Adjusting the dress slightly in front of the floor length mirror before turning around to check if the dress looked okay. Youjung makes sure there are no creases as she admires the handicraft on the dress. She sighs as she takes a seat at the edge of the bed, seeing herself once in the mirror. A beautiful woman was reflected in the mirror and once again, just like the very beginning, she struggles to actually believe that that reflection was herself.

Her phone rings and she picks it up. “Stressing out, little one?” the warm voice was heard. “Before you ask how I know, ask God why He made us soul mates.”

“I-I-I don’t know anymore,” she confesses. “I have no idea what I’m doing and I hate it.”

“It’s fine, little one and you know that,” he replies. “You need time to mature and grow.”

“I do not wish for this to end…” she whispers, releasing a sigh.

“All good things will have to come to an end, little one,” Wonho says, heart clenching at the vulnerable voice he was hearing.

“He wants me to stay,” she mentions.

“Then, don’t let it end,” he simply replies and he sighs. “Look, you’re a smart girl. If not, all fourteen of us wouldn’t listen to you for crap when life-and-death situations pop up. I gotta go regulate the queue soon. V wouldn’t be able to handle it himself.”

“Wait,” she stops him from hanging up. “Let Kook and Shownu be the bouncers this time. V and you will guard the VIP area. Hobi and I.M. stay on the first floor with Leo and N. Let Monster DJ and Suga can regulate the whole club. Switch Jooheon’s and Ravi’s positions for the line-up. Also, let Hyungwon and Minhyuk just mingle with the customers – good feedback and sales whenever they are down there. Get Kihyun’s back into the club too.”

“Everyone will take a piss,” Wonho replies with a small chuckle but agrees to her commands. “Well, the queen is back.”

Before he hangs up, she hears his voice barking the exact instructions and a small smile appears on her face. “Gang leader now?” Donghyuk’s voice fills her ears and she turns to see the male looking dashing in his suit.

“Excuse you. I just handle the club matters from time to time,” she retorts with an eye roll and gets up to grab her clutch but Donghyuk grabs onto her hand to stop her.

“You don’t need it,” he says but she grabs it either way. 

“Babe,” he pleads but she ignores it as they leave the apartment, the door locking behind them automatically.

They both exit the lobby to see Kihyun grinning at the both of them. “The couple is back?” he asks and Youjung whacks him in the chest, earning a chuckle as he opens the door for both of them. 

The drive to the venue was short and once they got off to the red carpet, the camera flashes going off as a perfected smile replaces their stoic faces. His arm around her waist as usual but she moves to intertwine their hands, not even looking at his direction. He looks down to their hands with a lost look momentarily before tugging her close towards her, a genuine grin taking over as she returns one.

“Miss Min, how do you feel after CEO Kim’s affair?” a reporter asks, capturing their attention and Youjung leads them over with a small smile.

“It doesn’t matter because everyone knows that at the end of the day, he’s coming back to me,” she replies with a polite smile before walking off and Donghyuk catches up with her, feeling a sense of pride.

“Jealous aye,” he comments when they got inside and she throws him a harmless glare.

No longer affected by the riches of the room, she releases their hands and knows that everyone was looking at the both of them. Donghyuk offers his arm and she links it, more fitting in the environment as they start walking.

“If you pull off that stunt you did the first time you brought me to a function, I will leave you by yourself here and you can try to get back home yourself,” she whispers and he smiles, directing it to some acquaintances. “Anyways, the company’s clients rate is dropping at a steady rate because one, your mouth, two, your attitude. All those woman you’ve been shutting down, they are the wives or daughters of the company’s potential clients that has not signed on.”

Donghyuk stops and diverts her to stand in front of him, making it look like they were having a private conversation, perfectly covering up the content. “You’ve improved,” she comments with a smile and he nods his head gratefully. 

“What do you want me to do?” he asks, pushing stray hair behind her ear.

“No matter how much you despise someone, you do not show it openly. That is asking a death wish for the company,” she starts, making eye contact with him. “If people insult you, use the language skills that is a gift in you. I’ve seen your results and your work, it’s amazing.”

“What’s the point?” he asks, not understanding.

