Chapter 17: The Proposal

---The flight to Gangnam-do was short, as expected---

Ji Yong shakes Dara lightly to wake her up. But since she wouldn’t wake up, he lightly kisses her lips and she slowly opens her eyes.

“Hmmm? Ji- Ji Yong-ssi!!” she stumbled back in her seat and hit her head on the window.

Ji Yong laughed and they went to the door. Ji Yong went first and Dara soon followed. She looked around and was expecting to arrive at the airport, but found herself on a building top, surrounded by maids and butlers. She quickly ran up to Ji Yong and she held his hand as tight as she can.

The two made their way to the dining room to meet up with Ji Yong’s family and the nervousness from Dara could not be removed.  The two maids opened the door and let Ji and Dara in.

“Ji Yong-ah!” a woman runs up to Ji Yong and gives him a hug.

“Noona…” he smiles.

“And you must be Park Sandara! I’ve heard so much about you from Ji Yongie!” she turns to Dara and gives him a hug too.

“Ne… Annyeonghasaeyeo,” Dara bows. Ji Yong’s noona holds her hands and leads her to the table to sit next to her. Dara sits then bows to Ji Yong’s parents…Who just look at her then turn away like they just saw something horrid.

“Ji Yong-ssi, is this your girlfriend?” Ji Yong’s mother asks.

“Ne, eommoni,” Ji Yong bowed.

“Hmph! Well, let’s eat for now and talk later,” she says and turned to her food and started eating.

‘Wait… I remember that Ji Yong’s parents were kind and nice. Why is eommoni so… cold?’ Dara thought deeply as she ate her beans. Dara looks around the room and notices that no one is talking. Not even Ji Yong’s sister.

---After eating---

 Ji Yong takes Dara to the garden and holds her hands.

“Ji Yong-ssi, I don’t remember you having a sister…or a mother that seemed so…Cold. Excuse me for saying,” you ask.

“Yea. Well, my dad is still the same, but my mother-my real mother-died a year after we moved to America. Then he remarried in America to this woman and she has a daughter-now my sister. My dad was supposed to be here today, but he has some business to take care of in Incheon so he couldn’t make it. Why? Are you pressured?” Ji Yong explained then asked.

“Well, sorta…” Dara pouted.

“It’ll be fine. Trust me…” Ji Yong locked Dara in a tight embrace and did not want to let go until the maid called for Ji Yong to go to the library to see his stepmother.

-Ji’s Situation-

Ji Yong knocked and entered the library where he sees his stepmother looking out the window at Dara who is still in the garden.

“Eommonie?” Ji Yong called out.

“Oh, Ji Yong-ssi. You know I hate delaying so I’ll just come out and say it: Break up with her,” Eommoni states sternly.

Ji Yong looked at her like she was crazy, “Ne? Eommoni, I like her-I might even LOVE her! Why all of a sudden? Y