#so the rest of the shen family is like ??? watching their youngest son crying and smiling

[waitineedaname]

I know “and he was in a coma all along” is an edgy cringe theory for most series, but my version for Svsss is that Shen Yuan’s soul did get transported to another fantasy world, but his family found his body in time to keep it from dying. They have more money than god and have been spending it to keep his body going for years (very much like Luo Binghe, honestly he would probably relate). This can have a tragic edge where he never wakes up, but if the System ever sends Shen Yuan back for some petty reason, he would probably question if everything actually happened or not. Unless the System pops up just to be like “I never said you were dead :)” (Binghe finds him and gets him back within a month, but things were probably getting pretty rough for both of them for a minute).

ohhh the idea of the Shen family keeping his comatose body alive the same way Binghe preserved his corpse is FUCKED, I love it. can you imagine waking up from a coma after having lived in a fantasy world for like twenty years where you were gay married to a demon. what. how do you even go back to normal life after that. I'm imagining this ending with an absolutely distraught man in xianxia style clothing barging into the hospital/house/wherever the family is like WHERE IS SHIZUN!!!!!! brandishing a sword and everything, and the only thing keeping them from calling the fucking cops is that Shen Yuan is fucking THRILLED to see him and yelled at anyone who tried to escort this strange man with a sword out of the premises

[soocouldbemyonlystar]

Chaebols: Laid Back Pt3

Genre: Chaebols AU/ fluff

Length: 6.3k

cover edit by @lalahs85

It was Yan’s greatest gift that she was always organized. Each task was assigned a number based on its importance and she rarely needed to deviate from that list. She was solid, on top of things, and she thrived for it. She had taken this small branch and made it the most successful part of her father’s real-estate business. She was savage.

Then how was it she was losing control of her life. Yan was drowning, held down by the expectation’s others had for her future. For generations, the women in her family had been used as pawns to garner favor, make alliances, gain investors in order to keep Lin Industries prosperous. Yan had thought she would be the first to break this tradition. Her own mother had been given to her father as requirement for her grandfather to invest in the company.

And her mother was the biggest advocate for her marriage. The woman cared more about keeping tradition than her own daughter’s happiness.

Yan stood, too stunned to move, as Lay leaned forward and presented his business card to her brother. Shen immediately back tracked.

“Mr. Zhang, I’m so sorry you had to come in during our little tiff, as you should know our Yan is a complicated woman,” He bowed repeatedly to Yixing and Yan couldn’t believe it.

“I’m aware, I also know she’s completed the requirements so if you could exit my fiancé’s office, we have much to discuss.” Lay demanded, politeness in his words but venom in his voice.

Yan didn’t know he could be cold. He seemed so calm and warm when he spoke to her. Even after finding her after she had left him alone in her hotel room with no name, number or way to know who she was. Lay was kind and seemed happy to see her.

“Of course, Mr. Zhang, or should I call you brother-in-law now?” Shen was kissing his ass now, it was what his slimy ass did. He would try to get in good with Yixing to put himself in a position of influence.

“Mr. Zhang would be fine for now, Mr. Lin. We will see you again soon.” Lay left her side to take hold of the door and usher Shen out.

Yan was still in shock as Shen bowed repeatedly until he was out the door and Lay closed it in his face. He stood watching the door until he heard Shen walk away.

He turned back to Yan, “That boy is conspiring at this moment, you know that right.”

Yan finally looked to Lay, “No, no, no, this is not happening, you are Lay from the last day of a vacation I was forced to take. It was a good day, but its just a dream I can think back to. You are not here. Not in my office, not in my home. I’m dreaming this.”

Lay smiled, “Have you been dreaming about me Lin Yan.”

“I don’t believe you. You saw the note I left my date, thought you would make some kind of joke or use it to stalk me. You are not Zhang Yixing.” Yan refused to believe it.

Lay sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket, his fingers working quick on the screen. “Did you not do your research on your marriage dates?”

He handed the phone to her. On the screen was a picture of his, mother, father, and two older brothers and an older sister, and him the youngest son of the Zhang family.

“I’ve been working on acquiring an important property, I didn’t have time to look up the next playboy my parents wanted me to date.” Yan said as she read the article attached to the picture. “Besides, you still didn’t know who I was?”

Yixing, she had to admit it was him, took a seat in front of her desk waiting for her to finish the article.

