CHAPTER 2

“You’re just going to be my wife in name of course, but when in front of any of my family members you’ll act like I’m the most lovable guy on earth, you’re just going to act like you’re madly in love with me, and everything’ll be alright.” He explained, irony certainly most present in his voice.

Dara just blinked at him, not saying anything, the whole thing was just too sudden for her that it doesn’t seem to be real.

“Well then, it seems that we’re almost done here.” Jiyong said, after waiting for Dara to respond, when he was sure she isn’t he concluded that it was done. “So, I’ll just call you when we’re going to--”

“Wait!” Dara suddenly spat out, she was looking at Jiyong with astonishment in her eyes, “You can’t be serious, I mean… is this some kind of a joke?” she asks, it was a ridiculous question, but the job was even more ridiculous to her.

Jiyong’s mouth turned into a thin line, he was looking so serious that she realized that all of it was true. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be here wasting my time talking to you if this was just, a joke.” He said, an ironic tone escapes his voice.

“Now, do you have any more questions?” he asked, irritation escaping his voice. She shook her head instantly, not because she was scared, but because she really had no more questions to ask, at least not at the moment.

“Good. Now continue to sign the contract, and I’ll take care of the rest.” He said.

She was did as she was told, though she’s really not liking the situation, let alone the person opposite to her, she can’t do anything but to comply since she already signed the contract. And of course, money. She finished writing and handed the contract back at to him, but then she jerked it back, he was surprised, and was going to say something when she beat him to it.

“Why are you doing this? Tell me first.” She asks, she held firm of the paper and looks at him with a hard look. She was curious, and if she was going to play in this, she had a right to know.

He was looking at her with bewilderment, but it changed into an amused expression, “Why do you want to know?” he asks, smirking.

This irritated her, she knows what he’s doing and she’s not going to let him manipulate her. “Don’t--”

“Don’t worry, you’ll know eventually.” He snapped, successfully taking the paper out of her hands.

“What the hell?” she said, she was really angry now, just what is the problem of this guy? She thought. She decided to ask,“What is your problem? You have to tell me the reason since I’m going to be a part of it!” she said, her voice a bit loud.

“Aish, that’s what I hate about girls, their just demand and demand, it’s annoying.” He said, not answering her question.

“Oh really?” Dara raised her brow, “Don’t worry, we girls hate a stubborn, rude, snobbish, arrogant--”

“Are you done talking?” Jiyong asked, “Oh, no, sorry… well because I’ve heard all of that what you said from others before, no need wasting your time talking.” He said, standing up from his seat, clearly the meeting was done.

Dara just looked at him, wide in horror, she can’t believe that the world has this kind of human being, let alone he was going to be her fake husband. How unlucky can she get?

“Uhh, it was nice meeting you in person Dara-ssi. We have to go, see you sometime again.” Youngbae said, standing up to follow Jiyong.

Dara was about to say something when Jiyong’s voice interrupted her. “Ya! YB, come on!” he shouted from the door.

“Is he always like that?” she can’t help but ask. 

Youngbae chuckled, “Yeah, most of the time. But he’s really a nice guy once you get to know him.” he said, another sound was heard from the door and Youngbae just sighed. “Bye.”

“Yeah sure.” She just said and looked at Yougbae’s retreating figure. After a few seconds, she heard the door close to a shut.

She let out an exasperating sigh. She had a bad morning, and the rest turned out bad as she expected it too. What did she do to have a very unlucky day?

She stood up and decided to go home.

&&

She arrived just after lunch, after unlocking the door, she was surprised Bom waiting for her by the doorway, all dressed up.

“What’s up?” she asks, stopping by the door.

“’What’s up?’” Bom looks at her incredulously, “Dara, your mom is in the hospital again and you ask me ‘what’s up?’” 

Dara was shocked, she forgot about it, she didn’t know when, but after talking to Jiyong, she’d really forgot all about it. “Oh my gosh! I forgot!”

“Of course you did, now come on, let’s go--” Bom said, starting to leave when Dara shouted.

