It’s Saturday, the only day I can wake up late and be lazy for the whole day. But I can’t wake up too late today cause I have an appointment at the bridal to do some fitting for the maid of honor gown so I rose from my bed. Yup, my mom’s gonna married next month with Kim ahjussi and the bestman, no other than Kim Jae Joong as he’s the only son. It’s been a week since my last encounter with him. We haven’t been one family yet but he already made me upset that night by his superior behavior. I don’t know how we’re gonna live peacefully under one roof if he continue behave like that. It’s really frustrating.
I looked at my watch while walking to the door, eight o’clock. I still have plenty time to get ready. I closed the door behind me and yawned while stretching my body.

“Omma, I’m hung—“

I suddenly stop because I saw someone watching me from the couch. I widened my eyes and frozen on my place for a minute then go back to my room. I leaned behind the door, what is he doing here at this time? I walked to my mirror and looked at my morning appearance. Damn! From top to toe, my hair, my pajamas, all messed up. I brush my hair using hands and tied it up then I walked out again. He still sat on the same place when I walked out for the second time.

“What are you doing here?” I frowned at him.

He looked at me and about to answer but my mom came out from the kitchen and answered me.

“I called Jae Joong to come here. I asked for his favor to take you to the bridal.”

“But I thought we’re gonna go together.”

“Something came up suddenly and I had to go somewhere else. Besides, Jae Joong also had a fitting today so you two can go together.”

“Can we re-schedule the appointment?” I don’t want to go with him alone.

“You know how hard to make an appointment with this bridal. I believe Jae Joong has a great taste of fashion and he can help you choose the right model.” My mom looked to him.

“Ye, ahjumma. I’ll pick the best gown for her. Don’t worry.” He smiled to my mom.

I sighed. I can’t say that I don’t like to go with him in front of my mom. I better go and took a shower. I turned away and headed to the bathroom, I heard my mom offered breakfast to him. I pray so hard that today he’s not gonna make me upset. When I finished dress up and walked to join them at the table, they’re laughing at something.

“—and I immediately pulled her out. Can you imagine how dirty and stinks her clothes after fell to that place? It took an hour for me to make those smell disappeared from her body. I thought she’ll cry because of shock but she didn’t.”

“I can’t imagine a little girl like her fell to that place.” He laughed.

I frowned at them. “What are you two laughing at?”

“I told Jae Joong about the incident when you fell down to the sewer when you’re eleven years old.”

“Omma!” I widened my eyes. I can’t believe she told him that embarrassing incident.

“That’s okay, Joo Yeon ah. Jae Joong is part of our family now. We don’t keep secret between family right?”

“But still—“

“Oh, I forgot to call the church. You two enjoy your breakfast.”

My mom’s intentionally run from our conversation. I looked at him and frowned at his weird behavior after my mom left us alone at the dining room. He smiled alone and shook his head then smiled again. I squinted and looked at him suspiciously. I think I know the reason why he smiled like that.

“Are you still laughing at my childhood incident?”

“Eh? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it but when I imagined your expression when you fell, I can’t help it. The dirt must cover your whole body since you were so little back then.”

“Is it really funny to you? Are you that happy?” I looked at him cynically.

“Sorry. Okay, I’ll stop now. So, what time do you wanna go?”

“Now, I promised the bridal I’ll be there at eleven o’clock.” I replied to him while looked at my watch.

“Okay, let’s go.”

We both stood up from the chair, I dropped the dirty plate to the sink and walked to the front door. I grabbed my bag on the couch and shouted to my mom that we’re leaving. She walked out from her room and sent us to the door.

“Be careful and Jae Joong ah, since Joo Yeon had a bad taste for fashion so I trust you to pick the best gown for her okay?” She smiled to him.

I pouted. “Omma! How can you say about your own daughter like that?”

He laughed. “Ye, ahjumma. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. We’re leaving now.”

It took forty-five minutes journey from my apartment to the bridal. Right now, this bridal is the most popular one among the others. They were famous because of their simple design but still elegant, both for the wedding dress and other party dress. They always updated their design every month so the customer never bored of the same dress. That’s why this bridal is the most favorite shop in Korea. I think I’m the lucky one cause I can use their latest design, I’m flattered.

