THE WEDDING PLANNERS

Kim So Eun sat on the couch. Only the ticking of the clock could be heard inside her now empty shop. She glanced up to the clock, checking out the time. Only a few minutes before midnight but she hasn’t make a move to go home. So Eun sighed heavily as she stared around her shop. She loved this place. This was where all the beautiful things in her life happened. She started her precious career here and she even met up with her beloved boyfriend at this very shop. Thinking about him, Kim Bum hasn’t contact her back since he left for outstation two days ago. She tried to call him and text him messages but he hasn’t reply any of them. So Eun started to worry about him so she got up and walked over to the counter. She pulled out her phone and dialed up his number.

“Please leave your message after the ‘beep’ sound”, only the operator answered her, again. So Eun blew out the air from as she leaned down her head on the counter. She missed him. She wanted to tell everything about all the dreadful situations that she had gone through this whole day. Aunt Jung had gone back earlier but she left behind the piles of bill that needed to be paid before the end of this month. So Eun bit her lips, how should she settle the bills if she couldn’t afford to gain any profit within this month???

“You’re such a failure, Ms. Kim!!! We regretted it that we actually hired you!!! It’s such disrespect to both of us!!! We swear we will never come to your shop again!!!”, So Eun felt that her face was slapped hard by those words when she recalled it again inside her mind. She cursed under her breath. Yeah, it was all her fault. She failed to plan the long waited dream wedding for her customers. She deserved it to lose them. She even more deserved to accept those hurtful words. So Eun felt her body gone numb from head to toe so she slowly walked again nearing the couch and sat there. She covered her face with her palms, trying to calm herself down under all the tension she felt right now. Suddenly she heard the bell hung on top of the door rang so she quickly looked up. There was a girl, standing by the door, smiling politely toward her. So Eun herself got up from her seat and bowed down to the girl.

“Sorry to interrupt so sudden in the middle of the night like this…but I saw the ‘OPEN’ sign is still there so…”, she tried to finish, explaining the situation but So Eun shook her head with an understanding smile.

“No, no…it’s okay…please come in…have your seat…”, So Eun replied as she welcomed her into her shop. She motioned her to sit at the round table before she ran to the back of her shop. The girl sat there, eyeing her surrounding with an interesting face before So Eun came back with two cups of coffee in her hands. She smiled down to her and put her cup in front of the girl. Then she took her own seat across from the young lady.

“What bring you here? You need any help regarding the wedding? As you can see my shop is serving the customers with the wedding plan…”, So Eun started to ask formally, still trying to continue the business even though the working hour was over. The girl stared deeply at her before she sighed and looked down. So Eun frowned at her but she eyed this girl closely. She was indeed very pretty. She marveled it, the way her eyelashes touched her cheeks when she stayed transfix, looking at her palms. But underneath her beautifulness, she looked sad at the same time. Like her hope was taken away from her, like heart her was shattered into pieces. So Eun could tell it, judging from the weak glances of her eyes. Suddenly she shook her head.

“I’m not marrying anyone…”, she muttered, barely opened like the words killed her inside. Then she looked again and forced a weak smile to So Eun.

“My boyfriend dumped me today…saying that he couldn’t take care of me anymore…”, she added as a tear escaped from the corner of her eyes. She hastily wiped it away.

“I’m so stupid…putting all my hope on him but at the end, when we’re about to reach the happiest time in our love journey, he left me…high and dry like this…”, she furthered out her explanation as she tried so hard to hold back her tears. So Eun could clearly see that her shoulders were shaking from doing it. She slowly gulped down.

“It’s okay to cry…don’t hold back, just let out your sadness…I’m willing to hear you out because it’s a bad day for me too…”, So Eun replied her and they looked to each other again.

“You’re having a trouble too???”, she asked as So Eun shrugged.

“We’re only humans, missy…we can’t ran from those problematic situations…”, So Eun voiced out her opinion and the girl nodded her head in agreement. Then she smiled sheepishly before taking a sip on her coffee.

“Em…black coffee…suit the feeling…”, she commented and they broke into small laughter.

“What’s your name?”, the girl asked her after they stopped laughing. So Eun exhaled her breath before she answered her cheerfully.

“Kim So Eun…just call me So Eun…how about you???”, she asked back and the girl laughed.

“We share the same ‘S’, I think…because my name is Sooyoung…”, she told her and So Eun widened her eyes in excitement.

“Wow…what a coincidence…”, she replied again and they laughed together. Suddenly the laughter was interrupted by a ringing from a phone. So Eun glanced up to her phone and smiled sheepishly toward Sooyoung. Then she bowed a little at her, a sign for excuse before she walked over to reach her phone. A brilliant, glittering smile lit up on her face as soon as she saw the caller ID. It was Kim Bum. So she hastily picked it up.

“Oh, Kim Bum ah!”, she greeted excitedly as Sooyoung turned back at her. She smiled knowingly, understood that So Eun was probably talking to someone that really special to her. Sooyoung sighed as she got up from her seat. She bowed down to So Eun and the girl raised her hand, asking her to wait but instead Sooyoung shook her head. She didn’t want to bother her so she walked out from her shop, leaving So Eun to continue her conversation with Kim Bum.

