Secret Weddings

Chapter 9. Sleeping in one room

My name is Chae Eun, this year I stepped on the number 27. For twenty-seven years of my life, I always obeyed my family's words, even to the point of having to give up my dreams. Yes, I admit it started from my mistake of being too intelligent to be interested in thinking about my future, and letting my family steer me like a kite tied to a rope. Ever since I let them do that, I have never once managed to fight for my desires even if it was just enjoying ice cream on the beach. Everything I do has to be, according to what they say.

"Eun-ah, it should be like this.., Eun-ah, you should be like this.., Eun-ah, listen to our words, this is what is best for you. Eun-ah—"

I was frustrated, I was depressed, and suffocated with all their words. They (my family) are very good to me. However, without them noticing, they had made me a marionnette doll. I.., I lost myself. I. I lost my freedom. I lost everything I dreamed of.

But.., the one thing I am grateful for from their edict is.

One year ago

The Flashback

"He's the son of a father friend. He is good, and also responsible. I'm sure you'll like it."

I can only take a long breath. After all, even if I refuse, my father will still force me to marry his friend's child. I am lazy to argue if the edges of my arguments are not heard, just wasting my energy and time.

"Yes, it's up to me."

"Then you meet him tomorrow. I'll send you the address for the meeting."

"Yes, it's up to me."

●●●

"You're getting married! With who?!"

"The son of my father's friend."

"I'm guessing he must be the heir of a big company" Chun Bong said.

Yeah, I also thought that way when my father betrothed me to him. However, everything was beyond my expectations. The man, he looks so simple.

"Miss Chae Eun?" He said, approaching my desk.

I hung up the phone from Chun Bong, and started staring at him from toe to head. What is the style of a big entrepreneur's kid like this? I asked in my heart. He's really very simple, very. His black shirt looked shabby, and his hair was a little messy.

Is it possible that he tried to look humble? Thought. That seems to be the case, given the many heirs of wealthy families who use humble images for their corporate image.

"Sit down" I'll make it easy.

He pulled the chair in front of me, and sat there. I looked at his face, he looked very depressed and like there were so many problems he was having. Was he also forced to this match?

"You had to too?" I asked, making her turn her eyes on me.

"Forced?"

"Yes, forced by this matchmaking," I said.

"You mean, you're forced to make this match?" He asked back.

I sipped my order latte, then said, "you mean, you're accepting this matchmaking because you want to?"

He smiled faintly, "y~ considers it a compulsion nor is it wrong. But, you don't look like a woman who can be forced."

That's what I hate about myself. I don't know why I always act like a wall when dealing with other people. However, I became the easiest to tear down when dealing with my family.

"Take it's my destiny" I said.

"Destiny? Is there such a thing as destiny in this world?" The man smiled again. "Letting them drag you into compulsion, that's your choice, not destiny. If you don't want to, you should reject them out loud, but you make them force you instead. If you continue to follow their will, then maybe in the future you will regret."

Deggg

His words pierced my heart, making me stupefied. Thatme! It's obvious that it's me! I've always been like that for a long time, letting myself be used as a puppet to follow my family's wishes.

"Ice americano's? A latte? Or Caramel macchiato?" I sidetracked our unpleasant conversation by asking her what she wanted to drink.

He moved out of his place, and extended his hand to me. She said, "I want soju. You want a drink with me?"

I was stunned for a moment. This is the first time I've received someone's helping hand, usually people around me will avoid me because of my tough attitude.

"But it's still the afternoon, when we want to get drunk in the afternoon har—"

"Come on, this can take your stress off, too."

He pulled my hand, and took me away from the cafe.

●●●

He took me to a green field located behind an old factory that seemed to be no longer in production.

"Ahhhhh I like the bitter taste of soju" he said after downing a glass of soju. "You don't drink?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I think I'd get drunk if I drank it." To be honest, I've never tried alcohol before, so I didn't want to take the risk of trying to drink it with someone I just met. Although he is my future husband.

"really. If you're drunk, then you won't be able to enjoy the sunset view" he exclaimed.

"Sunset?"

"Why do you think I brought you here?" He asked back. "You don't think I'm gonna do anything weird to you, do you?"

I took a long breath. Honestly, that's what I was thinking. I have often seen the behavior of the children of entrepreneurs who do tricks like this. That's why I didn't accompany him for a drink, afraid he would do something strange if I got drunk.

He smiled, "of course you don't think strangely, my face is plain and kind like this, where it might be misunderstood."

His words involuntarily made me let out a laugh. "You're so narcissistic."

"Not narcissistic, but handsome."

I don't know why the two of us were able to talk so comfortably, and this was also the first time I could laugh after this. He didn't look as depressed anymore as when I first saw him at the cafe. Is it because we have the same pressures of life? Maybe so.

We talked for a long time, whatever we talked about, I forgot all about our conversation because somehow the comfort he gave me stole a lot of my memory.

"Oh, the sun is about to set!" Exclaims.

I followed the direction he looked at — where the sun began to fall from his throne—

"You.., it's not too late for you to refuse this match," he said, stealing my attention.

He looked at me sincerely. "Don't let others force you, and make you regret it in the future. I..," she fell silent, and slowly avoided my sight. "I know so well what it feels like to regret, that's why I.., as my gratitude that you have accompanied me to drink on the anniversary of my mother's death, I want to tell you that." The gloomy and depressed face that he displayed at the cafe earlier, again covered his face.