“It’s not as dangerous for me. My mother is worried that I will waist my life away.” He explained as she handed the phone back and took the chair behind her desk. “You are the sixth woman from my mothers list of women who are suitable for me to marry.”

“You were four.” Yan told him, “but I’m not marrying you.”

“Yeah, that was just to get your brother out of here.”

“But you don’t understand what you’ve done. Shen will be on the phone with my parents already. The Zhang name will be too good for them to pass on. They will push. And if you were on my list and me on yours, my parents will make a deal with yours for us to be married.” Yan explained. They were done for. She would have to do everything to convince her parents not to force them to marry.

Yan didn’t want to get married at this point in her life. She didn’t know if she would ever want to be married. If she was able to get ahead of it and get Zhang Yixing to agree it was misunderstanding to her parents, then maybe they wouldn’t insist the two get married.

“We have to call my parents and tell them it was a mistake. You have to tell them it was a mistake, maybe they won’t become obsessed with me marrying a Zhang Group heir.” She demanded, picking up her phone and calling her father.

  “Father,” she started, “yes, I’m sure you just got off the phone with Shen. That’s why I’m calling. Look, Zhang Yixing is an acquaintance of mine and he…”

“Shen had told us the wonderful news.” He said.

“Yes, but Shen was aggravating me, and Mr. Zhang was just trying to help me.”

“Did he not indicate that you two were engaged?” Her father asked.

“Yes, but I’m trying to tell you that Shen misunderstood the situation. No, there is no marriage proposal.” Yan insisted

“Is he with you now, I would like to speak with him?”

“Yes, father,” she sighed handing the phone to Yixing, “he wants you to speak with him.”

Yan prayed he would convince her father that it was just a mistake. No marriage, she mouthed to him.

He took the phone, “Zhang Yixing… Hello sir, it’s nice to finally speak with you…Yes, I’ve known Yan for several months, and I’m quite fond of her. Did she now… I don’t know why she would tell you that… I’m very interested in marriage. My family would be happy to welcome Lin Yan as a daughter.”  

Zhang Yixing played right into her fathers’ hands. It was sickening. Any illusions she had about Lay were gone now. Good-bye handsome beach boy, good-bye sweet smile and cute dimple. Good-bye sand and sun and staying up all night talking about everything.

Her beautiful memories were gone, ruined by reality and a rich, entitled, jack-ass who now saw fit to bully his way into her life.

She would spend the rest of that life making sure he was miserable.

“Of-course we want to get this done quickly, but Yan and I would like just a little time to get to know each other better,” Yixing told her father, “Just a couple of weeks, then we can get deeper in the wedding details.”

Yan thought she was going to pass out. They were conspiring right in front of her face to marry her off. She thought about sticking her finger down her throat. It was childish and petty, not like her at all, but if this was now her life was going to be, she was going to get petty, pretty damn fast. She should have known Lay, no Yixing, wouldn’t be any different than her family or the list of brainless mutants her parents had her dating. This was a nightmare. She was stuck, forever as a puppet for her family.

“It was a pleasure speaking with you as well. One last thing before we go, could I ask for you to keep Yan’s brother away for a while. He seems to stress her out quite a bit. I don’t want her to worry about what he is up to. I would like her attention to be focused on me for the next couple of weeks. You can do that? Thank you. You are truly a generous man… yes, sir…I look forward to meeting you in person as well… You have a good day, sir.”

He handed the phone back to Yan, a satisfied look on his face.

“Father?”

“A Zhang, my daughter I’m so proud of you.” Her father said, something she had never heard out of his mouth before, in her life. “This is just what the company needs. You will marry this man without complaint, do you understand me. This is better than we could have hoped.”

Yan sighed, she wanted to cry, “Yes, Father.”

She finished her call and hung up the phone, turning her anger to Yixing. He stood, hands in his pockets staring out of her window. That silence loomed for several minutes. Yan was afraid if she opened her mouth, she could tell this man off.

Screw that, he deserved it! Yan would be the one to give him a swift kick in the ass.

“How could you? Just what do you think you’re going to gain from this? My family is not nearly as influential as yours…”

“Enough time for you to figure something out.” His eyes continued its scan of the city, “You have a nice view from this floor. I can see Kyungsoo and Jun’s buildings from here.”

“Who’s that… wait… what do you mean ‘enough time’?”

