Hyera have her day off today, her parent is coming today at the afternoon –it’s what her have been told, little did she know her parent already arrive in the morning and right now having their brunch with their soon-to-be in-law. She can’t wait to see her parent that she start getting ready from 10 a.m while the said time was 2 p.m.

The time now is around 12.45 p.m and Hyera already finished getting ready since 11.30 a.m, she was lying on her bed when her phone rings. It was her bestfriend Yeni.

“Hello?” Hyera answered.

“Hyera-ah!!” Yeni said with much excitement, “we all are pass the final exam!! We will graduate together!!”

“Wait? What? Really? How did you know?” Hyera quickly sat up on her bed.

“So, Youngmin from another class is my neighbor, right? When he’s at school taking all his book from the lockers, he heard the principal’s loud cheer coming from his office. So that he decide to asked the principal about what happen, and the principal told him that all of the students pass the exams. The principal just got the news from phone. The official letter will arrive at 26^th. Oh my God, Hyera, I’m so happy, I thought I wouldn’t be able to graduate!! You know how nervous I am when I broke a mirror just before the exams,” Yeni talk was fast and loud that Hyera had to put her phone a bit away from her ear.

“Then, this is good news!” Hyera said with a cheer, “Ah, and you know, breaking a mirror brings bad luck is an old traditional beliefs. Just believe the good, you haven’t experience anything bad after that, right?” Hyera let out a laugh, and Yeni join her laugh. This is really good news, and her parent is on their way back home, she don’t want to ask for more.

“You’re right, then I’ll hang up now, I want to call Donghae to inform him. You, call Nara! Okay?” Yeni order with a playful tone.

“Alright, Ma’am. I’ll do right away!” Hyera play along, and then the two laugh and giving their goodbye.

As Hyera was about to put her phone to her ear after hitting Nara’s number, the doorbell rang. Thinking it’s just a package of groceries, she stay seated on her bed.

“Hello, Hyera?”

“Nara! We all gonna graduate together, the principal already have the news through phone, and the day after tomorrow the official letter will arrive at school. I just got the news from Yeni, she heard it from Youngmin, her neighbor, he’s from another class,” Hyera said with a cheerful tone.

“Really? Than that’s good. It’s not we will fail anyway. I already expect it,” Nara answered coolly like the cool girl she always been.

Just as Hyera about to answer Nara, her door open, revealing her parent standing there. Hyera quickly get up from the bed and attack her parent with a bear hug, forgetting that Nara was still connected on the phone.

“Omma, Appa! Why did you here already? Didn’t you supposed to be here by 2?” Hyera asked fast.

“Slow down, baby girl. Your phone still connected,” her father said while pointing to her phone.

“Oops, forget,” Hyera said while quickly get her phone to her ear, “We’ll talk later, okay chingu? My parent is back! Bye-bye Nara,” without waiting for Nara to answer, she already hang up. Her parent just chuckle at their daughter action. “So, Omma, Appa, why did you two already here?”.

“We take earlier flight, might want to surprise you. So, did you get shocked? Heart attack?” her father asked with a chuckles. Mrs. Shin join her husband chuckle.

“Appa, I almost got heart attack when my door burst open like a buffalo hit it. Turns out the buffalo was you,” Hyera pout her lips, but then she join her parent laugh. “Who you from the airport? I thought Mr. Jang was here since morning?” Hyera asked her parent, she didn’t think her parent will take a cab home, they have Mr. Jang to drive them everywhere.

“Company’s driver, don’t you worry, baby girl,” her father answered.

“Alright, dear. We didn’t arrive earlier for nothing, we’re going to have a dinner together tonight, it’s Christmas Eve afterall. Get ready, we will buy you a new dress, my present for you,” Mrs. Shin said with a laugh and drag her daughter out of the room.

“Alright then, you two girls have fun,” Mr. Shin waving his hand, gesturing goodbye for his wife and daughter, while the corner of his lips still curls upwards.

“Bye, Appa. See you later,” Hyera said to her father, “Omma, slow down, we still have time for dinner.”

“Ani, we will go to the saloon after buying your dress. It’s Christmas Eve, dear,” Her mother said with much enthusiasm and still didn’t slow down. Soon they were in the car with Mr. Jang drives, heading to the biggest shopping mall in the town.

*******

“Omma, didn’t this dress is too much? I look like I’m going to a pageant,” Hyera said after she’s out of the changing room, this is the 7^th times she change into dresses. She’s wearing a long pink-color strapless dress that falls onto the floor. She honestly think the dress is pretty, but it’s not her style, it’s too much just for a dinner.

