The last time, no correction, the only time I had ever seen him was three years ago at a Christmas Party thrown by my dad’s company. I was forced there and it was very apparent that so was he. But, I had the decency to not act like a brat in front of complete strangers. He was so smug and arrogant.

Three years now seemed like a decade ago when this morning my mom announced to me that I needed to get married. To him. That man. Jung Dae Hyun.

My memories flashed back to the dinner table all those years ago. My dad had always told me what a bright kid the Jungs had and seeing him with his arms crossed at the head chair, my naïve heart had decided to walk up to him.

“Hi. Daehyun, right? I am Are-“ I was cut short even before I had begun my introduction.

“And I care because?” he retorted back rather curtly.

“…er I was just..”

“Look if you don’t have my cheesecake I don’t care” He spoke not once meeting my eye. Rather looking halfway across the room at nothing.

I curled my hand into a fist in consideration of the stranger I would have otherwise punched. There I was trying to be nice to him and he chooses to be a complete douche. Well, he had chosen the wrong person to rile up!

“You know I was wondering why you were sitting alone at a party filled with people our age,” I paused till he looked at me, “Figures.” With that I did the coolest turn and walked away never looking back again.

But how can my parents marry me off to this jerk?! I couldn’t even say no. For 24 years of my life they had not once questioned my actions, on the condition that I will marry who they want and when they want. There it was, they wanted Jung freaking Daehyun!

My heart pounded fast against my chest as I dressed myself in a pink satin dress that covered my knees leaving the rest of my legs uncovered. I was about to meet my in-laws and their son. In-laws…my mind wandered off. I had met them countless times as my family hosted dinner parties for them but now they were going to be family.

I gulped in the big lump at my throat and shook my head. For your parents Areum for your parents, I thought to myself.

I heard the doorbell ring all the way from my room in the second floor and I ran to my balcony to check on the occupants of the Aston Martin that stopped on our doorway.

Mrs. Jung was a beautiful woman. She looked extremely elegant in her beige dress coat; like a Queen. Beside her was Mr. Jung wearing a black suit that complemented his handsome features ever so subtly. They were a gorgeous couple. My eyes fell upon the boy who had held the door open for his mother.

For a second there I forgot how much I hated him. Even from the distance his facial features curved out perfection. His nose shaded the puffy lips that looked so intriguing, so kissable. He shut the door behind Mrs. Jung and turned to the stairs. His hands were busy buttoning up the two folds of his blue suit but his idle eyes found their way up to the balcony and met my own. I quivered on spot as his perfect lips formed into a smirk at my sight. Oh was he enjoying this?

After absorbing enough of my uneasiness, he shook his head as the dark black hair fell right back into place without any effort at all. He proceeded to bite his lips, constraining them from forming another smirk. Gosh he got my nerves!

I turned around making my way down the stairs to greet my eternal doom. This was going to be difficult, but Moon Areum doesn’t lose.

I stood behind my mother who opened the door to greet the guests. She half hugged Mr. and Mrs. Jung and completely engulfed their boy into her arms. She loved his flattery. I sneered at him before greeting my going to be parents. Mrs. Jung kissed my forehead and complemented on how I look. I couldn’t help but blush at her sweet words. Mr. Jung pulled me into a hug and handed me a bag of chocolates which was a little known tradition between the both of us. A smile formed across my face; he truly never forgot.

An awkward eye contact later I knew it was time to stop beating around the bush and greet my future husband. The thought of him being my husband, and not just a random man, had just triggered in my head as I froze into the grip of his vision.

He slowly walked towards me and leaned in before passing me by. “Nice dress” he whispered into my ears and I could feel his lips curving into a sly smile. Slightly brushing his arm against mine he walked towards our living room where everyone was now seated. The friction caused from the slight contact was enough to send aggressive chills all over my body. Get a hold of yourself Areum.

I walked over to the guests as my mom ushered me to take a seat beside Mrs. Jung. She slightly tapped on the velvet fabric of the sofa next her to indicate I was needed there. I sat myself down and looked at her puzzled.

“I have a present for you Areum” she smiled at me holding a jewelry box covered in rose velvet material.

I was even more surprised now. What was the need for all of this?

“But..Mr. Jung already gave me chocolates.” I blurted out without a second thought.

It must have been the funniest joke in the world because Jung Daehyun took the liberty to let out a loud scoff causing him to choke on the tea. I glared at him in disbelief.

Mrs. Jung let out a small chuckle and patted my head. “You’re a big girl now so I have a better present for you.” She opened the lid of the box to reveal the most beautiful pearl necklace I had ever laid eyes on. It made very swift transitions between white and very light princess pink colour; simple yet elegant. I looked at the necklace once more and then back at her. She smiled reassuringly. “Daehyun come here.”

He looked as taken aback as me when his mom suddenly asked for his company. Nevertheless he obeyed and walked over to us. His mom stood up and pushed him to sit down next to me.

“You should put this on her. After all she is going to be your wife.”

Once again my body had frozen on spot. The more I thought about it the more my heart sank. I was going to marry a horrible human and I had no say in it.

He took the necklace in his hand and twirled it around his fingers for a second before leaning in closer. “Shall I…Princess?” He smirked once again as heat immediately replaced the numbness of my body. Why was he being so weird!  PRINCESS?! Oh how I wanted to smack his face.

I turned around facing my back towards him so that it’d be easier to put it on; that and the fact that I couldn’t look him in the eye for more than a few seconds at stretch without blushing. He was doing this to me on purpose.