He faced her then. “Well you don’t really plan on marrying me, do you? This will give you a couple of weeks to work, free of distractions. Isn’t that what you said you wanted that night at the resort, the best vacation you could ask for was from your meddling family. Afterwards, we call stall until we can figure out how to stop your father from marrying you off.”  

“You’re trying to help me?”

Yixing turned back to the window. “All this time, I’ve been within blocks of you and never knew it.”

“Mr. Zhang, can you focus?”

“It’s Lay, or Yixing.”

Lay or Yixing. That was an easy choice for Yan. Lay didn’t exist to her anymore. He was body snatched by this…this… what the hell was this guy?

Yan sighed. “Yixing, you really seem to have misunderstood the situation. My father… he won’t accept anything less than a Zhang son-in-law now. There will be no convincing him otherwise.

Yixing remained silent, his eyes fixed on the view from her window. What the hell was out there? Yan was growing annoyed, definitely angry. She couldn’t read him. Yixing stood, arms crossed, this thumb and forefinger pinching the center of his lower lip as he focused on another world on the far side of the glass pane.

“Yixing!” Yan was losing her patience.

“I’m okay with that.” He dropped his arms dropped to his side and he faced her.

“How could you be okay with that?”

“Look,” he said, taking the seat in front of her desk. “My mom is worried about me. He thinks I have no drive, and maybe I don’t. She wants a new daughter, maybe some more grandkids. She wants to know I’m taken care of. I don’t like it when my mother worries. I’m not interested in a woman who has no interest in me, but it doesn’t matter if it’s you or another woman from my list, I’m going to get married.  I like you, marrying you would be better than any of the girls I’ve dated so far, and you being part of the Zhang family will be extremely beneficial for you.” Yixing explained.

“Yeah, I don’t have plans for my own life. I’m just here to benefit the Lin family name.” Yan spat.

“Who said the Zhang’s will benefit the Lin family. As far as I see, your family uses you, and I don’t think that’s right. As my wife you would have the support of me and my family, you could do whatever you wanted.” He explained.

“Look Lay, Yixing whatever your name is, I don’t need your family to accomplish anything. I became the director of this branch by myself.”

“From how it looks to me you got here cause your father was trying to keep you out of his hair until he could marry you off.” Yixing explained, “Why keep putting up with this?”

Yan sighed, it was a point she didn’t want to see. “I worked my ass off to get here Mr. Zhang. I put in three times the work my brothers did to get this position. I deserve to be here.”

“Don’t call me that, my name is Yixing or Lay, and I’m not disagreeing with you. I’ve seen my sister work herself crazy to keep the position she has at our company. She likes what she does. I think you do to. I just want to help you.” Yixing folded his hands in front of his. His calm demeanor pissed Yan off.

“You don’t know me.”

“No, but I want to. More than anything. All of this, our night together months ago, being on each other’s lists, it seems… I don’t know… like kismet.”

Yixings lips turned up into that smile, that sweet crooked smile that gave her the perfect view of his dimple. It was a little peek of Lay, his kind eyes, his honied smile. It made her want to believe. There was a sincerity in his voice. Yan didn’t want to get married, but she couldn’t help but wonder what a future with Yixing would look like. Would he be supportive, or would he hold her back…be a calming force or be the source of stress for her? She had a feeling it was all the above.

Lay made Yan want to dream, and that made Yixing dangerous.

“What if I don’t want your help?” she steamed.

“Then I’ll apologize for having complicated your life. Tell your father I’ve changed my mind, and marry some vapid, self-centered heiress who gets on my nerves instead of the woman who peaks my interest and invades my every thought.” He admitted.

“Ohh, so smooth.” Yan mocked him.

“Not smooth, just honest. Think about it Yan. I think we could make this work.”

“It won’t.”

How could it? Yixing wasn’t the only one who remembered their conversation from that night. They were different, Yixing the equator, Yan the poles. Hot and cold. Yan didn’t have a problem admitting she was a workaholic. Work didn’t feel like work because she loved it. Yixing liked his leisure. He only worked when he felt like it, choosing to spend most of his time traveling, staying in hotels and resort and overall not accomplishing anything.

It had been endearing in the beach boy who made the last day of her imposed vacation memorable. But in a perspective husband, the man she would spend the rest of her life with, it was a nightmare. He was laid back and she was uptight, how could that ever work?

