I wrap my arms around myself, protecting my small figure from the harsh winds. 

Where are you unnie? 

The final bell rang almost fifteen minutes ago. My sister only graduated from school two years ago, surely she remembers that school finishes at three o'clock, on the dot. 

I look around frantically, searching for any sight of her or her car. The winds pick up and suddenly, my hair's flying around my face. I gasp and go to secure it back into it's hair tie, only to find that it's been snapped by the winds.

Unnnnnnie! 

Suddenly, a familiar, sleek black car pulls up in front of me. 

"Finally!" I cry, jumping into the passenger seat of the car, slamming the door behind me in the process. I sigh in content when the warm air from the heater hits me. 

"Sorry!" Soyeon cries, unwrapping the scarf from around her neck, and wrapping it around mine. 

"It's fine." I murmur, my mood lightening now that I was in the warm car. 

"Let's get you home before you sick. You were waiting long, weren't you?" she cooes, placing a hand on my forehead. I laugh and pull away from her hand.

"I'm fine, unnie. Let's just go home, okay?" I say. She rolls her eyes and drives off. 

"Sure, you say you're fine now. But just so you know, I'm not going to look after you when you get sick, Soeun can do that." she says, turning her nose up. I shake my head and chuckle, remembering when I looked after her when she was sick not that long ago. "Oh! Also! Appa wanted me to tell you that you're going out for dinner tonight!" 

I turn and look at her. 

"Me? Why not us?" I ask. She shrugs. 

"He must mean business." Soyeon says, focusing on the road. I sigh and snuggle deeper into my seat, ignoring her story about how she got a dress today. I look out the window again and think about what she just said. 

It must be serious if appa is just having me out for dinner. He never takes just one of us out unless the others are away or sick... 

"Hello?! Earth to Sojin!" Soyeon cries, pulling me out of my thoughts. 

"Huh? What?" I mumble, surprise at her sudden shouting. She lets out a huff and runs a hand through her long hair, that she's dyed and re-dyed almost a dozen times. 

"I was talking about the dress I brought for you. For tonight. Appa said it was fancy, and I know that the only 'fancy' dress you own is that white one, and you wore that last week to that stupid Gala Dinner." she says, placing her perfectly manicured hand back on the steering wheel. 

"Oh, thanks for that unnie." I say, genuinely grateful to the fact that she brought me a new dress. 

"You owe me. I take cash or cheques, whatever suits you best." she jokes, sending me a quick wink. I chuckle at her try of a joke and sigh when I see the gate leading up to our house in the distance. 

"Is umma home?" I ask curiously. 

"Aniyo, she's back in China again. She said something about a M or something. I personally think she's going crazy, but whatever!" Soyeon cries. 

I frown. 

Something M? What the hell umma... 

Soyeon waits patiently before the big, iron gates, blocking our driveway from everyone else, open for us. As soon as they were fully open, Soyeon takes off down our long drive way, coming to a halt right out the front of our front door. 

For me personally, the house my family and I live in, is way too big for my liking. For a family of five, it has three separate floors. The ground floor consists of the kitchen, dining room, lounge room, formal dining room, formal lounge room, the laundry and a bathroom. The first floor consists of  six separate bedrooms, each with their own ensuite, my father's study, my mother's studio and another bathroom for some unknown reason. The thrid floor, is my favourite floor. It's just one room, with no walls closing anything off, and it's filled with book case after book case.
Whenever I don't feel like going out, or if I can't sleep, I usually go up the library and read by myself for hours on end. 

"Good afternoon Miss. Sojin, how was school?" our head housekeeper asks me politely. I smile at her. 

Her name is Emilie, and she came over from America almost twenty five years ago. She looked after my sister's and I when our parents were away on business trips. She would teach us how to say simple things in English just for fun, but soon my sister's and I got into it and by the age I was seven, I was fluent in it.
Ever since then, I've always viewed her as a second mother. 

