"These charity balls are always a bore, aren't they?"

 

Jeno can't say he is surprised to hear that voice behind him, on the contrary, he was expecting it. Glancing over his shoulder, Jeno is greeted to the sight of the woman he has known forever.

 

None other than Jaemin Na is behind him at the balcony entrance. She looks stunning in her deep purple, backless dress. Her long legs are shown off by the slit going up the dress, and her small waist is accentuated by the tight gold waistband. Her hair is dyed a natural looking dark brown and is thrown up in a tight top-bun, not one baby hair out of place. Jaemin is always like that, perfectly groomed to look her part of being the only daughter to one of the richest fashion designers in Manhattan. Jaemin always has an aura of confidence surrounding her, leaving people in awe everywhere she goes.

 

She is ing gorgeous and she knows it.

 

Jaemin notices his staring but doesn't say anything about it. Instead, she sidles up next to him and leans her back onto the banister. "Mind if I join you?" She asks rhetorically.

 

"Well since you're already here, I don't see why not." Jeno answers dryly.

 

Jaemin lets out a small giggle (Jeno never liked when she did that. She has a beautiful laugh; he wishes she would stop holding back to be "ladylike"). "I see your humor hasn't changed."

 

Jeno shrugs. "You know how the saying goes, "if it isn’t broken, why fix it?""

 

The brunette raises her perfectly sculpted eyebrow, amusement showing in her chocolate orbs. "Who say it's not broken?"

 

"Well you laughed, didn't you?"

 

"Touché."

 

When it seems that Jaemin isn't going to say anything else for a while, Jeno goes back to staring at the sky. It's cloudy out, making the New York City sky even more lifeless than it usually is. Jeno is surprised that Jaemin isn't walking around in one of her custom-made fur shawls because it is quite chilly. Though summer ended not too long ago, fall seemed to be coming in hard already. Maybe when you're fabulous, you don't get cold as much.

 

"You know, the announcement will be tonight after dinner." Jaemin mutters, her eyes looking at the bright ballroom full of light a few feet away.

 

"How could I forget? We've been told about this since before we could even talk." Jeno says.

 

Jaemin frowns. "Yeah, I was hoping that this whole thing would be forgotten. I never thought it would last this long."

 

Jeno looks at younger girl like she was crazy. "You really thought our parents would let this go? No, they are too stuck on this "perfect" idea."

 

"Well, a girl can always hope."

 

"And where did that get us?"

 

Jaemin scoffs, "I did not see you coming up with any bright ideas. Oh, except for the time you thought almost pushing me off your grandfather's yacht was a good idea."

 

"Hey, in my defense, you were being extra annoying that day. I mean, who wears a dress on a boat?" Jeno says stubbornly.

 

Jaemin just sighs. "How could our parents really think that we are a good match? I mean we're the same age, but I don't see anything else we have in common."

 

"They were probably expecting for us to start getting along the more time we spent with each other."

 

"Well that didn't exactly work out."

 

"So, they separated us for the last few years." Jeno says. While it is true that they knew each other since they were babies, they were separated for some years. Their parents saw that they were not getting along as well as they had hoped (read: either Jeno or Jaemin were going to commit murder very soon) so they decided to give the kids a break. During their second year of high school, Jeno went to a boarding school overseas. Jeno had decided to stay there to finish high school and college as well, he had only come back some months ago. Jeno was less grumpy, sweeter, and so far from the he was when he was a prepubescent 12-year-old. When he came back, his infrequent meetings with Jaemin were at least civil. Jaemin matured as well in their time apart. She was more regal, but she was just as outspoken as she was when she was younger. It was easier to talk to her though since neither of them have the chips on their shoulders they did as kids. However, they have yet to become close.

 

"Well, I don't know about you," Jaemin starts, "But I don't think I am an closer to falling for you than I was when I threw your phone out that limo-."

 

"That was a brand-new phone." Jeno huffs.

 

"-but I can say that the childish things we did when we were younger aren't going to happen anymore. We are grown now. I am a lady now, and as such, I refuse to rough house with a boy. Even if it’s you."

 

"I guess since you're not a big mouthed little girl, I can't hit you like I used to." Jeno laughs a little at the multiple memories of him and Jaemin scrapping on the ground.

 

"I am a very opinionated woman, and I am not sorry for being such." Jaemin states, head held high.

 

"You have been spending too much time with Dongsook."

 

"That's because Dongsook knows what she's talking about, she has Mark wrapped around her finger. Why can't you be as pliant as him?" Jaemin pouts slightly, and Jeno refuses to call it cute.

 

"Because I would prefer not to be stomped all over, just my preference."

 

Jaemin was about to respond, but they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. It's Renjun, who albeit reluctantly, is friends with the both of them.

