You consider yourself to be quite the actress. Being in the position that you are in, maintaining a good reputation was of utmost importance. In reality, you’re quite shy and timid, so playing the role of the charming and elegant version of yourself proved to be a challenge at first. However you’ve mastered your craft over the years. Putting on a seemingly perfect facade now comes effortlessly, and it fools the public just as easily. Today was different though. No matter how hard you tried, you just couldn’t seem to control the scowl that forcibly plasters itself onto your face. Anger and resentment churns away in your stomach, the feeling somewhat akin to butterflies, but, you know, the bad kind.

White, white, white. Oh great, more ing white.

Normally you don’t have anything against the shade, or any color at all. But as you exited your car and made your way through the hall decked out in every wedding decoration thought possible, the shade started to offend you. White satin banners hung from wooden beams that held up a glass ceiling, letting in sunlight which cast the hall in a warm, natural glow. White silk table clothes with elegant, hand sewn vintage patterns were carefully draped over the many tables scattered among the venue, with matching gold and white chairs tucked neatly beneath. You stopped walking for a second and stood at the edge of a long, sky blue carpet. Your eyes followed the carpet down the aisle adorned in blue and white chrysanthemums, which led you to rest your sight upon the elegantly decorated wedding arch that you would soon be standing under. You had to admit, the place was beautiful and was more than enough to fulfill a young woman’s marriage fantasies. For you on the other hand, marriage certainly wasn’t your fantasy. All that stuff about relationships, love, and romance didn’t really pique your interest. Never in your wildest dreams did you think that you yourself would actually partake in such trivialities. 

A couple of hours have passed and you find yourself sitting in your dressing room, waiting for your cue to walk down the aisle. You stared at the bouquet of chrysanthemums sitting in a glass vase resting atop the vanity. You had made it clear that under no circumstances would any roses be used for your wedding as you believed that the flower was a symbol of romance, and you also believed that this marriage would be devoid of it (little did you know that chrysanthemums were also a symbol of love and loyalty). As you waited, your mind drifted back to the events that led you here in the first place…

“But father, I don’t WANT to get married. I never had any interest in relationships whatsoever and you know that. I don’t understand why you’re suddenly commanding me to do this!”

You were livid. Your parents had controlled every single aspect of your life from the second you were born. From a young age it was drilled into you that you had to be perfect. You were the daughter of the Korea’s two most renowned doctors after all. Despite their current status, they actually started with absolutely nothing yet managed to build their massive empire of hospitals and connections from the ground up. They would never allow their reputation to be tarnished by a daughter that was less than perfect. And so they filled your schedule with private tutoring sessions for each subject, piano and violin lessons, ballet sessions, and even lessons on manners and etiquette. Once you were off to college, they expected you to study medicine, anything else was unacceptable. Now  here you were, a very successful doctor specializing in cardiac and thoracic surgery. You had it all, money, looks, and status that was second only to your parents. You’ve done everything that they have asked for, why did they have to control your love life as well?

“That is enough! Enough of your nonsense! Your mother and I did not raise you to be an insolent daughter. Do you not know how hard we’ve worked to earn the money to groom you into a perfect young lady?! Our decision is final and that is it. We need you to marry Ms. Son in order to establish a stable relationship with her gang immediately. They have given us a tremendous amount of support that helped make our hospitals what they are today. Ms. Son is starting to be suspected of skeptical behavior, and what better way to silence those nosy journalists by revealing the news of your marriage? Y/n. You are perfect in the eyes of the public. You are seen as this graceful, innocent woman and anyone who is associated with you cannot be suspected of anything malicious.” He pauses shortly, calming himself down. He then says in his gentlest voice “Do I make my words clear, dear daughter?”

You sighed lightly, knowing that just like the rest of your life, you have no choice in this as well.

