Chapter 1 - Jang Wonyoung

Knock knock!

“Miss Kim, you have a guest wishes to see you!”

Chaewon, the manager of the Research & Development (R&D) department glanced up briefly at the clerk who had just informed her about the guest. “Name?” she demanded.

Without waiting longer, the said guest showed up at the doorway surprising Chaewon with a smirk. “Why so serious? You could just straight up see me than having her telling you my name!”

“Wonyoung!” the manager rose on her feet and paced towards the door in an instant. “You’re back?!”

The two girls hugged while the clerk from earlier scratched her head awkwardly. “If that’s all, I’ll be going now miss,” she’s about to excuse herself when Chaewon stopped her. “Wait-” Wonyoung watched as the older girl talked with the clerk. “Please cancel all other appointments with our clients! Thanks Doah!”

The manager and her guest sat down for a comfortable talk but knowing the younger girl showed up out of nowhere so suddenly like this made her a little uneasy. “Did you tell Yujin you’re in town now?”

“Nope,” Wonyoung shook her head causing Chaewon to gasp. “Seriously?”

“Actually,” the graduated student sighed and began slowly. “I have something important to ask of your favour.”

Before the girl and her bestie Yujin could graduate high school years ago, the former was sent abroad to England out of the blue by her parents and told her to complete her study there instead. Yujin was upset at her sudden departure and the saddest thing about this transfer was Wonyoung had to cut off contact with all of their friends included her.

Now that she’s back, Chaewon was utterly surprised Yujin wasn’t the first to know it but her.

“What’s the matter?” She was sure Wonyoung was here now for a really serious matter.

Chaewon observed attentively as Wonyoung took a really deep breath. “I want us to fake date and have you pretend to be my girlfriend!” the girl said that had Chaewon choked on and coughed badly. “Seriously? What’s with this ridiculous proposal and why should I fake date you?”

“It’s complicated,” Wonyoung was frustrated as she wasn’t sure where to start. “You see, I just graduated my degree study recently and my mom urged me to come back fast since my dad’s passing because she’s lonely!”

“Yeah I heard about your dad. I’m sorry about him,” Chaewon lowered her head and inserted her condolences. “We went to the funeral but we didn’t see you?!” .

“I couldn’t come during his funeral because of few reasons. I was upset more than anyone would because of that,” Wonyoung said sadly and had reminisced of that terrible time for a moment.

“Sorry,” the former uttered slowly.

“Never mind,” the latter smiled positively. “Anyway, my proposal to you have something to do with his will. His greedy of a sister started to show her true colour and threatened my mom!”

“Did you just curse-” Chaewon grimaced.

“She was aiming for my late dad’s wealth and properties. My mom’s about to get kicked out and I need to step up!” Wonyoung cut her off before she could say anything more.

Hearing the girl’s story made her heart dropped and felt even more sorry. Wonyoung’s family was always known as rich family and they thought the girl always had it easy. She never knew her life would be complicated and as scary as this.

“But what does that have to do with me pretending as your girlfriend?” Chaewon wondered.

“Since I’m just a fresh graduate without experience, they doubted my skill as the legitimate heiress and started to question my right as the incoming CEO of my dad’s company, replacing him! They wanted to put my ugly cousin to take over and sit on his chair instead of me, unless I have a suitor with an actual experience that could guide and run the company’s business with me!” That was a long explanation from Wonyoung that Chaewon crinkled her face while processing all of the girl’s words in her head.

It took her a while but she later started to think better and agreed with her points. “But will they be okay with me? What if they have a plan of sabotaging you and kill me because of that?!”

“Don’t be nonesense, Chaewon unnie! My lawyer and mother will protect you with all cost!”

“Ahh,” the older girl nodded her head in acknowledgement. “I got it~ But why me and not Yujin? The last time I know, that’s like many years ago, you had the fattest crush on that girl and I could never overlook that!” She surely had a lot to say about this that it started to irritate Wonyoung’s nerve. The latter was at the edge to snap at her former senior.

“I can’t possibly ask Yujin you know?! Besides, she’s not working in the business field like you do!” she explained as calmly as she could. Wonyoung actually had a point there. Chaewon felt herself starting to look dumb in the junior’s eyes and timidly scratched her head.

“You seriously lost your braincells a lot, unnie! Did you hang out with Yena unnie too much?” Wonyoung cheekily. Although she obviously had disappeared from her friends’ lives for many years, she knew about what they did in daily life from her own mother’s stories because apparently the dork of her friends never forgot to see her folks once in a while to catch up news about her. And from Chaewon and Yena’s SNS accounts she knew the two dorks had been hanging out together like a lot.

“Maybe Yena unnie’s virus really had infected me,” the other chuckled. “Speaking of which, we’re about to have a gathering dinner tonight at Hyewon unnie’s restaurant! Let’s join me for the ride and surprise the rest about your return!”

Wonyoung’s eyes sparkled at the mention of the gathering. She surely missed her friends a lot, especially her best friend. She wondered how the other girl had been doing lately. Following their activities only from their SNS accounts couldn't assure her that much.

“Sounds like a plan!” she agreed.

***

The said restaurant was located at the busy town in Seoul where Chaewon’s workplace wasn’t that far from. Therefore she drove there a little later than the set time purposely. She wanted to make sure she reached the right place only after everyone else had gathered.