 

"Hey, you two, you're being called for."

 

Jaemin sighs, but nonetheless straightens up and smooths out the nonexistent wrinkles from her dress. " Well, I guess it is close to that time."

 

Jeno stands as well, he doesn’t bother to smooth his shirt, even though it did get a little crinkled.

 

Jeno offers his arm to Jaemin, almost mockingly. "My lady."

 

Jaemin rolls her eyes playfully, but gingerly puts her hand on the crook of his elbow.

 

"Thank you, very much kind sir, you are quite the gentleman." Jaemin giggles.

 

----

 

Later that night, after their engagement announcement, Jaemin tries her best to keep he polite smile on. It is hard though, when you're only 22 and you're getting married to someone that you have no romantic feelings for.

 

"You must be so happy, Jeno is such a fine young man. I would've snatched him up for my own daughter if he weren't already taken."

 

"Oh yes, Jeno makes me incredibly happy. I still can't believe that he is my fiancé." Jaemin really cannot believe it.

 

"Then again, Jeno is one lucky man. You are quite the beauty. Make sure Jeno treats you well, okay love?"

 

Hearing everyone praise Jeno, Jaemin can't hold back the nasty thoughts in her head. She knows Jeno, or the Jeno from before. She finds it hard to believe that he did a complete turnaround like everyone has been telling her. If this new Jeno is anything like his younger self, Jaemin will continue to avoid him like she has the last few years. Her opinion of Jeno Lee will not be changed so easily.

 

----

 

"So, how's the wedding planning going?"

 

Jaemin is over Dongsook's new townhouse that she recently just moved into with her husband, Mark. Though her and Dongsook are the same age, Dongsook was married two years ago to her husband. Dongsook had a complicated life. She was always known as the wild and out of control girl when they were younger. Her parents had basically disowned her at one point in time. Dongsook looked for any opportunity to leave the city, so when she met Mark, she took the chance to marry him. After the two got married, they moved across the country back to Mark's hometown of Los Angeles. The couple just got back that week and it was the perfect timing. It was weird for Jaemin to not have her best friend to be with all the time. She and Dongsook have been thick as thieves since kindergarten. Not having her best friend with her for her wedding would have been too hard for Jaemin.

 

"I honestly have no idea what's happening with my own wedding. My mother kind of banned me from doing anything. She said all I have to do is taste cake and try on dresses."

 

Dongsook's bell-like laughter rang through the room. God, Jaemin missed that sound. "Sounds like your mother. Can you hand me that box next to you?"

 

Jaemin reaches for the box the other girl asked for, before letting out a whine. "I can't believe I'm actually getting married, I'm only 22. Why do we have to be married?"

 

"Nana, you know as good as me that the only reason your parents want you to get married is because they want to live out their fantasies through you. Look on the bright side though, at least it's you and not Jisung." Dongsook points out helpfully, or as helpfully as Dongsook can get.

 

"They better not!" Jaemin fumes, "Jisung is my baby. I refuse to let them to pollute my child."

 

"Well you're gonna have to take the fall for him then. If you refuse to marry Jeno, they're gonna start looking at Jisung." Dongsook puts her finger on her chin and looks thoughtful for a second. "Actually, I think I heard your dad talking about how it would be a smart business move to merge with the Zhongs."

 

"Well at least Jisung is already in love with Chenle. I cannot even stand Jeno Lee."

 

Dongsook sighs, she's heard this only every day since they were five. "Nana, you haven't even taken the time to have a full conversation with him since he got back. And that was months ago. I know you think that Jeno is still that jerk that pushed you into a fountain, but he really has changed. Jeno is actually really nice but you haven't bothered to even try to get to know him. There is a lot worse than Jeno out in the world, Nana. You should at least be glad your parents didn't try to marry you off to some old bastard." Dongsook says bitterly.

 

Jaemin flinches, she really did not mean to belittle what Dongsook herself had to go through a few years ago. Dongsook doesn't like to talk about it but Jaemin knows how that affected the older girl. Dongsook still doesn't talk to her parents.

 

"I'm serious Nana, be grateful that you know Jeno, and you can at least trust that he will not try to hurt you. Some of these other pompous pretty boys can't be trusted."

 

The conversation ends after that, Dongsook going back to folding up clothes. Jaemin doesn't want to step on Dongsook's toes anymore, so she quietly sits on the bed. She doesn't leave until Mark comes home an hour later. Dongsook lights up when she sees him and she throws her arms around him, peppering his face with kisses.

 

Jaemin imagines herself and Jeno in their places. That won't ever be them, Jaemin is sure.

