The alliance of their destination for them but together. 

∞

8:36 pm 

Hotel Eliena. 

The visage of the hotel shined among the others; a place where the high society of people gather for their occasion displayed by the cars going back and forth, and the hotel's ballroom was shining with the silver lights merged with the glowed golden crystal chandelier in the middle of the ceiling for an exquisite touch. 

And an event being led by the event planner; Hwang Ji-eun. 

The woman stood in an evening navy gown; her open hair behind her back as her heeled feet continued to take a tour of the place to get done her work without any hitches and kept glancing at the entrance door to get a glimpse of her friend who hadn't arrived yet but had planned a chaos tonight which had her heart in a jitter. 

However, two more familiar people had walked in; Byun Baekhyun, and Lee Kang-min, the two males had been attired in a suit, as her eyes met Kang-min's surprised ones in an instant until it turned unwavering for her to feel slightly flustered yet gave him a soft wave of an greeting to which he had reciprocated with a smile; his dimples visible again. 

“You might as well have a talk with her instead of grinning like an idiot, Lee.”

Kang-min rolled his eyes at Baekhyun who was looking around as if looking for a particular woman which he was aware of; he also got aware of his blade fight was with her that left Kang-min in a shock, as he began to question it but even Baekhyun was in questions for the reasons of her doings and the man had a gut feeling that something was going to happen tonight except for the chaos they had created a while ago and the news of that chaos was going to be on the news in a while. 

But what was the other chaos? They were in confusion as well as nervous because it surely involved Jeon Iseul; the one who had fought him with a blade to his neck, and the relaxed look of hers from the lunch hadn't gotten out of his head along with the glow of those almond eyes. 

“She hasn't arrived yet if you're looking for her.”

Baekhyun gave a look to Kang-min and the latter shrugged; a playful expression shining on his face. “Ji-eun is standing alone so it's just a guess.”

“Or you just can't look away from her.”

A flush to Kang-min's system as his eyes rounded and a scoff of Baekhyun's as he his lips; his hands in his pockets while his silver hair in a coma hairstyle as he glanced at Ji-eun with a frown. “She might be aware of it; they are best friends.”

“You don't want me to interrogate her, right?” 

A nervous expression on Kang-min's face and Baekhyun tilted his head; a playful smirk on his lips. “You look scared, lover boy.”

Kang-min grimaced. “So corny.”

“Keep your eyes on Iseul when she arrives.”

“You can do that instead since you have mastered that category.”

Baekhyun was left speechless as he watched Kang-min walking away further inside; a flustered feeling through him as he scoffed to himself before following suit as the event had already began but the woman was nowhere to be seen as he unwittingly kept glancing at the door to find Choi Myung-Soo arriving with his daughter, Choi Hae-soo. 

He watched them greeting Ji-eun with an observing glint as he exchanged a look with Kang-min; the next minute they were strolling to their direction as Choi Myung-Soo had greeted Baekhyun and Kang-min where Hae-soo had gave them an awkward nod for Baekhyun to reciprocate; it was hell of an awkward feeling and unlikable after realizing that he had to do things this way but he was sure he wouldn't let it get worse. 

He will break it soon after he will get to the even little nuance of Choi Myung-Soo's doings, and the people with him. 

The only thing that made him jittery was the woman named Jeon Iseul; the only woman taking his mind in a distraction once again. 

As if his inner battle with his mind, and heart had begun again, something, a strange feeling rushed to him and his head tilted to the entrance door only to have his eyes stuck on the particular woman walking in an elegance of her own; Jeon Iseul had stepped in the ballroom, and his eyes couldn't be averted with an unknowingly yet known captivation. 

And suddenly the shine of the golden lights like daylight shone more over her; only her. 

She was looking around in her own observation of her eyes; the black asymmetrical gown hugged her curves in a one shoulder style, the right one was covered, and the slit up to her left thigh, while her hair parted in the middle stood behind her lower back in smooth curls but in the middle of her observation, something, a strange feeling hit her mind, and within her system as the next minute, she had locked her eyes with a pair of familiar brown droopy eyes staring right back at her. 

And a sudden thud had hit right behind their hearts in a warmth; unknowingly intense yet known but together. 