Entering the shop, we were welcome by the employee at the front door and she asked our name. After she checked our names on the computer, she called two employees to take us to the display room. Since Jae Joong suit is made by request and he had been measured before so he only need to see whether the size is already ok. The employees asked him whether he wanted to come to the display room. We both answered at the same time.

“No.”

“Yes. I’ll accompany her to the display room. My suit can wait.”

I gave him fierce look but he doesn’t care, he didn’t want to move an inch. I took a deep breath. Since this is public area, I don’t want to make a scene here. I feel annoyed with his obedience to my mom’s order. I walked in to the display room, I want to pretend that he’s not exist but I can’t cause every time I choose a gown he immediately say no after he looked at it and told the employees to put it back.

“If you continue like this, by the end of the day I’ll never try a single gown at all. Can you please just sit on the couch and let me choose? You can give your comments when I come out from the fitting room, how about that?”

“Okay, but I give you three chances to show me the gown you choose and if I don’t like them you’ll have to wear whatever gown I pick for you. Deal?”
I frowned at his offer, I don’t know if this is a good deal or not. Since I’ve already tired with his interruption, I agreed with his deal.

“Deal.”

He immediately walked to the couch in front of the fitting room and waited there while reading a magazine. I took a deep breath. Finally I can choose the gown peacefully. The employees brought in 3 gowns to the fitting room and help me wear them.

The first gown is made from satin. It’s a one shoulder design combined with chiffon on the outside. I guess it looks like ancient Greece clothes. It’s an ankle length gown with no accessories on it except on the shoulder. They put a belt-head-like covered with Swarovksi. The color is white and no cutting on the body, really straight from the chest till the end. I think it’s more suitable for the pregnant woman but I don’t care. The employees gave me a bracelet that matched with the gown then they opened the curtain. I turned around facing him. He looked at me from top to toe then shook his head.

“Definitely no, there’s no cutting on the dress and it makes your body looks bigger. Change it.”

The second gown is made from chiffon. It’s a knee length strapless gown with a little bit detail on the waist. It’s covered with colorful beads, spread around the waist. The color is beige and the chiffon made the gown feels so light. I looked at myself to the mirror, I feels like a teenager who’s going to the prom. The employees put a necklace on my neck then they opened the curtain for the second time. I turned around facing him again. He looked shocked.

“A big no. Where do you think you’re going, to the prom? It’s a wedding and that gown didn’t match with your age. Change it.”

The third gown is made from satin too only this time combine with brocade. It’s a cheongsam design. The brocade covered the shoulder and the satin from chest line to the ankle. It has a good cutting that fit perfectly on my body. This model didn’t have a high cut on both sides like the usual cheongsam, they cut it on the behind and maybe only thirty centimeters just to make it easier to walk. No accessories were added to the gown, only three china buttons added. Two on the left shoulder and one on the neck just to added the Chinese accent. It came in ivory color, I liked it. It’s different from the others. The employees opened the curtain for the third time. I took a deep breath then turned around facing him. He looked at me from top to toe.

“Nope, this is not a Chinese wedding. It’s a western wedding.”

“But I liked it. This gown is unique and different from the others. Nobody will notice anyway.”

“It doesn’t match with the concept of western wedding. I guess you’ve used all your chances. It’s time for you to wear what I choose for you and you can’t say no. We have a deal, remember?” He raised an eyebrow.

“You rejected all my gowns on purpose.”

“If I say no good then it’s really not good. I never say anything good as bad or vice versa.”

*****

I shook my head in disbelief, how can she choose those awful gowns? I don’t mind with the last one but not with the first two, it looks bad on her. She really had bad taste of fashion. No wonder her mom wants me to accompany her here. If she chose the gowns by herself, it would bring disaster to the wedding. The reason I objected with the last one was because the design didn’t match with the concept of western wedding.

I already chose one gown for her and since she will wear it for sure, I went to the other room to picked up my suit and wear it. The cutting is perfect and no needs for re-measurement. It’s like a common suit only it made from silk and I added a vest on the inside. I asked for a butterfly necktie. The suit came in black color. I walked back to her fitting room, she still hasn’t come out. I sit on the couch while waiting for her then the curtain opened and she turned around facing me.

