Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Aeri heaves a sigh of defeat at her attempt to try to dress up for something business like. It just isn't her thing.

Even though her grandfather said that she could wear anything she wants and feels comfortable in, she still wanna fit into the theme of the dinner. A dinner with her grandfather's "friend's" as he mentioned earlier. She might not like the whole business thing but she knows well enough that "friends" in her grandfather's vocabulary are either business partners or future business associates.

It's not like she wasn't exposed by her parents on how their family earn their riches because since from a young age she have been into balls, charity events, and the likes. She was only spared in the business meetings and higher talks since she have been clear from the get go that she wasn't interested in anything involving people in suits talking about the rise and fall of economic growth and many more.

A series of knocks against her door snatch away her attention from her thoughts and the sound of her mother's voice from the other side of the door calmed her mind for the mean time.

"Honey, are you done? It's almost seven."

After checking herself in the mirror for the last time, Aeri steadies her beating heart and let out a huge puff of air before grabbing her purse sitting on her bed.

Franchesco, the huge neon sign spells out as it hang in front of the high end restaurant. His grandfather's favorite place for any celebratory dinner here in Korea, Aeri remembers as she thread the cobblestone pathway leading to the door of the enormous place with her parents beside her.

Before they could even reach the entrance, her mother halts which made her stop as well.

"Aeri, remember that you can always say no okay?" Her mom says after gently holding her hand while her dad just looks at them affectionately after all between her parents, her mom has always been the more vocal one.

Aeri have sensed it earlier that this dinner was no ordinary one and her hunch just got unknowingly confirmed by her mother's worried eyes. She knows just by looking at her eyes that her grandfather definitely told them about this dinner and its complications beforehand. Something is about to go down and she has no idea what is going to happen.

"Don't worry mom, I'll give them back the tuna if they serve me a burnt one." Aeri answers as she squeeze back her mother's hand. Her mom's already nervous about the dinner so there's no use to add to her worries.

"Your daughter has got this. Right, Aeri?" Her father spoke endearingly at her while patting her head. She could only nod at him since one thing about her father is that he will go through heaven and hell for the people he loves. So just his mere smile gives Aeri a sense of relief because if her father agreed to this dinner then it might not be as bad as she thinks it will turn out to be.

"They'll be here any minute now. I just got a message from my son that they're already in the parking lot. I apologize for keeping you waiting." The old man in a sharp suit sitting on the head of the table says after checking his wristwatch.

"It hasn't been that long, sir. Plus we understand that they must have caught the rush hour traffic on the way." Her father answers with twinkling eyes and a grateful smile at the man.

If Ningning had the choice to magically disappear at that table she would have in a heartbeat. Watching her parents show their flashy smile is making her sick to the stomach. She knows it all too well what really lies behind those thin facade that could easily change in a split second. 

Her only consolation for the night was the one sitting beside her. Her sole source of comfort for the moment. She glances to her side just to make sure that he was real, that he's finally here. Those dark brown eyes that she dearly missed are finally staring back at her again.

A knock on the door of the private room snatched away the attention of the four people.

"They're here." The old man says kindly as he stares at the door waiting for it to give away the people that they have been expecting.

One by one, the faces that greeted Ningning became more familiar by the second. She can't be mistaken. The last person that entered the room was the same person that she have shared an office with for the whole semester of her second year in the university.

Once their gazes meet, an obvious knit on Aeri's eyebrows told Ningning that even the former university president herself has no idea of what will be brought to dinner. But despite of all the confusion, Aeri didn't forget to greet Ningning with a smile as she made her way to the table.

The room seems to be smaller as the newly arrived group have finally taken their seats. Looking at her parents again, scrambled thoughts from earlier have narrowed down into a few but distinct points. If her way of thinking and reading her parents are right, then this dinner might play out to be in Ningning's favor.

Light conversations were exchanged as the food was served by course. A few questions were directed at Ningning's direction every now and then but she answered it as swiftly as possible. She didn't wanna ponder or have a deep dive talk about her plans and studies with people who she just met over a business dinner.

Aeri was quiet as she watch the scene play out in front of her. She quips up little comments here and there every time her opinion was asked but that was it. She was more interested in trying to read the situation, looking for a hint of what's to come after the foo