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His phone was on silent but the screen face up. During the executive meeting, Sehun did notice the screen light up. The presenter couldn’t stop talking, so he was unable to find the right opportunity to get away. Then the text came through followed by three exclamation marks.

“Let’s take a break,” Sehun cut him off and pushed away from the U-shaped table. Swiping his phone off the table he walked out into the hallway.

A good way down the pastel white hallway he hit Namjoo’s number and held the phone to his ear.

“What is it?” he first asked.

“You’re only picking up now?!” Namjoo shrieked.

“Then I’m hanging up.” He flatly told.

“Please, I’m begging you, come get me.” Namjoo pleaded.

The abrupt change of attitude perked him. “Why?”

“Your mother and Miss Princess took me to a bridal shop! I’m holed up in the dressing room!”

“What?” he spat flabbergasted. “Why…you…I’m in a really important meeting right now. I can’t drop work every time something comes up.”

“Forget it! Why did I even bother calling!” Namjoo shouted. She immediately hung up the second he prepared to argue back.

Hissing perplexed he punched the button to hang up.

A bridal shop! What was his mom thinking?

They were giving him such a headache.

Calling over his secretary to report his absence he grabbed his keys and hit the road. Yesterday his parents had mentioned wedding and today already taking action. Goodness sakes.

Down the road he called the family driver. If his mother planned a daily trip into the city, she wouldn’t drive herself. Acquiring the information needed Sehun sped down the road.

The afternoon sun had reached its peak. At this hour it was the hottest in the city and traffic the busiest. It took much more time than he liked to reach a destination that might have taken him fifteen minutes. Finally swerving into the parking lot he climbed the steps into the posh gallery with a giant window displaying a headless mannequin wearing an exquisite wedding gown. The floor was covered in white satin and wedding eloquent props.

At the semi-circular desk a woman had come to pick up her dress. A female employee in uniform greeted him. Sehun passed her without bothering acknowledgement and went in search of his mother and Namjoo.

Further down the hall high racks of various dresses hung on his left, all in different shades and décor, most of them pearl white. Then ahead he spotted a low coffee table with several magazines portraying models wearing wedding dresses provided by courtesy of the company. Against the wall three pretty blue love seats for patrons.

“Psst!” He turned left to see a row of fitting rooms. The doors were mirrors, so he ended up staring at his reflection first. Next, he noticed the head poking out. His brow dipped over his eye.

Clutching the dress, Namjoo carefully tiptoed out. “Where’s your mother?”

But he didn’t really hear. Instead, his eyes ran over the long-sleeved V-cut lace dress. Never really having seen a wedding dress up front before. It was really pretty it almost came off romantic.

“Are you listening?” Namjoo was waving her hand around.

“Sehun!” He turned the other way where his mother was walking over with Hyena and another store clerk who was carrying another dress. Coming up to him, his mother inquired, “What are you doing here?” Hurrying forward to block Namjoo out of view, she scolded, “Don’t you know it’s bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding?”

“Sometimes bad luck is required for a person to learn from mistakes,” Hyena cunningly added.

“I’m sure there’ll be another dress prepared for the wedding,” Sehun connivingly rebutted. Hyena’s lips went flat. In utter contrast Namjoo’s expression became fiercely stern and she stared at him with bloody murder in her irises.

“Oh well…I suppose we can do that,” his mother shook her head processing the sudden idea. Glancing at Namjoo, she beamed, “What do you think, Namjoo?”

Immediately grinning, Namjoo chirped, “Yes, what a great idea.”

When his mother turned to speak to the store clerk, she glared at him.

“Let’s have dinner this weekend,” Hyena interrupted their stare off. Successfully catching his attention, she said, “You, me, and her. We should get to know each other since we’re becoming family.”

“About that…”

“I’ll reserve the restaurant.” Hyena was quick.

“Then, Sehun,” his mother started, “would you like to stay for the rest of the dress fitting?”

“Uh…actually, Namjoo and I have a prior appointment.” He lied.

“What appointment?” she asked then her eyes enlarged. “Oh! You’re probably seeing the doctor today!” Looking over at Namjoo, she crooned, “You should have said something.”

Feigning a fake laugh, Namjoo assured, “It’s not a problem, mother.” She almost looked excited as she jutted a thumb backward, “Then I’ll go change.”

The door to the fitting room shut as fast as she disappeared.

“She must be tired. We’ve been walking around for so long. I’m so sorry I didn’t know.” His mother apologized in later.

“It’s all right mom.”

“Don’t forget to buy her lunch. Take her to a chicken restaurant. It’s important she gets all the nourishment right now. Is she out of the tonic I gave her?”