"Fine, thank-you. What about you? How was your day?" I ask. 

She gives me a warm smile and takes my school bag from my arms. 

"Fine, thank-you." she says, mimicking my voice. I laugh and follow her inside. 

"I'm guessing Soyeon filled you in on the plans for tonight, right?" she asks, placing my bag in our cloak room, just to the left of our large front door. I sigh and nod. 

"Ne." I mumble. 

"You might want to go get changed then. Everyone expected you home a lot earlier and everything running on a schedule, but now we're all late." Emilie says.
It was so obvious why everyone was rushing and trying to get back on schedule. 
It was because appa had clearly given them strict instructions to have me ready by a certain time and no one ever dared to go against appa's instructions.

"Well, you can blame Soyeon unnie, for making everything run behind schedule." I whisper, giving her a pat on the back. 

"Hey! I heard that!" Soyeon cries, making her way inside, carrying six different shopping bags. 

"Really? Well it's nice to know that you're not deaf! Why don't we throw a party to celebrate the fact that you can hear things?" I cry, clasping my hands together. 

"Yah, Sojin! Watch your mouth! I might just take back the dress I brought you!" she threaten, holding up one specific shopping bag. 

"Enough!" someone calls from above us. I close my mouth, stopping myself from replying to Soyeon and turn around. 

On the second floor of our house, there is a a balcony almost, overlooking the main entrance. I don't even have to ask Soyeon who's upstairs, I can already tell from her voice. I look up and see Soeun in all her glory. Hands placed on the railing, looking down on her two younger sisters. 

"You guys haven't been home for five minutes and you're already yelling!" she cries, shaking her head at us. 

"She started it, unnie." Soyeon says, pointing an accusing finger at me, despite the fact that she's carrying half a dozen bags filled with clothes. 

"Of course she did." Soeun mutters, walking down the stairs. "How was school?" she asks once she reached the landing. 

"Good. Boring. The usual." I answer, shrugging. 

My sisters and Emilie are the only people I really trust. I know that I can be myself around them without being judge over something I said or did. The only other person I can trust outside of my family, is my bestfriend, Soojung. 
Of course I also trust my parents, but not with the secrets I trust my sisters and Soojung with.

She rolls her eyes comes closer to and pulls something out of my hair. I raise an eyebrow at her and she holds up a leaf. 

"I had that in my hair the whole time and you didn't tell me?!" I spin around, to face Soyeon. She shrugged innocently. 

"I thought it made a nice accessory. Sorry." 

I frown and try to give her my best death glare. Instead of her cowering away, she just laughs. I'm famous for my death glare, I can make people run for the hills with that look, but yet, it never works on my sisters. 

"Come on guys, stop it." Soeun sighs, pulling me to her side, away from Soyeon. "You've got to get ready, appa wants you to be dressed and presented by five. And because Soyeon took her sweet time picking you up, we've got to rush." 

I chuckle when I see Soyeon give Soeun her own death glares. Soeun winks in return and turns me to face to the stairs. 

"Come on Soyeon, the faster we get her cleaned up, the faster you can dress her up!" Soeun calls over her shoulder as she drags me up the stairs. 

Maid after maid come running out into the hallway from my room and all bow respectively to Soeun and I. 
Soeun directs me into my room and all the maids go to follow. 

'"Thank-you for your work tonight, but we won't be needing anymore of your assistance from now on. Please, go take a rest, have something to eat!" Soeun says politely to the maids. 

"Oh, thank-you very much Miss. Soeun." one maid says. I frown trying to see a face that I remember, and then sigh in frustration. 

Looks like umma hired some new recuits... 

"No problem at all." Soeun smiles back at them, before fully pushing me into my room. 

That's another thing I don't really like about this house. 

The maids.

