Part 01

“The date’s been set. It’s going to be 3 months from now. So prepare yourself well for the wedding, Ji Youngie.”

Ji Young sat by the edge of the luxurious couch, on the opposite side of her father. Her long black curls flow down her sides flawlessly as her head hung down low in despair. Was there really no way out of this planned marriage?

“Appa...” she began slowly. Lifting up her head to meet her father’s stern yet concerned eyes, she gathered all her courage to say whatever’s been weighing on her mind. Taking a deep breath, the words started to pour out naturally.

“I don’t think this is right. One, I’m still a little too young to get married now. I know you have my interests at heart, but this isn’t going to work for me. I don’t think I’m ready for such a heavy commitment at this tender age of mine.”

“Let me guess your second reason,” Mr Kang interrupted her knowingly.

“Appa...”

“It’s because of that boy isn’t it? It’s because of Lee Gi Kwang you’re refusing to this marriage that we have planned for you since you were a little girl!”

Her heart wrenched painfully at the mention of her lover’s name. Ji Young bit her bottom lip hard to stop it from quivering. She wouldn’t cry; she wouldn’t show them her weakness.

“Nichkhun-ssi and I don’t have any feelings for each other appa,” Ji Young tried again in a softer voice. “What’s the point of carrying on if we’re not going to be happy?”

“Nichkhun is the right man for you Ji Young,” Mr Kang replied adamantly. Pushing himself off the couch, he stood up straight and adjusted his metallic wrist watch. Ji Young watched him numbly as he checked the timing casually and started to make his way towards where his coat was hung by the door.

“I’m not having this conversation ever again,” he told her in his most authorised voice. “My decision’s final.”

Just before he stepped out of the house, with his hand frozen on the doorknob, Mr Kang turned around slowly in his position to face his sole daughter one more time.

“And you better break things off with Gi Kwang soon.”

************************

“Don’t you have any objections to this marriage Khun?” his mother asked concernedly, his back gently. “If you’re unhappy about anything, you can tell us.”

Nichkhun looked up from the book that he was reading and gave his mother a warm smile.

“No, I’m okay with things. I agree with whatever you and Dad has planned for me. I’m sure both of you knows what’s best for me right?”

The elder woman studied her son’s face carefully, checking for any signs of unwillingness. Nichkhun just stared back at her with the same assuring smile still etched on his face; his eyes dancing mischievously.

“Khun...” she sighed a little. “You’ve always been trying so hard to take care of our feelings. You’ve always avoided making us upset.”

“Is that a bad thing Mum?” he chuckled amusingly and went back to reading his book.

“Please just think about yourself for once. Put yourself before others,” she advised him, giving him a light pat on the back.

 When he didn’t say anything else, his mother just shook her head slightly and bent down to give him a motherly kiss on the forehead.

Leaving her son alone to continue his reading in silence, she walked out of his room and closed the door quietly behind her.

When he was finally alone again in the room, Nichkhun put the book down by his side and exhaled deeply. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he buried his face into the palm of his hands exhaustedly.

This whole marriage thing, it was definitely draining him out.

But it wasn’t because he didn’t want to go through with it.

It certainly wasn’t because he didn’t want to get married to Kang Ji Young.

In fact, he was actually looking forward to it.

Nichkhun didn’t really believed in love at first sight. It just...doesn’t happen for him.

But with Ji Young, it was somehow different. They don’t really know each other, yes. But love could still happen after marriage right? There is a possibility.

He was going to make Ji Young fall for him, no matter what.

***********************

“Kwang-ah, you’re making me dizzy do you know that?” Yo Seob said irritably, throwing the game console out of his hands. “With you pacing back and forth constantly, I can’t concentrate on anything else!”

Yo Seob watched his room-mate curiously as the latter just continued walking up and down the living room disturbingly, on his thumb as he did so. Something must be troubling him. The only other time his thumb is inside his mouth is when he’s sleeping soundly. And that rarely happens.

“Aish, jinjja!” Yo Seob cried out frustratedly and pulled at his hair. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Ji Young’s not picking up her phone,” Gi Kwang muttered distractedly, turning around at the other end and started walking again. Yo Seob just rolled his eyes.

“Why don’t you go over to her house then?”

“Her father’s going to just throw me out again,” Gi Kwang said unhappily and sauntered over towards where Yo Seob was sitting. Plopping himself down beside the fluffy-haired boy, he pouted his lips and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I think Ji Young is keeping something from me.”

“Have you actually asked her outright about it?” Yo Seob asked nonchalantly and picked up the game console again. Jabbing his fingers expertly onto the buttons, he kept his eyes fixed on the television screen while he elbowed Gi Kwang by the side.

“She’s always changing the topic when I try to dig it out from her. And it’s making me nervous. What if it isn’t something good?”

“Talk to her first,” Yo Seob suggested, still not taking his eyes off the screen. “You guys have to clear any doubts between the two of you.”

Gi Kwang thought about it for a moment, a daze look appearing on his face. After a few passing minutes, he finally turned to Yo Seob again who was still focused fully on his game.

“Do you think maybe she’s getting married to someone else?”