Heads turned when the door closed behind them. The Chairman and Yeji’s eyes first landed upon him before sliding over to Namjoo at his side.

“I heard you graduate next week but I won’t be home then, so I wanted to come by and congratulate you,” Chairman Goo, round all about, stood to his feet. “And this is…”

The round man’s eyes swiveled back and forth between Jongin, Namjoo, their entwined hands, and then to his father for an answer.

“This is Namjoo, our daughter-in-law,” his dad directly introduced. Looking at Namjoo he said, “Say hello. This is Chairman Goo, an important business partner of mine, and his daughter, Yeji.”

“H…hello,” Namjoo greeted.

Yeji smiled firmly, appearing friendly and welcoming as if it was Namjoo stepping into her home. “We meet again.”

Jongin’s brow twitched very slightly before he turned to look at Namjoo. He hadn’t been aware that Namjoo had met Yeji before. His attention was thwarted when his father called for him.

“Come to my room after you put your stuff away,” his father ordered then controlling his wheelchair turned to go down the hall, the machine vibrating noisily before fading into the distance with Chairman Goo quietly following.

This time Yeji’s eyes landed on him before she smiled in a way that said she had a hidden agenda in mind. Recalling her determination from last time, Jongin uneasily pulled Namjoo after him and down the hall. The door to his bedroom closed a few seconds later and he turned to face his wife-to-be.

“You met her before?” he quickly inquired, worried about what may have been said or done to Namjoo.

Namjoo shrugged as if he’d made an insincere comment about the color of her shoes. “I suppose we have.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Her eyes swayed to the side, “I forgot and we weren’t together then so it didn’t seem important.”

“What do you mean we weren’t together?” he asked accusingly. “We were always together.”

Namjoo looked at him as if he’d spoken absurdly but made no comment. She went on to say, “Well…then, it must have slipped my mind. It’s no big deal.” There was a slight pause then she asked, “Is it?”

“It is,” he confirmed, “to me.”

Namjoo averted her eyes away again. Jongin set his backpack onto the bed and began walking past her but grabbed her hand to pull her along.

“What did she say to you?” he asked when he stopped and turned to look at her in the eyes.

“I don’t remember,” Namjoo said then assured, “it’s really nothing. If it was something important, I wouldn’t have forgotten. Don’t worry.” After a second she asked, “So, she’s the woman you're supposed to marry?”

“Was,” he corrected and leaned in to playfully knock his forehead against hers. “I’ll be back after finding out what it is my dad wants to say.”

Namjoo nodded and he slid his hand up the side of her face into her hair before smiling. “Can I get a kiss first?”

A grin broke through Namjoo’s lips and she rolled her eyes with a snort before giving him a quick peck. Infatuated, he leaned in to give a kiss then another one. Reluctantly withdrawing he slid his hand back and brushed his hand down her arm to her hand. Squeezing it lightly he then turned to go.

As he started down the hallway toward his father’s room he expected the conversation to be about the company he would be inheriting, the boring same old stuff he always heard. Jongin quietly grabbed the knob, twisted it, and prepared to step in but stopped upon the conversation currently processing.

“You’re not serious,” Chairman Goo said with contradiction, “that woman…you’re really going to let your son marry a woman like that? Despite being aware of how she grew up, how uneducated she is? This is going to be an embarrassment. You should think more about your family name, Kwan. What about the family you will be leaving behind? How will they fare with such an incapable daughter-in-law who barely understands the function of the higher society? She can’t possibly learn everything in a week.”

“Of course I know. You don’t think I haven’t thought this through?” his father asked. “I warned Jongin about it, but there’s nothing I can do now. The children will be left in Hunmi’s care. I have no choice but to believe in her now.”

“What are you talking about? How can a woman take over a household? That’s complete nonsense!”

His father coughed loudly from the depth of his throat to silence the man. “Don’t look down on her. She’s certainly capable of keeping this family bound together and furthermore, I believe she will educate both Jongin and the daughter-in-law well. If I don’t have her, there’s no one else.”

“I can’t believe you,” Chairman Goo shook his nearly bald head. “Jongin won’t have any smarts when he takes over your position. The board members don’t know him; they won’t trust him enough to handle matters.”

“That’s why you’re here today,” his father roughly reminded. “Help him prove his ability. I need you to stand at his back.”

Jongin gently gritted his teeth together. The bitterness swerving through him made his hands nearly tremble from anger, but containing himself he lifted his hand to loudly knock on the door and pushed it open.

“I’m here,” he loudly announced his entrance.