“There’s a few left.” He lied. He had forgotten about the purple juice. Through experience, he was pretty confident Namjoo abstained from it as much as possible.

“I’m ready,” Namjoo hopped over eager to make her escape.

“Then we’re going to get going.” Sehun said.

“Yes, be careful. See you at home.” His mother called after them.

First out the door Namjoo scurried down the street without waiting for him. She really looked so free like she might fly off.

“The car’s down here.” He called.

Veering back around Namjoo zoomed past him. Snagging the door handle she complained, “Come on, hurry up.”

Making a face he unlocked the door for her. She was strapping the seatbelt over her when he slid behind the wheel.

“You can’t even deal with something like that.” He murmured pulling into traffic. “It wasn’t an emergency. You could’ve have stuck it out there like you always do.”

A blast of wind hit him in the face. Namjoo had opened the window to ignore him.

“I’m not angry at you.” He specified.

Namjoo’s nostrils flared. “Take back what you said about the wedding dress.”

“You know I was lying. Didn’t you see Hyena was there?”

“Yes, I appreciate you lying so much that you couldn’t save my face.”

“What’s wrong with you?” he frowned.

“What’s wrong, is that your mother is jumpstarting a wedding. Do you not get it?” Namjoo’s tone deepened. “She’s serious about this and you’re just here taking it lightly.”

“Well, what do you want me to say?” he argued. “What should I do? It’s not like you’re not getting anything out of this. I already promised you, nothing will happen.”

Surrendering, Namjoo slouched in her seat. Quietening for several minutes before turning to him. “Did I tell you the test is negative?”

Sehun blinked several times. Digesting what she just said. Swerving over to the curb he braked so fast their bodies forward.

“What?!”

, Namjoo rubbed her chest. Snarling at him, “What kind of driver are you?”

“What about the pregnancy test?”

“I said it’s negative.” Namjoo repeated. Worrying, “What if someone realizes? Who cleaned up the purse?”

“I don’t know. Maybe whoever did didn’t realize.” He hoped.

“You really think you’re that lucky?” Namjoo doubted.

Perhaps the most intelligent idea flickered through his head. Looking at her he smirked. “Then, I just have to prove it.”

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“The baby’s healthy.” Sehun announced.

Namjoo watched him slide a fake ultrasound picture he’d printed at a photo shop from his phone with some picture he’d stolen off the internet. She really hated him for his devious nature. This was like cheating on an exam or switching her report card with a classmate’s and her mother would never know the better.

Elder and Madam Oh’s eyes glimmered as they held the picture, stealing it from each other to gawk at. Namjoo felt awkward and guilty as hell, but because she was in on the lie, she couldn’t say anything.

Oh Sehun was really a seriously twisted son.

“That is great news!” his mother’s pitch went higher the happier she became.

Elder Oh laughed haughtily. Spreading an arm out, he gestured to the various foods on the dining table, “Eat all you want. Tell me anything you want and your father will prepare them for you.”

Pulling on her best-behaved smile, Namjoo nodded. “Yes, father.”

On the way home she couldn’t help sneering at Sehun from behind. Him and his sly tactics. Using them constantly to slide around his problems. No wonder he was such a fussy child. His poor girlfriend having to deal with him. Namjoo really sympathized with her.

“We’re having dinner with Hyena this weekend.” Sehun said.

Dashing up to his side, Namjoo peered into his face. “We’re what?”

“I know you heard me.”

“Why do I have to be in the picture?” Namjoo asked. “You know she only wants to see you. I’d let her win you over any day.”

His brows drew together.

“Yes, it’s that face,” Namjoo pointed a finger at him. “Always make that face. It’s your best. So handsome.”

She gave him a thumbs up as she hurried ahead. Running upstairs to her room she cackled aloud.

The following day Sehun left for work again. Today neither of his parents called for her, so she planted herself in front of the tv. Flipping through the channels whenever a commercial break popped up. She had no patience to wait for a show to resume.

Too bad all Sehun had limited her to was a phone and his house appliances which were not much. His house, she concluded, was the worst place to be. She was never coming back once she finished this charade.

Yawning Namjoo lie down. Glued to a show when her phone rang. She let it continue before lazily picking up without glancing at the screen.

“Hello?” she drowsily answered.

“Is that how you’re going to answer the phone?” Sehun scorned.

“What do you want?”

“What are you doing?”

“If you’re calling to see where I am and what I’m doing,” Namjoo held the phone out and raised the volume to max. After a few seconds she put the phone back to her ear, “Happy?”

“Fine. I was just…”

“Bye.” Hanging up Namjoo dropped the phone and continued staring at the screen.

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Scoffing, Sehun set down the phone. It wasn’t like he had all the free time either.

