I'd just drifted off again—my fever still pulsing through my veins, the IV in my arm tugging a bit—when a loud commotion in the hallway startled me awake. The door slammed open so hard I almost expected it to ricochet off the wall.
In slipped my parents—yes, slipped might be the wrong word, because even though they wore oversized sunglasses and tried to appear low-key, their flashy designer clothes and self-assured energy practically shouted, "We have money!"
Mom's crisp white hat was tilted at a stylish angle, while Dad held a polished cane he didn't actually need. They looked more like undercover celebrities who weren't fooling anyone.
Mom's eyes shone with a mix of wild worry and excitement, and Dad wore the same stern, overprotective look he'd had my whole life, as if he was silently warning everyone, "Don't come near my daughter."
"Sena!" Mom cried, rushing to my bedside. Her hand trembled near my IV line like she was afraid I'd vanish. "After all these years of telling you to find a husband, it's finally happening!"
I blinked, still stuck between my feverish haze and the cold reality of the hospital room. A wave of anxiety washed over me as I looked at Luke—tall, broad-shouldered, hazelnut-eyed Luke—who tensed at my mother's announcement.
Across the room stood Amiel and I-seo. Amiel looked openly curious, while I-seo's face showed a mix of amusement and concern as if she could sense the trouble about to unfold.
"M-Mom—" I started, my voice raspy, "this isn't—"
"Oh, hush," she cut in, waving a manicured hand. She set her bright sunglasses on top of her head and focused on Luke as he called Dad. "Honey, look at him! Tall, handsome… like a Greek god. We'll have the cutest grandkids!"
Dad stepped forward, crossing his arms as though bracing for a fight. "So… you're the one taking care of my daughter?"
Even though Dad always seemed tough, I knew his secret—he was extra loud around strangers because he was actually a bit nervous about Mom's temper. With her hidden MMA skills, she could switch from sweet socialite to fierce in a second.
Luke stood up, keeping his polite composure. I saw Dad's eyebrows rise slightly, probably noticing Luke's imposing height.
"Yes, sir," Luke said, adding a small bow. "My name is Luke Valenhart. I've been on Sena's side helping her while she's been unwell."
Dad's eyes narrowed. "Funny thing," he said gruffly, "the nurse said there wasn't a Park Sena—only a Sena Valenhart, admitted with her husband."
My stomach flipped. I'd used that fake name in desperation to get admitted faster, and now Mom and Dad believed it was real. "Oh no…" I thought, panic running through me.
Mom clutched her chest dramatically. "You changed your name already?! That means we're definitely getting grandbabies!"
"Mom, please—" I croaked, my cheeks hot with embarrassment and worry. "It's all a misunderstanding."
She dismissed me with another wave. "Misunderstanding? The nurse basically said you're married!" She let out a loud, shaky breath, pretending to wipe away tears. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this!"
Dad, ignoring Mom's dramatics, zeroed in on Luke. "So, Luke… want to explain why you're calling my daughter your wife?" He lifted an eyebrow, trying to intimidate Luke.
Luke glanced at me, his expression full of concern, before turning back to Dad. "I'm sorry for any confusion, sir. I only did it to make sure she got medical attention right away. I never meant to upset anyone."
Dad snorted. "You basically told the whole world you're married. As an old-fashioned Asian father, that's not something I can ignore. Since when are you two married?"
"If he's this caring, I'm all for it. Just imagine our future grandkids, Honey! Besides, maybe the reason they didn't inform us about their wedding is because it's the new trend of the youngsters now," Mom, on the other hand, patted Luke's arm, smiling wide while justifying the reason for the non-existent wedding date.
A headache throbbed behind my eyes. All I want is to get better and figure out my own feelings for Luke—without a big family drama. "Mom, Dad—please. We're not actually—"
"Not actually what?" Mom pressed, eyes narrowed like she was trying to solve a puzzle. "Then why are you two living under the same roof?"
"Mom, Dad! Did you send someone to monitor me again?" I asked, knowing them, surely someone was watching me all this time. Hopefully, they hadn't figured out that Luke and Amiel weren't even from this realm. That would be an even bigger mess.
"My dear, you're letting this guy call you his wife and you also live under the same roof." He said as he got closer to my bedside and beside Luke.
"W-We have you monitored since we're worried about you, but care to explain why is he in your house," Dad's arms tightened across his chest while Mom pursed her lip trying to avoid saying another thing that might upset me.
I noticed Dad shooting small, wary looks at Mom as if he feared she might break out some move if he pushed things too far.
At the sink, I-seo looked like she might step in, but Amiel gently nudged her as if to say, Wait—this is their family business.
I drew in a shaky breath. "M-Mom, Dad… it's complicated," I said, my headache growing worse by the second. "Luke's from far away. He's super formal, and I was too tired to handle all the paperwork when we got here. That's it."
"Yes, yes, that's wonderful—but we have bigger things to plan. I'm calling Ms. De Rossi. She's the best international wedding planner in town. Time for your fairy-tale wedding, dear!" Mom, ignoring my plea and changing the topic, pulled out her phone with flair.
"Mom!" My voice cracked as panic set in again. "I'm hooked to an IV! This is a hospital room, not a bridal shop!"
"Hello, Ms. De Rossi? Yes, I need your best bridal package—" She tapped at her phone.