“Wait! I still have to--”

“Dara! Don’t panic!” Bom said, looking at Dara and she managed to calm down a bit, “I’ve got it all here already, so don’t worry. Come on.” Bom smiled as she saw Dara teary eyed.

“I love you Bom, you know that?” she said, wiping her eyes.

“I know.” Bom said, already making her way out.

&&

They arrive at the hospital a while later, she already called his brother, Sanghyun, to tell him that they were on their way.

They immediately went to the assigned room, and Dara couldn’t help but to feel nervous, as she always did when she goes to the hospital. It seems that it has that effect on her. She hated it. 

They went inside the room and saw Sanghyun beside their mother at the far side of the room, which was a ward, since they can’t afford a private room. As soon as they walked inside, Sanghyun already saw them.

“Noona…” he said, standing up to meet them.

“Sanghyun…” she said and hugged him tight. She felt guilty for not really taking care of him that much, and not being able to be there when he’s scared, she knows he’s scared when their mother would always be sick.

“How’s eomma?” she ask, looking at him and then at the bed with the figure sleeping, with an uneven breathing. Her heart gave a squeeze.

“The doctor said that she’s fine, for now anyway… he said she needs to stay here in the hospital to keep her condition monitored.” He said.

She said nothing, the trouble of expenses is clouding in her mind again, but she pushed it away, and just glad that her mother was fine somehow. She’d worry about that later.

“Noona… what about the…” Sanghyun trailed off, it was no use to ask anyway, her noona would just say, “I’ll take care of it.” 

Sanghyun admires his sister for she was always looking strong and not that greatly affected by anything, but Dara was his sister, and they’ve been close since childhood, he’s known her all her life, and he knows perfectly that all of it was just a façade, a mask for the ones she love wouldn’t worry about her. But it isn’t working for him, he knows. Whatever happens he’ll be there for her, always.

“Here Sanghyun, I brought you food, you didn’t eat lunch yet, have you?” Bom asks, and he nodded. “What about you Dara?” 

“I’m fine, I’ve eaten already…” she lied, she wants to stay by her mother’s side more. “You guys just eat, I’ll be right here.”

“Okay.” Bom smiled and rubbed Dara’s back. “We’ll be right back.” 

Dara nodded and watch them walk to the door and got outside. She sighed and sat down on the chair where Sanghyun sat earlier. She took her mother’s hand in her own, holding it tightly.

“Eomma… please hang on okay? You’ll get better I promise…” she said, barely a whisper. “I already got a job and its high pay, I promise you… we’ll go to the best doctors to get you cured.” 

“Dara…” her mother replied softly, her eyes flutter open, though not really wide. She smiled at Dara.

“Eomma! You’re awake, are you alright? Do you feel anything weird--?” she stood up suddenly, hovering over her, panicking.

“Dara, relax, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Her mother said, motioning her to sit back down again. “You’re still as panicky as ever.”

Dara just smiled sheepishly.

“So tell me about this new job you just told me…” she asks, looking at her with droopy eyes.

“Well…” ‘It’s a fake marriage job… I’m going to marry someone to be his fake wife.’ She thought, and of course, she couldn’t say that to her mother, she knows that she’d freak out. “It—it’s… I’m going to be a waitress in a… a very nice restaurant.” She said, smiling awkwardly at her mother, she’d never been a good liar, but she was glad that her mother doesn’t seem to notice it.

She felt relieved when her mother just smiled, “That’s great, but don’t overwork yourself too much okay?”

“Okay.” She said, smiling back at her. seeing her mother smile is what she treasures the most and seeing it brought strength inside her, that she could overcome anything if she had the will to, even the arrogant guy, Jiyong.

&&

Jiyong was examining the paper as if it were a test paper in math, he was looking at it closely that Youngbae had to laugh.

“Ji, what the hell are you doing?” he asks.

“What?” Jiyong asks, looking up from the paper.

“I said, what are you doing, you’ve been looking at that contract ever since we sat down. No, not only looking, you were reading it closely.” Youngbae said, copying how Jiyong was looking at the paper.

