“You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking and looking, and thinking for your approbation alone. I roused, and interested you, because I was so unlike them.” 

“Not again!”

Minhyuk winced at her murderous expression. He had expected this, but really nothing can prepare him to face an angry, raging banshee that was his beautiful girlfriend of three years.

“I know, I know. But this is an important call, I have to go,” he said soothingly, opening his arms to try and embrace her but she moved away.

Eunji crossed her arms and glared daggers at him, “Then take me with you. You owe me this at least! I already called my parents and everything, they were expecting us and now I have to cancel!”

“You can still go back to Busan without me,” Minhyuk offered weakly, “and you know you can't come with me. It's a business trip, not a vacation.”

“It'll be a vacation for me, and you know why? Because I already planned for a vacation, with my boyfriend, to go back to my hometown to meet my parents. Oh but then, a funny thing happen. He canceled on me! At the last minute!”

Eunji threw her hands up in aggravation, turning around to collapse on the bed in a show of dramatic frustration.

Minhyuk rolled his eyes. His Eunji was usually a mature, understanding woman, but she certainly has her moments.

“I'll make it up to you. Don't I always?” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking her feet into his lap. Eunji buried her head under a pillow.

“Whatever,” her muffled voice said, before an epiphany struck and she lifted the pillow up to pin him with a suspicious glare.

“You're always going on business trips, and you never bring me along. You always said I would be bored and alone there because you have things to do. But is that really all to it?”

“No,” Minhyuk said bluntly, smirking as her eyes widened in surprise. She certainly hadn't expected that answer.

“I don't bring you because you're a distraction I can't afford to have,” he continued, eyes softening up as he looked at her fondly. Eunji felt a blush rise up, unsure if being called a distraction was a compliment, but with the way he was eyeing her now—like a predator ready to pounce, she would let the comment slide.

“You know,” Eunji started slyly, “when guys usually went on 'business trips' so many times without their girlfriend or wife, it means they're cheating on them.”

Minhyuk scoffed, pushing her feet off his lap so he could climb on the bed and settled in next to her. “Is that what you think?”

“It's common knowledge for women. What else are they suppose to think?” Eunji countered.

“I should be hurt that you would suspect me,” Minhyuk's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer until he could feel her heartbeat against his chest. Eunji had to tilt her head up to look at him; they were so close now that she could see clearly the dark brown irises of his eyes.

“That's impossible, the devil doesn't feel hurt,” her voice was faltering as she continued to stare deeply into his gaze. While she was distracted, he had reached over to entangled their hands together—his thumb softly rubbing the back of her knuckles; it was one of his tricks to get her to lower her guard, and make herself vulnerable enough for him to devour.

“Are we going to spend my last night throwing insults at each other?” he said, voice low and husky, making her involuntarily shiver.

“Last night? Please, you're not dying...” her words faded off into a sigh, one of both pleasure and defeat, as his lips found her heated skin and all thoughts of business trips and vacations were thrown out from her mind.

At least temporarily.

“I still don't think you should do this,” Jungshin said nervously, but even so he continued to help Eunji move her luggage into the car.

“No, I think it's long overdue that I do this,” she said firmly, double-checking her purse to see if she hadn't forgotten her passport, cash, and credit cards.

“Minhyuk is gonna be pissed,” Jungshin muttered under his breath.

“What he doesn't know won't hurt him!” Eunji chirped happily, getting into the car and blowing him a kiss.

“You sure you know what you're doing?” he asked worriedly, “That you won't get lost or anything? It's not like you know how to speak French all that well.”

“Don't worry, I have it all covered. Thanks a bunch for helping me, oppa! I mean, finding out which hotel Minhyuk is staying and all that. I'll see you when I get back!” Eunji winked, starting up the car and pulling out of the driveway.

“Sure...it's not like you blackmailed me or anything,” Jungshin rolled his eyes, and waved as Eunji's car slowly disappeared from view.

