Last Chapter

“I’m not like that,” he argued.

“All men are like that,” I insisted, “That was why you chose me. Just like what you told that woman Bora, because I have the name and money you need to be the king. I can be the trophy you’ll be proud of the most. And conveniently, I can also please you-“

“You’re wrong,” he cut me off, “I didn’t choose you because of that. I was just joking.”

I raised my left eyebrow in interest, “Then why did you choose me?” I swore I was going to laugh if he said anything about love.

“That is, Seo Juhyun,” he breathed out and whispered, “Because I like you.”

~o0o~

Six

Men Are Liars

The laughter I was expecting didn’t come out of my mouth. Instead, my heart was pounding so hard I was afraid it would come out of my chest.

He touched his fringe and looked around, looking obviously nervous. He sighed.

“The first time I saw you,” he started, “It was two years ago. I can still remember vividly. It was a gala dinner to collect donations for the school Hwejangnim built in Africa. I just finished my military service that day. You came to Hwejangnim to greet him. I was there beside him, he was asking me about my future plan. And when I saw you,” he stopped to breathe and clear his throat.

“When I saw you,” he continued as I kept staring at him in silent, “I was… stunned.”

I didn’t know why I should stay there listening to his rambling, but I did.

“You were,” he paused and chuckled.

“Okay, this is not as easy as I saw in movies, and can you please give me a favor, Seo Juhyun? Please look away or something,” he said as he covered his eyes with his hands. Of course I disobeyed him. I kept staring at him as he breathed in again and looked back at me shyly.

“You were the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen,” he whispered and looked down right away after saying it. And I looked away, trying to find something around the garden though I didn’t know what I was searching for exactly. It felt embarrassing to just sit there beside him.

“I tried many ways, you know, to get your attention. But you never seemed to get it. You always looked uninterested. You were so difficult to approach. I didn’t know you were close with Sooyeon back then. If only I knew, I might come to her for help. And just like that, without me knowing, I have developed a one-sided crush on you for two years already,” he added.

We fell into silence for a minute.

“And then I heard Im Seulong sent his CV to your family to propose a marriage. Well, I couldn’t let that happen, of course. So I sent mine, too,” he said, looking down as if there’s something interesting on the ground.

We fell into another choking silent.

“Please say something,” he begged nervously, his feet moving to imaginary rhythm.

“You’re lying,” I finally said. He looked up to meet my indifferent eyes.

“You don’t have to make a sweet story out of this, Jung Yonghwa-sshi. I know it meant business to you as it meant to me. I did admit that I hate men, and it’s including you, but don’t be alarmed, it doesn’t mean I didn’t want this wedding. I did say yes to your proposal after all. Even if I couldn’t stand you most of the time, I won’t cancel the wedding or file a divorce in the future. We’d be the richest couple in South Korea-“

“You don’t understand,” he cut me off again, “After what I told you, you still don’t understand.”

“I understand completely. That’s why, please stop your lovey dovey act as I deem unnecessary. I’m a grown up, you are, too. We can live civil to each other I believe, and be a good business partner for one another. I think it’s okay if it’s for business purposes, just like what you did in the pub since it worked well, our stocks price rose significantly-“

“I said that because I knew you’d be angry if I told you the truth,” he cut me off, again, “I sang for you because it felt so right, Minhyuk was right, you were there when my band was in complete formation so I had to use my chance. And after spending a day with you, I learned that even though you were so cold to me when there were just the two of us, you held back your temper and became nicer when there were other people. So I tried to show my feelings whenever people are around us because as much as I want to deny it, I’m a coward. I’m afraid of being hurt by your rejection,” he told me emotionally.

“Yes, Hyun, the mighty man named Jung Yonghwa gets hurt, too. I was hurt when you never looked my way every time I came to you in those parties and gatherings. I was hurt when you snapped at me after I serenaded you with a love song. I was hurt when you told me not to talk to you nor look at you. I was hurt when I saw your picture with another man. I am hurt when you misunderstand me.”

We stared at each other, Jung Yonghwa with his painful look, and I stared back coldly.

