"Tan, I warn you. Shut up!"

 

But, Tan was far from stopping."Seriously Haeri.. Don't give up on your first night. Make him suffer more. Hold yourself. Give him blue balls." He put such serious expression as gazing intently to blushed woman in front of him.

 

Hearing Tan's words, instead of feeling bothered, Hyunjoong smirked widely. He enjoyed the scene where Haeri acted nervous and blushed furiously. Ah, his cutie wife was- refreshing.

 

Haeri cleared and glimpsed shyly to Shinhye and Dara who smiled back at her. When she noticed that Hyunjoong smirked in victory, she suddenly felt pissed off. In snap, she pinched Hyunjoong's thigh, earning a loud groan from him.

 

”That's hurt, you know?" Hyunjoong protested as he rubbed the spot.

 

Haeri grinned. "Well, you deserved that."

 

"It was Tan who mocked you. Not me. You should pinch him."

 

"But you let him. Besides, he is your friend."

 

"You better watch your back, woman!" Hyunjoong planned good revenge in his mind.

 

"Try me." Haeri bravely challenged him.

 

Dara laughed shortly seeing the bickering. "Hyunjoong, I finally understood why you chose her, why she was so special." She looked at blank Haeri. "You are awesome. You somehow make him down on his knees."

 

"Mwo?" Haeri glimpsed at Hyunjoong then back to Dara. "I am not-"

 

Hyunjoong took her hand and squeezed it lightly. "You are right, Dara. Everything about her feels so right."

 

"Eh?" Haeri met her eyes to Hyunjoong's soft stare.

 

"Aw.. So sweet!" Tan laughed. "Seunghyun.. Look at this lucky bastard! He was the worst and yet he managed to settle himself faster than us."

 

Seunghyun threw his right hand over Dara's shoulder. "Well, I don't mind. The most important thing is I finally find my special someone." He gazed at Dara lovingly.

 

"If that's the case, I have no complaint too." Tan also stared to Shinhye who acted like she didn't care.

 

"Tan." A soft voice made the six of them raised their faces and stared to the source of it. A beautiful lady with blue dress stood behind Kim Tan. "And, all." She bow slightly. "Hyunjoong, congratulation."

 

"Thanks, Rachel." Hyunjoong glimpsed to stoned Tan.

 

That woman, Rachel, looked at Seunghyun and Dara. "I just know that both of you are together."

 

"The newest amongst us." Seunghyun replied with polite smile.

 

"I see." Then, in sudden, Rachel locked her sight toward Shinhye.

 

Catching Rachel's intense gaze, Shinhye felt a little bit intimidated. Who was this woman? She acted strange. And, Shinhye had this strong feeling that the reason was Kim Tan.

 

"You are not going to introduce us, Tan?"

 

Tan sighed heavily. "Rachel, this is Shinhye. Shinhye, this is Rachel-"

 

"Tan's fiance." Rachel smiled sweetly.

 

Shinhye froze. What?

 

Haeri turned her face fast toward Hyunjoong, expecting further explanation from him. But Hyunjoong gave no reaction. He stayed still and stared deeply toward Tan.

 

"Rachel, I told you before-"

 

"The connection is not broken yet. Whether you like it or not." Rachel said firmly.

 

Tan gritted his teeth, trying to hold his anger. But again, she was right. Rachel was right. His father gave his words to Rachel's mother and if he took silly actions-

 

"I am sorry, Hyunjoong. I cannot stay for the party. I have to fly back to Paris."

 

"Oh, that's ok." Hyunjoong stood up, taking Haeri with him. "Thanks for coming."

 

Rachel nodded and smiled. In snap she looked at silent Tan. "Let's go home. I have to get ready."

 

Tan helplessly looked at Shinhye who stared back at him with troubled heart. "I am sorry. I have to go."

 

Rachel started to walk away.

 

Tan stood up and gave final glance toward Shinhye before giving Hyunjoong and Seunghyun meaningful stare. Getting nods from his best friends, Tan followed Rachel toward the exit door.

 

He left? He left! He followed that woman! Shinhye fought the urgency to cry. But the reality kicked her sanity hard. Why should she cry anyway? He was nothing to her. Well.. He kept telling her that he was her boyfriend but.. she always tried to deny it, right? So.. why bother?

 

"Tan's fiance?" Haeri hissed in disbelief. How could he? He had fiance and he aimed her best friend. Haeri looked at pale Shinhye. She could understand Shinhye's feeling at the moment. She was hurt.

 

"There there Haeri.. It is not-"

 

"But he said nothing against-"

 

"It is a set up marriage, Haeri." Dara stated. "Tan has no power to reject it."

 

"But-"

 

"It is a eternal curse for him, for us, so called chaebol." Seunghyun added.

 

"Shinhye.." Hyunjoong called the woman who sat next to Haeri, making her turned her face to him. "Have faith. He will fight for you."

 

He would fight- Would he? It seemed like a very long journey. Shinhye gave no response.

