"So what do you think?"

Jeongguk looks up to his father - who's nodding slowly with the usual scary frown on his face. Please...

"Are you sure about the market?"

"I've done all my research and I have all the numbers ready," Please...please say yes...

"Send me the business plan - a detailed one," Yes!! Jeongguk felt like his heart's about to explode out of his chest and hug his father out of joy! He's open to the idea! "Don't get too excited yet, you still need to convince the partners and stakeholders. We'll look through it together,"

"Okay - yeah! I'll firm it up and share it with you as soon as I can!" He can't wipe the grin on his face. "Thanks dad...for um...hearing me out," He can't wait to tell Lalisa about this!

Mr Jeon nods with a small smile. "We still need to talk about your bad habits,"

Oh...okay, here it goes -

"You know...I had to constantly convince the partners every time this happens. They listened to me time and time again. But if this keeps going, I will lose their trust. I can already tell that some of them are slowly losing it. What's going to happen if I'm no longer around?"

Jeongguk looks down to the coffee table. Of course, now that he understands it better - and that he's pretty sure his 'habits' will no longer be an issue with Lalisa now in his life - he will do his best to listen more and ensure these said parties will gain back their trusts. But those last words of his father sounds too heavy...he never thought of it in that sense before.

"Your mother and I...we've discussed. I know how much you'll hate this idea since you're always the type who has a mind of his own...but for your mother's sake, please just agree to it. It'll do good to her heart,"

"Okay?" Is it just him or is his father finally speaking to him normally...like how a normal father talks to his son?

"We think it's best if you settle down,"

He's not sure why, but as soon as his father said those words, Lalisa's face came into mind. Imagine that...

"I know a few of my partners who have daughters around the same age as you -"

"Wait - hang on - what?"

His father paused, staring at his confused state.

"You mean...like an arranged marriage?"

"Well...you can call it that. Yes, that's for the best,"

"No! No, no, no - dad, please! I've changed, I promise you - I'll never -"

"You've said this and we - I mean, your mother - always trusted you. It's not that we don't now, but maybe if you're married, the media won't dig up so much dirt on you -"

"They will - that's what they do! They'll try anything but please dad - I beg you, please don't force me to be with someone -"

"I'm not asking you to get married tomorrow. Maybe you can take a month to get to know the girl first, then get married,"

Jeongguk took a deep breath to calm himself down. This is bad. This is worse than getting kicked out of the family! There's no way that he'll ever allow himself to fall into these conservative, stereotypical path that he's been hearing about all his life! Okay, he needs to fix this. He needs to convince them and convince them real quick!

"Dad, please," He said in a more composed manner. "I'm not opposed to you and mom's idea but...can I ask you a question?"

Mr Jeon leans back in his seat.

"If...let's say...hypothetically...the girl I wanna marry is not from a family of...um...well, is not wealthy. Would you and mom have a problem with that?"

"Why would we have a problem with it?"

It dawned on him of how lucky he is compared to his friends. It's so common that family's expectations are always being put first, and when it comes to life-partners, they always tie it to business as well. A long-term partnership in life is somehow more secured when one's child is being married to the other who holds an equivalent status in society.

But his parents had never spoken of it up until now. And he doubts that this topic came out because of a partnership. It's because of him, fooling around and getting himself in trouble all the time!

"Okay...what if she's not Korean?"

His father glares at him. Shit...is that it? Is that the deal-breaker?

"You're testing my patience. Just tell me exactly what -"

"I have a girl!" He blurted out of panic. Damn, tone it down Guk - no need to shout about it! "I mean...I found a girl...that I really like. I'm still trying to get to know her...I'm not sure if she likes me the way I like her - but I'd like to see if she does,"

Mr Jeon squints his eyes at the son, trying to somehow gauge the honesty of what he just said. "And how did you two meet?"

It's going to sound like a joke to his father but he didn't care. He can lie about other things but not about her.

"On the train here,"

"So you just met her...and you think you like her?"

"I don't think I like her, I already know I like her. She's kind and funny...and smart too! She's amazingly beautiful and she makes me laugh -"

"But you just met her," 

"Yes...but I've known other girls for longer and none of them had ever made me feel the way she did - dad...please...give me a chance,"

"So what does your questions have to do with her?" See, that's why his father is sitting on that power chair - he pays attention.

"She's not from here. She's from Thailand,"

"And what is she doing here?"

Let's not mention the Jeongs just yet. "She works as a photographer in Seoul,"

"A photographer? For the news?"