“Jung Yonghwa-sshi, I don’t need this. You just made this simple arrangement complicated. I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I’ll consider this conversation never happened,” I told him as I stood up.

“But-“

“It’s late, I guess it’s time for us to return home,” I cut him off then walked away.

“Wait, let me drive you home,” he said from behind, catching up to me.

“Hyun,” he called out because I didn’t respond to his offer.

“Don’t call me that,” I said in gritted teeth. He bit his lower lip, looking dejected.

We walked out of the restaurant in silence,waiting for his car in the lobby in silence, driving to my home in silence. He didn’t look my way at all. I wondered if I really hurt him.

He stopped the car in front of my house. I muttered a low thank you as I unbuckled my seatbelt, ready to get off his car.

“Can you give me a chance?” he asked, stopping me from opening the door. He looked at me right in the eyes.

“Can you give us a chance?” he repeated, “Please think ab-“

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I deadpanned as I stepped out of the car and walked fast to my house without looking back.

I hurriedly entered my room, locking the door behind me not bothering to turn on the light. I sat at the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the wall. Then I felt my phone vibrated inside my bag on my lap. I pulled it out and tapped it only to find a text from Jung Yonghwa.

I’ve made up my mind. I will do as I wish. I will show you my real feelings.

I gripped the phone tightly. Then another message arrived.

I’m going to text you every day. I don’t care even if you don’t reply it. I will call you when I have the time. I don’t care even if you don’t answer it. I will call you Hyun. I don’t care even if you don’t like it. I like you.

I clutched my chest, realizing that my heartbeat hadn’t slowed down to its normal pace yet since in the restaurant.

And his last text message that night came after.

I like you, Hyun. More than I can say.

~o0o~

True to his words, or texts for that matter, he did text me regularly. He would text me a ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Have a nice day’ in the morning and a ‘Good Night’ and ‘Sweet dream’ in the night. He would ask me about what I did that day, what I had for lunch, how I did at school. He would tell me about the weather and remind me to wear warmer outfits. He would tell me about a book he just read, a game he just played. He would tell me that he missed me.

And I never replied even once.

Sometimes my phone rang with his name shining on the monitor. Often times when I was going to bed, sometimes when I just woke up, once when I was reading a book in the library after class.

And I always ignored it.

There was one time, though, when I replied his text. It was about the weekly family dinner since I didn’t have a choice. I still had to show my face to his family, I didn’t want them to worry about us.

He welcomed me with a grin when he saw me descended the stairs when he picked me up. I stayed composed and acted nonchalant like nothing happened when I took my leave in front of Omuni and Halmoni. But I turned cold, considering him non-existent when there were just the two of us. He finally sighed, defeated, after I ignored all of his conversation attempts during the ride.

The dinner went as usual, minus Sooyeon Unnie, for she had gone back to Boston. I was left to chat with the women of the family during the preparation, Boa Unnie wasn’t late that time. At the actual dinner, I felt less nervous and tensed than last week. After dinner we had tea time as usual when we talked in more relaxed and carefree atmosphere. We mostly talked about my wedding preparation. Omunim told the family that we decided to hold the ceremony in one of her restaurants, earning a wide grin from Jung Yonghwa, and that the invitations would be delivered in two days.

He drove me back home after dinner, still trying to get me to talk to him but gave up after seeing me closing my eyes. I didn’t even say thank you or good night to him when I got off the car.

~o0o~

Days passed, he was still as stubborn as before, texting me regularly and calling me on some random moments. It was a lazy Thursday and I was free from classes and school assignments. I was browsing for some wedding dresses in internet when I heard a loud bang on my bedroom door. I jerked my head to the source of the noise and found two pairs of eyes looking at me.

“Unnie?!” I exclaimed as I recognized those eyes.

“What are you doing?” Taeyeon Unnie asked.

“Just… browsing,” I answered, nervously trying to close the page, “Why didn’t you call?” I tried to change the topic.

“Why are you hiding it from us, Juhyunah?” Miyoung Unnie asked, “It’s normal for a bride-to-be to search for a wedding dress,” she smiled teasingly while Taeyeon Unnie nudged me playfully. Then they squealed excitedly.

I sighed exasperatedly.