“Ah, So Eun ah…where are you right now?”, he asked over the line, sounded tired. So Eun smiled understandingly.

“I’m still at my shop…”

“At this hour???”, Kim Bum asked, voice slightly rose high because he was shocked that So Eun was still at her shop during this late hour. So Eun laughed upon hearing his worried voice.

“Don’t worry…I’ll get back later…my last customer was just excused herself…”, she answered him as she walked over to sit at the table just now, sipping on her coffee. Kim Bum gulped slowly before he gently called out to her.

“So Eun ah…”, he said as So Eun closed her eyes, savoring the moment her name lingered on his lips.

“Hmmm???”, she asked sheepishly, feeling stupid as she couldn’t stop smiling right now. Thanked God that Kim Bum wasn’t here to see her ridiculously disgusting face. Then she heard Kim Bum sighed heavily and her smile was swept off at once.

“Kim Bum ah…what is it?”, she asked, now sounded serious as she frowned.

“Nothing but…I…I need to talk about something important with you…”, Kim Bum was hesitated when he told her but So Eun nodded her head dully, as thought he could see her.

“Right now???”, she pressed again.

“Yeah…”, Kim Bum sounded really weak. It makes So Eun to start worried again but she exhaled slowly, calming her heart down.

“Alright…I’m all ears…”, she replied and placed her hands on the table in front of her. Kim Bum was biting his lips over the phone. He felt guilty toward her but he knew he has to make it clear for them. He was trapped between two girls in his heart so he has to choose. And choosing the right one wasn’t an easy task for him too. It killed him inside to know that he was about to break the heart of this innocent girl over the line. So Eun frowned but she stayed transfix, waiting for him.

“So Eun ah…let’s end this…”, he mumbled out and So Eun sat straight again on her chair.

“End…what?”, she asked confusedly, didn’t manage to arrange a proper sentence for him. Her heart started to thump madly inside of her.

“End our relationship…”, the moment she heard Kim Bum said it out loud, So Eun felt that her surrounding suddenly turning into pale, dull and empty. She blinked her eyes for a while before shaking her head.

“You’re…you’re joking…right???”, she tried to ask but the words died in a she felt the pain inside her soul, a strangely burning flame that perished her whole heart. Then she heard Kim Bum sighed heavily over the phone.

“I’m not, So Eun ah…I’m serious about this…I wanna break up…”, he voiced out the deadly requirement again. So Eun shook her head in a very fast mode as she felt her vision was blurred by the heavily flowing tears.

“Please…I’m not letting you go…please tell me that it isn’t true…you don’t want to break up…you will stay with me…will you???”, So Eun begged as Kim Bum flinched uncomfortably upon hearing her crying voice. He frowned as he covered his face with his hands and massaged his forehead.

“I’m afraid I can’t, So Eun ah…I can’t promise you another empty hope…I’m seriously sorry about that…”, he explained again, trying hard to pursue her understanding about his feeling toward her right now. Of course he was still in love with her. He couldn’t just erase everything about Kim So Eun in his mind instantly but half of his heart wasn’t hers anymore. It belonged to another girl. Lee Yoo Na, his very first love. After meeting her back at the club, he realized that he didn’t want to let her go again. They were separated once and now when fate brought them back together, he didn’t want to let go of that only chance in his life. He has decided on it, he wanted to be with Lee Yoo Na so he has to let Kim So Eun go instead. He couldn’t keep her with him and kept on giving her empty promises. It was wrong for both of them. So Eun was still sobbing over the phone but she tried her hard to control it so that she could talk to him.

“Tell me, Kim Bum ah…are you in love with somebody else???”, So Eun asked between her tears. A long silence wrapped them before Kim Bum finally let go of a weak sigh.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Ara breathed in the refreshing morning air around this town. She smiled as she looked up upon the bright sky. It was a lovely view to start a new day. She stretched her hands for a while before she got up from her seat, picking up along her the large brown board. Then she walked downstairs from the lobby of her company, heading straight to the main road.

“Morning , Ara! Continue to beg for a wedding service???”, she accidently bumped with one of her office member in the middle of her way but she ignored her sarcastic comment. Instead, she nodded and smiled sweetly at her before she speeded off to her earlier destination. That friend of her shook her head upon seeing her running along the races of people in this town. But then she smiled, admiring her confidence and courage before she started walking again, going straight to their company. Ara had now reached the main road. She looked around, at the people rushing here and there. She smiled at them and balled up her fist.

“I must get a client today!!! Yeah!!!”, she motivated herself and started to stand straight in the middle of the road. When she was again, holding up her board, people started to laugh at her and some of them also whispering in their group, gossiping and commenting about this one weird girl whom everyday standing there while holding a board written ‘A COMPLETE PACKAGE TO PLAN YOUR WEDDING’ on it. Ara ignored their disgust looks as she braced her heart, she needed to do this, she have to be strong. Then only she will survive. Suddenly Ara heard someone cleared his throat loudly from behind of her. So she turned back and frowned upon seeing a boy. He was standing at the nearby road, across from her. Ara chuckled and shook her head. She knew this boy. The boy that kept on arguing with his old bride. Yeah, she remembered her too. A sudden weird thinking poked out inside her head. Why on Earth she has to keep on seeing this boy around here??? Like he was stalking her. Ara thought nervously as she immediately shook her head in mental rejection.