Iseul's eyes couldn't help but notice him; the shine of his silver hair shining with an exquisite contrast of the silver lighting and him, as he stood in a black suit with his hands into his pockets and his eyes boring into hers from afar in a heating and deeply unwavering intensity. 

But something more was there; a hidden observation, and questions beneath their turmoil of feelings and reasons. 

The anticipation and nervousness of the silent chaos to be aloud. 

The next moment, Iseul's heeled feet walked to the direction where the familiar people stood in a conversation, without tearing her eyes away from Baekhyun who hadn't avert his eyes away as he traced her figure in a trance until she was standing by him and Iseul greeted the old-aged man and Hae-soo with a slight curve of her lips for him to glance at her lips; red lips. 

A sense of his intense gaze to her profile, and Iseul turned to him with a flinch of her heart as her forehead creased. “You look in a deep thought, Mr. Byun?” 

Baekhyun snapped out; a clear of his throat behind his thudding heart as he looked down for a second to meet her sass glinting eyes and his head tilted. “Was I?”

“Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about the announcement?” Iseul questioned, and a tension of silence filled around them as the aged-man, along with Hae-soo stared at them where Baekhyun continued to bore his eyes into Iseul's. “No one would be more excited than me.”

“Oh really?” 

“Yes, really.”

And their eyes had another battle of stare again. 

“What do you think would have happened between them to hate each other when they can't take their eyes off each other?” 

Kang-min mused, swirling the glass of champagne as he stood beside Ji-eun far from the sight of business people having their conversation before looking at Ji-eun to find her looking at the sight as well until with a shrug she met his intent eyes with a sudden skip of her heart. “Can't really tell; they used to be annoyed at each other before but this seems more serious than we can think.”

Kang-min's mind kept going through words of Baekhyun about asking Ji-eun as his mouth opened but closed it where Ji-eun tilted his head; her eyes innocently looking at him in question that sent a wave of warmth through him. “Do you want to ask me something?” 

“You can't drink champagne?” 

Ji-eun gave him a dumbfounded expression Kang-min mirrored her look before she let out a chuckle. “Really?” 

Kang-min had to chuckle back. “You look beautiful.” 

Ji-eun couldn't help but blush to smile. “Thank you,” She paused, giving him an impressive expression. “You look handsome as well.”

“Thanks.” His blushing self had to press his lips together to stop him smiling widely until he had questioned her. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Go on.”

“Has something happened to Iseul?” 

Ji-eun frowned. “Like what?” 

“I mean,” Kang-min cleared his throat, feeling nervous under her curious yet serious eyes. “She has changed a lot from the time I had known her; I was wondering if something had happened?”

He watched Ji-eun's expression going sullen for a minute as her eyes glanced at Iseul's chatting self in a trance, “A lot of things happened after you both were gone,” She paused, meeting his curious gaze with an apologetic smile. “But I can't tell you because Iseul doesn't want it to be told; I hope you understand it.”

Kang-min nodded in understatement; he could tell something huge had happened, and maybe it was related to Iseul's father's death, or something more that was discreet to the world as well as to them and he couldn't question her more. 

The event continued with numerous laughs, and conversations of the gathered people but whose laugh was fake or genuine no could tell but felt by a few and the few included the four familiar known figures under the light of the event. 

“I'm going to check up on Hae-soo.”

Iseul muttered standing beside Ji-eun who gave her a stressed frown and Iseul gave her an assuring nod. “It's going to be fine.”

The next moment Ji-eun watched Iseul's figure in a retreating sight to the ladies washroom and her eyes looked around to frown as not only her but Baekhyun and Kang-min had their eyes on Iseul's disappearing figure; something told her that both males had been using their brains really well here and something was about to happen tonight for a huge blow. 

Whether Iseul or Baekhyun; chaos was opt to happen by either of them or both together for the night to be a remarkable one. 

“Are you sure about this, Ms. Choi?” 

Iseul questioned, standing in the ladies washroom as she watched Hae-soo nodding with a nervous look. “I have no other option, Ms. Jeon; I know if I would have talked to Mr. Byun, he could have stopped this but dad won't let me do it, nor leave me alone with him so I have to do this for myself.”

