"Can you let go of my arm now? You've been gripping on it too tightly that I'm afraid it's gonna leave a mark."

He hears him alright, but Mark ignored and kept on tugging on the younger's arm as they headed to the garden. It's on the right part of the living room and a glass door leads them to its direction. When they finally stepped on the grass and when Mark was certain they're out of the Parks' earshot, only then did he let go of Jinyoung's arm. His fiance then rubbed his arm while scowling at him.

"If this leaves a mark, I swear-"

"Explain." Mark didn't let him finish and went to him head on with his concern. Everything is still playing in his mind- all those establishments with Jinyoung's family name on it; the house no scratch it, the mansion and all those maids and servants welcoming them, awaiting their arrival like they're some kind of royalties. Speaking of royalty... "Are you a crown prince or something?"

Wearing an amused smirk, Jinyoung just arched his brows at him. "Do princes still exist in Korea, though?"

"Just answer my question."

"I am not."

"You're not, and yet you practically own every establishment in this city?"

"I don't own any of them. My family does."

His response only made Mark frown some more. Jinyoung then sighed before finally explaining things to him. "My grandfather is one of the first developers of the city. After the great Korean war, he and his comrades had supported the city and its people. Maybe because of that, the people here in Seogwipo regarded him with much respect that he was almost considered as the city's great father. And of course as part of the family, we also were blessed with the same amount of respect."

"And wealth, you must add." Mark interjected.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Mark didn't lose his kind of accusing look on the younger. Crossing his arms, he asked, "And you failed to tell me this because?"

"Because I didn't think I should tell you about it."

"And why not? I'm about to marry you, and yet I'm still into believing that you're just an average employee living in a small apartment." 

But Jinyoung only shrugged at him. "I am. I am just that."

"No, you're not. You're so far from being average, Park Jinyoung." Mark pointed out. How could the guy claim that he's average when Mark himself saw everything that will prove otherwise?

He saw how the younger rolled his eyes and sigh exasperatedly as if talking to him is that exhausting. "This is why I think going here is a bad idea." 

"Yet you're the one who brought us here, did you forget?" Mark asked, tone challenging.

However, Jinyoung just gave him a tired look. "Because my mom going to Seoul and putting a stop to your plan of us getting married just to save your from getting deported is much worse, don't you think?"

Mark could do nothing but hiss at the younger. Again, he didn't think this through. He never knew his assistant who do good in following his orders could be this snarky and sarcastic. He was just about to open his mouth to somehow answer back, but Jinyoung beat him into it.

"Shouldn't we go back inside now? My parents are probably waiting in the dining room. We don't want them to go and wonder what important matter are we discussing that we needed to excuse ourselves earlier." Taking his hand, Jinyoung gestured for the glass door. "Come on. I'm kind of starving too. It's been a while since I had breakfast with them."

Mark only scowled yet followed but before they went inside, Jinyoung leaned closer to whisper to him, "This is the first time you'll be eating with my family. Put on your best smile, babe."

Mark wants to scowl some more because of Jinyoung's sudden boldness, but.... he's right. I should at least give a good impression.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

"So how did the two of you meet?" Jinyoung's mom asked right after the soup was served. Mark hasn't even taken a taste of the soup yet and he already needs to answer a question. This is the start of the interrogation, he knows.

He exchanged glances with Jinyoung who also looks a bit worried and nervous. "Mom, I've been working in Jones&Smith for two years now. I met him there."

But his mom's eyes didn't leave Mark so he felt the need to answer on his own. "Jinyoung worked as my assistant, ma'am. I'm one of the publishers of the company and I've been with them for the past four years now. When Jinyoung started working there..." He took a glance on Jinyoung beside him as he continued to speak. "I guess we just clicked? I mean, we share a couple of similarities and we have the same interest on literature so... that's where we picked things up."

He saw how Mrs. Park nodded and Mark felt relieved of answering the question well. When he glanced back at Jinyoung, the younger was staring at him as if mocking him for the lie he just made. Mark just ignored.

"So you mean to say that is how your relationship started? You liked my son instantly?"

Mark almost choked at what he has heard from her. But still... "Y-yes." What the , Tuan? "Yes, ma'am. Right then, I started to catch feelings for your son."

"Way to go, hyung!" Mark's attention was caught by Jinyoung's younger brother- Yugyeom if he remembers it correctly. He has this teasing look directed to his hyung. "So it was love at first sight, then."

Mark was just about to agree and say yes but Jinyoung answered faster than him, saying "No." This made him turn to the younger who is keeping a straight face while eating his soup. 

"No?" Yugyeom repeated.

Jinyoung nodded and resumed to talking. "It's not love at first sight, Yugyeom. Maybe for Mark here, it is but for me... it certainly isn't." He then felt as Jinyoung tapped his hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm sorry babe, but I need to tell them this part of the story. Of our story." 

Mark stared at him with furrowed brows but Jinyoung doesn't seem to care and just went on with telling the story. 

"The first time we met, I didn't like him." Jinyoung started off. "Well for one, his bossy attitude is not for my liking. He keeps on reprimanding me, regardless of logical reasons. He bosses me around too much and is really giving me a hard time at work. God, I