Eyes Full Of Stars || Park Sunghoon

20 ¦ Faking it

A/N: Y'ALL ENHYPEN IS GONNA HAVE A COMEBACK IN MAY. I AM SO FUCKING EXCITEDDDDD!!!! Anyways lets go on with the story :-)
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Nervously, I smooth out the fabric of my dress as I walk toward the black car waiting for me outside the door the following day.

Sunghoon and I have an appointment at the bridal store today so that I can try on the now shortened dress again. In less than three weeks, Sunghoon and I will be married. Then my father will receive the money that will save his company from going out of business and our family from bankruptcy.

The closer the day gets, the worse I feel. I am still not ready to marry Sunghoon. Even our little weekend trip did not change that.

For me, Sunghoon is and remains my father's business partner, for whom I am merely a means to an end, while Sunghoon merely uses me as his insurance policy against my father's fraudulent schemes.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Rey," Sunghoon greets my father with a brief handshake before turning to me. His features soften as he scrutinizes me with his green eyes. "Hello Dolores" Since he doesn't really seem to know how to greet me, he merely nods at me. "Sunghoon," I reply curtly.

My father clears his throat audibly. Obviously, my tacit greeting is not enough for him. "Good to see you," I add, and pull Sunghoon into a hug, primarily to please my father.

But when Sunghoon returns my embrace, contrary to my expectations, by gently placing his hands against my back and burying his face in the crook of my neck, my breath catches.

Starting from my neck, goosebumps involuntarily spread all over my body. I clearly enjoy his closeness more than I would like to myself.

The embrace is not long-lasting, however, because only a few moments later Sunghoon breaks away from it to turn to my father, who is watching us from a close distance with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Don't wait to eat tonight, I have something else planned for Dolores that will take a bit of time," he informs my father.

"What do you have planned?" my father inquires, looking curiously back and forth between Sunghoon and me. "It's a surprise," Sunghoon merely replies. "But don't worry, I'll bring Dolores home safely later this evening."

As if my father cares whether I arrive home safely or not. He doesn't care about any of that as long as he gets the money Sunghoon promised him.

"You have something planned?" I inquire curiously of Sunghoon, whose eyes are focused intently on the road ahead. He nods silently, not dignifying me with a glance.

"What do you have planned?" I look even more curiously at the young man with brown hair. "You'll see," he replies.

His voice sounds cold and immediately I feel my stomach tighten. Where did this sudden change in mood come from again?

"Did I do something wrong?", I ask in a shaky voice. Sunghoon's fingers wrap tighter around the steering wheel, making his knuckles stick out white. But instead of saying anything, he just remains silent.

For the rest of the drive, too, there is a nerve-wracking silence between us, broken only when Sunghoon and I are standing in the bridal fashion store and the saleswoman from last time greets us cheerfully.

"The dress is already hanging ready for you to try on, follow me," she invites us with an inviting hand gesture. She is so full of energy and joy that I am almost jealous of her. I bet her life is perfect...