Last Chapter

He continued, “Dear audience, do you remember one of our old songs, Love Revolution?” the crowd screamed a loud yes. “I once told them when I was still in the process of writing the lyrics, oh!” he gasped as if he just remembered something, “for your information, Love Revolution was the first love song I wrote, it was the first,” he told everyone in the pub. He wrote it himself? I read in his CV that he had interest in music, but I never thought it was to the extent of composing a song.

“It was the first love song, and I wrote it while thinking that someday, I would sing it to my future wife,” the crowd went “Aaawwhh”. I creased my forehead. That was kind of different from what Minhyuk said.

“And actually, tonight,” he paused for a moment, “She’s here.”

The crowd went wild, wondering who she was that he meant. I could feel my heart beat faster because of it. Then to my horror, he shifted his gaze to my direction. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. A part of me was curious to what he would say next and waited anxiously.

He finally saw me and we locked gaze. His face turned serious as he said, “Seo Juhyun, this song is for you,” that was when my heart stopped beating.

~o0o~

Three

Men are heartless

On Sunday morning, our picture walking out of Blue side by side adorned the first page of a daily newspaper. And suddenly it became the top search in internet that day, it even made it to the morning news. It was like a celebrity’s dating scandal, only more important, because of our family backgrounds.

People started speculating, whether we were currently dating or engaged, since Jung Yonghwa mentioned ‘future wife’ in the pub. They wondered if it was just another arranged marriage for business or if we were actually in love with each other. Precisely like what Jung Yonghwa had predicted the night before.

I still remembered our conversation that night when I snapped at him about his stunt in the pub soon after we got in his car.

“Why did you do that?” I asked, poison in my voice, and if a glare could kill, I would be the one driving his car, with his corpse in the trunk.

“I thought it would be fun,” he answered nonchalantly.

“Fun?!” I couldn’t believe his reason.

“Most of the people in the pub know me, and I’m sure, tomorrow we’ll be the talk of the town- no, the nation. This news will make a headline, we’ll be on top search in internet, and probably even featured in the morning news on TV. And you know what will happen when the news of us together spread?” he asked me enthusiastically. I just stared at him in irritation not minding his question.

“The rise in our stock price, Seo Juhyun,” he answered it for himself. I blinked when the realization downed on me. He was right.

“It would also be a free large publicity for our wedding,” he added, “Then we’ll confirm it in the afternoon, announcing the wedding date while we’re on it, and boom! Our stock price will keep rising until April!”

I was stunned. Jung Yonghwa was indeed a businessman, a great one for that matter. I thought I’d be happy by the fact, but all I could feel that night was bitterness.

~o0o~

After throwing aside the morning newspaper which posted the picture of me and Jung Yonghwa on the front page, I just laid around on my bed while having a group chat in Kakaotalk with my best friends. I couldn’t go out and meet them as usual since reporters were surrounding my house. I was supposed to have dinner with his family at night so I wanted to shop for gifts for his family members, this dinner being the first official meeting and all, but I should be content with a bottle of nice wine from Omuni's collection for tonight. I also planned to bake cheesecake, since obviously I’d be free the whole day. I’d just buy them lots of gifts in the future. Meanwhile, Omuni was having a discussion with her secretary in her study room, composing a statement to send to the press and media regarding the news.

My best friends were ecstatic, for my marriage was getting real by the day. I told them everything happened the day before, though I purposely missed a few details. Like how I so stupidly let my heart skipped a beat when he stared at me and called my name and said that that song was for me (thank God my heart didn’t actually stop, it continued beating in a split second later).Or how I was sitting nervously while trying so hard to look stoic when he sang the lyrics of how he wanted me in his life.Or how I suddenly related his words before to his action that night.

*flashback*

He chuckled, “You have no idea what it means to me,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I was confused. He smiled that strange smile again. He was like… beaming.

“I’ll show you,” he said, “so, please, let’s go to my favorite place.”

*end of flashback*

Stupid, stupid Seo Juhyun.I should’ve had known better. This was all just business.

Jung Yonghwa intrigued me. After spending a longer time with him, and watching him behaved around his close friends, I almost believed that he was indeed a playful and high-spirited person. But there was still a part of me that expected another layer beneath that toothy grin. The way he told me excitedly about the rise of the stock market still stuck on my mind. How he straightforwardly said that the motive of him singing a love song to me in public was merely to raise the stock price. How he nonchalantly messed my feelings.

He never lied to me so far, but I still couldn’t trust him. He still had a long way to go. And I would not let him see me anytime soon, or ever.

For once, I agreed with Jung Yonghwa, this indeed would be an interesting marriage life.

~o0o~

Jung Yonghwa picked me up for his weekly family dinner few hours later. I was sure, another picture of us, maybe when Jung Yonghwa opened his car door for me, would be posted on tomorrow morning’s newspaper. I could even guess the headline, “The Jungs Welcoming Seo Juhyun into the Family”.