It’s the best gown I ever see. I never thought this gown will looks good on her. The cutting is fit so perfectly on her body, exposing her body line unlike the other dress she chose before. It’s a long gown made from silk with a little bit trail on the bottom. It has a v line cut on the front until the upper chest line and her back is exposed until waist line. There were gold beads covered around the lower chest line. I told the employee to give her the diamond bracelet from the display and put it on her arm. I stood up and looked at her.

“Perfect, ahjumma will be pleased if she saw you like this.”

“But I think the dress exposed my skin too much. I prefer the previous one.” She frowned.

“It’s just your feeling. You’ll see there’s a lot of women wear open gown like this.”

I stepped up to the fitting room and turned her around. I forced her to look at herself on the mirror.

“See. It’s better than your previous gowns. Although it looks simple but this gown ‘s looks more elegant than the other three.”

She didn’t say anything, only look at the mirror and scanned her gown. Then one of the employees called my name. I turned around facing her.

“Excuse me sir. Can I take a picture of you two? Both of you look gorgeous and I never saw a great pair like this.”

“Just the two of us? Okay, no problem.” I looked at her. “Come here.”

I motioned her to move closer to my side but she only moved a little step beside me. There’s still gap between our bodies.

“Can you two move closer again?”

“Oh, okay.”

I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to my body. She looked shock and not ready so her body bumped to mine and she accidentally put her hand on my chest. Before she realized to pull her hand from my chest, the Polaroid camera already made a sound. Our photo is ready. The employee gave me the photo. We posed just like a couple. I looked at her with my hand on the pants’ pocket and the other on her waist and she looked back at me with her hand on my chest.

“Do you wanna keep it?” I asked her.

“No, what for?” Her voice’s a little bit shaken.

“Okay then, I’ll keep it.” I smiled then I told the employee to wrap our clothes.

We walked out from the shop at 3 pm. My stomach is angry with me because I didn’t give them food. I asked her whether she want to join me for late lunch but she prefer go home so I dropped her at the apartment. I was driving to the restaurant when someone called me.

“Hello.”

“Oppa, where are you now?”

“Oh, Hye Rin ah. I’m on my way to the restaurant, why?”

“I’ll meet you there. There’s something I want to confirm with you.”

“Okay.”

I arrived at the restaurant in ten minutes. My eyes scanned the room. Hye Rin hasn’t come so I ordered first. She came few minutes later, I waved at her and she walked to my table.

“Oppa, is it true?”

“What? Can you speak more clearly?”

“Kim ahjussi is getting married next month, is it true?”

“Ah…abuji? Yes, why?”

“How come you never told me about this? If my appa didn’t talk about this matter I probably never know.” She pouted.

“I wanna tell you about this from the first time but I keep forgotten. Mianhae.” I smiled to her.

“Oppa, how can you forget important news like this?” She folded her arms. “Anyway, how’s that ahjumma looks?”

“She’s pretty and she doesn’t look like an evil stepmom.”

“Where did ahjussi met her? Is she works in the company too?”

“Nope, she is abuji’s hoobae back in the university. They met 2 years ago during reunion.”

“Ah, ahjussi’s hoobae.” She nodded. “Does she have children?”

“She has one daughter. You knew her.”

She looked shock. “Huh? I know her? Who?”

“Joo Yeon, the girl who came with you to the club last week.”

She widened her eyes in disbelief. “Joo Yeon? Chun oppa’s secretary, Seo Joo Yeon?”

“Hm, why?” I confused with her reaction.

“I can’t believe it. She never told me about this.”

“Well, it should be my responsibility to tell you about this because she felt she didn’t have the right.”

“I don’t care whose responsibility it is. We met almost everyday at the office and she never talked about this.” She looked furious now.

I raised an eyebrow. “Why did your reaction to this news is so harsh? You don’t like her?”

“I don’t like people see me like an idiot who doesn’t know anything. But the most important thing, I don’t like the idea that you’re gonna live under one roof with her.”

“Hey, no one look at you like that. Besides, she’s gonna be my dongsaeng and we both live together with our parents so it’s not gonna be just the two of us.”

“But I still don’t like it.”

I took a deep breath. Looks like Hye Rin really took serious her position as my fiancé. She’s afraid that I will have feelings for Joo Yeon because we lived in the same house. How can I fall in love with my step sister anyway? My dad will kill me first if that happens. The next hours, I tried to calm down Hye Rin and told her that everything will be alright, nothing’s gonna change. I send her off to her car then I took my car and went home.