strait, but she slapped my face making me cringe.

“We are going to talk about this tomorrow morning, when you’re awake!” She argued as we stood near the car that was ready to take us home.

“I will never be awake enough for this. There’s so much to talk about, and a big nothing at the same time. Chan told that everything was planned to get us back to Seoul. That huge opportunity of yours was made up by your parents, did you know that? I’m lost. Why would you come back here knowing that they will break you and father up? Or you missed home and luxury so much, that you basically sold your own daughter to a rough destiny? Am I the payment so they won’t get you divorced? I found out that you and Chanyeol’s father should have been married, but you fell in love with another man and got pregnant, didn’t you? And you wanted to marry him and you couldn’t do that here. Am I right?” I spoke numbly as I stared at her.

“You nailed it. Jiyeon, listen. Your father and I love you. I want you to be happy—“

“Oh my God stop! How can you even mention the word “love” in this situation? You’re all insane here! How could you agree to get your daughter engaged to a stranger for money? Who are you? What did grandfather did to you?” I replied as I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing.

“Is Chan really that bad? Why don’t you want to get to know him? I heard the conversation between you two, do you really believe that he took another girl to a room? The way he looks at you… Let’s just go home and get you in bed. We will sort everything out sweetheart, just give it time.” She spoke gently as she tried to calm me down.

“There’s nothing that has to be sorted out, mom. I don’t need time, what I need is this engagement to be abolished. Did you think that I will remain still when I found out? You were the cause of this, now fix it.”

“You sounded so selfish—“

“Me? I am selfish? Aish, I am disgusted.” I gave up the argument and started to walk toward the cabs.

“Where are you going?” my mother yelled after me.

“I will take a cab, I don’t want to be near you right now.” I wobbled on my way but she ran after me and pulled me inside the car with the driver’s help against my will. My mind was a total mess and I was lost in numbness as the limo accelerated. I only heard my mother mumbling something but I couldn’t focus on her soft words as I fell unconsciously in a deep sleep.

Next day I woke up in the noon with the most painful headache. I stared at the ceiling feeling deaden due to the incidents that happened yesterday night. As my numbness was fading away, I was beginning to remember everything. The announcement about my engagement that shocked me completely, Chanyeol’s behavior and our almost-kiss, the laughs and my hot dance with Kai followed by the fight, my mother taking Chan’s side… 

“Aish, everything is so messed up, eotteokheeee…” I complained ashamed, shaking my head. My countless and erratic thoughts were disturbed by a knock at the door. I got up and went to open the it, letting the person inside.

“Well, you’re awake. I brought you some pills and an orange fresh.” My mom said, placing the tray on my bedside table. “And about yesterday—“

“I remember everything, thank you. I will take a shower and come downstairs. Please leave.” I responded, avoiding her gaze.

“There are a lot of things we must discuss. Running away from your problems won’t solve anything.”

“No, you’re just one insensitive person who ran away as well. You’ve passed your problems to me. You called me selfish yesterday night. I know you must have gone through a lot in your life that I don’t know about and that you’re tired and you need peace, but ruining my future isn’t the answer.” I replied, heading to a smaller room that became a huge closet. “Nice, someone went shopping yesterday and “decorated” this chamber, or shall I just call it a large wardrobe?” I continued as I searched for a pair of skinny jeans and a plain white t-shirt. “You may leave.”

“Why are you acting so cold, can’t you just hear me out?” 

“Why does everyone want me to hear them out? You want me to have the behavior of a heiress, I’m trying to fit your standards. Aish, having royal blood is exhausting.” I answered in a sarcastic way.

“Don’t you remember how much you wished a life like this? A room full of fancy clothes and your own driver? You know what they say, be careful what you wish for.” My mom finished talking as she turned around to leave the room.

“Oh wow, what a coincidence, if everyone would get this just because they desire it. Why are you doing this?” Trying not to lose control was challenging.

“Don’t forget to take the pills.” She spoke and left me there alone. My blood was boiling and I just wanted to break something. I went to my bathroom to take a shower and got ready to go see my grandfather. I was motivated enough to stop the marriage by myself, somehow, also I needed a plan to go back to the US. There was no way I was actually going to marry Chanyeol, and I was no instrument for my grandparents’ use.