At night, the atmosphere around the Blue House was so busy and noisy. One by one the ministers' cars began to enter the large parking lot of the Blue House, which included important officials and their families.
Yujin got off gracefully from a white limousine. The woman looks so mature in a long black dress that perfectly wraps her beautiful body. Tonight Yujin deliberately curls her hair in a minimalist style so that she looks more mature and is no longer considered the little girl Im Jaehyuk who always follows her father wherever her father goes.
With full of grace, Yujin began to walk into the large hall of the Blue House with the other invited guests.
When Yujin climbed the steps that led to the hall, her legs looked so perfect and beautiful. One of minister Jo Hyunsu's sons, who had been fond of Yujin, immediately walked over to Yujin while greeting her in a friendly face.
"Good evening, Miss Yujin. Long time no see."
Yujin smiled sweetly at Jo Jimin while replying to the man's simple greeting. Honestly, she was very lazy to meet that man because all this time Jimin always showed an open interest in her.
Five months ago before her wedding plans with Minwoo, Jimin had come to her house and begged her to cancel the marriage. Fortunately, at that time Jinwoo was still her bodyguard, so the man was able to throw him out because she felt uncomfortable with his presence in her house.
"Good evening, Jo Jimin."
Yujin doesn't seem to want to make small talk with Jimin because Jimin is not her taste. Moreover, Jimin's age is two years younger than her, making Jimin look like a runny kid to Yujin.
"Today you look very beautiful. I'm grateful that your and Minwoo's marriage was canceled."
Yujin snorted in anger inwardly. How could that man smile happily at the sadness of others. Although she is also relieved that her marriage was canceled, what if President Kang's family hears about it? They will definitely feel hurt.
"Your words can hurt other people."
"Ah, I'm sorry Yujin, I just feel relieved that you didn't marry Kang Minwoo. Eee... are you alone now?"
Yujin wanted to run away from Jo Jimin even more. The chatty man really tested her patience. Suddenly she saw Yuri who was the daughter of the minister of health walking towards the main hall of the Blue House. While pretending not to listen to Jimin, Yujin hurriedly walked over to Yuri.
"Eonni..."
Yujin hugged Yuri and embraced her to enter the hall with her. She glanced at Jimin who looked a little annoyed behind her. But she didn't care and immediately stepped into the hall with Yuri.
"Yujin, how are you? I'm sorry to hear the news of your marriage being canceled," said Yuri while stroking Yujin's back.
Yujin smiled casually and waved her hand in front of Yuri. "It's okay eonni, I'm fine. How is eonni now?"
"I am good. I've been busy lately with the opening of my new boutique in Singapore. If you are on vacation in Singapore, don't forget to visit my boutique, huh? I will definitely give you a special discount," said Yuri with a wink.
Yujin laughed crisply in response to Yuri's words and raised her thumb in response to Yuri's request.
"Ah eonni, looks like we should part."
Yujin saw a row of round tables that had been named in the middle. The Blue House had apparently arranged the invited guests in such a way that they couldn't sit as they pleased.
With a heavy heart Yujin parted from Yuri and began to look for her seat position. She walked here and there past several invited guests while paying attention to each table containing the names of the invited guests who were present at the dinner.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for a table on behalf of Im Yujin."
Yujin asked one of the women who organized the program who was communicating using a walkie talkie. The woman swiftly took out the long paper that was stored in her skirt pocket and began to look for Yujin's name in the list of guests.
"Come with me miss, I'll show you your table."
Yujin walked slowly following the woman's steps while occasionally glancing at the rows of chairs for the president's family. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Jinwoo's appearance. President Kang is currently sitting with his wife, her father, as well as several other top ministers who have received more honor at this event.
"Please miss, this is your table."
"Thank you."
Yujin pulled out a chair with her name on it and began to join the other invited guests. It turned out that she found the table closest to the podium. From where she was sitting, Yujin could see all sides of the podium clearly, and she hoped to see Jinwoo's face as much as she wanted when she went up on the stage later.
"Yujin, we meet again."
Yujin immediately turned quickly to the left while giving Jimin a wry smile.
Again, she met the man. She tried to avoid Jimin a few minutes ago, but they were brought together at the same table.
