I'm Going To Give This My Best Shot.

When they heard her shut the door, Nana stopped making the sounds. She eyed Tan angrily as he laughed at her.

"Was that the best you could come up with? You've never had a real man ravish you?" He asked as the laughter danced in his eyes.

"This wasn't part of the plan," She said, hissing at him with displeasure.

"Anything is part of the plan. Anything that would make this whole sham believable is part of the plan," He said, looking at her with a dangerous glint.

"Can I at least know why you must go this whole length to prove you're in a relationship? Is your inheritance being threatened or what?" She asked, studying his face.

She had never been so curious in her life. She wanted to know who he indeed was behind this whole facade. But did anybody honestly know him? If he had to go this length to deceive his mother, who truly knows him?

"It's personal. You should go back to sleep," He said with a frown as he stood up to reach for the wine on his table.

"Ok, how about you tell me about the wedding we are attending? I at least deserve to know that much. And before you open your mouth to say,' It is personal,' I would love to remind you that you're not the one getting married. Or are you?" She asked as her imagination ran wild.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face. "That's a dumb thing to say. Do you think my mother would appreciate me taking my girlfriend to my wedding? Catch some sleep and stop thinking of nonsensical things."

"You haven't answered my question. Who is getting married, and why is it so important to you?" She asked again in a more persistent tone.

He considered her for a moment. What harm would telling her do? Maybe if he told her the truth, she would soften towards him and cooperate better with him.

"Ok, promise not to laugh, and promise not to call me stupid," He said, giving her a severe look

"I'll try not to," She said in all sincerity.

"My cousin is getting married to my ex-girlfriend, and I have to be there," He said as flatly as he could.

"Oh! That's so sad. I'm so sorry to hear that. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," She said, wishing she could comfort him.

"Thanks," He said as he lay down to sleep, grateful she hadn't asked more questions.

"So what happened between the both of you? Did she cheat on you with him, or did she leave you for him?" She asked after some time.

"I thought you said I don't have to talk about it if I don't want to?" He asked, rolling his eyes; she was too curious for his liking; why couldn't she mind her business?

"I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. You don't have to answer if you don't want to," She said with a smile that told him she was expecting an answer.

"She turned down my proposal publicly. We had been dating all through our college years. I had thought things were going great between us until I proposed to her at my mom's fiftieth birthday party, and then she turned down my proposal; in the presence of everyone I held dear, and she told me she was in love with someone else," Tan said with the pain still evident in his voice and eyes.

"I guess you haven't been in a relationship since then?" She asked, suddenly understanding what Min-Jung meant when she said he had severe trust issues.

"You guessed right. I don't want any woman in my life. You're all deceptive," He said coldly as he turned away from her.

Nana wanted to be mad at him for his last statement but couldn't find the heart to do so. She knew had she been in his shoes; she would have reacted in the very same way.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, and I'm even more sorry I had to make you remember it," She said in a low tone, making him turn.

He knew he had no right to transfer aggression to her the way he had just done. He had been spoiling for a fight unconsciously, but she had refused him that.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked to you in that manner. None of these is your fault."

"I understand. You don't need to apologise; I'll do the same if I was in your shoes," She said, giving him a friendly smile.

"We should catch some sleep now." He said, closing his eyes.

"Tan?" Nana called out quietly.

"Yes?" He answered with a touch of impatience in his tone.

"I'm going to give this my best shot from henceforth. Goodnight," Nana said, smiling apologetically.

**********

Mrs Kim looked at Nana and Tan with a knowing smile as they joined her for breakfast. How was your night?" She asked Nana with a teasing smile.

"It was nice," Nana said, blushing bright pink when she realised what Mrs. Kim had meant.

"Nice? what I heard last night didn't sound like just nice," She said with a wink making Tan chuckle as Nana opened her mouth, but no word came out.

"You really should stop, mother. You're embarrassing the poor lady," Tan said amidst his laughter as Nana shot him an annoyed look.

"I'll be leaving immediately after breakfast to attend to my business. It's been a pleasure meeting you, my dear; I know my son can be very bullheaded, but please, for my sake, bear with him," She said, glancing from Tan to Nana.

Nana nodded respectfully with a smile.

**********

"I like her; she seems like a decent girl. Take good care of her." Mrs. Kim told Tan as he saw her off to her car. She still intended to look into Min-Jung's background as soon as possible.

"I'll try," Tan said with a smile as he helped her shut her door. He stood there waving as the car drove off.

"Do not just try. You have to actually put in the effort." She explained.

Tan exhaled deeply. "You know that you raised a decent son, right?"

Mrs. Kim kissed him on his cheeks. "Take care, my love."

Mrs. Kim turned to her assistant as they drove off. "Get all you can on the girl. I need to know how suitable she will be for my son."