“Oh god. I'm gonna die by Minhyuk's hands aren't I? She's totally gonna get caught.”

I am a genius and there is no way I'm getting caught! Eunji thought gleefully, donning her disguise as she exited the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris, France.

With sunglasses and a beige-colored peacoat, she would look like any high class hotel resident going out for a morning walk on the streets of Paris.

Except that wasn't the only thing she was wearing. There was a men's style bowler hat on her head, which was big enough that she could tuck all her hair underneath. Along with no makeup and no jewelry, Eunji was also wearing loose black slacks and heavy, nondescript black boots.

The thick coat managed to hide all of her feminine curves, and Eunji had never been so glad that she was not as...well endowed, as let's say her friend Hayoung. For once she was thankful that she possessed a body shape that was more petite than curvaceous—it would make her mission much easier.

Eunji had assessed herself in the mirror before she left. She did look a little like a man...well, more of like a feminine, pre-pubescent man, but still a man. She nodded in satisfaction. There aren't many Koreans in Paris, so a normal disguise would still be suspicious. Hopefully this would throw Minhyuk off a bit if he does managed to spot her somehow.

Normally she doesn't make it a habit to crossdress and stalk her boyfriend around in a foreign country, but really he was asking for it. She was gonna get to the bottom of what he's really up to during his 'business trips'.

Locating him wasn't hard. Eunji had connections too.

And by that, she meant Jungshin.

“You checked in already?”

“Yes,” she mumbled into the phone. Sitting at a cafe, at eleven in the morning wearing sunglasses and gloves and speaking urgently into the phone...people were eying her and probably wondering whether she was filming a movie or is a member of the Mafia.

“Alright, I called Jonghyun hyung who called Yonghwa hyung, who got Minhyuk's schedule from his secretary and emailed it to me...it says here that he's currently having brunch with the board of directors from his branch company.”

“Yeah, okay. I just want to know where he is, Jungshin oppa,” Eunji tried hard to keep the exasperation out from her voice, but it was hard. She was wearing two layers under her coat, to seem bulkier, but now she was starting to sweat like crazy.

“Oh, right. I'll send you directions to the restaurant he's at. Hey, uh...Eunji? When you do find him, what are you planning to do? Just follow him around and see what he does for the next two days? I already told you it's business stuff.”

“That's what they all say,” Eunji growled into the phone, “And you don't know for sure. Okay, I need to go. Bye, oppa.”

She hung up and paid for her coffee, before hailing a cab and giving the driver directions that Jungshin had sent through a text message.

“You have a good day uh...sir?” The cab driver said uncertainly. The entire ride consisted of the driver looking at her oddly from the rear view mirror. Damnit, maybe her disguise wasn't as great as she thought it was.

Eunji nodded, not wanting to give herself away by saying a word.

A waiter greeted her by the door.

“Table for one please,” she used the same tone that she would use when speaking in her Busan dialect, and it seemed to work well enough. Her French also made it obvious that she was foreigner, so the waiter didn't look at her appearance too strangely.

Eunji spotted Minhyuk as soon as she entered. It was due to pure luck that she got a table where his back was facing her, so she could stare at him all she like, without making it too obvious.

Casually walking to her table, she picked up a menu and hid her face behind it. It seem that what Jungshin said was true. He was at a table being surrounded by other men and women wearing business suits with briefcases by their sides.

They had a full course meal on the table, but of course, like the professional (read: pompous) business people that they are, not one of them are touching the food but instead too busy typing on their laptops or tapping away on their smartphones.

Minhyuk was one of them. Eunji narrowed her eyes. With her hawk-like vision she could see that he was texting someone. But who? Another business partner? His mother? A secret lover?!

She knew she was being irrationally paranoid, but she was getting way in over her head with the whole roleplay thing. It was fun.

Eunji craned her head, trying to see his face. She 'accidentally' dropped her napkin, giving her an excuse to get up and from her table to pick it up. From her new point of view, she could spot the expression on his face.

...and it was shocking.

