This is exactly what it looks like

The excruciating conversation ends on a painfully awkward note. Sin Jeong-Hyuk takes a breath when her parents leave the sitting room. Her sister doesn't leave, but he doesn't have to act upright in front of that evil-sister-in-law.

"So, you are a musician." Mi-Young gives a look to her sister. "Why do you love my sister?"

"Mi-Young." Chang Seol warns her, "Do you want me to beat you up?"

"You can beat people up?" Sin Jeong-Hyuk looks at her with interest in his eyes.

"What? You don't know." Mi-Young shifts closer to him and whispers, "She always wins when we fight -- and she fights dirty."

"Mi-Young!" Chang Seol grimaces at her. "Get out. I need to talk to him alone."

"Why are you being like this?" Chang Mi-Young puts her arm over her brother-in-law's shoulder. "I want to know my brother-in-law."

But he doesn't want to know her. There's a chance that this little demoness might find out that they are faking their relationship. "Mi-Young, I think we shouldn't make her mad."

"Aish!" Mi-Young gasps. "You are also afraid of her."

Afraid of this chicken? He glances at Chang Seol who is fuming with rage. A chuckle escapes his lips. "Yes, I am afraid of her."

"I didn't know people can fall in love so fast." Mi-Young gets up. "I am going to leave you alone for a while. Don't think of being lovey-dovey with each other."

"Get out!" Chang Seol barks. "If I hear one more word, I am going to throw you in the sea."

"I know how to swim." Mi-Young rushes to the door. "Unlike you, Unni."

And then, she runs away, laughing.

***

After her annoying sister is gone, Chang Seol slams her hands on the wooden floor and moves her head forward toward Sin Jeong-Hyuk. "Why didn't you tell me that you were a musician?"

"You never asked." Sin Jeong-Hyuk relaxes his shoulders, leaning back on the wall. "Your sister is something. She's scarier than your parents."

"You are the scariest one here." Chang Seol grabs her hair in frustration. "Everything is going wrong in my life."

Sin Jeong-Hyuk grabs her wrist to stop her from pulling her hair. "Don't do that. You will become bald."

She wants to scream, cry, and beat up someone. Though she has suspected that he has high knowledge about music, she hasn't expected him to be a freaking musician. What if he wants to find Daydream because he wants to recruit her? She should have figured it out earlier. Why is her luck so bad?

"Hey." He pulls her closer to him, holding her wrists. "What's wrong with you? Why are you making this face?"

"Mister." She exhales, "Do a good job when you meet Mr No, okay?"

"Is he going to be worse than your parents?" Sin Jeong-Hyuk scans her face. "You are pretty up close, my little wife."

They are close enough that she can feel his tingling warm breath on her face. She swallows her saliva, staring into his brown eyes. There's a mole under his right eye. It's so small that she wouldn't have noticed it if she hasn't been this close. For some inexplicable reason, she can't stop staring at that mole.

He releases her wrists and fixes her hair. "There, my little pretty wife is cute again."

Since when did she get used to this? She should be bothered about this proximity between them. Nonetheless, she's letting him pat her head.

"Your lips are so small." He cups her face and rubs his thumb over her lips. "Like a bird beak."

Warmth spreads like forest fire where he touches her. Her face turns blank. She wants to move back, but she likes this feeling for some reason. He pinches her nose, rubs his palms on her cheeks, and then, brushes her hair behind her ear.

"You are adorable, my little wife." He pecks her nose. "I love you a lot."

And her heart skips a beat. What?

"So much love." A lively voice interrupts their moment. "It reminds me of my younger days."

Chang Seol looks over her shoulder and finds her parents standing at the doorway with a straight face. Mr No is also present. Mi Young is taking pictures sneakily.

Then, she turns her head toward Mister and realizes how it might appear from other points of view. Chang Seol shakes her head. "This is not what it looks like."

Sin Jeong-Hyuk wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her closer to him. He cocks his head and smiles at the old man. "This is exactly what it looks like."

This guy was pretending! He must have noticed Mr No and her parents earlier. Chang Seol flares her nostrils, struggling to get out of his grasp.

"She's a little wild." Sin Jeong-Hyuk rubs her head before he releases her. "My name is Sin Jeong-Hyuk."

"No Kwang-Gi." The old man comes into the room. He's dressed in a formal black suit. His salty hair is combed back. He takes a seat across Chang Seol and Sin Jeong-Hyuk. "I heard about you from her father."

Chang Seol gives him a polite bow, not saying a word.

"I want to apologize for marrying her without her parents and your blessings." Sin Jeong-Hyuk grabs her hand and squeezes it. "I thought that I might lose her if I didn't make her mine."

She has an urge to throw up when she hears those corny words. It doesn't suit him at all. Besides, she won't fall for his corny words ever again.

"There's been an arrangement between her grandfather and me." No Kwang-Gi lets out a sigh. "We believed that Seol and Shi Won were a good match. But fate had different plans. Nevertheless, I have never wanted to force my will on the youngsters. I feel disappointed that Chang Seol felt the need to run away from home and elope with someone without her parents' knowledge."

She purses her lips. Things haven't been easy. If convincing this old man was that easy, her parents would have broken the engagement, wouldn't they?

Maybe not. Her father is too proud.

"I promise to take care of her as long as I am alive." Sin Jeong-Hyuk squeezes her hand. "Seol-ah is precious to me."

What is this Mister saying? She wrinkles her nose. He is truly acting like her husband. She can't even complain.

"I am relieved to hear that." No Kwang-Gi lowers his brows. "A marriage is full of trials. Just love wouldn't be enough. You need to have patience and courage."

Are they going to war or something? Chang Seol peers at Mr No. Why does Mister need courage? Nevermind! It's not like they are really married.

"Thanks for your advice." Sin Jeong-Hyuk replies with a steady voice, "I promise to do my best."