Dad turned to Luke. "Listen, kid, I don't care if you're some rich aristocrat or a prince from a far-off country or even a CEO. If you think you can just—"
Luke, sensing my panic, caught my eye with a sympathetic look.
"Sir, I understand your worries," he said, his tone calm but also kind. "I promise you, I never wanted to trick anyone. I truly care about Sena's well-being."
Mom practically squealed, "Honey, did you hear that? He's basically declaring how much he likes our baby girl! This is perfect! Don't worry, that's all we want to hear!"
I closed my eyes. My fever had me feeling weak, and my parents were acting like wedding planners on steroids.
"Mom, you're jumping to crazy ideas," I muttered. "I just want to recover, not get dragged into some… royal wedding show."
Luke leaned in a bit, voice low and gentle. "Sena, you don't have to deal with this alone. Just tell me what you need, and I'll make sure they understand."
Before he could finish, Dad shoved himself between us. "No whispering sweet nothings to my daughter," he warned.
Luke drew back slightly, bowing his head in respect. "I—I was just—"
"Stay back," Dad ordered, moving only an inch. He might've talked tough, but we all knew Mom's hidden strength was what he really feared, should Dad upset her further.
Then Dad's assistant and some bodyguards burst into the room with a giant duffel bag, dropping it with a dull thump. Blankets, bottles, and a glaringly neon-pink pair of rubber clogs poked out from the top. My annoyance ratcheted up a notch.
"What's with the neon-pink… rubber clogs?" I asked, eyeing them warily.
Mom beamed. "These are for you two—Luke and Amiel! We brought extras for your comfort." She plucked them from the bag with a flourish.
Dad's face hardened—he did pick them, after all.
"Honey..... Those were supposed to be ours," he grumbled under his breath, clearly unhappy that Mom had decided otherwise. But Mom gave him a quick look that shut him right up, clearly, Dad feared stepping on her toes—no MMA pun intended.
Luke and Amiel exchanged confused glances as Mom handed over the pink rubber clogs. Luke tilted his head at the glaring color, then frowned.
"They're… quite small," he murmured, obviously noticing they wouldn't fit his feet. This is like a Deja Vu when they first arrived here in Korea, I remembered the bunny slippers they wore before.
Amiel, on the other hand, was so curious that he slipped one foot inside anyway—or tried to. When it wouldn't go all the way, he started putting his toes through the holes in the rubber clogs, one by one. It ended up looking like Diglet from Pokemon.
"What… What are these holes for? Should I push my toes here…? I don't get it, hey, Your Highness, you should stick your toes as well," he said.
Mom burst into laughter, her refined composure cracking for a moment. Even Dad tried to keep a straight face but turned away, hiding a grin. He cleared his throat loudly as if to cover up his amused chuckle.
Amiel looked at them in confusion. "Why are you laughing? It's not even my size. And look at all these holes… We only have five toes, so what's the point of this many holes?"
Luke, equally baffled, held up the other clog and lightly poked at the openings. "Is this a design choice? Ventilation, maybe?" He shrugged, unsure.
I-seo opened her mouth, about to explain, but by then everyone—Mom, Dad, and even I—was giggling or trying not to. My dad's assistant and bodyguards snickered into their sleeves. The laughter rose when a passing nurse came in to check my vitals and paused at the sight of Amiel's toes wedged in the holes. She had to press her lips together to keep from laughing out loud.
Amiel noticed the nurse and perked up. "Hey, you have the same rubber clogs!" he exclaimed, pointing at the nurse's matching pink footwear.
"How come you don't have your toes in the holes? There are so many holes, but only five toes. That doesn't make sense."
Luke nodded seriously, as though they'd uncovered some great mystery. "Right, so how do you wear them?" he asked the nurse, genuinely intrigued.
Trying to stay professional, the nurse cleared her throat. "Well, I—I wear socks underneath. The holes, sir, are just for ventilation. To let your feet breathe while wearing them."
Amiel blinked. "Ventilation?" he echoed. "So… you're not supposed to stick your toes through them?"
She shook her head politely, a smile tugging at her lips. "No, sir. That would be… quite uncomfortable, and probably painful, too."
Her response made Mom laugh even louder. Dad, eyes still narrowed, finally let out a small snort before turning away to hide his amusement behind a hand. I couldn't help but chuckle, too, watching Luke's face scrunch in embarrassment and Amiel frown as he'd just lost an argument with a shoe.
At that moment, the stress swirling around my supposed "marriage," the wedding fiasco, and Dad's defensive stance faded briefly into the background. For a second, we were all just people in a hospital room—laughing over pink rubber clogs and a silly misunderstanding.
But then my headache reminded me I was still tethered to an IV, and the nurse started checking my vitals. Mom, mid-laugh, returned to her phone call with Ms. De Rossi, chattering on about "the tall, handsome groom." Dad, still standing guard, maintained a protective aura around me—but the faint grin on his face told me he wasn't all grumpy inside.
And as I watched Amiel stare down at those too-small pink rubber clogs with a look of pure confusion, I realized this was my life now: comedic chaos, unstoppable rumors, and a father who would blockade Luke at every turn… all while my mother tried to plan the wedding of the century—whether I wanted it or not.
(End of Chapter 18—where a hospital stay spirals into deeper confusion, from forced wedding plans to misunderstood rubber clogs, and even a stern father can't hide a laugh in the end 😂.)