4k chapter to make up for my 4 months absence (:

"Hyung told me to get you like 10 minutes ago, noona."

I glance at my anxious looking cousin who's tapping his feet impatiently and pick up the other pair of earring, calmly putting it on. "Jihoon, why don't you help me pick my shoes?"

He sighs before moving towards the shoe rack and scans it carefully. After a few moments, he pulls out a silver pair of high heels. "How about this one? I think it goes well with your maroon dress." 

Jihoon later tried to hide his proud smile (but failed) when I nodded, even going to the extent of helping me put them on. "Okay, you're done. Let's go," the boy says eagerly, holding his arm out for me to take. Just as we were about to leave, my other cousin burst through the door, "There you are! Why are you guys still here? It's starting soon." 

Jihoon shoots an accusatory glance at me, making me roll my eye. 

"Anyway, this is yours," Woojin nonchalantly hands me the bouquet of flowers he came in with and I eye him in suspicion.  

"I didn't buy it." 

"Of course," I mutter as I take it from him and Jihoon snickers. 

The first thing I saw among the red roses was a small handwritten card: for my beautiful lady  - D 

A smile crept on my face but it was replaced instantly by a glower when Jihoon grabbed the bouquet away and put it on my bed. "You can stare later, let's go down before hyung gets mad at me." 

As planned, the engagement party is going to be held tonight, exactly a week after the family meeting. It seems like the elders, including my brother, don't really like postponing things. I don't know how Seojoon managed to prepare everything on his own in a short time since he persisted that it was his brother duties. I couldn't find the logic in it because it would be easier to do it together, but nope, he still wanted me to take my hands off the matter.

Once I step out into our backyard, I can see everything was set up perfectly well that I couldn't fight off my own smile at the sight of my brother's proud one as he greets our guests. 

Opting to go to my grandmother instead, I walk past some unfamiliar faces, greeting them with a slight bow until I reach the front table. My grandmother sends me a look as I take a seat next to her, "What did I tell you about being tardy? They've arrived already." 

I smile sheepishly, "Sorry, halmeoni. Where are they?"

"Here," a husky voice says and I turn to see a dashing looking Daniel. Dressed in a maroon striped suit with black turtleneck and his hair styled up; he obviously had me staring (which he raised an eyebrow at). 

He broke into a smile, "I assume you've gotten the present?"

"I- um- y-yeah. Thank you. It-it's really beautiful." 

I refuse to see my grandmother's smile as I turn back to the front and my fiancé takes a seat on my right. 

"I apologize on her behalf, Daniel. She really likes to take her time when it comes to getting ready," my grandmother says and he shakes his head. "That's how girls are, halmeoni." 

All those rebuttals in my head was forgotten when I noticed how he addressed my grandmother. Daniel must've met her in advance if he's already calling her that. Behind my back, at that. Not that I mind. 

Just then, Seojoon goes up onto the small stage and everyone settles down, taking their seats. "Hello and welcome to the Parks' residence. Thank you so much to everyone for coming tonight." There was a round of applause before he continued. "The reason I've invited all of you here is to celebrate a very special occasion. My lovely sister, Soeun," he gestures me to stand up and I do as he says, throwing a smile to the people around me. "-recently got engaged to a very handsome man. Let me introduce to all of you, her fiancé, Kang Daniel." 

Most of the guests warmly congratulated us after that, but I was sure no one expected the sudden announcement. I mean, we rarely hear heirs of different business sectors getting married to each other. Plus, everyone I know is aware of how disinterested I was with everything else besides my family and work ever since dad passed away. 

I was pulled away from my thoughts by Daniel's sweet smile at me. 

"We were introduced by a mutual friend," Daniel explains (we both agreed on taking out the arranged part), almost reciting by now to the group of guests we're talking to. We've been going around the place to greet all the guests ever since Seojoon dropped the news. Social gatherings have always been tiring and I'm quite used to it, but this feels like a whole new level to me. 

I'm not sure I can take another question of "When is the wedding?".

They congratulated us again before excusing themselves and I exhaled loudly, making Daniel chuckle.  

"Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight, Soeun?" He raises my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss on it.  

