Seventeen Imagines III

#106 "Sweet Plans"

As cliche as other's romance story, I was set in arranged marriage with a guy named Mingyu. We will wed after I graduate from college. However, our parents don't have any idea that Mingyu has been in a relationship with a pretty girl named Ash. They have been together for...2 years? 3 years? I'm not sure. The only fact I AM SURE is that I don't care. To be honest, I wanted to use that as an excuse to stop our wedding in the future.

Mingyu and I don't like to marry each other. But between us, he has the upper hand so I can't stand up and decline the arranged marriage all by myself. So all I've been waiting and excited for, is the time when Mingyu will introduce his girlfriend to our parents and propose their everlasting love for each other.

The end!

That's right. This is how I wanted to end my story with Mingyu. Now turning to the next page, I really think it's unfair for me to stay still while waiting for whatever will come in the future. Therefore, I enjoyed my youth by meeting a lot of guys. One who caught my attention is Junhui. At first I only wanted to flirt with him but he's a very nice guy. So yeah, I fell in love.

But my relationship with Junhui is also a secret that we have to hide. It is because Junhui is Mingyu's bestfriend.

"Argh, it's really suffocating that we need to hide our relationship," I complained while walking together with Junhui around the campus.

"Then, should we tell this to Mingyu?" he proposed.

I stopped my feet and looked at him with perturbed expression: mouth parted and eyes widened then rolled them next. "Are you crazy? You are his best friend!"

Junhui, cutely chuckled. "So what? Mingyu, even though he has a fiancee, he dates another girl behind your back."

I rested my hands on my waist. "Let me correct your statement. Mingyu is dating a girl, not behind my back, but in front of me. And I have nothing against with it. If I could have another wish then I hoped he'll marry her tomorrow."

"Then that's it. I think he can understand everything if we confessed our relationship. Beside, I knew him the best since he's my buddy. He will probably cheer on us too."

"Still," I replied then sighed in the middle of my sentence, "I don't think it's appropriate. Can we just keep it in until he broke the engagement by his own accord? It'll be less awkward, I guess."

Junhui's shoulder elevated. He exhaled through his nose before he opened his heart-shaped lips again. "Okay. Let's wait for it."

6 months has passed since Junhui and I agreed to hide our relationship from Mingyu.

During those six months, my sweet days with Junhui went sweeter. Mingyu and I weren't really that close. But in order to stay in his good side, so he won't feel betray if I told him my relationship with Junhui, I did my best to act friendly with him. He's a man with huge ego, and I don't want to trample on his pride; even though he won't feel jealous since we're not mutually in love with each other. God knows I'm a woman who doesn't have two tongues in her mouth.

Then in a blink of an eye, the graduation ceremony ended. I'm finally free from my stressful life as a student!

Hooray!

But boo~ for the next struggle that I'll face from now on.

Alright, to make it clear, I'm glad that I graduated. However, that means the day of marrying Mingyu will come near. Six months ago, I was so confident that I won't worry about this, thinking that Mingyu will step up and fight for his love with Ash. But nothing happened, as if he's willing to marry me after this.

'What a coward!'

If only I have the upper hand, I already stopped this. But I can't. My family will suffer the most if we break the contract first.

'No. There must be a way. I should cheer on Mingyu and convince him to introduce Ash to his family, as soon as possible.'

"(Y/n)!"

Speaking of the handsome devil, I saw him walked towards me with a smile and a bouquet of flowers on his hands. Students around us looked at me with envy, as if I am the luckiest girl in the Earth. If only they know that it is only a masquerade show for our parents, they'll probably feel pity for me.

On the second thought, I disagreed on my own thought. Why am I pitiful if I have someone like Junhui? Everything about him spoke perfection.

"Congratulations! Here's a flower," Mingyu greeted then handled me the bouquet of tulip.

I received it with a smile and showed my gratitude. "Thank you," tucking my hair behind my ears, I giggled.

"You look so pretty today," he complimented.

'Pretty? Suddenly saying that? I'm wearing my usual make-up and I'm only wearing my uniform under my toga.'

"Geez. What pretty? This is my usual face. Don't flutter me using the old technique, tsss." I clicked my tongue.

"It's true. You look pretty in your toga. I'm really happy to see you in that clothes."

If I'm a fan of delusions, I might have assume that he's happy to see me graduate because he's excited to marry me after this. But no, I'm not that crazy to let my mind wonder around that point.

So I replied him a nonchalant, "Thank you," while forcing a smile.

Suddenly, at the moment when my mood plummeted, my knight in shining armor has arrived.

"Mingyu, you're here," Junhui, who also graduated today, linked his arm around Mingyu's shoulder.

Among the three of us, Junhui is the oldest. But due to some circumstance, he had to repeat his year in college and that's how we've met in the university.

I looked at Junhui and saw his eagle-like eyes, mooned to my side. He did not bring a bouquet of flower, but when he secretly winked at me, I felt the happiest woman in the universe.

"Congratulations bro, welcome to the adult life," Mingyu greeted to his best friend.

"Yeah," Junhui chuckled.

"By the way," Mingyu diverted his eyes back to me. "Are you going straight to your house after this?"

Actually, I won't. Junhui and I planned of having a dinner date together. As if I'll say that to him.

"Yes," I lied then saw Junhui smirked on the side.

"Then let me take you home," Mingyu offered. "I told your parents that I will attend your graduation."

'Wait a minute. What's with this guy tonight?'

"No need," I answered, voice quite shaking. "Don't you have anything to do?"

"Like what?"

I took a glimpsed at Junhui before I diverted my eyes back to Mingyu. "Like going to your girlfriend. She also graduated today."

Junhui also nodded at my suggestion.

Next, Mingyu formed an 'o' shape on his mouth. There's a moment of silence between us, until his response returned, "Ash and I...already broke up."

As if there's a bucket of ice above that was poured on my head, I freeze on my spot. Who broke up?!

"Really?! When?!" It was Junhui who asked the same question I had on my head.

"Seven months ago."

This time, Junhui and I formed an excessive 'O' shape in our mouth. This is really shocking.

"W-Why not? I thought you two love each other," I blurted.

"R-Right," Junhui added.

Smiling bitterly, Mingyu scratched his nape as he look back at me. And somehow, I could feel the chill on my skin.

"I guess I don't need to hide the truth," Mingyu breathed. He leaned closer to me then held my hands. "I don't want to fight my destiny anymore. It is maybe selfish to say this but... (Y/n), I came to like you. I like you."

That night, all of my sweet plans with Junhui has shattered.

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