After a few small talks, they pulled me to the kitchen, wanting me to help them to make a special chocolate cake for their loved ones.

“It’s valentine’s day!!” Miyoung Unnie announced excitedly.

Me and Taeyeon Unnie and also Miyoung Unnie had been friends since high school, altogether with Sooyeon Unnie, Sooyoung Unnie, and Hyoyeon Unnie. And there were also Sunny Unnie, Yoona Unnie, and Yuri Unnie. There were nine of us, and I was the maknae, the youngest of the bunch. We went to the same school, an all-girl school. We stayed in the same dorm and our rooms were next to each other, Hyoyeon Unnie was my roommate. And just like that, we became inseparable throughout the school years. And that we came from almost the same background, made us even closer after high school ended.

Taeyeon Unnie was the first to marry. She married a businessman six years older than her. Her husband was Park Jungsu, an ex-idol who failed to be popular but then decided to establish an entertainment agency instead. He started by himself from scratch. Thanks to his sharp eyes to spot a talent, his entertainment agency grew bigger rapidly and in the seventh year of its establishment, it had become one of the major entertainment companies in South Korea.

Taeyeon Unnie was the heiress of a broadcasting company found by his father. It was obvious that her marriage was also an arranged one for business purpose. Just like mine.

It was actually her marriage that inspired me to take this path.

When Taeyeon Unnie first heard about her parents’ decision to marry her off to a stranger, she was devastated. That time, Taeyeon Unnie was having an on and off relationship with Kangin, a VJ worked in her television division. I couldn’t get why Taeyeon Unnie kept coming back to him since he was such an . She told Kangin about the matter, giving him a chance to be with her. But Kangin walked away. He wasn’t ready to marry her, he said. Even though forced, Taeyeon Unnie finally married the man her parents chose for her.

When I got the marriage proposal from Im Seulong, Yoona Unnie’s older brother, around November last year, I suddenly had the urge to ask Taeyeon Unnie about her marriage. I had realized that marriage was something I couldn’t avoid as long as I live as Seo Juhyun, and I’d accepted it, moreover that I’d reached the suitable age to get married. But I was still worried.

And this was what she told me, “At first we were completely strangers to each other. But as time goes by, I realize that he takes care of me well, maybe because he’s older. And surprisingly we have common opinion on some matters. And even though I can’t say I love him as my husband, or a man, I like him as a friend, and a business partner. We live together just fine.”

Because of her words, I decided to consider the wedding proposal from Im Seulong, thinking positively that I’d have a peaceful marriage life with my business partner. But then other proposals came, one of them was from Jung Yonghwa. And after considering it carefully, the grandson of Jung Taeyang sounded like the best option.

I sighed in reminiscent.

“Yah!” Taeyeon Unnie pulled me out of my thoughts, “Why are you sighing? Are you really that reluctant to help me making the cake?”

“Aniyo, Unnie. It’s just… something weighed my mind,” I said as I kept mixing the ingredients in a big bowl.

“And what is that exactly? Your fiancé?” Miyoung Unnie teased. I rolled my eyes despite her correct guess.

“Aren’t you gonna make one for him?” Miyoung Unnie asked.

“For who?” I asked back, though I knew exactly whom she meant.

“Who else? Your fiancé, of course, aren’t we just talking about him?” Miyoung Unnie confirmed.

“Why would I?” I mumbled, “What about you, Unnie? Whom are you making this for?” I asked Miyoung Unnie.

“For my baby, of course. He’s coming for valentine’s day,” she said dreamily as she took over the mixer from my hand. I scoffed at her.

Miyoung Unnie’s boyfriend was a real prince. A Thai prince she met on a vacation in Bali. She called him her fated one. I had to admit, Nickhun Horvejkul was the best man I’d ever known so far. Well, maybe because he was a prince. Miyoung Unnie was so lucky.

“What about you, Taeyeon Unnie? Are you making a cake for your husband?” I asked absentmindedly while preparing the eggs for the cream topping.

“Of course. Why would I bake a cake for someone else’s husband?” she answered incredulously.

It was an obvious answer, but I was still surprised when I heard it directly I even dropped an egg on the floor.

