The Groom I Never Knew

Then, Her Highness stepped forward.

"I would like to formally introduce Lady Han Hyorin," she announced, her voice carrying through the grand banquet hall. "She is the daughter of Lady Choi and a rightful member of noble society."

A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some sounded intrigued, others skeptical.

"She carries the Han name?" someone whispered.

"But her mother was a Choi..."

Hyorin's fingers curled slightly at her sides. She could hear everything, and it only made her feel more out of place. Then, a noblewoman stepped forward, her expression polite but her words laced with curiosity. "If I may ask, Your Highness… since Lady Han has now entered noble society, may we know which family she is set to marry into?"

Hyorin's breath hitched. She hadn't thought about marriage. Was that something she needed to prepare for now? It was common knowledge that every noble child was arranged to marry from birth. Marriages were alliances, strengthening the ties between families. It was expected. And yet, she had never heard anything about her own engagement.

She swallowed, unsure of what Her Highness would say—until the next words left her lips.

"She was supposed to be married into our family," Her Highness said, her tone calm but firm.

Silence. Then, the entire room erupted into hushed whispers.

"What? The royal family?"

"She was meant to marry into the throne?"

"This can't be…"

Hyorin stood frozen, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. What? Her Highness continued, unbothered by the reaction. "As you all know, Lady Choi once belonged to nobility. However, she chose to turn away from it. Because of this, the arrangement was never fulfilled."

(More whispers...)

"She rejected nobility, so the marriage never happened?"

"Then does that mean it's still an option?"

Before Hyorin could process everything, Her Highness turned to her and spoke directly to her this time.

"Now that you have returned to your rightful place, the choice is yours, Hyorin."

The choice… was hers? She barely had time to react before the murmurs grew louder. Everyone was whispering about her marriage. She didn't even know who she was supposed to marry.

The moment Her Highness left the choice to her, Hyorin felt an overwhelming pressure settle in her chest. She had never thought about marriage—especially one tied to nobility, let alone the royal family. But with all the eyes still on her, waiting for a response, she forced herself to speak.

"I… I would like to think about it first."

A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd again, but Her Highness nodded approvingly.

"Of course. Take your time."

At that moment, the grand doors to the kitchen opened, and servers gracefully entered, carrying silver trays filled with exquisite dishes. The rich aroma of roasted meats, delicate pastries, and fine wines filled the air as the banquet officially began. Hyorin took a seat, trying to push away the tension in her chest. Although the event continued smoothly, she could still hear hushed conversations about her marriage. The whispers never stopped.

"I can't believe she has the choice to marry into the royal family..."

"She doesn't even look excited about it."

"Some of us have dreamed of this since we were children."

Hyorin tried to ignore it, focusing on the food in front of her—until two familiar voices greeted her.

"Lady Han!"

She turned to see Rina and Mihun standing before her, smiling warmly.

"You look so pretty tonight Hyorin!" Rina said, taking a seat beside her.

"I know tonight must be overwhelming, but welcome to nobility."

Mihun chuckled. "You're already causing a storm, though."

Hyorin sighed. "I can feel the weight of their stares."

"Well, you'll get used to it," Mihun reassured her. "It's a noble's favorite pastime—talking about someone else's life." Before she could respond, Jiho appeared as well, casually taking a seat across from her. "I see you're surviving so far."

Hyorin let out a small laugh. "Barely."

The night carried on, and before long, she found herself laughing, eating, singing, and even dancing with Rina, Mihun, and Jiho. The tension from earlier melted away, and for the first time that evening, she felt at ease. As the hours passed, many guests had too much to drink and began leaving one by one. By the time the banquet had fully died down, only the four of them remained inside the Royal Banquet Pavilion.

"Afraid of entering nobility," she admitted. "It's not something I ever expected for myself. I don't know if I can handle it."

Jiho leaned back. "It's normal to feel that way. Nobility isn't easy. It's full of politics, expectations, and unseen battles."

"But you won't be alone," Mihun added. "We'll be here."

Rina nodded. "And eventually, you'll find your own place in it."

Their words comforted her, but something still lingered in her mind—the marriage. She hesitated before asking, "Who… who was I supposed to marry?" The three of them exchanged glances before Rina answered first.

"The only heir of the Yeonghwa Group—Seungho."

Hyorin blinked. Seungho? She had never heard that name before.

She frowned. "Then why do some people seem to disagree with it? Isn't arranged marriage a common thing in nobility?"

Rina sighed. "It is. But the thing is… a lot of noble ladies have wanted to marry him for years."

Jiho smirked. "And yet, you—the one who didn't even know about him—might be the one to marry him." Hyorin tried to process that. Why did it feel so surreal?

She had never seen this Seungho before. "Was he at the banquet?"

Jiho shook his head. "No. He's usually busy with the royal family's affairs—mostly foreign relations."

Hyorin thought for a moment before murmuring, "Then… maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Marrying someone like him seems like an advantage. If I want to survive nobility, having a husband with such power would help me."

"But do you want to marry for power?" Rina asked gently.

Hyorin exhaled. "No. I want to marry someone I love."

Jiho's gaze flickered with something unreadable. "Do you… like someone?"