“There’s no way to know that.” He countered. “And there is no point in worrying about it right now. You have the vacation you’ve always wanted. I was at least able to get that for you. I’ll keep everyone at bay for that time. Enjoy it and we will figure everything out later.”

Yixing stood again, buttoning his suit jacket. Yan smiled. The move gave him an air of professionalism that he didn’t normally exude. It was cute.

Yan sighed, “Yixing…”

“Two weeks. Think about it and talk to me then. I’m in this for you, because I like you, not your family. Think about it.”

He pulled out his wallet, brandishing his business card, holding it out to her. Yan hesitated, but if he had done all this for her, the least she could do was think about it as he requested.

She came around the desk and accepted his card. White with blue lines passing through the Zhang Group logo covered the top left corner, while Zhang Yixing, Consultant, and his number covered the bottom right. It was a good design, simple, efficient. Yan was impressed and her attention was focused on that stupid card, and not on the man who inched closer. So close she noticed his body heat before his proximity.

Yan gulped as her eyes came level with his lips, soft and pink. There was no smile gracing those lips. There was something in the set of his jaw that had Yan’s stomach flipping. Yixing took a deep breath, seeming to inhale her. It was heady, powerful and intoxicating.

Fool.

The thought ran through her head, but only a name passed her lips.

“Yixing.”

His own lips parted as he angled his face down. Their eyes met.

This is a mistake you idiot. She cursed, but Yan was unable to stop herself. As-much-as she wanted to fight it, pretend it wasn’t there, hew drew her in. His presence made her lightheaded and weak.

“I thought I made you up at first,” he whispered, “almost had myself convinced. Only my friends remembered you too.”

Every word seemed to steal more of her breath away. She felt dizzy.

“I don’t know what it is, but you affect me like no one else does.”

She could say the same. No one else had ever left her as shaken and breathless as this man. The logical part of her brain told her to run, he was trouble for her ordered, tidy life. The other part of Yan, however, told her she may not ever feel this way again.

Run with it, not from it.

“Are you going to disappear with my heart again?”

Yan shook her head slightly, “This is my home, I have nowhere else to go.”

“Good.” Yixing’s hands captured her face as his lips brushed against hers.

Run with it.

Yan leaned into Yixing, with a sigh. She couldn’t lie, this was something Yan had thought about frequently in the last few months. The softness of this lips as the played over hers, the way he somehow still smelled of the sun and the beach, and now his fingers lingered just flush with the skin of her cheeks. It was all exhilarating.

Each tug at her lips, each caress of his tongue convinced Yan that this man was dangerous. Yixing’s hands moved down her body, resting on her hips, drawing her closer.

Yan wanted to be closer.

Her arms snaked around his neck, pressing into him, opening up to him. But he pulled his lips away from hers, both struggling to catch their breaths. Yan didn’t want to let go, for a moment she was back at her hotel room. She wasn’t ready for the memory to fade back into her bleak reality.

Yixing rested his forehead against hers. “We are part of each other’s lives now, Yan. I won’t let you walk away from me a third time.”

Yan was uncharacteristically speechless. She wanted to deny it, but she felt connected to him as well. It couldn’t be purely coincidence they had found each other again.

“I’ll be what ever you need, your husband, or just a friend you come to when you need something. So, don’t ask me to pretend we never met. I don’t think I could do that now even if I wanted.”

She moved away, leveling her eyes with his. “Okay.”

Yan couldn’t bring herself to fight it.

“Two weeks,” he said as he backed away. “If they mess with you before then, text me and I will take care of it.”

She nodded.

He smiled, “Goodbye, Lin Yan.”

“Goodbye.” Yan whispered as he walked out of her office.

  The man was good at his word. For two weeks there were no calls from her mother, no visits from Shen and the only calls she received from her father or older brother Xiang was purely work related.

There was radio silence from Yixing.

Yan pretended it didn’t bother her, but she caught herself more often than not staring at her phone, waiting for his name to grace the screen. It did not.

Yan did, however, get a surprising visit from a couple of other beach boys from her vacation.

She squealed as Minseok grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet, swinging her around.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Yan said wrapping Jongdae in a hug.

“When Lay said he found you we wanted to see it for ourselves.” Minseok followed Yan across the room, taking the seat she offered. “So, this is the real you?”

Yan laughed, “It is, pant suit and all.”

“Our Chyou is just as hot in a pant suit as she was in a bikini.” Jongdae teased, “But I guess that’s not your real name. Lin Yan. That fits better.”