Warning of his mother's death? I don't know how to react. This is the first time I feel like I should entertain someone. What should I say to cheer him up?

"You..., I don't know your name yet?" Foolishly, can such a question be comforting?

He looked back at me. The orange sky, and the orange light that shone on his gloomy face made me realize that this man, had provoked something in me. L'm.i., i...,

"I, Ji Hyujin."

Looks like I'm.

●●●

I fell in love for the first time, with the man I was betrothed to. However, the simplicity Hyujin showed me did not seem to represent her life that turned out to be so complicated. I just found out that Hyujin is...,

"He is Jin Ji, an actor. She was supposed to be a dress model for one of the brands in the VVIP Store, and also a model for our parfume brand but, this morning, scandalous news about her surfaced. So, we, and the VVIP Store canceled the contract with her," Hyena explained about Hyujin's profile emblazoned in the product presentation, leaving me stunned.

Today we were discussing a change of model for our parfume brand, as the previous model was hit by a scandal this morning, and I never knew that the model my subordinate was referring to was. Is he an actor named Jin Ji? The scandal? Why is it like this? Is this just someone similar? Hyujin was supposed to be the heir of a wealthy family. My mind flutters. I tried to convince myself that they were not the same person. However, his profile on the internet mentions his real name. Ji Hyujin's.

"The scandal is not too big, just the news of dating the son of the film director he is starring in. However, since he is only a nugu actor (not famous) the slightest scandal will ruin his career," Chun Bong issued an opinion.

I usually strongly support Chun Bong's opinion. But this time, my heart hurt.

"We'll deal with it.., the meeting," I said. I walked out of the meeting room. I have to find out about the real Hyujin. In any case, I don't want to fall in love for the first time with the wrong person.

●●●

"I thought you weren't coming" Hyujin said.

Chae Eun pulled the chair in front of her and sat there. Right after Chae Eun came out of the meeting room this morning, Hyujin contacted her and invited her to meet.

"I just found out, that you're an actor," said Chae Eun, sounding cold, in stark contrast to Chae Eun whom Hyujin met during their first, second, third, and fourth meetings.

Hyujin smiled. "Yes, I'm sorry for not telling you before. I was too embarrassed to admit that I...,"

"I think you're the heir to a rich family" Chae Eun said, as if not to hear Hyujin's reasoning.

"Nde?"

"I think you're dressed seedy to look humble, considering most heirs to rich families always do it for imaging."

Hyujin. "Squabby clothes? Is that what you thought of me when we first met?" There was a hint of disappointment from Hyujin's tone of speech.

"I..," Chae Eun was silent for a moment. He may be too surprised by the fact that Hyujin is an actor involved in a scandal but, after all, Hyujin is his first love. Chae Eun let out a long breath. "I'll go to the toilet first" he said, then he got out of his place.

In the bathroom, Chae Eun tries to calm herself down. What's with me, actually? I'm mad at him because he's not the heir to a rich family? Or because he's in a dating scandal? Or maybe I'm angry because you're setting me up with someone like him? Or else, because she was my first love and I felt she had to be a perfect person?

Chae Eun let out a long breath. He stayed quite a while in the bathroom, until he finally felt quite calm, then he returned to the restaurant room that Hyujin had deliberately ordered to meet. However, on the doorstep, Chae Eun stops her steps when...,

#prakkkk

"Damn you! Already troublemaking and bothering me, you still have time to order a vip room at this restaurant?! Who do you think you are to waste my money?!!" Taehyung curses and hits Hyujin's cheek hard, and it leaves Chae Eun stunned to the point of pecking.

"I booked this room not with your money, director."

#prakkkk

The hard slap that returned floated onto Hyujin's face, making Chae Eun finally stop sculpting. He wanted to go in and help Hyujin. However, Hyujin's gaze, which was linked to her eyes, made Chae Eun again look up. Hyujin looked so sad when she found out that Chae Eun saw her situation like this.

"If you had money, you should have used it to cover up your cheap scandal, damn it!! Wanna see when you keep bothering me, huh?! Listen yeah! If you get scandals again, and trouble me, then I'll smash you to pieces, you know that I can do it?!" Threatened Taehyung, before he left, and left Hyujin who was lying weakly on the floor.

"Come out" said Hyujin, shrieked.

Chae Eun who was hiding behind the wall squeezing the tip of her skirt, what she had just seen really made her not know how to deal with Hyujin.

"Sure, you don't have to go out, because I'm a real shame to see." Back Hyujin said. He tried to stand on his own ability. "But this is how I am. I'm not a successful man, or an heir to a rich family. My background is bad too. Sorry if I let you down. But, you also don't have to blame your father for matching you with trash like me. Because.., your father was forced to do it." Hyujin walked out of the room, and looked at Chae Eun who was hiding behind the wall.

"Chae Eun, even for a little while, I'm really grateful that you've been my laughing partner. I.., really happy. Good bye."

Chae Eun was devastated when she saw Hyujin's back getting further away.

My heart...., why is it so painful to hear the word goodbye from him? I. I. don't want to lose it. I.., not willing.

Flashback off

That goodbye finally convinced me that I didn't want to lose it. That's why I'm continuing our match. And to protect her from the scandal and from the damn director, I decided to keep my marriage a secret with her. Not without reason, I could have destroyed that director. However, it would definitely offend Hyujin because I was meddling in her affairs. I.., maybe because she was my first love, so I wanted to keep giving her my best without offending her.