Bridesmaid - Chapter 16

"Did you see that person?" An ahjumma is looking at an elegance woman in her maroon frilled assymmetrical dress.

"Isn't that the heiress from Empire group?" another ahjumma replied.

"Yes.. She’s getting married with the heir from WooJin group isn't it?"

"Yes.. That come out in the news."

Sora smiled hearing to their conversation. Seems that their wedding has been the talk of the town now.

"You've been here for a while?" Yeon Seok arrived wearing a simple white shirt and black pants accompanied with a black and gold sunglass by Giorgio Armani.

"Ya... that's the man right? I'm so jealous with them. Young and rich. Both looks pretty with each other..." They look at them in an awe. "Chaebols are surely live in a different world...”

"Eyy... come on... that's definitely a mere merger and acquisitions. Do you think they got married because they love each other?"

Sora turned her face to them, trying to smile with those words. Its hurt somehow. It’s true that their marriage is for business purpose. But they also love each other. Or to be exact, she loves him.

Yeon Seok ignores the conversation. He's been hearing it everywhere he goes. Even among his staff. He can't do anything to stop that.

"What time is your appointment?" He asked to distract Sora's attention from being drawn into those unimportant passerby conversations. He promised Ho Jun to accompany Sora for her appointment with psychologist today. She has been regularly seeing the psychologist for 3 weeks now.

"2pm. We have another 45 minutes. Want to grab some light lunch?" Sora asked. She haven't touch any meals with her full schedule today. Her stomach silently growl asking to be filled.

"I'm not hungry...” he replied.

"Arasso...” She had prepared herself for that answer. Yeon Seok had been treating her coldly even though they are officially engaged for a month now. She's getting used with that treatment somehow.

Sora call for the waiter and order a light lunch only for her. "Garden salad please...”

"That’s all miss?"

"Yes.." She nodded. Her appetite being suppressed with Yeon Seok's attitude just now.

Yeon Seok looked at her. No wonder she's getting thinner. "One macchiato for me...” he added to that order.

"Alright sir...”

Sora sips her Americano that she had ordered much earlier. "The dress fitting tomorrow evening... will you be joining?" She asked.

"No." Yeon Seok replied as his eyes are on his mobile screen. Checking nothing.

"You're busy?"

"Umm...” nonchalantly he replied.

"What about the cake testing on Thursday?" She asked again.

Yeon Seok shakes his head.

"You realized that our wedding is in 2 months’ time right?"

"I leave it all to my mother...”

Sora sighed. "I shouldn't have bothered to ask...” she said in passing as the orders arrived at their table.

Yeon Seok secretly looked at her. She seems a bit frustrated. He would have not acted this way if they were how they used to be before. His ego is too high to show whether he cares about the wedding.

Sora silently took a few bites of the salad. Not saying a word. She don't know how to fix their relationship if Yeon Seok didn't want to get involved in it. It feels like she's reaching a dead end somehow.

"Do you want some?" She offers him some of her salad. Trying not to give up.

"No...” replying in short sentences seems like Yeon Seok hobby nowadays.

Sora sighed feeling disheartened. She put aside her salad. Didn't feel like eating anymore. She sips a few of her Americano and looked at Yeon Seok. "Why do bother to accompany me today?"

"Ho Jun is asking me to...”

"If he doesn't then you won't?"

"Yup...” he replied without any second thoughts.

Sora sneered. "I guess I'm really a nobody to you now...” she got up from her chair. ”Don't be burdened Yoo Yeon Seok Shhi.. I can go there alone." Without thinking twice, she took her steps and walk away. As much as she wanted to get their relationship better, she still have her dignity. Perhaps it’s time for her to give up.

Yeon Seok looked at her heading to the street. She just ate around 3 bites and now the salad are left untouched. He bit his lips. He's going to be blamed if she falls sick again. He got up from his seat and run for her.

Yeon Seok grabbed her hand. "I'll send you there...”

"It’s okay.." she's trying to pull her hand but Yeon Seok is holding it tight.

