As soon as she looked at her mother’s face at her door, she knew what was going to come. She’d expected that for what seemed to be an eternity. At every day that went by without any word from her parents about it, her hopes for it to be canceled stacked up higher and higher. Though, knowing her father, it wasn’t possible. He was known for his solid decision. Once he came up with a decision, it would be his final.

Just like when she was about to hear her father informing her that she wouldn’t be attending her practices any longer, despite having prior knowledge to it, her stomach knotted displeasingly. She sat in silence beside Jimin, their parents across of them. A brief glance at her brother, she knew that the tense in his shoulders was because of this too.

“I am sure that you already figured out why I decided to stop you from going to your practices,” her father began. “But it won’t hurt to remind you back of the deal we made, right Chaeyoung?”

She said nothing to respond, her fingers curled tight, eyes downcast. Her ears failed to mute her father’s voice as he restated the deal they’d made.

“In a week, the Koo family will be here at our residence as our guests. Be prepared, both of you. I want you both to be at home, for we will entertain our guests for the whole day. I suppose the two of you are aware that although I said ‘guests’, they are not merely guests. They will be part of our family, so treat them how you want your family to be treated.”

The silence within the space thickened. No one said a word for a few moments. She felt her lips trembled, but no tear left her eyes. Chaeyoung’s eyes settled only on her knuckles turning white while her head hung lower. It took all her might to not scream at her father.

“That is all.” He rose from his seat. “Dismiss,” he said without a color in his voice and a face of no emotion, as though he was talking and giving orders to his subordinates.

“Is that it?” She lifted her head and stared straight into her father’s eyes.

She didn’t know if her father’s response to her was sarcastic or he was really clueless of what Chaeyoung had in mind when she questioned him that.

“That is all, yes,” he replied. “Or you wish for me to lay out all the details of what you should do?” When she remained silent, hurt and respect holding her from throwing a fit, her father said in his same old boring tone just before he made his way out of the place, “I don’t think I have to tell you a specific name of who you are going to be betrothed to.”

Of course, she thought in her head. She knew who he was.

There was only one Koo family among Healers. And there was only one young male in that small family. She spent two years studying alongside him, learning all the important things a Healer must know before he was granted a place in the class Jimin was in, for he was far better, more advanced than his peers.

Female Healers worshipped him like he was the deity despite the stories of how he’d been with too many women never seemed to die down because the stories were true. It would be strange for Healers not to know of him.

“Is there really no one else out there for Father to choose?” Jimin scoffed as soon as their father lost from sight and their mother followed suit. “Koo Junhoe? Out of the many young and fine Healers out there, Father chose him?”

Chaeyoung’s brows only furrowed. She was unable to form a word to utter. Jimin was right. Why did Father choose Junhoe if the family reputation was all he cared about? What good would it do to the family’s name if she was to be united with a man who let his lust rule his life?

What would people think of this? What would Jungkook think? Oh, Jungkook, her mind sighed. Deep inside of her, without the need to face him to see and read his reaction, Chaeyoung knew that the idea of her marriage to someone else would leave Jungkook with a hole in his heart. What damage could it do to him if he knew who the man that she was going to be matched with? Or, how damaged would he be?

She couldn’t bring herself to picture the disappointment on his face. She would be disappointed too, to know that she was to unite with a man a thousand times worse than a man could ever be, not a thousand times better.

Her silence had prolonged more than she realized. Chaeyoung wasn’t aware of how she had frozen in her seat until her eyes suddenly blinked once, snapping out of her thoughts and she turned to Jimin. He, in returned, was already looking into her eyes so intently, like he was trying to read something off her mind.

“What are you thinking?” Jimin asked, sounding cautious and curious. He sounded like he expected an exact answer.

Chaeyoung reluctantly shook her head, Jungkook’s name almost tumbled out of . It was uncomfortable to keep something a secret from Jimin, but at the same time, she didn’t know if it was a good idea, if it was appropriate to let Jimin know to whom her heart truly belonged, especially at a time like that.

Jimin’s gaze didn’t falter for long moments and Chaeyoung felt her own brows drew together before he sighed and looked awa