Rubbing his face, he wondered what he might have to deal with tomorrow. Hyena was certain to probe into his fake relationship with Namjoo. What kinds of things were they going to have to go over to prepare for it?

Packing up at the end of the day he returned home. After dinner he was going to need to have a conference with Namjoo in private.

Opening the door, he expected to find Namjoo holed up in her room watching something off her phone. Instead, he walked inside to hear the television playing. Browsing around he found Namjoo asleep on the couch, the remote on the table in front of her. For some reason it was just like her making the most of her comfort wherever.

Turning the tv off he put the remote down. Sighting the phone gave him another thought. To make their fake relationship believable they should at least have names for each other on their phones.

Grabbing the phone he went through it. There was one outgoing call to one other person that wasn’t him, but he recognized his unnamed number. Peeking at Namjoo to make sure she was still out cold, he pressed the option button. Aware she would hate it with all her guts, he cheekily named himself hubby. Snickering quietly, he replaced the phone and left her.

As dinner preparations finally started, he left the cook to wake Namjoo. Loudly yawning she crossed the kitchen to the table bleary eyed.

“I’m so hungry,” she said sinking into her chair.

“You did nothing all day.” He remarked.

“Nothing is also something.” Namjoo smart mouthed. “It’s so boring here.”

“You’ll live. Find a hobby, sew, something.” He suggested.

Namjoo scowled. “I was thinking, a computer would be nice.”

“Mmm…” he pretended to think, “no.”

“Why not?” she whined. “I’m stuck here all day. I need something.”

“You have the tv and your phone.” He reminded. “You’re always on your phone.”

Namjoo sulked. “I can’t talk to you.”

“We should talk about tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to talk about tomorrow.” Namjoo mumbled swirling her food around. “I don’t want to spend tomorrow with you.”

“Fine then. Stay inside all day.”

She exhaled, but stopped her oncoming retaliation. The corner of his mouth rose aware he got her.

“What does it have to do with me?” Namjoo complained. “You drag me into every one of your problems.”

“Call her and try cancelling. I bet you your two-hundred-thousand you’ll fail.”

Namjoo pouted. “That’s unfair.”

“You think I want to have this dinner with her?” Sehun asked. “Look, all she wants to do is find a hole in our relationship.”

“We don’t have a relationship.” Namjoo spat.

Ignoring her, he pressed on, “We’re going to show her we love each other very much.”

Namjoo made a face of disgust. “Why can’t we just simply go along with what each other says?”

“Did I say we’re not doing that?” Sehun asked. “Just make sure the answers add up. Don’t be ditzy like you were the last time.”

Putting a hand to her chest, Namjoo promised, “You can trust me, dear. I will be very careful.”

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Sehun went as far as to coordinate their clothes so they matched. Namjoo had never really felt like such a copycat of another person until now.

First step out of the car and her ankle nearly twisted from her three-inch needle pointed heels. Clutching onto the car to maintain balance she yelped.

“Did I really have to wear this?” She surly complained.

From the driver’s side Sehun merely shot her a stare. Tiresomely sighing he closed the door and rounded the car to her. Namjoo backed up brushing her back against the car when he came too close.

“Wha…are you nuts?!” she shouted when he wrapped a sturdy arm around her waist tugging her forward. Slamming a palm against his chest she demanded, “Let go of me.”

The door shut catching her off guard. She glanced at the vehicle back to him noticing she no longer had to hold on for balance.

“Prick.” She murmured.

Loosening his arm from around her he held her hand and took several steps ahead, turning around to face her. “Slowly.”

She complained at the first step then the next. “Is this really necessary?”

“Hyena will want to compete with you. You should at least outdress her.” Sehun explained.

Behind him the two-story deluxe restaurant glowed. Bright yellow lights beamed from the tall paned windows. At first glance and from the estate’s very private parking lot this business was off-limits to the majority of blue working citizens. Hyena had gone as far as to boast her class and high-standing. She from the middle of nowhere could not stand on the same level as prim and proper, so why the hell was she tying the knot with Oh Sehun?

But dammit, if only Namjoo could spell it out for her she wasn’t even a real pregnant wife-to-be.

Money, she chanted mentally. This was all for the money.

At the bottom of a flight of stairs, a door greeter politely greeted them. Letting go of her hand he wrapped her hand around his arm. Namjoo actually clung onto him in case she ended up shattering an ankle going up the stairs. Then the door greeter pulled the door open for them and they went inside.

***Thanks for reading guys! Regardless the viewership or comment count, I appreciate whoever is enjoying this. For the first time in the longest time, I'm enjoying and having fun writing something. It's Thanksgiving here, so I most likely won't be on tomorrow or Saturday since family will be over, but I may save some drafts ahead of time to upload! Enjoy your weekend!