Yeon Seok lean nearer to her. "We're in public and people are watching." They are a public figure now. They can't recklessly act in accordance to their feeling. Eyes are watching them everywhere.

Sora looked at her surroundings. Slowly she nodded. "Arasso.." obediently she follows Yeon Seok to his car. 

She stares at his hand that is still holding hers. She tighten her grasp. It’s been a while since she felt this secured. It makes her feels content somehow.

**********************

Sora looked at the dress that is presented to her one by one, but she doesn't pay serious attention to it. It’s either the dress here are too boring or she is not in the mood to choose one.

"What about this one?" She picked a sexy V neck chiffon shirred halter strap wedding dress with beaded bust and double braided waist by Allure Bridal.

"Isn't it too sexy?" Han Ye Seul, her step mom asked. For her, its seems to be showing too much skin.

"I think it’s a nice choice...” Lee Young Ae, Yoo Yeon Seok's mother is agreeing to her choice. She's a bit open minded with the dress selection especially when Sora is having a great body for it.

"I'll try this one then.." She entered the changing room, ignoring her stepmom's comment.

"The bride is coming out.." After a few while, Sora is ready to show the dress that she wore on her body.

Sora walked to the lobby of the two floored wedding dress shop, beautifully styling the dress that she's wearing.

"Yeon Seok Shhi.. I thought you can't make it today?" Sora surprised seeing Yeon Seok is in front of her now, standing besides his mom.

"I asked him to come.." Young Ae replied. "Choosing a dress for the wedding is important for any woman. No groom should skip this event." She added.

Sora smiled to her. Thanking her future mother in law for the effort.

"How is it?" Sora asked. Turning around a little to show them the details of the dress.

Yeon Seok looked at her top to toe. It’s undeniable that she looks pretty in those elegance dress. Her body will definitely kill any kind of dress that she's wearing. Especially this one.

"My daughter in law looks really pretty.." Young Ae come nearer, asking her to turnaround a little bit more so she could see it once again. "I'm liking this one.." She said it to Ye Seul and Yeon Seok. Looking for an agreement from them.

"I don't.." Yeon Seok replied. "It’s too flashy.." The V neck would be nice if it’s only for him. He would not want to share it with others.

"Eyy.. You're too conservative!" Young Ae gently hit her son's shoulder.

"I'll try another one then.." Sora said as she walk up the stairs heading to the changing room again. Yeon Seok's opinion is what matters the most to her. At least he's saying his opinion today. She smiled.

Young Ae looked at her son. "Go and try yours too.." She said.

"Mom.. I'm busy today!" He didn't want to come here at the first place. But his mom is threatening him. His mom really good at it.

"You're already here anyway.." She pushed him to walk up the stairs, following Sora.

"Ehem.." Yeon Seok look at Sora who is still choosing for a new dress that she's going to try next.

Sora looked at him. "Thank you for coming.." She said. Though it could be by force, the fact that he's here now already makes her heart fluttered for a moment.

"I came just because of my mother asked me to.." He replied.

"Ae.." Sora nodded. She expected that answer. Somehow Yeon Seok is trying hard to maintain his bad guy image. She smirked to herself.

Sora continue to focus her eyes on those hundreds of dresses again. This time around she carefully choose for one. "What about this one?" She showed an ivory romantic luxe organza gown features with flowers on one shoulder and a draped, multi-tiered skirt with flowers flowing into a chapel train by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

Yeon Seok looked at the dress and compares it with an ivory tuxedo by Bvlgari that he holds. "Just choose any one of it. It's not like this marriage going to last long.."

Sora looked at him surprised with his replies. "What did you just said?"

Yeon Seok looked at her. "Did I say something wrong? Do you hope for our wedding to last forever?"

Sora sharply stares at him. This time Yeon Seok is really pushing for too much.

Yeon Seok smirked. "Be real Kang Sora.. You could be asking for a divorce in a month or two.. Just like how you asked for breakup before. You wouldn't expect for our wedding to last isn't it?"

