Chapter 49

Yeojin put her printed draft of final paper inside the folder before putting it inside her bag. She was just zipping up her bag when she felt a pair of arms hugged her around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Lin spoke while resting her head on Yeojin's shoulder. "Sorry for how I acted yesterday, Eonni."

Yeojin smiled then turned around chuckling at the pouting younger girl. She hugged Lin and patted her back.

"I should be the one apologizing. I'm SO sorry, Lin. I hurt you and I just can't forgive myself."

"No, Eonni." Lin sniffed. "I know you didn't mean to. I feel so stupid for getting mad at you just because of one guy." She started sobbing and Yeojin suddenly felt like crying too. "From now on, I promise to always listen first. Whatever it is!"

Yeojin chuckled over a drop of tear that escaped her eye while still Lin's back. "And I promise to always tell you my secrets. Let's not fight anymore, okay?"

She felt Lin nodded and they hugged a little longer before breaking away with giggles. For some reason, she knew Jongin had something to do with this. Yeojin made a mental note to thank the friend later.

"Tell you what," Yeojin started while wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Since this week is our last week of school before the winter break, why don't we spend the following week just us girls? No guys! Not even a thought of them! Hm?"

Lin immediately beamed and nodded excitedly. "Let's do that! Sunhee eonnie should join us too!"

"Of course!" Yeojin grinned and hooked her arm with Lin's before they went out the room together.

Sitting down on the wooden chair at the veranda, Kris let out a content sigh. He leaned back and took a sip of the canned beer in his hand as his gaze settled on the distant wave of the winter sea crashing against the shore. The sky was already dark. It was starless but the view was still one in a million. A moment later, the door slid open and out came Suho, clad in a winter jacket just like him, with his own can of beer. Kris took another gulp of the beer when his friend sat on the chair beside his.

"Isn't it too cold to be enjoying the view outside?" Suho chuckled with a little hint of shivers.

Kris shrugged. "Didn't ask you to join me out here."

"Tch." Suho rolled his eyes.

"Luhan?"

"Taking a shower. Speaking of him, I honestly was surprised that he was that good!"

Kris snorted. "Yet you were the one who recommended him to help our project."

"I only knew his father owns a general contracting company. I didn't know he himself would offer to be the architect for our project." Suho took a sip of his beer and looked ahead recalling the college days he spent in China.

"I befriended him during college. Thought he was only majoring business management," he continued. "I didn't know he was also majoring architecture. And he's one hell of a good architect! I mean did you see his sketches earlier? And those were just sketches!" The shorter guy laughed before letting out a long sigh of content as he leaned back. "Ah! This feels like bachelors' getaway!"

"Married." Kris smirked showing off the ring on his finger.

Suho scoffed to the side and waved a hand dismissively. "Fine, fine! It's a one-married-the-other-engaged-and-one-y-single-man's getaway!" He proudly announced before turning to his married friend with a raised brow and a smirk. "You sure are proud of being a husband nowadays."

Kris' initial smirk faded. Frankly, he wasn't sure if he was proud or if he was just trying to convince himself that Yeojin was still his wife and no one else's.

Sensing the change of mood, Suho looked away and cleared his throat. "Why did you suggest this place for the possible site to build the hotel by the way?" He sipped his beer. "Why Sokcho?"

Kris lowered his head as a small smile crept on his lips. "Just because." He tilted back his head to take in the drink. "And there are less competitors here. Besides, it's a nice place though underrated. It'll be a plus point if our hotel can be one of those factors that attract more tourists here."

"True, true." Suho nodded. "Oh! By the way, we wouldn't be taking too long tomorrow right?"

"Why?"

Suho's eyes rounded at him as if Kris just asked with alien language. "The company's Annual Year End Party, remember?"

"That's tomorrow?" Kris almost shouted in surprise while his friend nodded. "Aish!" He looked away squeezing his eyes. "This can't do," he mumbled and clicked his tongue.

His friend laughed. "And you call yourself the chairman! What, did you have other plan or something?"

The supposed chairman sighed. "I promised Yeojin to help her do grocery shopping. She said she wanted to bake."