“Hold your hair in place for me…Princess” he said it once more and this time I could swear I was radiating enough heat to bake a pizza. I remained silent and pushed the hair to one side, securing it with my hand. My neck and back lay bare for him to gape at. He stretched his hands and held the necklace in front of my face; fixing the position he wanted it in. Before securing the lock he blew hot breath on to my back making me tremble on spot. The hot air leaving his mouth met my warm skin and caused a sizzle of desire in me. Subconsciously I had to remind myself of the people around us.

“You didn’t grab all the hair” He whispered again.

Tying the lock together he let his index and middle finger slide down my back; subtly yet with a hint of intimacy. What was he doing with both our parents standing near? My head had gone around the world and landed back on the couch only in a matter of minutes. He was getting dangerously sensual and I did not know why. For all I knew he hated me just as much as I did.

“There I have you covered.” He whispered once more before turning to his mom, who was unaware of the ruckus his little boy was causing to me. I hated him even more now.

“Areum take Daehyun up to your room while we fix dinner.” Mom ordered me very casually. I darted a look her way while Daehyun looked at me smiling to himself. I looked his way and he playfully wriggled his eyebrows at me, as if to say “take me there already”

I stood up and invited him to follow me up the curled, white stairway. He did so without any hesitation till we were half way up the staircase and out of sight from our parents. Suddenly, he grabbed my hand from behind, halting my steps. He pulled himself up right behind me; leaving a paper thin space between us.

“Why are you running? Let me catch up.” He half whined. It was adorable…annoying, it was annoying.

“Catch up at your own pace!” I freed my hand from his grip and retorted back at him before storming into my room. He trailed behind, still smiling to himself. What was he smiling so much about? It made me angry.

Once he was in my room, he did a little spin on his heels, taking in the proximity of my room at one go. “You have a cute room!” He exclaimed walking in front of the bookshelf.

“Thanks.” I replied, pleased with my inner decorator.

He pulled out a book from the top shelf and began scanning through it.

“She longed for his touch as much as he did hers. Their lips met in unison forming clouds of euphoria betwe-” “Hey! Give it back!” I stood in front of him snatching the book from his hand once I realized what he was reading from.

“No! Not this one! Read anything else!” I said blushing from cheek to cheek.

He let out a loud chuckle tilting his head backward to exaggerate the humour of the situation. He caught my glare and stopped to let out a little cough before grabbing the book back from me.

“Why? Are you getting embarrassed from your novel? Guilty pleasure?” He teased while skimming through the back of the book. “Yoo Youngjae? Who is that never heard of him.”

He looked at me hoping to answer his curiosity. “He is not a writer.” I replied.

“Huh?”

“He is my best friend okay? He likes writing so he wrote me a story as a birthday present.” I said, my face now completely red as the realization of how it might have sounded hit me. Best friends don’t usually write romantic novels to each other.

He was clearly not amused either. Raising one eyebrow at me he slammed the book into my hands.

“What a ty present!” he said placing himself on my bed. He fell backwards into the soft cover using his right hand as a cushion. The quilt completely swallowed him in and he looked as soft as ever. But, for the first time today, he wasn’t smiling and it was unnerving.

“Hey! Don’t insult my friend like that. At least he isn’t a brat like you, or annoying or an !” I breathed once or twice to calm myself. “He is a very sweet person.”

He stood up leaving the comfort of the bed and walked up right in front of me.

“If he is so great, why don’t you just marry him? Why make me go through this bother that none of us want?!”

He let those words slip from his mouth so easily. I didn’t expect it to hurt but it did. I guess rejection always hurt irrelevant of whom it’s coming from. I stood there looking at him for a while hoping my mouth to magically make some sort of noise, but they refused. All this time he was teasing me and it made me feel strangely wanted but now that he had put his feelings into words, everything made sense. He didn’t like me from day one so why would he now? Maybe he was just pretending in front of his parents. That made sense.

When the silence ran for too long his eyes softened and he took my hand into his.

“Hey Areum…”

He had said my name for the first time and I wished it wasn’t in this bitter moment. I did not want this to hurt like this; I hated the man for God’s sake. I mentally snapped a finger to come back to my senses.

“I am sorry really. My parents, I am doing it for them. Just like you maybe?” I smiled a sarcastic one at him. “Dinner should be ready.”

I turned to walk away only to realize he still had his grip on me, quite tight actually. His hold around my wrist was doing the talking his mouth wasn’t able to. I tried to pull away but his strength overpowered.

“Let me go! Do not take the liberty to hold my hand whenever you please.” I kept my eyes locked into his. “We are practically stran-“

I couldn’t finish the sentence before he loosened his grip from my wrist and slowly locked his fingers into mine. My stomach twitched at the touch as our fingers fit perfectly into each other’s. My head spun in confusion of his actions. He was weird and annoying and so…bloody…handsome.

“I will hold my wife’s hand whenever and wherever I please, yeah?” He bent forward placing his face right next to mine. I could feel his skin on mine and it made me shudder

“And kiss her whenever I want.” With that he pecked my cheek softly, making sure I feel the full flesh of his plum lips on my hot skin. It felt surreal. If he did anymore than that I would give in and sink into his chest.

He slowly brought his face back up, locking our eyes once more. I didn’t know what to say or do at the moment so he took the lead and pulled me out of my bedroom door.

“Let’s go. I get cranky when I’m hungry.”