"Jongin?"

A male's voice called out from the inside, bringing Jongin out of his thoughts and causing him to turn his gaze from the beautiful view of the city. "On the balcony!" He called out.

"I thought you were painting," the male spoke.

"I'm taking a break, "Jongin called out.

The elder male looked at him, smiling. "How did dinner go? You seemed very happy."

"I'm always happy," Jongin smirked. 

His friend, Baekhyun rolled his eyes, before waiting for an answer.  His mind was brought back to the events from a few nights ago. Destiny couldn't make things better; he hadn't known she was the one he was to be married to. 

The girl whom he knocked into on the street. 

Moon Byul. 

Sure, he was angry with her and her behavior, but he had to admit it was also partly his fault as well. The reaction she awoke in him wasn’t exactly anger. Was he angry at all? No, he wasn't. It was the opposite. 

He was amused at how easily he could get her angry. The red color in her cheeks, her eyes stormy from the rage, and the look that can kill. He liked it. He is crazy for considering ways to see that temper of hers, and he couldn’t help but ask himself why did he like it so much?

She didn't let his rude behavior slide. The two went back and forth - arguing; secretly liking her spirit, The fact that she was not afraid to put him back in his place was admirable. On the sidewalk, he hadn't had a chance to look at her properly, but during the dinner, he had. 

Briefly, yet it left an impact on him. He remembered every single detail about her appearance. 

Compared to him, she looked like a fragile raven, waiting to be cradled and protected from all that would seek to hurt her. The light shone and on her face bathed her soft pale skin making her look like some ethereal fairy. 

Her long raven hair glistened from the late evening sun beautifully. Her orbs that could have seemed so bright, were instead dull and devoid of light and hope. But beyond that fake facade of hers, that she had put up, something else was hiding. 

Hidden sadness made her feel fragile and vulnerable. It was something that he was able to see by just one look into her eyes, after all, eyes are the mirror of one's soul.

Who erased the smile from her face?

Who dared to turn her into a breakable doll?

Who dared to take the light from her eyes? 

During the whole dinner, she was barely holding it together, he had noted; the sadness within her waited to be sprung free, unleashed upon the world she had been lost in. Her cold posture was threatening to slip away. 

And Jongin wanted to make it all better for her. 

He wanted to give her a part of him if that would make her happy. The moment engagement was mentioned, he had noted the dark light in her eyes, the increase in her breathing. 

He remembered how her hands gripped the wine glass, how her eyes stared blankly at something across the room from her before she lost her focus on the conversation at hand. 

His heart had broken for her then and yet it was the first time he had ever seen her for all that she was. So why? Why did his heart hurt so much? Because he had already fallen into her world. Even if he hadn't fallen for her in love immediately, he knew it would come eventually. 

Somebody else's pain was felt as though it were also his. Like every artist - he found the muse he had been searching for. And Byul may be the one. 

When she ran away, his legs desperately wanted to move after her, to grab her and shield her from everyone and everything that dared to hurt her. He had wanted to be her shadow, the one who would hide her from the harsh reality she had been caught up in. 

He wanted to protect her, but also from himself. Her parents had thrown the bomb so suddenly. 

Her boyfriend of six years and she ended the engagement, they said. Because Byul caught him cheating. Inwardly he was boiling from anger, he wanted to kill her ex for hurting her like that. It's no wonder why she reacted the way she did. 

She was in great pain. In a pain that has no boundaries, it’s more physical than any other injury. 

His mother went after her; which had probably been the better idea. He didn't want to upset her any more than she had already. It was why he had come up with the idea of taking things slow, of not rushing anything. 

For her sake. He came to that decision in order to teach her what love truly stands for. 

He wanted to teach her how to love again. He didn't want to just be an easy escape for her, he wanted nothing more than to have her experience true affection, true emotion, true devotion. 

It made him happy that she hadn't refused. 

Kim Jongin never gave up on something that he had set his mind on. He knew he'd fight and win in the end. He'd make Byul the happiest woman alive. He'd give her everything - his whole world, the universe, the cosmos. 

A shelter to hide when she was losing who she was. He would bring her back. It was a promise he had made and he intends on keeping it.

"What's with that look, Jongin?" The voice from earlier spoke once again, "It hasn't been long since you met her and you already look like a lovesick puppy." the male - Byun Baekhyun teased, shaking his head, "I bet Taemin has to pay up." 

