“Eomma!” Jieun called the attention of her mom, who was talking to Mrs. Lawrence and another young lady just a few years older than her.
“Oh, Jieun-ah! Finally! Why were you so late? It’s very embarrassing for a busy people like them” she said in her nagging tone, “Joesonghabnida” Jieun just bowed politely.
“Don’t worry about it Eunji-ah, I understand teens like her. She must be having fun with her company” Mrs. Lawrence pats the back of Jieun.
“Right. When I was like her age eommonim, I used to skip eomma’s rules. But of course, I do think she’s way better than I am. By the way” the stranger yet very beautiful lady, walks to her side.
“Annyeong, nan Pyxie-imnida but I rather you call me eonni, if in case you want to address me in that way but I insist. So call me Pyxie eonni” she reaches for her hand and Jieun eventually accepts it.
“A-Annyeong eo-eonni, nan Jieun-imnida”
“Yay! She really is a cute and pretty young lassie eomma” Pyxie gazes at her mom.
“Told you Pyx” she smiled widely to her daughter, describing exactly Jieun’s features.
“Madams? The foods are served” a man in uniform said leading them to the hall where her debut celebration will be held on the 16th.
“Wow! You debut really is a grandiose one, Jieun-ah!” she nudged Jieun and turned to her mom, “Eomma, this is the biggest hall right?”
“Exactly, I want to give Jieun a present and a night wherein she is the most beautiful young lady, all eyes are bore on her. A debut I have always wanted to have” Mrs. Lawrence clasps both her hands together, dreaming in her dream land.
“B-But, I can just have a simple party eommonim” Jieun stammers, rubbing her arm with her free hand.
“Oh no, this is our present for you dear. Your mom wanted this too, right Eunji?” Mrs. Lawrence turns to her to ask some support
“Yes dear, so please let’s have some food tasting so we could decide what foods should be served on your night” she added, supporting her friend.
++
//May 16th//
“Noona~ Noona~” Hyunjoong said in his singsong, waking her up from her slumber. “Noona~Noona~” he turned to his parents and counted, “Hana, dul, set”
And together they sang, “Saengil chukkahabnida~ Saengil chukkahabnida~” as Hyunjoong opened the door for them.
Jieun rolled in her queen-sized bed and sit up as she heard her door creaked open, “Eomma, Appa, Hyunjoong” she half-asleep stated while rubbing her eyes to at least wake up.
“Happy birthday, dear!” Her mom blubbers out.
“Eomma, are you weeping?” she asks as she sees a tear escaped from her mom’s left eye.
“Am not!” she protested and immediately wiped her cheek.
“Your mom just can’t believe that our little princess is already a lady from today onwards” Mr. Lee said on her bedside, showing her cake.
“Nah! Stop with all the drama and just blow your candles noona!” Hyunjoong demands and crosses his arms yet he is happy for his noona.
“Make a wish, first” her dad said and she closed her eyes, ‘I wish, I wish everyone to be happy like me’ she opens her eyes and blows her candles.
“Alright, what was your wish?” her mom wailed.
“Eomma, uljimayo” she cupper her face and wiped the tears with her bare thumbs. “And I can’t say my wish, or it will never come true” she said pouting, ‘It’s just coming true’
“Let’s get up and be prepared” Mrs. Lee stands on her feet, getting the cake from her husband.
“I’m still not prepared to publicly introduce my baby girl” her dad stuck his lower lip.
“Appa, you aren’t a child. Stop acting like one” Hyunjoong reminded and they all laughed.
“I do love my serious yet goofball, appa” Jieun embraces her dad’s neck.
++
//Jang residence//
Wooyoung was anxious which tux he should wear on Jieun’s night, “Eomma, help me choose what to wear” he knocked on his mom’s door.
The knob twisted and it opened, “Right, my son’s having trouble to look good on her beloved girl’s night” she teased and headed to his room.
Wooyoung follows her but gets a phone call from Junho, “Junho-ah, what’s up!” he greeted.