“Yes father…”

You fiddled with the chrysanthemum’s petals in between your fingers as you thought of Son Wendy. Wendy was her name known by the public. No one really knows her real name. It’s a mystery befitting this mysterious woman. You haven’t actually seen her in person and everything that you knew about her came from online research. Wendy was a very successful business woman who ran a well renowned company. She had an overwhelming passion for music at such a young age, coming to master multiple instruments such as the guitar, flute, and the piano only at age 9. But it was her voice that captured the hearts of millions worldwide, yours too, admittedly. When she sang, she sang with her whole heart. Her voice expressed such deep, intense emotions that made the words of whatever song she was singing mean so much more. It’s no surprise that she took over the music industry single handedly. She eventually opened up her own music label, S.W. Records. Any artist that signed with her was guaranteed success. But lately the label’s name has been popping up in the tabloids, various scandals involving some of her employees and artists that could either be true or false, well, from the public’s point of view. The truth is, Son Wendy was one of the five leaders of Red Velvet, the leading mafia gang based in Seoul. Each controls a certain area of the city, your parent’s first and main hospital happened to be in Wendy’s territory. However, the connection between you two runs deeper than just some property and its location.

Neither of your parents came from wealth, rather they were well acquainted with poverty. The two of them ran away from their hometown and fled to Seoul as their parents (your grandparents) disapproved of their relationship. They were only 18 and deeply, foolishly in love. How in the world did they manage to pay for medical school and live in such an expensive city? They took out loans from some sketchy people. Although they had jobs by the time they graduated, they were drowning in debt and these thugs were very insistent on getting paid on time. To make things worse, they were pregnant with you, and even though these days they seem very cold and distant, they cared for you and didn’t want any harm to come to you. They were in deep trouble and they knew it. It was Wendy’s mother who came to their aid. Mrs. Son was the head doctor of the hospital they worked at during the day, and a mafia ring leader at night. She recognized their potential and offered to pay off their debts and even support them in starting their business in exchange for a partnership. Your parents would keep up a squeaky clean reputation for your family and the Sons, while Mrs. Son would take care of all the financial concerns. Your parents agreed in a heartbeat and little over two decades later, here you were to fulfill your family’s part of that deal.

*knock* *knock* *knock*

Three short raps on your door let you know that the time has come to bid farewell to single life forever. Before leaving the room, you surveyed yourself in the mirror, examining each detail from the way your hair was done, to the heels that were on your feet, giving a little boost to your short stature. You had to appear perfect after all. 

At least the make up artists and designers did an amazing job. I look pretty okay.

You cracked a small smile, the first smile you had that day, at the thought. Despite the confident image you displayed to society, you were actually quite humble and down to earth. You try not to judge based on looks, believing that there is simply more than what the eye can see. You have led your life by that principle ever since you could remember, and so it’s quite embarrassing to think that you almost broke from it after taking only one glance at her.

You held onto your father’s arm lightly as he walked you down the aisle. You had your veil on so you couldn’t see very well. Soon enough you were standing before her, a bouquet of chrysanthemums in your hands. Wendy gently lifted your veil and placed it gently behind your head. Your eyes rose up to meet hers and suddenly everything in your peripheral vision, the hall, the flowers, the guests, they all melted away...

 She was so beautiful...

 More than what your online research has led you to believe. There she stood in a stunning floor length gown that hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her already perfect features. Her dress was similar to yours except hers was black and yours was white (and yes both of you are in dresses because to hell with heteronormativity), now you felt sort of self conscious standing next to her. Any self deprecating thoughts were quickly silenced as you became lost in those deep brown orbs that seem to speak volumes. Nervousness, apprehension, and awe were clearly written in her eyes, mirroring what you feel yourself. You felt a tinge of relief knowing that you weren’t the only one ill at ease about the whole situation. But what dominated those eyes the most was the coldness that radiated from them, making you shiver involuntarily. For some reason, you just couldn’t look away, something about her was drawing you in and you just wanted so badly to reach out and find out what that was...

“I do. I do take Y/n as my wife. And I promise to cherish her and our days together till they come to an end. Our love is a single soul residing in two bodies. She is perfect for me as I am for her. I cannot promise that our time together will be free of tears and worries. It is unreasonable to think that it will be. But what I can promise…”

Wendy looks directly into your eyes, her gaze seems to pierce right through your soul.

“...is that I will always be by your side, through thick and thin. I will be there to catch you when you fall, and I will keep you safe in my arms.”

You stood there in awe, tears freely leaving your eyes which had no signs of stopping any time soon. You couldn’t help it. No one, not even your parents, has ever talked to you in such a loving and caring manner. You knew it wasn’t real, you knew this was all for show, there was no truth behind her words. Yet the words of this woman touched you. 

. Stop crying. You’re making a fool out of yourself.

You cursed at yourself inwardly. Maybe, just maybe this marriage might be more interesting than you thought.