Holding on the small bouquet of purple roses, her hand tightened on it as she paced up to the ice rink entrance. Joohyun noticed only some lights were and the spotlight shone on the pathway that formed by rose petals on the iced floor, leading the way towards the man who stood in the middle of the ice rink surrounded by the heart shape furry carpet. She felt her foot were rooted on the cold iced floor. They weren’t the only one there, all the skaters in the national team were watching them as well and Joohyun know Taehyung has something under his sleeves again.

Seeing her stood frozen at the same spot, Taehyung walked up to her and grabbed hold on her hand.

“What game are you in this time round?” she grasped on his hand, not wanting to talk any further.

“Proposing to you, isn’t it obvious?” Taehyung smiled as he continued pulling her towards the place he stood earlier.

Joohyun’s rounded eyes somehow look amusing to him.

“To make you officially mine, silly” he said and had one knee on the floor whilst taking out the jewelry box form his pocket, “marry me, Park Joohyun.”

Gasps and small chatters filled the hall when Taehyung had his knee down and pronounced the two words firmly without any hesitation like he really meant all that he had said. As if what he was doing isn’t convincing enough, he held her small hand.

“For us, for me; I know you sacrificed the thing that you love the most. I’m not even sure if I deserve you but I will make sure to love you with all my life and keep the promise your mother wasn’t able to keep it due to the unfortunate accident.” Taehyung said. He could feel her hand was shaking. “From now on, you’re not alone anymore. I’m here with you and I will be your pillar of strength, the tree that would shade you and protect you from no matter how bad the weather may be.” He looked up to her and noticed tears formed in her eyes. Somehow, he was taken aback by the tears that were streaming down her pale face.

He got up and gently wiped the tears away with his thumb, “never thought you can play along so well but don’t go overboard and you should say yes.”

Receiving no response from Joohyun, Taehyung pulled her into his arms and patted on her head, pretentiously loving. No matter how much she wanted to say out the two words, it wasn’t coming out. Her heart was throbbing with the past memories came back to her all at once like a hurricane. She could only nod her head to his question. Taehyung smiled and pulled away from her before slipping the ring into her ring finger.

-

The other skaters stayed back to take photos with Joohyun and surprisingly she didn’t refuse their requests. It was the first time for them to see her eyes all red and puffy. Taehyung noticed the indifferent of Joohyun and excused themselves. He brought her out from the ice rink.

Making sure no one is around, he snorted “never thought you could act so well. Those tears came out naturally, is that some kind of useful weapon all woman-”

“Do you always coerce the weak ones into plans that are beneficial to you?” her tears were never stopping and it caused him silenced almost immediately. “What rights do you have to mention about my mother? Do you know how much those words meant to me? It’s not something you should say it so simply and easily.”

Taehyung was startled by Joohyun’s sudden outburst and when she turned to leave, he pulled her back only to see more tears pooling in her eyes and it did something to his heart, unknowingly. He wasn’t sure why but her tears were pulling something in him. It was the first time for him to witnessed this side of Park Joohyun.

“I’ll send you home,” he uttered. To his surprise, she did not protest or put up a fight to against his decision but nodding her head in agreement.

During the drive back to Joohyun’s hotel, he could see tears were still falling out from her eyes. She too noticed he was glancing at her every now and then, so she looked out from the window and closed her eyes. When they arrived at the hotel, Taehyung got out from the car.

“You don’t have to accompany me; our play should stop here.”

“I can’t let you go up by yourself,” he took her keycard and headed towards the elevator with her following closely behind.

He opened the door wide for her and after she stepped in, he stopped her from closing the door. “Wait-”

“You should go already,” annoyance laced in her voice.

He grabbed on her wrist and pulled her back, “I’m supposed to talk to you but that can wait for now. I will look for you again tomorrow so for now, have some rest.”

She just nodded her head, “no worries, I’m amazingly free now.

-

“Oppa, woah that was crazy,” Yeri walked up to Taehyung “did you got her to play along? If I didn’t know the behind story, I really thought she cried for real. Everything was so real; your speech was so romantic and I’m sure the proposal will be a great headline tomorrow.”

“Don’t release the photos to the media,” he turned to his cousin, tiredly “also, make sure those who were present earlier don’t leak any of the photos or videos.”

“But there are many videos reposted on the social media platform. You two are trending on Naver news for almost an hour and still counting,” Yeri frowned, worriedly.

Taehyung closed his eyes and held on both side of his temple. He knew this would happen and in fact that was what he had planned for it to happen but guilt is eating him up every time he remembers the tears of the ice princess who he is about to tie the knot with.

“I have informed the PR team and they are already looking into it. Just watch out for me and make sure they clear everything before sunrise,” Taehyung said before taking his leave to his room leaving the confused Yeri alone.

-

After drying her hair in the bathroom, Joohyun had been staring still on the busy city of Seoul from the wide glassed window of her hotel room on the 30th floor. Watching the cars on the busy road, she can’t help but having one of the past memories she treasured a lot came dashing into her clouded mind.

