"No appa, umma! I won't get married to a stranger!" You shooked your head at your father and your stepmother. You looked at your stepmother. "You planned this marriage, right?"

Mrs. Park smiled. "Yes dear Eunmi. This is for your own good." Mr. Park nodded, agreeing what his second wife. "My own good? Or is it for your own good, huh?" You snorted.

Mrs. Park puzzled with her stepdaughter's behaviour. "My own good? What?" Smirking, you accused her. "So that you can be with appa and use all his money without me disturbing?"

*SLAP*

Mr. Park could not control his anger. "A-Appa?" You touched your cheek. "How dare you said that to your own mother?!" "Stepmother, appa." Both Mr and Mrs. Park gasped.

Right after your tears fell from your eyes, Mr. Park suddenly moved closer to you. "E-Eunmi, appa-".

"You know, appa? My own mother will never arranged any marriage for me. That's why I love my own mother very much." With that, you grabbed your handbag and left the house, leaving a pair of shocked husband and wife.

-

You could not stop the tears from spilling out from your eyes. You did not know where to go so you kept on running until you reached a playground.

Instantly, you remembered the place. It was the usual playground where you used to go with your mom. "Umma...." You sat down on one of the swing.

Closing your eyes, you tried to remember the good times you spent with your mom. "Umma... Why did you leave me?" You cried harder while lowering your head.

"Why are you crying?" A voice said to you. You looked up and saw a man, with a cute baby face.

Strangely, his eyes were puffy, as if he cried just now. You remained silent and looked away from the stranger. You heard him chuckled.

"Here, wipe your tears. You looked cute when you cry. I'm afraid I might fall for you so stop crying." He gave you his handkerchief. You narrowed your eyes at him.

"I'm not a bad guy! Don't look at me like that... or you have already fallen for me?" He giggled. Furrowing your eyebrows, you quickly grab the handkerchief and mumbled a ‘thank you’ to him.

"So, why are you crying?" He comfortably sat on the swing next to yours. "Do I have to tell you?" You raised your eyebrows.

"Well, people said sharing stories can make you felt a little bit relief. So why not?" He shrugged. "O....kay." You cleared your throat. "I was forced into an arranged marriage, with a stranger." You looked up the sky.

"Oh... So, you're crying because you already have a boyfriend?" He guessed. You shooked your head. "It's not like that. Actually.. I never ever thought about getting married. I want to focus on my study first. That's all." The stranger nodded.

"Why did you cry?" You suddenly asked him. "H-Huh? Me?" Nodding, you pointed at his puffy eyes. "Your eyes were puffy and your nose was slightly red."

He then laughed lightly. "Well… You and I were in the same shoes. I was forced into an arranged marriage too." You looked at him.

"I too want to focus on my current study. If I get married, I'm afraid I have to stop studying and inherit my father's business." He pouted.

"But then, when I thought back, I'm being a selfish son. After all the things that my father had done, is it worth to reply him like this?" He ruffled his hair.

A sudden realization hit you. Your stepmother had done nothing but love you as her own daughter. You remembered the day when your mom died, she was the one who take care of you. She was the one that cooked you food. The one that showered you with love. Tears were threatening to fall from your eyes.

 "...so I decided to not against the arranged married." The stranger let out a long sigh. He looked at you and shocked. You were sobbing now.

"W-Wae? Did I say something wrong?" He stood in front of you. You cried harder. "I-I was wrong... I accused my stepmother a bad woman when she did nothing wrong. Ottoke...?" You looked at him.

He softly smiled and pulled you into a hug. You were crying onto his shoulder. Strangely, you felt like a complete puzzle when both of you were hugging. He too felt the same. He patted your head.

"Why don't you go back home and apologised? I'm sure your stepmother will be happy." You nodded. When you were about to pull away, he stopped you. "Wait. Can I hug you a little longer?" He asked.

You hesitated at first, but then you nodded. He wrapped his arm around you tightly while you shyly wrapped your arm around his waist. *Why do I felt so close to you?* Both of you thought.

Two complete strangers met and shared sad stories together, and the next thing they did was hugging each other comfortably while calming each others’ heart.

Both of you pulled away. "Urmm.. Thanks, for calming me down, stranger." You bowed. He smiled at you and nodded.

"Let's not introduce ourselves. We'll remain strangers. I'm afraid I can't stop thinking about you if I know your name. Worse? I might try to find you. Hehe." He rubed his neck shyly.

You smiled. "I think so too. You... Nevermind. I'll go back home now. Annyeong, stranger." You walked away without looking back.

-

That night, you apologised to both of your parents. Your stepmother cried when you apologised and she hugged you tightly. "I... will marry that person,umma, appa." You formed a small smile.

"Dear... I can cancel the marriage if you want-". "No! I will marry whoever your choice, umma. It's true. I will." You nodded.

"Oh dear!" Your stepmother thanked you. She then called the groom's mother and told her the good news.

-

It was the day where you will be someone's wife. You refused to meet the groom before the marriage and he understood you. Today will be the first day the both of you met.

You were getting your makeup done in the waiting room. The groom's mother came in with your stepmother. "Eunmi. This is Mrs. Yoo, your mother-in-law." You quickly plastered a smile and bowed.

"Thank you for agreeing to marry with our Changhyun. Omo, Shinmi-ah, your daughter is very beautiful." Mrs. Yoo said.

*Changhyun? That was my husband's name?" You looked at Mrs. Yoo. She reminded you to the stranger you met the other day. Instantly you thought of him. *I wonder if he get married already or not?*

"Miss Park? Are you okay?" The makeup stylist woke you from your thoughts. "Yes, I'm okay. Do I have to go now?" The stylist nodded. You walked towards the door and met with your father.

"Appa." You smiled. You father hugged you and kissed both of your cheeks. "My daughter is getting married now. I'm sure your mother is watching now."

You tried hard not to cry or you will ruined the makeup. *I really wish umma is here right now. Umma, are you watching?* "Are you ready, Park Eunmi, soon to be Yoo Eunmi?" You father held out his hand.

Finally, it was the time to find out how your husband looked like. You held your father’s hand. "I'm ready, appa."

The grand door opened and revealed many people standing while watching you and your father. You looked in front and saw your soon-to-be-husband's body figure. *I can't see his face...*

You looked around and saw your stepmother and your mother-in-law. You formed a smile and waved at them. You looked at your father.

He was crying of happiness. *Yeobo, if only you are still alive, you could see our daughter getting married...* Your father thought.

You wiped your father's tears and squeezed his hand. "Appa...". Your father held your hand towards the groom. You still didn’t looked away from your father.

"I'll take her from now on." A familiar voice spoke. You turned your head towards the groom and gasped. *It was him! The stranger! The one I longed for...*

He looked at you and smiled. "Is this our fate... stranger?" He said while chuckling.

You felt the urge to hug him at that time but control yourself. The marriage tradition continued on with both the groom and bride smiling widely. "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride now."

Ricky looked at you in the eyes. "So... Your name is Eunmi huh?". "And your name is Changhyun?" You asked him back.

Ricky shooked his head. Your face fell. "Friends call me by the name Ricky, but you, my wife, can call me husband." With that, he kissed you softly.

The End.