Iseul couldn't say much to it; maybe if Baekhyun knew he would have refused it but the man was probably here for an avenge or not, but if he was so this was his mastermind plan to take this closer lead but in a way Iseul couldn't like it, and that this woman before her was being forced into it didn't feel right either. 

She wasn't going to be involved but she wasn't going to back away from the given opportunity to bring Choi Myung-Soo's reputation down but something didn't feel right about this; she couldn't decide if it was because Baekhyun was going to be the target for the humiliation and before she could have come up with her plan, Choi Hae-soo had abrupt her thoughts. 

“I'll take my leave; please keep it to yourself, Ms. Jeon.”

Iseul found her figure out of the ladies washroom; her hands locked behind her back with a deep thought if she should let it be or not, but Ji-eun shouldn't, and she'll take care of it in her way to stop the announcement or whatever because Iseul had something else planned and with a nod to herself as it felt right, she had walked out of the washroom to frown as a figure of a familiar male had crossed the hallway; someone was tailing her and her phone wasn't with her because Ji-eun would have let her know. 

The moment Iseul had reached the ballroom again; her eyes looked around for Ji-eun to stop at the two males having a serious conversation with themselves as her eyes looked around to spot Ji-eun who was already walking in her direction with a tension filled expression. 

“I have an announcement to make.”

Iseul's heart thud, as she turned to find Choi Myung-Soo already gathering the attention of the people with a smile; she turned to Ji-eun with a gesture to stop it until a familiar voice beamed within the walls. “May I do that?” 

Iseul's head turned to the voice to find Baekhyun standing still; his intensely sharp gaze locking with hers in a sudden thud of her jittery heart, as the people around stared at him in anticipation until Iseul's brows knitted in confusion the moment Baekhyun had started walking towards her that she felt the surroundings happening in a slow motion. 

Until he was standing in front of her; the tip of their shoes in a soft contact of proximity like their figures as his eyes bored intensively in a hushed silence behind the beating of their hearts till she found his lips in a slight smirk. 

“I, Byun Baekhyun, am announcing my marriage with Jeon Iseul.”

And everything went in a hush of silence. 

Iseul's eyes widened; a feeling of shock, and surprise hitting her like a bucket of cold water splashing to her head by the man in front of her as her heart thud in anxiousness as if her body stopped functioning but her ears could listen to the whispers surrounding them, and eyes staring at them. 

Yet her mind couldn't get it; her eyes bored into his intensely sharp ones silently. 

Kang-min had his jaw dropped with a shocked face and Ji-eun had cupped in bewilderment; both of them didn't expect this action. 

“We shall have a talk.”

Baekhyun mumbled, enough for Iseul to hear and she had felt his hand slipping through hers in a firm hold as the next moment, he was walking ahead with her tagging along crossing through the people's eyes to the entrance door of the ballroom not before Baekhyun had taken a glance at Choi Myung-Soo's shocked look which had him clench his jaw at the sudden change of happenings. 

“Let go of my hand, Byun Baekhyun.”

Iseul tried to wriggle her hand from his hold but he shot a glare at her. “You better keep walking if you don't want more attention from people, Jeon Iseul.”

And he proceeded to pace ahead along with her; the sounds of their footfalls emerging in a speed of their pace as well as the increase of their anger before a sight of a vacant room was in his eyes as the next minute, Baekhyun had thud the door harshly enough for a drastic push inside with his palm and as soon as they had walked in, Iseul had retreated her hand from his firm grip in a harsh manner that the shining silver bracelet around her wrist had thud down on the marble floor with a loud sound. 

A wave of heated air had surrounded the room; a silence of the two figures thinking about their actions, and the happenings that happened a minute ago changed the whole plan in a crush. 

“What did you just do?” 

Iseul mumbled, her eyes staring at marble floor in a shock, her heart still hammering as her hands fisted again to control her anger but the more she thought about the scene at the ballroom, the more anger rushed through her system in a heat of her body and her blazing eyes had turned to the man walking back and forth in a haste; his head tilted down, and his palm on his nape while other one on his hip as Baekhyun tried to hold back his burning anger and his actions in the heat of the moment as the gush of anger rushed through him for letting the emotions taking over him and he glared at the floor. 

