“I OBJECT!!”

Every heads in the hall turned towards the unwelcomed girl wondering what her was reason for her offensive behaviour.

“Gajin” her name, barely a whisper, escaped from Jaejin’s lips. Gajin? That name sparks up my curiosity. That Gajin girl and Jaejin locked eyes a few seconds before two securities came and pulled her away. She thrashed about and tried to wriggle free but her effort was futile.

“Lee Jaejin! You liar! I despised you!” she spat the words out like venom before the door closed. Everyone was so stunned at the scene that had unfolded moments before. Whispers filled the room and the priest look as if he was lost whether to continue the ceremony or not. Jaejin stood silently with a poker face, staring at nowhere in particular.

I have to do something or this wedding will be a disaster. Oh dear Lord, MY wedding is a disaster. I looked around frantically, Mr. and Mrs. Lee were clarifying the situation to my parents, the guests were looking dumbfounded and Jaejin was standing silently beside me.

“I DO” did I just said that? You just missed your chance Mi Na, you could have use that girl as a reason not to marry him. I realised that. I glanced at Jaejin to see his reaction. He was looking at me in confusion. Eeekk! That boy is too cute to resist! Mi Na, two words, you’re hopeless.

Rings are exchanged, the priest announced we’re husband and wife then came the infamous ‘you may kiss the bride’. Gasp! I totally forgot about this part of the wedding. We turned to each other. My eyes are probably wide in shock as I stared at Jaejin leaning towards me. I shut my eyes tightly and thought ‘ohmigoshohmigoshmyfirstkissmyfirstkissohmigosh’ but the anxious feeling was replaced with disappointment when he placed a peck on my cheek. Disappoint? Nah I’m not. We’re strangers and it must be awkward after the scene before, I reassured myself to make the feeling go away.

After the ceremony, the wedding party was held in Imperial Palace Hotel. Min Hee and Jungshin swarmed over me.

“Congrats Mi Na on becoming Mrs Lee! So will you be Lee Mi Na or is it still Kim Mi Na? I’m confused. Whatever it is, you’re still Mi Na” Min Hee gushed as soon as Jaejin left me to entertain the guests.

“It’s sti-”

“Your husband is so cute! You’re lucky since you’re a cute boys fanatic. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? It’s weird but usually you’ll tell me straight away” she cut me off. Again.

“Yes he’s cu-”

“Wow a swan ice sculpture! Such details! How much do you think this cost? It’s really pretty anyway” by this time I’m getting annoyed being interrupted.

“I....”

“Mi Na why aren’t you saying anything? Are you this upset about the wedding? I thought you agreed willingly and plus Jaejin is cute. Aww... don’t pout Mi Na. It’s you’re wedding day. You should smi-”

This time I cut her off by pinching both her cheeks then press it together so that her lips look like a blowfish.

“waameo!! Zeoa hoeart!!” she mumbled, meaning ‘waa! It hurts!’ When I didn’t realised my grip, her hands, fast as lightning, tickled me in my weak spot.

People were giving us the stares as I giggled and trying to defend myself. Jungshin inched away and pretend to not know us as he shook his head. Min Hee and I exchange glances and looked directly at him. We raised our hands and wiggled our fingers as if threatening him with our deadly tickling fingers and stepped closer to him. There was panic in his eyes but soon fades away as he looked behind us.

We both look behind and saw that Jaejin is heading towards us with his cute best man who I haven’t know his name, yet. We quickly straightened up like a bunch of soldiers being inspected by their commander.

“Annyeong~! Did we interrupt something important?” the cute I-wished-he-was-the-groom-but-I-take-that-back guy greeted us.

“ah.. ani” I replied, feeling quite down that my husband didn’t spoke a word to greet us.

“I believe we haven’t introduced ourselves. I’m Hwang Inseok, Jaejin’s friend since high schoool” Inseok introduced himself and did a gentleman’s bow.

