"Beauty, more than bitterness, makes the heart break."

It's not as if he hadn't tried getting to know these women. He really had. But they were impossible to get through to!

No matter how long he spent talking about romantic poetry and old proverbs about love and one's inner-beauty, they would not pry their eyes away from the mirror
to listen to anything he had to say. Not even for a moment. And they had the nerve to flirt with him, as if that was all it took to win his heart!

Jaejoong grunted in annoyance.

Turning back to his painting, he tried to ignore Jolie's incessant gushing about how wonderful his painting skills were and that they shouldn't go to waste on the
likes of flowers and plants, suggesting he draw her instead.

Jaejoong tried shoving thoughts of their arranged marriage, and having to listen to the drone of her sickly sweet voice every day, out of his head. But the dread of it
kept creeping up on him, and he felt trapped. Was this what his future was doomed to be? He couldn't bear the thought of being Jolie's husband. In fact, he could barely
stand to be around her for more than a couple of hours!

And it wasn't just his bride-to-be that filled him with a sinking feeling. Jaejoong felt like the only one with any sense of empathy, who actually cared about true
friendship. Everyone else based relationships on looks. Jaejoong's beautiful face and perfect physique certainly did not help this matter.

So here he was, set to be married to the worst of all the possible women, although equal to him in looks, and to spend the rest of his life with all of these
dreaded people.

"JaeJae! Look what I found!"

Jaejoong's mood suddenly lifted upon hearing the sound of his little sister, Marie Belle's voice. He set his brush down and turned to embrace her as she came
bounding into the green house.

"What is it? Did you bring me more wildflowers?" he asked enthusiastically.

Belle shook her head and held out a pretty gift box. Her pretty brown eyes twinkled with excitement.

Intriqued as to what treasures lay in the box, Jolie approached them and leaned over the younger sibling to peer at it. "What's got you two so over-joyed?" She
imagined a beautiful, jeweled necklace imported from India; or a heart shaped pendant made of gold and encrusted with rubies.

But when when Belle opened the box and something flew out at Jolie's face she became completely disinterested in any suprise a ten year would have. She swung at the
air in disgust, much to the dismay of the other two.

"Stop! You'll hurt him!" screamed the little brunette.

"Him? Come on Marie Belle, it's a bug!" Jolie retorted and stormed off.

Jaejoong shook his head at the short-tempered woman and watched as the Pyrénées butterfly landed gracefully on his outstretched finger. His sister kneeled beside him
and admired the creature with awe.

He was glad he had someone else who appreciated the beauty of nature as much as he did.

...

The sky lit up in a wonderful array of colours and shapes that evening. The townspeople stared up at the fireworks display in amazement, transfixed by it's beauty.

Jaejoong especially enjoyed this time of year, the fall harvest, when there would be celebrations and plenty of delicious food. But most of all he loved how the town
would be littered with leafy decorations and beautiful banners with paintings of crops and trees changing colour.

"Where is your sister?" the question snapped Jaejoong out of his daze and he swivelled to face an angry older woman.

"What, mother?"

"Your sister!" she screeched, "I told you to watch her!" His mother's eyes darkened and her scowl turned sinister. This definitely was not good.

He frantically searched the surrounding area with his eyes, but could not see Marie Belle anywhere. "I swear she was right next to me a moment ago!" Jaejoong's eyes
were pleading, as he tried to prove his innnocense. In a huff, his mother stamped her foot and marched off, presumabley to look for the child herself.

Jaejoong was still worried for his little sister though and immediately began pushing his way through the crowded streets in search of her.

A/N: Hope I can find the energy to finish this chapter. Feedback?