4. vier

It was still fresh on his mind how different she was from her last visit to his place. His parents asked her to come for a holiday—they prefer to call it bonding time actually, since their son and daughter barely knew each other. It was some months after their engagement when Haneul’s mother called, saying that Haneul finally have time to pay them a visit. She talked to Sehun, asking him to take care of the daughter and tour her around. The older also told Sehun to use the time to get to know each other more. Sehun then, was more than willing to fulfil his soon-to-be in law's wishes.

Haneul was way too far from his expectation. Sehun thought the girl would be the silent type, because she appeared to be like that, that time on their private engagement day. Sehun thought he would have to put a lot effort to even just have a decent conversation with her. But the girl proved him wrong, and Sehun was just so happy. The girl smiled a lot. Haneul even got close to his mother effortlessly. And the thing that Sehun worried the most was that they would be awkward—which didn’t happen at all.

Among all the trips he had with the girl, their visit to the Cadbury World was definitely his favourite. Sehun smiled as he remembered how happy she looked, and how close they were during the trip. He still remembered the pretty smile that spread all over her face while exploring the chocolate factory. The man also noted that her eyes went crescent as she smiled—he had noticed it before, on the book-sign event. He heard her melodious laugh ringing on his ears through the entire trip, and also some shrieks of excitement every time she found something new.

“Where are we going today?” Haneul asked as the man helped her to put on her seatbelt, excitement could be hinted in her voice.

“You sound so excited, Cupcake.” Sehun smiled as he fastened his own seatbelt. His eyes lingered on her and noticing the blush that bloomed on her cheeks at the name he just used to call her by now.

It had been two weeks since she first stepped in Birmingham for their bonding time, and Sehun had been really sweet towards her. Haneul didn’t need a long time to find him right after she landed at the airport because the man was already there, waiting for her at the arrival gate—all by himself. He was the one who then brought her luggage to the car when Haneul clearly refused because she didn’t want to be a burden. He was the one asking what kind of trip she prefers, and also which kind of food she likes. Haneul was afraid that they would be awkward because—well, he’s the man who’s going to be her husband after all—but Sehun turned out to be a really warm man. He really offered all the hospitality, clearly trying his best to make her comfortable, and that simple gesture actually made her touched.

He brought her to various famous attractions there in Birmingham since she said that it was her first time there. When he had some schedules and company things to attend, he left her with his mom which undoubtedly would brought her out for girls time—like, shopping and stuff. Being the positive person Haneul was, she used those times to learn more about him. The one whom she’s going to spend her life with. Her future husband. She still a bit shy around the man, but she asked a lot of things to his mother which made the older indeed very happy, knowing that her future daughter in-law seeing the arranged marriage from a good side.

“Did I?” Haneul asked, tilting her head towards him. Sehun could hint a tinge of blush blooming on her cheeks every time he called her Cupcake, and Sehun couldn’t help but find it adorable. “You brought me to a lot of exciting places, and I can’t wait to discover what kind of exciting place we are going to visit next.” She explained herself which earned a small chuckle from the man.

“You sure love to explore, don’t you?” Sehun pressed the gas pedal and went down on the lane, bringing the girl to—hopefully—the next exciting place.

The couple spent almost three and half hour at the chocolate factory. He couldn’t be more right when he declared that it was another exciting place as he watched the girl who was in awe most of the time. She clearly enjoyed the time they were spending there. If he guessed it right, she enjoyed the making chocolate experience the most. Haneul was a grown up woman, but Sehun found her adorable like the other children running everywhere in that place. Sehun still standing close by her side when she tried to pour the melted chocolate into the moulds. He watched as she was fully concentrating not to spill the chocolate. Her face contorted in such a funny way, Sehun noticed.

“Ah!” Haneul suddenly shrieked when something flashed right in front of her face before it touched her nose. Soon after, she heard a giggle coming from the man standing beside her. The girl who was actually frowning, suddenly just smiled as she heard his giggles-turn-into-a-loud-laugh after she turned her head toward him. “Sehun!” His laugh was contagious, Haneul couldn’t help but laugh too before she did something.

