"You are going to be wed to a guy after a month." Mom said with enthusiasm.

"I'm what? Please say it again, mom. I think I misheard you.” I said and pointed to my ear, but obviously, I knew I heard right.

“You’re getting married!” she answered without thinking twice. My mom, she’s always happy with everything but her decisions never failed to make me mad.

“Without me being informed?!” I exclaimed. How was I going to get married with a guy whom I never met?

“That’s why I’m telling you right now.” She said, “You will love it!” Oh my goodness, I’m getting married at such a very young age? How will I love that?!

“Mom, have mercy on me! I’m still 18 years old!” I said, trying to put more emphasis on the word ‘STILL’.

“I know, but this. We need this, you have to help our family.” Mom reasoned out.

“Who the hell planned this stupid marriage thing?! I thought this only happens on drama shows?!” I asked out of anger. I don’t want to get married! How am I going to explain this to my friends?!

“We planned this thoroughly. And the parents of the young man are also involved.” She said with formality, but pain streaked across her face. A YOUNG MAN? Someone in the late 20’s or early 30’s? WHAAAAAAAATT?

“Who’s this young man? Do I know him?” I asked as I sat on the couch. I just arrived from school and now she’s firing me with surprises.

“No, but you’re going to meet him next week.” She answered as her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“WHAT?! Next week? Mom, how could you?!” I bloated again, I wanted to shout from the top of my lungs. Can I just die right now?

“I know this is hard for you. But we’ve thought about this for a very long time. Our business is almost reaching bankruptcy and marrying that man is the only way to avoid it.” She answered and I could see the sincerity on her face.

I couldn’t say anything. I felt like my life was scripted from the start. I wondered if there were hidden cameras lurking around the corner and then after a while, when I start to cry, the director would just puff out from somewhere and he’d tell me I was fooled. I felt like I was playing the role of the helpless girl who marries this rich, arrogant guy who helps my family survive this crisis. My life was following a certain pattern and I didn’t know where I was headed.

“I’m sorry, honey. I thought –“

“You thought what? That this whole damned, scripted marriage is going to take us far? Before you know it mom, I’ll be dead in a week!” I spilled out at her, stood up and took my bag with me. I headed for the door and without waiting for her reply, I walked away.

Stupid people don’t know they’re stupid. How could they just make that decision? They should have consulted me first. Maybe they’d change my mind. I know this is the only way to save our family, but I don’t want to get married right away! I’m still a teenager, that guy must be 10 years older than me! I want to die, God help me. I don’t want to live this life!

I walked on the busy streets of Dongdaemun until my feet ached. I entered an isolated corner (because I was curious) and I heard someone shout. It was a voice of a man, screaming in pain, or something like that. I immediately tried to follow the voice. I walked slowly and surely, it was just straight ahead.

When I heard the voice again, I ran towards it. I did not know why, but I was a bit curious. Maybe he needed help.

I arrived in a dimly lit place and I saw a guy crouching in pain. There were 3 guys who stood across him. They were laughing at him. One was holding a baseball bat, the other had a broken glass and the last one was playing with a piece of wood.

My instincts told me to run away and call the cops but because I was an irrational person, I decided to in. I’m here, why back out?

I cleared my throat and all of them looked my way.

“I suggest you let the guy go.” I said in a very firm tone.

“And I suggest you run away before we play with you.” One of them answered, the rest just laughed.

“Heh, sorry but I don’t play with sissies.” I answered and rolled my eyes.

I looked at the guy who was still withering in pain. Someone had hit in the head, it was bleeding.

“Sissies, huh?” that tall guy said and attacked me.

I responded by punching on the face. He backed out, touching his nose and whimped.

“Oops, looks like I broke your nose.” I said and stuck out my tongue. God, I felt happy.

The second and third one tried to attack me but I twisted the latter’s arm and pushed him towards the other, causing them to collide with one another. The three of them stood helplessly and I walked towards them. Every step I made caused them to back out slowly. I took the fat guy’s polo and said to him in a very evil voice, “Try to touch that guy and I swear, I’ll send you to hell. Do you understand?”

Desperate to walk away, all of them nodded in chorus. I pushed the guy back and they ran away. I rushed towards the guy who was still lying on the ground. He was still conscious, but he was in pain.

“Are you still okay? Can you walk?” I said, trying to help him up as I held his arm.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Thank you.” He answered weakly.

“I’ll get you to the nearest hospital –“

“No, please. Dad will kill me if he finds out.” He said, fear in his voice.

“Okay, but then I’ll have to treat your wounds.” I said as I helped him walk.

We were quiet on our way to a convenience store; none of us reacted to what happened a while ago. I glanced at him and he was trying his best not to be a burden to me.

When we reached the store, I told him to sit on a chair while he waiting for me. I bought antiseptics, ointments and gauge. As I was paying for it, I looked through the glass and saw him closing his eyes. I gathered everything and went outside. He opened his eyes and looked at me.

“Here, let me look at you.” I said and held his face for better examination and view. To my surprise, my heart started to beat fast. Despite the dry blood on his head and bruises on his face, he still looked handsome. Very handsome.

I tried to clear my throat and started to clean his wounds one by one. He winced each time I placed ointment on the wounds.

“Don’t move.” I said and continued to clean it.

“Why did you help me there?” he asked all of a sudden as he opened his eyes to look at me.