Suho laughed louder than before. "Wow! You're more romantic than I thought you would be, you know? Trying to make it up to her, I see. Or should I say trying to steal her heart?"

"Shut up!" Kris tousled his own hair with a groan. He really didn't want to break his promise.

"If it were any other time, you know I would tell you to go get her. But this time, I have to say you have to cancel your grocery date. You're the chairman. You gotta be there especially with the recent situation among the board."

"I know." Kris heaved a heavy breath.

"Besides, didn't you tell me she had been spending the week with Lin and Sunhee. I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind going with her for the grocery."

"The thing is Mom and Lin will be going to visit Grandpa in China tomorrow. She didn't want to come with them because her mom is recovering at home. That's why I offered to go with her for groceries." Kris closed his eyes defeated by regret. "I guess I'll have to tell her to go with Sunhee instead."

With a click of his tongue, Suho tapped his friend's knee. "Cheer up, mate! You'll have plenty of time with her later."

Kris silently gulped down his beer. He hoped he didn't just lose a chance to gain her heart. It might just be grocery shopping to other people; but to him, it was an opportunity to be with her. Recently he had been growing afraid of losing her if he didn't take even the smallest opportunity. He wanted to make it up to her. Because as much as he hated it, she liked someone else.

"I'll see you guys later tonight then? At Titan Hotel?" Luhan made sure.

"Yes." Suho nodded.

Luhan bid a final good bye and slipped inside his car. Suho joined Kris in his car and set off for the hotel afterwards.

Once the car arrived at the hotel's lobby, Mr. Lee and a valet approached them. The PA immediately gave both men different card keys for their respective rooms to rest before the event started. Setting down the freshly washed and dried tuxedo on the sofa, the older man left Kris to rest in his suite. 

Kris decided to take a shower first before getting ready. He came out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later and plopped down on the sofa at the spacious living room. Being there alone, he really wished Yeojin was there with him. He had told her he couldn't accompany her today. And he was a little disappointed when Yeojin sounded excited upon the chance to have another day to hangout with Sunhee. He wished she would at least be sad he couldn't accompany her. But she wasn't.

He wondered if she were just acting okay. He wished it so. The longing for her was too overwhelming right now that he couldn't help but to call her.

The phone rang several times and he waited with bated breath before he finally heard her chirpy voice.

["Sup?"]

Kris wanted to snort at her greeting but he decided not to beat around the bush. "I just want to hear your voice."

["What the?"] She laughed.

He involuntarily smiled. "Hey, about today's event... Actualy I- hello? Jin? Are you there? Jin?" Hearing only statics, he pulled away the phone and cursed seeing the sign of no signal at the top corner of the screen.
 

"Thank you, Mr. Nam!" Both girls thanked the family's chauffeur.

Yeojin and Sunhee giggled taking the bags of groceries. Mr. Ahn came out to help them set the bags down at the kitchen counter. Her mom entered soon after and Yeojin scolded her for coming out of the room. But her mom only laughed and assured her that she was okay now. Yeojin was just taking out the newly bought ingredients with Sunhee when her phone rang on the counter. The friend after seeing the caller ID.

Slapping her friend's arm, Yeojin cleared before picking it up. Then, she laughed when Kris said he missed her voice. In truth, his words sent butterflies in her stomach, but she tried to keep it cool.

["Hey, about today's event... Actually I-"] A sound of static muffled his voice.

"Hello?" Yeojin frowned then pulled away her phone before bringing it to her ear again. "Kris? Krisss? Hello?" She clicked her tongue and set down the phone on the counter again.

"What's wrong, dear?" Her mom asked in concern.

Yeojin just shrugged. "Don't know. Something wrong with the signal there, I guess." She proceeded to taking out the ingredients. "He said something about today's event, but it got cut off."

Just then, Mr. Ahn came back to the kitchen bringing a fairly large velvet box. "A delivery for you, Ms. Yeojin."

Sunhee's and Yeojin's eyes were rounded in surprise while the latter girl took the box. Sunhee urged her friend to open it, and when she did, their eyes only rounded even more. Inside the box lay a black winter evening dress. Both girls and Mrs. Kwon let out a soft gasp when Yeojin took it out of the box. 