Jongin didn't need to ask more on the subject. It was very obvious to him that two of his closest friends had placed a bet on who'd marry first. "Shut it," he threw a small rock at him.

The latter grinned and elegantly avoided the hit. "I hit a nerve clearly," he joked in a bright sing-song voice. 

When Byun Baekhyun started to tease there were only two things he was best at - teasing you 24/7 in your group chat with your other friends and being an annoying little . Although to be fair, Jongin couldn't ask for a better friend and partner, regardless of all. 

He was there for him ever since Jongin started painting. He kept pushing him to do more and more, to expand himself. Until he reached the level he was at now. Everybody knew of him now. 

He chose not to reply back straight away, instead, he found himself lost in another daydream as he remembered her beautiful face, her long raven hair, and her eyes. He dreamed of seeing her again, of hearing her voice. He missed it, dearly.

He imagined her lips curled into a soft smile. He wished to witness it. At times he thought he was going crazy.

He wanted to draw, having met her, now he had gained new inspiration for a new collection. He knew what his main subject would be - her. 

When did he fall in love? Is it possible that after you get angry at someone, you could fall for them soon after? He grinned like an idiot. Was her cold exterior an obstacle? No, in fact, it made him want to be more stubborn than he usually was. 

He'd break down those walls, no matter what it cost to do so.

"Poor Byul, she doesn't know what she's in for!" Baekhyun exclaimed dramatically.

Jongin rolled his eyes. "Do you ever stop?" 

He smirked. "Nope," he said, "I assume the engagement is set?" 

"Yeah, our parents determined details according to our wishes and are organizing the party," he said, "and not to mention my sisters want to meet her. That would be a chaotic encounter for sure." He sighed.

"Yeah, Hyeon gets excited easily," Baekhyun admitted. "I think it would do Byul good to meet them, maybe your sisters could impact her positively." 

Jongin moved from the rail he had been leaning on and sat down on one of the balcony chairs, his eyebrows knitted in a concerned frown.

"She's hurting, Hyun, that she was with before. He took her for granted."

Was this jealousy? Yes. 

That guy didn't deserve her at all. He was not worthy of her tears and yet she was shedding them for him. She was left broken. With a heart so wounded, she no longer wanted to love. It was as if she gave up on it, refusing to open her heart up again. Refusing to give herself a second chance.

The latter joined him soon afterward, placing two cups of coffee and a paper bag on the table. "She has you now, you're better material for her anyways." He said encouragingly, "Why don't you invite her over?"

Jongin wanted to. 

As much as he wanted to see her, he felt like he should give her some time and space, to let her settle. He felt like he shouldn't rush to see her again. And yet, the struggle to see her was great. 

He was close to grabbing his phone to call her. That's when he was hit with the perfect idea. A smile played on his lips, and his friend, realizing the quick change in him acknowledged him suspiciously.

Jongin called his mother instead.

"Son, what's the occasion?" 

"I need you to help me with something, mom."

Yura had just determined the final details with a top tier catering service. 

It hadn't been an easy job doing so, considering she had finances to calculate, before she could decide which restaurant would be perfect for her daughter and her soon-to-be son-in-law. 

Byul had clearly said that she didn't want anything big, just a few close friends and a family.

After that, she called her friend's boutique shop and set an appointment to find the perfect dress for her. The planning was of course through zoom meetings. She often called Aera, Jongin's mother to show her the progress she had been making.

When Aera asked about Byul, Yura didn't know how to respond. 

Would Byul ever truly be okay? 

What damage had Jiyoung done to her? Why had her once close friendship with Sekyung abruptly stopped? Why had her daughter wanted to go back to the traditional way of thinking? What really made her become so dead inside?

There were many questions that needed answers, but it was difficult to ask since Byul was in the state she was.

Byul sat across from her, uninterestedly glancing at the magazines before her, turning the pages in an almost robotic manner,  not paying attention to anything that her mother was doing, or how she was now watching her closely with motherly concern. 

She observed her quietly. 

Ever since the events of a few nights ago, Byul had made it clear that she didn't want to talk about what happened to her. What was supposed to be her daughter's happiest day of her life, was now more akin to a funeral. There was no light in her daughter's eyes, not a single spark.  

It was as though a great part of her was missing, and it deeply hurt her. 

There was no longer a cheerful Byul before her. 

