"Third Young Lady Wu, we finally met. I'm your fiancè, Choi Kazuki."
His deep voice rang inside her head and she suddenly dropped to her knees. Her freshly dried eyes wet again.
"Y-Young Heir of Choi Empire, please spare my family! I beg of you!" Athena suddenly begged as she cried.
The flashback scene of the drama series and the novel were vividly playing in her head when she heard his name.
Choi Kazuki. The person who was responsible for her family corporation's demise.
"What the hell are you doing, Miss Wu?" Choi Kazuki was shocked at this girl's behavior. This wasn't the rumored Ice Queen of Wu Corporation.
"D-Don't hurt my family! Please!" The girl looked into his eyes and pleaded like life depended on it. There was fear in her eyes.
Was he that scary? Choi Kazuki was uncomfortable by her gaze. He was at a loss for words. Why would he hurt her family?
"Hexie-chan?! Choi Kazuki! What did you do?" Kazuki heard his mother from behind. She immediately rushed towards her daughter-in-law and helped her stand up.
"I did not do anything to her, Mom!" Kazuki explained.
"Aigoo! Your knees! Hexie-chan, are you okay? Come, I'll fix your make-up. Choi Kazuki, you have a lot of explaining to do later." He saw how doting his mother was this fiancè of his.
"I-I'm okay, Mrs. Choi. I just got um.. bedazzled by Young Master Choi's presence," Athena racked her brains for an appropriate excuse for her sudden outburst. She really didn't want her life to end up badly.
"Aigoo~ My son is really handsome huh? And I told you to call me Mommy. Come, let's fix you up~ Zuki-chan, head to the dining room first okay? I really thought you bullied your fiancee Haha! Silly me!" Kotone warmed up again and then dragged Hexie towards her powder room.
Choi Kazuki was left alone in the east room to ponder.
This Miss Wu is very different from the one he investigated on. He was really taken aback from her sudden reaction when he introduced herself. She really was scared of him.
"Annoying..." he breathed.
Kazuki's interest towards Hexie Wu grew, he then turned around and went to the dining room.
Choi Kazuki greeted his future parent-in-laws and respectfully answered their questions. They were nice people, he thought. Too nice. He can't help but be suspicious at every people he meet.
His mom arrived with Hexie Wu in tow. She was no longer the vulnerable crying girl he saw earlier, instead she now looked like the rumored title given to her, Ice Queen of Wu Corporation. So what he saw earlier was her true self? Interesting.
When they were complete, they started eating and drinking wine, except for Kichiro and Hexie who just drank orange juice. Kotone shared what happened earlier, twisting the story a bit based from her point of view.
Apparently Hexie Wu's knees weakened due to seeing an ethereally handsome young man in front of her. The Choi parents were rather proud of their superior genes.
Then Hexie Wu's mother told them that her daughter was a fan of Last Song Syndrome. Hexie Wu nodded and continued eating slowly.
"Oh my! That's great! Did you hear that Zuki-chan? I can't believe your wife is a number one fan!" His mother was delighted. He looked at Hexie Wu who was sitting opposite of him. His mom put a spicy chicken wing in Hexie Wu's bowl.
"Thank you," she softly murmured and continue eating gracefully.
Right, his mom also did a background check on his fiancee. One of her fave foods were spicy chicken wings. But after Hexie Wu ate a portion, she stopped and drank a lot of water. He saw her flushed cheeks and teary eyes.
Kazuki smirked. According to his calculations, his mother's investigation is not up to date, so he didn't bother telling his mom that recently Hexie Wu dislikes spicy foods.
His mom also saw Hexie Wu's reaction.
"Hexie-chan, what's wrong? Is the chicken not spicy enough?"
"Umm..." Athena was again finding an excuse. Apparently Athena Hexie Wu was a spice-lover, but she on the other hand didn't like spicy foods. And it seemed that her old body habits are slowly predominating on this body. Her parents also found out about it when they had their first meal together.
"Koko-chan, our precious jewel recently avoided spicy foods because it upsets her stomach," Li Lifen gently told her bestfriend.
"Oh my! Is that so? Aigoo then let us clear up all the foods with spice!" Kotone ordered. Almost all of the food were taken out from the table and were replaced with other salty dishes.
"Umm...may I ask the directions towards the bathroom?" Hexie Wu softly asked while the spicy foods were being taken away.
"Oh my! It seems the spice has taken a toll on your stomach, I'm so sorry Everyone. Zuki-chan, why don't you show Hexie-chan the way?" His mother apologized. Kotone viewed Hexie Wu as a respectable and filial young lady. She didn't protested nor rejected her offer of food even though she'll get an upset stomach.
"I-It's okay, I think I can manage going there alone if I just knew the way..." Hexie Wu stammered.
"Says the girl who got lost in the music room! Come on now Hexie-er, Kazuki won't bite. Now, off you two go!" Li Lifen urged. Kazuki stood up and went to Hexie Wu's side. He offered his hand towards his scared chubby bunny of a fiancee.
She cautiously accepted his hand and walked with him.
"Awwe! These two are really suitable for each other! Two icebergs, melting at each other's presence!" Lifen gushed.
"Aigoo! I can't wait for my grandchildren!" Kotone sighed.
"Aiya! Koko-chan. We'll have to wait after our precious jewel graduate from college. Hexie-er already has her life planned out. I saw her big goal plan in her whiteboard. Having her own family is the last on her list," Lifen also sighed. George agreed on her daughter's plan. He doesn't want his daughter to grow up yet.
The two's conversation didn't escape Choi Kazuki's exceptional hearing. He was satisfied, at least there was someone who would not attempt to climb at his bed. All the girls he met have this in mind, they just want his body, his looks and his especially his money.
"So you're my number one fan, Miss Wu?" He attempted a small talk with the timid Ice Queen. He was also known as Ice King, and he would not have initiated a conversation if he was not a host of this gathering.
"W-What?!" Athena Hexie Wu was surprised. "Who told you this lie?"
"You said so yourself. I might have a spare signed album if you want it..."
Athena didn't respond and lowered her head. Choi Kazuki lead her to different routes.
'Holy sheet of paper! I'm holding hands with Death!' She tried to wriggle her hands away. Kazuki remembered something and cornered Hexie Wu, kabeddon style.
"You called me 'Bee' earlier. Do I look like a bee? Is that why you're afraid of me?" He glared at Hexie Wu. He was annoyed at her weird reaction earlier and she dared to lie about it to his mother. He knows she wasn't bedazzled by his appearance.
"I...um.. wait! Let go of me! You're too close!" Hexie Wu was uncomfortable with their intimate position. Hexie Wu's face was red in embarrassment.
"You want me to destroy your family's company? Speak." He whispered in her ear.
"No! Please don't! It's just that you're super intimidating and your aura is like that of a final boss! B, as in Boss. That's right. Please don't hurt me, Boss!" She rumbled on while her eyes are closed. Her face still flushed with embarrassment.
He once again broke her Ice Queen facade. He chuckled at her reason. Intimidating? Final Boss? Well he really is intimidating. He was known to to be the 'Handsome Devil' of LSS.
When Athena heard him laughing and felt him backing away, she finally caught her breath. His presence really is no joke. She would age faster if she's with this ticking time bomb.
He is actually handsome when his face is filled with mirth. She took the chance to bring out the thing she has been working on her laptop.
"Umm..Boss--I mean Young Master of Choi Empire, Choi Kazuki, I have a proposal, if you would kindly read them and sign it above your name..." Athena reached out to her bag and took out a piece of paper as well as a pen.
Choi Kazuki examined the printed parchment.
"The Choi-Wu Harmonious Marriage Decalogue..."