Eunji’s been running away from her responsibilities her entire life. Since the day she was born, she was groomed to take over her father’s company, but with a father she saw twice a year and a mother who didn’t want her to live a sheltered life, she had been able to do whatever she wanted. She had been friends with whoever she wanted, gone to whatever parties she wanted to go to, and dated whoever she wanted. 

She attended the big charity and business events her father had deemed mandatory, and when she had to, spoke to his business partners as if she was interested in what they had to say. 

But Eunji knew she would have to live up to her responsibilities eventually. She was their only child, and therefore the only heir to the company. 

That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to her that when she turned twenty one her parents sat her down and told her about the girl she was going to marry.

In the community Eunji grew up in, arranged marriages were normal. Almost everyone she knew had some sort of arranged marriage set up for them since they were kids. Two of her best friends, Bomi and Naeun, have been engaged since they were six years old. Lucky for them, they’re disgustingly in love anyways.

Eunji has seen countless types of arranged marriages. The one where they absolutely hate each other and don’t even sleep in the same bed, the one where they simply exist alongside each other, the one where they’re best friends but not in love, and the rarest, the one where they’re actually in love. Bomi and Naeun might be the only couple Eunji knows who are like that. 

Bomi and Naeun are Eunji’s only friends who come from wealthy, important families like her. She doesn’t normally click with these kinds of people.

“Her name is Park Chorong,” Eunji’s father says, “she’s the heir to the Park Corporation.”

“How hot is she?” Eunji responds with a question, much to her father’s displeasure. Making jokes at times like this has become a bit of a defence mechanism for Eunji, it distracts her from the fact that she doesn’t actually get to choose the person she’s going to be spending the rest of her life with.

“Eunji, this is serious. You’re not a kid anymore, you’re representing the company now,” her father says sternly. “She is coming to dinner tomorrow with her parents. Please be on your best behaviour.” 

That night, Eunji asks her mother about Chorong when her father is gone. They’ve always been close, Eunji thinks it was her mother who always convinced her father to let her live her life the way she wanted. 

“Do you have a picture of her? I mean, I have to go through with it no matter what, but I need to know if I should like, wash my hair or something,” Eunji asks, half joking but there’s a hint of seriousness to her tone.

Her mother gives her a small smile. She’s always been fascinated by her daughter's quick wit. “Wash your hair, Eunji. You won’t be disappointed.”

“Wait, is she like, out of my league?” Eunji asks, and this time she’s only joking about ten percent.

Her mother just laughs and leaves Eunji sitting there, wondering more about Park Chorong.

Park Chorong is even prettier than Eunji imagined. She’s wearing a pretty blue dress, with half her hair tied back, and Eunji just thinks she looks effortlessly beautiful. She’s glad she washed her hair.

The dinner is awkward, as expected when the first time you meet your fiancé is with both your parents. It’s more like a business meeting, Eunji thinks, as she swirls the wine in her glass absentmindedly. Her parents are hitting it off with Chorong’s parents, who seem equally as delighted with this arrangement. 

Chorong’s parents are practically in love with Eunji, but Chorong hasn’t said much to her. She doesn’t blame Chorong though, she doesn’t know how they’re supposed to get to know each other with their parents babbling on about how perfect they are for each other while they’re sitting two metres away from them.

After a very long dinner, the Park’s finally leave. Her parents seem pleased, and Eunji wouldn’t say she’s displeased with the arrangement either. Though she was quiet and didn’t say much, Chorong could have been a lot worse.  

Five days pass and Eunji has been thinking about Chorong more than she would like to admit. She’s sitting on Bomi’s couch with Bomi and Naeun, telling them about her new fiancé.

“If you want to get to know her, why don’t you just ask her to hang out, you know, without your parents?” Bomi suggests.

Eunji thinks about it, scrunching her nose slightly. “Would that be weird? I mean, we’ve barely said two words to each other.”

“It can’t hurt to try,” Naeun shrugs. “You’re gonna have to deal with each other either way.”

“Plus, in high school everyone had a crush on you. I don’t think Chorong will be able to resist your charms,” Bomi adds.

“I don’t know,” Eunji lets out a small laugh, “she seemed pretty tough to crack.”

“Aren’t you leaving for London tomorrow?” Naeun reminds her.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll ask her when I come back then.” Eunji says.

“No way, that’s in three months! Ask her right now!” Bomi suddenly says excitedly.

“What? Right now?” Eunji asks, taken aback, frowning at her phone to check the time. It’s almost nine. Would Chorong have had dinner already? “I haven’t even planned anything.”

“You don’t need to plan, just do something casual. You just want to get to know her, right? She might forget about you in three months,” Bomi says practically shoving Eunji out the door at this point.

That’s how Eunji ended up in her car, driving to the Park’s estate (her mother had given her the address along with Chorong’s number). Eunji takes a deep breath before dialling Chorong’s number. It rings three times before Chorong picks up.

“Hello?” Chorong says.

Eunji gulps, suddenly feeling like she doesn’t know how to talk to girls at all. “Hey! Is this Chorong?” she asks, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

“Yes, who’s this?” Chorong asks