The wedding banquet

Song Ji Hyo never once imagine that the wedding banquet will be very crowded and she could see a sea of people in her surroundings. Her family did invite some of her relatives but she could still see that most of the guests are not ordinary people. She can judge from the way they dressed, they are not just rich but crazy rich. She’s surprised because she’s not that aware that Kim Jong Kook is one of the most wanted bachelor in the country. Moreover, his businesses are spread all over the world which is why she could see a lot of foreigners who fly all the way to Seoul just to attend the banquet. Kim Jong Kook must be a very important person. Throughout the banquet, she’s instructed to stay by Jong-Kook’s side to greet the guests and a new fact about Jong-Kook that she discovered today is that he’s very smart. She was so impressed when she found out that her husband could speak 5 languages aside from Korean. She heard him spoke English, Japanese, Chinese, French and Spanish. She realized it when she heard him having conversation with the guests in those foreign languages that she could barely understand. She’s very amazed indeed.

However, she couldn’t lie but she feels so tired now as both her body and her legs are aching. The wedding ceremony and banquet were held on the same day that she’s in a heavy wedding dress and high heels for almost a day. Her face started to turn sour as she’s hungry and tired but she doesn’t dare to whine at Jong-Kook not because she’s afraid of him but she doesn’t want him to have the prejudice that she’s rude. She could notice that his guests are important people and she couldn’t bear making mistakes now.

“What are you doing? Do you feel uncomfortable?” Jong-Kook asked as he could sense that she has been acting quite weird since the last 20 minutes. He could hear her letting out a soft sigh.

“Perhaps, are you tired?” He asked again.

Could Ji-Hyo say yes? She’s very tired indeed. “I’m okay. I could still stand greeting your guests. You paid a large sum of money for of the entire event including this marriage. I couldn’t say no.”

For a second, the feel of guiltiness splashed into his heart. He should be happy to see suffering but why he felt a little pang of hurt when she refers their marriage as a product he bought?

“You can take a seat if you’re tired. I don’t want people to think that I’m torturing you and I know you’re hungry. The sound from your stomach is quite loud.” Said Jong-Kook.

Ji-Hyo bit her lip nervously as she tried to swallow her embarrassment. How could her stomach growl in this kind of situation? “Is it okay if I left you alone?” She asked again as she doesn’t want to offend him.

As Jong-Kook nodded, she didn’t reply him anymore but to vanish from his eyesight right away. Her legs are so sore already that it feels numb now. Moreover, she’s hungry. She has been looking at all of those tempting food but she couldn’t eat earlier as she ought to stay by Jong-Kook’s side to greet the guests. She’s a little relieved that Jong-Kook could understand her. He’s not as bad as she thought he would be.

As Ji-Hyo took a seat and began to eat her food, she finds it odd that she couldn’t see her parents or her brother but she couldn’t think that much since she’s hungry now. However, she doesn’t want to think that much as all she wants now is to fulfill her stomach’s needs.

“Ya! Song Ji Hyo.”

Ji-Hyo almost choked when she heard somebody called her name. Who knows her? She didn’t recall inviting any of her friends.

“You really need to explain a lot of thing to me.”

Ji-Hyo widened her eyes. How could he be here? “Why are you here? How?” She’s confused.

Lee Kwang Soo rolled his eyes in annoyance that for some reason, he felt like he’s fooled by her. “Business connection. Not me but my father.” Kwang-Soo replied. It’s not a surprise for Ji-Hyo then. Kwang-Soo’s family might be as rich as Jong-Kook. It’s not odd that his family is invited.

Ji-Hyo sighed and Kwang-Soo with a guilty gaze. “Take a seat.” She uttered.

Lee Kwang Soo couldn’t think straight now. The girl beside him is not just a friend but a sister for him but how could she hide it from him?

“You really owe me so much explanation, noona. We made a promise to come to the club a week ago. I waited till 1 in the morning and you don’t even show yourself. I’m so worried if something might happen to you and do you know how shocked I was when I know Kim Jong Kook’s bride is you?” Said Kwang-Soo in such an irritated tone.

