“Madame Jung, I have collated the documents you had requested,” Mr. Kim, her trusted secretary, who had served under her wings since in his late twenties. As age compared to Madame Jung, he was only 5 years younger than her, now both in their greyish colored hair.

“I appreciate your help,” she put on her hanging thick glasses and begins to open the file which contains several bachelors picture and their profile.

“Are you going to set up another blind date for Miss Jung, again?” Mr. Kim returns to his position, standing next to Madame Jung. “Based on Miss Jung character, she will definitely oppose again.”

“I know,” she smiles as she continues study each of their profile. “This time I am not setting her up on any more blind dates since none of them works out. I have decided to find her an eligible elite spouse.”

“Do you mean –” Mr. Kim is surprise.

“Yes, I want her to get marry,” Madame Jung confirms.

“But will Miss Jung agrees to it?” he voices out.

Her face lit up a satisfied smile, seemingly to have found the right one for her granddaughter. “Why hasn’t I thought of him?!” she exclaims out of a sudden.

~

Mr. Kim opens the car door for Madame Jung when they have reached the Lees’ mansion. The Lees’ butler welcomes them inside the mansion and is warmly greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Lee with smiles hanging on their face.

“Madame Jung,” Mrs. Lee hugs her. “It’s been a very long while since we last met. How have you been? I’ve missed you.” Mrs. Lee has always looks upon to Madame Jung.

“I am doing fine, let me look at you,” she spins her one round. “You have grown maturely beautiful,” the old Jung praises.

“Thank you Madame Jung,” Mrs. Lee chuckles.

“Please take a seat,” Mrs. Lee gestures and sheepishly apologizes, “Pardon for the mess, we just move back two days ago.”

“Don’t worry about it. I should be the one apologizing since I announces my visit out of the sudden,” old Jung smiles.

“Please don’t say that, Madame Jung, you know that we always welcome you anytime,” Mr. Lee says.

The old Jung and Lee had been always close but ever since the old Lees passed on, the young Lees had shifted their base to states for a good twenty years. The Lees have decided to move back Korea because they want to expand their business here.  Moreover, this is where they belong.

“Please have some tea,” Mrs. Lee serves the cup to Madame Jung.

“May I ask what brings Madame Jung here?” Mr. Lee ponders.

“Ah – about this,” she places the cup of tea on the table. Smiling, she finishes, “I’ve got some important thing to discuss with both of you.”

~

“What?!” the young Jung is exasperate after Madame Jung announces she will be getting married.

“I am not agreeing to it,” she crosses her arm under her chest and weighs her body heavily down on the couch. Not forgetting pouting her lips with combination of her puppy eyes, “Halmeoni, I am only 25 years old and not ready to settle down yet. I don’t want to marry with a stranger, a man whom I don’t know at all. I want to be in love with the man I love at the right time and then marry him.”

“How long must you make this old woman waits to see you marry off, you hasn’t be seeing anyone at all,” her grandmother sighs. Despites all efforts her grandmother had made, all the blind dates did not work on at all.

Jessica has never give a serious thoughts about love. None of her chaser had succeeded making her heart flutter. She has never been in love before and the thoughts of an arranged marriage really freaks her out.

She notices her grandmother seems to have softened a little, she embraces her, “I don’t really care, and I just want to stay with you, Halmeoni.”

Madame Jung takes her granddaughter hand into hers and pats softly at it. “Sica ah~ you are not getting any younger and Halmeoni as well. I am thrice your age and I know you hate me telling you this but I have to say that one day I will leave you, and before the day comes I want to see my only granddaughter marry off with a great man – “

“Halmeoni, you cannot leave me! Dad and mum had already left me, you can’t! I don’t allow it. You are still so healthy, you will live a long life with me,” Jessica immediately cut her grandmother words with her wails.

The thought of her grandmother leaving her is unbearable for her. She is her only kin; her grandmother is practically a mother and father figure to her as her parents died when she was only 1 year old. She has absolute zero memories of them except the cold piece of family photo she had in her possession. So cruel.   