They're all lovely and I appreciate everything they do for us... but whenever I call on someone to do something, I can't help but feel bad. I'm sure serving us all day everyday, isn't the best thing in the world. According to appa and to the records, I've actually "fired" some older maids. But truth is, I only say I have, and then give them a generous amount of money, so that they can stop waiting on my sisters and I and go home to their family and support them.  Only my parents believe the lie that I fire older maids. Everyone knows that I don't, but they keep it to themselves, admiring my compassion for them. My sisters share the same views, and once they found out what I was doing, they joined in. 
But everything went down hill when appa and umma found out we were "firing" people, so now they fire them after they've done at least twelve months of service and recruit new ones for us.

My heart still breaks everytime I think about some of them getting kicked out of their job, just because their bosses believe a lie. 

"Sojin, go take a bath. Soyeon and I will lay out your clothes." she murmurs, closing the door behind her. I nod and turn to go into my ensuite, but turn back to face her again.

"Unnie, do you know what's going on tonight? With the dinner and the fancy clothes?" I ask. She shakes her head sadly. 

"I don't. If I did, I would tell you. Just, don't think about it for now, okay? Go get ready."  she says, pushing me lightly into my ensuite. 

Turns out the maids had been running a bath for me before. They filled it with sweet smelling oil's and bubbles. I sit in there for as long as I can, before Soyeon knocks on my door, informing me that I need to get out now. 
I walk out with nothing but a towel on and see a dress that has been laid out on my bed, waiting for me. I sigh and run my fingers over the soft material of the dress. I stare at and take in every little detail of it. It was gold and was covered in a metallic flowery pattern. Another knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts and I get dress instantly. As soon as my zip is done up, Soeun and Soyeon come back into my room. They drag me over to my vintage vanity set and sit me down. They start talking straight away. 

"I heard Emilie speaking with one of the maids, she was saying how this dinner is going to be one of the most important dinner's that the Lee household has ever had." Soeun murmurs, combing my hair with her fingers, and then expertly braiding it into an elaborate hairdo.

"I hears that as well, only from one maid talking to another. Word's spreading quick Sojin." Soyeon says, whispering the last part in my ear. I slap her away from me. She laughs and begins to help Soeun with my hair.

"I'm scared." I mumble, fumbling with my fingers in my lap. 

"Don't be. It's not like he's going to make you marry someone! We all know that if he was going to do that, it'd be with either Soyeon or I." Soeun says. 

Soyeon scoffs.

"Yeah right, like that will ever happen!" 

"You never know Soyeon!" I pipe up. "Apparently grandfather made a deal with another business owner, a friend of his, that if they have kids the same age who are opposite , they'll arrange a marriage for them! But they both had all boys, so they couldn't. So now it moves down to our generation." 

"Sojin, that was just a drunken conversation between grandfather and his friend. They weren't being serious." Soyeon says, leaving my hair to Soeun, and picking some make-up. I frown. 

"Appa said it was true." Soeun says to Soyeon, also frowning at her.

"Yeah, he also said that Santa was real and that you dream a dream more than once, it'll come true. I've had a dream that a prince will come pick me up on a horse and take me away since I was seven, and that's never come true." she scoffs again. "Trust me Sojin, it's just a Lee family myth. And besides, Soeun was right. If he is going to make anyone marry someone, it'd be either one of us."  Soyeon says, patting my head like a dog.

"Hey! Don't ruin my master piece!" Soeun scolds, swatting her hand away. I smile at the two bickering and wait patiently for them to finish. 

Half an hour later, I'm done and slowly making my way downstairs, trying not to fall off my six inch heels. Emilie greets me at the landing of the stairs and put a coat over my shoulders. 

"Have fun tonight. I'm sure whatever happens, happens for a reason." she whispers, grasping my shoulders tightly. I smile nervously at her. 

Oh sweet Emilie, nothing happens for a reason. Things happen and we make reasons as to why they happen... 

