Hold Me Tight

Chapter II : An Arranged Marriage?!

I followed the butler ahjussi back to where halmeonie was.

I could see that she was busy showing off Hoseok oppa to her guests. I wondered why she had asked me to come. She never introduces me to anyone.

Hoseok oppa's yeohja chingu, Yoona eonnie, was sitting in a corner and talking to a pretty girl with short hair. She looked younger than me. "But Yoona Eonnie, you promised!", I heard the younger girl telling Yoona eonnie. They seemed pretty close.

Hoseok oppa was glaring at me for some reason. I waved at him but he turned the other way. Hmph. I didn't understand why oppa was being so cold like this these days. We used to be so close before.

"Here she is. This is my granddaughter, Ellie".

Halmeonie introduced me to a man in a black suit, who looked like he was in his late fifties, and a lady who I assumed was his wife. They were both holding glasses of champagne.

They turned towards me and smiled. I bowed politely. Both of them scanned my whole body from head to toe and back.

"Omo! She is a beauty, Jung hoejangnim (Tr: "Chairman")", said the lady. "She is, isn't she?", my halmeonie agreed. Since when did halmeonie start thinking that I am pretty?

"Perfect for my adeul (Tr: "Son")", the lady whispered to halmeonie and they both laughed out loud. They were definitely scheming something and I had a very bad feeling about it.

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Later that night, after the party was over, I was about to go to bed when my maid told me that halmeonie had wanted me to come to her study. I hadn't spent too much money this month, so it couldn't be because of that. Halmeonie let's Hoseok oppa do anything he pleases but not me. Hmph.

I saw a glimpse of oppa in the hallway. Maybe I was imagining things but it seemed like he was snickering.

"You called me, halmeonie?", I asked her as I entered her study.

Halmeonie told me that she had fixed a date for me tomorrow with the son of a famous car manufacturing company. "You'd better go and behave!"

"Shireo!" (Tr: "I don't want to"), I screamed at her. She just shook her head. "This is not a question of whether you want to or not. You must go!"

"All you've been doing so far is just waste away. You should finally start thinking about the family.. Think of how you can contribute to the family business!", Halmeonie said firmly.

Just then, Hoseok oppa entered the room.

"Ah, Hoseok-ah! What good timing! Put some sense into your dongsaeng's (Tr: "Younger sibling") head, please", Halmeonie implored.

"I am not going!" I screamed at both of them and stormed out of the room. They always treat me like a doll with no feelings and I hated it.

I had heard that our company was in the process of a merger with a big car manufacturing company. So they just want to use me after ignoring me for all these years? I won't let that happen. Arranged marriage?! I mwoh kkaesuriya! (Tr: "What bullshit is this")

I went back into my room full of anger and jumped on to my bed. I heard Hoseok oppa tapping on my door, asking me to open it.

Maybe oppa will listen to me.

I opened the door with some hope and Hoseok oppa came in. I told him that didn't want to go. That I have feelings of my own. That I didn't want to be treated like property.

"Quit being a baby, Ellie, and be mature for once. Halmeonie is right! It's high time you started thinking about the company! You'd better go on that date tomorrow. Do your duty to the company!" Hoseok oppa said in an annoyed voice.

"Easy for you to say stupid future heir! You do nothing but play around with girls all day everyday", I screamed.

That had clearly made him angrier.

"I am the heir and you're just a stupid leech! You don't have the same privileges as me and you know it. Deal with it and just do as halmeonie says", he said furiously.

I threw a pillow at him in anger and disbelief. My own oppa was being so cold to me. He just shrugged and left the room.

Screw you, oppa. I hate you. I hate you all.

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I tried to fall asleep but I couldn't. I was still angry although I knew that I had no choice but to obey halmeonie. Her words were absolute. If I didn't listen to her there would be terrible repercussions.

I remembered Taehyung.

He had looked at me with eyes full of kindness. He had held me so gently, our lips just inches apart. Just thinking about him made me forget everything that was happening right now.

I want to see him. I want him to whisper in my ears.

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Halmeonie's chauffeur drove me to the restaurant where I was going to meet my future husband. He was known among chaebol circles as a cold-hearted jerk. I wanted to escape but deep down inside I didn't have the courage to do so.

Halmeonie had made sure that I was dressed appropriately for the occasion, so I couldn't wear jeans and a t-shirt like I had planned to. Wearing a pretty dress felt like hell for the first time.

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When I got to the restaurant, he was already there, dressed in a black suit.

"Annyeonghaseyo" (Tr: "Hello"), I said and bowed politely. He stood up and bowed back. His black hair fell across his forehead. He looked at my face and sighed. What was that for?!

He sat down and started playing with his phone. He didn't even ask me to sit down.

Jeon Jungkook. The son of the sajangnim of Jeoncha Corporation.

This was the first time we had met face to face, and I didn't like the way he had looked at me.

Somehow I felt like this date was going to be a disaster.