When her mother came to her graduation, Jisoo remembered that her mother never went to college or university. She saw her smiled that day, the one Jisoo couldn’t forget.

Jisoo spent the night at her parent’s house that Sunday. The reason: Park Jinyoung. It’s not easy to bring up a marriage topic into her family’s affair since she never once brings a man home. But, she needs to tell her parents as soon as she can, especially with less than a month to prepare for the wedding.

Jisoo decided to tell her parents in the morning, at breakfast – where her parents still not in their 100% state. This morning, Jisoo puts her best smile and begins the conversation.

“Eomma, do you still want me to get married?” Jisoo smiles through her fruit salad.

Jisoo’s mom pauses a bit before putting down her fork, “That’s a first of you to bring up the matter, ttal.”

“Someone proposed to me, Eomma,” this time, Jisoo puts away her smile.

The sound of utensils fall to the empty plate is the only thing Jisoo can hear in the dining room. Jisoo’s Mom and Dad stop in the middle of their activity and goes straight looking at their only daughter.

“Honey, are you joking with us?” her Dad.

“Eomma, Appa, I’m sorry if this is too sudden. But, someone proposed to me and asked me to marry him,” a pause. “I know, I never told you if I had a boyfriend. But, I don’t have a boyfriend.

“We met two years ago and since then, we frequently contact each other. I never know we can be more than just friends. He’s a really good guy.”

Jisoo looks right and left on to her parents. She waits for a response, the good one.

“Who is this guy?” Jisoo’s dad’s deep voice pierce through. He’s in doubt and Jisoo knows from the sight of his scrunched eyebrows.

“You know him,” for once, Jisoo feels secure for saying this name. “Park Jinyoung, the son of Park Hyoshin samchoon.”

Now, now, let’s breakdown the event in the most detail precision.

At the end of the word “Jinyoung”, Jisoo can hear a squeak coming from her right side, the side where her mother sits. Thankful for the small table, Jisoo is reachable within a hand from her mother, with no hesitation, Jisoo’s mom jumps out and pulls Jisoo for a hug.

“Omo!!”

She is squished to tiny blob, finding ways to breathe in between her mother’s slender arm and shoulder.

On the other side of the table, Jisoo’s dad stays in place with a chopstick in one hand, not moving. His mouth opens about half an inch, letting through the morning air inside his throat. He slowly turns his head to Jisoo and waits for a continuation of the shocking revelation.

“Eomma, I can’t breathe,” Jisoo struggles.

It takes a bit – five minutes if it counts since the time Jisoo mentioned Jinyoung’s name until her mother fully release her hug.

“How can that be, Soo?” her dad is now fully shifting toward Jisoo. “How do we not know this?”

I didn’t know until five days ago either, Appa.

“We’re never really dating,” Jisoo explains. “We met, we talked, we kept contacting each other by phone, and a few months ago he started coming to my office. And I guess, we see something in common.”

“We need to talk about this through,” Jisoo’s dad puts his serious face.

“Yes, I would like you to meet him,” Jisoo grins, hoping the tension calms.

“Of course, honey,” Jisoo’s mom brighten the mood. “Bring him tonight for dinner.”

“Oh,” Jisoo remembers a little detail. “Jinyoungie can’t come today. He’s going to have dinner with his mother. He hasn’t told her either.”

“OMO!” her mom screams even louder. “You call him Jinyoungie already? Omo. I need to call Jin Hee.”

“Wait, Eomma,” Jisoo grabs her mother’s hand. “She doesn’t know yet, let Jinyoungie tell her himself.”

Jisoo looks at her mother and father one after another. Their eyes are bigger than they seem to be, they keep looking at Jisoo with nothing but excitement.

“I’ll tell him to come tomorrow,” Jisoo smiles.

The small breakfast turns pretty different than it always has been. The usual laughs and small talks become silence and long conversation – not to mention the excessive screams. But, Jisoo is contented of the outcomes. They don’t ask her about babies and they don’t judge her choice of man. It’s a good breakfast.