[“Udong-ah~”]
“Oh, wae? You sound like in trouble” he said in his worried tone.
“Wooyoung-ah…” his mom called but didn’t bother him when he gestured ‘Wait’ since he was on the phone.
[“Please go with me tomorrow, I’m not comfortable being alone”]
“Where were you going that you weren’t comfortable at all then?”
[“I’ll be meeting this girl---”]
“Oh, right a GIRL!!! Why didn’t I think about it from the first place? Is she pretty?” Wooyoung plastered a smirk on his face.
[“She’s more than pretty but hands off her man, she’s mine. You have Jieun as yours”] He said grinning that made Wooyoung flushed.
[“Don’t blush, that would lessen your masculinity”] He teased as if seeing him blush on the other line.
“I’m not!” Wooyoung quickly denied but this flushed him even more.
[“Just come tomorrow at 2pm in the Mouse Rabbit café”]
“But I am going to prepare for Jieun’s---”
[“It’ll be fast promise”]
Wooyoung thinks of a reason, “Why don’t you come with your hyung?!”
[“I can’t trust Minjun hyung. Jieun’s debut will start at 7pm so we’ll have a lot of time to prepare”] He sounds pleading and in the end Wooyoung gives up, accompanying him.
++
“Jalgayo oppa, I still have to prepare for Jieunnie’s night. Both of you must look good later, okay?” Jiyeon bid goodbye before going home.
After her car left, “What was that? Why didn’t you say anything?!” Wooyoung exclaimed angrily, holding Junho’s collar.
“I---My tongue pulls back when she thought y-you were m-me” he stammers, holding back his tears that were nearly subsiding.
“What would I tell Jieun about it?!” he eventually loosens his grip on him, “How should I tell her about the mistake?”
++
“Aisssh, this kid… did you ever know that today is Jieun’s debut?” Mrs. Lawrence gritted between her teeth.
“Eomma” Pyxie called but then realized her mom was on the phone, “Aisssh, William again” she hissed.
[“Eomma chill, okay? I’m in Seoul already”] he said chuckling.
Mrs. Lawrence turns to Pyxie, “He’s in Seoul already, pick him up and take him here” Pyxie nodded and headed to the Incheon airport.
“Just wait there, Pyxie would fetch you and we’ll get ready for tonight. Arrasseo?”
[“Ne, eomma”] and they both hang up.
After an hour of waiting, Pyxie and William finally came. “Finally Woohyun!” Mrs. Lawrence greets him with a hug, he hugs back.
“Eomma stop calling me, Woohyun. I don’t like it, its William okay? Besides that was my real name back then”
“No, it was just your English name not your real and birth name. Anyway Pyxie, take him to our suite and let him rest for a while. I’d go there to assist you both” she instructed and they both head to their suite.
In the room, “Eonni?! Oppa?!” a little, seven year old girl ran to them. William immediately crouches down and hugs his dongsaeng.
“Liam oppa!” she greets, “I missed you, why did you just follow today?” she breaks the hug.
“Oppa, did farewell to his friends there. Aren’t you happy I’m here already?”
“Happy, you must see Jieun eonni… she really is pretty, you’ll like her” William stood up and was dragged by her.
“Kyrsha, can we just let Liam oppa rest? He may have jetlag and besides uri Jieun eonni is still preparing we might disturb her” Pyxie explained.
“Right, mianhae” the little girl agreed, slouching.
William crouched down, “No, it’s okay. Would you like to lie down beside oppa? I’ll just take a nap” William sets Kyrsha on the bed.
++
//Lee Jieun’s 18th Birthday Celebration//
“Now open your eyes” her makeup artist said so, she slowly opens her eyes.
“You look super-duper ultra-mega gorgeous and such a beautiful lady, Jieun-ah” Pyxie exaggerated, flailing as she was staring at her.
“You’re beautiful too eonni… But is this really me?” she responded to Pyxie and smile then swifts back her attention to the mirror.
