The next night

“My Eunnie look so pretty tonight,” Mrs Kim said, when she was helping So Eun getting ready for her engagement party.

So Eun smiled weakly at her mother. She looked at herself in the mirror. True, the dress was beautiful. But it will be more breathtaking, if she was wearing it for her engagement to Seung Hyun.

“Can we go down now? Everybody’s waiting for you honey.”

So Eun nodded and followed her mother from behind. She stopped at the top of the stairs. There were so many people who had attended this party. Most of them, their business clients and partners. She must go throught with this no matter what. How can she embarass her parents in front of all these people. She took a couple of deep breaths before going down the steps.

Her father stood up at the podium.

“My guests, can I have your attention please? I have a very important announcement to make.”

Almost immediately, all eyes were on him. Mr Kim gestured for So Eun to join him up on stage. He put his arm around her.

“This party, has been thrown to celebrate the engagement, between my daughter and Lee Joon, the son of my close friend, and also business partner. With this family bond, we hope to become more closer in the future and we also pray for our children happiness. Now, I will call Lee Joon up to put the ring on my beautiful daughter’s finger.”

Everybody broke into a round of applause. They were all smiling and cheering for the couple.

Lee Joon went up the stage and knelt down in front of So Eun. Slowly, he took her right hand and took out the ring from his pocket.

“Kim So Eun, will you allow me to put this ring on your finger?” he asked in a low, romantic voice.

So Eun was frozen on the spot. Her mind suddenly went blank. She her lips nervously. What was she supposed to answer?

So Eun’s POV

There he was, kneeling down perfectly in front of me. Asking for my hand in marriage. In front of all these people, in front of appa, umma, oppa. This handsome gorgeous young man.

Suddenly, the image of Seung Hyun’s smiling face came to my mind. From the first time I met him, and when I found him all badly beaten up, to when we were sitting together on the rocks at the beach, where he confessed his feelings for me, and he asked me to be his girlfriend.

Song Seung Hyun. Girlfriend. I love him.

“Anyo!” I blurted out.

Everybody gasped. Lee Joon looked up at me startled.

“So Eun, what are you doing?” appa whispered beside me.

Suddenly, it all came rushing back to me. I realised where I really was at that moment. No Seung Hyun in front of me. Just Lee Joon’s sad face. With that ring still in his hand, held up clear for me to see.

“Uh, wh what?” I stammered.

“Eunnie, are you okay? Lee Joon is proposing to you now,” appa reminded me.

My heart raced. What did I do? What did I say? What am I supposed to say?

“Oh. Oh, mianhamnida. I guess, I was too nervous,” I gave a weak laugh. “Can we do it again?”

The guests started to laugh at my carelessness. I forced myself to laugh along with them. Appa shook his head and chuckled beside me. Lee Joon’s face turned into a smile from a frown.

“Kim So Eun, will you allow me to put this ring on your finger?” he repeated the question.

I blocked out all my thoughts. I didn’t want to make another mistake. I shut my eyes closed, imagining it was Seung Hyun I was answering to.

“Yes,” I whispered.

At that moment, I heard a loud crash. My eyes flew open and I turned towards the noise direction.

All at once, I wanted to disappear. I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing was true. No, no. He can’t witness this. What was he doing here?

Standing there, looking all handsome and gorgeous, even in a waiter’s suit, except for the pale stricken look on his face, Seung Hyun’s devastated eyes was staring back at me.

The seconds that passed by seems like hours. I wanted to call out his name but no sound came out.

“Mianhamnida,” he said finally, apologising to the guests and started to clear up the mess he had done. Even from that one simple word, I could hear the sadness in his voice. All the hurt and the pain that was inside him.

“Joesonghamnida,” he apologised again before making his way out from there, but this time, he was looking straight at me. And I understood what he was trying to tell me. He was sorry, that he had to witness this with his own eyes.

My heart broke. My legs wanted to give way but I forced myself to be strong. I cannot let anybody suspect anything. I wanted to run after Seung Hyun, I wanted to tell him, I didn’t want any of this. I didn’t ask for it. All I want is to be his forever, not Lee Joon’s, not anybody else’s. I wanted to be with him, I wanted to tell him I love him...

Then, I felt something on my finger. I looked down and saw that Lee Joon had already put the ring on my finger. I stared at it, with tears in my eyes. I willed for it not to flow over. I tried my best to hold them back and forced a smile. I held up my hand for everyone to see it, and they started to cheer and clapped their hands. Appa and umma came forward to hug me, along with Mr and Mrs Lee. Finally, it was oppa’s turn.

He put his arms around me and hugged me close. He gave my shoulder a squeeze and my back.

“Eunnie, I know what’s going on. Be strong my dongsaeng. Be strong,” he whispered in my ear.

It was all I needed to hear and I couldn’t stop the tears anymore. I let it all out, not letting go of oppa. I cried on his new suit but he didn’t seem to mind.

“It’s okay. Let it all out, don’t keep it inside anymore. Shh.”

It was a good thing everybody thought I was crying happy tears.

“She’s too overwhelmed right now and she’s just too close to her oppa,” Kim Bum joked with the guests to distract them from asking anything. They were laughing, showing that they understood. I cried harder.

Seung Hyun’s POV

I clenched my fists so hard that my knuckles turned white. I gritted my teeth to keep myself from screaming my frustration out loud. The scene of him kneeling down, proposing to her, and she saying yes keep playing in my mind. When she said no at first, I felt a glimmer of hope. How could she? How could she do this to me? Doesn’t she know how much I love her? Why isn’t she doing anything to stop this? Am I nothing in her eyes? Who am I to her? Millions of questions are running through my mind. I wanted to go out front so badly, and confront her right there and then. But the sensible part of me hold me back. I couldn’t do that to her. I couldn’t embarrass her in front of all those people. I know how much this means to her family. And I know that she’s tearing up inside just as bad as I am right now. I banged my head against the wall.

So Eun, what is going to happen to us now? Please sweetheart, please tell me there’s a way out of this mess.  

So, is this okay so far? :)