There was none of the usual laughter and excitement for seeing her parents as she once had. In fact, she had barely spoken to them. Was this arranged marriage a good idea at all? She hadn't dared to ask. Her daughter and Jongin had already made their choice. 

They'd go through this and she and Aera would do everything possible to make it happen. Seojoon was also worried, but what else could they do? They couldn't force her to talk if she didn't want to, nor could they even begin to erase her pain.

Sessions with Aera had also started, and she could say, in her opinion, it had made things slightly better but not quite. There was still so much there rooted inside her daughter, and moreover, Byul wouldn't so easily open up, especially when the engagement party was so fast approaching. 

Even so, there was still no light within Byul. 

Her daughter's mood was seemingly changing according to the weather. She started to fear that her daughter, her beautiful Byul, would never smile again. 

If she could, she would kill Jiyoung with her bare hands. If only she could find out what happened. 

Namjoo had told them only that Byul had come to stay with her that night, and nothing more, although Yura knew very well in the way Namjoo spoke, that Byul had indeed confided in her. 

And that came in the form of the simple words the young female said that caught Yura's attention immediately. It's not on me to tell you more than that. Yura closed her eyes before massaging her temples. 

"Mom?" 

"Mmh?" 

"I think I'll go for a walk," Byul said softly, chewing her bottom lip. 

Yura looked at her. What if she did something worrying? 

In her current state of mind, what if she acted rashly? 

What if she decided to find a  bridge and-- Stop! Her daughter wouldn't do that. She was strong. She wouldn't allow herself to be destroyed by one man and let herself be brought to this point.

She smiled gently, doing her best to keep her emotions in check. 

"Of course, sweetie." 

Just then her phone rang, cutting her from what she wanted to say next. She glanced at the caller ID - Aera. She signaled to her daughter that she had to answer, and took the call.

"Hello, Aera, I was just working on the final touches." 

"Keep that talk up," said Aera in a mysterious tone, "my son has plotted for your daughter to come to see him, a date it seems." 

"Oh? Really?" She seemed pleased at that.

"Make it look like I asked her to meet me," Aera went on. 

Yura started to smile. 

Maybe, just maybe a ray of sunshine was ready to shine down upon her daughter, who was currently looking at her in puzzlement. So she played into the act, hiding her smile and becoming serious, knowing her daughter was watching her.

"Of course, she's free and of course, she'll meet you." She said. "When?" 

"In an hour, tell her to come to Myeondong, my son is going to be waiting for her at the station," Aera replied. 

Yura bit her cheek. "Alright, I wrote down the details, I'll pass them on to her."

The two females hung up. Byul hadn't moved from where she had locked her gaze on Yura. 

"Aera wants to meet up with you, she thinks this session shouldn't be at her office, she wants to change up the environment a little. And, I agree with her." She said. 

Byul glanced at her for a long moment, before she nodded. "Alright, it's a beautiful day, maybe she wants to go to the Han river, like last time," she said. "Well, I'd better be on my way." 

"She'll wait for you at the station in Myeongdong." 

"Okay, I've got it. Just send the location?"

Byul would certainly have gone out on her own even if Aera hadn't called. 

Or she'd randomly call her to see if she was free to talk. These days, the two talked often on the phone, mostly talking about how Byul was coping with everything. 

The upcoming marriage was never mentioned and Byul assumed it was to prevent her from feeling pressured and overwhelmed by it all, which she was grateful for. She got on the bus and was soon on her way towards the station.

Rather than driving her car, she liked riding by bus. It helped her find the comfort of being around other people and she would observe their mingling. 

Her artistic eye would always capture such things as that. 

She liked taking inspiration for photos. Her camera was always with her, wherever she went. She simply liked to capture the environment, movement, nature - anything that to her could be viewed as beautiful.

When the bus stopped at Myeongdong station, she got out. Her eyes searched for Aera, but she couldn't see her. 

It was as she was continually looking around in confusion, but once a pair of footsteps approached her, it caught her off guard for a moment, and she thought that somebody was being quite rude and invading her personal space, by standing too close. 

Turning around to scold whoever it was, she immediately paused, dropped open. 

A wave of shock engulfed her, showing clearly over her features. It was not a stranger's eyes that she was meeting, but intent brown orbs that burned with strong warmth. 

It wasn't Kim Aera who came to pick her up. 

It was Kim Jongin.