 

"Are you sure?" It was Haeri who asked. She didn't want her best friend experienced unnecessary pain. She knew that Shinhye tried hard to ignore Tan. But now.. when she started to open up her heart-

 

"We know him very well." Seunghyun answered.

 

But she knew nothing about him. Shinhye realized that she seriously knew nothing about Kim Tan.

 

 

---

 

 

Twenty minutes past midnight when finally Shinhye called off her research about Kim Tan. She turned off her laptop but kept immobilize at her study desk. Her mind recalled what he found through the net.

 

Kim Tan.

 

His life was difficult.

 

He was one of Empire Group's heirs. Seeing that now Kim Won, his half-brother who was in control- it could be said that he wasn't the real prince after all. In addition- Shinhye sighed as she remembered the fact- People addressed him as an illegitimate son. That his father got him from his mistress.

 

No wonder.. He couldn't- about that woman- about the arranged marriage.

 

 

"Have faith. He will fight for you."

 

 

If he fought his family for her- It would trouble him more, wouldn't it? And- That didn't sound good. Not at all.

Shinhye stood up and headed to her bed. Again, her mind wandered around, remembering what happened since she met him.

 

That man- He tried hard to get her attention, to get close to her, to stubbornly conclude that they were in some kind of relationship- to treat her nicely, to put her above all, to make her felt special- That man- That Kim Tan..

Shinhye hated to admit but she was falling for him and it confused her.

 

Did he really mean it? Did he really-

 

BUZZ!

 

Shinhye looked at her phone over the bedside table. It was flashing. Someone was calling her. She took it and looked at the screen.

 

Kim Tan.

 

Her heart moved rapidly. After taking two long and deep breaths, she pressed yes button. "Yeoboseyo?"

 

"Hi! You are not sleeping yet?"

 

"I am going to. But, your call disturbed me."

 

He chuckled on the other side. "Hm- Will you do me a favor?"

 

"What is it?"

 

"Coming out from your place for a moment? I want to see you."

 

"Mwo?"

 

"Now I am standing right in front of your door."

 

Shinhye cut the line, threw her phone over the bed, and sprinted toward her front door. In seconds, she opened the door and found Kim Tan smiled widely.

 

"I am honored." He said.

 

Shinhye tried to control her labored breath. "It's late."

 

"I know. That's why I am honored you are willing to meet me." He chuckled again. "If we are talking like this- We will surely-"

 

Shinhye grabbed Tan's hand and dragged him inside, closing the door behind her. "Sit." She muttered before she walked to the kitchen. "Tea? Coffee?"

 

"Black Coffee will be nice. Without sugar."

 

"Cream?"

 

"A scoop of it."

 

"Alright." Shinhye directly prepared the drink.

 

While Tan took the liberty to scan the whole living room. Pictures that were placed on the wall absorbed his attention. Shinhye and her families- Shinhye and her friends- Shinhye and her other life he didn't know. He smiled to see her hundred expressions. He was right. Park Shinhye was one attractive young woman.

 

"Your coffee."

 

"Thanks."

 

Both of them occupied the long couch in silence. They also enjoyed their drink in silence. Shinhye was waiting for him to start talking. But it seemed that he was taking his time. He wanted to enjoy the silence first.

 

"And, you are here because?" Finally she was the one who broke the ice.

 

Tan sipped his coffee one more time before putting it over the table. "I just want you to know that- I called off the wedding. Rachel and I are no longer connected."

 

What? Shinhye stunned. He did that? He seriously did that? But how about his family? His Abeoji?  His Eomoni?  His half brother? She just stared blankly into nothing. Fear filled her heart slowly. Fear for him.

 

Tan let out short and low chuckle. “And, because of that, they practically kicked me out from home.”

 

Shinhye turned her head fast, locking her eyes to his, finding that he somehow looked at peace.

 

“Don’t give me that look.”

 

“What look?”

 

“Feeling worried, huh?” He smiled. “Don’t be. He promised to take a good care of my Eomoni, so- I am relief.”

 

“But-“ Shinhye lost her words.

 

“I am allowed to keep my salary from working at Empire Group. With that, I buy an apartment to live and have enough money to eat. Hyunjoong already hired me as his employee. However, I am his best consultant.”

 

Shinhye just gazed at him in silence. Mixed emotion flooded her body entirely.

 

“I have friend who will walk with me even though I am in . All I need now is-“ He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek softly with his knuckles, sending chill directly to Shinhye’s spine. “You.”

 

Shinhye gulped hard. “Me?” She shuttered.

 

Tan nodded and gave his tender smile. “I am being serious with you, Park Shinhye. I cannot believe me for being like this but yes- I am able to imagine my future with you in it. I do hope you are willing to give me a chance. I wish- I cannot promise you anything but the whole me. You know that I am starting from zero now. I- I am falling for you.”

 

Oh. My. She was paralyzed.

 

“So- Will you?” He rubbed her jaw with his thumb. “Give me-“

 

Shinhye grabbed his shoulders and pulled him fast, crashing their lips within second. Kim Tan widened his eyes in shock before his heart exploded with such happiness and he kissed her back.

 

 

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