"Let's give this marriage a chance, please", said Sehun. "I really want to do this. Every person has his own limit of enduring pain and I have certainly reached mine. The past 8 months have been a hell for me and I don't want to go through that anymore. The person I was waiting for has given up on me and you know that. So I also want to be done with this endless cycle of misery named waiting and I want to do it with you beside me since you are the one my parents have chosen for me and I want to trust them this time. Are you willing to support me in this?", said Sehun, looking at Yun Hee eagerly for some reaction.

He was expecting the scenario to be either a content one since he was finally willing to accept the marriage, or an angry one, since he took so long to accept it or an awkward one since they were definitely not close enough for him to say such cheesy words to her. But the reaction he actually got from her caught him so off-guard that he could literally feel eyes popping out because of the scene in front of him.

Yun Hee just yawned, which he could tell was totally fake and forced, and muttered something to herself of which he only caught the last part, "I should get some proper sleep before I start hallucinating again." When she was done whispering, she turned away from him and made her way upstairs, without giving him a single glance. Seeing her nonchalant reaction to his supposed heartfelt speech, he just watched her climbing the stairs with his mouth agape. He felt his senses coming back to him once she disappeared from his sight and he ran up the stairs right after that to catch her.

When Sehun reached their bedroom, he stood at the doorway and saw her getting on the bed in a daze, pulling the blanket up to her chin and turning to her side. He jogged towards the bed and got on it before snatching the blanket from her, revealing her face that she was clearly trying to hide from him.

"Did you even hear what I said downstairs?", he said, his voice coming out strained because of frustration.

Yun Hee closed her eyes and sighed, indicating that she was going to sleep as if nothing happened. Seeing this, Sehun got really impatient and so he kept shaking her slightly until he saw her eyebrows getting furrowed because of annoyance. He knew that he had successfully managed to get on her nerves. So he began talking again.

"I am talking to you and telling you something important, Yun Hee. You cannot ignore me just like that. Did you really hear what I said downstairs?", he said, his voice slightly shaking. Was it because of frustration or anticipation, Yun Hee could not tell. What she knew that she had to say something, but how could she say something when she herself was in a turmoil?

Yun Hee sighed again before sitting upon the bed and faced him properly. Then she started speaking.

"Yes, I heard you very well, so well that each one of your words are still ringing in my ears just the way you said them. But no matter how much I try to process them, I just can't wrap my head around them. My mind keeps telling me that you are bipolar and you yourself didn't know what you were saying. My mind also tells me that I might be assuming and hallucinating things. Which is why I think both of us should give a rest to our brains, at least I want to give a rest to mine since I can't take all these stress after a day full of learning how to surgeries. You should do that too so that you can use your rationality properly next time. Maybe you are too hurt because of everything that has happened to you, because of which you are not able to think logically. But let me tell you that it will be impossible for you to give a chance to us when just a few hours ago, your were still hung up over you ex. So don't rush anything, hmm?", Yun Hee said before lying on the bed and covering her fac with the blanket again.

"We are not done yet, Yun Hee", said Sehun, clearly annoyed at the fact that Yun Hee had come to a conclusion without even giving him a chance to say anything. 

"You have said what you wanted to and I have told you my analysis on why your wish is not possible. Then what else is left to be discussed?", said Yun Hee, peeking out from the blanket.

"The fact that you are not trusting me is irking me. When I said that I want to give this marriage a chance, I really meant that. I want to move on, with you", said Sehun desperately, trying to prove his point.

"Sehun, trust me. I would have been really happy if you had genuinely wanted to move on since I have been waiting for this from the very moment we got married. But You are not ready mentally and I can sense that. You are hurt, so hurt that the pain is making you desperate for getting over it in every possible way and I get it. But if you want to use me as your reliever, then it would be wrong. I can lend you a hand, but not my whole existence just for you to heal and then leave me again", Yun Hee said, sitting up once again.

"I will not do this to you. I do want to give this whole thing a chance genuinely. Please believe me", Sehun said pleadingly.

"Why should I believe you?", Yun Hee snapped, not being able to take the stress anymore. "What have you done anyways that can make me believe you, huh? Listen to me very carefully. You were clearly mourning even a few hours ago for your ex and now suddenly you are accepting me as your wife. Do you think it is something believable? I was trying to reason you all this while but you are just not ready to listen. You are not giving this relationship a chance, you just want to use it as a distraction, a distraction from the pain you are suffering from because your ex has found a new lover." Sehun flinched at her words but could not say anything, because he knew that it was true. "Even a few hours ago, you hated me and now suddenly you want to lead a life with me. Do you think it is believable? You don't want me as your wife, you are just accepting me because I am the only option left for you since I am married to you. Then how can you expect me to believe your bull?"