“Let him be…”, she muttered to herself as she turned to the front again, facing the main road. Lay cursed under his breath when he saw she was ignoring him. Then he arranged his steps slowly, approaching the girl from behind.

“You have to save me! I’m not going to marry that old ajumma!”, Lay suddenly exclaimed as Ara blinked and turned back at once, eyes fixed on that boy. She frowned with her most ridiculous, weird, amusing face that clearly written on it something like, ‘what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about’. Lay gulped and covered his mouth with his palm. He wanted to laugh at her face but he tried to hold it back as he gazed up seriously to her.

“Did you hear me??? I’m asking for your help…”, Lay pressed on the matter as Ara shrugged her shoulders in disgust.

“And why on Earth should I help you??? Don’t you know the meaning of ‘GET LOST’??? Because you can clearly see that now, I’m in the middle of working so…yeah, just get lost…”, Ara simply commented and turned her back on that weirdo. She wasn’t a counselor to be the one that console with his problem. She was a wedding planner, for God’s sake!!! ….and if he didn’t want to marry his so called ‘ajumma’, why did he came to her??? A wedding planner??? Ara thought dully as she shook her head and rubbed her hair. Lay jerked up his eyebrow at her before he cleared his throat again.

“You said you’re working…then why on Hell that a wedding planner standing here likes a cheap stripper only to beg for a customer???”, he asked her sarcastically as he crossed his arms in front of his body, eyeing Ara from her head to her toe. That girl glanced angrily to him and hastily covered her body with the board that she was holding when Lay mentioned about ‘stripper’. His devilish smile couldn’t be trust at all. Ara let out her gave up sigh before she nodded lazily to him.

“I know…I’m looks stupid here…but, hey! I’m only doing my job using my own effort…so can you please don’t into my business and just get back to your ugly ajumma??? Because she is waiting for you to marry her…she promised you to be your good, lovely wife…so yeah, just surrender yourself to her…”, Ara replied in a very fast mode before Lay snapped his fingers in front of her face, making her to blink stupidly at him. He laughed.

“That is one vital mistake that you made…eavesdropping…that won’t do you a trick, man…”, he commented again as Ara exhaled in disbelief. She shook her head again, eyeing this handsome for nothing boy before she groaned loudly.

“Fine! Fine! What actually do you want me to do??? You want me to kill that ajumma???”, she asked desperately as she rolled her eyes and crossed her own hands in front of her body, throwing the board down to the road. Lay curved a satisfy smile as he nodded in agreement.

“Well, happy too…I love that idea of yours but if you actually do it, I’m afraid that you will need to spend your whole life in the prison or worst, grave as soon as that ajumma vanish from this world…”, Lay reasoned out again and Ara laughed wickedly at his truth about that fact. He made it sounded so amusing but yeah, if she did killed that old lady, she definitely was in trouble. So she nodded as a reply.

“Got it…cancel the murdering plan…what do you want me to do instead??? I’m only good at one thing and that is planning…don’t ask me to do some charity work because I’m at it…”, Ara told him truthfully as Lay nodded in understanding. He scratched his neck, thinking for a while before he looked up at her and smiled devilishly sweet. Ara stuck out her tongue to him and glared away.

“I guess you’re about to do a charity work...”, he blurted out cheerfully as he clapped his hands and Ara groaned in frustration again.

“Now what??? First, you came here like a pig poking its nose to me and second, you want me to help you doing a charity work in order to get rid of your so called ajumma!! What is it actually your real intention???”, Ara forced him hard as she cursed under her breath and fanned herself with her hands, biting her lips in disgust. Where all the refreshing morning glory that surrounded her just now??? She only saw dull black sky that clouded her world right at this moment. But that damn boy was still smiling at her. And she hated it to admit that his smile was indeed…stunningly handsome. So she let out a weak sigh and looked away from him.

“I’m meaning about the charity work is that you have to marry me…so that I can happily escape from that ajumma and my grandpa…”, Lay finally voiced out his desire that made Ara to jerk up her eyebrow to him. What did he say??? He asked her to marry him??? Only to save him from that old bride??? Ara nodded and clapped her hands loudly, she was laughing out to him that made Lay to stare confusedly at her. Then she stopped and rolled her eyes.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Kris walked out from his bedroom and headed straight to the dining. Once he entered it, his maids were all bowing politely to him. He slightly nodded and took his seat at the long wooden table situated extravagantly in the middle of the room. Here came his maids, serving him with bunches of delicacies as he eyed the food emptily. He didn’t have any appetite to taste any of the fancy food. Since he broke up with Sooyoung last night, his whole world had turned complete dull.

“Young master, please enjoy your breakfast…”, a chef said to him as he motioned his hands for Kris to start eating but Kris shook his head. He pushed the glittering porcelain plate away as he placed down his hands on the table instead. Then he sighed heavily before he glanced sideway to his maids, all queuing in one line to wait for his command.

“Bring me the newspaper…”, he ordered with stern voice as one of the maids nodded and moved to get him the paper. Once he got it inside his hands, he flipped it opened. His eyes caught on a picture of a girl, largely printed on the front page. Kris frowned at her beautiful face before his eyes darted to its headline on top of the photo.