“Answer me, Byun Baekhyun!” 

He heard Iseul's clacking heels nearing his visage until he felt a push on his shoulder that he lifted his head with his hardened jaw and met Iseul's blazing eyes and his eyes glared back. “Do not touch me, Jeon Iseul.”

“Have you lost your mind?!” 

She pushed him back again ignoring his words without any ounce of fear as his steps retreated, but his blazing eyes bored into her angry ones; another push of harshness. “What the hell was that?!” She pushed his chest back as his steps backed away again trying to hold his anger until she had grabbed his collars harshly. “Who do you think you are to-”

Iseul's words halted in an airy gasp as she was turned around swiftly by the hold of her waist; her back against the wall, and Baekhyun's palm beside her head on the wall as his eyes glared at her in anger; his frown deepening and his jaw clenching. “What do you think of yourself, Jeon Iseul?”

“You have crossed your limits!” 

“It was the reaction of your stooping-low action!” 

His voice raised; echoed through the walls of the room with a slight thud of his palm against the wall beside her ear that her eyes closed in a flinch, but soon glared into his blazing eyes back as she raised her voice back. “Do not blame me for something you don't know!”

“I have got enough evidence for your actions.”

“Then re-check if you're right or not before humiliating me!” 

Her hands crumbled his collars and his palm still stayed on the curve of her waist; no one cared about it because the anger had taken over their senses in the moment of a heating tinge of their actions. 

“Humiliation?” A slight disbelief in his eyes before his eyes glared at her. “Be glad that I didn't expose your actions in front of the people for the humiliation I was about to get.”

“That would have been more bearable than being tied to you because I haven't done anything to be humiliated.” Iseul replied; her eyes were sharp and Baekhyun let out a scoff as his head tilted down for a second to meet her eyes again sharply. “You think I don't know you? The so-called planning you have been doing since that lunch? You think I'm unaware of your doings?”

Iseul tilted her head; the stands of her hair grazing his fingers. “What, plans?” 

“Playing dumb doesn't suit you, Iseul.” He trailed off, his lips. “You knew everything beforehand but why didn't you stop it? Aren't you Choi Myung-Soo's business partner? What kind of partner would enjoy the humiliation of their partner?” 

Iseul held his gaze confidently. “She was being forced.”

A confusion flashed through his eyes and she saw it; he was unaware of it but recovered immediately. 

“If she was, you had a lot of ways to handle it,” He paused, a sarcastic look flashing on his face. “But Jeon Iseul has to be the most righteous woman in the world to help her and because it benefits you.”

“I did not.”

“I don't believe you.” 

A sudden flashback of the familiar and similar scene flashing through their heads together unpleasantly. 

“I don't care.”

A frustrated sigh. “Why are you doing this?” 

“I'm not obliged to answer you; I can do whatever I want and I would have handled the situation if you hadn't in!”

Iseul pushed him back; her hands retreating and so did his as she glared at him with him doing the same before pointing at her. “You shouldn't have caused this situation in the first place and I haven't given anyone the right to humiliate me even if it's you.”

“Or else?” She stepped closer to him; her gaze sharpened, burned enough to water as she poked her finger on his chest. “I do not fear you, Byun Baekhyun.”

“You should,” His voice deep and his frown deepened as he clasped her hand pushing it back from his chest while his eyes bored into hers intimidatingly. “If I got more angry than this, you won't be able to handle it, Jeon Iseul.”

Iseul's heart thud but she stood still. “And you have tasted mine already so don't push it too far.”

A silence; a battle of their blazing stare of intensity and anger behind the glassy vision of their eyes within an unpleasant tightness of their hearts. 

“Iseul!” 

Both of them turned to find Ji-eun standing by the door frame; slightly panting as she swallowed where Iseul was already by her side, holding her still with a concerned face. “Did you forget that you're not supposed to run like that, Hwang Ji-eun?”

Baekhyun kept his neutral eyes on the ladies; a surprise surely crossed through his head of seeing Iseul's sudden change of soft behavior towards Ji-eun and watched Ji-eun opting to say her words but Kang-min's figure behind her with his words stopped her as he met Baekhyun's eyes with a nervous face. 

“What happened?” 

“The cops are here to arrest Choi Myung-Soo.”