“My dear sica,” her grandmother her brunette hair. “Just this one time, listen to Halmeoni this last time. This man you are marrying is a close family friend of mine. Do you still remember the Lees’ family?”

The Lees’ Jessica looks up and shakes her head, she has minimal memories about the past.

“Think again,” her grandmother smiles.

~

“Is this a prank or a joke?” he stares in disbelief at his parents. “This is not even funny,” he adds on with a silly laughs. He feels ridiculous; they are having dinner together when his father break the shocking news to him, telling him that he is going to get marry with an heiress.

“I am being serious, whether you like it or not, you are going to get marry with the Jung heiress,” his father tone is low and assertive. He knows that his father word is always the final decision but he wants to rebel.

“Mother…”

“Sorry Son,” this time his pleading puppy eyes do not work on his mother.

“Give me one good reason why I should marry her,” he does not give in still. 

“Your late grandparents are in very close term with the Jung’s’, besides that, Madame Jung had personally come down and ask for our approval. We also think that it’s about time you should settle down with someone. Also by the marriage, Madame Jung had proposed our company to merge together with the Jung Corporation, the biggest corporation in Korea,” his father explains.

“I believe the main reason of you agreeing to this marriage is because of the merger,” he scoffs.

“Lee Donghae!” his father roars, unhappy with his unpleasant tone used.

“Son,” his mother shushes.

“Whether you like it or not, this marriage will be carried out as planned. Also, we are meeting the Jung over the weekends, you will be coming along as well,” his father makes his stand clear.

“Father –“he calls as Mr. Lee leaves the dining table.

“Son, listen to your father just once. Think about the win-win situation for all of us. Do you remember how much hardship your grandparents had gone through to flourish the business? Now, we had returned to Seoul is to continue this legacy. To be honest, by merging with the Jung is a big thing, our company will re gains its recognition in its shortest time. Think about it, who knows you and Jessica might end up liking each other?” his mother persuades.

Jessica? The woman I will be marrying is Jessica?

“Son, do you have slight recollection of Jessica?” Mrs. Lee asks with a small smile, after seeing her son in his trance.

“No, I don’t,” he answers.

“You both used to play with each other when you are young. I can’t blame you for not remembering because you are very young that time and it was a brief short moments you two had spent,” Mrs. Lee says.

~

It is finally Saturday, the sun rays penetrates through the window panel. Jessica pulls her duvet to her eyes level. “Miss Jung, wakes up already,” one of the helpers gently nudges her.

“10 more minutes,” she mumbles her request under the duvet.

“Miss Jung, the guests will be here in 15 minutes time. You needs to wake up now and get prepared.”

Jessica groans, she is totally not looking forward to the gathering with the Lee.

“Sica ah ~ remember what you had promised this old woman here,” it is Madame Jung voice.

She reluctantly pulls herself up from the cozy bed. What had she gotten herself into? Why on earth did she promise her grandmother she will agree to the marriage after seeing how her grandmother plead her? Because she loves her dearly.

“Morning Halmeoni,” Jessica greets lazily before she do her morning routine.

~

The Lees are early. Donghae reluctantly drags his feet behind his parents to the Jung Mansion. This is all for business, for the late grandparents.

Stepping into the much huger mansion compared to theirs, he meets Madame Jung who awaits for their entrance. She smiles and nods in their direction.

“Madame Jung,” both Mr. and Mrs. Lee greets with bright smile.

“Halmeoni,” Donghae shows his presence at last, bows and greets politely. He must say that Madame Jung first impression is intimidating.

“Oh! This must be Donghae,” Madame Jung exclaims. “You resembles like your late grandfather. You looks much better in person, close up. Charming young man,” she throws nothing but all compliments for him.

Donghae could only smiles in reply.

“Please take a seat and have some tea first, Jessica will be coming down soon.”

~

Jessica wears a simple white blouse matching with a floral skirt around her knee level. She descends down the stairs to the living room to meet eyes of two strangers boring their stares at her.