Pang! A hard slap went to his cheek. "I broke up with you so that I can protect my dead grandfather's wish. Even if the one I'm marrying is not you, I will try to protect the marriage all I can.. I will try to love with all my heart" She cried.

"Sora.." he's speechless with Sora's sudden burst in emotion.

"I misjudged you Yoo Yeon Seok Shhi. I thought I can still save our relationship. But I guess, this is it for us.." Sora walked to door.

"Kang Sora!" Yeon Seok stopped her. "Our moms are downstairs.."

"I'm not going to proceed with this wedding anyway. I'm done!" Sora brushed away his hand.

"Sora-ya, what's wrong?" Han Ye Seul looked at her stepdaughter running down the stairs still wearing the dress that she wore before.

Sora ignores Ye Seul and run to her car with tears that continue to falls on her cheek.

"Kang Sora!!" Yeon Seok tried to chase her but she was fast leaving the building with her Audi R8.

"Yoo Yeon Seok! What had happened?" Asked his mom who just come back from the washroom. "I just left for a few minutes. What have you done?!" Young Ae look at Yeon Seok, frustrated.

Yeon Seok looked at Lee Young Ae and Han Ye Seul, slightly bowed to them before he run for his car to look for Sora.

"Kang Sora where are you?" Yeon Seok looked at his watch, it's almost 7pm. For more than 2 hours he's been trying to trace for Sora. With hundreds of attempts to call and locate her, Sora is still nowhere to find. "Please Sora.. where are you.." He started to get worried. 

He bit his lips looking at his phone, thinking whether to make a call to Ho Jun.

"Ho Jun, where are you?" Finally he called him.

"I expected you to call me earlier.." Ho Jun blunt. "Sora is missing isn't it?"

"Eo.. Her stepmom has told you?"

"Eo.." He's silent for a moment. "What had happened?" He asked. Wanted to hear Yeon Seok's explanation before he jumped into any kind of conclusion.

"Just some quarrel.."

"I don't think is just 'some' quarrel? She had been so determined to fix your relationship before.. Sora would never give up that easily even after your trashy treatment.."

Yeon Seok silent for a while. It is true that he's been behaving like a trash to Sora lately. "I've said something that I shouldn't.."

Ho Jun sighed. "Yeon Seok ah.. I know this will happen.." He stopped. "Do you think Sora wanted to breakup with you? She's totally against it at first. She fought to protect the relationship. But your grandfather had a legally bonded agreement on marrying his first grandson with our grandfather's first granddaughter."

"How does that explains the reason for our breakup? She could just say no.." Yeon Seok still could not accept the reason.

"The intention of the agreement is for a merger and acquisition between two company. If any of the party choose to void it, and in this case Empire, we need to let go 50% of our group company share. Both WooJin and Empire is not in a good financial state lately and you knew it well too. Sora was made to choose between two choices. She needs to choose between you or our grandfather legacy." Ho Jun explains in length.

Yeon Seok went silent. That explains why she mentioned about her grandfather wish earlier. He had done a lot of things that broke her heart. "Ho Jun ah.. I don't think she would be able to forgive me anymore.." He screwed big time.

"She's been trying to be patient all this while.. But you've went overboard Yoo Yeon Seok.."

"I know.. I need to find her.." He started to feel restless. With all those explanation, it makes him feels more worst.

"I know where she is.."

"You are?"

"I've installed GPS tracker on all of her cars after she's been falling sick lately.. Just in case.."

Yeon Seok is clearing his throat. That protective older brother is really something.

"I know.. It’s not right. Do you want to know her location or not?"

"Of course! Send it to my phone now.."

Ho Jun sneered. "Okay.." Ho Jun paused. "If you ever hurt her again, I will kill you for real. This is the last chance I'm giving to you.."

"I promised.." Yeon Seok replied.

"Make sure you bring her home safely Yoo Yeon Seok.." Ho Jun reminded. "I'm counting on you.."

"Arasso.." He replied before hanging up the phone conversation.

He then open the location that was given by Ho Jun. "My house?"