“What? No, I didn’t. I was just… there was just something I don’t understand in her writing that’s all.” He said, putting the paper aside.

“Really? Was there something amazing in there that you were just so keen in reading?” 

“No, nothing, the girl’s boring.” Jiyong said, taking a shot.

Youngbae shrugged, “If you say so.” He said, smirking. “Why’d you have to be so rude to her anyway?”

Jiyong looks at him with sharp eyes, “Why’d you ask?” 

Youngbae could tell that he was irritated by the question, “Nothing, just curious, is all.” 

“Stop asking, I’m tired to think anymore.” He said, resting his head on the back of the chair, that he was facing the ceiling.

‘Was I really rude?’ he asked himself.

‘Course you were, you made the poor girl so irritated with you.’ His inner self said.

‘Not my fault she was annoying.’ He thought.

‘Really? I thought she was cute, like you thought before.’ His inner self said, laughing.

‘Shut up.’ He thought, and again, talking to his inner self wasn’t anything good so he just thought of something else.

And her image appears in his mind. The person he talked to into becoming his wife. He shakes his head, why did she appear in his mind? 

“Ya… YB, what are we drinking? Is this new?” he asks, looking at him.

“What? No, of course not. This is the same thing we drink every time we come here.” He said, “Why? Is there anything wrong?” he added.

“No, nothing…” he said, “Just have some weird side effects…” he muttered, which Youngbae didn’t hear.

&&

“Thanks for the lunch noona.” Sanghyun said, waving at her from the entrance of the hospital.

“You’re welcome.” Bom smiled at him and waved. “Tell your sister I had to come to work already okay? Thanks Sanghyun.”

“Sure thing noona.” He said.

Bom waved for the last time and set out to walk, she was going to get a cab since the place she works at was a bit far away from the hospital.

Someone called her while she and Sanghyun were in the cafeteria.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Bom-ah? It’s me. Can you come here early?” she heard a familiar voice of a girl, which was her boss from work.

“Eh? Why? My time’s not until later, did something happen?” she asks.

“Well, yeah. I had a call about my husband and I need to go somewhere.” Her boss said, “Could you open up?” she asks.

“It’s okay… I’ll open up.” She said, she really didn’t have anything to do anyway. But that’s not the only reason.

“Oh, thank god. Don’t worry, I’ll call the others to help you. Thanks Bom.” 

“Sure.” She said and hung up. 

Actually, she can’t wait to get to the club, she was eager to see a certain someone again. She doesn’t know, but ever since she met that guy, she was hooked. He was like a drug somehow.

She sighed, she didn’t actually likes the feeling, she knows that if this gets deeper, she’d be in trouble.

“No, it’s just work, and nothing more.”

&&

Dara was outside to get some coffee when her phone rang, she paused to answer it. “Yeoboseyo?”

“It’s me.” A familiar voice she just knew entered her ears.

“Oh, what do you want?” she asks, not caring if she sounded rude.

“Tsk, did I disturb you or something?” he asks, his tone mocking. “Anyway, let’s meet up tomorrow for the wedding.”

“What the--! Tomorrow’s the wedding already?!!” she asks, half shouting on the phone. She was shocked, isn’t it too soon? She hasn’t even told her family yet, not even Bom.

“Yeah, the sooner the better, I don’t know if they plan to surprise me…” he trailed off, obviously he said something he shouldn’t. “Just come tomorrow, and please don’t be late. It’s your own wedding.” He said, chuckling.

It seems that everything was moving too fast for her. she going to get crazy at this rate. “F-fine, whatever. Just tell me the location.” She said.

“I’ll message it to you. And oh, bring someone with you, for witness. Got that?”

“Yea--” but she only heard beeping sounds indicating that he already hung up. She looks at her phone, not able to believe everything that was happening. It was really too fast.

“Okay Dara… just relax… it’s just your wedding tomorrow…” she told herself, but it just got her more nervous.


-tbc-

a/n: im sooooo sorry for the very late update!! ><
hoped you liked this chapter ^^ em, who's the mysterious guy of Bom? you should already know XDD LMAO