Seungyeon tossed in her bed, trying to sleep but failing since three hours ago. She glanced at the clock sitting on the top of her bedside table. It was sixteen minutes into two in the morning. She needed to wake up at five and reached the beauty shop by six.

Dressing up would take at least four hours.

One hour driving to the venue.

Press conference at eleven thiry.

And the party will start at 1 pm.

She could hear Secretary Eun's voice in her head. Actually she had been replaying it for she didn't know how many times. It felt surreal. She was getting engage that day, finally. It had only been three weeks since the plan and the preparations were made. Three weeks since she met her fiance-to-be. She was getting engage, and would be getting married anytime soon. Not to the one she loved, not to Sunggyu, but to some man who couldn't even remembered his own past.

She felt miserable. She wanted to cry. But, then, who was she to have the right to be sad, when she was the one taking advantage of an innocent man's condition.

Pitifully.

She tried to sleep once again, but the last message he sent to her popped up in her mind.

I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight. Can't wait to see you soon.

She let out a long breath.

"Let's just drink some coffee, Han Seungyeon!"

***

His family sent over the driver and bodyguards to take her to the beauty shop.

"Can't I just ride with my parents and brother?" She had asked.

"We are really sorry, Agassi, but you can not. This is the protocol you have to go through. You are becoming part of the Heo family and as you should know, you can be a target of threat from Daehan Group's business rival. We will be protecting you from now on, though for most of the days you won't be seeing us that much. Just for today, since the press and people are having so much interest in you, it seems like it will be a little bit uncomfortable for you." One of them answered, referring to the bunch of guys standing behind him. "And you don't have to worry, your family protection is our priority too. Should we go now, Agassi?"
 

She looked over at her father, and squeezed her mother's hand reassuringly before following them.

"I met you last time right?" She asked halfway through the car ride, referring to the incident when the press flocked around her office.

"Yes, Agassi."

"I guess you're assigned to me, huh? What is your name again?"

"Please call me team leader Seo Daeyong, Agassi."

"Well, let's get along well, and you can relax a bit, no need to be so tense."

It's not like you are the one getting in an arranged marriage, she added silently.

***

When she got to the beauty shop and preparing to get her hair washed, Gyuri, Hara, Seohyun and Nicole appeared out of nowhere. They stayed with her through all the proccess of getting her make up done untill she reached the venue where she would be meeting Youngsaeng for the first time that day. Their gestures gave her more strenght, she knew well they had long gone from their students' period, when they could be there for each other all the time. They had grown up, nearing their thirties and each had their own lives to attend to. That was why she felt more grateful, she realized how precious those times were.

"Everything will turn out well. You have the power to make through everything." Gyuri whispered, before letting her being taken away to the press conference room.

She took a deep breath, her feast.

God, forgive me.

***

Daehan Group's representative accompanied and answered most of the questions for them, since there were so many about the company's plans for the future. They only sat there, smiling and answered a few personal questions, like how they got to know each other and things they liked about each other. She was trembling, half of the nervousness, half of the lack of sleep she got the night before, if none. Youngsaeng saw it and hold her hand tightly, rubbing the back of it to calm her down. When the reporters asked them to pose for pictures, he reached her waist, bringing her closer.

"I've been wanting to say it since I first saw you coming out of the waiting room today, you look beautiful. It's not even your wedding dress." He whispered intimately in her ear, despite all the watching eyes.

She could only smile to the cameras.

***

The engagement party last for hours. There were so many guests invited, her father's business colleages and more of his father's colleages. She was being dragged here and there, introduced to strange faces she had to familiarized with. Her head felt like it would burst, she was feeling dizzy and finally collapsed nearing the end of the party.

When she opened her eyes, she was home in her bed. How long had it been since she enjoyed being in her bed, covered under the duvet, smelling the signature scent of the air freshener? She wanted to stay like that forever, but being thirsty she tried to sit up. Only to fail, her head felt really heavy.

She heard movement around her and a hand reaching hers.

"Are you awake? How do you feel? Do you need anything?"

That familiar voice. That nightmare. That bad thing she was doing.

She blinked several times, and he got into view.

She tried to answer his questions, but were dry. Nothing came out.

"It's okay, slowly."

She tried again and something hoarse and ugly came out.

"Water."

He stood up immediately, walking to the corner of the room where a jar of water and glass had been waiting. He poured some and brought it to her. He helped her to sit up and drink.

"What time is it?" She asked, feeling a little bit better.

"Almost midnight." He answered, checking the watch in his wrist.

"My parents?"

"I sent them to rest just a while ago. They had been really worried if something serious happened to you, thankfully the doctor said it's only an exhaustion and you'll get better after a good rest."

She swallowed and closed her eyes, trying to remember, but the last thing she could recall was going to the restroom.