The woman in her late thirties had been standing by the door to the small room for the past half an hour. Her heart ached with every passing minute as little Joohyun was crying nonstop and she didn’t allow anyone enter the room. Worried that the little girl would fall sick, the woman unlocked the door with the key the maid passed to her and entered to see the girl’s pale face drenched with tears.

“Joohyun-ie, you can’t keep hiding here and crying so much, you will fall sick. Furthermore, your appa will get very upset if you continue crying.” The lady patted on Joohyun’s small head.

“I-I w-want eomma, I miss her,” tears trickled down to her face, with lips quivering, little Joohyun asked “Mrs. Park, can you bring me to eomma? I don’t want to be here.”

Bringing her closer, Mrs. Park made Joohyun seated on her lap, “Joohyun-ie, from now on, this is your home. I’ll in your eomma’s place to look after you. I know you can’t call me eomma but in public, you have to call me that no matter how much you hate it.” wiping the little girl tear-stained face, Mrs. Park continued “from this minute forth, you can only keep your eomma in your heart. You understand, Joohyun?”

“I d-don’t hate you Mrs. Park,” Joohyun pouted, tears pooling in her eyes as she looked up to the woman who was holding her just like how her mother always do.

Mrs. Park smiled, “I will protect you for your mother, just like a tree shading you from the sun and rain.”

“W-why tree?” Joohyun asked. Her teary eyes looked up to Mrs. Park, innocently.

“Because tree is strong, it is deep rooted on the ground and would not collapse easily,” Mrs. Park tightened her hug on the small girl who will now become her daughter.

“You lied, you let go of me too, didn’t you?” Joohyun mumbled as tears entered her eyes, “no one will keep the promise of protecting me…”

“Joohyun, Park mansion housekeeper is here,” Jennie announced as she rushed into the room and her eyes widened upon seeing her bestie’s reddened eyes. She lowered her head to check on Joohyun but the skater avoided her by turning away. “Yah, are you okay? Do you want me to hold her awhile?”

“Never mind, let her in,” Joohyun sniffed and tapped her fingers on her eyes, gently.

Jennie brought the housekeeper in and before she could say a word, her phone rang. “Yes, Jimin-ssi.” The lady in her late fifties looked up to Joohyun. A sight she always witnessed in the past before Joohyun left for the States. “She’s packing already.”

“Joohyun-ssi, your brother would like to speak to you,” Kim Hae Sook passed the phone to the pale young lady.

Joohyun took hold of the phone and waited for the other end caller to speak first. “So, I heard that Taehyung proposed to you.”

“You got the news pretty fast,” her voice was low.

“The wedding is in a month’s time, during this time you should stay in the mansion and listen to the Kims for the preparations.” Jimin said in a firm and stern tone of voice.

“How does it feel to finally sold off your sister?”

Jimin laughed, “this will not only benefit us but you as well. You’ve just got yourself the wealthiest heir in Korea. You could have everything in the world.”

“Including my mum?”

He chuckled, “of course not the impossible, don’t be silly.”

Joohyun ended the call and passed the phone back to the owner, “Aunt Hae Sook, please give me a little time to pack up. If you don’t mind, could you wait for a while?”

The lady nodded and bowed before excusing herself to the living area of the suite.

“Have you thought this through thoroughly,” Jennie queried. “I still don’t understand what’s Kim Taehyung motive in setting up such storyline for the both of you.”

“Do you want me to call him so that you could ask him yourself to feed your curiosity?”

Jennie knew her friend was irritated. “I just want you to learn to love yourself more, instead of giving in to Park Jimin.”

“If that’s my fate, there’s no way I could run away from it. He had everything planned out, I owe him and that’s the price I need to pay.” She assured Jennie again, “I’ll be fine.”

As they arrived Park mansion, Joohyun noticed the mansion was silent and void of people.

“Sir Min Hyuk is out of the country for a gathering and Jimin-ssi will not be home tonight.” Aunt Hae Sook informed. “Let me you to your room.”

Joohyun snorted and thought of course they could have the time of their life now that her wedding is finalized. Stepping into the room she once feared a lot, she looked around. Everything remained the same as the day she was exiled to US. She always called this room a prison, the prison of her life, a place she can never run away for her whole life. No matter how hard she tried escaping, still, she’s back here once again.

-

“Did she really agree to the marriage arrangement?”

Jimin pulled the dancer sitting on his lap, “they have been trending on the social media; Taehyung proposed to her at the ice arena.”

“Would you keep your promise to walk her down the aisle?” Seulgi brushed off his hair that were sticking into his eyes.

Jimin turned his head in smile, a smile that laced with sarcasm at the thought of the little memory, the promise they made years ago. “Of course, I will, I can finally get rid of her.”

“Is that what you really want?”

“You are really what I want at this moment,” his hand made its way under her skirt as he trailed his lips on her neck.