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think it was a good idea to give my real name to strangers when I was on vacation alone. Plus, I kind of own that resort.”

“Well you’ll fit right in with the rest of us. Our whole group is big business.” Minseok laughed.

“Whole group? How many of you are there?”

Jongdae chimed in, “Kyungsoo got married right before we went on vacation, so with Jae-Eun, that makes ten of us now.”

Minseok explained their history. Going to the same schools, becoming friends, and how they were all so different, but somehow, they all just clicked. They were family now, more than friends.

Yan thought if any of them were like Yixing, Minseok or Jongdae, she would be happy to get acquainted. These men were so easy to talk to. Conversation flowed effortlessly with them, where Yan usually had a problem talking about anything but her work.

She worried some. When she turned Yixing down, would he disappear from her life, would he take his friends with him? There was so much conflict in Yan’s heart. She didn’t want to marry Yixing. There was no scenario that Yan could see it working out. But she liked him, she like these men. Yan didn’t want the friendship to end before it even began.

While Minseok was telling her about their other friends, Jongdae drifted over to her window. He was quieter than he had been when they first met. Like Yixing, his focus was on the view outside her window.

“He seems different than before,” she mused as Minseok noticed him.

Minseok sighed, worry drawing his lips into a frown. “He’s going through a lot right now. He has a right to be different. He’ll come through it though.”

Minseok’s hushed tone and sad eyes made Yan feel it was more complicated than he made it appear.

As if he had heard the exchange, Jongdae spoke up. “Did Yixing see this view?”

“Yeah, he stared out that window almost the entire time he was here. What is it about that damn window that’s so interesting?”

Jongdae held his hand out to her. “Come here, I’ll show you.”

Yan and Minseok made their way to the window. Yan slipped her hand into Jongdae’s and he placed her in the spot he was standing.

He pointed to the left, “See that tall dark building, just a couple of blocks down? That’s Kyungsoo’s building. He is the CEO of the Ganghan Company. Sehun run’s his fashion line in that building, and Yixing has an office there because he is Kyungsoo’s consults for Ganghan sometimes. Just to the right further down, that’s Jongin’s building, he works for his dad there.”

Jongdae turned her to look straight across, “On the other side of that block is Jun’s building. Just south of this block, right out of sight, is my company. Min’s family’s company is several blocks west of here.”

Yan turned back to him confused.

“Don’t you see? You’re surrounded by us. Lay was looking for you for five months, and you have been smack in the middle of us. I can’t imagine he took that well.”

Yan stepped away from the window. It was all too much. God, she just wanted her life to go back to normal. She didn’t want to be contemplating a marriage or thinking about a sweet-faced man who looked for her for months.  

“My parents want me to get married,” She confided. “Yixing was on my list. That’s how he found me. His mother wants him to marry as well.”

Minseok’s eyes grew larger, “That sounds like Mama Zhang. What are you going to do?”

She turned back to her desk, running her hands over her face. “Yixing told my dad that we were engaged. He’s trying to buy me time to figure out how to stop it.”

“You don’t want to marry?” Jongdae turned back to the window.

“Not now. I’m not sure if ever. I’ve worked so hard to get here. I like what I do. I don’t have time to worry about maintaining a marriage. It’s not that I don’t like Yixing…”

“Did he suggest you actually marry each other?” Minseok interrupted.

Yan nodded. “He thinks it’s a good idea. He worked it out so that I had two-weeks without my family meddling. But he said if I wasn’t interested that he would help me find another way to stop my parents from marrying me off.”

Yan was completely lost. Yixing was doing so much for her. He didn’t have to get involved. Part of her still questioned why. He didn’t know her. What reason could he have for getting himself stuck in the middle of her family squabble.

Jongdae finally moved away from the window and joined them around the desk. “I’ve never heard Hyung talk about marriage before.”

“Me either,” Minseok agreed.

“I don’t know what to do. He’s been great. He’s kept his word, but I just don’t see how this will work out. It’s a disaster.”

Minseok leaned across her desk, taking a hold of her hand. “You have to make your own choice, don’t let anyone else do it for you. But I can tell you, Lay will respect whatever decision you make.”

“Thanks guys,” Yan hadn’t spoken to anyone about it. She liked her privacy, but since they knew him better than she did…

Minseok changed the subject and they chatted for a while. About the other guys, Kris and Amy had gotten married, Luhan had gotten a promotion, and Tao had started working for his family.

