A/N: Yerin: Regular; Heechul: Bold

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“Good evening, I’m Kim Heechul,” he greeted. He smiled to my parents but, unexpectedly, not to me.

He sat down beside his mother and sat quietly.

Kim Heechul. Super Junior…Kim Heechul. ARE THEY CRAZY?! was the only thought in my head.

My mother nudge my leg with hers. “Introduce yourself to him,” she whispered.

“Annyeonghaseyo, Shin Yerin imnida,” I greeted, facing only him. He only looked at me, coldly, and no more.

His mother must have noticed his action so she said, “Is that how you’re going to greet her?”

Heechul looked at his mother. “Yes. And why am I here anyway?” he said in an arrogant voice.

“I told you already. You’re going to marry her,” his mother said calmly.

“Marry? Her? Mom, don’t you think it’s too early?”

“Early?” his father asked him. “Kim Heechul, you’re going to serve to the military anytime soon. You’re not getting any younger.”

“I’m not ready yet,” he simply said.

SAME HERE! I want to focus more on my career. I’ll handle marriage later.

Heechul’s father went furious. “Then when will you be ready? After your military service? After your career ended? When you’re not a celebrity anymore? When your mother and I are dead?”

That was a huge blow to my face. When you’re mother and I are dead? kept on ringing inside my head. Maybe, just maybe, my parents want me to marry before they…before anything happened to them. But, it’s really hard to yes even to that condition.

“Don’t say that,” Heechul said. “I’ll find the girl I’m going to marry. I promise. Just don’t get me in this situation.”

I looked at my mother, telling him that I’ll to the same thing. I want to find the right man for me. I’ll find that man myself, without anybody’s help.

But that conversation was cut off by a waiter taking our orders. We told him what we wanted to eat and then left with “Please wait for your orders. Thank you.” Silently, Heechul and I stared at each other, weighing each other’s personality. Silently, while our parents are talking about OUR future, we stared at each other’s every square inch. I wonder what he was thinking. Me? Well, I am thinking, if I marry this guy in front of me, my life will be ruined by his astonishing career, thousands of crazy fans, his hectic schedule, paparazzi following his every move, and (probably) his obnoxious personality.

What will happen to MY career?

Right now, I am looking at this girl in front of me. I am supposed to marry her. I am thinking: “OH MY GOD! SHE’S SO GORGEOUS! I’d marry her any day!” But then, I was thinking, what will happen to my career? My popularity will drop, my fans will hate me, and I’d lose my job! Though I may be saying that I don’t want to marry yet, I’ll drop my image for this girl.

I always say that I haven’t found a girl prettier than me yet. But this time, I have found her. She’s stunning like a diamond, she sits like morning dew on top of a leaf, she shines like an angel with a halo on top of her head, yet, she stares like my cat: vicious and wild. I like her. No, I might be starting to fall for her, IN OUR FIRST MEETING.

 But everyone expects me to be KIM HEECHUL, the obnoxious, wild person on TV. Should I or should I not drop my image for her. I’m confused, A LOT!

“Heechul-ah,” Yerin’s mother said, staring at me happily. “How’s my daughter for you? She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

“She’s okay.”

SHE’S. OKAY? Seriously? I may not be the prettiest in the entire planet, but I am not just ‘okay’.

“Come on, tell her she’s pretty,” Heechul’s mother said.

I want to, but I can’t! I have to live to my ‘onscreen personality’.

“Fine. She is. Happy?” I said, pretending to be annoyed.

Then, though I looked annoyed, Yerin still smiled. WOW! She’s prettier when she smiles. I’d like to see that smile every day.

This is starting to get silly. Both of us are forced into this marriage. We are forced even at complimenting. I hope he’d just say what is on his mind.

“What about you, Yerin. My son’s handsome, isn’t he?” Heechul’s mother asked.

“Yes, he is,” I simply said. I even gave him a smile. But he just looked at me like I was of no importance.­­­ If he’s going to keep up with this image of his, I’m calling this meeting off.

“Heechul, Yerin-ah, why don’t the two of you go to another table? We’re just going to discuss something,” Heechul’s father said.

Without a word, we left table and move to the table far from them. Again, we sat in silence. But the silence was cut off with Heechul’s question.

“Are you willing to do this?” he asked, face blank. He raised the wine glass from the table and examined it. Then he put it down, dismayed.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t want to do this. How on earth would I want an arranged marriage?” I said without holding back. “I don’t want to marry anyone.”

Heechul smirked. “Not even to me?”

What’s with that annoying smirk? I know it tells a lot, it’s just that I can’t decipher what it meant. Geez, I hope I can read minds.

“Heechul-sshi, don’t tell me you agree to this nonsense,” I asked.

“Actually, I find it fascinating,” he simply said.

I was puzzled.

“This is not the first time my marriage was arranged. You must be the…”he counted with his fingers, “eighth?” he said.

“What?” I said, astonished. “Really?”

“Really…”I lied, smiling. I can’t believe you’d fall for that. You really are interesting, Yerin-sshi.

“Then, why didn’t you marry anyone of them?” she asked.

“I was too focused on my career. Besides,” I sighed, “they are all annoying. They cling to me like I’m a teddy bear. Well, like I’m not as huggable as a teddy bear…”

Seriously, this guy has issues. I can’t figure him out.

“Well, I can’t argue with you about that,” I said.

“Oh,” he’s beaming at me now, “so you also think that I’m huggable?” he asked, smiling from ear to ear. He even winked!

“I meant the career-focus thing. I’d like to focus on my career,” I said, matter-of-factly.

“What’s your job anyway?” he asked, looking interested.

“I’m a high school teacher…”

“What’s important about that?” he said.

With that one sentence, I swear my heart pumped wild like all veins in my body would pop! I’m usually the calm and patient type, but he’s getting into my nerves.

“Heechul-sshi,” I said, trying to calm myself, “teaching is a profession. What’s IMPORTANT about it, you ask? Well, WE teachers get the chance to teach the younger generation, to hone their potentials to be doctors, engineers, teachers, dentist, architects, and even CELEBRITIES.”

He just laughed. He said, “Teachers doesn’t hone skills. People get to be doctors, engineers, teachers, dentist, architects and even CELEBRITIES became who they are because they are born with TALENT. So why need teachers?”

He’s really testing my patience. He’s mocking me on the spot.

“Heechul-sshi, if you’re just going to make a mockery out of my profession, then will you please just shut your mouth.”

His eyes turned to slits, his lips are pouting viciously. “Did you just tell me to shut up?”

“Yes,” I said cautiously.

“Fine.”

Then, he didn’t say another word. All he did was stared at me, and nothing more.

This girl…is so interesting. I’d like to meet her. My façade might be fooling her, but I want to meet her more often.

Then, my mother went to our table and told us to come back.

Upon sitting, my father said, “We have decided that you two should learn about each other first before your marriage.” My dad says ‘marriage’ like it was just some simple everyday word. I may be uncomfortable hearing it, but there’s no trace of him being uncomfortable.

“And how is that?” I asked.

“You two should live together.”

“WHAT?” both of us shouted.

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Slow story build-up. Hope you liked it! Thanks for reading.

~Crina