Flustered, I look at him disapprovingly despite my flushed cheeks. "There are people watching, Daniel." 

"Are you hungry? Should we take a break and eat?" Daniel asks instead cheekily, his thumb my hand. I squint my eyes at him before nodding, "Yeah, that sounds nice." 

As we stride towards the buffet section, I finally notice that he didn't let go of my hand from the start. We had our arms linked at first, yet now I found our fingers intertwined and it felt almost normal. 

It doesn't make me feel any less anxious on where this is going to head even though he has been nothing but nice, sweet and caring all this time. And I know very little about him compared to most of our guests which made me feel even worse.

"What do you want to eat?" 

I mutely scanned the food along the long table and when I told him I wanted to taste all of it, he laughed and proceeded to fill our plates. "You're cute, you know that?" 

"You're flattering me too much, mister," I say, avoiding his teasing gaze to look for empty seats. I secretly hope that he won't notice my reddening cheeks. Just then, a hand shot up, calling us over happily but I don't think I know this person. 

Daniel leans closer and whispers, "That's my aunt." 

She welcomed us in eagerness and we ate as she nagged a constantly smiling Daniel. "...or else I wouldn't have to waste my time setting you up on blind dates..." 

"I told you that I didn't want to go, you're the one who insisted," he replies calmly. I raise my eyebrow at him and he simply shakes his head.

Daniel stood up from his seat before patting his uncle's shoulder who was sitting next to him, "I should really go before you start spilling all my secrets." They laughed and at that moment, somehow, I felt like I didn't belong there. 

Until the couple gleefully said, "We're so happy to have you in our family, Soeun." 

After we leave the table, Daniel whispers into my ear huskily, "My family loves you already." The action felt so intimate that I felt a shiver run down my back and I quickly recomposed myself with a nervous smile. 

"I could say the same."

He throws a glance around us, looking somewhat guilty all of a sudden. "Is your..mother here? I haven't-" 

I've never been as grateful as then when Seongwoo came barging between us two. "Miss me, my lovely friends? I'm going to steal you guys for the rest of the party." 

Daniel reluctantly dropped the topic as Seongwoo dragged us towards a group of fine looking men, "Those are our friends." Realizing our presence, the men stopped talking and started cheering. "It's the new couple!"

"Yah, keep it down a bit," someone complains. "You guys are embarrassing me." 

"Party pooper," someone else says and they laugh. 

"This is Jisung hyung, party pooper and the oldest one here," Daniel gestured to the man on his right with a hint of amusement. Jisung shoots a pointed look at him before turning to me with a smile. "Hi, Soeun. I've heard a lot about you, so it's nice to finally meet you."

"He has a pretty sister," Seongwoo chimes in, smiling playfully as he avoids a hit from the older man. 

Daniel looks around as if searching for someone before blurting out, "Where's Ahreum noona?" "She couldn't come, our son's having a fever," Jisung replies; it was then I realized the presence of a ring on his finger. "She asked me to invite you two over for dinner by the way."

I turn expectantly to Daniel and he nods with a smile. "I'd love to meet your wife. Tell her we'll come over soon." 

"Just them? What about us?" A voice interrupts from the end of the group. "Ouch, hyung. I thought we're friends."

He then smoothly turns to me, winking. "I'm Kim Jaehwan by the way, nice to meet you." 

"I saw what you did there to my fiancée, Jaehwan." 

"Sorry, can't help it." 

"Anyway, this is Sungwoon hyung," we greeted each other warmly since I've met him a few times with my brother. "And this is Minhyun hyung."

The said man shakes his head with a small smile, "Now I know why Daniel waited so long to introduce you." 

"And I'm Ong Seongwoo. Lawyer and part time model at your service."

I give him a weird look while Daniel laughs loudly, "What are you doing?" Seongwoo grins, "Everyone was introducing themselves, I didn't want to miss out." 

"Anyway, we have something to tell you," Jisung finally says after a few seconds of silent stare fight between them and obvious push and pull of anything they were about to do. 

"Actually, I- no, we prepared an early gift for you two," Seongwoo confesses and the others nod along as he dramatically takes out a card from his suit pocket. "A special wedding photoshoot package, fully sponsored by us. You c