The dress was beautiful with long sleeves and a little tease of the back. But it wasn't the beautiful dress that really stumped Yeojin. Rather, it was the question of who the sender was. When she asked Mr. Ahn about it, the man only told her that a courier delivered it, and unfortunately, the courier didn't know who the sender was either when Mr. Ahn asked him earlier.

"I think it's from Kris!" Sunhee took out an invitation of Titan Wu's Annual Year End Party from the box.

"Why would he send me this though?" Yeojin frowned and grabbed her phone immediately dialing his number. 

[The number you are calling is not active or out of coverage area. Please try-]

"Not active." Yeojin deflated with a sigh.

"Maybe that was what he wanted to tell you over the phone?" Sunhee guessed. "Maybe he wanted you to be there." She grinned.

"Now why would he want that?" Yeojin frowned even more. "We're trying to keep the marriage a secret for now, remember?"

"Oh, right." Sunhee's grin turned into a pout.

"Yes, I think Kris wouldn't want the marriage to get exposed now," her mom commented thoughtfully.

"But what if...," Sunhee started again knitting her brows and tapping her chin in thought. "What if he just wanted you to be there." She turned to her friend with a soft smile. "I mean you don't have to be there as a wife, right? He can just want you to come."

"For what?" Yeojin rolled her eyes and placed the dress inside the box again.

Before Sunhee could think of an answer, Mr. Ahn came in again to interrupt them.

"Excuse me, Miss. A chauffer is here for you," the butler announced.

"What?" Yeojin almost shouted in surprise. She looked at her mom, Sunhee, then back to Mr. Ahn. "For me?"

"Yes, that's what he said. He told me Mr. Lee sent him to pick you up. I have tried to contact Mr. Lee to confirm, but I only got an intercept message."

"Jin, I think Kris wants you to be there," Sunhee commented tapping her friend's shoulder.

Yeojin sighed and bit down her lip. "Does this mean the dress was really from him?" She mumbled to herself before turning to her mom. "Do you think I should go?"

Her mom surprisingly didn't look so excited. She knitted her brow and lowered her gaze seemingly in thought. "Honestly... I'm not sure, honey." She looked at her daughter. "It... feels out of place," she admitted but then tried to muster a small smile. "But Kris has been changing. Maybe he does want you to just be there. I'm still not sure though."

Sunhee smiled and held onto Yeojin's shoulders. "We're not going to force you to go. We can just bake here and tell the chauffeur to go, or you can meet the husband you're missing and I can help with your makeover." She giggled receiving a light pinch on her waist from Yeojin and a laughter from Mrs. Kwon.

"Should I tell the chauffeur to go, Miss?" Mr. Ahn asked, definitely with a teasing tone.

Yeojin bit down her lip. Should she go?

Suddenly, Mr. Ahn's phone buzzed with an incoming message and he grinned when he read it.

"Miss, I just received a message from Mr. Lee. He is asking for you to come at the latest in an hour."

"Told you you should go!" Sunhee giggled.

Yeojin rolled her eyes and turned to her mom for confirmation. "Mom?" 

"I don't know, dear." For some reason, she still looked worried. "But maybe you should go. Mr. Lee must have been instructed by Kris, I suppose."

With little reluctance, Yeojin agreed. If this was really Kris' doing, he might complained later if she didn't comply. The thought of coming to such high-end party was scaring her, nonetheless. Weirdly, her friend was more excited than she was. She was nervous. But not excited. Her mind was still filled with questions. 

Why would Kris want her there? What should she even do there? What was he actually thinking with inviting her? Was this not a dream?

More than half an hour later, she came down in that dress Kris gave. She wasn't particularly comfortable with the little reveal of her back. In fact, she wasn't comfortable with the dress at all. Probably, it had something to do with the nervousness bubbling inside her. Honestly, she also felt like she didn't fit in such a beautiful dress. However, it apparently wasn't what the others were thinking. Her mom, Sunhee and even Jinho and Mr. Ahn complimented how pretty she looked like in that dress.