She traces her fingers on the mirror, “Whaaah, neomu neomu yeppeuda” her tears are endeavoring to fall.
“Yah, Jieun-ah… don’t you dare cry! You’ll mess up, dear” Mrs. Lee came over and wiped her dwelling tears off her eyes carefully.
“Mi…anhae eomma” she sniffs.
They heard a knock from the door and Pyxie opened it, “Mr. Lee” she smiled widely.
“Is she done?” he said peeking.
“Almost” she opens the door wide open
“Oh, appa!” Jieun happily hailed, waving frantically to her dad.
“Wow, my princess looks stunningly beautiful. All those boys around will be very jealous of me, having the most beautiful girl living!” he proudly boasted, putting his hands on his waist.
“Apppaa~”
“Aisssh, this guy. Get down and assist the visitors!” Mrs. Lee pushed him to the door and closed it on his face.
“Eomma you’re being rude to appa” Jieun scoffed
“Don’t mind him… you should change into your dress already” she said and assisted Jieun in wearing her grandiose gown with Pyxie and her mom.
The party is going to start yet Jieun still didn’t get to see who her escort is; the MC starts his introduction to her.
“Everybody’s anxious to see you” Pyxie whispered on her ear and walked her to the back of the stage then left.
“Wooyoung oppa?” she hissed, seeing him waved and smiled at her. ‘I never thought, eomma would surprise me like this’
“Everyone let us welcome our debut celebrant with warm of applause, Ms. Lee Jieun!” the curtains swiftly open, revealing the night’s debutant in her stunning aura.
“Accompanied by no other than her soon-to-be-husband Mr. William Lawrence!” Jieun furrowed her brows, ‘Soon-to-be-husband?’
William walks to her and shows a hand, “Annyeong, you look very beautiful tonight. Happy birthday Jieun-ah” he whispered on her ear.
He leads Jieun to the center, where their first dance will be occurring. “May I have this dance?” though hesitating she grabs his hand.
“Soon-to-be-husband?” she asks as the classical music started, “And you exactly look like Wooyoung oppa, are you twins?”
++
“Aisssh, Minyoung-ah what took you so long to prepare… It’s almost time” Wooyoung nagged as he opens the limousine’s backseat door for her.
Minyoung slides herself in, “Aisssh, why were you wearing such. You’re not the debutant” Wooyoung complaint, tugging Minyoung’s gown in the car before he slides in.
They finally came on the venue, “Wow, Jieun eonni really has a grand debut. Eomma I want to have like this too” Minyoung compliments and requests as her eyes were roaming the whole place.
“Tss” Wooyoung slips his hands on his pockets, fiddling on the little box inside it and smiling like an idiot.
“Wooyoung oppa!” he turns to the voice’s direction and his smile turns into a frown. “You look handsome tonight,” Jiyeon compliments and links their arms together.
Being the good guy he is, “You, too, look beautiful” compliments back.
“We shall see Jieunnie! I can’t wait to see her tonight!” she cheered, hooping and dragged him to their table.
“Everyone let us welcome our debut celebrant with warm of applause, Ms. Lee Jieun!” the curtains reveal her.
‘Her beauty is beyond beautiful’ Wooyoung thought. They all clapped their hands.
“Wow, uri Jieun-ah is already a lady” Minjun clapped endlessly, smiling.
“Her beauty arises tonight” the others pleased.
“Accompanied by no other than her soon-to-be-husband Mr. William Lawrence!”
“Fiancé?!” the five exclaimed with their eyes wide open. Wooyoung on the other hand was frozen there; he didn’t even clap nor gaze at her.
“Why didn’t she tell us?” Taecyeon asked the rest and they all shrugged.
Minjun, who kept his gaze at William, noticed, “Yah… he looked like you Wooyoung-ah”
“Oppa, what’s wrong? Aren’t you happy for Jieun?” Jiyeon taps his arms softly, bringing him back to reality.
“Hyung-ah, t’was like you’re twins!” Chansung pointed to the stage and Wooyoung spun his head to see.