Alright, I admitted, that was a bad headline, journalistic wasn’t my thing.

We had confirmed the news in the afternoon. We also announced the wedding date as planned. But since it was spread through emails to media and press, without us having a press conference, their questions were left unanswered. They could only speculate about the real deal between us, and they would keep wondering until we showed some signs that were supporting, or against their theory. And while they did that, our stock price would keep increasing in the market.

Jung Yonghwa was a genius.

His driver drove us to Jung Hwejangnim’s residence in the edge of Seoul, far from dazzling city lights and the buzzing packed-traffic streets. He lived alone, I heard, since his both wives had passed away some years ago. The drive was silent since Jung Yonghwa was sleeping along the way. He just got back from his factory in Cheonan to celebrate the factory’s anniversary, after having a PR meeting regarding our wedding news that afternoon. And I just sat quietly beside him, looking at the view outside absentmindedly.

When we reached our destination, I reluctantly woke him up. Not because I didn’t have the heart to wake the tired Jung Yonghwa who slept so soundly, but I felt awkward to do it.

I sighed before I finally called his name, placing my mouth near his ear, “Jung Yonghwa-sshi.”

His eyes fluttered open then he turned his head to me absently.

“We’re here,” I told him then got off the car directly since one of the butlers had opened the car door for me. I looked around as I stepped outside. I was in front of a very big building that looked strangely too similar with the Blue House where the President lived. Jung Yonghwa joined me a minute later, stretching out his body as the car disappeared to the parking lot in the other side of the house.

As we walked into the house, my mind was filled with Jung Hwejangnim. Jung Yonghwa’s grandfather was famous for being a cold and arrogant old man. But in my opinion, with his wealth and position, he had the right to be. In the gatherings of rich people I sometimes joined, I only met him twice. Halmoni and him were battling for pride in both occasions. Each of them just sat in opposite direction, waiting for the other to come and greet first. But until the end of the party, they just exchanged smiles and nodded to each other from a distance. But Halmoni would always send me to greet him, like how Jung Yonghwa greeted Halmoni. And for the both times I greeted Jung Hwejangnim, he was quite friendly to me.

Inside, a maid asked for our coats and bags. Another maid then led us to the large living room where Jung Hwejangnimwas talking seriously with his two sons and Jung Yunho. Jung Hwejangnim looked up when he noticed us, and the other three men in the room followed suit.

“Good evening, Hwejangnim,” Jung Yonghwa bowed 90 degrees and greeted so politely. I cringed hearing him calling his grandfather by his position in the company, but copied him nonetheless. Jung Yonghwa then bowed respectfully to the other three and I followed suit.

“Is that Seo Juhyun?” Hwejangnim asked while I was bowing to Jung Yunho who stood up and bowed back at me.

“Ne, Hwejangnim,” I answered him.

“Oh,” he gasped and laughed, “Welcome, welcome,” he said as he stood up and walked over to me. He reached out his hand to me so I walked closer to him to take his hand.

He gripped my hand tightly and asked, “How are you, dear? How’s your grandmother? Still healthy and kicking, I suppose,” he joked.

I laughed softly at his joke, “Halmoni sent her greeting to you, Hwejangnim,” I told him.

“Send it back, I don’t need a greeting,” he joked again, “tell her to join us one day,” he smiled warmly.

“I’ll tell her that, Hwejangnim.”

“Oh, stop calling me Hwejangnim, you’re a family now, so call me Haraboji, okay?” he ordered. I was confused. Was Jung Yonghwa not a family then?

“Ne, Harabonim,” I complied anyway.

“Hwejangnim,” Jung Yonghwa interrupted our friendly exchange, “I’ll take Seo Juhyun to the dining room now,” he informed.

“Alright,” he agreed, the warm smile he showed me before vanished immediately when he spoke to Jung Yonghwa. Did this old man hate my fiancé?

I bowed once more before excusing myself to follow Jung Yonghwa.

Walking closer to the dining room, I could hear the giggling sound of some women, and I actually recognized the voice of Omunim talking about something I couldn’t really decipher.

Jung Yonghwa stopped at the door and leaned his side to the door frame. I stood behind him. The giggling sound died down immediately.

“Oh, Yonghwa,” Omunim exclaimed.

“Oppa!” a girl squealed and ran to him with her arms opened wide. Jung Yonghwa avoided the girl by turning around, so she slapped his arms playfully. It was when she spotted me standing behind him.

“Omo!” the girl gasped, “Juhyun unnie?”

I found myself smiling to Jung Soojung. She turned her head around and shouted excitedly, “Unnie, Juhyun unnie’s here!”

I followed her gaze and found her sister Jung Sooyeon sitting beside Omunim.

“Unnie?!” I exclaimed in disbelief.