“Taeyeonah, look at Juhyun. You just shocked our maknae,” Miyoung Unnie said between giggles.

“I decided to try, Juhyunah,” she said as she took a napkin near the sink, “We can’t live together as mere friends or business partners forever. I want to be his wife,” she continued as she picked up the broken eggshell and wiped the yellow liquid.

Why? Why would she try? Didn’t it work just fine by being friends forever? Why wasn’t it possible to live together as business partners?

There were so many questions roamed around my head. I wanted to throw the questions to Taeyeon Unnie so bad. But the words lost in my mouth.

We continued mixing and baking in my kitchen as we chatted away. Somehow, with the ingredients the unnies prepared, we managed to make three chocolate cakes. Then the unnies wrapped the cakes prettily. After that, they pushed me into my room, made me changed my clothes. Then they pulled me out of the house, together with the cakes, shoved me inside Miyoung Unnie’s car which brought them to my house before, then drove away.

“Unnie, where are you taking me?” I asked exasperatedly. I love them but sometimes they are just too much to handle.

“Where else?To your fiancé, of course. We should deliver that cake, don’t you think so?” Miyoung Unnie winked at me from the driver seat through the rear mirror.

“Stop the car,” I said, losing my temper.

“You know your flaring nostrils won’t work on us, don’t you, Juhyun?” Taeyeon Unnie smirked.

And several minutes later, there I stood, in the lobby of Taeyang Electronics. I bit my lips as I mulled over the idea to leave the cake at the receptionists. There was also a little space in my brain, a very tiny weeny space in my brain that supported the idea of riding the elevator to his office and gave the cake myself. But a large part of my brain wanted to throw away the cake to the nearest waste bin instead and go home.

I should take his recent behavior into consideration. I had to admit, he was being a good boy lately. He was being stubborn, obviously, never giving up of texting me and calling me. But he never compelled me to return his calls and texts. He was being considerate and stood sternly on his spot in a safe distance. And truth be told, this whole situation of being cold to him and ignoring him was exhausting. We were going to get married anyway, and whether I liked it or not, we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. I promised myself to at least be civil to him. Maybe I could use the cake as a peace offering to repair our relationship, whatever relationship we had. I believed we could talk it out and compromised.

I heaved a loud sigh and took a step forward to the elevator.

It was right then when I caught a familiar figure coming out of one of the elevators. Like a thief getting caught on action, I hurriedly find a place to hide. I felt silly for feeling nervous so suddenly. I glanced at him, feeling curious as to where he was going that afternoon.

And what a great view I saw instead.

I saw him walking closer to a woman in faded jeans and messy ponytail standing in front of the reception’s table. They waved their hands happily to each other, wide smiles mirroring each other. And then they hugged each other. When they let go, the beautiful woman searched something from her back pack, Jung Yonghwa waited giddily in front of her. The woman then gave him the thing.

A chocolate box.

Jung Yonghwa grinned, his cheeks bursting. Then he wrapped his arm around the woman’s shoulder and led her to the elevator.

I stood there motionless, like a bucket of cold water has just been thrown to me, flowing from head to toe, freezing me on my spot.

I felt numb.

I looked down at the wrapped box of chocolate cake I made with the unnies. I looked around and wobbly walked closer to the thing I needed the most that moment. I kept walking not minding someone who probably called my name from a distance. I stood in front of the waste bin and without waiting for another second, threw the cake inside it, then walked out of the building.

Here, today, I promise you, my fiancé, that I will fulfill your wish to not cheat on you, ever.

Liar.

You have no idea what it means to me.

Liar.

I want you in my life…

Liar.

I like you, Hyun. More than I can say.

Big Liar.

~o0o~

Preview

Hyun, please, don’t be like this, I can explain.

.

.

.

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“Annyeonghaseyo, my name’s Park Shinhye,”

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.

.

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“No, that’s not necessary. My fiancé can take care of me.”

~o0o~

Trivias:

You know CNBLUE built a school in Africa, don't you? ;)

~o0o~

Author's Note:

Surprise!!

Two updates in a day!

You guys don't see it coming, right?

Happy New Year!!

~o0o~