“I need to be at the office soon,” Jisoo stands straight with her bag. She leans toward her mother, kisses her cheek, and bides her goodbye. “I’ll tell you if Jinyoung can come tomorrow.”

“You’re going to regret this even more than her, trust me.”

Jinyoung spends his lunchtime conversing with Wonpil about the events that had happened for the last five days, everything that happened right after he ditched Wonpil from his condo.

“You know that this is very tricky, rite?” This is Wonpil, questioning Jinyoung’s decision for actually asking society’s most-talked-bachelorette for a marriage. “And how in the world she said yes?”

“I’m thinking the same thing as well.”

Jinyoung keeps recalling the words Jisoo said on that dinner. And despite how her face was radiating a big amount of disgusts and silence throughout the dinner, THE Kim Jisoo said yes to his business proposal or – as his heart calls it – bull.

Deep down, Jinyoung can see himself as a demanding person and intimidatingly very strict with things, and he knows for sure Jisoo can see that of him. But somehow, she still said yes.

“She didn’t really oppose of the idea, but she’s not really open about it either,” Jinyoung explains through. “She seems very professional about it and I appreciate that.”

“Might as well proposing to the daughter the US’s president,” Wonpil grumbles. “I can’t believe she said yes to this. I can’t believe you know her and never tell me about it.”

It’s true, Wonpil never knows about his past encounters with Jisoo. So, he told him everything, before this conversation. From the matchmaking dinner to last Sunday lunch, the part where Jisoo told him her plan for Paris to the night when Jinyoung drove her home.

“I don’t think it’s something important to share with you back then,” Jinyoung snickers.

“Yeah, of course,” Wonpil replies with a grin. “It’s not important for me, most probably.”

“Sorry?”

“Do you remember what she wore on her trip to your office last week?” Wonpil’s eyes dim.

“A blue blazer,” Jinyoung replies.

“How about what she wore on that first dinner with your parents?”

“A black dress,” Jinyoung pauses a bit and answers.

“Is it a long dress?”

“No, it’s a short dress.”

“With sleeves?”

“Yeah,” Jinyoung looks straight at Wonpil and stops. “What do you want to know?”

“That she is more than just a woman for Park Jinyoung apparently.”

Wonpil stands from his seat and walks in a slow manner in front of Jinyoung.

“You can’t even remember the name of the last woman you dated,” Wonpil talks without looking at Jinyoung. “I’m pretty sure you can’t even remember that cute girl who confessed to you on our graduation ceremony in college. And she was super popular.

“Are you sure you have no feeling for Kim Jisoo?”

The look of Wonpil’s face gives off an insulting remark and Jinyoung doesn’t like to give in.

“I can differentiate a friendly relationship and a romantic feeling just fine,” Jinyoung answers. “She’s a great woman, but I don’t see her that way.”

Wonpil sighs, “If I were you, I certainly fall for her since the day she called me nice.”

On the night of the revelation day – the day Jisoo explains about her wedding plan to her parents – Jisoo waits for Jinyoung’s text ever since she got home. Jinyoung said he will tell his mother about the wedding tonight and will report to Jisoo after. Right now, she is looking at her phone on her bed, doing nothing except waiting for the designated message.

Or a phone call.

She was sure Jinyoung would text her, so she’s not ready to feel the vibration on her hand. Her phone rings at 9.23 pm and Jisoo accidentally drops it to her side.

“Yeoboseyo,” Jisoo taps answer as fast as she can and answers in shivers.

“Annyeonghaseyo Jisoo-ssi,” it’s Jinyoung’s voice on the other side. “Did I wake you?”

“No, I’m still awake.”

“I talked to my mom just now and on my way home already. I would like you to know that there’s nothing to worry about and we should book a dinner for our parents immediately.”

The sound of wind and traffic are distant in Jisoo’s ear, he is driving right now and it somehow tickles Jisoo’s mind.

“Good then. My parents can’t wait to meet you.”

“Oh yeah, about that. I’m good tomorrow, where do you want to have dinner?”

“Is it okay if it’s my house?”