“Seo Juhyun!” Jung Sooyeon stood up and walked over to me and I was actually walking to her direction, too, so we met in the middle of the room. She hugged me and I hugged her back and we both giggling happily.

“I thought you’re in the US,” I said when she released me from the hug.

“I was, but Sungmo told me that you were coming to the dinner tonight, so I decided to go home for the weekend,” she explained.

“You know each other?” Jung Yonghwa stared at us incredulously.

“Of course, we went to the same school, and she was my favorite hoobae,” Sooyeon Unnie told him. He nodded in understanding.

“I can’t believe you’re going to marry this punk,” Jung Yonghwa immediately protested with a loud “YA!” and Soojung giggled, “and become my sister in-law,” she continued, not minding his protest.

“Oh, come, let me introduce you to my mother,” she pulled me by my hand to an older woman in the room who looked a lot like her.

“Why are you introducing my fiancé to your mother?” he protested again.

Sooyeon unnie halted and turned around to face him, “Are you jealous, Jung Yonghwa?” she asked teasingly, making my eyes widened in surprise.

“So what if I am? Am I not allowed to be?!” Jung Yonghwa exclaimed defensively.

Soojung laughed and shook her head, “Choding Oppa.”

~o0o~

After exchanging pleasantries with Omunim and Gomonim (Sooyeon unnie’s mother asked me to call her that), Jung Yonghwa left me in the dining room with the women while he went back to the living room to rejoin the men.

We were chatting happily, about my family, about Sooyeon unnie’s business in Boston, Soojung’s school assignments, a new drama Omunim and Gomonim currently watched, and many other things. We were also talking about my wedding plan. The Jung sisters couldn’t help since Sooyeon unnie had to go back to Boston and Soojung had school. But Gomonim assured me that she and her daughter-in-law would help as much as they could. And as if on cue, Kwon Boa entered the room panting and full make-up. She just finished a recording and went straight there. I introduced myself to her and she smiled widely, hugging me tightly like we’d known each other for years.

I was happy. I felt like I was already a part of this family.

A maid then came and announced that the dinner was ready to serve. Omunim and Gomonim immediately stood up and went to the kitchen, the other girls followed behind, so I did the same. We went inside the kitchen when trays of food were laid on the table. Omunim and Gomonim tasted one by one while discussing seriously about the food, whether it was presentable or not. They told me to taste some and asked for my opinion. Seriously, they all tasted delicious. I gave them an okay immediately. Omunim and Gomonim laughed at me though I didn’t understand what was funny.

“Isn’t she cute?” Sooyeon unnie asked none in particular and the older women smiled at her.

We then arranged the food and the eating utensils on the large dining table. It was overwhelming for me, for I was used to only have three people in the family. The Jung was surely a big family.

When we finished arranging the table, Gomonim told a maid to call the men in the living room, while rechecking and making sure that everything was perfect. Soon after, the men entered the dining room. Like someone suddenly opened all windows in the room, the atmosphere turned cold and solemn. All the men entered quietly with stoic expression on their faces, making me confused.

Jung Hwejangnim took a seat in the middle, while his sons sat at his both sides, his respective wives beside them, then their children sat orderly based on their age. I sat beside Jung Yonghwa, in front of Boa unnie. Everyone stayed silent, waiting for Jung Hwejangnim to take the first move.

“Let’s eat,” he said as he picked up his chopsticks. The Jung sons followed along, then the wives, then the grandchildren.

This family was weird, as if Jung Hwejangnim had the absolute power over them and they were merely his subordinates, not families. The friendly grandpa who welcomed me before no longer existed in the house, replaced by this cold dictator who sternly applied the hierarchy order in the house. It didn’t feel like a family dinner, but a military training.

Nobody was talking. I glanced at Jung Yonghwa, he glanced back at me and offered me a smile, as if trying to ease the atmosphere and making me comfortable. He then proceeded to put a slice of meat on my bowl. “Try this,” he said. I could see from the corner of my eyes that Sooyeon unnie and Soojung obviously enjoyed the scene.

I smirked. Jung Yonghwa and his unnecessary lovey dovey acts. Everyone in the room knew we were paired for business purpose, why bother acting like we were in love? Would acting in love in front of his family affect the stock price, too?

A few minutes passed when suddenly Jung Hwejangnim spoke, “How do you like the food, Juhyunie?”

I was so surprised I nearly choked. I swallowed the food in my mouth before answering, trying hard not to stutter, “Exquisite, Harabonim,” I suddenly remembered Jung Yonghwa’s choice of word when we had our first lunch together few days ago. Jung Yonghwa raised his left eyebrows and smirked knowingly to me in response.

Jung Hwejangnim nodded his head, smiling, “this was all because I have such great daughter-in-laws who are able to maintain the house wonderfully,” he complimented Omunim and Gomonim, which immediately responded by “Aniyo, Abonim,” from both women humbly, almost at the same time.