Sehun stopped laughing. The girl was now her fingers with a mischievous grin after smearing a good amount of melted chocolate on Sehun’s nose. Sehun actually wanted to shriek, but he needed to hold himself if he wanted to keep his image in front of her. It’s the first time the girl getting back at him after a lot of jokes and teases he threw ever since. “Yah,” Sehun said with a low tone. Haneul was still laughing as she tried to run away from Sehun when she noticed that the man was going to do the same thing over again.

“Come here you, Cupcake.” Sehun shouted and started to chase the girl. The other people who were also there just smiled at the affectionate couple playing around them. Sehun didn’t need to put a lot of effort actually—he was just pretending—to catch the girl. When he caught her, the man quickly circled his hand on her waist to prevent her from running further. Only then, both of them suddenly turned awkward. The feeling, it was so foreign to her, having someone’s hand on her waist while laughing together. Her heart was skipping a beat, and she could notice the warm feeling which slowly creeping up on her. She coughed, clearing . Sehun realized what could be wrong when the laugh suddenly dissipate. He quickly retracted his hands.

“Sorry,” He said sincerely, with a smile still hanging on his face—because Sehun was obviously too happy.

Haneul just shook her head a little and smiled at him, but she noticed that it actually make her heart beat a little faster. Kind of. That smile.

“I guess it was another exciting place to visit?” Sehun asked, cracking the silence after both of them finished their dinner. He brought her to a small cosy restaurant on the downtown not so far from the previous place.

“Indeed.” Haneul replied with a smile on her face. Sehun’s mind suddenly flashed back to the first time he saw this smile. The way her lips curled up, and the way her eyes turned into a crescent as she smiled. The smile that made him fell in love. The smile that broke his love-at-the-first-sight-doesn’t-exist theory.

“I’m glad.”

The silence came back eventually, but at least it wasn’t that kind of uncomfortable silence for both of them. The girl seemed too occupied with her own mind, so Sehun just let her be. They chose to sit beside the window—Haneul chose it actually, her favourite spot in every place.

“Let’s go, you said you want to take some walk?” She asked. Sehun just nodded before standing up and walking to her side, pulling her chair like a gentleman he was.

The air was nice. He could see her even enjoying this night walking, from the way she swayed her hands, the way she inhaled the air and the presence of smile on her face—for the nth time that day. Sehun suddenly fidgeted, sometimes stealing a glance at the girl who was busy watching the street. “Haneul,” and he finally cracked the silence once again.

“Yes?”

“I—um… I have something to ask you,” Sehun looked kind of nervous. He actually had something on his mind, something he really wanted to know, and it has been bothering him since.

“Sure, go on.” She replied shortly.

Sehun was that kind of man who believed that everyone could learn to love someone. But he didn’t know whether the girl had the same mind set or not. He had been wondering—since the very first time she came to his place—was she sincere? Sehun couldn’t guarantee that she wanted the marriage as much as he did, and that was actually bothering him.

“This marriage…” He started. “Do you actually agree with this?”

Haneul didn’t expect that question.

Sehun sounded so stern. Haneul felt like a lump suddenly formed on , stopping her from answering the question. Do you, Haneul? She mentally asked herself. For once Haneul wanted to read his mind, to figure out which kind of answer he actually wanted, and what was he thinking while asking that kind of question.

Sehun quietly reached out to her hand, silently begging, gently grazing his thumb on the back of her hand.

Haneul could see the sincerity shining on his eyes, and she realized, there was no use to lie. “We’re going to spend our life with each other, so there’s really no reason not to be honest with each other.” Haneul started with a smile. “I didn’t know you back then when my parents informed me about the marriage. They told me it’s for the sake of my future. They want to hand me, their only daughter, to a good hand, so they wouldn’t be worried. And they believe that you are the good hand. My parents know yours, very well even. So they believe that your parents raised you well.” She stopped to take a breath, but both still walking through the pavement. Sehun was still waiting for her to continue patiently. “I was confused. I didn’t know who you are at all, but suddenly I have to spend my life with you. Would you expect me to agree that instant? No, Sehun.”