Wooyoung even observed that some of the people, mostly their classmates or schoolmates, were whispering with each other with wonders.
“Is that Wooyoung-sshi?”
“No, Wooyoung is right there”
“Then who’s that?”
During William and Jieun’s dance, “Soon-to-be-husband?” she asks as the classical music started, “And you exactly look like Wooyoung oppa, are you twins?”
“It was a surprise… I do have a fraternal twin brother named Wooyoung but he died long ago as eomma told me” he explained.
Some guests started joining them in the dance so as Jiyeon and Wooyoung, and the other pairs.
Jieun eyed Wooyoung and Jiyeon, ‘Why were they so close?’
“Is the ‘Wooyoung’ you know, here?” William snapped her out
“Ah, yeah…” she answered in befuddlement.
“Are you tired already? We could stop dancing if you like” she gave him a faint nod and they headed to the stage, where his and Jieun’s spot is.
But then Jieun isn’t at ease, “Is something wrong?” William asked when she suddenly stands up.
“N-Nothing”
“Where are you going?” he set upright, pulling the chair from her so she could stand up properly.
“Thanks”
“Where are you going?” he repeated.
“To eomma and appa, just stay here… I can manage going there” she smiled reassuringly.
“You sure?” she nodded and William just assisted her in going down the stage.
“Oh, Jieun-ah… why did you left William alone?” Her dad went to her and helped her to their table.
“What was that?” she asked politely not wanting to ruin her own night
“What’s ‘What was that’?” Mrs. Lee asks setting her wine glass down.
“You did even inform me about the fixed marriage! Why did you do this to me?” her voice cracked.
“William is the best guy for you, aren’t you grateful for us? We’ve given and provided the man of your life”
“Grateful? Why would I? You just decided without my consent” she protested, stomping her foot lightly.
“Jieun-ah…” Jiyeon called out, her arms linking on Wooyoung’s.
“Wooyoung?” Mrs. Lawrence walks to him, cupping his face.
“Ugh… Who are you?” he confusedly asked.
“I missed you so much Boo-ung-ee” she locks him in her arms
“Sorry but… who is B-Boo-ung---ee?” Wooyoung breaks the hug.
“Pyxie, call Woohyun and take him outside” Mrs. Lawrence and Wooyoung headed first. Pyxie walks to William and takes him outside.
Mrs. Lawrence lets them stood aside after Pyxie excused herself, giving them privacy they need.
“My twins” she confirms and hugs them both. “Woohyun, remember what I told you about your twin brother?” he constantly nodded as an answer.
“He didn’t died, I and your dad… Wooyoung’s dad, divorced even before you starting walking. We decided to split you up to be fair and cut both connections”
“So all along you were lying to me?!” William’s eyes started watering
“W-Wait, I don’t understand what were you two talking about” Wooyoung butted in.
“Son, I am your biological mother. You see---” she stared at someone, the twins turn to the direction she was staring at.
“Jaewoon/Appa” Wooyoung and Mrs. Lawrence said in unison.
“Why are you here? Why are you with my son?” he tugs Wooyoung beside him. Even they’re twins, anyone can easily figure out who Wooyoung and William is since Wooyoung is black-haired and William dyed his hair, blonde.
“He isn’t just your son, he’s my son too… and by the way this is my hotel, why were you here?” Mrs. Lawrence bragged out and tugged Wooyoung back her side.
“I don’t care if this is yours or not that fact is that public uses this, does mean I can be here too… and besides Wooyoung, my daughter, and my wife is here so am I” they argued like their sons weren’t there.
“We should’ve gone in if this fucking talk would lead to nothing” William fumingly said and walked in
“No stay here, this should’ve fixed long time ago” his mom pulls him back.
Meanwhile, “What was happening?” guests kept on murmuring.
“Everyone, please do settle down and we’ll proceed to giving the giving of presents and wishes to the celebrant” the MC announces, shifting all guests attention back to the party.