-

Coming out from his bathroom with the towel around his waist. Taehyung tilted and shook his head as if the water in the ear troubles him. Recalling Joohyun’s earlier outburst, he somehow felt bad for being the cause of her pain. Feeling the guilts eating him up, he took his phone and spoke to his favorite author. He knew she could help him. Vaguely, he summarized the whole incident and asked for her opinion and when his phone ‘dinged’ as a reply came in, he checked on it immediately.

‘you should apologize, it’s your fault after all.’

-Tears-

Taehyung sighed heavily as he threw his phone on the bed after sending his apology text to the woman who had been in his head ever since he left the hotel.

To his surprise, Joohyun responded his message right away.

‘I have forgotten what happened. By the way, were you apologizing? Anyway, I’m fine to meet you tomorrow.”

-Park Joohyun-

He ignored her question.

‘I’ll pick you at 12pm at the hotel lobby.’

-Kim Taehyung-

‘Okay, pick me at Park mansion instead. Good night.’

-Park Joohyun-

-

Having Joohyun unusually cooperative, Taehyung didn’t want to be late and got up to prepared earlier and headed to the Park mansion way earlier than intended. To his surprised, when he drove into the main driveway of the mansion, he noticed she was already standing at the steps of the internal mansion main entrance with the two familiar figures stood guarding nearby her.

Taehyung got down from the car and walked up to Joohyun. She expected him to say something to her but he was looking everywhere but her after sharing a brief eye contact.

Breaking the silence, Joohyun said “I would go with you but you can’t stop them from trailing behind us. They are keeping me safe from a distance without interrupting us. I hope you can agree to this small request.”

Taehyung turned to Sehun and Jennie then to Joohyun before letting off a small sigh. All his life, he hated having anyone monitoring him and this request from Joohyun wasn’t something he wanted to compromise but he didn’t want them to have a rough start either. Thinking that he can always get things under their control after their wedding, he agreed to her. They indeed still have a lot more time.

“Let’s get going,” he opened the passenger door and Joohyun got into the car with heavy steps.

Arriving at the mall, Taehyung walked over to Joohyun’s side and grabbed hold of her hand before walking in together. Joohyun was amazed by how naturally he held her hand like normal couple does. He led them to a French Restaurant informing her that they would first have lunch before meeting someone who will coordinate and organise their wedding.

“Get me an Earl Grey please,” Taehyung stated and returned the menu back to the waitress while staring straight at Joohyun who only ordered light food for her lunch. “Are you still on athlete’s diet? That doesn’t look sufficient for a healthy person’s lunch.”

“Just decided to have something light,” Joohyun took a sip of the water, “did you close down the mall to accommodate us today?”

Taehyung leaned back on his seat and said the obvious “our wedding news are all over already, not doing this would cause a lot of commotion with reporters following us.”

She nodded her head before staring down on her hands; she was picking on the dried skin of her fingertips. After finishing their lunch, she knew her husband to be is about to get into business and his every minute change of face expression was telling her that he was getting impatient.

“My actions might confuse you, but my parents wanted this marriage to be real,” Taehyung started the conversation after sending his text to Yeri informing her that they would be coming in a bit before turning on the silent mode on his mobile. “For me, whoever the bride is, it doesn’t make any difference. Since my parents wanted this and your family needed this, there is no way out for us. We need to look as real as possible; I believe you get this, long before us meeting like this.”

She simply nodded her head, eyes not leaving him; expressionless.

“I will keep my promise, when the time comes, I will grant you a divorce, once my position is stable in the company. You don’t have to tie your whole life to me.” Taehyung wasn’t able to read Joohyun who is looking blankly inscrutable and that worries him, “we’ll be married in name only, I won’t interfere your personal life for as long as it doesn’t affect our marriage. Likewise, I need the same from you. We are just mere ally in this marriage and I can assure you we will not be staying with my parents.”

He was feeling uneasy with her silence. When he first met her, she against the marriage very much and have made every valid complaint. He wasn’t sure why isn’t she saying anything since the minute he got into his car.

“If there’s anything that you want, you can tell me now.”

“Just like what you said, my family need whatever that you can offer, all I can do is to comply to this arrangement, as you pleased,” she said as a matter of fact.

That was the least expected answer and that statement made Taehyung felt a pinch in the chest, unknowingly. “For your loss time, I can compensate-”

“With what, money?” she cut him off for the first the time that day, “I have a lot of that, I don’t need anything from you. I know my family is benefitting from all this, but please remember, I do not need any of that. I’m not someone who would stay still and take orders obediently, but I can assure you my actions will not affect the marriage and bring you unnecessary trouble.”

He snorted, “by marrying into the Kims, you’re bound to follow our rules. You should know this very well. By the way, I hope you are not expecting me to love you for real, are you?”

“Of course not. I’m not sure what I’ve said translate to that but that’s never the case and never will be,” she said, firmly. “The least you could do for me is stop giving