‘KIM SO EUN, A GOLDEN PRINCESS THAT MANAGED TO CAPTURE THE HEART OF WU TRADING’S PRINCE-KRIS WU’

Kris widened his eyes upon seeing that title. Why on Earth this kind of news existed??? Kim So Eun??? Who was she??? Kris blinked dumbly as he stared close to the news and reread it. He even read the whole news and was aware that he knew this girl long ago during his studies time in oversea and was about to marry together to tied an official knot to their love story! What the Hell??? He didn’t even know a single thing about this girl and they created a tale that Kris himself didn’t realize it! Kris groaned loudly and threw the paper instantly onto the table, making the juice in the jug to split down. All his maids were startled, clutching their hearts as they stared at now fierce angry face of Kris. He cursed silently as he felt his chest moved up and down rapidly. He was so angry about this!!! This all fake beautiful fairytale love story must be successfully created by his mother! It must be her! That evil and wicked woman! Kris thought grudgingly before he shouted on top of his lungs.

“MOM!!!!”, he screamed and his maids came surrounded him to calm his nerve down.

“Cool down, young master…cool…”, they said together but Kris shot them with his deadly glares so they immediately looked down.

“Where the Hell is my mother???”, he asked loudly and started walking out from the dining room and entered the giant living room. His maids were tailing him behind. Suddenly an old man, the ultimate secretary of his family came rushing to him from the main door.

“Young master, madam isn’t here…she had gone out early this morning…”, he told him as he bowed down to him apologetically. Kris sighed angrily and turned around to walk back to his room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

“Here…”, Aunt Jung handed an amount of money to the taxi driver before she smiled and thanked him for the ride. Then she turned back, heading slowly to the shop in front of her as her hands busily grumbling inside her handbag to search for a key. The shop’s key. Aunt Jung stopped on her way when she looked up seeing that the shop was already opened. The sign was on and its front door was as welcoming as always. She thought dully. It was very rare for So Eun to come earlier than her. As a keeper to this shop, it was her job to keep open and close of the door. But last night So Eun insisted that she wanted to stay longer in here so Aunt Jung left for home ahead from her. This morning, she was already opening the shop back.

“That is fast…”, Aunt Jung commented under her breath before she started walking again to enter the door.

“Morning, honey…”, she greeted cheerfully but her smile was swept off from her face when she saw So Eun lying motionlessly on the couch. She grasped and ran to her.

“So Eun ah!!! What’s wrong with you??!!”, she urged nervously as she took a seat beside her and cupped the girl’s weak face. Aunt Jung flinched upon seeing the black ring circling her eyes as So Eun pushed her hands lightly and lay back again. Aunt Jung sighed.

“What is actually happening to you??? You didn’t go home at all last night??? That’s very unbelievable!”, Aunt Jung said loudly to her as So Eun shook her head and covered her ears with her hands.

“Stop it, aunty…I’m not in the mood to talk about it…”, she refused and closed her eyes tight, didn’t want to look at the reality around her. So Eun didn’t want to be aware that she has to live in this whole day without Kim Bum beside her, in her heart and in her life. Aunt Jung sighed again before she patted So Eun on her back gently.

“So Eun ah…if you’re worry about the customers last night, you better stop thinking about it by now…you’re talented, dear…surely you can find another customers, besides million other people to be your clients…they would love your service and ideas…I believe in you…”, So Eun heard her aunt advising her. Then she slowly looked up to her, staring with teary eyes toward Aunt Jung.

“Aunty…I’m sorry…”, she said apologetically as she leaned forward to hug her and started sobbing again in her arms. Aunt Jung closed her hands around So Eun and patted her hair lightly.

“Hey, calm down baby…you’re going to be fine…everything gonna be alright…”, Aunt Jung consoled her again but So Eun hastily shook her head in her still flowing tears.

“It’s not like that, Aunt Jung…things will never be better again…I lost my client and my money…but I don’t really hurt about it…but my biggest regret is…I have broke up with Kim Bum…he dumped me last night…he left me with a simple telephone call!!! I don’t believe it that he hurt me like this!!! I’m not a rubbish, Aunty!!!”, that woman felt hung opened widely when she heard So Eun explained her grief like that. Aunty Jung immediately let go of So Eun as she pushed the girl to face her straightly.

“Are you sure about this???”, she asked in disbelief as So Eun nodded weakly, tears rolling down her cheeks like small white diamonds. Aunt Jung frowned at her and pulled her into her embraces again.

“It’s okay, So Eun ah…I believe that you will find someone better than him…trust me…”, she assured her as So Eun closed her eyes, trying hard to believe her words. They stay locked in each other embraces before Aunt Jung let her go and cupped her face, motioning So Eun to stare closely to her.

“Now listen to me…you can’t go on like this…you have to be strong…go and wash up your face, fix your hair and makeup beautifully…”, Aunt Jung instructed her as So Eun stared dumbly to that woman. “…then start working again…build your new life and forget everything…surely things gonna be better after that…”, she added but So Eun let out a heavy sigh, making Aunt Jung to roll her eyes.

“Aigoo, So Eun ah! I know you can do this…you always have my faith with you…okay???”, Aunt Jung pressed again on that matter as So Eun finally nodded slowly toward her. Aunt Jung smiled and massaged So Eun on her shoulders.

