Three Years ago.

It was a very cold winter day at the orphanage. But despite the cold, the kids were playing soccer outside while it hasn't started snowing yet. It will be Christmas soon and everything will be covered in snow.

"Jisoo eonni is here!" One of the kids shouted from the window at the second floor of the building which caught all the children's attention. The soccer ball dropped in the middle of the field without anyone taking interest. All their eyes darted towards the gate. A black van entered the premises and parked. Once the door slide open, and a 19 year old Jisoo Kim stepped out, a mob of excited children started running towards her direction.

The children would gather around her, wanting to give her a hug, calling "Eonni! Eonni!" all the time. Jisoo couldn't help but smile and laugh at all the children welcoming her and dragging her with them to the field to play soccer. This happens all the time when she visits the orphanage but she can't ever seem to get used to it. Meanwhile, Seongsu Kim, Jisoo's dad, had just gotten off from driving the van and is left alone to haul all the gifts they had prepared for the children.

"Jisoo~" He called for his daughter. But seeing Jisoo laughing so much with the children, he could tell she was truly having fun. "Why even bother..." Seongsu sighed and just proceeded to letting her daughter have fun. "I hope she's not as popular as this to boys. She's starting university soon." He added in a mumble.

"Pa!" Jisoo called this time. Seongsu just smiled and waved at his daughter, telling her to keep playing. "Come here and join us!"

Smiling still, Seongsu shook his head to refuse nicely. But also gesturing at the mountains of stuff he has to unload by himself with a sulky expression.

--

"You did well my love..." Jisoo couldn't even look straight at her father's eyes as he kept repeating that phrase. The atmosphere was gloomy and it's still broad daylight outside but it's a place where not even a little ray of sun could enter. Jisoo just looked down the entire time while his father talked through the telephone on the other side of the window. She was hiding her tears. They were angry tears and she didn't want him to mistake it for sad tears while he talked so annoyingly calmly.

"I don't resent you..."

"Stop saying that!" Jisoo shrieked.

"I know you can't even look at me right now because you hate me." Seongsu still continued. "But remember that Jisoo. You may resent me but I don't. I did it because you're my daughter and I love you. And I'm doing this, still because of the same reasons."

"I said shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"

--

"Are you out of your mind!?" Jiwoo Choi's voice violently echoed inside the Park's residence. "Do you really expect me to keep a murderer's daughter inside my house!?"

Jisoo was only 19 then, wearing damp clothes from the glass of water that Chaeyoung's mom just threw at her face. Chanyeol just stood there while Chaeyoung cried after receiving a crispy slap from her mother when she suggested Jisoo should live with them.

"How can any of you even think of bringing her here!"

"Mum, Jisoo has been a part of the family and she is my fiancee after all!"

"Nonsense!" Jiwoo Choi bellowed. "Your father is a foolish man for trusting a man like Seongsu Kim and his family. That arrangement is not binding so this wench has no right whatsoever to be here. And certainly not in my home."

They were talking as if Jisoo wasn't in their presence at all.

"Did you really want to be married off like that? Huh, Chanyeol?"

Chanyeol was taken aback. Perhaps it's just him but it was a sudden question and he didn't know how to respond. Being a chaebol's son, he had already accepted that this is his fate. But he can't deny the fact that a part of him did not want that path. Chanyeol found it difficult to speak all of a sudden. At times like this, Chanyeol normally seeks out for help from his sister. He glanced at Chaeyoung and noticed only one thing: Chaeyoung who is in a bad state herself as well... was only looking at Jisoo. Chaeyoung always stood up for Jisoo. Chaeyoung has always thought of Jisoo more than herself.

Something he couldn't do himself.

Instead of being single minded and selfless, how can he afford to think of his own interests when his friend needs his help?

"I..." Jisoo suddenly spoke for the first time. "I don't want to get married. I don't want to be a part of this family."

It took the words right out of Chanyeol's mouth. It's a shame that he felt thankful towards Jisoo for saying that and he would be carrying that guilt for a long time. However, even if Jisoo hasn't said anything, Chanyeol would still have said no in the end.