“How can you do this to me, Daddy?”  asked Tiffany after her Dad finished talking.

             Having been born and raised in America, never in her wildest dream did it occur to her that her Dad still believes in that age old crap of arranged marriage. And to make matters worse for her, she is the subject of it.

            “I’m only thinking about what’s good for you sweetheart,” answered Mr. Hwang.

            “If you’re thinking about me at all, you would have never subjected me to this,” shouted Tiffany.

            With that said, she grabbed her bag and keys and run towards the elevator of the hotel they were staying at. When she got inside her car, she drove aimlessly for hours until she found herself staring at the ocean. She slowed down and parked her car to the side when she saw some boulders arranged on the shore. She sat herself on one of the boulders and resumed crying. How can a perfect vacation with her family end up like this?

            Taeyeon was staring at her father while trying to wrap her mind on what the latter had just told her. It was several minutes before she was able to speak.

           “So basically, you’re asking me to marry someone I have not meet my entire life just because you made a promise with your best friend?” she asked.

           “I’m not asking you,” replied her father, “I’m ordering you.”

           “And if I say no?”

           “Forget that I’m your father.”

            Silence.

           “Then I think I’m no longer your daughter.”

            She turned around and walked calmly outside towards her car. That was the first time that she has answered back to her father. Never in her life has she turned down anything that her father asked her to do, but this time, it’s too much. She brought some beer in a convenience store along the way and drove to her favourite place when she wanted to unwind. However, she was surprised when she saw another car parked on her usual spot; people would ignore the spot most of the time. She shrugged her shoulders and got out of her car, bringing the pack of beer with her.  But before she was able to reach her favourite spot, she heard the sound of someone crying. She slowed down and saw a lady sitting on one of the boulders, with the latter’s head between her knees, her shoulders shaking. She didn’t know what made her do it, but she reached inside her bag and got her handkerchief. She walked slowly until she was beside her.

          “A lady should not be crying alone in this place,” she said while she extends her hand with the handkerchief.

          She felt a pain in her heart when the lady looked up and she saw her tear stained face. She tried to loosen the suddenly heavy atmosphere by giving the lady a smile.

           “Here, take this,” she offered her handkerchief. “That beautiful face is not meant to be stained with tears.”

            She doesn’t know whether to accept the handkerchief or not, but when the lady in front of her smiled, all her doubts vanished to the wind.

            “Thank you.”

            “May I?” asked the lady, pointing to the space beside her.

             She smiled towards her and nodded her head. She scooted over to give the new comer space.

            “I’m Taeyeon, by the way,” said the lady when she was caught by the former staring; she could not help herself, the lady beside her has the face of a baby. “And you are?”

           “My family and friends call me Tiffany.”

           “Can I call you Fany then?” asked Taeyeon.

           “Why?”

           “Maybe I’m not used to people having three syllables in their name?…” said Taeyeon who was again smiling towards her.

           She laughed.

          “It’s okay if you don’t want to.”

          “No, no. I only thought that you don’t like my name but it seemed like you have your own reason.” She continued laughing. Taeyeon laughed with her.

            “How did you discover this place?” asked Taeyeon after their laughter subsided.