Yan remembered being envious of Amy. Kris looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. His love for her was evident in every glance, every smile. She had never thought about relationships much. She dated, had a couple of short-lived boyfriends, but she never figured a relationship into her final equation. 

For a moment, seeing them, she almost regretted that choice. What must it be like to feel that deeply about someone? But it was a fleeting moment. Yan always knew what she wanted, and a complicated relationship would get in the way of her dreams. She always kept it casual, making sure the person was aware that she wouldn't be locked down. 

Now she was expected to do it just to be able to continue toward that dream. 

She wouldn't be forced, and she refused to be part of a game of thrones. Yan had to find a way to stop this marriage. Her mind was made, and it wouldn’t be changed.

When her two weeks was up, Yan had a solid resolve. She would make it clear that she valued a friendship with Yixing, but marriage was out of the question. He would likely be the easier to convince than her parents. 

But a line had to be drawn somewhere. The problem now was what it would take to get her parents to let this go. Getting married had to be the last resort.

It was time to see Yixing.

Not a word from him for almost the entire two weeks. The last morning, she received a text asking her to meet him at his office in the Ganghan building, at her convenience.

Talking to the man your parents were trying to marry you off to would never really be convenient, but she took the afternoon off and trudge's the few blocks to his office. She needed the walk since the past 14 days had been busy. With her family out of her way, she was able to accomplish loads more work. There were no calls, "Yan, what are you doing? You can’t low ball the seller like that… you are going to insult… you don’t know how to negotiate properly… you don’t know the true value of a property…" 

Soon followed by, " well that was just a lucky guess… who knew there were complications that could drive down the price… the seller knew we would catch those… I can’t believe they actually negotiated with you…" 

Yan's family always underestimated her. Would it be that hard to acknowledge she had skills? 

Yeah, because then they would have to admit she was better than them.

And that was an astronomical impossibility. There was no way she studied the tips and hard in school, busted her ass in Uni, worked twice as many hours as Xiang or Shen and actually knew the in's and out's of real estate. She knew a good property when she saw one, could find quality work for a good price, and create an investment property that was successful.

No, her worth lay in her ring finger.

She confirmed her arrival with the assistant on the first level and rode the elevator more than two times as many floors as her building to get to Yixing's office. 

He stood outside in the hall way, another man and woman huddled around him.

Yan's breath caught in her throat. Yixing looked like something out of a dream. His hair was styled back, and he was dressed in a navy business suit. His tie was held down with a silver clip. 

He had the air of a business man. If she hadn't seen him in board shorts on a sandy beach with the sun in his windblown hair, she would have believed he was a business man.

Something the woman said brought a smile to his face and Yan stopped in her place. Yixing genuinely like this woman. He looked at her like he looked at his friends at the beach. She was more than an acquaintance, she meant something to him. Yan didn’t think it was a romantic feeling, but she was still forced to clear the jealously from her throat. 

When Yixing saw her, his eyes lit up. Yan fixed a professional smile on her face and step forward and his he motioned for her to come closer.

"Miss Lin, I'm so glad your here." Yixing's smile was infectious, " This is one of my best friends, Do Kyungsoo and his wife Lee Jae-Eun. They own this building. This is Lin Yan." 

The couple Minseok had spoken of.

The woman, Jae-Eun, reached for her hand clasping it warmly.

"It’s wonderful to actually meet you. Yixing has spoken very highly of you." 

"Thank you."

The man bowed slightly, "Hyung says you are in real-estate."

" Yes, luxury resorts." She replied.

He smiled with ridiculously plump lips and extended his hand, "Hotels and malls, been thinking about resorts."

Yan shook it, "Then I would have to tell you how horrible the work is. No point in us being competitors."

The large eyes turned into half-moons as he smiles larger, a deep chuckle emanating from the man’s throat. “She’s clever, Hyung.” 

Yan turned back to Jae-Eun, "Are all of Yixing’s friends as attractive as the two of you? Minseok and Jongdae, are stupidly attractive as well." 

Why are you schmoozing his friends? I mean it's not a lie, though. 

Jae-Eun leaned into her whispering, "Every single one of them, just wait till you see all nine of them together."

Yan laughed, then noticed the smile on Yixing lips. He seemed pleased she was getting along with his friends. Her nerves rolled into a ball in her stomach. She was about to steal that happiness from him.