"C'mon, your father's chauffeur is waiting for you outside." she pulls me away with and I take a last look over my shoulder to get a glimpse  of Soyeon and Soeun smiling nervously back at me. Soyeon holds her hands up near her face and pulls a bigger smile. I squint and realise  that she's crossing her fingers for good luck. I give them a nervous wave and step outside to be greeted by the cool air and of course, my father's chauffeur.

"Good evening Miss. Sojin." he greets me, opening the car door for me. 

"Hello." I mumble back, not really in the mood for talking right now. My nerves come crashing down on me as we drive away from my house and towards my unknown destination. 

Butterflies roam freely in my stomach and every time appa's chauffeur turns a corner, I get feeling that I'm going to be sick. Gently, I lay my head back on the head rest and close my eyes. Different scenarios run through my mind as to what will happen tonight. 

I'm getting shipped of to an international University in England once I finish school. 

We're moving and leaving Soyeon and Soeun behind. 

Soeun and Soyeon are moving out and didn't have the heart to tell me, so they made appa do it. 

I'm taking over the family business, even though I'm a girl and know nothing about what appa and umma do. 

The stopping of the car and the shutting down of the engine pull me out from my worrying. I open my eyes, and look around myself. 

We're at a hotel... probably one of the best hotel's in Seoul. 

"Miss. Sojin, we have arrived." appa's chauffeur says politely. 

No Sherlock...

"Thank-you very much for driving me." I answer, smiling.

"Bosses orders." he says shrugging, getting out of the car. I watch as he walks around to my side and shoos off the awaiting valet who try to open my door. He opens it himself and holds a hand out for me. I take it and carefully step out, not wanting to trip or rip anything on my dress. 
Gasp after gasp come tumbling out of people's mouth as I stand up. I blush and duck my head, stepping closer to appa's chauffeur. 

People have told me that I'm beautiful before. In fact, at appa's work, people have name my unnie's and I, 'Lee Minwoo's work of art'.
But I never believe them. 

Calling my unnie's beautiful, completely understandable! Soeun has been scouted by many modeling companies, begging her to join them. But she turns them down every single time. Same with Soyeon.  

"This way Miss. Sojin." appa's chauffeur says, clearing his throat. He held a protective arm around me and lead me inside the hotel. I look up at him to say thank-you, and then get tongue tied over the fact that I've known him all my life, but yet I don't know his name. I open my mouth to ask him, but a deep voice cuts me off. 

"Looks like our darling Sojin has arrived!" appa's voice carries out across the lobby. I look away from his chauffeur and over to him. 

He's standing there smiling brightly with his arms spread out. To his left are a couple that look around the same age as appa. I look over to his right and become surprised when I see umma standing there smiling as well. 

Soyeon said she was in China though...

Appa's chauffeur drops his arm around and takes a step back. I suddenly feel overexposed and that someone could attack me any second. I force a smile back to appa and walk towards him. 

"Hello appa." I murmur, walking into his arms. He squeezes me tightly and takes a step back. Umma comes to stand at my side and I can feel her grip onto my arm. 

"My, my Sojin! Look at how much you've grown since the last time I saw you!" the man in the couple speaks up. "I see you've grown to become a very pretty young lady..." he murmurs, sending me a lop sided smile. 

I press into umma's side, seeking comfort in the uncomfortable situation. According to my memories, I've never seen this man in my entire life, but according to his, I have. 

"Shall we go sit down for dinner?" the lady says, stepping forward as well. "I'm sure Jongin's not too far off." she smiles.

"Of course!" appa cheers, leading the way to where we were having dinner. Once the three of them left, I spin to face umma. 

"Umma! What's going on?!" I hiss at her. 

"I'm so sorry Sojin. Just, please, smile and go along with everything. It's what your father would want." she begs, cupping my cheeks. 

"Soyeon said that you were in China." I mumble, taking a step back from her. 

She's keeping something from me...

She sighs.