Jaejin looked at me but at the same time trying to avoid eye contact with me “I’m Lee Jaejin, Mi... your husband” and he did a little bow that clearly defines shyness. I stared at him for a few seconds in silence before my hands automatically flew and pinched his cheeks.

His eyes grew wide, surprised from my sudden reaction, which I myself couldn’t believe I just did that to my hubby. “err.... I can explain” I said, mortified. Gosh he must think I’m weird now (.__.”) My hands stayed there although I am no longer applying pressure and he just stared at me.

“Ahem *cough cough* and this weird bride who likes to pinch people’s cheeks is Kim Mi Na. I’m Kim Min Hee and he’s Lee Jungshin, we’re Mi Na’s friends from Japan” I snapped out from my trance and nodded at Inseok, trying to hide my red face. Jungshin smiled while Min Hee was trying to hide her giggle.

After a few minutes of polite conversation, Inseok left to answer a phone call, leaving Jaejin standing awkwardly among us. Min Hee immediately ambushed him.

“Listen here Jaejin-sshi. You do any harm to Mi Na or hurt her, I swear Jungshin and I gonna fly to Korea with the yakuza and kick your sorry ” she stepped towards him and said it in an I-mean-it voice, cracking her knuckles. Although she seems aggressive, she meant well and Min Hee did it for my own well being. Oh how I love them at that moment so I hugged both of them.

“Mi Na, if you ever have problems, you’re welcomed anytime if you get what I mean” Min Hee smiled sincerely. When Jungshin didn’t say anything Min Hee hit his back as if forcing words to spill from his lips.

“Anytime Mi Na. And you. Don’t be so rough or you’ll scare all the guys away and you’ll never be in a wedding dress like Mi Na” Jungshin hit Min Hee’s head.

“cheh~ gwaenchanayo. If there’s no guy to marry me, I’ll just marry you” she said light-heartedly. Jungshin shook his head in disagreement at her happy-go-lucky attitude.

Jungshin and Min Hee were childhood friends and I met them when I first came to Japan. Having Korean as the only language I understand it was hard to accustom myself in school. But they helped me with the language barrier and soon after we’re the trio, the three Korean musketeer in Japan =D

After a massive ‘thank you for coming’ to the guests leaving, I hugged my parents and friends, feeling reluctant to leave with Jaejin. Despair filled my heart as I wonder when I can meet with my friends again. Before I leave Min Hee whispered something in my ear which caused me to feel a little bit edgy everytime Jaejin is near. Darn, she shouldn’t have said it (_ _”) and leave me in my oblivious world.

On the way to his house, there was awkward silence between us and I swear I heard crickets in the back. I was so tempted to climb back and search under the seats of his metallic black car for that cricket, anything to fill in the silence.

“erm... aren’t your parents coming with us?” I started to break the wall between us.

“No” is he a man of few words? He’s been saying little words to me since we met.

“I asked my parents to let us live in our own place” he explained further.

Our own place. A place with only two of us living in it? That word lingered in my mind as I tried to process what he had meant. Then I remembered what Min Hee told me. Ahhhh~! I felt like spiralling down into a black hole. No I’m not ready! For the sake of all that is good, we’re still young! I’m still 17! Omma~!

I looked out of the window and grabbed the handle of the door as if ready to jump out anytime. Jaejin, sensed my weird reaction, drove even faster sending me deeper into that black hole. The food and the cake I ate just now threatened to go back up my throat.

After a few abrupt stops and turns, we arrive at an apartment. Jaejin got out from his door as I fumbled with the seatbelt, the only thing that could guarantee my life with the way he drives just now. He helped me opened the door. At first I thought he was being the gentleman but when I stepped out of the car he lifted me up. No, not the princess/bride-style but the fireman’s carry. (=.=”) well not exactly that way but close.

He pulled my hand to make me face him. He kneeled and pulled me onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and walked towards the apartment.

