According to fate

In the presence of all the guests, the two families, Gong Jiho and the priest quietly waits.

You enter the hall like a glowing star and shined bright, slowly walking down the aisle.

The Gong family settled on the left side while your family is on the right. You approach Jiho and flashed him a bright smile as if you were the happiest bride in the world, perhaps, you are. Given your current situation, marrying Jiho is like a blessing.

Keeping that in mind, you both exchange your vows, your rings and the priest announced, "I now pronounce you as husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Gong Joon was fuming and steaming across you but had to keep his cool. He cannot afford any more drama especially with the number of reporters currently present to witness the wedding.

Jiho gave a short nod to the priest and inched closer. His hands slowly curl around your waist as he pulls you to him. Then he leaned, tilting his head and as you closed your eyes, waiting for his lips against yours, all you felt was his thumb on your lips and he kissed his thumb instead.

The crowd nor the priest could see from where they are. They all thought it was a real kiss and instantly filled the room with applause.

The wedding ended with no drama and you later changed into Hanbok for the traditional wedding shoot. After everything had concluded, you and Jiho took the decorated white Rolls Royce and was driven to his penthouse.

Finally, you make your way into the massive breathtaking house and gave a sigh of relief as you eased into the expensive cream sofa.

"You must be tired, do you need tea? Coffee?" Jiho asked, heading for the kitchen.

"No, I am good."

He disappeared for a while and then returned with two papers and two pens in his hand. He kept one of each on your side of the center table and settled across you.

You sharply sit up, shooting him a questionable glance, "What is this?"

"A one year contract." He said, motioning for you to take the paper.

You pick it up, scanning through it

Rule 1: Party A and B will be married for only one year

Rule 2: Due to party A's condition, there will be a requirement for party B to offer him physical accessibility to her body.

Rule two made your heart skip a beat. You shoot Jiho a glance, and when he looks up at you, you abruptly turn your head away.

Rule 3: Intimacy is strictly restricted between the two parties unless it becomes the final option.

Rule 4: party B must protect Party A's secret while party A will do everything party B requires concerning her revenge.

Rule 5: Both parties should be loyal to the marriage till the contract ends in one year period.

Rule 6: Under no circumstances should party A or party B harbor any romantic feelings for the other.

"Seven rules, when did you even have the time to think about this?" You ask, intrigued.

Jiho sighed, reclining into his seat as he crosses his legs, "I always think. Besides, we need this so we can keep reminding ourselves that this is nothing but a charade we must live in order for us to get that which we desperately desire."

You nodded your agreement, took the pen and scribbled your signature on the paper. Jiho also signed. You then exchange papers and each signed and returned them, keeping your initial ones.

Jiho gets up with a grunt, hands tucked in his pockets, and strode to the other side of the room and stationed himself by the see-through wall.

He is admiring the captivating night view of the city of Seoul when out of the corner of his eye, noticed something strange on the rooftop of the building across. He strained his eyes and finally realized it is actually two reporters spying on him.

"I knew it!!" He growled under his breath.

You heard him and flicked around to face him, "What's wrong?"

"We've got reporters on our tail, probably sent by Joon to spy on us. He must be suspicious of our relationship and perhaps wants to confirm…"

"If we are really together or just pretending." You finished the sentence, shaking your head in disbelief. "Well now what?"

Jiho paused to think, finally thought of something and then said, "We give him what he wants to see."

He shoots you a side eye, "Come and hug me from behind."

Without wasting another second, you sharply get to your feet, approached Jiho and hugged him from behind, wrapping your arms around his tiny waist and then rests your head against his muscular back.

"Now what?" You inquire.

Without saying another word, all of a sudden, Jiho turns, fiercely pulled you and presses your back against the glass wall. Your heart pounds in your throat as you lock eyes.

He brings his head down, whispering "Don't be startled, we just need to pretend like we are about to spend our wedding night together and as soon they leave, we will stop."

"And what if they stay all night?" You ask in a frightened tone.

"Then we will have no choice but to do it for real."

"What!?" You tensed.

"I'm kidding." He explained, "If they don't leave, it doesn't matter. We just need to act a bit romantic and I will pull down the curtains. Cool?"

You give him a short nod, slowly wrapping your arms around his shoulders. He leaned further towards you, planting a soft kiss on your neck.

Your stomach churned - suddenly flooded with butterflies.

Jiho trailed a lazy finger along your arm, leaned and pressed his lips on your shoulder.

The two reporters instantly bit the bait and started snapping your pictures.

Jiho started to undo your zip, moving it slowly down. You can feel the gown widening and eventually fall off your shoulders.

Jiho buried his head in your neck, kissing you all over with a bit more aggression than before.

Using his other hand, Jiho pulled out your hairpin and your shoulder-length hair tumbles down.

Furtively, he slowly moved his hand up as he brings his face closer to yours.

The reporters were using their cameras to spy on you and were already dripping with anticipation for the kiss, but right before your lips meet Jiho's, he so meticulously pressed the switch and curtains swung down.

"Ugh!" The reporters groaned with disappointment.

On the other hand, you are here, frozen, heart thundering inside you. Jiho's lips are barely an inch from touching yours and seeing him so close to you is making your heart race in the most unordinary way.

He gave a sigh of relief, looking the other way as he drew back zipper, "Sorry about that, I just thought of spicing things up so they would lose concentration."

"It's okay." You responded, regaining your composure as Jiho retreats back to his seat. "I believe they have gotten enough pictures and once Joon sees them, he will be left shocked."

"That is good enough for me." You smirked, getting back to the sofa, "For the next one week, we will have to show the world how happy a couple we are and once that phase is over, the next step is to enter the company."

He nods, "That is your own plan but how do we go about my condition? Hmm, I will inform the doctor who's been handling my case and whatever he suggests, we will do that."

"It seems we are in this boat together. Let this partnership be a fruitful one." You smiled, extending your hand to him.

"It will be." He smiled back, capturing your hand into a firm shake.

It has been decided that Jiho will keep using his room while you will have the guest room to yourself.

You bid him good night, find yourself entering the guest room and your mouth instantly touches the floor.

He brought a new bed, a black leather sofa by the window and next to it, a small shelf stacked with novels, and you can swear it wasn't there before. You see nothing gaudy nor pink as you survey the room.

Quickly, you dashed out and stopped him as he was about to go upstairs to his room.

"Gong Jiho, how do you know that black is my favorite color?"

He shrugged and said, "I didn't, I guessed it."

What was I expecting?

Your smile slowly turned into a little disappointed pout, "Ah, I just thought… Anyway, forget it, thank you."

Gong Jiho still don't know how to respond to your Thank you's. He only gives you a short nod and heads off.

You are watching his retreating figure and caught a glimpse of something peculiar, it was the very first time you noticed it.

Gong Jiho from behind looks so pitiful, he looks like he's carrying a heavy yet invisible weight that can be seen only by him.

As you watch him disappear into his room, your heart sinks.

A man you've acquainted with for a few days is making you feel a thousand emotions all at once. The man you never noticed before, the soul you never acknowledged, the back you never realized needed your embrace.

With a newfound sense of responsibility, you take another vow,

"Gong Jiho, I will give you everything you deserve. I promise."