"What happened?"

"You fainted. You had gone too long, so your friend-was it Seohyun? She went to look for you and found you lying unconscious on the floor. We couldn't rush you to the hospital since it would make into the news, so we brought you here and called the doctor instead."

She nodded, digesting the information.

"What about the party?"

"You don't have to worry about it, father and the company representative had handle it well."

They fell into silent for a while. She wanted to go back to sleep, but didn't think it was polite. He had been watching her for hours.

"I'm okay now, you should go back home and get some rest." She broke the silence.

He smiled and squeezed her hand, "You must have been going through a hard times with all the preparations and adapting to my family situation. Have strength, there are still many things ahead. I'm going."

He left, and she fell into a deep sleep once again.

Let's put aside all the problems for now.

***

"Okay, I'll see you on Wednesday then? Have a safe flight."

She ended the call and put her cell phone back into her handbag.

Nicole peeked at her over her shoulder.

"Heo Youngsaeng-sii?"

Seungyeon nodded and walked to the sink.

"What should I do with these strawberries?"

"Wash it thoroughly and cut it into small pieces."

When she got off from the office that afternoon, Nicole announced in the chat room that she was going to experiment on a new recipe. So, she came over, no one should waste a chance on good food.

"Where is he going this time?" Nicole asked, in between the buzzing noise of the mixer.

"China," she answered, reaching for the knife.

"He's getting even better, I see. He has been attending a lot of business events lately, overseas even."

"He isn't really involved yet, only following his father, trying to familiarize with the work he should take over in the future. But, well, he's been getting lesson on business a lot lately, so, yeah, I guess."

Nicole stopped the mixer and poured the batter into a baking pan. She turned around to face Seungyeon's back.

"Ermm...what do you think about the chance of him gaining his memories back?"

Seungyeon paused in doing her job, she pondered for a while.

"The doctor said there is a high possibility if he keeps exercising, like going to places he used to frequent, do the things he used to and be with people he was close with. But, you see, he's stuck with me, and his father. What memory will he regain by being with the two of us? If he was even close with his family, I'm sure they won't do this to him."

Seungyeon sighed, and Nicole was silent.

At first, she was against Seungyeon's decision. She understood it was to save her father, but no matter what, she thought a human being shouldn't, mustn't do something like that to the other human being. She hated Seungyeon's and Youngsaeng's father act to manipulate him, but Seungyeon was her best friend, and she couldn't hate her or leave her just because one wrong decision she made. Once in life, she believed people were bound to be at fault, and the right thing to do was to be prepared to take all the responsibility of whatever would happen as the consequences. 

"Seungyeon-ah, about Sunggyu's offer..."

Seungyeon turned around in her place, looking at Nicole right in the eyes.

"Cole, I know, I won't go to that extend. When I made my mind, I didn't go into this hoping to be in a happy and loving marriage, I won't hope for that. If I have to serve him until the rest of my life, I am well aware that is the risk I should take, the price I should pay. Even if he regains his memory back, I will accept all his decision whether to divorce me or throw me out, I know I deserve that. So, you can stop bringing it up all the time. I know you are worried, but please have a faith on me."

Seconds passed as Nicole stared at her, and in the end gave in.

"Alright, I'm sorry."

And they went back to their respective jobs.

***

As the days passed, she got to know more of her husband-to-be and his world. She was used to him being around now to the point she sometime forgot that their relationship was not a normal one. He was fun to be with, he could joke around and made her laugh, but not so excessive and never he crossed the line with it. He was polite to her parents and friends, and got along well with her brother. His taste in clothes and food were not always expensive, unlike the usual conglomerate's heir. They could stroll along the street and ate from the food stall, even though just once in a while, but still with the bodyguards keeping a watch.

On the other hand, the reactions she got from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law to be, were not really warm. It was either his mother hated her, or she was just usually a cold person, but their interactions were never more than formality. Well, what she hoped, if she was his mother, she probably would do the same thing to a girl who took advantage of her son. While his sister never really cared.

"You are here out of father's decision. So, just do your thing and mind your own business." She once said to her. Heo Gayoon, older by four years, a workaholic and one of the director of their main company.

She was sure that her life as Heo's daughter in law would never be easy, but then again, not like she could take back her decision.

***

Suddenly, the day of her wedding was nearing. They fell into the same rhythm again of fitting the dress, the wedding ring and a photo shoot. Just like the last time, his mother and her secretary had chose and arranged everything for them. All they had to do was just to come to the appointed time and do as they were instructed, and by the next day, she found their pictures in the news again.

One week till the day, the moving company came and helped her to pack all her belongings to deliver to their new apartment. His father had wanted them to live in the his residential, but Youngsaeng argued that it would be uncomfortable for them.