It felt like something sharp suddenly pierced through his heart. But the small smile which spread on Haneul’s face magically healed it.

“But then, I took my time to think about everything. My parents did everything, even thinking that far for me. They worried about my future. Wasn’t that an enough sign of love from them? How would they feel if I reject it? You already know the answer. I would not only disappoint both my Mom and Dad, but also Uncle and Aunt Oh, and I wouldn’t want that.” She paused, now facing him, trying to look straight into Sehun’s eyes after she kept looking down on her fidgeting fingers. “That’s why I need your help in this, Sehun.”

“Because I still believe that we can learn to love.”

The man gently placed his hands on her shoulder as they stood facing each other, and then he hugged her. The man circled his arms, engulfing her petite body in such comforting way. His heart raced fast, and he kind of worried that Haneul might hear the thumping. “I won’t disappoint you and our parents, I promise.”

Sure he still didn’t know a lot of things about her, and he still needed to work hard to get her heart. But Sehun never regretted asking the question. Her answer convinced him a lot, and he wouldn’t want another answer. She was being honest with him, and that actually made him fall even deeper when he thought he   
couldn’t be more in love with the girl.

Haneul was sitting, hands on her desk, scribbling something on her notebook. Sometimes she threw her gaze outside her windows when she stopped writing, staring at the sky. The girl occasionally glancing to her still vibrating phone, but didn’t intend to pick it up. The caller’s name could be seen blinking and that’s the reason why she didn’t want to answer it in the first place.

Haneul never even once imagine it. She would rather solve the hardest Quantum Physics question rather than to face the problem she was facing right at the moment. The girl just suddenly ruffled her hair so hard frustratingly and let out a loud wail. The phone was still ringing, it seemed like Sehun wasn’t giving up anytime soon. She already ignored his call many times—she couldn’t even count it anymore. But the more she ignored him, the more his name would appear on her screen, and she currently didn’t like the idea of that.

And she gave up.

“Good morning,” Wow, she thought she could win an acting award by this. Her voice sounded so calm for an annoyed woman. What an act.

“Morning, Haneul.” Haneul could hear a sigh of relieve coming from the other end. “Were you still sleeping?” Sehun asked.

She chuckled a bit. “Of course not, Sehun. My parents would kill me if I still asleep in this hour. I was out of my room, I didn’t hear the phone was ringing.” I didn’t want to talk to you actually.

“Oh, okay,”

“So, what’s up?” She asked.

“Haneul…” It was all silent for a brief moment before Sehun decided to continue. “I’m sorry,” The girl kept silent. “I’m really sorry about the last time. I—I never intend to hurt you. I was just—I didn’t know why I did that. I’m sorry. I would understand if you hate me by now. Just tell me, let me know—anything. You must be angry with me, or you probably feel disgusted—“

“It’s alright, Sehun.” She whispered and smiled bitterly. Her fingers were fiddling with the tip of her glitter pen.

“Sorry,”

“Just… just promise me you wouldn’t do something like that again.”

Sehun felt a sudden pang inside his heart. The guilty feeling hit him even harder. His heart clenched painfully hearing those words rolling out of her lips. A week after that night, Sehun had tried calling her. He almost gave up, all he wanted was to fly to Seoul and beg her for an apology. And there, through the thin line she effortlessly melted his heart once again. Even after Sehun did something awful, all she asked was only for him not to do it again. What did he do to deserve someone as angelic as this girl? Again, Sehun couldn’t help but fall even deeper.

And there again, Sehun promised to himself he would never hurt her. He would devote his life to protect her. He would shower her with every bit of love he had until he had nothing l