He was smiling!

Eunji's jaw dropped, robotically sitting back down on her chair.

Minhyuk was smiling as he tapped away on his phone, and she now know that it certainly wasn't a business partner. He never smiled about anything regarding work, probably because his job was so soul-.

Eunji wanted to believe that it was his mother. Or his sister. Because Eunji had never seen Minhyuk smile like that, when he's on his phone. He looked so...so tender.

She hated herself for using that word, but it was the only one that sounded appropriate.

What the hell. Her left eye twitched. She was tempted to get out from her seat and march right over to him, but she forced herself to stay put.

And they told me that I was being ridiculous! What are you hiding from me, Minhyuk?! Business trips my , no one smiles that sweetly when they're texting their friends or acquaintances, only when talking to family, or--

Her phone vibrated.

Angrily, she dug her hand into her pocket to retrieve it. Who dares interrupt her tirade?

From: Minhyuk

I miss you. What are you doing right now?

Eunji stared at her phone screen blankly.

A full minute passed.

...

Oh.

She looked up to see Minhyuk pocketing his phone, a faint smile still lingering on his face.

Eunji cringed.

I'm sorry for ever doubting you, oppa.

She bowed solemnly while still sitting down, until her forehead touched the table. Quickly reaching for her phone, she typed back a response.

Just watching TV. I miss you too.

Come back soon!

-Eunji

Right before she pressed sent, she paused and read over the message thoughtfully.

Just watching TV. I miss you too.

Come back soon! I love you <3

-Eunji :)

There. She pressed sent.

Now she felt less guilty. Sort of.

Before Eunji could see his reaction to her reply, the people at his table stood up, including Minhyuk himself. They were shaking hands, so Eunji assumed they were preparing to leave then.

She threw her napkin on the table. She was already half standing and getting ready to leave too, when a waitress appeared at her side. Eunji froze, still in her awkward half sitting, half standing position.

“Are you ready to order?” the waitress smiled.

Eunji slowly sat back down. She inwardly face-palmed.

Oh great. How to handle this gracefully?

After resigning to order a bowl of salad, Eunji ate as quickly as she could without losing her table manners. Right after she was done, she hurriedly left and called Jungshin.

“Hmm...now he should be going back to the hotel. There's nothing on his schedule.”

Thanking him, Eunji got on another cab. She eagerly pulled out her phone again when she felt it vibrate.

I'm sorry you can't come with me. I promise we'll go on vacation here someday.

I love you too.

-Minhyuk

She felt a silly smile bloomed across her face. She started to type something back, when she happened to look out the window...

...and spotted Minhyuk, right outside a shopping mall. Her eyes widened; she cannot believe her luck.

“Stop the car!” she screeched at the driver.

The driver, surprised, stepped on the brakes hard. He looked bewildered at the sudden order and the high-pitched voice that came out of the supposedly young man he was driving en route to a hotel.

Eunji was too focused on not losing sight on Minhyuk, that she barely paid attention to the driver. She quickly paid him and stumbled out of the car.

Minhyuk was already disappearing amongst the crowd, and Eunji hurried to catch up with him.

A shopping mall? What was he doing here?

It finally registered in her jumbled mind that he was probably here to buy gifts and souvenirs, as Eunji watched him enter store to store while hiding behind large pillars. He had brought a few bottles of wine, and was now looking at rows and rows of chocolates.

She smiled when she noticed him pick out a few boxes of her favorite ones.

Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

The rest of the day was spent shopping.

Well, Minhyuk shopped (Eunji had to rolled her eyes at that; of course he would be totally comfortable going shopping alone) while Eunji window shopped and stalked. She didn't have any money to buy anything; she had already spent a month's salary paying for the flight and hotel room. Sure, she could use the credit cards that her boyfriend had given her, but Eunji doesn't like extorting money from anyone. She liked to be independent with her own finances.

Just as she was getting tired of wandering around the mall, and was preparing to call it quits and return to the hotel, Minhyuk made one final store destination that perked her interest.

