"Fasten your seat belt." I heard Joshua mumbled as we got in his car. We just arrived at California like he planned to. There was a convoy behind us, making sure that we could arrive home safely.
I never thought that he'll take it seriously and he acted so fast that before I could take it back what I said, our parents were very looking forward to it.
I couldn't retreat anymore. This was it.
Thanks to me.
"You know that I'm not actually rushing the marriage, right?" I said annoyingly. I felt like he was teasing me. He knew well that was the crazy Mei who just did anything without thinking twice.
If he had his head straight, why would he push us on our death?
"Of course. You did that to intimidate Hyejeong." He said confidently, his eyes never left the road.
My mouth opened slightly. I wanted to complain and to rant.
"I'm sorry?" I said sarcastically.
"It's okay. Nobody is mad on you."
"W-why did we change, Joshua?" I stammered but the hardness of my voice remained tough. (A/n:what?)
"Change is constant. Will you still love even I'm not the Joshua you've been with since you were a kid?"
"I love you---"
"You're only saying that because your family restrained your freedom. If you can only see the whole world and what it's in it. You can find someone better than me." He pressed firmly. I sighed deeply. I lost again.
"Then, why didn't you decline when I asked you to marry me? If you did, Hyejeong wouldn't get mad on you or me."
"Hyejeong isn't mad on you. She's mad over me."
"Of course, she's mad on me. She's just faking that she wasn't." I rolled my eyes. How far he could ignore the signs that Hyejeong hates me.
"I told you, Hyejeong is an angel. Whatever you think of her is not her."
"You always side her." I whispered as I watched the road on my window. I felt hurt because he didn't believe me.
"I'm not siding her, Mei. I'm defending her and I will do the same if she does this to you." Joshua said softly as if he knew that he had hurt me.
"How will I know? When you're with me, we always talk about her. Argue about her."
"Save that attitude when we comeback in South Korea. Your family and my are anticipating the wedding. Don't disappoint them, Mei." And he came back as the obedient son. I hated to see or to hear him that way. He looked like a robot. Stiff and strong.
Fake.
The rest of the drive remained silent between us. And when we got home, he made my arm clung to his like we didn't even fight in the car.
I perfectly understood why would he do that.
Our family welcomed us warmly.
"Mom." I kissed her cheek.
"Mei! I missed you so much." My mom hugged me tightly. I couldn't help but rolled my eyes.
"I haven't been a week gone."
"I'm glad you that both of you decide to commence the wedding sooner." It was Joshua's father. He patted his son's shoulder and laughed freely.
Business merge.
"I'm so proud of you, Joshua. You expanded your family's business in SoKor and you already have your own foundation!" My dad complimented him proudly. He always boasted to his friends about Joshua. He liked him very much for me.
"A businessman with a good heart. The best for our daughter." My mom added.
"We all want the best for Mei." Joshua followed.
I tried my best to plaster that fake smile on my face.
They were fake to me. They didn't love me. They were all using me for business.
"About the wedding, should we publish it on the news before the week of the engagement? While I will invite the press in your wedding." My mom said excitedly.
"I want a plain wedding. Nothing extraordinary."
"I know you that you wish to make it look like a grand wedding, but Mei and I have different plan. We want to keep it from the public and just a simple wedding." Joshua supported me. We were now sitting on the couch, facing each other as we talked about the wedding. Joshua was next to me.
"Why, Joshua? Aren't you proud to have my daughter as your bride?" Mom pouted childishly.
So, how are you going to answer, you lying, cheating bastard.
"It's not like that. I want Mei to make a name of her own. I don't want her just to be a Su Fu Mei. I don't want anyone to think that she married me for a business merge. We will give her two years and after that, we will have another wedding. This time, what suits with the women's criteria."
"As expected on my son-in-law." Father laughed.
"That's my son."
"You see, Chinese women are criticized that they aren't good in business. Investing for her business is a risk." My father added. He seemed like he didn't want to invest on me.
"It won't hurt, honey. The company can get it back in less than a year." My mom gave the blessing.
"You have to think like a businessman. We need profits."
"That won't be a problem. I'll support my wife in every way. I'm just informing you." He held my hand and gave me a smile that meant that things will be okay.
"Oh my Joshua." My mom said dramatically.
"So, about the wedding?"
"How about next week?" Joshua suggested. I wanted to protest, but I was too late.
"Okay." My father agreed nonchalantly.
"Wow. Things are so easy on you. You have everything on your palm." I murmured sarcastically when everyone left us together.
"Do you think of the rule that you want?"
"Stay at home at least thrice a week."
"Mei, my house is where you live. I'll always go home in there." He scratched his head and laughed.
"Well, who knows if you want to stay the night with Hyejeong." I stomped my foot harshly and raised my finger. "Second, you're allowed to go anywhere as long as I am with you."
He looked at me playfully.
"Except for the bathroom and the comfort room, of course! And we still sleep on our individual room!" I felt my face heated because of embarrassment.
"Lastly...Be honest with me. You can disobey the rest, but don't lie to me."
"Okay. It's pretty simple." He stretched his arms and smiled.
-------------------------
"Congratulations on your wedding!" We were at the reception of our wedding. The guests were really few since it was kept from the public. As for his friends, he only invited Jun, who knew about us.
And Hyejeong.
"Thank you, Jun." I said politely. My arm remained on clinging to Joshua. We were acting like a happily married couple.
"It looks so plain, Jisoo. You call this a wedding?" Hyejeong complained. Like me, she was clinging to Jun's arm.
"I am the one asked to keep it simple." I fired back.
"That's why. What a shame." We heard her whisper as her eyes scanned the whole venue.
"Hyejeong keeps on ranting about your wedding." Jun laughed.
"She must be jealous." Joshua teased.
"Excuse you." She rolled her eyes and the boys laughed.
Hello, I am here.
And did they ignore the fact that she insulted me an my wedding?
These boys were so blind.
"I heard that you will go on China for your honeymoon?" Jun asked.
"Please don't forget about me?" Hyejeong said sweetly. But it looked like she was asking for souvenirs instead.
Was she not threatened on me?
"It's not a honeymoon, okay? I am send there for business."
"Well, I'm taking Hyejeong back on South Korea." Jun replied
"Sure. Take care of her."
The boys excused themselves when they spotted a well-known businessman, leaving me with Hyejeong.
"Seduce him if you can." She said with her bitch face on.
"What?" Maybe I just misheard it.
"I'm challenging you, Mei. If you don't make Jisoo break up with me by the time you comeback, I'll be charging forward and nobody can stop me." She played with the wine in the glass as if it was me.
"Even if you wail or roll. The pain will be ten times stronger."