iii — chapter three;

three months after the proposal;

“Really?! We'll really be visiting Korea for our honeymoon?!” Seoyeon grinned in excitement.

Mark chuckled at her behavior. How could she be so cute?

“Of course, would I lie to you?”

Seoyeon pretended to think for a while before shaking her head and grinning widely, “No.”

Being childish as she is, she started jumping up and down before jumping on Mark, who easily caught her. “Thank you! Thank you!”

Mark laughed and muttered a ‘you're welcome’ and kissed her briefly on the lips.

“When did you schedule the bridal dress custom fitting appointment, Mother?” Seoyeon asked her now soon-to-be mother-in-law.

“It's on Friday, starting from 6:00 A.M.” Mark's mother calmly stated before continuing. “My guess is that you should probably wake up around 5:00 and meet me outside the shop by 5:45. How about it?”

Seoyeon sweetly smiled, “Sounds great,” she stood up calmly, “if you'd excuse me, Mother, I'd like to–”

“Go. Mark's probably been waiting for his afternoon kiss. You know how he is; don't keep him waiting.” His mother laughed.

Seoyeon bowed and said a quick ‘thank you’ before she ran up the stairs of the Tuan's house, where Mark's family resided.

She headed towards Joey's room.

Joey was Mark's younger brother and Joey had already gotten married, two and a half years ago, in fact. Way after Mark had told her that Joey had a wife. Leah was actually his fiancé, and they had been planning to get married for a while since and Mark had the habit of calling Leah, ‘Joey's Wifey’ or ‘Sis-in-law’. Seoyeon knew because Joey, himself, had invited her and she was also the bridesmaid for Leah, who had apparently – sort of –made fun of her at the café.

Anyways, Seoyeon knocked on the door, letting herself in before either Mark or Joey had said, ‘come in’.

Seoyeon jumped on Mark's lap and hugged his neck, “Sweetheart! Guess what?”

Mark pecked the side of her jaw, “Mmm?”

“Do you know what day Friday is?”

“Wedding dress shopping?” Mark correctly ‘guessed’.

“Mother told you! You're not the type to know girl things!” Seoyeon accurately accused.

“Joey, what do you think?” Mark turned towards his younger brother, only to turn back quickly, his face red as a tomato.

“Why? What's wrong?” Seoyeon turned her head and reflexively turned back straight away like Mark.

Joey and Leah were kissing and didn't even notice the other couple.

Seoyeon slapped her boyfriend's arm and whispered, “Mark! Don't stare!”

Mark blankly looked at her, “Huh? What? Oh. Sorry.”

Seoyeon quickly dragged her boyfriend out of Joey & Leah's room before shutting it – and also making sure to lock it.

“Should we do that too?” Mark asked.

Seoyeon stared at him with a I'm-judging-you-so-hard face.

“Ouch! What was that for?!” Mark whined, rubbing his now red arm with his other hand.

“How about this one?” Mark's mother suggested.

Seoyeon cringed. She was a shy and reserved (but friendly) girl, almost like a wallflower. She was the type of girl who would wear a t-shirt and jeans over a dress or skirts any day. For her, they were to revealing and her mother had always taught her that a true young lady was a lady who didn't have to expose anything to get men, mostly because men were pretty useless. Or so her mother had said.

This dress was gorgeous, but it was a bit too short for her liking, and probably, she thought, for Mark's liking.

Now, to tell her soon-to-be mother-in-law this…

“Mother...” Seoyeon started off, but Mrs.Tuan wasn't even paying attention to her.

“Hmm...on second thought, it's too short, don't you think? Mark would never approve of this.” Mrs.Tuan continued as she inspected the dress.

“Yes, I think so too, Mother.”

Seoyeon glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time, 1:56 P.M.

‘Why isn't he coming?’

Seoyeon had arrived with Mark's mother at the bridal shop around 6:30 A.M. and Mrs.Tuan had left around 10:55 A.M for a business appointment, with much displeasure, Seoyeon might add.

Sighing, Seoyeon looked at her watch one last time.

2:24 P.M.

Is he really not coming?

Sighing for the last time, Seoyeon called for the manager of the shop, “I'm ready to start trying on my dresses now.”

“Are you sure, madam? Where's your fiancée? I mean, your mother-in-law came...are you, perhaps...?” The sales assistant didn't dare finish her sentence, knowing she might as well be fired for even asking in the first place.

“Yes. Alone.” Seoyeon nodded and finished harshly for the former.