Chairman Goo shifted in position, the grim expression on his face immediately brightening up at once as if he’d never back talked at all. Jongin made sure to feign a smile as he walked over to join the two elder men.

“I heard something about the business?” Jongin asked looking back and forth from Chairman Goo to his father.

“Ah…yes,” Chairman Goo said with a hint of pleasure in his voice, “we were speaking about how to best introduce you to the executive board members. Have you heard of them?”   

Liar.

Jongin smiled politely, “Yes, I know of them.”

“Chairman Goo has already joined partnership with us a few years back,” his father explained. “He’ll be monitoring and closely working with you to make sure your work is steady.”

“Of course,” Jongin nodded. “I understand.”

He felt Chairman Goo’s heavy hand pat his shoulder, “Everything will be all right. I’ll work with you to make sure it all turns out well, even when your father isn’t here anymore. Don’t worry about anything.”

Jongin wasn’t so sure about that, for he knew the two men would have liked something to sprout from their friendship. The best possible variable was a marriage that would forever pull the families closer together, ensure stability between both corporations and friendship. The wedding between him and Yeji had been ideal in that case. And who knew, if he never came across Namjoo he would very possibly be preparing to, right now, watch Yeji walk down the exuberant red aisle toward him at the altar.

And God forbid that.

~~~~~

Namjoo just changed into some comfortable clothes after putting her Mr. Pizza uniform away and turned from the drawer when the door opened. She smiled and nearly called out expecting to see Jongin walk through the door, but instead recognized the woman who once came to her work place. The wavy hair, the elegance flying off her was still all so familiar despite how vaguely Namjoo remembered her.

In fact, she still recalled very well how the woman had spoken to her about the pending marriage with Jongin as if it was just yesterday it happened. Namjoo had gotten the gist of it. She was supposed to let Jongin go, to let him have a better life was it? Namjoo might have abided by it then due to all the things running through her mind, but now it was different. She was here and she was going to marry Jongin and nothing would change the fact that it would soon happen.

From the first time Jongin mentioned this woman to her, he had obviously been against the idea of a marriage for a business gain. Jongin also seemed uptight about the woman for some reason, and Namjoo was curious why. Did this woman have something on him? Why Jongin when she was rich herself? Surely any other man would do?

The door clicked close and Namjoo glanced at the woman defensively. “What are you doing?”

This was her and Jongin’s private territory. She felt her defenses soar up to the sky.

Stepping away from the drawer Namjoo closely observed as the woman glanced around the room with some sort of wonder that obviously made Namjoo feel jealous. Just the fact that another woman was here made her heart pound madly.

She didn’t like it. Not at all!

“I never imagined Jongin was such a sophisticated person. I’d expect to see more books around seeing that he’s still a student,” she mused.

“It’s impolite to step into someone’s bedroom uninvited,” Namjoo tried not to snap rudely.

“Stingy, are we?” Yeji mocked. “I don’t see a wedding ring on your finger yet. I’m highly shocked that someone like the President would allow a woman and his son to start cohabiting before an official wedding ceremony.”

“I don’t think that’s your business. Please get out.”

Yeji set her eyes on her and calmly smiled. “I have no intention to listen to someone who stands under me.”

Namjoo’s nails dug into her palm and she bit her tongue.

“We’re going to be affiliated with each other from now on,” the woman explained. “Jongin will need my father and I more than he will need you in the upcoming days, but you possibly can’t understand that much. I know you didn’t finish high school and you never attended university. It’s really a wonder why someone college educated like Jongin is over his head for you. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Remaining calm, Namjoo pressed on, “I don’t think that’s your area to in. This is mine and Jongin’s room. I don’t like you here. I won’t be polite with you. Leave.”

“So quick to defend your space, are you? Am I such a threat?”

Damn the woman for making it sound as if she was the one stepping into Jongin and her place.

“I am really interested with why Jongin’s parents think you are worthy of him,” Yeji crossed her arms across her chest. “You don’t have money or anything beneficial to give in turn. So why are you here?”

Namjoo glowered at the woman unsure why she was picking on her.

“And so?” Namjoo challenged. “You want Jongin? Why? As much as I know, your two fathers are only friends. Nothing more. Is it that even in the high society even friends buy each other?”

Yeji chuckled making her feel ridiculous. “You won’t understand since you come from a different place.”

Namjoo bit down on her teeth. What difference did it make that she was poor?

“I find it pathetic to even be talking to you,” Yeji didn’t hold back the ridicule in her voice. “But I’ll be straightforward with you. I don’t trust you, why you’re here; if you even love Jongin. Is it the money perhaps?”