Jisoo sent an immediate message in the morning, telling Jinyoung that everything went well on her behalf and she told him how her parents really want to meet him as soon as possible. This morning, Jinyoung replied with a short sentence, ‘I’ll let you know tonight’. Jisoo really didn’t expect him to call tonight for confirming the situation and plan.

“Is it okay if I come to your house?”

Ah, Jisoo thinks.

It’s number 17: No involvement in personal space and family matter.

“My parents insisted.”

For a quick second, Jisoo feels like a loser for forgetting the circumstances they are in.

“Then, I’ll come.”

Jisoo bends back to her pillow and shuts her eyes, the whole conversation beats her.

“I’ll text you my address, later.”

“Don’t. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

That is number 18: Restriction from family’s document and information.

Maybe, just a slight realization, she never needs the terms and conditions in the first place.

Jinyoung arrives a quarter before 6 pm just like he promised in front of Jisoo’s office. He wears a black suit and a grey shirt, he has opened the top button of his shirt and has taken his tie off before meeting her.

A glimpse of tiredness somewhat evident in his eyes. The brown pupils are somehow darker and he can’t hide the eye bags. Preparing this project must have drained the strength he has inside. Even Jisoo is tired of these continuous meetings. Be it with Jinyoung or anyone else - in her case, Seulgi and her parents.

“It won’t be a long ride, Jinyoung-ssi,” Jisoo approaches Jinyoung at the side road. “It will take about 20 minutes top.”

Jisoo walks nearer and heads to the passenger door.

“Jisoo-ssi,” Jinyoung speaks before Jisoo can open the door. “Is this suit okay? I don’t want your parents to be disappointed.”

The question hits Jisoo and stops her track. She looks back at Jinyoung who is standing a few steps behind her, wonders if telling him the truth is a good decision.

If Jisoo has to give her honest opinion about his look, Jisoo would definitely say he looks more than just okay. It’s true that his eyes are looking tired and the bags under them pretty much giving off the hardworking side of him. But minus all of that, Jinyoung looks very charming in grey and black. He wears a fitted suit and pants, the best choice for giving off the business man vibe. He doesn’t try much on giving that y aura out of him, he doesn’t open two or three buttons of his shirt, which is very appreciated these days. His hair is neat, still sleek to the back of his head. And the shoes, always good.

“Oh,” Jisoo smiles a little. “Don’t worry about it. My parents don’t really pay attention to clothes.”

“Then,” Jinyoung responses. “How about you?”

“Me?”

“Do I look okay to you?”

Jisoo doesn't answer immediately. She looks at Jinyoung's eyes and wonders.

Does it matter?

Jisoo doesn't have the confidence of being honest. Even more, she doesn't want to look like she care.

“It doesn’t matter to me either, Jinyoung-ssi.”

Jisoo turns around in a flash and enters the passenger seat. She is scared of giving in to the temptation of being honest in the situation.

Behind the tinted glass, Jinyoung walks around the car and enter his car from the driver side. The air on his face hasn’t changed.

“Jisoo-ssi,” Jinyoung has yet started the car when he faces Jisoo on his seat. “It matters to me if you don’t like how I look. I don’t want to embarrass you. You’re a fashion designer after all.”

A look.

A sigh.

A swipe of air as the car slowly leaves.

Jisoo hasn’t really figured out how Jinyoung is as a person. Does he like a casual outfit more? Does he eat lunch outside his office? She is trying, but it is proven to be ineffective. This powerful heir is more than just a pretty face. Beyond, he is warm and attentive. Jisoo knows it was just a simple gesture, but Jisoo is weak to it. She is weak when people care too much about her, like how Seulgi care about her more than herself. But unlike Seulgi’s attention, Jinyoung’s attention shatters her heart.

It's another update and I guess everyone getting the heat already.

Jisoo and Jinyoung are doing their best in this project, so I really hope everyone can support them throughout.

I'm very happy and grateful for every comment and subscribes. So, again, thank you for subscribing and commenting. They mean a lot.

See you soon. Do discuss things in the comment section, but since I'm the author, I won't give too much information. Secrets are better right?