Bittersweet Romance

Chapter 7

Our Promise

“Y/N.” Minhyuk called out to you as he stared at you with eyes filled with plea and fear. You immediately retract from him and step away, not wanting to be any closer to him. He looked at you, sadly and sighed. “I want to talk to you.” He spoke up with a low voice. You stared at him skeptical, unsure if anyone was around or he would lash at you again. You didn’t want to have any more emotional breakdowns. “If it is about what you asked about that day. I told you-“

“Y/N. I need to do this.” He interrupted, seeming to know exactly what you were going to say. You stared at him take aback by his words and wondered. “Why?” You asked. The young man was silent for a bit and pondered over his own words; wondering how to explain to you his own reasons. After a few more minutes of silence, you gave up on his pitiful act and scoffed. “If you can’t explain to me why you want this, then there is no reason. Tell your parents that I want to call off this marriage. I’ll tell mine.” You said as you begin to turn away back to the building. But as you turned away, Minhyuk takes you by the arm and forced you to face him again. You immediately retract and stared at him stunned. “What are you?”

“Please…” He pleaded desperately. You looked at him and silently wondered. What did he want? What was so important that he would still continue this even though he clearly didn’t like the situation as much as you do? Was it Jungsuh? Were his parents going to threaten her if he didn’t agree? You didn’t know, and in all honesty, didn’t care. No matter what, you benefitted nothing from this and it would only make things worse. Why help him, when he didn’t even bother to care for you?

“I’m sorry, I can’t.” You refused once more. “It’s…” You paused and sighed, “It’s never going to work, Minhyuk. None of it.” You backed away, looking at him apologetically. “I’m sorry.” You said once more and turned around to head inside. This was it. This was the end. This was where you drew the line between you and Minhyuk. You planned on calling Lian and explain everything, and then telling your parents everything. Being honest, being truthful, being brave. You were going to end it. It’s been almost a week since you met him. And things turned into a turmoil. You couldn’t stand it anymore. There is no way, you were going to go through with this marriage. Not anymore.

As you reached out to the door to the building, you exhaled and clenched the handle of the door, you could still sense Minhyuk standing there. Was he going to be that persistent? Was he going to really stand there and beg you? You glanced back at him and saw him still standing there, head low and his body still. You watched as he just stood there, almost lifeless and dark. What did he want? What is there that he has that he must protect to want this dumb fraud to continue? You tightened your grip on the door and let out a shaky breath. “You idiot… just give up already.” You mumbled as you pulled the door open and walked inside, not caring about Minhyuk’s state.

You had met up with Woohyun’s mother in the building and paid her back respectfully, she refused continuously earlier, but you kept on insisting and she eventually agreed. So, the both of you were content and you began your merry way back to the apartment.

“Ah! Y/N!” She called out to you before you left out the door. You turned to her curiously and hummed in reply. The lady walked up to you and handed you a box. It was a small one, the size of a normal sized tissue box, and was wrapped in a nicely kept white wrapping. You stared at it curiously and took it from the lady with both of your hands. “What is this?” You asked. Woohyun’s mother shrugged and looked at you just as curiously. “I do not know. A woman came here a few days ago while you were gone and left this with me.” She then reached into her bag and pulled out a letter. “And she also left this.” She handed you the letter and you took it. “She didn’t want to leave it in your mailbox unprotected, so she came and asked me to keep for you.

You looked down at the box and letter and contemplated over the items. You had no idea who would leave something like this for you nor why anyone would. “You said it was a woman?” You asked. Woohyun’s mother nodded. “She was very beautiful and had long dark hair. She also was very kind.” She explained. You wondered over who it could possibly be. Lian? No… she was always with you. Mi-yeong? No, she was busy with work all week. Who was it?

You thanked her and bid your goodbyes afterwards and walked out of the building, heading back to your apartment. And still there, now standing by the complex entrance, was Lee Minhyuk. You stared at him stunned. Why the hell was he still here? You walked slowly over to him and looked at him for a while. He raised his head and looked back at you, his eyes tired and weak. You sighed and turned back toward the door.

“Jungsuh must be worried for you. Go home.” You told him as you opened the door and walked inside, leaving the poor man alone in the cold.

You silently walked over to the elevators, rode it up to your apartment floor, and went inside your home. With a loud sigh, you threw your wallet and phone onto your bed and placed the box and letter down on your desk. “I’ll look at that later.” You then took off your jacket and look up at your wall clock to examine the time: 1:39 p.m. “Woohyun won’t be here until 3:30, I should prepare some food and tidy up.” You quickly walk out of your room and head straight into the kitchen, grabbing ingredients and the left-over food from last night. “Where is the kimchi?” You fumbled in the fridge until you hear a knock at your door. Pulling your head out, you look over at the door. “Hm?”

You then walked out of the kitchen and over to the door, looking through the peep hole. “Oh?” You immediately open the door and standing there was the neighborhood mailman. “Hello.” You greeted. The man smiled and bowed. “Hello, Miss Y/N.” He greeted back. He then handed you a box and smiled. “A delivery for you.”