A notified message from Yena confirming others’ attendances got her grinning. It’s a cue for her to urge Wonyoung to show up while she’d search parking for her car.

The automated sliding door opened upon sensing her steps. Wonyoung walked in elegantly like the center character that she was, gathering attentions from everyone.

“Jang Wonyoung!” The abnormally tall girl heard her certain favourite Busan unnie, Yuri shouted her name and saw the shorter girl ran towards her. “You’re back!” the girl said further with her unexceptionally strong accent. Soon enough, everyone took their turn to welcome her return and hug her with longing messages.

Hyewon patted her cheeks and saying sweet things that Wonyoung loved so much like she always did before slowly drawing away. Miru also came to this gathering and Wonyoung almost cried seeing her favourite Japanese senior again.

Minjoo paced slowly and embraced Wonyoung for dear heart. “We miss you so much, Wonyoungie!” the older girl actually shed little tears that the younger girl tear up too. “I miss you all too!”

Of course she had to save the best for the last! Yujin had been stuck and stood frozen in her spot since Wonyoung first came in. Who wouldn’t when your best friend since you were little had abandoned you without contact or any good, last message, suddenly came about and appeared in your life again?! Ahn Yujin could totally relate!

Wonyoung realized the slightly shorter girl had a hair-cut to her shoulder-lenght. She already started to miss the girl’s absolutely stunning, long, dark hair that she loved so much though. “Ahn Yujin, aren’t you going to hug me too?”

Yujin, whom in her eyes had always been the cooler and girl crush type of girl cried upon their unexpected reunion. “Wonyoung-ah!” she hollered and quickly embraced her long-lost best friend dearly. “Why are you just coming back now? Don’t you know that I miss you so much?”

The center character of the dinner cried just as much as Yujin did in her embrace. “I’m sorry and I miss you too!” The rest of them sniffled and wiped their tears watching those two. It was almost like watching a real-life drama yet they were happy for the both of them.

Then it was about time to ruin the tearful reunion. Chaewon finally showed up after felt like hours and the other girls urged her to give Wonyoung welcoming message like they did.

The R&D manager grinned. “Should I pretend to be surprised and hug you too or we should just proceed with the dinner?”

Wonyoung chuckled while parting from Yujin’s embrace and playfully punched Chaewon’s arm. “Silly unnie! Don’t even try to be funny! You’re the one who drove me here!”

“W-wait,” their friends reacted in confusion. “You already met her?!” Eunbi pointed at Chaewon and felt betrayed.

“Where else I would know you guys would be here and have this dinner together?” Wonyoung stated proudly that amused her friends.

“You saw Chaewon unnie before me? That’s rude!” Yujin was certainly being a jealous best friend and pouted her lips which grossed her friends out. Minjoo pinched her pouted lips and the other girl groaned in slight pain.

“Of course there’s a reason for that!” Chaewon said reasonably and was proud.

“What is it?” Yujin pressed.

“Can we just sit down and eat first? I’m starving right here!” Sihyun commented before they scurried over to find their seats and settle down.

Not many of them appeared in this dinner unlike Wonyoung expected. Sakura and Kaeun couple didn’t show up, Nako was absent because she was in Japan, Sian had to sit out because of work and most members that were not present were her Japanese schoolmates, mostly seniors. She’s somehow upset she couldn’t still see most of them.

Her seat was between Hitomi and Yujin while Minjoo was next to Yujin’s other side. Nayoung filled the seat beside Hitomi and the table was almost full. Chaewon sat with Eunbi and Chaeyeon, whom also had Sihyun, Yiren, Yena and Yuri joined their own round table.

The founder of the very dakgalbi restaurant Kang Hyewon sat in another round table with Chowon, Erii, Nanami, Yuuka and Minami joining her. Miyu and Yunjin managed to reserve a couple table just for the both of them. Haeyoon was not in sight but she probably shared a table with Miho and Moe which was close to Eunbi’s table.

“Why are we suddenly having a dinner at this restaurant?” Wonyoung who was clueless started to ask loudly.

“It’s Minami’s graduation! She wanted to spend this big day big time like this!” Nayoung answered her.

“She didn’t even do it for me when I graduated!” Chowon pouted and Hyewon just nonchantly slapped her shoulder with poker-face.

“Can we talk about that yet? Why you saw Chaewon before Yujin?” Minjoo asked on behalf of the curious girl beside her. Yujin tilted and mouthed thank you to Minjoo, whose visual was outstanding as usual.

Chaewon snickered from the other side. “Wonyoung should tell you guys that!” she told cheekily. Wonyoung rolled her eyes and glared at the older girl. “Seriously, you’re tossing the job to me now?”

“Well, it’s you who came to me in the first place!” Chaewon shrugged smugly causing Eunbi to smack her arm powerfully. Wonyoung laughed as she enjoyed seeing the other girl suffered from the pain.

“Just tell us Wonyoung! I can’t wait for this drama too!” Erii urged impatiently like she had read Yujin’s mind who’s just as impatient.

“Fine,” the tall girl sighed and stared at her friends, each of them although she had to turn her head and bear with the pain. “Chaewon and I are getting engaged!”

“NANI?!” They reacted. Yujin and Minjoo were especially shook out of them.