"Hi." Yujin said briefly.
Yujin then turned her gaze to another direction to greet the guests who were sitting at the same table as her.
"Hey, you're Im Yujin right? Minister Im Jaehyuk's daughter?"
Yujin nodded her head gracefully while smiling sweetly at the young woman sitting to her right.
"And you... Moon Caerin right?" Yujin asked doubtfully.
It seemed like she had met that woman before, but she forgot where exactly they met because it was a long time ago.
"Yes, I'm Moon Caerin. We used to meet at a South Korean birthday party two years ago. Do you still remember?"
Yujin shook her head in embarrassment as she looked at Caerin feeling guilty.
"My memory is very bad. But I do feel like I've met you. So what are you busy with now?"
Yujin and Caerin seem familiar with each other. But secretly Yujin deliberately invites Caerin to continue chatting with her so that she can avoid the talkative Jimin. The man had been trying to join their conversation, but always failed because Caerin couldn't stop moving her lips to tell the story.
"Yujin, what do you think about this party? I feel bored being here?"
Yujin felt attracted to the woman next to her. It is rare for people to feel uninterested in such a festive party event. In fact, since earlier she had continued to hear the chatter of several women who were talking about Jinwoo. Most of them wanted to see Jinwoo in person and prove the myth that was circulating that Jinwoo was a cold general who was very handsome.
"Why? Everyone looks enthusiastic."
"This is boring. Why do we have to be here to greet a stiff general like General Lee? Even though he has indeed successfully completed his mission, but I think this is too much. The general seemed to want to show off with his prowess." Caerin snorted sarcastically.
Yujin looks confused to comment on Caerin's words because she herself doesn't agree with the woman's opinion. Of course Jinwoo deserves this kind of appreciation so that he will realize that there are many people who love him.
Their chat was diverted by a good night greeting from President Kang who was giving a speech on the podium.
The middle-aged man with great dignity amazed most of the guests with his speech skills. Yujin herself felt proud of President Kang who looked so dignified with his remarks.
"Today our General Lee has returned from the peace mission given to him five months ago. Tonight we will celebrate General Lee's success and greet him with great joy as General Lee has once again earned our country a positive appraisal in the eyes of the world. All right, let's invite General Lee Jinwoo to get to the podium."
Suddenly Yujin felt nervous and was pounding as she opened the main door of the Blue House hall, which revealed the figure of General Lee in a black tuxedo and white shirt that looked so fit on his body. The gaze of all the invited guests now only focused on Jinwoo when he walked into the main hall of the Blue House. Yujin's two round eyes couldn't leave the slightest bit apart from the handsome figure of Lee Jinwoo who suddenly also looked at her when the man walked past her table.
Yujin immediately looked down awkwardly and pretended she was fixing her hairdo, which looked okay.
"He really is a cold general," whispered Caerin beside her.
Yujin ignored Caerin's whisper and only kept her head down to reduce her nervousness because Jinwoo was now standing in front of her to give a speech. The man stood on the podium with a straight gaze that pierced every eyes that was looking at him with a dazzled face.
At first glance the man glanced at Yujin, who since his arrival chose to hide her face by looking down at the table. But the man did not want to think about it further and immediately started his speech.
"Thank you."
It was the first word Yujin heard when Jinwoo made his welcome speech. Since earlier she had been hiding her face by looking down at the table because she could not calm her heartbeat, which had been crazy since Jinwoo appeared. She really felt nervous and happy because finally she could see Jinwoo again after more than five months the man disappeared without a word. Yujin occasionally steals glances at Jinwoo, who is still giving a speech on stage.
As far as she could see, Jinwoo now looked fuller. The man's muscles are noticeably more prominent and the man's jawline has also turned harder. She was sure that while in middle east, Jinwoo had really worked hard so that his mission would go well.
"Tonight I will also announce to all of you that I'm getting married."
Yujin's heart seemed to be tightly squeezed when she heard Jinwoo's shocking words. She then chose to deaf her ears because she was not ready to hear the next words when Jinwoo would call his future wife to the podium. She wasn't ready for all of this. Even though she just felt happy because the man came home. But her pleasure must be destroyed because the man will introduce his future wife to all invited guests who attended this banquet. Yujin felt like crying and ran home right now. She didn't want to join the banquet anymore because her heart was already sore with the news of Jinwoo's marriage.
