“Madi, are you able to explain what just happened?” Rocky asks me with a raised eyebrow.

            “It’ll take me a minute to form words, but I can try.” I sigh. I’ll have to tell them now... I take a deep breath and begin to explain, “Eunwoo is in an arranged marriage that was set up by his parents.”

            Everyone collectively gasps and I nod along, agreeing that it’s shocking. “Did anyone know about this?” Stasia looks around at the group of us.

            “I don’t think any of us did…” Skye sighs. “Madi,” she turns her attention back to me, “how long have you known about this?”

            “A few weeks,” I admit to the group. “He didn’t even want to tell me at first and I was the one he brought with him to Paris for three weeks…”

            “He brought you to Paris?” Rocky asks with wide eyes. I nod. “For three weeks?” I nod again.

            “Yeah,” I admit shyly. “He had a bit of a breakdown and then the next day he showed up with plane tickets. They were one one-way and he needed the getaway. Eventually he told me about it and I told him it was time to come home after that and now we’re here,” I shrug.

            Everyone stares back at me with blank expressions. “I’m going to go check on Eunwoo,” I speak up when no one says anything after a short while.

            I stand from my seat and leave the table quickly. My first instinct was to check out in front of the building. I walk outside and see Eunwoo leaning against the wall not far from the door. “Hey,” I get his attention.

            “Hey,” his back still faces me. I hear him sniffle. It is fairly cold out here and Eunwoo’s been out here for much longer than I have.

            “You okay?” Eunwoo slowly turns to face me. A small, barely audible, gasp escapes my lips before I can stop it. “Are you okay?” I whisper my question this time. As he turns and I look at his face, his eyes are red and swollen. His cheeks have a slight shine to them, indicating to me that he had been crying the entire time he was out here. He quickly wipes his sleeve over his cheeks and his eyes before stuttering out something that I can’t quite understand. “Will you tell me what happened?” Eunwoo stares back at me for a moment before finally nodding slowly.

            “As you know, I called Rocky aside to talk to him,” he sniffles. “I asked him if it’d be possible to ask everyone to not ask about wedding planning, and only planning specifically because my parents are really trying to get me to help them plan my arranged wedding. I know this is extremely ridiculous of me to ask of him but I can’t handle this talk of wedding planning.” Eunwoo wipes his cheeks as fresh tears fall almost gracefully from his beautiful eyes. I can feel tears well up in my own eyes as I watch the man in front of me continue wiping his eyes. “Anyway, Rocky apologized and asked why I was asking such a question and I just snapped on him after avoiding the question with the response ‘at least you’re free to love and marry the person you love’ and I stormed out. I regret my actions and I should go apologize to Rocky for snapping at him. I feel bad,” he sniffles once more before taking a deep breath.

            “Are you sure you’re ready to go back inside or do you need another minute?”

            “I’m ready to go back in if you’ll come with me,” Eunwoo holds his hand out to me. I gladly take his hand in my own and lead him back towards the restaurant. We walk back into the restaurant, hand-in-hand, and back to the room where everyone else is still. Eunwoo said he didn’t want to tell them that he and I were actually dating tonight but after the interesting interaction between him and Rocky, now would be as good a time as any to explain why Eunwoo said what he did.

            “Madi?” Eryn asks when she sees us before anyone else. I hold up Eunwoo and my intertwined hands for her to see and she smiles.

            “Rocky,” Eunwoo starts. “I’m sorry for the way I acted, I’m just stressed. Madi probably told you that I’m in an arranged marriage set up by my parents. The reason I said what I said about loving and marrying whoever you want as your choice is because of that arrangement. My parents want me to participate in planning and they won’t stop trying to get a hold of me to ‘help’ them. I don’t want to marry the girl they set me up with. One day, if she’ll have me, I’d like to marry you Madisen.” Eunwoo looks down at me shyly.

            I’m at a loss for words. “W-what?”

            “I’d like to marry you one day,” he repeats himself with a small smile spread across his lips.