I wonder what fool it was that first invented kissing.

-Jonathan Swift

Despite being acquainted with magic for all her life, Song Ji-hyo could not explain how magical it was being kissed by Kim Jong-kook. It was like she was transported to a new realm where only her and him existed. The lights around them turned into fairy lights and the whole world receded into the background. He tasted of wine and something else she could not name. She stopped thinking and all she could do was wonder at his thin lips moving over hers and  the weird reaction she was having inside her body to them. Her legs had turned into jelly and if she wasn't sure that Kim Jong-kook was not a warlock, she could have bet her life that he was casting a spell on her.

Kim Jong-kook might have kissed thousands of women all experts in the art of seduction, but nothing could have prepared him for a kiss by the innocent Song Ji-hyo. The niggling doubt in his mind saying Ji-hyo was actually innocent grew by leaps and bounds as he realized that she had probably been never kissed before. She had at gone slack and was warm and pliant in his arms. She didn't seem to know what to do as he moved his lips over hers. He gently coaxed open and plundered it. He did find out that she was quick learner as she tentatively touched her tongue to his lips, but they were brought back to the world by someone clearing their throat.

He was glad for that interruption otherwise he'd have lowered them both to the ground in front of a 1000 people. He immediately sobered up that the thought and realized how close he had come to losing control and frowned. He would think about it and analyse the cause of it later. He firmly held Ji-hyo's waist as she seemed to have trouble keeping her steady and wondered if coconut water made a person tipsy.

Ji-hyo had a hard time keeping herself steady and was sure that she would become a puddle on the floor if not for Kim Jong-kook's firm hand on her waist. The clinking of glass brought her back to the world as she saw her fiancee handing her a chute of champagne. She drank some of it and welcomed the heat in . She could hear applause around her, but she also heard people murmuring on how all of it seemed to be fake. She turned to look at Kim Jong-kook, but to her disappointment, he seemed to have withdrawn into his shell again. 

Firmly brought down back to reality, she realized with a pang that she really didn't know anyone here. And if the two gossiping women earlier were a hint, she was sure none of the people here wished her well either. She could see the town mayor opening and closing his mouth in surprise like a gold fish. The image cheered her up a little and a naughty thought came to her mind as she located the two women who seemed to still be engrossed in gossip. She cleared her mind and concentrated

Too much gossiping they have done, they think they are smart,

Give the one on the left a double chin and the one on the right a big wart!

She giggled as she thought about how their faces would look in a few minutes from now.

"Ji-hyo, can I call you that now? Come, let us withdraw to my office where we can discuss this matter in private. I know this has been too sudden for you and we can definitely work something out."

Yes, she thought, they definitely needed to discuss. She was wary as he seemed to have transformed into a business man again and wondered if that was how he as going to approach it. Looking at his brisk and icy demeanor as she followed his ramrod back, she was glad that he did not hear the faint shrieking from behind the ballroom.

As they withdrew into their study, Ji-hyo was best contemplating on how to reveal her truth while Jong-kook was thinking on how he needed to set the terms of their relationship with clear cut rules.

He made her sit on a single sofa and sat on another one at some distance form her because he still didn't trust himself when he was alone with her. Too many things had already been spiraled out of control. She looked like a little girl on that sofa and seemed a bit lost. He felt a flash of sympathy and tried hard to tamp it down.

"Ji-hyo, aren't you going to say something?"

"Oh-oh yes, I am sorry, I was wool-gathering. Jong-kook sshi, you can't declare me as your fiancee just after an hour after meeting me." She tried to sound firm.

"Yes, I agree this seems a bit... abnormal. But in all sincerity, I simply couldn't let them ridicule you."

" I appreciate your concern, but this is all very sudden. When do you intend to break off? I am sure you will give it some time to protect both of our reputation."

Kim Jong-kook stilled and suddenly Ji-hyo was afraid.

"What did you say