"I was, but your father called me back urgently." she whispers. She looks down at my dress and smiles. "He's right you know, Mr. Kim, you have grown to become a very pretty young lady. You just grew up too quickly.." she sighs. 

"Umma, what's going-"

"Sunhee! Sojin! Come along!" I hear appa shout. 

Umma quickly snaps out of whatever she was thinking about and forces a smile. 

"Come on, we mustn't keep Mr. and Mrs. Kim waiting!" she says, pulling me towards appa and the so called Mr. and Mrs. Kim. 

We enter the restaurant and I become surprise at the fact that it's completely empty. Soft music plays in the background and the five of us are lead to a table right in the middle of the room. 

Mr. Kim holds a chair out for me, but almost instantly, umma pushes me down in a chair, head of the table, furtherest away from him. I smile gratefully at her.  

"This is a lovely place Minwoo!" Mrs. Kim gushes. "And just a perfect place for an engagement." she says, emphasising on engagement. 

My ears perk up at the sound of that word. Appa just laughs along with Mr. Kim and strikes up a conversation with the both of them. To my surprise, umma doesn't join in and just sips at her wine every now and again. 
Time goes on and I can fell myself getting tired listening in on their conversation. I sit up and clear my throat just as appa begins to talk about the success of our company. 

"Appa," I say politely. "What was the point of you asking me out to accompany you and the Kim's to dinner?"

He chuckles and raises his glass. 

"Tonight is a very special occasion, my dear Sojin." he says, taking a sip of wine before placing his glass back down. He goes to continue on what he was saying, but umma cuts him off. 

"Shouldn't we wait for Jongin?!" she hisses under her breath to him. He waves her off and focuses on me again. 

"Tonight, the Lee's and the Kim's will come together and be one!" he announces. I frown. 

"You're joining companies?" I mumble. Umma drops her head and avoids eye contact with me. Mrs. Kim laughs.

"It's more than that dear." she says, reaching across to pat my hand. I slowly slide it out from under hers and hide them beneath the table. 

"How so?" I question. 

"Well my dear! You see, to bond such great companies together, it needs to run deeper than just a mutual agreement." appa explains. "In fact, it needs to run deep into the family line." 

My frown returns to my face and I swallow. 

"F-Family line?" I stutter. 

"Yes sweetie." Mrs. Kim joins in. 

"I don't understand..." I whisper. 

"For us to achieve a family like relationship with each other and our companies, we need people to be connected." Mr. Kim says, smiling knowingly to my parents. Umma still hasn't looked up from her hands. 

"Connected... by..." I mumble.

"Marriage." umma sighs, finally speaking. She looks up at me, giving me direct eye contact. Her eyes are red and it looks as though she's been struggling to keep her tears from falling. 

"Marriage... so you mean Soeun or Soyeon..?" I ask hopefully. 

Everyone laughs except umma, who is now hanging her head in shame yet again. 

"No my dear Sojin. With you!" appa cries. 

My heart breaks into a million pieces. 

I feel as though the walls of the restaurant are closing in on me, making it hard to breathe. 

Soeun... Soyeon... it is marriage... what am I to do?! 

I stand up from the table abruptly, knocking over my chair. 

"E-Excuse me." I mutter under my breathe and dash out of the room. 

"Sojin!" I hear my father shout after me. 

The lobby was completely empty just like before. I stop and pace around the open space, running my fingers through my hair, ruining Soeun's perfect braid. 

"Sojin, how dare you storm out like that!" I hear appa scold me from behind. 

I spin on my heel and see him and umma running out of the restaurant.

"Marriage?!" I cry. "You want me to get married?! To a guy I've never met before?! You want to arrange a marriage for me?!" 

"Sojin, think of our company! Think of how much stronger we'll become with the help of the Kim's and their almighty EXO!" he cries, smiling. 

"No!" I shout back. His smile drops. "I don't want to think about the Kim's and their stupid 'EXO'! I want to think about me for a minute!" 

