After getting a fresh air and watching Heeseung fumble through his first dance with a pretty girl you didn't know in the dance floor in the center, that for some reason is making him nervous and more skittish than normal, you figure out it must be his crush.

The rest of the night progressed smoothly and you found yourself spending most of it dancing, wrapped up in Sunghoon's arms.

Not that you were complaining. His hand never strayed away from your waist as he leaned in close and whisper in your ear.

"I've got three boys watching me closely from different parts of the room", he said quietly, and you turned your head slightly towards his, grinning.

"Intimidated by my own friends and Hyunjin? Just wait until my mom met you", you said and it was a signal for you to look around for her.

The prospect of them meeting for the first time in this party threw you a little but you shook your head before searching for her face among the people, but whenever you look even in the most far corner, she's nowhere to be seen.

In fact, even your dad and his wife is still not here, only their childrens.

The people were starting to ask around as well for them and yet either Yeji or Hyunjin seems to have no idea.

"Not intimidated. I just can't shake the feeling that I'm being under surveillance", Sunghoon admitted as he chuckles patiently.

"Well", you said after a moment and gesturing to one of the hidden corners of the hall, "why don't we try and escape them for a moment?"

He met your eyes and raised an eyebrow slyly. One side of his lips pulled up higher than the other as he asked, "Let's go then?"

"Let's go", you said truthfully, making him grin properly. His smile was always the one thing that stole your breath tonight.

It's enough for you to want to reconsider your plans for him, but like you said before, you're not one to change your mind if it would help you in the long run.

With a forced casual footsteps, the two of you walked towards the edge of the room, hiding behind one of the pillars and you were the first to close the distance in between. As you looped an arm around his neck, you pressed a long, slow kiss into his lips.

When you pulled back, peering into his face and found him grimacing. Well, that was a little more than insulting.

"Well, that's not the reaction I'm expecting", you part teased, wondering what was wrong.

"Your stepsiblings is behind you", he murmured weakly and you knew then they have followed you.

You should've known they wouldn't let you out of their sight due to the engagement Yeji informs you about. But you hadn't thought; you'd just been so focusing on making the most of your time with Sunghoon.

You knew you would live with them after this party, but this was not the way you'd planned for them to find out. They were only going to be nervous if the son you're arranged with is also in this room.

Steeling yourself with a quick breath, you squeezed Sunghoon's hand before turning to face the waiting stepsiblings. Jay and Jake had followed after them, clearly trying to get them to give you some space to breath but twins obviously hadn't listened to them.

And even now, as the boys tried to convinced them to remain entertaining the guests and not to make a scene, their words fell on deaf ears.

They tried to nail you in the spot, as they seemed to tell you that you were doing it all wrong, but you pulled a strong front, daring them to try confront you about it.

"Any chance we could leave this party?", you tried quietly.

"For what?", Sunghoon asked, confused.

"I'm getting sick of all the mishaps here", you admitted, although it would go against your plans.

Making up your mind quickly, you stepped in front of Sunghoon who held your hand tightly, "What are you doing?"

"They won't try to take you away from me. On the other hand, I'm not so sure I can keep calm throughout the night"

Hyunjin, growing tired of being ignored, demanded loudly, "What the hell is going on?"

"Lower your voice", Yeji hissed urgently, looking behind them in panic, "Don't make a scene!"

"Don't make a scene!", you repeated incredelously, putting more tension between the three of you as you stepped up to them, to face them with a glare, "Are you going to explain or not on why are you interferring with my life?"

The silence that followed was too thrilling and a bit tensioning as Hyunjin meets your eyes with as much as heat while Yeji is trying to put herself between you and him, but she couldn't stop it, not even when the three boys attempted to calm you down.

When they know if Hyunjin push you to the edge with no return, this party would end in a riot between you and him, or in your case, as they so like to believe, you would repeat what you'd done to their dad in their mansion.

And in a formal party like this, it would certainly brings you nothing but a bad reputation to their world.

Then as if not wanting to go at that point, believing that all you want is answers, Yeji spoke up.

"We were just here to stop you because it would be no good for your image if you were dating the wrong person"

With you suddenly feeling frozen at this moment, in spite of not desiring to hear it, you dared to ask, "Then who is it?"

"With Park Jay", your dad admitted from behind you, finally turning up but you didn't believe him.

Instead, you looked for the person he mentioned for the confirmation and not realizing the way Sunghoon shuddered from next to Jake who were now looking at him, alerted.

After a culmination of time that seems to still as every eyes proceeds to turn at Jay all at the same time, he surely didn't expected it as he looked at each of you, but never at Sunghoon's way, as if afraid to see his reaction.

And so at his reluctant nod, you watched as Sunghoon clenched his jaw, now holding tightly to Jake's arms in hopes of composing himself.

