Baekhyun groaned as he woke up to his alarm. After quickly turning it off, he went to the bathroom and took a cold shower to shake off the sleepiness. After the refreshing shower, he got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. His mother was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for him.

"Good morning, Mom. What's for breakfast?"

"I made strawberry pancakes. Here, have some. I woke up a little late, so couldn't prepare more," his mom said, offering him a plate.

Baekhyun grinned, his eyes lighting up. "That's alright, Mom. You know how much I love strawberry pancakes. This is perfect for me. Is Dad still asleep?"

"No, you know he's an early bird. He went for a quick walk," she replied.

"Ah, I wanted to go jogging too, but waking up earlier than this is a no-no for me."

"True, I can't stand waking up early either."

"Yeah, yeah, I got that 'hate waking up early' trait from you."

His mom chuckled, pouring him a glass of orange juice.

Despite being 29, Baekhyun still lived with his parents, and he didn't mind at all. His family came from a long line of wealth, and his parents had humble personalities. They preferred to handle their own tasks, even though Baekhyun had hired helpers to assist them.

After breakfast, he left for work. His day was very busy, and he finally came home around 10 o'clock. After eating dinner prepared by his mother, he was checking some documents on his tablet when his father called him downstairs. He took his tablet and went downstairs. His parents were eating fruits and watching a show on TV.

"Did you call me down here to have some fruits?" he asked.

"Why? Do you want some?" his mother asked.

"No, I'm good."

"So, how's work going? I couldn't even get to talk to you these past few days because you've been so busy," his father said, switching off the TV.

"It's nothing out of the ordinary, Dad. Just the usual," Baekhyun responded nonchalantly.

"Mmmh, Baekhyun-ah, we have something important to discuss with you. But before that, I'm curious, do you currently have a girlfriend or perhaps a secret crush?" his father asked, his tone filled with curiosity and anticipation.

"Haha, Dad, why are you suddenly asking something like this?"

"Just tell us, do you have someone?" his mom asked.

"No, Mom, I don't have anyone right now. Don't tell me you guys are going to arrange a marriage for me," he said with a dramatic gasp.

His mom and dad didn't laugh, even though he meant it as a joke.

"What?! You guys are seriously trying to set me up for marriage without asking me first?" Baekhyun's voice was filled with surprise and a touch of annoyance. He couldn't believe that his parents were actually considering arranging his marriage without even discussing it with him. The whole situation caught him off guard and left him feeling a mix of frustration and confusion.

"Calm down, Baekhyun. We are not going to force you into an arranged marriage. We are just hoping that you could go on a date with someone, and that someone will be arranged by us. That's all we are arranging," his mom stated sheepishly.

"So, who is this someone that you guys are forcing me to go on a date with?" he asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Actually, she's the daughter of an old friend of mine. We bumped into each other at the golf club a couple of weeks ago and started reminiscing about the past while playing a round. During our conversation, the topic of our children came up, and he mentioned his daughter. I, in turn, mentioned you. Then, somehow, the topic of marriage came into play, and he expressed his concern about his daughter's future. You see, he hasn't been keeping well lately, and he worries that she'll be left alone if something were to happen to him," his father explained, his voice tinged with a touch of sadness.

"What about his wife?" Baekhyun asked.

"She passed away when Serie was 5 years old."

"Serie?" Baekhyun questioned, his brows furrowing.

"That's the daughter's name," his father confirmed with a nod.

Baekhyun's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh, so you promised him that I would marry his daughter?"

His father hastily waved his hands in denial. "No, no, I didn't promise anything of that sort. I just mentioned that perhaps we could work something out."

Baekhyun sighed, feeling a mixture of frustration and curiosity. "So, what do you want me to do?"

His mother interjected, her voice filled with hope. "Baekhyun-ah, you just need to go on one date with her. After that, you can decide what you want to do."

His father joined in, his tone pleading. "Please, son, can you just meet her?"

Baekhyun crossed his arms, contemplating the proposition. "So, I just need to go on one date. That's it, right?"

His parents exchanged excited glances, nodding vigorously. "Yes, just go on this date, and you can decide what you want to do after," his mother affirmed.

Baekhyun sighed again, feeling torn. "But, Dad, can you at least tell me some details about her or show me a photo? I want to have an idea of who I'll be going out with."

His father hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Actually, she works at our company as a software engineer."

Baekhyun's eyes widened even further, a mixture of surprise and concern washing over him. "What? You're asking me to go on a date with an employee of our own company?"

"Baekhyun-ah, it's fine. She works in the Busan branch, not the Seoul branch," his mother reassured.

Baekhyun sighed, feeling a mix of apprehension and resignation. "Mom, that's still our company."

His father chimed in, trying to ease his son's concerns. "Son, don't think too much about it. What's wrong with her working in our company?"

Baekhyun paused, trying to articulate his unease. "Dad, it's just... I don't know. It feels complicated."

His mother reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "Don't overthink it, Baekhyun-ah. It's just a date. Please do this for us, okay?" Her voice was filled with genuine pleading.

Still hesitant, Baekhyun mustered another question. "How old is she?"

His mother answered promptly. "She's 26."

Baekhyun sighed once more, his resolve wavering under his mother's eager gaze. He pondered the situation, weighing the pros and cons of going on this arranged date. On one hand, he valued his independence and the freedom to choose his own path. On the other hand, he couldn't deny the love and concern his parents had for him, misguided as it may be at times.His mind raced with thoughts of what this date could mean for him. Would it be an awkward encounter with a stranger, or perhaps a surprising connection waiting to unfold? He couldn't help but wonder if his parents saw something in Serie that he was yet to discover. Maybe there was more to this arrangement than meets the eye.With a mixture of resignation and curiosity, Baekhyun finally relented. "Okay, Mom, I'll go on this date. But let's make one thing clear: I'm not making any promises. This doesn't mean I'm ready to settle down or enter into an arranged marriage. It's just one date, and I'll decide what happens next."

His mother's face lit up with a blend of relief and excitement. "Thank you, Baekhyun. I'm glad you're giving it a chance. Just keep an open mind, and who knows what might happen?"

His father beamed with gratitude. "Thank you, son. I'm sure