“What?” 

A shock reaction of Baekhyun; his figure walking past Iseul's outside the room only to stop for a second the moment Ji-eun had showed her the news on her phone about the burning fire of Choi Myung-Soo's factory building; the news was already out. 

“But how?” 

Iseul's shocked reaction yet she couldn't help but notice the pause of Baekhyun's walk even if it was for a second that left her in confusion until he was walking away towards the ballroom with Kang-min where Iseul and Ji-eun followed right after. 

And four of them stood a bit far from the opened door of the ballroom. 

Choi Myung-Soo was handcuffed; Park Se-Ju was leading him out with his authoritative demeanor while an embarrassment, and shock on the aged-man's face by the continuous whispers of the business tycoons along with the reporters flashing the biggest news of tonight.

And the pair had stood beside each other; their backs in a sight like the mere distance of their hands from a brush while watching the chaos happening before their eyes as one of it was caused by them which they could tell; one way or another the night had turned into a remarkable one. 

A remarkable night for a change for the pair brought by their fate and the chaos had just begun to be loud to the world. 

______________________

11:16 pm

“Businessman Choi Myung-Soo has been arrested with evidence of smuggling drugs and illegal goods by his clothing business factories; a news has been through, the factory that started fourteen years ago, and one of Choi Myung-Soo's property was found burning by one of the locals.”

“The factory was claimed to be involved in the drug dealings by one of the workers working under Choi Myung-Soo; Byun Beom-Seok, but this news has been putting questions if the worker was framed or Choi Myung-Soo framed him for covering his crimes? What's the truth?”

“We'll soon be back with another news, this has been anchor, Jeon Yeona.” 

The news beamed in the silent living room of the penthouse; the feet under his slipper glued on the marble floor by the glass window as his eyes focused on the screen where the familiar woman had been giving the news of something he was aware of but there was something he was unaware of; his hands in his pockets as Baekhyun stood in a white button down while his blazer thrown on the couch leaving the sleeves rolled up to his elbows displaying his Rolex. 

“It's Iseul's doings.”

He uttered without any ounce of doubt; reaching out to brush his fingers through his already messed up silver tresses in frustration and watched Kang-min seated on the couch with his taken off blazer, and rolled up sleeves as he reached out to turn off the television. 

“There's no one but her annoying brilliant mind coming up with this action.”

Kang-min sighed. “That doesn't change the fact that our whole plan has gone in gutter.”

“But I liked it.” 

Kang-min gave him a confused look. “What?” 

Baekhyun's eyes looked through the bright cityscape, “When I watched Choi Myung-Soo being dragged in those handcuffs,” He trailed off, looking back at his patient face with a serious expression. “I felt so joyous inside; the people questioning him, and his news with the same tag of smuggler and drug dealer all over the city is putting me in a joy,” He paused, his chest tightening as he swallowed a lump with his clenched jaw. “Because fourteen years ago my father's name was being displayed just like this; he was being accused just like this even after he died.”

He could never forget that moment; he was mourning their death, his house was searched, and the news displaying his father with an accusation like a traitor. 

His eyes burned as he bit his lip; the moment he watched Choi Myung-Soo being dragged away like an accusation gave him a sense of peace as if someone had put a balm on his injured heart but it was done by someone whom he does not want to be around had him shake his head; damn, that crazy Jeon Iseul. 

“I understand that,” 

He found Kang-min's softening eyes as he leaned back. “But now what?” 

Baekhyun shrugged, “Through this news there'd be questions in people's mind about my dad, and the wrong person being framed,” He trailed off, sighing. “It's a good thing in one way and I can drop the act with Choi Myung-Soo now; I will have to meet tomorrow to talk to him.”

“Will he?” 

“He has to.”

“How about joining hands with Iseul?” 

Baekhyun's head whipped like a jolt towards Kang-min who flinched at the action as the latter glared at him. “Do you even hear yourself, Lee?” 

“What?” Kang-min shrugged; a teasing smile on his lips. “You were the one announcing your marriage with her,” He paused, with a knowing look. “If Iseul has done this, that means there's a reason, and Choi Myung-Soo is both of yours’ target; if your enemy is the same, you can join hands with her and she's been close to him for a while so maybe she's aware of things which might help us.”