“This gift, use it. Make it sound like you are not rebuking them because it is too subtle to pick up,” she explains softly, dusting his blazer slightly. “Relationships are more important than relations. I’m pretty sure you know that…”

He thinks to his group consisting of six other males who have sworn to be brothers for the rest of their lives. Whoever is able to understand this friendship mixed with relations is worthy to be in this group. “Is my group… a relationship?” he asks in a childlike voice and her eyes soften.

“A brotherly relationship,” she replies.

“Your fourteen Oppas and you… a relationship?” he asks once again.

“A family relationship,” she replies with a grin forming.

“What about us?” he asks and she looks away. “Youjung, I want to be with you. Officially.”

“Mr Kim, I see you are still with… it,” Miss Jung interrupts them, behind her was a new group of women.

Donghyuk puts his arm around Youjung and holds her tightly. “Miss Jung,” he greets with a charming smile. “You outfit is stunning. It looks amazing on you. But I think another colour would have complimented your skin tone better, maybe something darker.”

As he continues to interact with Miss Jung, Youjung smiles and the older female leave with a smug look and a huge grin. Donghyuk brings her around to introduce her to some of his business partners. They were then escorted to their seats to indicate the starting of the function. More introductions were exchange as she politely greets each and every one of them.

“You feeling alright?” he leans over to whisper once everyone’s attention was drawn to stage. “I know you hate the attention.”

Her eyes fell upon the handsome face and she smiles slightly. Her hand finds his in the darkness and she laid it over his. “I’m fine,” she reassures with a small smile. “What about you?”

“The whole building relations thing?” he reconfirms and she nods. “It’s different, also very difficult. It is working in my favour at the moment, I guess.”

Different items were brought up to stage, everyone buzzing over what they would potentially buy and eyes dart around, looking for the perfect auction item. Donghyuk leans back in his chair, bored eyes travel around the room and when his eyes land on Youjung, her eyes was glued to a particular item. He follows her line of vision and it appears to be a simplistic bracelet but for it to be on auction proves its worth.

With every introduction, her eyes never tear away from the item. Hand plates lift all around them as each supposedly luxurious item was called out. The other upper classmen kept an eye on the young CEO who had a mask of boredom. If he raises the hand plate for something, it means that it is worthy to fight over. With every item that passes by and goes into the hands of some other rich person that has too much money to spare, everyone wonders why the young male haven’t done anything.

“This bracelet is designed by one of the children in this charity organization and it was finely made by Cartier. It starts at a thousand,” the auctioneer introduces and at once, Donghyuk’s hand plate rises.

At the sight of the white sign in the air, the other businessman immediately raises theirs, fighting over it. An annoyed sigh and eye roll emits from the male as he eyes the guy across the room who was persisting. The prices was slowly being pushed up to fifty thousand, shocking the charity owners that had not expected that much from a simple bracelet.

More and more people pull out as the price continues to rise. “Donghyuk,” Youjung hisses, grabbing his arm to stop him but fails, “what are you doing? This price is too much for a bracelet like that.”

He completely ignores her and continues to raise the price, the guy from across the room keeping up with him. The bidding increases in ten thousands now and it was slowly creeping to two hundred thousand. Her eyes widen incredulously as the stubborn male continues. “Donghyuk, what are you even going to do with the bracelet?” she asks in a soft voice.

He turns to make eye contact with her as the auctioneer tries to slow down the price a bit by reintroducing the item. “To give it to you,” he states before turning to the front, continuing to raise the price.

“Leave it, Donghyuk,” she tries again. “I don’t like it that much either way.”

“Try again once you learn to cover up the longing in your voice,” he retorts with a cold look and she sighs.

With every bid Donghyuk offers, the male across the room fights back with a higher bid. A fierce battle occurs and Youjung tries her best to stop Donghyuk before he splurges half his fortune away just for a bracelet. She grips onto his arm firmly this time and succeeds in stopping him. He turns to look at her a glare but it melts at the sight of her smile. “It’s fine, Donghyuk. We can find another one. Maybe it could be a couple one?” she suggests and he grins before pecking her cheek.

“I promise you, we’ll find one we both like,” he replies with the boyish grin that reminded her of the sun.

Once the auction was done, everyone was free to mingle and conversation starts to fill the room. Youjung was feeling exhausted from being in a suffocating environment even though it was only for three hours. She excuses herself to use the bathroom and Donghyuk insists to her, in fear of anything happening to her. The older couples who favoured the male smile affectionately at their direction.