Ji-Hyo sighed upon hearing what Kwang-Soo said just now. She knew that he cares for her but she’s not ready to share to anyone about her marriage. “What do you want to know? You can ask me. I’ll answer it one by one.” She sounds helpless.

Kwang-Soo rolled his eyes. “Noona, I’m not angry because of not knowing your marriage but I’m worried. How did you meet him? How much do you know Kim Jong Kook? How long have you know him until you trust him to be your husband?”

Ji-Hyo tried her best to give Kwang-Soo a smile to let him know that she’s okay. “You don’t have to be worry. That man and this marriage is so complicated. My family owe him a large sum of money and his only term and condition is that he wanted to marry me.”

Kwang-Soo narrowed his eyebrows as he’s confused. “What? Owe him? What money? Why would he want to marry you?”

“My father’s company was about to declare bankruptcy but that man came and bought the company’s shares. That funds are enough to cover all of the loss and expenses. I know nothing about business but as far as I know, it could save my father’s company. As for his request, I don’t really understand but he said that according to his father’s will, he ought to be married if he wanted to claim his father’s wealth and legacy.” She explained.

Kwang-Soo is still very confused. Why does business have to do with marriage? “Why it has to do with marriage? Noona, even if he saved your father’s company, it doesn’t mean that you have to marry him.”

“Although I don’t want, I have to, Kwang-Soo ya. I have no choice.” She almost cried as she was so depressed about this hopeless marriage. She looked at the whole ballroom and the banquet. All of these sudden cheerful moment will end in just a blink of eye. Once the party ends, she will have to enter the tiger’s den that she doesn’t even know how to survive from it.

“Noona, it’s strange.” He sounds suspicious.

“What’s strange?”

Kwang-Soo took a sharp glanze at Jong-Kook who’s still busy with the guests. “As far as I know, Kim Jong Kook is an orphan. Could you see any of his relatives attending your wedding? All you can see are business people and some of his friends.”

Ji-Hyo was stunned. An orphan? Does it mean, he’s lying about his father’s will thing? “Are you sure?” She just couldn’t believe it.

Kwang-Soo nodded his head confidently. “I do not really know about him but as far as I heard from my father, he grew up in an orphanage because none of his relatives are willing to take care of him.”

For a moment, Ji-Hyo felt like the world around here is spinning that makes her couldn’t think straight now. If he’s an orphan, it means that he’s lying. His real motive about this marriage is not about claiming his father’s will. “Do you mean he’s deceiving my family?” She’s about to cry now.

Kwang-Soo exhaled sharply as he knew that his noona might be so hurt right now but he still has to remind her. “I don’t know, noona. The only thing that I would like to remind you is that you have to be careful with the man you called husband today. As far as I know, he is not an ordinary person.”

Ji-Hyo would have fallen onto the ground if she’s not sitting down. She will be living under the same roof with Kim Jong Kook and now that she has to be careful with him? What has she got herself into? She has been cursing herself inside her heart for so many times about why did she agree about marrying him.

As she has been so busy with her own thinking, she didn’t realize it when she lifts up her face, her husband, Kim Jong Kook is already in front of her.

“I don’t know if you invite any friend, Ji-Hyo ya.” Said Jong-Kook, referring to Kwang-Soo.

Kwang-Soo was almost choked when Jong-Kook is already in front of him. He never knows he will be so nervous. He didn’t bother to reply Jong-Kook but to just stay silent.

Ji-Hyo nodded. “Lee Kwang Soo, he’s my best friend.”

Jong-Kook glanced sharply at Kwang-Soo. “Breath.” He said.

Kwang-Soo exhaled upon hearing what did Jong-Kook said. How could he know? “I’m Lee Kwang Soo. Nice to meet you, Kim Jong Kook-Ssi.” He offered a hand shake.