“You should learn from them, Juhyunie,” he continued, I decided to get used to this new pet name I got from his grandfather, “you, too, Boa. Because one day, this task will be your responsibility.”

I gulped down the lump in my throat and looked at Boa unnie who looked back at me.

“Algesseumnida, Harabonim,” Boa unnie bowed her head and I copied her.

“I wished my sons were as good as their wives,” he suddenly said, making everyone more nervous than before. What happened? I thought all the subsidiaries of Taeyang Group were running perfectly well.

“You, Yunho,” he pointed Jung Yunho with his chopsticks, “and Yonghwa,” he turned to the man beside me, “should do better than your fathers. Don’t disappoint me. Especially you, Yonghwa, don’t embarrass me in front of the Seo family.”

~o0o~

After the tensed dinner, we all gathered in the living room for some tea time. I bit my lower lip nervously, praying in my heart that all this would be over soon. This family felt like the royal family I only saw in historical drama every time Jung Hwejangnim presented. For the first time in my life, I was actually unsure of what to do and what to say and how to act. Jung Taeyang was too intimidating. I wondered how Jung Yonghwa and the rest of his family could survive the dinner every week of their lives. Or maybe they just got themselves used to it after years of tortures.

Gomonim poured the tea for Hwejangnim herself, while Omunim was cutting the cheesecake I brought.

“How’s school, Soojungie?” Hwejangnim asked Soojung after sipping his tea.

“Great, Haraboji,” Soojung answered cheerfully, she even slipped in some aegyo voice in her statement, “I got another love letter today,” she added. I was surprised by her answer.

Jung Hwejangnim then burst out laughing, which made me even more surprised.

“The boys in your school had a bad taste in girls,” Sooyeon unnie commented nonchalantly, making Soojung pouted. Hwejangnim laughed some more.

“Are you going back tomorrow, Sooyeonie?” he turned to Sooyeon unnie.

“Ne, Haraboji,” Sooyeon unnie confirmed.

“Just stay one more night, Haraboji still misses you,” hwejangnim pleaded with puppy eyes, making me cringe in disbelief.

“Oh, Haraboji, don’t look at me like that, you know your aegyo makes me weak,” Sooyeon unnie whined, while Gomonim chuckled and said, “Just stay one more night, Sooyeonah, relent to your Haraboji’s wish.”

“You hear that?” Hwejangnim’s eyes twinkling in glee hearing his daughter-in-law’s words. Sooyeon unnie finally gave up and agreed to stay one more night. And I just knew that she actually stayed with Hwejangnim while she was in Seoul for the weekend. How did she stand him?

We chatted some more in an atmosphere 180 degrees different from the situation at dinner. This family was getting weirder. At first, I suspected that the great Jung Hwejangnim was bipolar, and the family was just getting along with it. But as I spent more time with them, I realized that hwejangnim was only nice to the women in the family. He mostly ignored whatever the men were saying, so most of them just stayed silent. Did something happen with the Group? I glanced at Jung Yonghwa, trying to get an answer, but he just gave me a tightlipped smile, his expression unreadable.

“Abonim, try this, Seo Juhyun made it for us,” Omunim offered a slice of the cheesecake.

Hwejangnim turned his gaze at me and looked at me stunned, “You can bake?”

“It’s just a hobby, Harabonim, but I’m not that good, though, so please don’t expect much,” I replied him.

He took a spoonful and soon exclaimed, “Exquisite!” Unconsciously I chuckled at his aegyo attempt, along with the rest of the people in the room. Jung Yonghwa glanced at me, his eyes sparkled giddily as his favorite word suddenly became the trend of the night.

“I think I chose the right wife,” he uttered, eyes still on me, and smiled playfully.

“I think I have to admit that you at least have good taste in woman,” hwejangnim responded. Jung Yonghwa grinned even wider.

“I think you’re just lucky,” Jung Yunho teased, making the other giggled.

“I am,” he agreed easily, showing his snaggletooth still.

“I think you’re in love,” Sooyeon unnie added, I jerked my head to look at her, surprised by her comment.

“I am,” he confirmed. He was beaming at me.

Oh, Jung Yonghwa. What a jerk. What a cruel jerk.

~o0o~

Author's Note:

Pheww... Thank God I made it to update today... precisely a week after the last chapter!

Thank you so much guys, all of you readers, who subscribes, leaves comments and upvotes...

I'm so happy that you find this story interesting...

You really gave me the strength to go on...

Sorry, no preview for the next chapter...

I've been busy last week due to works, and a lot to catch up with my friends on weekend, so I only managed this much...

But I'll do my best to write the next chapters to make up for it...

Well then, enjoy reading!

~o0o~

Trivia:

Love Revolution that Yonghwa sang in the pub was the Korean version.