On the way there, they were stopped several times momentarily to greet some people they haven’t greeted yet. Right in front of the bathroom, the couple was stopped once again. She looks up and freezes slightly. It was the guy who won the bid. “Long time no see, Youjung. You’ve grown even prettier,” he greets with a smile and Donghyuk narrows his eyes.

The male brings out the velvet box and opens it, presenting it to the female. “It’s yours,” he says with that Colgate smile, ticking her fiancé off. “I brought it for you.”

“Mingyu…” she trails off with her shock expression still present and name feeling foreign on her lips.  

“Don’t need to thank me,” he says with a smile. “I remember that you have a soft spot for simplistic. Take it as a gift from me, an apology.”

She picks up the box and Donghyuk swallows his saliva, not liking where it was going. Her eyes soften as she trails the accessory gently. Her tongue darts out to her dry lips. She reminisces in her past momentarily where they both had happy memories, young and happy. But their parting causes her heart to clench. She closes the box gently and hands it back to the tall male with a smile. 

“Give it someone who deserves this and is willing to stay by you for the rest of her life, unless you like guys, no judgment,” she says with a soft tone. “I accept your apology but it has been far too long for anything to happen again.”

His face fell and she moves to force his lips upwards. “I don’t blame you for the hurt that happened on me. I was just a silly teenage girl back then, wishing for love, ignoring any consequences that would happen. If it was maybe a year back, I would have accepted but now…” she says and smiles as she glances over to the young CEO, “I’m sorry, Mingyu. I’m engaged already. Meet my fiancé, Kim Donghyuk, the CEO and heir to Kim Technologies.”

At the mention of his name, he steps forward with his hand out stretched. “Kim Mingyu, youngest son of Azure Models,” the tall male introduces himself and does a firm handshake. “Youjung’s ex potential husband.”

Donghyuk turns to look at her and she shoots him a smile that she would explain everything when they’re both alone. She excuses herself from both males to uses the bathroom, her bladder almost bursting. “How did you meet Youjung?” Mingyu asks, once she was gone.

“At the alleyway of her café. She was throwing away rubbish when she was harassed and I saved her,” Donghyuk recites.

“Bull,” the taller scoffs and older’s eyes widen momentarily. “I know Youjung. She doesn’t work at all. Even if she does, it is at the club. Not some café that you’re trying to pull off. Other people would believe you but not me.”

“Someone’s got a potty mouth aye,” Donghyuk comments under his breath. “Did you… actually fight with me just to gift her the bracelet?”

Mingyu huffs in arrogance. “Also to show how much better I am. I am a more suitable husband for her,” he retorts. “You’re not even close to her level.”

Donghyuk’s facial expression hardens but some part of him feels confused. Not close to her level? Youjung comes out and Mingyu resumes a smile. “Donghyuk, let’s go?” she suggests, sensing the tension from both males. “I’m tired.”

Donghyuk nods, his arm around her waist and they leave the tall male behind. “Donghyuk-ssi,” Mingyu calls out, stopping both of them. “What I said to you is a statement not a threat. You’ll never be good enough for Youjung, no matter how hard you try.”

Youjung grips on hand that was around her waist tightly, in attempt to calm him down. Donghyuk feels belittled to nothing and for the first time ever since they were together, he thinks. Am I actually good enough for her? All I have is a company that I can’t even handle properly. What makes me think that I would have the ability to take care of someone like Youjung. She’s even taking care of me and thinking of how to save my every time I get into trouble.

“Can I get everyone’s attention?” a voice on stage drags everyone’s attention, even the couple.

Youjung’s eyes widen and start to tug Donghyuk away whilst a smirk appears on Mingyu’s handsome features. The male tries to stop the female; afraid that it was some announcement they needed to know. She continues to tug on his arm but he doesn’t move, seemingly rooted to the ground. 

“I would just like to thank everyone for coming to today’s event. As one of the major sponsors, it is touching to see that so many people are willing to donate and some even bringing home some very lovely items,” the voice belonging to a middle-age man says with a stiff grin. “I also would like to introduce my daughter who is at the venue today with her handsome fiancé. Please welcome, Min Youjung and Kim Donghyuk!”