Chapter One

RACHEL

"Have you done this before?" I whispered as we glided across the floor.

"Well, yeah," he shrugged, "But it's the first time I am feeling this way."

"What way?"

"This way. The way I can look into your eyes, the way I can just hold you like this." He gazed into my eyes, fluttering my heart as he had always done before.

"Oppa, naega..." I looked down, blushing violently.

Caressing my cheek, he chuckled to himself, "Aigoo, look how cute you can get." Gently, he bent down and pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. "Jagiya, saranghanda."

This time I blushed even more. Smirking to himself, he tied my arms around his neck as he reached and slowly caressed my back, before locking his masculine arms around my waist. Lifting my chin up with one finger, he looked at me in the eyes. His eyes were beautiful. They gave off this amazing aura and I felt my heart leap at his striking gaze.

His face grew serious. "Jagiya, no matter what happens, I will always love you... No matter what happens, trust me and never doubt my love for you, okay?"

Startled by his sudden confession, I nodded vigorously, "Mmm. Of course, Oppa."

"I knew that you would." Leaning down, he kissed me. I was so surprised, I didn't know what to do but hold on to him His kiss was powerful and heart-throbbing. I loved the way his lips tasted; sweet at first then not at all sweet; then sugary but not at all sugary... The corsage that he had gave me before the dance pressed against his chest... Then I realized. It was because our bodies were pressed close together. I could feel the soft petals of the forget-me-nots in between us, and I was beatific. The way I felt the contours of his face, the way his warm hands glided down the jewels on my dress, the way his warm, muscular body felt huddled close to mine, the way his lips moved with mine...

Breaking free from the kiss, his eyes bored into mine. "Jagiya, shall we take this somewhere else?" A sly smile played on his lips, framing his face into a cute little photograph. I yearned to agree to his request, but I guess we were taking things a little too far in our relationship.

"Ehhh... Oppa, maybe not tonight..." his face fell. I felt rather bad rejecting him, but... I couldn't do this. At least, not tonight.

Sensing my guilt, he pulled back a smile, "Gwenchana. It's too fast anyway..." then he started ranting off about bringing me overseas in the summer. Subsequently, I could not focus on what he was saying; the whole time, I kept thinking I had seen tears filling up the corners of his eyes. But was it really a figment of my imagination?

"I'm sorry for interrupting this special moment, but can I have a word with you?" Agalia, my best friend, asked me, smiling.

"Sure," Kai slowly released his hold on me. "I'll see you later, babe." I shuddered at his form of endearment and he guffawed in glee. Next he darted towards Sehun and Baekhyun, laughing with the guys.

"Rachel..." Agalia chirped in a syrupy voice. I knew she had seen and heard everything.

"YAH!" I slapped her lightly on the shoulder, giggling.

"The landlady needs you to be home, Rach. She needs to speak with you about something. I'm sorry... You can't engage in love chatter with Kai for long..." She shook her head pityingly.

I groaned in annoyance. "Well, okay... Could you help me tell Kai?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow at school!" She piped cheerfully.

Waving at her one last time, I ambled towards the exit of the ballroom. Reminiscing on how glamorous Kai had been in a tux and with his hair poshly slicked back, as well as our heart-warming kiss, i smiled and occasionally giggled. He was so sweet. I was beginning to be in love with him more and more...

"Oh crap. Where's my purse?" With a sickening pitfall in my stomach, I realized that I had left it back at the dance near the benches.

I started back for the ballroom, which was basically Kai's house. Kai was one rich guy. His house was like a palace, and for some important reason, his parents had invited me for this dance. Every single room had Victorian paintings and charming bright chandeliers. The ballroom, reserved for special occasions, was no other.

Reaching the ballroom, I bravely asked one of the servants for my purse. As they were rummaging the place in search of my purse, an elegant voice boomed in the microphone, an oxymoron on its own.

"Presenting to you, my son and my future daughter-in-law!" Kai's mother vociferated through the mic, sending chills down my spine as the sharp voice reached my ears. The words barely registered in my mind when Kai, in all his pride and glamour, came walking out of the grand doors with a simple, pretty girl, parading hand in hand. Hand in hand.

Dazed and disoriented, I spotted Agalia and Baekhyun running towards me. "Rach, I thought you left?" there was a concerned edge to her voice and she bit her lower lip in anxiety. I knew she would never allow me to hear the truth, so I dove towards Baekhyun, bombarding him with questions and demanding for an answer.

Baekhyun, feeling sorry but knowing that I needed the truth at this moment, explained to me what had led to the sudden turn of events. Kai had been forced into an arranged marriage by his parents with a girl of the high class society, Tan Cheklin, who was the daughter of the richest billionaire in Seoul. Kai had been coerced by his mother countless times to break up with me, this 'village-leper', but he had persisted in his word.

As a last resort, his parents had this grand ball to make Tan Cheklin ssi and their son an official couple, and to announce that Kai and Cheklin ssi were engaged. My heart sank. Engaged.

"In addition, Kai's parents invited you to this ball, to spite you, and so Agalia and I had to distract you by telling you that the landlady needed to speak to you, and Kai..." Baekhyun trailed off, indignant on my account. A warning look from Agalia to stop zipped his mouth.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I looked across the ballroom, spotting Sehun in a corner. His eyes were brimming with tears, as he looked on at his beloved girlfriend getting engaged with his best friend. My heart reached out for Sehun and as our eyes met, he tried to smile and mouthed, "Rachel ah, gwenchana!" I guess he had already admitted defeat.

Sehun, Agalia and I came from the low society of Seoul and like us, he was deathly poor. I reminded myself that he probably hurt even more, seeing that he knew it before but still attended the dance on Cheklin's account. Just to be there for her.

"Rachel ah..." Agalia's voice interrupted my train of thoughts, and she patted me comfortingly on the shoulder. She paused, thinking of the right words to put into use. But what could she say? No words could explain how I felt at that moment.

"No matter what happens..."

"I will always love you..."

"Trust me and never doubt my love for you, okay?"

I recalled about everything that had happened that night. His words I thought were promises, they were meant for reassurance; his kiss I thought was endearment, they were meant to be for the purpose of putting my mind at rest; his request to make love tonight which I thought was a sign of desire, it was because it was his last resort to keep me...

My heart was compressed with an asphyxiating squeeze. Kai... Naega... Omo... Eottoke?

Out of the corner of my eye, I espied Kai racing towards my side. "Rach, I thought... I thought you went home?" His eyes were tainted with worry and anxiety. At this moment, I could not control my emotions.

Tears spilled out of my eyes. Painful memories crossed my mind, the way Kai looked as he pulled me out to dance, the way he held me, the way his desperate kiss felt, his look of stress as he walked out with Cheklin ssi, the resignation Sehun had in his expression, Baekhyun's words of indignance, Agalia's comfort, Kai's worry... All blood had drained from my head as tears slipped down the contours of my face.

Kai pulled me into his arms. His lips at my ear, he consoled, "Mianhae... Mianhae, Jagiya... Mianhae..." Bringing me closer to him, he guaranteed, "Gwenchana, Rachel, gwenchana... I promise you, I will get us out of this. I'll make you mine officially. I won't let you down."