“YAH!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! PUT ME DOWN AT ONCE!!” I shrieked when I realised I’m in midair, my legs thrashed about.

“Shhh… you’re so noisy” was all he said.

“I DEMAND TO BE PUT DOWN AT ONCE! N.O.W. NOW!!! I GOT LEGS YOU KNOW!! HELP! ANYONE HERE? HELP! I’M BEING KIDNAPPED BY A FREAK!!” I punched his back vigorously. I can’t believe someone like him could carry me, sure I’m only 5 feet 3 but still I’m heavy and not just a sack of potatoes. He wasn’t even influenced by my punches.

He entered the lobby where the guard sat behind a desk. Seeing my chance I shouted help to him but he just looked at us weirdly. We are weird. We’re a couple of weird people, him in a tux and me in a wedding dress being carried UNROMANTICALLY by him. Yeap. This security guard must be thinking that we’re a demented husband and wife.

Jaejin stood in front of the lift and push the up button. As the door opened, I wished there’s someone inside but unfortunately no one occupied the lift. All this while I was shrieking my head off, I became quiet when the lift closes its door. My throat felt dry.

“are you ok?” he asked. Am I okay? No you freaking imbecile! How am I feeling ok with this kind of position? I am fuming with fury; I want those Yakuzas Min Hee promised earlier now! But then I didn’t say any of those and stayed quiet.

“Yah! Gwaenchanayo? Why aren’t you shouting anymore?” he shook me as he repositioned me carefully on his broad shoulders. I gave out a yelp of pain as my uncomfortable position made my stomach painful. Boy oh boy, you are so OUT of my cute boys list *eyes burn with fury* >:{

“what floor?” was all I could manage. I looked at the upside down buttons.

“15th” we’re still on the 10th floor when the elevator doors opened revealing two girls. I shrieked at them for help again. They jumped back in surprised and slowly retrace their steps backwards, their eyes ready to pop out. The door started to close again.

“Nooooooo~!” I shouted towards them while Jaejin waved goodbye, which I bet there’s a sinister smile on his face. Ugh! I feel liking puking right now for being upside down for quite a long time. There’s no hope. Finally the elevator ding-ed and Jaejin stepped out and walked toward the end of the dark hallway.

He opened the door with his other free hand and went inside. A small light illuminated from the living room. Jaejin finally placed me, although quite rough, on the sofa. He went to the direction where I’m guessing it’s the kitchen. Then he came out with two canned drinks and gave one to me. I quickly drank it to quench my thirst. Shouting makes my throat hurt.

“Look let’s work this out but no running away” Jaejin started.

“Huh?” I looked at him as my eyes turned rounder in confusion.

“You wanted to run away just now?”

“mwo? You mean you carried me forcefully because you thought I was planning to run away?” my voice turn into a high shrill.

“Aren’t you? The way you gripped on the handle as if you would jump out anytime from the car. I also hear something about running away in your conversation with your friends during the party”

I bit my lips and glowered at him. Aigoo, if I lose my voice I’ll make sure his every moment as my husband would be torturous. I took a deep breathe before I lose my composure. Breathe in. breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

“You baka! Babo! If I wanted to run away from this marriage I could just easily do that before or during the ceremony. I wouldn’t even say ‘I Do’ when clearly there was a chance in breaking off the engagement after that girl showed up” I thundered. Though I did thought about running away but no way I’m gonna tell him that.

He was surprised by my sudden burst of anger but he managed to regain his composure. He scratched his head as he thinks of something. His already messy chocolate brown hair became messier as he did that.

“That makes sense. Running away or not, are you going to work with me?”

“boh?”

“We’re two strangers who just met and tied a knot because of our parents’ will. We should think of something to do about this until the day I take my appa’s place only then we can do something to release ourselves from this. You’ll be free when the day comes”

“You’re saying....?” I asked in confusion, my eyebrows furrowed.

“Make believe marriage”