“Come on Sica ah, meet the Lees and Donghae,” Jessica hesitates her footsteps when she lands down the living room.

Donghae glances sideway at her when Jessica is approaching them.

“Annyeonghaeseyo, Jessica inmida,” she introduces herself with a polite bow.

“Jessica, you have grown up beautifully,” Mrs. Lee praises.

Mr. Lee nudges Donghae who don’t seems to be interested, the latter gets the signals and rises from his seat. “Annyeonghaeseyo, Lee Donghae inmida.”

A friendly start

~

The lunch is served and they gathers around the long exquisite dining table. Voices mainly from the Lees and Madame Jung are heard. Jessica and Donghae sits across each other, not taking second glances at one other or listening to what the adults conversation is about, quietly nibbles their food.

“Donghae ah,” he looks up at Madame Jung. “How do you think about our Sica?” she gives a soft giggles.

He chokes with a meat and is unprepared. “Miss Jessica is very pretty in person and – “he is trying to come up with good words.

“Halmeoni…” Jessica saves him. She doesn’t take in his view of her seriously. She bets that he dislike the arranged marriage as much as she does.

“Our Sica is so shy ever,” Madame Jung jokes. “Donghae ah, I believe that your parents had told you regarding the marriage with my dearest granddaughter,” he nods as she continues, “I would like to hand over my one and only granddaughter to you, I hope that you will treat her well. I know that this decision is very shocking to both of you at first. I am not rushing both of you to wed immediately but I am hoping that this wedding will be able to carry out in 3 months’ time when the Jung Corporation celebrates its 50^th anniversary. During these 3 months, I hope you two will go out on date, know each other well and plan for the wedding ceremony together. And of course, as you know there is no turning back and none of you can oppose it.”

Jessica sighs under her breath while Donghae is trying to digest every words Madame Jung had made.

She is further embarrass when her grandmother mentions to Donghae that she has no experience about love and wish he will guide her dense granddaughter. He finally let out a chuckle after receiving this piece of information and his chuckles annoys Jessica.

~

“Son, why don’t you take Jessica out for a stroll,” his mother suggests after lunch.

It is so warm outside. A stroll seriously mom?

He stands out and forces a smile at Jessica, “Jessica shi, shall we?”

“Sure,” she follows him outside. The adults are cheering on their positive progress.

~

The pair walks aimlessly side by side with a wide gap in between. Awkward silence.

“May I ask why you agreed to this marriage?” she breaks the ice.

It is then he turns and looks at her, “I do not agree on my accord. My parents decided for me and I can’t say no.” He is so straight forward with his reply. His situation is just like hers.

“I got a proposition, shall we go to the café down the street first?” she asks with a small smile.

“Proposition?” he repeats with confusion.

~

Entering the café, they settle at the far corner of it.

“I think we both knows that we do not accept this arranged marriage, you and I have zero feelings for each other but we also cannot cancel this marriage. So,” the papers and pens request by Jessica is here.

She passes one of the paper and pen to him as he looks at her bewildered.

“Shall we list down some of our rules during our arranged marriage life? I hopes that after a year or so, we can give convincing excuse to divorce,” she gives a quick smile.

She have thought this far.

They write their own list of rules and compiles together. Funny though they both writes the same rules as follows. Surprisingly, their rules aren’t much.

1. No physical contact unless needed for an act or in front of families
2. Do not interfere with each other personal life
3. Do not fall in love with me

The most important rule adds lastly by Jessica is – Do not break any of the rules.

“Please sign here,” Jessica says after she signs her big name on the piece of ‘contract’ she had re do unprofessionally.

“I am glad that we have establish a mutual agreement between us,” she winks happily as they seal their ‘contract’ with their signatures and firm handshake.

She is so business woman type and totally unfazed by his good looks which other girls are dying to have. He cannot lie that he has his pride slightly hurt.

He smirks. Interesting.

“What if one of us break the rule?” he asks with an attractive smirk. 

~

A/N - Hopefully I will update soon. *finger cross*
         don't kill me :x

XOXO