Sehun was about to say something, maybe to defend himself, but Yun Hee stopped before he could do so because she was clearly not done yet.

"I know that you hate me but did not know that you do it to this extent. You are either trying to use me as a rebound or you just want to use me as a medium to show your ex that you have moved on. And trust me when I say this, I am interested in none of the options. Did you hear what you said earlier? It was all about you. The whole time you were only talking abput yourself. You were saying how we should give this marriage a chance just because you want to to do so. When you decided to make this work, you only thought about yourself, not me. Then how can I expect you to give my existence in this marriage equal importance? You need to learn how to care for the feelings of people around you , then think about being someone's husband. I hope I have made myself clear on why the topic should be closed. Do you want to say anything else?", Yun Hee concluded.

Sehun looked at the woman in front of him with shock. He could not even form a word because he knew that her anger was justified, her words were true. She hit the bull's eye when she listed his supposed purposes, making him embarrassed for even thinking that the girl would easily comply to his wish. When he could not find anything to contradict her, he just stuttered out meekly, "You yourself told me that you were trying to make this marriage work, then why are you denying when I said that I want to do this too?"

"Because it is clear that you have taken this decision in the heat of the moment, not when your mind was clear. Sehun, I might not be in your situation currently, but I know that you are hurting. Life is not being fair to you. But you have to deal with it on your own. You have to get up and mend yourself on your own. We can help you with that, but it would be selfish of you to use us in that process, it would be selfish of you to break us in that process. Are you getting my point?", Yun Hee asked, to which Sehun just shook his head without saying anything. Yun Hee sighed and began again. "Then let me tell you straight. Suppose I fall for you in the future after we give this marriage a chance like you said, but you still remain in love with your ex, then have you ever thought what would happen to me? I would be left suffering in a halfhearted commitment. I am not saying that I am not willing to take this risk. i am just saying that I will that once you become a bit more stable than you are now. This is why I would appreciate it if you give some time to yourself in order to heal. I am not going anywhere in the meantime. So whenever you would be ready in a true sense to give this bond a chance, you would find me beside you. Hmm?", Yun Hee said in a gentle and convincing voice, which left Sehun totally speechless.

"Now sleep and let me sleep too. I need to wake up early in the morning. So goodnight", Yun Hee said before lying down and facing her back to him. Then she turned to face him again and said, "By the way, I like the sober Sehun much more than the drunk one." Then she turned around again, this time clearly done.

That night, Sehun came to the conclusion that Yun Hee was a good person and made a mental note to himself that he would never be drunk in front of Yun Hee because he wanted to respect her.

Yun Hee was currently in the waiting room with her group mates because they were given a lunch break. She was talking to Min Ah and Baekhyun when she heard the door to the common room opening and a very familiar face peeking out from the door. She was about to stand up when she heard Baekhyun shouting out of excitement and felt a slight push when he ran to hug the visitor.

"Jongin!" "Hyung!" They both exclaimed in a childish way before hugging each other. Yun Hee and Min Ah just rolled their eyes at the stupidity of these two cousins. 

When they were done hugging each other, they came to their direction while chatting with each other animatedly. They came close to the girls and then Jongin went to hug Yun Hee to say his greeting. He was about to hug Min Ah too but Baekhyun stopped him at that, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend and said, "Not my wife, baby bro."

"Oh, please hyung, she clearly loves me more, right Min?", he said winking towards Min Ah.

"Of course, I do", Min Ah said teasingly, though she was leaning comfortably in Baekhyun's arm like this was her nest. Then all four of them burst out laughing.

"Excuse me but I need Yun Hee for a few minutes so can i take her?", Jongin said, then taking Yun Hee's hand and pulling her behind him, without even giving the lovebirds to say something because he knew they would be happily wrapped around each other.

Jongin pulled her gently out to the parking lot and stopped when they reached his car. Then he opened the door of the passenger seat and took out a huge flower bouquet which had a note stuck to it. Yun Hee looked at Jongin with curiosity, finding this weird. Jongin just coughed a little and then smiled before replying to her.

"This is from your idiotic husband, Hee. I guess God has finally knocked some into his skull. When I was about to leave after our project discussion, he stopped me and said that he wanted some favor from me. I asked him what kind of favor he wanted and guess what he did", said Jongin, his eyes twinkling which made Yun Hee curious.

"What?", she asked.

"He actually blushed. Can you believe it? The mighty Oh Sehun blushed. His ears turned red and he started rubbing his neck before he told me that he wanted me to deliver you something from him. Then he shied away from me and handed me the bouquet with his head hung low. He was so embarrassed that I could not stop myself from laughing. He was looking so flustered. You really should have been there", Jongin explained.

Yun Hee just laughed at what he said, trying to imagine the face of a flustered Sehun. Then she went to to pick up the bouquet and took out the note stuck to it. She opened the note and read what was written inside it.

