Map? Check.

Address? Check.

Black clothes? Check.

Confidence? Um…you might have left that one behind.

You sigh as you stand outside of the enormous house; you’re intimidated by its sheer size and the intricate columns, a beautiful garden to match a beautiful home. You can’t believe Jeongmin wouldn’t want to live here. But you think again when you remember the people living behind those fancy walls and know that you have to go in there. Jeongmin needs you. And even more so, you need him.

You make your way through the tall manicured bushes, praying they don’t have any sort of guard dogs or security. Jeongmin didn’t mention it in his letter, but you wouldn’t be surprised, considering the size of this house. You slink in between the hedges and find yourself at the side of the house, the stone lined with windows and a small door. You test the knob and surprisingly find it unlocked. For such a nice house, their security .

The room is dim as you step inside. It appears to be some sort of wash room; laundry hangs out, drying neatly. You hear footsteps and duck behind a cloth, praying no one can see you tucked in the corner.

“Where is my dress?! I’m supposed to try it on today! It’d better fit or this is coming out of your paycheck." You recognize Hyora’s sugar sweet voice and wince, trying not to gag. Oh, if only you could just reach out and slam your fist…never mind.

Her voice finally dies down as she leaves the room. You wait in silence for a few moments before ducking out from behind the cloth, searching for a way to a different room. You spot a door to the left and turn the knob hesitantly after pressing your ear to the dark wood. No voices pour through, though if there had been you probably wouldn’t have heard anything; that door was rock solid. You decide to take a chance and you push on to the next room. You don’t have time to slow down; you’ve got to do this before you lose your motivation.

You take out your map and check where you are. Just down the hall should be Jeongmin’s room. You take a deep breath and creep out of the room, praying no one is in the long hallway. Your dreams are crushed when you hear words float by where you stand. You squeeze yourself against the cold wall and pray that the darkness is on your side.

“He’s not going to marry her. You have to understand that. I’ve been thinking, and I know that even if they do get married, Jeongmin is going to run away to find the girl he really loves and we’ll never see him again. Do you really want to lose your son for money?” You recognize his mother’s voice and your heart nearly stops. There’s a moment of silence between her and who you guess must be Jeongmin’s father.

“I know, yeobo, but…I promised Hyora’s parents. How can I go back on a promise like that? They have to get married…I can’t break my promise.” You hear the pain in his voice and it nearly breaks your heart. “Think about what you’re really breaking. Think about your son’s life. We’re making a mistake and we have to fix it now that we’ve realized…” His mother’s voice trails off as another voice interrupts. “Umma! Appa!” Gross. Hyora again.

You hear her footsteps come dangerously close to you and you in a breath. “Come see my dress! I want to know what you think.” She strolls straight past you and your eyes nearly pop out of your head. Please don’t let them notice me…

His parents follow after Hyora slowly. You watch his mother’s pained expression and his father’s thoughtful one. Maybe they weren’t so bad after all. But to prove that, they would have to fix this, and you didn’t think they were brave enough to go against Hyora and her family.

You let out a long gasp and hurry down the hallway before anyone else shows up. You reach the door at the end of the hallway and stop for a moment before entering. What if Jeongmin isn’t in there at all? Or worse, what if someone else is in there with him?

You slowly push the door open just a crack. You see Jeongmin standing by the window, a sad expression on his face as he focuses on the hills outside. You slip into the room and your fears melt away. “Jeongminnie-ah?” Your voice comes out quiet and hopeful as Jeongmin turns to you, his eyes lighting up immediately.

He runs to you immediately. “_______! You came! You really came!” He clutches you tightly to him until you can’t breathe. You laugh shakily. “Air, Jeongmin. I need air.” He grins sheepishly before pulling away, but just slightly. He kisses you softly on the forehead, then the nose, and finally your lips. He sighs into the loving kiss and rubs small circles on your back. “I missed you so much.” You smile softly, his words making your heart ache.

“I missed you too. But I’m here now. I’m going to save you, princess.” He turns red at your last word and pouts. “Hey! You have to admit, it was romantic.” You nod and grin at him before your moment is suddenly ruined. A knock sounds at the door as a voice travels though.

“Jeongmin? Can I come in?”