A jewelry store.

Eunji felt her heart dropped to her stomach.

Please tell me that you're just there to buy a tie pin or cufflinks.

She sat on a bench in front of the store, watching him from a safe distance. Her heart dropped further from her stomach all the way to the bottom of her feet when he steadily walked past the watches and necklaces, and straight to the woman at the counter. He seemed to be talking seriously with her, inquiring or confirming about something.

The woman nodded, and went behind the store to get something. Eunji felt both a horrible sense of dread and yet, a thrilling sort of anticipation.

When the woman came back, she held something in her hands. Eunji couldn't see it, as it was too far away, but it was something small, that the woman placed in the palm of his hand...

It was either cufflinks or that tie pin, or...

No. She doesn't want to think about it.

What she needed was to leave. She needed some air, and someplace quiet so she could process what she had just seen.

She stood up stiffly, and walked away with purpose. Her mind was all over the place, and her eyes were staring at her feet. She turned a corner, and when she looked up it was too late--

She bumped into someone, a heavy guy like six-feet tall, and she was knocked right off her feet.

“Hey! Watch it you—oh.” The guy stopped in surprise. Noticing that the person that had ran into him was very much a woman, and not a guy. Eunji, sitting sprawled on the floor, frantically felt the top of her head. Yep, her hat had been knocked off. Now her long hair tumbled freely across her back, exposing her disguise.

. She struggled to get back up on her feet, ignoring the guy's outstretched hand and his muttered apologies.

Eunji waved him away, forcing a smile on her face. “It's okay, I'm fine. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going...”

She trailed off, becoming distracted as her eyes wandered around, looking for her hat. She swore it fell around there somewhere...

“Here, this yours?” She turned and saw the guy that she had bumped into holding out the bowler hat to her. She nodded gratefully, reaching out to take it when he pulled back at the last minute, so Eunji grasped onto thin air.

She looked at the guy in disbelief.

“What's your name?” he grinned, hiding the hat behind his back.

Oh god no. She has no time for this now.

“Look, I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry and I'm not interested. Can I have my hat back please?”

“Tell me your name first, then I'll give it back to you.”

Eunji glared, completely outraged. “Excuse me?!”

The guy looked slightly taken aback at her outburst, and said with a little less confidence than before, “It's the least you could do after bumping into me. I just want to know your name, pretty lady.”

Eunji fumed. Yes, she was the one that had bumped into him, but she was also the one that fallen on her in a nearly crowded shopping mall. She owed him nothing!

“I am not giving a stranger my name,” Eunji said firmly, “Now give me my hat back!”

“Do as she says. Please give my wife her hat back.”

Eunji froze, open-mouthed. That smooth, familiar voice was so close, she could feel his breath right behind her ear, and then the soothing weight of his hand on the small of her back.

She was afraid to turn away, and confirmed what she already know.

“Darling? Are you hurt?” he said, with a too sweet tone that was making her sick. Darling? Oh no, they are not that type of couple. And wait...did he say wife?!

The man looked uncertain now, glancing back and forth between her and her...supposed husband. But seeing the stubborn glint in his eyes, Eunji knew he refused to give up so easily.

“I...I don't see a ring--”

“Of course you don't,” Minhyuk cut in coldly, and then held up one of the bags he was holding. Eunji turned slightly, and saw the words Harry Winston printed boldly on the little bag.

“She was just getting her ring resized.”

Eunji blanched. It was almost a confirmation that there was an actual ring inside that bag.

“The hat, please,” Minhyuk said again, voice as hard as steel. The guy returned the hat reluctantly back to her, and shuffled away.

And now, there were alone.

Eunji mentally calculated the distance between herself and the nearest exit, wondering how the hell she was going to escape the situation she had put herself in. His hand was still on her back, like an anchor that prevented her from floating away. Or in this case, running away.

“Eunji,” he spoke quietly, after a few seconds of silence. She stared straight ahead, not sure how to react.

