CHAPTER NINE

"Good morning, lady. You’re even shining today though you’ve always been this bright,” He cheered.

“Please be quiet, I can’t even hear myself losing the will to live,” I groaned. This man can’t be serious. Why is he here, early in the morning? And what’s with the introduction of being my fiancée? He’s making my head hurt more.

“As a proper fiancée, I need to make sure my future wife had a good sleep.” He raised his shoulders, offering me his assistance. Of course, I hesitated at first but I accepted it anyway.

“Accepting that means you said yes to my offer?” He sneered which made me roll my eyes and almost retrieved my hands away from his grip but the hands that snaked around his shoulders were sandwiched even more. I frowned.

“No, take backs.”

“What are you, a child?”

“Probably, if you want me to.”

I realized that I cannot win a conversation with this man. Starting one with him is a suicidal move. He’s annoying but I know I can’t get rid of him.

The walk towards the dining room was awfully quiet but I didn’t mind it since I needed this, to begin with. When we entered the place, I saw the strange blonde guy and my sister sitting together. I was confused to see the empty seats where my grandmother and father usually seats. What day is it today?

“Good morning.” The first one who greeted me was the stranger who happened to save my life yesterday night.

Navia didn’t even glance at my side. I felt sour. Why is she acting so different with this man around? What’s their relationship? I thought Navia loves June?

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself properly.” The young blonde man broke the awkward silence between the four of us, “As you can see, I’m Van and I’m here to –“

“He’s here for our marriage.” Navia’s words cut off Van’s.

I was startled by the sudden revelation that I dropped the fork I was holding. It made a clanging noise that echoed in the room.

“M-Marriage?” The word didn’t almost come out of my mouth. My throat went dry.

This never happened before. The events are getting more and more out of hand.

“Yes.” Today, Navia’s voice sounds dull, like she’s drained and tired. Her expression is the total opposite of last night. The way she talks and moves is strange.

“Well enough about us, how about that man? What’s he here for?” Van asked using his mouth to point Gin who’s calmly sitting right beside me. When he noticed that it was his turn to introduce himself, he let out a small chuckle and held my hand that was lying free on the huge white wooden table.

“I’m her fiancée,” He phrase sweetly that even I almost believed those words were true.

“Your fiancée?” Navia’s eyes went straight in my direction. Her expression is unreadable. I cannot say whether she’s displeased or shocked or joyous.

What’s on your mind, Navia?

“Dad would be surprised,” She murmured but the surroundings were too quiet that they reached my ears. Then she smiled at me, that kind of smile she was wearing on the day I died,  “He’s on an emergency business trip in Europe with grandma last night,” She added

I let out a long sigh. That’s why they disappeared without notice. I wonder what’s the sudden problem for them to go together, it only happens on rare occasions. They have a different role to fill in there, I suppose. I grabbed my fork once again and started eating when I felt the hunger kicking in.

“How about your boyfriend then?” Van, the strange blonde guy questioned and smiled at me.

My brows almost met each other by his question, “Do you know my boyfriend?” I asked him.

“Probably,” He winked at me.

Why can I see a resemblance between Gin and this man? Are they perhaps, long lost brothers? Both of them have the same energy to annoy someone.

I didn’t bother talking to him anymore. Gin squeezed my hand before letting go. When I glanced at him, I saw him smiling like a baby at me.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“I ate before coming here.”

I shrugged, “Alright.”

The dining hall is quite peaceful after those words. Navia was quietly eating while Van gives us some creepy smile once in a while. When we finally finished eating, I didn’t waste any time and dragged Gin’s ass to my room.

“Hey, you’re not going to take advantage of me right?” He exaggeratedly curled his voice like a madman. I know he’s joking but this made me glare at him once again.

“It’s early to annoy the hell out of me, Whinston.”

“Darling be gentle.” He joked once again but I just ignored his nonsense reaction and continued to pull him up in my room.

I need to talk to him about everything that happened and probably things that will happen sooner or later. We need to clear things out especially this contract that needs the consent of both parties.

Why did he even announce his existence as my fiancée when I didn’t officially break my ties with June?

When we reached the stair, a person barged in the door and that resulted in us stopping and looking at the person wearing a gloomy look. His dark and cold expression made the room chilly. In my peripheral vision, I saw Van and Navia getting out of the door where we were from. Van was smirking while Navia’s face is only a blank expression.

Why do I feel like this?

Even though I was given a second life and was transported back in the past, it feels like I still know nothing at all. The future I once knew and held on to as a chance for survival is slowly changing.

When I took a peek at Gin, his face was serious. Unlike his usual appearance that seems happy-go-lucky, this man standing beside me is scary different. He’s looking straight ahead at the new visitor.

I bit my lower lip before speaking the name that sometimes made me tremble in fear because of what happened in the past.

“June.”