The fact bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

Yixing excused themselves to his office. It was an impressive size, tidy and well lit. Yan liked it. The more of Yixing she saw, the more she found she had in common with him. That made things even more complicated.

Yixing sat at a little meeting area in front of his desk and motioned for her to sit.

“You actually have and office. What does a perpetual vacationer need with an office?”

The corner of his lips turned up. “I may vacation frequently, but that’s not why I was there that day. I was scouting your resort. Ganghan has been considering a line of resorts for some time now. I was doing research on some of the most popular resorts in the area for Kyungsoo. But hey, it’s a free vacation, how could I not bring my friends?”

Point made.    

“I may be the youngest son of a rich family, but I do have some aspirations.” He teased, “so, you’ve decided against the marriage.”

Yan’s eyes narrowed. “How did you come to that conclusion.”

Yixing laughed. “Come on Yan, you were pretty against marriage in general. I can’t imagine you changed your mind just because it’s me. So that means we need to figure out a way to get out of this and stop your parents from marrying you off.”

“I don’t know how this will work. It’s tradition in my family to marry the woman off for financial or political favor. It’s archaic, but it’s how they operate. I don’t know how to get out of it.” She sighed.

“Well we could make me look bad, but you parents would just move on to another man. They obviously know you are successful enough on your own and it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Ruining your reputation would only hurt your business and you and being horrible to the candidates won’t make much of a difference, eventually someone won’t care about your personality and just see the alliance or benefit of the marriage. Have you come up with any ideas?”

“Yes, I flee the country, continent even. Do you think Elon Musk has space on that ship to Mars?” Yan laughed in a sad attempt to mask her hopelessness.

Yixing chuckled. They seemed to have an easy comradery. She felt that even on the first day. And even with this looming over them, they could joke and laugh with each other. Still, she couldn’t marry a man she had only met three times.

Before he could answer, a little pop-diddy chimed from his cell phone.

“That would be your mom…” he pulled the phone from his pocket and answered. “Mama Lin, how are you today. Why… yes, I have. We had coffee earlier, She’s with me now. Talk to her?”

His eyes met Yan’s as she shook her head profusely.

“Now you know the deal. I have one more day before you get her back. I don’t want to go back on my word here. That wouldn’t fair well for me.”

How long had this been going on? He’d been talking to mom?

“Now as much as I would love to keep talking, I’m afraid I really have to get back to my date… Good to hear from you… Goodbye Mama Lin.”

Yixing hung up, shoving the phone back into his pocket and turning his attention back to her. His smile faded at the look on her face. “What?”

“You’ve been talking to my mom?”

Yixing stood, “How do you think I kept her from calling you? She called me, almost daily, and I gave her little stories about our dates and time together. This way she wouldn’t get it in her head to harass you during the last two weeks.”

He stepped behind his desk, pulling a stack of papers from a drawer.

“I asked Kyungsoo’s secretary to make copies of the conversations so that you know what was said.” He came back to her, handing her the stack of papers. “Just in case your mom cross examines you.  

Yan glanced through the sheets as he spoke. Yixing had been thorough. There were lunches, dinners, movies, picnics, phone calls late at night. Each conversation had pages of notes attached, what they ate, his opinion, her opinion, what movie was seen, the synopsis, their opinions. There wasn’t a detail missing. This had taken time. A lot of it. While she was enjoying the time alone, he was formulating, making fake plans, making real plans for when she would eventually tell him she turned down his proposal.

Her heart ached. He’d done all of this for her. Hours of preparation to fool her parents and allow her to have some peace. Yixing did this knowing she wouldn’t marry him.

“Okay,” the word barely came out. It was the smallest of whispers, only to herself.

She had come here to turn him down, but seeing this, knowing that he would go through all of this to help her. It was kind of convincing. This man could just possibly be her only hope.

“Okay,” she said louder, before she could stop herself.

Yixing went silent, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

“Okay, what?”

Yan focused on his face, that kind face, and came to one conclusion.

“I’ll marry you.”

Yixing’s eyes grew ten sizes larger. “You will? Are you sure?”

Absolutely not.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

He watched her, looking for any sign. Was it a joke, was she in shock?

“I’m scared,” she admitted, “but, I’m sure. If you still think it’s a good idea?”

He nodded, “I do.”

“Then I’ll marry you.”