"Sorry for last night. I didn't mean to come out as a selfish person. I understand your point. I hope we can be okay without any awkwardness.

-Sehun

P.S. I know that you have been asking the maids to make sure that I leave for office after having my breakfast and I am thankful for it. And sorry for ignoring the cups of herbal tea."

Yun Hee smiled slightly after reading the note. She knew that it had been really difficult for Sehun to do this. Now she was wondering if she had been too harsh the previous night. As if Jongin could read his mind, he started saying almost immediately.

"That brat told me what happened last night. He told me what you said to him and I think you are justified. You are right for not wanting to risk your heart and you don't have to do it if you don't want to", Jongin said.

"What do you mean to say?", Yun Hee asked.

"What I mean to say is that I am his best friend, Hee and a really good friend of yours. I would not want bad for anyone of you. But if both of you want to remain so guarded up in this marriage, then it would become a business deal. You both have to let down your guards bit by bit.  And you have to start it. Now before you say that I am being biased, let me make myself clear. He is suffering from a trauma which he got from the very person he loved the most. So it is normal for him to be distrustful. You have to make him believe that the world is not so bad and it definitely does not revolve around Jieun. I know my friend, Hee. Once you manage to break his wall, he would cherish you for the rest of his life", said Jongin.

"Come to the main point. What do you want me to do?", Yun Hee said.

"I want you to be something to him. By something, I don't mean his wife. You guys could start off as friends. You could teach him a few good traits of a friend so that he would start being a better friend to me", said Jongin, making both of them laugh, "while he could let you know some deep secrets of his. Now it cannot be a bad deal, can it? What do you say?", Jongin asked, his face portraying a soft smile which did a great job at comforting Yun Hee.

"I can definitely be a good friend to him and make him feel indebted to God for creating me", Yun Hee said, nodding to herself, before the two of them burst out into laughing.

"That's like my girl", Jongin said, ruffling Yun Hee's hair slightly. "Now I gotta go or my dad would say that I keep moving around all day without doing any actual work. You should also go before anyone can say that you are a slacker which I know that you are."

Yun Hee hit his head playfully hearing that and saw him running away from her and getting inside his car.

"Bye, you idiot. Have a nice day", Yun Hee said, chuckling to herself. Then she saw him starting the car and waving to her before driving away. She turned around and her eyes fell on the bouquet in her hand. She smiled slightly before making her way inside.

Jongin smirked under his breath as he drove in the roads of Seoul.

"Wow, Jongin! You should be given the award of the most pathetic guy on the earth. You are doing every possible thing just to give the girl you love a happy ending with someone else, huh?" he said smiling, though his eyes were shining with tear.

Then he heard his phone ringing and saw the name of Oh Sehun flashing on the screen. He parked the car for a while before receiving the call. 

"Hello."

"Have you done what I asked you to do? Did she receive my apology?"

"No hello, no hi? You really are a business man, aren't you Oh Sehun? Don't worry. I have done your work and for the peace of your mind, let me tell you that she liked the flowers. Anything else?"

"No, nothing else. Dad is calling me so I gotta go. Thank you for everything, Jongin. Bye!"

Then Jongin heard the beep of the phone and saw his phone lighting up again. His eyes fell on his wallpaper which was a picture of him and Yun Hee, smiling like idiots when in Yun Yeong and Chanyeol's wedding. He caressed the picture of Yun Hee and whispered, "Anything for you."

Sehun was patiently waiting for Yun Hee to come home. He was eager to know if they were really normal or not. So when he heard the doorbell ringing, he ran to the door and opened it, revealing a tired Yun Hee looking at him with shock in her eyes. He felt the awkwardness building up between them, so to brush it away he started saying, "Oh! Welcome home. Go and freshen up, then we can have dinner together."

Yun Hee just smiled at him tiredly before going upstairs to freshen up. Sehun saw her and made a mental note to ask her about his not when she would feel a little better.

After Yun Hee came to the dining room looking slightly fresh, they started having dinner without saying anything to each other. After they were done, Sehun was about to ask Yun Hee about his note when Yun Hee beat him to it.

"Sehun, I have given a lot of thought and I have decided that I want to help you in moving on. But it would be not as a wife, but as a friend. Because currently you need a friend who can understand your situation and who can be better than me in this since I am the one who is bound to this marriage with you. Let's be each other's pillar while healing together. And once you have healed, we can do a fresh start. If you are thinking whether I can be a good friend to you or not then let me tell you, mister. I am the best friend material you can ever find in the whole world. So what do you say? Should we start our journey as friends?", asked Yun Hee while shaking her eyebrows slightly.

Sehun didn't know that he could agree to something so fast until that night, because he was also anticipating the journey they could have as friends.