“Look at me.”

The way he worded it was clearly an order, and usually Eunji's response would be less than obedient, but now was not the time for a show of feminism.

So she swallowed her pride and turned to face him. Her head was lowered, hands clasped together meekly—it was quite a sight. Anyone who knew Jung Eunji would certainly believe that she had been possessed.

“Look at me, Eunji,” he repeated, and finally she lifted her eyes to meet his. She expected to see anger, disappointment, disbelief...

But his normally kind eyes, that always looked at her with a mixture of affection, need, want, and love...it was completely devoid of all emotions.

It was a saddening and heart-breaking sight to see.

“Oppa, I..” she choked, trying to think of something to say. Anything to get that emptiness out of his eyes.

He said nothing, just stare at her for a moment longer, before he abruptly grabbed her hand, pulling her with him until they were both standing outside the mall, in line to wait for a cab. Eunji fidgeted uncomfortably, knowing that she had screwed up big time, but unsure of how to proceed.

The tension in the cab ride back to the hotel was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. He didn't ask which room she was staying in, just expected her to follow him back to his suite.

The door closed behind them. Minhyuk carefully put away all of his shopping bags, and then retreated into the bathroom. Eunji stood awkwardly at the end of the bed, for the first time in a long time, she felt nervous around her boyfriend.

When he reappeared, he had removed his tie, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He looked less intimidating now, but more exhausted and stressed out. Eunji waited for him to say something first.

It was awhile before he did.

“Why?” he sighed, closing his eyes and turning away from her. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly, “Why would you do this, Eunji?”

She frowned, her lower-lip trembling as her eyes started to tear up. She heard the disappointment in his voice now, and she just couldn't bear it. He should be yelling, scolding and lecturing her for her antics. But this resigned tone of voice...she was afraid of what it might lead to.

It was that thought that made her panic and react.

“I'm sorry!” she cried and launched herself towards him. Crushing him in a hug from behind, she burried her face into the back of his shirt, and started mumbling apologies and excuses.

“I'm an idiot. I was a stubborn, curious idiot! I just thought it would be fun. It's not that I don't trust you, I just wanted to see what you do...when I'm not around. It's like you have a whole different life that I don't know about here...and it kills me not to know! I'm sorry, oppa! I am!”

She rambled uncontrollably, her grip around him tight and unfaltering until he extracted her hold on him and turned around to face her.

“Stop talking,” Minhyuk said firmly. He grabbed her face with both hands, so she had no choice but to stop and listen.

“You lied to me, Eunji. Two days ago before I left, yesterday night when I called you and just now when I texted you. Were you following me then?”

Eunji gulped, looking at him guiltily. That was all the confirmation he needed.

“I'm sorry...” she repeated sadly. She did lie, many times, and now she would have to pay the consequence.

“I'm sorry too,” he grunted softly. She lifted her head in surprise.

“W-wha...? Why?”

He sighed heavily, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He tugged on her arm, until she was standing in between his legs, looking down at the top of his head.

“Because I lied too,” he finally confessed, grabbing both of her hands in his.

She was stunned. No, she was more than stunned. She was utterly and horribly confused.

Okay, she did not see this coming.

“Lied..? About what?”

“Don't tell me you didn't saw me going into that store.”

Okay...maybe she did sort of see this coming. Eunji decided the best course of action was to act dumb.

“Erm, I did but...what does that have to do with anything?”

Minhyuk unexpectedly rolled his eyes at her, “Come on, Eunji. You're a better actress than that.”

She shrugged helplessly, not knowing how to respond.

“I told you I'm on a business trip, and that's partly true. But the main reason I came here was to get that ring, the one I had custom ordered weeks ago.”

Eunji was speechless.

“It was supposed to be a surprise.”

She shook her head, trying to make sense of his words.

“W-well, I'm still pretty surprised,” Eunji admitted. He frowned at this, guiding her to sit on the bed so they can talk more comfortably face to face.