"Since when did you know?", he asked, trying to maintain his cool and you wondered just how long he'd be able to do that.

Jay visibly winced. He'd been hoping that he wouldn't face this question from one of his friends.

With hesitation, he answered truthfully, "Starting the camp, I already knew but I was not aware of who she is until she told me recently she's also a daughter of Mr. Hwang"

"It's not his fault, Sunghoon. This was all a decision of their parents", Jake supplied and his bestfriend did not appreciate his honesty.

"How can you never tell me about this, Jay?", Sunghoon spluttered, glaring at Jay who was suddenly unable to let go of your hand as you reach out for him.

In a way of only comforting him, though.

When Sunghoon looked at Jake for an answer, he admitted quietly, "He told me about it when we're in Jeju, at the time you left us there"

"Are you bragging?", Sunghoon demanded, looking so lost but still mad, "Does making this a secret from me makes you two happy?"

"Sunghoon", you said with a sigh, "There's no need to blame him when Jake already told you -"

"I trusted you", Sunghoon's words weren't aim at you, "I trusted you to not keep secrets with me and you broke my trust by not letting me know", he shook his head, trying not to rage some more, "that you'll be her fiance"

Rather those words were aimed at the silent boy standing behind you and from the way he let go of your hand, you knew they struck deep into Jay. In your knowledge, before Jake comes, he and Sunghoon had known each other first.

Jay nodded, letting out a deep breath and agreeing, "I probably deserve to hear that"

Without another word, Sunghoon stormed away from all of you, his hand dragging Jake out of there as they walk away. From over his shoulder, Jake threw you a worried glance and you just knew that he trusted you to stay with Jay.

Seeing that they were not needed anymore or that your eyes is signalling them to leave, the Hwang Twins walked back to where they had been before.

Jay's hands wrapped around your waist from behind as he asked quietly, "Are you alright?"

You nodded, turning in his arms to look into his eyes as you asked, "Are you?"

"I will be", he admitted with a weak smile.

"I'm sorry it had to be like this for you", you murmured, pressing your forehead against his shoulders, "This won't change everything, I assure you"

And this is where you repeat that thought, at the moment you look into his eyes and realized why he had given you a ring, he had known it all along.

The only reason he's not doing what he wants is because there is still some part of Jay which doesn't trust the part that believes.

He believes you won't ever sway your heart back to him just because there's already another.

The truth is, he might be right or wrong in so many twisted ways.

But just in case it's the end, you turned to give Jay a hug before turning to leave him without an explanation.

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The next hour found you mingling around with your friends, Heeseung and Sunoo by the food's table. Each word from them and their easy smiles was memorized by you, and if they noticed you more silent than normal, they must think it's just from the nerves of being in the same place as your dad.

But if only they asked, it could've been halted, at least what you have in mind to do.

They didn't know it would happened once the clock ticked down to midnight and they will be none the wiser, there was nothing else you could have done.

Much to your relief before it occurs, to show them what you're really like inside, you spotted your mom emerged from the back door with Mr. Ong and looking so beautiful in her own sparkling white dress.

As soon as she spied you waving to her, she joined you in your table and pulled you in a hug before pressing a kiss in your forehead.

"Why are you so late?", you asked quietly, watching as she smiled a little sadly, "Did you have another attack again?"

She shook her head, "No, I actually talked to Mrs. Hwang in hopes of them to back out with that arrangement for you"

"Mom, I'm sorry", you said with a sigh, taking her hand between both of yours, "You shouldn't have done that for me -"

"But I am your mother", she cut in gently, meeting your eyes with a soft look, "I know this would be against your ideals, so I did the job before you went to do something desperate"

Her words had you smiling gratefully for always putting your happiness first and your eyes drifted to the stairs behind her, to where the people could climb and watch the crowd below in the balcony.

This is where Jake and Sunghoon appeared, deep into their conversation, both eyeing Jay who was talking to a woman who must be his mom from the way they acted around each other.

Your mom followed your eyes and she faltered for a moment before dropping her arms from around you.

She rose to her feet with a sigh, and you watched her with a frown, "Where are you going?"

"I'll talk to your dad again not to announce it for the whole guests to hear", was all she said as she walked away from the table, leaving you behind and heading to the family of Hwang.

The sight of her looking so elegant yet appearing so small in front of your dad and his wife hurts you a bit, so much that you can't keep looking at the view.

She should've been the one who were supposed to be there at his side.

She wasn't supposed the people were looking at and judging under their breath, as if they know the whole story.

And because it hurts so much, the plan was still on-board because you don't want to really belong in this kind of society, all glamorous behind their glossy fake smiles.

What you want is your own freedom. The kind of freedom where no one can stop you to be yourself, like being a free wild woman in the west, so you texted a number and tell them it's time.

It's time for the unveiling of the last step.

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