“Now, go!”, she cheered in high spirit before So Eun smiled a little to her and got up from her seat. She arranged her steps, entering the small room at the back of her shop before stopped in front of a mirror, hung on the wall. So Eun gazed up to her emotionless face. She sighed. She never saw this kind of gloomy expression on her always bright face. Maybe Aunt Jung was right. She shouldn’t regret it all the misfortunes that had occurred in her life. She has to move on with her life even though the pain inside her heart still aching silently, weakening her progress. But So Eun ignored that feeling as she patted her cheeks lightly, trying to bring out the mood. Then she moved quickly to wash her face, put on light makeup on her already darling look and finally combed up her long wavy hair. So Eun nodded. She was ready to start working again as her most beloved job, a wedding planner.

“So…So Eun ah!!!”, she was startled when suddenly she heard Aunt Jung screamed from outside of the room. So Eun rushed out and stopped beside her, holding her shoulders nervously.

“What is it, aunty???”, she asked as she frowned in confusion, eyes fixed on that now ridiculous face of Aunt Jung. Instead, that woman shook her head and pointed her finger toward a direction. So Eun followed her way before finally her sights stopped at the outside of her shop. So Eun chocked in shock before she slowly took her steps, nearing the door. She stopped before it with Aunt Jung grabbing on her arm and peeked out from behind her to a car that was now parked in front of their shop. So Eun widened her eyes upon seeing a middle aged woman whom drove a super, duper expensive and marvelous car, walked out from it with red Prada in her feet and even wearing shining sunglass. So Eun was startled! Damn startled! Aunt Jung tugged her on her blouse as So Eun turned side way to her.

“What???”, she asked mysteriously, whispering to her aunty. That woman giggled as she smiled naughtily to her.

“It’s a very lucky day for you, So Eun ah!!! We can finally earn a real big money from this handsome woman!!! We’re save now!!!”, commented Aunt Jung excitedly as she whispered back to So Eun. The funny part was that they didn’t realize it, they were whispering to each other even though that rich-looking woman was still far away from them. She couldn’t possibly to hear the two as they gossiping about it because she was still standing by her car and looked up to So Eun’s shop. Mrs. Wu pulled down her glasses and jerked an eyebrow at the pinky board of the shop written ‘Wonderland Wedding’.

“A wedding planner, huh???”, she commented sarcastically under her breath before she looked down to the shop. So Eun hastily standing straight back by her door when she saw that woman had already made her way nearing the shop. Aunt Jung excitedly pulled open the door wide when Mrs. Wu stepped inside. She glanced wickedly from the corner of her eyes as So Eun hesitated to smile to her. So Eun looked down for a while. This woman had some kind of scary aura with her. She thought dully before she gazed again and put up a fake nice smile to her.

“Welcome to…”, she started greeting her but she was cut off when that woman held up her hand toward her. So Eun and Aunt Jung exchanged glances questioningly.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

“Waiter! Waiter! Come here!”,, Lay sighed in despair as he boringly stared at Ara, sitting in front of him in this restaurant. The waiter came for the third time, glancing down weirdly toward Ara as she continuously picked the menu.

“I want this whole three sets!”, she said while holding up the menu card high to the waiter. He blinked in confusion but he jotted down her orders and walked back to the counter. Then Ara shifted on her chair before smiling up again to Lay. He chuckled, what a small body for a big eater like her! He thought dumbly and raised his hand.

“One question…who is going to pay for those food you ordered just now???”, Lay asked her, frowning with serious face as he pointed straight to the bill under Ara’s glass. She followed his finger foolishly before she grinned and winked at him.

“You of course! Aren’t it normal enough for a husband to pay everything for his wife???”, she answered confidently but Lay shook his head in rejection.

“We are not officially married yet…”, he told her but Ara waved a finger in front of his eyes playfully.

“No, no, no…our journey as husband and wife started when you proposed to me in the middle of the road just now…”, she said again but Lay rolled his eyes in disgust.

“Yeah…but you not yet agree to it…you never say ‘I do’…instead you bad mouthing me with saying thing like…bull???”, Lay replied as he shrugged and Ara sipped on her drink calmly. She raised an eyebrow to him and properly put down her glass back on the table.

“Count it as an ‘I do’ then…don’t you think it is creative??? Instead of saying the common ‘I do’, I’m saying ‘bull’ to you…yeah, creative enough…besides, we are no longer in that opera years…it’s 21 century already…time for some changes…”, she gave out her opinion in her most sincere tone, making Lay to shake his head in misunderstanding.

“Well, whatever…so my ‘lovely wife’…what should I call you???”, Lay asked her as he leaned forward to the table, eyeing Ara closely. He has to admit it that this girl was one of the cutest girls he ever met despite her lunatic attitude. Ara smiled sheepishly at him as she slammed loudly on the table, causing the other guests to glance weirdly at them. Lay smiled apologetically to them but Ara ignored it.

“Aigoo…just skip the introduction…you can call me Ara…so tell me, why are you so desperate to marry that ajumma???”, she asked in her most business-like tone. Lay stared at her but then he sighed, didn’t know how to explain the true matter to her.