“Why? Didn't you ever...thought about this?”

“...this?” For some reason, her brain was working slower than usual.

“Marriage,” Minhyuk deadpanned. Eunji shook her head timidly, looking somewhat pained. No, she had never thought about marriage, or a family, or a future. She was always the 'live in the moment' kind of person, so yes, she was totally caught of guard by this.

And she doesn't know what to think.

“Jung Eunji,” Minhyuk sighed, sounding mostly tired but the loving tone that he always addressed her with was back, making her heart flutter with joy.

“Marry me?”

And then it was as if someone had pulled the brakes on her racing heart. That cursed word echoed loudly in her mind.

Marry marry marry

He was looking at her so hopefully, so nervously...it was a thrilling feeling. Minhyuk was always so stoic and calm and cool, she couldn't believe that he was so worked up over this.

But the question is, why am I NOT worked up over this?

She stared deeply into his eyes; they were asking her the same question:

Don't you want to marry me as much as I want to marry you?

Three years.

That's how long they had been together. How long she had loved him, and he loved her. Through the fights and the heartbreak, the tears and the yelling and the occasional angry --yes, they had stayed together through them all.

So the answer was obvious.

Why is she even hesitating?

“Yes,” she smiled, her entire face brightening at the wonderful revelation. She was going to marry this man, because she loves him. And that's that.

Minhyuk's countenance relaxed. He had been holding his breath all the while she was having that internal turmoil, and Eunji felt guilty for a moment for ever making him doubt.

“Yes, I will marry you,” she said more firmly. Her own words made the whole situation sink in. She was going to get married! Wait till she tells her parents! And her friends! Oh, she'll tell the whole damn world if she could.

Eunji was so giddy that she giggled—something that rarely does. And Minhyuk, oh, he was radiant. This amazing, handsome man...she had never seen him happier. And she vowed that she would work hard to make him this happy all the time.

He kissed her soundlessly, “I love you.”

She returned the words, and the gesture. Before he could leaned further into the kiss, she pulled back, a smirk on her face.

“Everything turned out great in the end right? So you ended up proposing to me in Paris. How romantic,” she teased.

“I was actually going to propose in Busan. At midnight, at a pier under a colorful firework display. I had it all planned out you know.”

Eunji laughed delightedly, jumping into his arms so suddenly that they both fell back onto the bed.

“That sounds nice too. Maybe we can make the 'official' proposal there. But I like this one better.” She smiled happily, snuggling into his chest as his arms went to wrap around her. 

“You do?” Minhyuk asked, surprised.

“I'm in Paris, in a luxurious suite of a five star hotel. Come on, it's almost every woman's dream!”

“Oh really? I thought Jung Eunji is not like most women,” he raised an eyebrow in amusement, “If I had known, I would've booked our honeymoon in Paris instead.”

She mocked gasped, slapping his chest playfully, “You already planned our honeymoon?! How could you be so sure I would say yes?”

She watched as his face fell and he struggled to find the words to say; well, her promise of always making him happy was thrown out the window. Torturing him was way more fun instead.

Eunji chuckled, deciding to save him from the embarrassment this time and kissed him senseless. After all, she would have the rest of her life to bully him mercilessly.

A while later, they were curled up comfortably around each other. The TV in the room was playing softly but neither was paying it much attention.

“I can't believe you bought me an engagement ring all the way from Paris.”

“I can't believe you dressed up as a guy and followed me around the whole day. Did you actually think you would fool me?”

“The only reason you caught me was because my hat was compromised! You would never have known otherwise.”

“Nope. You make a too pretty man. I would have known right away,” Minhyuk smiled as she yawned, rubbing her back warmly.

“I'm a manly man...maybe I should propose to you in Busan instead,” Eunji muttered sleepily, and then finally succumbing to sleep with a smile on her face.

Minhyuk laughed silently, kissing her on the forehead before pulling the covers over her.

“Whatever you say, darling.”  

A/N: Merry Christmas :)