“Ma-marriage?” Your eyes grew wide. You frantically turned to your father and mother waiting for them to start laughing and tell you it was a joke.

Your mother nodded sadly. “It’s been arranged for a while dear. That was why we always spent holidays and summers with them. We wanted you to be comfortable with each other.” Your legs felt like Jell-O as you limply fell on the couch.

“Stop being such a drama queen. This is for the best. He comes from a respected family as do you. This will be good for the both of you.” Your father sternly stated at he looked at you expectantly.

“But dad, we don’t even talk anymore. We haven’t had a valid conversation since the first day of high school. How do you expect me to marry him? I haven’t seen him in 4 years.” You frantically searched for a valid excuse to get out of the marriage. Your mother scoffed and paced the living room.

Your father chuckled at his wife’s childish behavior. “Well maybe you should start getting to know him. Actually, you’ll have the rest of your life to know him.” He beamed.

You glared at your parents for being so nonchalant about the whole situation. “Are you kidding me? I’m in college on the verge of getting my bachelors. I am not getting married to some creep.” You scoffed.

“I’m not a creep. I don’t want to marry you either.” Your face scrunched up in embarrassment as you turned to look at your apparent fiancée. He glared softly at you with his arms folded over his chest.

“I…it was a heat of the moment?” You nervously laughed. You looked over to where your parents were standing to find them now gone.

With a frustrated sigh he ran his hand through his messy hair. “This is ridiculous…I mean…is this even legal?” He questioned. You shrugged your shoulders and groaned.

“This , I  had a date tomorrow planned out too.” He pulled your arm to sit next to him.

“I have an idea.” Curiosity played in your eyes. You waited for him to continue. Now that you actually looked at him he grew into a handsome man. His once geeky appearance that you were so used to when you two were children was nowhere to be found.

“Obviously not getting married isn’t an option. We’ll get married as long as we get to date and see other people.”

You instantly laughed at his idea. “So like swingers?”

“Exactly. See not just beauty.”  A slight blush crept on your face at his slight compliment.

“Okay, I’ll just go on my date tomorrow and say, Hi, I like long walks on the beach and by the way I’m married. I hope you don’t mind.” It was his turn to laugh.

“You like long walks on the beach?” You pouted before answering, “Actually, I’d rather take short walks to the fridge.” Your name came out in a laugh. You looked at him and gave him a cheeky smile. “Huh?”

“Why did we stop talking?” Your nose scrunched up. “I don’t know KiKwang, maybe it was because you were a jerk to me. Plus we hung out with very different people.”

“True, but we went to the same high school and we’re going to the same university.”

“So?” He shrugged nonchalantly, “I don’t know…just curious.” With a big sigh he lifted himself off the couch. “I have to get going, I have exams coming up. Have fun on your date!” He smiled.

You waved back. Once the door was closed you frowned. Maybe you should cancel the date? It wasn’t like you knew the guy anyways. For all you knew it was some creep your friend set you up with.

Then again, the lack of interest when your soon-to-be-husband found out you were going on a date was quite displeasing. Of course you hadn’t expected him to forbid you and claim you as his and only his. You had both ceased any sort of communication for ten years after all. It wasn’t fair to think that way.

--

You sat nervously in the two seated table, waiting for this mystery date to show up.

“I already arranged where you guys can meet and what table to sit at. Just ask for the reservation and the hostess will show you where to sit, got it?”

“What’s the reservation under?”

“I.C.U.P.”

“You know, sometimes I have to question your IQ.”

You silently groaned in frustration once the memory of you asking for that reservation came back. The hostess attempted her best to stifle a giggle, but you couldn’t blame her—it was a classic joke. Plus 5 brownie points for your friend.

“Excuse me, I have a reservation…”

“Very well, may I have the reservation name?”

“Uh…” the man coughed before softly saying, “I.C.U.P…” Your eyes grew wide. What were you supposed to do? Did you pretend not to see him or smile and wave? All these thoughts were put to a halt once a familiar guy sat in front of you with a blank stare.

“Ki-KiKwang? What are you going here?” You eyed him quizzically just as he did the same.

“You’re my blind date?”

“Don’t sound too excited.” He bit his lip clearly embarrassed and offered an awkward smile that reached his eyes. “Sorry, I’m just…surprised.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going on a date too?” His smile soon altered into a smirk, “why are you jealous?”

“What? No, why would I be. I just figured you’d tell me since I told you.”

“Right.”

You glared at his smug expression. “So who set up the reservation?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

“Your friends are weird.”

“But they’re my friends. Now if you’ll excuse me…” You quickly picked yourself up and walked out of the restaurant not bothering to take a second glance at the stunned KiKwang.

Soon you felt your hand being tugged by him. “Hey, why’d you leave?”

“Because you annoy me.” It was his turn to glare as he held your shoulders at arm’s length. “Too bad, we’re getting married.”

“Doesn’t it bother you? Having your future planned out before your eyes while you stand out in the sidelines?”  His gaze softened at your distraught face. He ran a finger over your cheek tenderly. “It did…but then they told me I’d be marrying you and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t excited.”

You hiccupped in surprise causing him to chuckle. “You really thought I was going to let you go on a blind date with someone other than your fiancé?” He kissed you softly, his hand cupping your cheek.

“So how about we forget this restaurant and take a short walk to the fridge?” 

I wrote this for, YuxieWuxie!