“We will skip the introduction but you still need to know my name…I’m Lay and I’m a Chinese…”, he told her at once as Ara narrowed her eyes, thinking deep thoroughly.

“My husband is a Chinese boy…interesting…”, she commented as Lay laughed funnily at her.

“Yeah…it’s up on you how you want to take it but…about that ajumma and me…we are just accidently planning to get married…not more than that…”, he added again before Ara frowned.

“Accidently planning to get married??? Why??? You make her pregnant???”, she carelessly blurted out her thinking as Lay rested down his head on the table in frustration. Why did he choose this girl to be his bride???

“Hell no I’ll do that to her! It’s all because of my grandpa…he’s sick right now so he ask for his last wish to directly seeing me get married…but I know he is actually hoping for more…he just doesn’t want me to be alone in case one day he is…die…”, Lay concluded his explanation and Ara found herself froze under his heart-throbbing story. Now she understood it, why on Earth he was desperate to find a suitable bride for him.

“But why her??? Why that ajumma and not another young girl???”, Ara kept on asking as Lay laughed as he remembered Ms. Kyung’s face inside his mind. That woman was indeed a good motherly lady. But instead of marrying her as a husband, he would more prefer to be her son.

“Because she is the only person trusted by my grandpa…she is his old friend so…yeah…my grandpa put his faith on her to take care of me…”, Lay explained again and Ara chuckled playfully at him.

“Aigoo…such a big boy yet you need a mature woman to look after you…aigoo…”, she as Lay grinned in amusement before he shook his head.

“Me myself doesn’t willing for it to be happened…that’s why I’m coming to you…I know that you need to find a customer within this two weeks…so, let’s help each other…”, Lay suggested but Ara already blinked her eyes stupidly toward that boy. Lay shrugged his shoulders.

“What???”, he asked questioningly.

“How do you know about that???”, she asked him back mysteriously and Lay broke a funny laughter.

“Of course I knew it, genius…I have my own way…”

“Ah…now I see, you have become my ultimate stalker…good…”, Ara replied again as she made a thumb up to him, flashing him her dashing double smiles. Lay chuckled as he shook his head in mental rejection.

“It doesn’t matter…the main thing is that you have agreed to marry me…that’s mean that I’m saved right now…at least I don’t have to disappoint my grandpa…”, he mumbled again as Ara pushed on her fork and stared sternly to Lay.

“Before that, you have to promise me that you will pay everything for me!”, she requested as Lay raised his eyebrow to her.

“What do you mean by everything??? I though you only need some money from your only ‘customer’…”, Lay replied her but she held up her hand, asking him to wait. Then she clicked her fingers, calling out to the waiter once again.

“Waiter, come here please…”, she ordered in high formality in her voice as Lay sighed, staring absentmindedly to this real weirdo. But he waited and placed his elbows on the table as he yawned lazily. When the waiter came, she looked up and smiled politely.

“May I ask for a calculator???”, she asked suddenly and Lay frowned at her while the waiter eyed her confusedly. He rubbed his hair in hesitation.

“What do you want, miss???”, he asked for confirmation again before Ara shook her head impatiently.

“I am asking for a calculator…you know, a device with numerical buttons on it…”, she explained in detail, making Lay to laughed at her in amusement. The waiter nodded but his face was clearly drawn with confusion on it.

“What a lame…doesn’t he know what calculator is???”, Ara mumbled alone when the waiter had gone. Lay rolled his eyes.

“Of course he know…but you’re the one that weird enough to ask for calculator in this restaurant!”, Lay reasoned out but Ara shook her head in disagreement.

“Well that’s the customer’s privilege…they need to grant it including the weird one…”, she answered again. Lay sighed in silent. This girl surely has every answer to every question, right??? Then here came the calculator and Ara started calculating while her hands busied writing down a list on the tissue paper.

“The house’s rent…the electric bills for three months…the gas…and the food…the laundry…em ehem…is there anything else??? Ah, some new clothes for me! That’s all! All that you need to pay for me, hubby…”, she said after she finished listing out her endless monthly payments. She shoved the tissue toward Lay as he gazed up unbelievably on her face. He sighed and shook his head but he took it and stared at the tissue now decorated with her hideous handwriting. Lay bit his lips, for the sake of his grandfather and his own sweet escape from Ms. Kyung, he knew he have to accept this ridiculous requirement! Lay inhaled deeply before he looked up to Ara and smiled sarcastically.

“I like it, honey!!! Let’s get married soon!!!”, he concluded cheerfully and Ara clapped her hands along with their too loud laughter causing the customers around them to glance uncomfortably toward the pair of lunatics.

“Yeah!!! Now that we have agreed on it…so how about a cup of ice cream for the dessert???”, Ara suddenly asked when they had stopped laughing and Lay blinked at her.

“Huh??? Ice cream???”

“Yes! Ice cream! It suits this sweet aura, right??? We’re finally saved because you got to escape from your ajumma and I gained my customer which is you!!! So, yeah! We have to celebrate it!”, Ara explained excitedly and Lay frowned for a while. But then he snapped his hands together and pointed straight toward Ara.

“You’re right, honey! Ice cream! Let’s eat it!!!”

“Yeah! Bring it on!”