"No, for an agency. Creative agency,"

"Are you sure she's not just after you cus of -"

"She's not. She didn't even know who I was until hours later,"

"It could be she's pretending not to know you. Maybe it was all planned out?"

"Maybe she planned to sit next to me in the train that no one knew up front I was gonna board it? Even I didn't know how I was gonna be on it! Dad, please...just give me a chance. Just give me some time - and I promise you - if things don't work out, or...or if I break that trust again, you're free to marry me or do whatever you want with me. I'm only asking for this, please..."

...

"Guk, where are you going?"

"I'll be back mom, I'm just gonna go fetch a friend! She's having dinner with us tonight,"

"She?"

"Yes, 'she'," He mouthed with a stupid smile on his face. "You're gonna love her - I'll see you later okay?" He grinned at his confused mother. He never brought a girl back home before. He's so excited for Lalisa to meet his parents!

"Jeongguk-ssi," Jeongguk stopped and turned when Hwang called from behind. "Your father asked me to accompany you,"

"Aish...okay," He can't be picky at this point. There are so many firsts from his father today, and he can't thank his lucky stars enough that the old man is willing to give him a chance with Lalisa. Wonder what she's doing - is she up yet? Would she want to follow him back? Or would it scare her? It's okay, Jeongguk is confident that he's able to persuade her!

"Where are we going?" Hwang asked as he got into the driver's seat.

"Back to the hotel to get my girlfriend," Girlfriend...can he call her that? Of course he can, he made it clear that she was his last night - and she said yes!

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yes, the one you saw...that's my girlfriend,"

"Oh...I thought..." The man's eyes are searching around - looking nervous. Why? "I'm sorry Guk-ssi...I have misunderstood the situation,"

"Hmm?"

"I thought that uh...well I thought that she's a call girl -"

Jeongguk clenched his jaw at the word. There are two things that's stopping him from lashing out - one being the fact that he's had a fucking good day so far, and two, the guy is practically family - although if he says it again, Jeongguk wouldn't mind kicking him out!

"No, she's my girlfriend - did you not see how beautiful she is? How could you think that?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't get to see her face properly...it was only a short while that I saw her. I just thought because you didn't come back home and there are no luggages around -"

"Her stuff was in her room. That was my room. Hyung, I may be a lot of things but I don't pay girls to...you know..."

"I'm sorry. Please accept my apologies. And please tell your girlfriend to ignore the money I left,"

Jeongguk froze. If he's not shocked before, he is now.

"What money?"

"I left some money in an envelope before I went out - on the dressing table in the room. Your father told me that you probably didn't have much money with you since he blocked your cards. He asked me to pay for the rooms too but when I checked at the reception, it's already paid for by your friend. So because I thought she's a call girl, I left the money there -"

No. Fucking. Way. 

"Let's go. Now!!" His heart is beating furiously. How could this hyung be so stupid - no, how could Jeongguk be so stupid to not notice anything?! Oh God, please don't let her see that envelope - please!!

...

"Ah, yes. She checked out this afternoon. Although...she left some things here. She said someone might want to pick it up,"

"Things? What things?" Jeongguk wipes the sweat off his temple. His chest has been beating so hard all the way here. She left...she must've seen the money - otherwise she wouldn't have left!

"She asked me to ask a question first. I should only give it to someone who answered it right,"

Jeongguk frowns and nods.

"What's the name of her..." The girl looks down to a piece of note in her hand. "Housemate,"

"Chaeyoung! Her name's Chaeyoung," 

The girl smiled and asked him to wait before she disappeared into a room behind the reception counter. When she came out, Jeongguk saw the shopping bag he had left earlier. Please let there be her phone number in there...please...

He looked through the content of the bag - probably more aggressively than he should as the girl in front of him now seemed scared. Nothing...just his clothes...and the envelope with Hwang's money in it...

That...that's it? She really left with nothing for him? Not even a fucking phone number for them to talk about it?? Fuck!!! 

Fuck you Jeongguk - why are you so stupid?! Why didn't you just wake her up and tell her you'll come back? Then the money wouldn't even make sense and they'd be laughing about it right this second - what kind of fuckery is this game the universe is playing on him?! 

You brought her to me when I didn't even asked you to! You made me like her so much that now...now it hurts so fucking bad - how am I supposed to live knowing that I lost her by such a dumb misunderstanding?? She must've felt so insulted - it's even worse than finding out her ex got married without telling her! She must've hated his guts now - Jeongguk would go down as the worst guy she's ever met!

...