Jong-Kook let out a little chuckle and accepted that hand shake. Now that he could see clearly the tall man who seemed to be so close with his wife. Close enough that they could hug each other casually. “Nice to meet you but it will be much pleasant if you create some distance between you and my wife. Please excuse us.” Said Jong-Kook. He pulled Ji-Hyo to go with him and leave Kwang-Soo behind.

Kwang-Soo rolled his eyes. He’s so damn annoyed when he saw Jong-Kook dragged Ji-Hyo together with him. “Chamna!” He murmured. However, there are still so much curiosity that bothers inside his heart. What is this all about? The marriage? There’s something odd.

Ji-Hyo couldn’t do anything much either when Jong-Kook took her away from Kwang-Soo. She’s so tired today that she doesn’t have any energy left to fight with him. However, there are a lot of thing that she could learnt about Jong-Kook today including getting know about people around him.

First, he’s a smart kid.

Second, his only best friend is Ha Dong Hoon.

Third, the only secretary that he trusts is Han Ye Seul.

Fourth, he is an orphan.

All of the points above does not really bother her mind except for the last. Why would he lie? Just who is this guy? Who is Kim Jong Kook? Why does he want to marry her? She promised herself that she will find out the answer one by one and to reveal the true self of that mysterious yet dangerous man.

**

“Welcome home, doryeonim, samonim.”

Ji-Hyo’s mouth was widened in surprise once she reached her new home. She could see a row of maids and lining up and bowing at her and Jong-Kook. This is insane. Just how rich is this man? As Ji-Hyo is not yet familiar with this kind of treatment, she bowed back casually and that annoys Jong-Kook a little.

“They are our maids. We do not bow to them.” Said Jong-Kook, arrogantly.

Ji-Hyo scoffed and looked at the people around her. So this is how rich people live? Just right when she entered the yard of his house, she’s already impressed. The yard in front of his house is so spacious that she could even see a garden of flowers and a gazebo. However, she’s even more impressed when she really enters his house.

“Daebak.” She murmured softly when she looked at the whole house. The tiger’s den is even as huge as a mansion. The minimalistic interior design is so captivating. The furniture doesn’t look cheap either. She looked at the left side of the house and there’s a sliding door that connects to the indoor swimming pool and gym area. This is insane. How could he live in this huge house alone? 

Jong-Kook is amused looking at the girl beside him who’s so captivated by his house. He’s not surprised either as he got to admit it that he put a lot of effort to make his house feels cozy and comfortable. Although the house is too big for him to live alone.

“I’m tired. Could you show me my room?” Ji-Hyo asked. Her tone sounded weak and soft indicating that she’s totally drained by the wedding they had today.

Jong-Kook let out a sigh. “Follow me.” He replied and walked with her to the second floor.

Ji-Hyo still feels very foreign to the new environment. She’s even afraid if she might be lost in this house because she could see a corridor with several doors. Just how many room does he have in his house?

Jong-Kook stopped in front of a door and opened it casually. He gave her a sign to go inside. She looked around this spacious room. This is room is even larger than the living room in her house. The minimalistic design is still applied in this room. The king size bed feels like pulling her to sleep on it. The floor is wooden. The wallpaper is dominated with grey color. The furniture looked expensive and dominated by the color black and white. For some reason, she doesn’t like the colors inside the room. It feels cold and gloomy.

“The door on the left connects to the closet and dressing room while the door on the right connects to the home cinema. The bathroom is just beside the closet.” He explained as opening the door to show her about the room.

Ji-Hyo saw her luggage is placed in the corner of the wardrobe. However, she’s somehow lost when she looked at a closet full of clothes, shoes, jewelry and handbags. She doesn’t know how to describe it with words about how amazed she is. The handbags and shoes are definitely not cheap. All of those came from branded designer house starting from Prada, Gucci, YSL, LV, Chanel and the famous Hermes. For a second, she really feels like her life is really a piece of . She could barely afford one of those but this man could even buy the whole store. Does it even make sense?

“I don’t know about your fashion taste or preferences and I’m not the one who arra