"Miss Im Yujin, please come forward."
Yujin looked left and right with a confused face. Since earlier she had not listened to the man's words so she did not know what had happened. But she suddenly heard her name and everyone was looking at her with happy smiles on their faces.
"Yujin, come forward. General Lee is waiting for you," whispered Caerin beside her. Yujin turned quickly to the woman in a whisper to ask what happened.
"Why is everyone looking at me like that? What really happened?"
"General Lee called you. Have you forgotten your future husband?" replied Caerin. The woman looked bad at Yujin because she had previously gossiping of Jinwoo in front of her who was the man's future wife.
Whereas Yujin still looked like a fool until Jinwoo suddenly stood beside her.
"Yujin, I asked you to come forward."
The man's cold gaze pierced right in the middle of her honey eyes making Yujin's heart pounding again.
With a tense face and stiff movements, Yujin immediately stood up and followed Jinwoo's steps onto the stage. Yujin kept her face down in shame without daring to look at the guests who were now staring at her. Her palms were all cold and she felt numb. Jinwoo should have been holding her hand like couples in dramas she often watched. Unfortunately the man did not do that at all. Jinwoo proudly walked ahead of her and left her behind him like an assistant. Really they are not romantic at all and actually look very stiff, especially Yujin.
"So this is my future wife, Im Yujin."
Jinwoo said expressionlessly to all the invited guests present. Next to him, Yujin still faithfully lowered her head without daring to look forward until a large hand clasped her cold hand and reflexively made her tilt her head in surprise.
"We're getting married next week."
Yujin rolled her eyes in disbelief as she looked at Jinwoo, who was still steadfastly looking straight ahead from the side.
Is this guy crazy? He can make me die standing here.
Yujin's heart screamed loudly because of Jinwoo's unexpected demeanor, which today made her look stupid in front of everyone. After this banquet was over, she had to demand a lot of explanation from the man.
"Is there anything you want to say, Yujin?"
Jinwoo pointed a mic at Yujin which the woman immediately picked up with trembling hands.
"Good night all. First of all I want to welcome General Lee and thank him for the surprise he gave me. Really I didn't know that General Lee would announce our wedding plans tonight. And... thank you for being happy for us."
Yujin quickly ended her speech and immediately gave the mic to Jinwoo. She felt unable to say any more because to be honest she was still shocked by what had just happened to her. After Jinwoo ended his speech, they immediately walked down from the podium to join President Kang as well as Minister Im who had been waiting for them at a special table by the side of the stage.
Meanwhile, Yujin unconsciously was gripping Jinwoo's hand tightly because she was too nervous about all the shocking things tonight. In fact, she felt that she could not walk properly because her legs now felt like a really flabby jelly. It felt like she wanted to immediately disappear from this banquet.
"Congratulations son, I'm proud of you."
Yujin gasped in surprise when the man's hand suddenly slipped out of her grasp. She saw President Kang hugging Jinwoo's body emotionally in front of her.
"How do you feel dear?"
Yujin turned quickly to her father who was currently pulling her hand to sit next to him.
"Father, I really don't understand all of this. How can General Lee marry me? Yujin asked her father. Mr. Im sighed softly and started explaining everything to Yujin.
"General Lee will marry you from the start. He will replace Minwoo to fulfill your mother's will."
Yujin was hurt by the news. She thought Jinwoo really loved her, but it turned out that the man married her just to fulfill his responsibility as President Kang's eldest son. But Yujin didn't want to make her father sad with her reaction so she pretended to put on a happy face in front of her father.
"So you agree that General Lee will marry me?"
"I agrees if you agree and happy."
"I agree, I'm happy." Yujin added, holding her father's hand.
It did not escape the slightest bit from Jinwoo's black iris. The man could see a light of sadness after her father had explained everything. But he chose to remain silent and just ignore what happened in front of him because he would explain later. Right now was not the right time to tell Yujin what really happened. He is sure Yujin doesn't fully know what happened between him, his father, and Minister Im.