“Ani, it’s good, it’s not too much, but it’s too long,” Mrs. Shin said after carefully looked at her daughter, “change to the other, dear,” Mrs. Shin ordered, and Hyera complied.

Not more for 5 minutes, Hyera come out from the changing room. This time she wearing a red silk sweetheart dress that fit her upper body, while the tutu skirt falls just above her knees. Now, this dress just right to her taste.

“Right, this is good for you. Isn’t the color just right for this Christmas Eve?” Mrs. Shin smiles widely, satisfied with her daughter appearance, “we take this one, no need to wrap, she will wear it right now,” Mrs. Shin said to the workers and walks to the cashier to pay.

Hyera smiles to the worker and soon gather her belongings, then follow her mother to the cashier. “What’s next, Omma?” she asked to her mother.

“Next, shoes, darling, then we’ll go to saloon for your make up and hair. Now, let’s go,” Mrs. Shin said while dragging her daughter’s wrist.

“Alright, Omma, stop dragging me. It’s hurts,” she said while pouting her lips.

They arrive at the shoes shop, and her mother choose a black 5” pump shoes for her. After paying, they go to the saloon to get both of their make up and hair done. The hairdresser just simply curl Hyera's hair, while Mre. shin got her hair in a high bun. Mrs. Shin bring her dress with her at the car, and order Mr. Jang to bring it to the saloon, and then she changed her clothes. They didn’t even realize the time, and now it’s 6.15 p.m, they immediately drive to Lotte Hotel where the dinner will take place.

Considering it’s Christmas Eve and a holiday season, the street was jammed. Mr. Shin already at Lotte Hotel, he called the company’s driver to come and drive him there. Mr. and Mrs. Park are also already arrived, the three just chat about all of the things in the private room of the restaurant. Park Chanyeol is on the way too, and he’s stuck with the traffic.

After 15 minutes or so, Chanyeol arrives at the hotel, leaving his car for the valet service, he walk straight to the restaurant. He know the occasion of this dinner, it’s for him to know his soon-to-be wife. But, he didn’t think that his soon-to-be wife is also late, he greet the elder by bowing his head, and take a seat beside his mother. Mr. Shin asked a couple of things regarding the company and his life, and Chanyeol just answered politely.

“Ah, sorry we’re late,” Mrs. Shin said as soon as she open the door, then walk to her husband, while Hyera confused as to why there were other people there. She thought it was just her family dinner, turns out there’s another family that join their dinner. “Come here, Hyera-ah. Greet them, it’s Mr. and Mrs. Park, and this is their son,” Mrs. Shin said.

“Annyeonghaseyo, Mr. and Mrs. Park, I’m Shin Hyera, nice to meet you,” Hyera said politely while bowing to Mr. and Mrs. Park, then turn her body a little and then bow to Chanyel, “Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Shin Hyera. Nice to meet you.”.

Mr. and Mrs. Park seems satisfied with Hyera greet them and their son, they smile widely, “Hyera-ah, this is our son, Park Chanyeol. Yeol-ah, greet her,” Mrs. Park said.

“Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Park Chanyeol,” Chanyeol just simply said and bow. He still have his cold expression face, with no emotion at all. Hyera thought of how this young man has a really deep voice? It surprise her. Hyera then remember what her parent told her the last time they came home, they want her to get married to Mr. Park’s son. Is this why her mother work so hard to dress her? Then it’s not a family dinner, it’s a business meeting. Hyera felt a little hurt by it, but still, her smile didn’t falter from her face.

“Come on, sit down, shall we?” Mr. Shin suggested, and soon all of them seated. Mr. Shin was seated opposite Mr. Park, Mrs. Shin was seated opposite Mrs. Park, and that make Hyera seated opposite of Chanyeol.

“So, Hyera, how’s your husband-to-be? He’s handsome, right?” Mrs. Shin asked then she giggled. Hyera just looked at her mom, she can’t answer that, she felt numb all over her.

“I guess she does thinks that, see, she can’t even answer that, she must be really embarrassed right now,” Mrs. Park said, and the parents laughed happily. While Chanyeol just seated there didn’t say anything and just look over to their parents.

The dinner just happen to be like that, the parents talked about random things and the younger just eating in silent. Hyera’s mind is full of this whole arranged marriage and Minjae.

Minjae. Is this the sign that she has to let go? Is it time for let go?

She didn’t have any time for thinking anymore, as it would be impolite to reject the marriage in front of the elders, besides, her parent did say it’s for the company. She was an only child, not to mention she is a girl, then who's in the family to inherit the company other than this man her parent chose?