“WAITER!!!”, they called out loudly in union right now, making the waiter to clutch on his heart. Lay and Ara were indeed, the weirdest couple ever exist in this world. Fifteen minutes later…

“Ah…my stomach is full!”, Ara commented lazily as she rubbed her stomach in satisfaction but Lay patted his pocket in frustration.

“Yeah…and my purse is empty…”, he said sadly but Ara turned to him and slung one arm around his neck.

“Don’t stress about it, buddy…everything gonna be alright!”, she cheered him as Lay stared at her face. She was weird but she was cute too. He praised her silently before nodded. Ara nodded too and they laughed together again. Then they started to walk out from the restaurant’s door when Lay’s eyes suddenly froze on someone, now walking into the very same restaurant. Immediately, Lay grabbed Ara on her arm and swung her to face him instead.

“What the…”, she tried to say as she felt her body spun around but she didn’t manage too because the next thing that she realized was, Lay’s lips on hers. Ara widened her eyes in sudden shock. She tried to push his body away from her but she felt that Lay gripped his hands tighter around her waist, holding her closer to him. Then she heard a woman’s voice behind them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

So Eun put down the newspaper on the table after she finished reading until its last sentence. She shut that hung opened widely from the very start she read the news, advertising her own picture on it. Then she gazed up to the woman that now sat in front of her while having her slim legs to cross on one another. She had taken off her glasses so So Eun could directly look at her face to face. She was pretty even though she had reached her forties maybe. So Eun thought dully before she cleared and slightly glimpsed to Aunt Jung. Her aunty was now sitting at the counter, eyeing this rich woman from her head down to her toe. Then So Eun turned back to face her.

“You’re joking…right??? About this news…”, So Eun started as she pointed one finger down on the newspaper. Mrs. Wu chuckled at her.

“Unfortunately I’m not that type of person that love to make a joke so, yeah…I’m not joking you about the news…”, she replied but So Eun shrugged at her.

“Well, you make one now…the most ridiculous joke I ever heard…”, she commented sarcastically as she saw Aunty Jung covered with her hand, trying to hide her laugh. Mrs. Wu rolled her eyes but she crossed her hands in front of her body and looked up seriously toward So Eun.

“You should be grateful to me…because upon thousands of girl in Seoul, you’re accidently selected to be my daughter in law…it is such an honor…”, Mrs. Wu told her but So Eun narrowed her eyes.

“Now what??? Am I just some kind of lucky draw winner, winning the competition to be your son’s wife??? You can’t do this madam…I’m not ready to marry anyone…I still have to run this shop and my life is still facing its long journey…I won’t waste it by marrying your son…”, she explained with Aunt Jung nodded in agreement beside them. Mrs. Wu let go of a weak sigh. This plain wedding planner was rejecting her son??? Didn’t she know who they are??? She thought again before she looked back to So Eun, now frowning sternly to her.

“How long have you running this shop???”, Mrs. Wu suddenly asked as she waved her hands around the shop. So Eun followed her moving hands before she curved a small smile.

“Only for a few months…”, she answered and Mrs. Wu started shooting her with questions again.

“Do you face any problem during that period???”, So Eun bit her lips but she shook her head.

“Everything is fine for now…the worst is just…”, So Eun trying to tell about her losing her customer recently but she didn’t want this woman to look down on her ability so she quickly shut . Mrs. Wu stared sarcastically to her.

“The worst is what???”, she pressed and Aunt Jung answered it on behalf of So Eun.

“The worst is just that So Eun lost her latest customer…but it is fine because she can give her service to many more clients in this town…that couple isn’t the only one that wanted to get married…”, Aunt Jung explained and So Eun smiled knowingly toward her. Mrs. Wu nodded her head and she moved her body forward to stare closer at So Eun. The girl blinked in confusion.

“That’s it…you lost your latest customer so let me pay for the loss that they caused you…I’m hiring you to be a wife to my son…then I’ll give you more money to expand your business into a bigger company and you can even gain more clients among the richest VIPs…I’ll recommend your shop to them…is it okay???”, Mrs. Wu voiced out the marvelously delicious deal. Aunt Jung widened her eyes in disbelief while So Eun shook her head. She stood up from her seat to walk back to her handbag, grabbing her phone to check their online website.

“Don’t hurt your son like that, madam…he would be hurt If he know that his marriage is just a business…to me, marriage is about commitment…you have to share your whole life with one person that truly dear to you…the vow that you chanted on your wedding isn’t just words…it’s deeply meaningful…to always be there for each other in sickness and health…to cherish your partner till death do them apart…it isn’t a game…don’t take this too simple…”, she advised her but once she saw the picture of her and Kim Bum on the phone screen, her heart was shattered again. Her only love had gone lost. Can she possibly love again??? Is it marrying the dearest one truly prominent to her??? Maybe she should just agree with this lady. She can simply accept her request and live happily with her rich husband but then again…she never know him…how could they possibly live with each other??? Suddenly they heard a zooming car from outside of the shop. So Eun, Mrs. Wu and Aunt Jung spontaneously turned their heads toward the car before it stopped behind Mrs. Wu’s antique car and a tall boy came out from inside of it. So Eun frowned at him as he arranged his steps into her shop. He pushed open the door loudly, causing it to bang on the wall before he walked in and stopped between So Eun and Mrs. Wu. She eyed that boy questioningly before she glanced back to Mrs. Wu and then back again to that boy. Aunt Jung was doing the same as she blinked her eyes. So Eun lost for words when she eyed this boy. He was so tall that So Eun guessing on his height, maybe he was towering over 180 cm and above.