"No matter what, we are still a newlywed. We'll want to spend time together without people watching or interrupting. There are so many maid here, it will be uncomfortable for her when she used to live only with her parents, brother and a housekeeper."

"Then, why don't you take the house in-"

"Abeonim, a house is too big for the two of us. Let us just live in the Gangnam apartment, also it's close from the offices."

They had agreed to let her continue working on her father's company until Seungjin graduated and ready to lead. But, his father commanded that she couldn't neglect her responsibility as Daehan Group's daughter-in-law. She again could only comply to that.

After an hour, the moving truck departed with her stuff. She actually didn't have much things, only some of her clothes, books, bags, shoes and some art collections. She didn't want to leave her room in the house empty, for it would feel like she really had left home.

One night, her mother hugged her to sleep, like how they always did years ago.

"I'm sorry I send you away like this. Your father was right, I shouldn't have brought it up in front of you, I shouldn't have told you knowing how you are. You're my daughter, how could I even say it knowing you would always do anything for us. Forgive me, child. In the next life, please born as someone else's daughter, so you won't live a hard life."

Hearing it she wanted to cry, so bad, but her parents would worry even more.

So, she said, "It's alright, Mom, I'm alright. Youngsaeng-ssi is a good person, I am sure he could never do any harm to me, even later when he finds out the truth. He's a kind person, and we eventually will grow fond of each other and make each other happy. Don't worry and don't be sorry. Even in the next life, you know I will choose to be your and dad's daughter. Even then, please love me as much as you love me now, if not even more"

That was her sincere pray, to God, to whoever would listen.

***

"Then the bride will come out from that side and the song will start at...."

They were rehearsing in the ballroom. Their wedding would be on the next day. It would be officiated in a beautiful church on the suburban area, exclusively attended only by their families and close relatives. While the party would be held on the luxurious ballroom of Daehan Group's biggest hotel with thousand of people invited. 

Youngsaeng stood beside her while they paid attention to the organizer's instructions. People around them were working on the decoration and arrangement.

"Oppa?" She whispered, in between instructions and waiting. It had been a while since she started calling him that way. It rolled less awkwardly in her tongue this time. 

"Um?"

"This is your last chance to run away and cancel the marriage, before you regret it in the future."

He turned to her slowly and gave her a bizarre look. In a moment, she hoped he would regard her words seriously, or for her self to have the courage to tell him the truth. That they shouldn't be with each other, that they were never together in the first place, that she was using him as the condition to save her father, that probably out there there was a woman waiting for him to come back.

Right, why did she never think about it before? Just like how she had Sunggyu, he must had someone too.

He cleared his throat.

"What are you saying? Why are saying things like that? Do you want to run away and cancel our marriage?"

She swallowed.

Yes.

"No," was all she managed to say.

"Then why?"

"I...I...just...well, forget it. I'm just nervous and under lots of pressure lately. I'm sorry."

It took him a moment to reach her hand and hold it gently.

"I chose this, I won't regret it." He concluded.

***

The wedding procession started from early morning and last through the night. Both her dresses were beautiful indeed, flowing along the floor. People praised her on how pretty she looked as they gave her wishes and blessings for a happy life ahead. Her father hugged her tightly in silent before he walked her to the alter and gave her hand to Youngsaeng. He asked him to take care of her and looked over her as she might still lack here and there. Youngsaeng bowed and together they walked to the priest and vowed their love and commitment to each other.

Their first dance were slow and peaceful, no one saying anything. His hands circling her tiny waist and hers in his neck. Together they moved, glancing at each other shyly before she put her head on his shoulder. Too much toasts and champagne.

When the music turned more upbeat, they took their leave from the dance floor. People were dancing merrily and her dress couldn't allow her to join. So, they just sat on their designated seat, receiving more greetings and blessing from the guests. The music stopped and congratulatory songs were sung by some famous singers, and the music started once again. It was getting late, people already started to leave. Her muscles were aching and tensing from all the events that day, and told her self to hold just a little bit longer. She feel drowsy from the lack of sleep and all the alcohol, she thought she could fall asleep any moment when someone approached them.

"Congratulation on your wedding."

It was a woman, petite figure, pale skin. A face she had never seen before. Then, she must be invited from the groom's side.

"Ah, yes, thank you."

She looked over to Youngsaeng, trying to get a clue, just if this woman in front of them was some important business colleague she needed to know. But, before she could catch Youngsaeng's eyes, the guest had spoken herself.

"I'm Kim Taeyeon, Youngsaeng Oppa's friend."

Seungyeon thought she must be really tired. With no specific reason, she didn't feel good at the sound and the way the woman talked.

************************************************

A/N :

Hello, it's me lol. It's been really a long time. I'm sorry and again I'm sorry.