You took the box from his hand and smiled. “Oh? Okay, thank you!” He smiled back and bowed. “I haven’t seen you around lately, are you alright?” He asked with a concerned expression. You looked at him and awkwardly chuckled. “Ahaha! I went to visit my parents and then got sick a little, but I am fine. Don’t worry!” You assured. He nodded and grinned. “Oh okay! Well then, I will be on my way! Goodbye!” And with that, he turned away, however immediately paused. “Oh? Miss, do you by any chance know this man that is standing outside the complex?” He suddenly asked. You immediately looked up at him in shock. He’s still there?

“He has been there for a while and it’s getting fairly cold outside.” He said as he looked away worriedly. You gulped in and awkwardly grinned. “Is that so? I um…” Suddenly, a woman comes walking out of her room. It was your neighbor, Miss Katie. She was a thirty-year-old American woman who came to live in Korea. She’s been living in this complex far more longer than you have and was a nice lady. But, she was a bit rough around the edges. “Ohhhh! Y/N!!!” She greeted. “And Junghae!!” She looked over at the mailman and smiled brightly. “Nice too see you all!” She happily greeted as she ran over to you and hugged you tightly.

“H-Hello, Katie!” You greeted as she hugged you. The lovely lady then pulled away and smiled at you gleefully. “I heard from our landlord! Are you okay!” She asked you worriedly. You nodded and smiled. “I am fine.” You answered. She then looked at the mailman and gleamed. “How have you been?” She greeted. The man smiled and told her he was fine. After a little chatting, you excused yourself back inside and looked over the box. “Wonder what this is?” You said as you examined it. The “from” address was from your parent’s place. You froze and stared at it, a little afraid. Carefully, you placed the box down on the dining room counter and opened the box.

Once you opened it, you were stunned to see what was inside. It was the Rilakkuma doll Minhyuk won for you, and the box with the silver bracelet your mother gave to you. You had forgotten about them and left them back at your parents’ home. You presumed Lian may have sent them over. You pulled the bear out and stared at it a little. The emotions and memories of what had happened the day you got this guy returned, and you felt a deep sadness reemerge within you. You then placed the bear down and took the box out, placing it beside the bear.

You then find something else in the box. It was a yellow folder. You picked it up and examined it carefully. What in the world could this be? You sat yourself down on the seat at your table and moved the box away. You then opened the folder and when you pulled out the contents, you gasped. It was marriage documentations. Immediately, you dropped the papers and look at them in shock. On it had your name and Minhyuk’s name as the registrars. You stared as you wondered when and how your family had gotten these already ready.

You then see another paper underneath it. It was a letter, from Lian.

Young Lady, I know you are probably going to ask me to tell your parents to call off the marriage. I heard from Young Master Minhyuk’s guard. Lady Y/N, these are the documents your parents have filed for your marriage. The only thing left is for the two of you to sign them. I want you to think this over carefully and consider your options. My lady… There is something I have not told you. I was asked to keep this a secret by your parents but, I feel it important in this situation. Young Master Minhyuk, is not a bad person. Over the course of the years you had been gone, I was asked by both of your parents to watch over the Young Master for a time being. In preparations to serve the both of you after the marriage. The Young Master is a kind and caring man. He means no harm. He is just… conflicted. I’ve known that he was in love with Miss Kang Jungsuh. I knew. I was afraid you would find out. I was also afraid that the Young Master would lash at you. His heart is very confused My Lady. I know it is hard. It is very hard. Jun, Minhyuk’s guard, is also very aware. But, would it be possible to give him another chance? And possibly, help him regain his former-self? The choice is yours My Lady, but I believe you could help him.

Sincerely, Lian.

You looked over the letter once more and wondered. So, Lian knew? She knew all along that Minhyuk had a lover? Did everyone know but you? You placed the letter back down on the table and sat there silently. Your mind was trying to process and organize the information you had just obtained. Lian served Minhyuk, she knew, she wants you to help him…. For what? What is wrong with Minhyuk that everyone seems to need you to help him for so much? Who was Minhyuk before this? What the hell is going on?

You felt conflicted, confused, and frustrated. No one was telling you anything, no one was being honest with you. You had no idea what is going on anymore. You felt like a little mouse stuck in an experiment. No one cared about how you felt, you were just their toy and they continued to feed you lies to test you. But you couldn’t escape and there was no where to go. An endless cycle and no one is letting you out nor telling you the truth. You groaned loudly and combed your fingers through your hair. You ruffled it roughly and sighed as you leaned over onto the table and lowered your head. “I hate this so much.”

After letting your head cool for a few more minutes, you raised yourself back up and put the stuff into your room. Placing the documents on your desk and then throwing your bear onto your bed, you sighed and stared at the box with the bracelet in your hands. “I should wear sometime.” You told yourself as you placed on your desk with the other stuff and walked back out to the kitchen to prepare food.

By the time you were finished with all the preparations, you were pretty pooped out. You were still recovering from being sick and your ankle was just barely getting better. So, you had gotten tired pretty fast in the middle of preparations, hence, you had to take it slower than usual. But, you did it. The food was prepared, your apartment was tidied, and now all you had to do was wait for Woohyun.

With a proud smile, you looked over everything and beamed. “I hope Woohyun likes the food.” You said as you looked at each dish carefully. A fine platter of kimchi stew, grilled pork-belly, ramyun, fried rice, and japchae. It was a little much, but hey? Woohyun was a big eater anyway. You exhaled and relaxed yourself as you looked up at the clock and smiled. “He should be here any minute.” You then sit yourself at the table and proceeded to wait for him.

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