“Ah, my son is finally here…Ms. Kim, an introduction for you, this is my son, your husband to be, Kris Wu…and Kris, this is Ms. Kim So Eun…I bet you already knew her according to the news, right???”, that woman started saying but her son shook his head.

“Cut it out, mom! I’m not marrying anyone here!”, Kris snapped as So Eun glared up to him.

“So he doesn’t know it that you actually arrange everything for this marriage???”, So Eun also exclaimed angrily toward Mrs. Wu. That woman rolled her eyes to both of them.

“Don’t worry about it, Ms. Kim…it isn’t his right to go against this matter…”, Mrs.Wu answered carelessly but Kris jerked up his eyebrow at his mother.

“Why not??? This marriage is mine! I’m the one who will be the groom so of course I have the very right to talk about this…”

“Don’t be such a selfish, will you??? I’m only doing my best to save you from that girlfriend of yours!!”, they started to argue with each other as So Eun frowned confusedly and shook her head.

“Wait…what is this all about??? Why did she want to save you??? And who is the girlfriend???”, So Eun poked in the argument but Kris shot her with his deadly glare.

“Stop calling her like that! My girlfriend isn’t as bad as you guys thought she is…”, he snapped loudly to So Eun and she chuckled at him in disgust, hands now on her hips.

“Then who is it that so called angelic girlfriend of yours??? Why don’t you just married to her instead of asking your mom to beg like a slave here???”, So Eun asked angrily and Kris let out a long sigh, massaging his forehead in frustration.

“For God’s sake, she has a name, okay??? Which is Sooyoung!! And she is way more pretty and more precious than just a cheap wedding planner like you!!”, So Eun felt that her face was slapped hard by those words when he was bad-mouthing her job. This was so unforgettable!!! He will get it from her!!! So Eun bottled up her anger as she was about to reply his words but then they were all startled by a sudden flashing of camera. They looked sideway in union and realized that bunches of paparazzi had came to surround this shop just to peek at this new hot issue about the couple for ‘wedding of the year’ in whole nation. So Eun felt her jaw dropped widely as she never saw this kind of situation in front of her very eyes. Then her senses come back to her and So Eun immediately seized this chance to escape from this bratty prince. She thought angrily as she walked over to the door and pulled the door of her shop widely. Then she stood in front of the long lines of cameramen and reporters, crossing her arms in front of her body in determination. Kris and Mrs. Wu eyed her questioningly while Aunt Jung snapped her forehead in disbelief. How could such chaos occur here???

“Now, everyone! Listen to me! I’m sorry about the mistake but I’m not marrying him!”, she shouted loudly over the noisy clicking sound of the cameras. Kris rolled his eyes but he also walked to stand next to her and looked down grudgingly to her. So Eun dared her scariest glare to him too.

“Further information for all of you, I’m not marrying her too!”, Kris added and So Eun chuckled at him.

“Great! We are even now!”, she said as she smiled her stunningly beautiful but devilish smile to him as Kris raised his eyebrow high wickedly.

“Glad to know that!”, he replied and So Eun nodded.

“Now get out from my shop!”, she exclaimed and pointed her hand straight to the exit way of this shop.

“With pleasure!”, Kris said angrily again and was about to step out from the shop but Mrs. Wu screamed on top of her lungs, making all the cameramen and reporters to clutch on their hearts in shock.

“ENOUGH!!!”, she shouted, making everyone to freeze before she cleared and walked to stand in front of So Eun and Kris, facing all the press.

“I’m terribly sorry that I have to let all of you watch that argument just now…but Kris and his girlfriend had always scolding each other like that since they were kids…”, Mrs. Wu started to lie again, covering everything with her high-class actress faces while So Eun frowned from behind of her and Kris shook his head in mental rejection.

“Kids???”, So Eun asked absentmindedly as Kris added.

“Mom, quit acting…”, but he was silent by her mother’s devilish glares. Mrs. Wu cursed under her breath, feeling tired to handle these two stubborn people before she turned toward the press again.

“Here is another announcement for all of you…their wedding, Kris Wu and Kim So Eun will officially being held at the end of this month…”, Mrs. Wu instantly decided again. Kris closed his eyes, feeling a heavy headache spreading inside his head while So Eun felt that her head was just being knocked down by an invisible giant rock! Before they managed to protest it, Mrs. Wu had looked over her shoulder toward Kris and So Eun, smiling her sweetest fake smile to the blurry couple.

“And that, is, final…”, she muttered out the words one by one to them; as a warning that her decision couldn’t be undone anymore. So Kris and So Eun froze there, lost for words as the cameras continued snapping their pictures standing side by side together in front of the shop. The weird part was, this newlywed-to-be were wearing such ridiculous and stern expressions on their faces.

“Congratulation for both of you!!!”, they heard the press congratulating them. They smirked simultaneously. Yeah, congrats them to this hell. They thought as they exchanged disgust looks with each other…

"I was supposed to be his wedding planner, not his bride!"