“No, never.” Baekhyun shook his head. “I will never join hands with her; I won't even get involved with her again after what she has done.”

“She was being forced, Baekhyun.”

“She could have handled it or could have let that woman talk to me instead of letting it be announced to the world.”

Kang-min shrugged. “Maybe she wanted to.”

“Stop taking her side,” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. “You're my friend, not hers, Lee.”

“And you're being stubborn, you bastard.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes before looking through the glass window again; his mind crossing the questions of Iseul's doings and her reasons for the actions and Kang-min's making sense words into his head but he couldn't do it. 

He had been allies with her; involved his feelings and emotions and got nothing but accusations. 

A thunder roared in the darkening sky with a bright lightning as if merging with the begun chaos; a silent roar of the hearts in need of the purpose to be done, and the drizzle of rain had started to blur the cityscape of Seoul as well as the glass windows. 

“Why am I hearing your wedding announcement by articles instead of you?” 

Iseul heard her mother's question; a demand for the explanation as the phone was pressed against her ear while her discerning eyes focused on the television of her living room where she was seated on the couch of with the voice of her mother, and the anchor, Jeon Yeona was giving the news of the happenings of the night. 

And one of them had been done by her; the other was done by the man who had announced their marriage to the world. 

“Why are you silent, Iseul?” 

Iseul her lips, looking at Ji-eun roaming around the kitchen to find something to eat for Iseul to gesture her towards the oven as the latter complied and Iseul sighed. “Mom, it just happened all of a sudden; I was busy with work so I couldn't tell you beforehand.”

“I told you to get married and you got that man again to be involved with?”

Iseul went silent for a moment; the sudden flashback crossed her mind, and another sigh of exhaustion left her lips. “Mom, can we talk about this later?”

“I better hear the believable reason for this.”

The phone was hung up and it slid down from her ear to the couch beside her as Iseul leaned forward to hold her head; her eyes closed as she tried to take a moment from the happenings until the sound of slippers stopped in front of her with a soft touch on the crown of her head for her to look up to find Ji-eun standing with a soft smile, and a cup of hot espresso for her. 

“Have it warmly, customer.”

A soft curve on Iseul's lips as she took the cup from her hand with a gesture to Ji-eun to sit next to her and found her beside her in an instant with a plate of fried rice. “I got really surprised by the marriage announcement,” Ji-eun trailed off, gobbling a spoonful of fried rice with a quick chew while her eyes rounded like a deer in surprise. “What was that all about, Iseul? Did you plan something with Baekhyun without informing us?” 

“Do you really think that I'd want to marry that silver scum?” 

Iseul deadpanned; a swallow of the sip burning down as she leaned back in a changed outfit of her satin nightgown while her hair in a loose bun behind her nape before rubber Ji-eun's back gently. “Slow down, shall I put a reminder in your phone that you're supposed to be taking care of yourself?” 

Ji-eun gave her a side-eye; her cheeks puffed in munches. “Very smart.”

“I am but I don't know what just happened there.”

“Wasn't the plan to announce the marriage so why would you tell me to stop?” Ji-eun questioned, and Iseul bit her lip in wonder of her own doings, “I don't know; I just thought it wasn't necessary anymore since what we planned was happening anyway.”

“Is it because you didn't want to put the humiliation on Baekhyun?” Ji-eun's forehead creased in a way that Iseul rolled her eyes. “No, never, I have no sympathy or empathy towards that man,” She paused, with another sip as her jaw hardened. “He literally just humiliated me with that darned marriage announcement; my reputation is all on stake if I back down from my commitment now.”

“Then, marry him.”

“Have you lost your hormones, Eun?!” 

Ji-eun's jaw dropped. “.”

“The fire of the factory was his doing as well.” 

Iseul ignored Ji-eun's glaring eyes while continuing her words as she put her leg on her other while her eyes glancing at the drizzle of the rain and Ji-eun hummed. “If he wants to avenge his father, then, leaving Choi Myung-Soo in bankruptcy would be his purpose foremost and this factory was the only one not involved in illegal goods after the incident fourteen years ago.”

Iseul nodded; he was still the genius with the execution yet annoyi