"Sojin, this is not the time and the place. Please, let's just go home." umma begs quietly. 

"So it's not the time and the place for me to stick up for myself, but it's the time and the place for you to ruin my life with this bombshell?!" I scream.

Frustrated tears stream down my face. 

"Umma..." I whine. "How could you let appa make you agree to do this?" 

She bites her lip and turns her head away from me again. 

"Sojin.." appa says with a stern voice. "It doesn't matter if your mother agreed to this or not. It matters that you do. And you will agree to this. End of discussion." 

I wipe my tears away harshly, but more just start to fall right away. 

"And what if I don't?" I spit. 

"Soeun or Soyeon will have to." he hisses. 

I freeze. 

Appa knows that I'll do anything for them. I shake my head at him.

"No, don't make them do this..." I plea quietly. 

"Then you'll except Kim Jongin's proposal." he says, walking past me. 

I sigh. 

"It isn't his proposal!" I shout to appa's back. He stops walking. "It isn't Kim Jongin's proposal and you know it. It's your own." 

Without another look behind him, he takes off to the awaiting car and drives off. I look up at the high celling of the hotel and breathe in an uneven breath. 

"Sojin..." umma whispers. I shake my head and turn to face away from her. 

"Leave me alone." I mutter, walking outside. The cold air hits me, but instead of running back inside, I embrace it, allowing it to bring alive my numb senses. I walk past my waiting car and find myself in the hotel's garden. Water fountain, after water fountain line the manicured lawns and lights are planted into the grass lighting my way down away from the hotel itself and umma. 

I kick off my heels and sigh when I feel the cold, wet grass under my bare feet. 

"I'm sorry unnie's..." I whisper to no one. I continue walking and look up at the starry night sky. "I'm doing this for you." 

A rustling sound in the bushes ahead of me, make my feet become instantly glued to the ground. My breath's caught in my throat and my stomach twists uncomfortably. 

The greenery separates and out steps a man. 

No... a boy... probably not much older than me... even the same age. 

"Omo!" I cry. 

He looks up at me instantly and freeze's as well. 

The moon reflected off his face, giving me a perfect view of it. He was beautiful...

"Sorry, I didn't think anyone would be out at this time of night..." he murmurs. I watch as he awkwardly bites his lip and looks down his feet, then at mine. "Say, where are your shoes?" he asks, sounding rather alarmed. 

I hold up my hand, showing him the pair of high heels hanging off my index finger. 

"Oh!" he laughs. "Don't worry, I would take those off too if I had to wear them!" 

I laugh along with him. 

"Sorry I disturbed you." I murmur. 

His eyes sparkle as a smile spreads across his face. 

"It's fine, you didn't disturb me at all.  I was actually trying to escape from someone... or something and then realised I was probably hiding a lot longer than I needed to." he nodded awkwardly. I chuckle and nod along with him. 

"I know the feeling, don't worry." I say, smiling back. He looks me back in the eye and flashes another, adorable smile. "Well, I should probably get going..." I mumble, dropping my gaze to the grass. "It was nice meeting you..."

"Kai." he says, holding out his hand. I slowly take it and shake it once. 

"Kai." I repeat. He smiles again and I turn around, making my way back to the hotel where umma was probably waiting for me. 

"Hey!" Kai calls. I stop walking and look over my shoulder. "I didn't get your name!' he cries. I smile and face him fully. "I gave you mine, so it's only fair that I get yours." 

"Sojin." I call back. 

"Sojin..." he murmurs. "I like your dress Sojin." 

"Thank-you." I say, taking a curtsey.

I like your face. I think to myself. 

I turn my back to him once again and take my path back up to the hotel, completely forgetting the drama's that laid ahead of me when I got home... 

 

 

---

taa daa! 

first chaper - DONE!

i hope you enjoyed it!
don't worry though, not all my chapter's are going to be this long! 
please tell me what you think! 

^-^

 

ps, here's a picture of sojin's dress ...