“I was walking and I wanted to beat someone badly, then I heard you scream. So I rushed to help you.” I answered as I looked at him in the eyes. He stared at me like my face was familiar but I couldn’t quite contain my feelings so I focused on his wound that I was trying to cure.

“You wanted to beat someone?” he asked as his eyes became huge though there was a bruise on his left one.

“Yeah. You know, anger management and all that.” I joked, but my hands were shaking! I did not know why I was nervous.

“Wow, what a great girl you are.” He smirked.

“What are you trying to say?” I eyed him cautiously as I finished putting the bandages.

“Nothing, I was just impressed with your courage and fighting skills.” He answered and smiled.

I couldn’t help but smile back, there was something with his angelic face and aura that made me feel at ease. His cheeks were puffy that reminded me of buns, his smile was purely cute and gummy that made his looks irresistible, his skin like ivory and his body obviously built behind the thick clothes that covered him.

“Look—“ I said and glanced at my watch. “I have to go.” I stood up and took my bag.

He held my hand and said, “I’m Kim Minseok.”

I smiled and walked away. I did not tell him my name. What was the point? I was getting married next month, I’ll never see that guy again. I will never see that cute smile again, I will never get the chance to pinch his puffy cheeks.

I arrived home quietly and talked to mom and dad. Though I wanted to run away, I made the decision to accept what was meant for me. My dad needed my help and I had to give it to him, no one else could.

Each day, my heart kept looking for Minseok. I passed by the convenience store, the abandoned place where he got beat up, just to look for him. But he wasn’t there.

After a week was the time for me to meet my fiancée. I had no other choice, I started this, so had to finish this.

We arrived at the restaurant where we had to meet, I was freaking nervous so I had to excuse myself. Dad and mom went ahead.

I immediately went to the washroom to calm my nerves. I imagined how the guy looked like. Was he handsome? Or fat? Or maybe short and stout? Oh, it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m running late and they might think I ran away.

I hurriedly went to the room where they were and stood on the door. I took a deep breath and held the door handle. ‘Let’s do this! Aja!’

I opened the door and I heard laughter. With my face hung low, I heard my mom say, “Oh, here she is.”

I looked up and saw my mom and dad smiling at me. Then my eyes flicked to the guy’s parents and thought, ‘They look decent.’

Finally, my eyes landed on the boy across my parents. He was smiling at me greatly, like he was very happy and excited to see me. Then, my heart started to beat fast and I immediately recognized his face. The bruises were fading but I perfectly knew who it was.

Kim Minseok.

I bowed and sat across him, my eyes focused on the ground as tried to calm myself. ‘I’m getting married with this guy. This guy!’

My dad cleared his throat and began to talk. “Now, you have finally seen each other.”

“Yes, sir.” He answered with formality and I felt his eyes linger on my face.

“My son seems to look happy.” His dad joked.

“Actually dad, we met before. A week before, to be precise.” He said and I looked up, and my eyes met his.

“Really? Why don’t you tell us about it?” his mom said with excitement.

“Remember when I went home with bruises on my face?” he said and looked at me again.

“She was the one who beat up those guys. And she was also the one who cleaned my wounds.”

His parents looked at me with awe while my parents looked at me like ‘This might not be our daughter’.

“I just wanted to help him.” I muttered out, trying to defend myself.

“I told her my name but she did not tell me who she was.” He continued on.

“I was getting married, so I did not bother to tell you. I did not know I was getting married to you.” I reasoned and stared at him. God, I wanted to get married right now. Get me a priest!

The dinner started embarrassingly painful, I kept my mouth shut while he elaborated everything that happened that night when I helped him. We were doing the ‘You look, I don’t. I look, you don’t’ game. Finally, my dad asked, “So, the wedding is going to happen next month?”

“No.” Minseok and I both answered at the same time. They looked at us, shocked.

“Actually, I want it to happen earlier.” He answered as he looked at me and smiled. I knew he felt the same way that I did.

“I suggest a week earlier?” I asked and smiled at them.

“I don’t want my fiancée beating up guys in the middle of the night.” He inserted and I stuck my tongue at him.

Our parents had no other choice but to agree. As what his father had said, ‘the earlier, the better’, our company would be in a stable state immediately.

They went home immediately after dinner, so I was left behind with Minseok. He kept looking at me as we walked together.

“So, you wanted to marry me?” he asked all of a sudden.

“Hmm.” I answered.

“That’s not an answer.” He said, made a pouty look and stopped walking. I looked at him and smiled,

“You don’t have a ring.” I said and imitated his face.

He approached me and kneeled in front of many, if not thousands, of people. I scratched my eyes to make sure I was seeing things right. I wasn’t expecting that to happen. He smiled and took out a small, velvet box from his pocket.

“I saw your picture before we met. Instantly, I wanted to see you. That’s why my dad had arranged the dinner immediately.  I was even happier when I saw you help me out. Then I knew I had made the right choice from the start.” he looked at me and opened the box, “Marry me.”

I couldn’t answer, I did not trust my voice. I just nodded as he took my hand and placed the ring on my finger.

“I wanted to marry you from the start.” I whispered as he hugged me tight.

“I know. I wanted to do the same too.” He said and held my face.

Without saying anything, he kissed my forehead as people cheered for us.

An 18-year old girl was getting married. Who cares? I made the right choice :)