 

-----

 

2 weeks after the engagement party, Jaemin starts dress shopping. Jaemin loves shopping, it is one of her favorite hobbies, but the idea of shopping for a wedding dress just didn't fit right with her. Does Jaemin's mom really think that she is jump on board with this wedding when she sees a perfect dress? Jaemin is not the shallow, but she knows there is no way that she can get out of shopping for her own wedding dress. She might as well come to make sure her grandmother doesn't pick out some hideous abomination.

 

Jaemin is accompanied by her grandmother, who came all the way from Miami, her mother, Jisung, and of course, Dongsook. Jaemin will forever thankful that her best friend came back to the city. Dongsook is the only one with some taste in this group. Sorry Jisung.

 

"What about this one?" Dongsook pulls out an off-white mermaid style dress. It's gorgeous, with enough lace to look traditional but also enough rhinestones to appeal to Jaemin's personal style. Jaemin loves it but....

 

"I don't know, it doesn't fit me." Jaemin complains. They've been at this for the past 2 hours. With one of them showing Jaemin dresses, and Jaemin finding something to complain about it. It physically pains Jaemin to ignore all these designer wedding dresses, but she's doing this for the greater good. Maybe if she takes too long to pick out a dress, her parents are going to have to postpone the wedding, which is better than nothing.

 

Her mother, evidently, sees exactly what Jaemin is doing. "Na Jaemin, are you telling me that you don't like any of the dresses here?"

 

"I just want it to be perfect, I only get married once. It has to be perfect." Jaemin lies through her teeth, fooling absolutely none of her entourage. Grandmother at least looks amused.

 

"Seunghee, maybe we should start again tomorrow. We can go to Kleinfeld's," Dongsook suggests. Dongsook definitely knows what Jaemin is doing but she doesn't say anything.

 

Seunghee sighs and turns to look at her daughter. "Fine. But Nana, please stop being difficult. I want you to be involved in this process, I'm trying to make sure that you are happy."

 

Jaemin hums to show she was listening to her mother's nagging, but in reality, she wasn't even paying attention. Of course, her mother thinks that she is doing Jaemin a favor by trying to involve her in dress shopping for a wedding that Jaemin never wanted in the first place.

 

"It's about time we get ready for dinner anyway."

 

Dinner? Did Jaemin forget about a family dinner? Or was she supposed to meet the other society snobs to plan for the winter ball?

 

Her mother must have noticed the confused look on Jaemin's face, because she sighs and shakes her head. "Of course, you forgot. Jeno asked you out for dinner tonight, and you happily agreed."

 

"I did?" Jaemin asks, confused. She would have remembered that.

 

"Yes, you did. And I expect you to be on your best behavior, missy." Jaemin's mom usually allows Jaemin to do what she wants, but today might have been a little bit of a reach on Jaemin's part.

 

Jaemin puffs her cheeks out in annoyance but knows better than to disrespect her mother. "Yes mom."

 

"Good, now let's head home to get you dressed."

-------

Jeno sits at a private booth at Delmonico's, a restaurant that Jeno despised because of the uptight attitude of the other customers and the waiters, but of course his parents looked for that specifically when they reserved this place. He's been here for 10 minutes, waiting for a certain young brunette to walk through the doors. Jeno isn't too shocked that Jaemin is late, she lives for the dramatics. She probably took too long at the salon or something. It was cute sometimes, but Jeno wishes that she came on time tonight, if only because he can't stand sitting in this place by himself.

 

After another 5 minutes of waiting Jeno finally sees the Maître D' escorting Jaemin to their table. Jaemin thanks the man politely and takes her seat across from Jeno. She looks ethereal tonight. Her hair is in a ponytail with two pieces hanging around her face to frame it. The blue dress that adorns her body is skintight and Jeno just knows she took a pitstop at Dongsook's because her parents would never allow her to wear that dress at a formal dinner date.

 

"How are you Nana?" Jeno asks casually. Knowing Jaemin, this will only annoy her.

 

"I'd be better if I wasn't here." She answers grumpily. "I already had a bad day, seeing your smug face just made it so much worse."

 

Jeno grins at her, "Now Nana, I thought we agreed that we wouldn't act like brats anymore."

 

"I am not being a brat, I merely pointed out that I am not happy to be here right now." Jaemin forgoes looking at him for staring at the menu. Jeno doesn't know why she bothers; she's been eating the same risotto since she was 10. He would point that out, but he is not in the mood to deal with arguing with Na Jaemin.

 

"Well it's not like I exactly volunteered for this," Jeno is just as much of a victim as Jaemin. His father practically threw him out of the penthouse.

 

Jaemin ignores him and waves a waiter over to their table. Predictably, she orders the Aquarelle Risotto and some creamed spinach. Jeno settles with their classic s