Namjoo’s fist grew tighter, her lips firmer. A red alert was going off in her head.

“That’s not your problem. I won’t say it again. Get out.”

The corner of her lips drew up satisfied with having irked her. “I have an interest in Jongin because my father does. I believe he has the potential to grow, but he needs to meet the right person who will let him bloom wholly. That someone needs to be knowledgeable, powerful, experienced, and intelligent in this field of competitive business. Jongin will only fail again and again if he has someone incompatible by his side after his father passes. I feel for him because I know how difficult it is. I had my father to guide me but Jongin will have no one. And I’m the only one who’s willing to give up my future to improve his. I don’t think you can do that for him.”

A knock on the door interrupted and Hunmi poked her head in, “Dinner is…”

Upon noticing the other woman in the room she further opened the door and stepped in, curious. Namjoo turned her head to avert her eyes. She didn’t want her mother to know what was going on or to join the pity party and try to help improve her image.

“What is going on?” the elder woman wondered.

Turning toward her with a bright smile Yeji explained, “We were just getting to know each other on friendly terms. I really wanted to talk to Namjoo, but now that you’re here I see that I should leave.”

Hunmi’s eyes traveled questionably between the two women for a second before smiling for there was nothing else she could do. Yeji swiveled to turn toward the door but stopped in her tracks when she spotted Jongin standing in the open doorway staring unhappily.

“Why are you here?” he interrogated. At the sound of his voice Namjoo turned toward the door hopeful.

“I came to give your girlfriend my greetings. I can’t do that?” Yeji asked.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Jongin corrected. “She’s my wife. If you want to talk next time, do it in a open area, not the bedroom. I thought you would know better.”

Yeji continued smiling, “I’m sorry. Point taken. If you’ll excuse me.”

Namjoo watched her brush by Jongin and felt their eyes meet. She wanted to smile his way but then recalled her mother was there watching.

“Mom,” Jongin walked in. “What are you doing here?”

“Dinner is ready,” Hunmi explained. “Come out when you’re ready. I’ll go notify your father and the Chairman.”

She patted Jongin’s arm in a motherly manner – this Namjoo watched intensely – before the woman exited the room. Jongin followed to close the door before walking toward her.

“Hey,” he breathed and touched her arm.

“How was the talk?” Namjoo asked looking up at him.

“Boring,” he whined. “I would rather be reading a textbook than have gone.”

Namjoo snorted. “You shouldn’t say that.”

“Well I’m not lying either,” he pulled her closer. “Did she say something to you?”

Smiling, Namjoo shook her head. “Nothing important.”

“Really?” 

“Really,” she confirmed, “well, except that she’s interested in you.”

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

Jongin pinched her cheek affectionately and grinned. “Don’t believe a thing she says.”

“Why not? What if she’s telling the truth?” Namjoo wondered. “That she likes you and she’s the only one capable of helping you with the company?”

“Then believe me,” he promised, “you’re the only one I’ll ever need.”

Namjoo snorted before he hugged her and she pressed her cheek against his broad shoulder to sink in the warmth of him.

“But I need to punish you,” Jongin muttered.

“Why?” stepping back Namjoo glanced at him, confused about what she may have done to make him irritated.

“You let her into our bedroom,” Jongin grinned then without warning, lifted her up. Namjoo screamed out of surprise and broke out into laughter midway when he tossed her onto the bed. She bounced on it a few times before Jongin jumped onto it to tickle her. As the ticklish sensations deplored her body Namjoo curled onto her side helplessly, laughing loudly.

She could barely push the word, “Stop,” through bursting with pleasurable laughter before the door cranked open and little Jaegeun ran in.

“Me too! Me too!” he shouted before joining them on the bed.

Namjoo lay there for a second to re-gather her senses when Jongin broke free to pull Jaegeun up. They tickled Jaegeun next before Namjoo lunged for Jongin in the process. After a minute of playful warring they dropped onto the bed to catch their breaths.

Namjoo wanted to fall asleep right then, with Jongin’s arm draped around her. Nothing could be any more perfect than this.

“I’ll have to think up a different punishment next time,” Jongin told her. Namjoo turned to look at him with a frown creasing her face.

Jongin was unbelievably close, as if he hadn’t been before. Namjoo wanted to scoff at herself but there was something burning at the pit of her stomach – an almost foreign feeling to her senses – and she got the gist that he really wanted to kiss her. For a moment she yearned for him deeply on a level she hadn’t felt before, only if not for the kid next to her.

Jongin sighed and muttered, “If only we had ice cream right now.”

An unmistakable laugh poured out of her before she pulled herself up and slightly slapped his side. “Last one to dinner gets to shower last.”