Mrs. Kwon smiled at her daughter despite still worrying. She reminded her to be careful and to mind her manners. After a round of hugs- which Yeojin thought was really unnecessary- she bid good bye to them. Settling inside the car, she closed her eyes and gently her chest to calm her nervous heart.

Once she arrived at the lobby of the hotel, she was too nervous to even take the time to gawk at how grandeur the hotel was. Instead, she looked around for any sign of Kris or Mr. Lee. A hotel employee approached her, and she was initially scared he would try to kick her out because she might have looked like a lost pup. Or more like a fish out of water. Thankfully, the guy smiled and handed her a card.

"Uhm..." Yeojin blinked confused. "What is this for?"

"Key to your room, Miss Yeojin. Room 909. You are Ms. Yeojin, right? Mr. Wu told me a Ms. Yeojin would be wearing such dress you are now wearing." The employee grinned.

"Oh. Y-yes," she answered still confused. "What room though?"

"Ah!" The guy beamed. "Mr. Wu instructed me to prepare you one, so you can rest first. The event will only start in half an hour."

"Ah. Is that so?" Yeojin nodded to herself and carefully took the card. "And..." She cleared unsure of whether to ask. "Kris?"

"Oh! He's waiting for you."

Yeojin nodded again and looked away. The guy was just grinning and it only made her more puzzled. She wondered if he knew who she really was. She wondered what Kris told him who she was. What was Kris really planning anyway?

Wanting to escape the awkwardness, she excused herself to go to her room. She rode the elevator to the designated level her supposed room was located, still with the questions filling her mind. After finding the number of the room, she scanned the card and waited for the device to beep with a green light.

Entering the room, she was greeted by a simple living room. She walked further in and found the hallway led her to the bed. Upon hearing the water tap being shut inside the bathroom on her left, she paused in front of the door.

"Kris?" She carefully knocked on the door and heard rustles from the other side. "Kris?" She tried again.

This time, the rustles stopped. A few seconds later, the door clicked and Yeojin suddenly felt her heart picking its pace. Her heart dropped when the door swung open and revealed Sehun in crisp white dress shirt and black pants.

"Yeojin?" He stared down at her with knitted brows.

"Sehun?" She blinked surprised. "W-why are you here?"

He stepped out of the bathroom causing her to take a step back. "I was given this room. Why are you here?"

Yeojin gulped looking down at her dress and trying to find an answer that wouldn't raise any suspicion. "Uhm... I- the- the- event-"

"I meant why are you here in my room? How did you get in?"

Yeojin just innocently showed him the card which he immediately snatched from her hand. Sehun paced around while she was left wondering why he was even there. At Titan Hotel. Was he invited too? But as far as she knew, this party was supposed to be for Titan Wu's employees, investors, share holders and partners only. Or was he here to stay or something?

"Damn it!" He suddenly cursed and she flinched at his tone. He came back to her with long strides and grabbed her upper arm. With stern gaze, he stared down at her.

"What's wrong?" She asked with rounded eyes.

"They told you the room number?"

"Yes. 909. This room."

Sehun furrowed his brows ever more. "This is deliberate then," he mumbled to himself as his eyes darted around the room.

"What is?"

Sehun didn't answer and only grabbed her hand to pull her with him. "Let's go!"

In her daze, Yeojin let Sehun pulled her out of the room. He rushed them down the hallway; yet before they could even reach the elevator, a swarm of reporters blocked their way. 

"There he is!" One of them shouted, and they all stampeded their way to the pair.

Her sight was suddenly blinded by the flashes of cameras. Both were too surprised to move, but Sehun managed to hide her behind his back. Her mind had difficulty processing everything that was happening in a flash, but her ears couldn't ignore the bombarding questions.

"Oh Sehun, is this your girlfriend from the news?"
"Are you perhaps engaged?"
"Do your parents arranged you to get married?"
"What family is she from?"
"Miss, are you Oh Sehun's girlfriend?"

Yeojin hid herself behind Sehun's back even more and closed her eyes tight. She squeezed his hand which was holding hers and tugged the sleeve of his shirt with her other hand, silently telling him to back away. The reporters didn't stop throwing them questions making her grow anxious each passing seconds.

Only then, in the chaos, did she understood what Sehun was cursing about. This had to be a setup!