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dollyyun · 6 months

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𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 | chap 18

SYPNOSIS: wherein Hwang Stella's life is tangled in a predicament involving her clandestine identity as a racer, her seemingly daily life as the official heir to the Hwang Empire, and seven guys with whom she has a complex history with.

PAIRING: enhypen members x fem oc

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), reverse harem, chaebols, semi-college & racing, eventual adulthood, non-idol au. this fic is written in first pov.

WARNINGS: expletives, suggestive themes, stella has a panic attack.

WORD COUNT: 8k+

FEATURING: itzy yeji, stray kids hyunjin.

TAGLIST: @aishigrey @kgneptun @b3tt7boop @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586 @strxwbloody

🍒 MASTERLIST 🍒

"So does this mean that you're officially taken by them, then?" Aera plops down on my mattress, her limbs sprawling across the bed, right after she has packed the necessities, including extra clothes and her dress for the wedding.

Just earlier, she came over to my place unannounced with her boyfriend, Jeongin, whom I got along well with even for a short while, helping her to carry some stuff as she wanted to pack her stuff together with me since we will also be leaving for the hotel.

Yeji and her fiancé have methodically planned everything, even accommodations for close friends and family members, for which they have made reservations at the same hotel where the wedding will take place. According to Yeji, they want to make things more convenient for us, considering the hotel's location is rather far away.

Truth be told, I simply can't wait for tomorrow. Excitement is brimming within me. Not only will I also be seeing my real family, but I will finally witness my older sister on the altar, officially tying the knot after being engaged for years. Tomorrow will indeed be a joyous day.

"Yes." My heart warms at my answer, and a soft smile touches my lips right after. I zip up my luggage before rising from the floor, turning to look at Aera. "Just for confirmation, are you absolutely fine with me dating them? Especially when that includes your best friend and brother." I ask, shuffling my feet awkwardly.

Aera scoffs out a chuckle as she raises her upper body. "Are you kidding me? I've been waiting for ages to witness the day where y'all get your happy ending together!" She exclaims, her eyes glimmering with such sincerity. "If there is anyone who is incredibly happy for you, it's me."

But then comes the uncertainty, as the small smile on my face falters. "But I don't know how to break the news to my family. It would definitely come as a great shock to them that I have seven boyfriends." I sigh, rubbing and burying my face in my palms while I feel disheartened. "I mean, is it even acceptable to anyone that someone has seven lovers?"

"Oh, no, we don't do that shit again." Aera surprises me when she stands in front of me, grabbing my hands away from covering my face. As I look at her, sheer resolution is written across her face. "Who cares what other people might think about your relationship with them? And as for your real family, they love you for who you are, and even I can see that their love for you is unconditional. If anything, they would be happy for you that you've finally found everlasting happiness."

Her words are starting to get to me, but the whispers of doubt continue to taunt me. My lips quiver. "But─"

"You deserve to be happy, Stella." Aera cuts me off firmly, yet there is a tinge of softness in her eyes. "I don't care what you have to say. I'm not about to let you succumb to those doubts you have right now and potentially ruin what you have with them."

Tears prick in my eyes as I'm starting to get emotional. "I really love them."

"I know you do." Aera says softly as she cradles my hands. "I've never doubted your love for them. Those nights you've spent crying in my arms, telling me that you've missed them and that it hurt you to leave─" Her eyes glisten with tears while her voice cracks. "Seeing you at your lowest broke my heart, Stel. There were some days where I was close to revealing to Heeseung that I've been with you since day one, but I knew that wasn't what you wanted."

The memories come flooding into my mind. All the nights I've spent crying and lamenting over the guys and how I hated myself for leaving without saying goodbye to them bring more tears to my eyes.

"You've been through so much. If anyone is deserving of happiness, it is you, Stel." Aera smiles through the tears that stream down her cheeks. "You're free now. You're free to love whoever you want. Don't let anyone ruin that."

Alas, my tears ricochet. Aera pulls me into her warm embrace, hugging me tight. Amidst the sadness of the recollection of my lowest points, happiness overweighs everything else.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

By the time Aera and I arrived at the hotel, which we took an Uber to get to, the time had struck six p.m. Yeji was the one who spotted us by the entrance while she was busy speaking to the receptionist staff. She greeted us with enthusiasm and welcomed us with a hug. Apparently, Aera and I were the last ones to arrive. The immediate family members and close friends of both the bride and the groom have long since settled in their respective assigned rooms.

"We're roomies again!" Aera squeals, holding the key card in her hand, as soon as we step out of the elevator. Without waiting for me, Aera eagerly makes her way to our assigned room while I shake my head at her with a chuckle before moving forward.

By the time I reach Aera, she has already unlocked the door. She enters first, before I do, but the second I take a step forward, my ears perk up at a familiar, distinctive voice four doors away from our assigned room, though it is faint.

"I call dibs on the bed by the window!" Aera's proclamation draws my attention, and with a playful eyeroll at her, I enter our room and close the door. Whatever or whoever's voice I heard a few minutes ago was probably just my imagination.

I scan the interior of the hotel room, admiring and appreciating the interior design of the room. My eyes shift over to the extensive yet massive windows that allow us to see the skylines of NYC. Not long later, Aera and I are busily unpacking our clothes, including ironing our dresses for the wedding.

"I didn't know that unpacking could be this exhausting." Aera complains, plopping down on the couch, which is situated in the centre of the room.

I snort a chuckle as I organise my neatly ironed clothes and dresses in the wardrobe. "Wait till you have to pack everything back into your luggage once we go home."

Aera blows raspberry in return, and at the same time, the doorbell to our room chimes. "Go get it, Stel."

"I'm busy, as you can obviously see."

Aera groans loudly, but nonetheless, she trudges to the door. "Sophia, darling!" Aera greets enthusiastically, prompting me to be sidetracked. Quickly wrapping everything up, I make my way towards the bunch of people whom I call my real family.

"Stella!" Minjun greets me with a warm, fatherly smile as he welcomes me into his embrace. I lean in and close my eyes, relishing the comfort of my real father.

"How are you, honey?" Kelly, Minjun's wife, gives me a gentle, motherly smile after hugging me.

I let out a breather, smiling. "Better than I ever was before."

"Stella Unnie!" Sophia crashes into me, causing me to stagger back, but Hyunjin supports me from behind. "We've missed you so much!"

A week and a half ago, Kelly and Minjun invited me for dinner with the whole family, including Yeji and Hyunjin. I decided to bring Aera and Jen to meet my family. A loving and warm family like them wholeheartedly welcomed my best friends. Even Aera got along great with Sophia within a day.

"Yeji booked reservations for us at the restaurant." Hyunjin tells me as we begin to make our way out of the room. "We'll be having dinner with the groom's family as well."

"Just nice! I've been feeling famished." Aera rubs her tummy, eliciting giggles from Sophia as they walk hand-in-hand. I roll my eyes in response, but nonetheless, a smile touches my lips, making me feel more than delighted that I'm surrounded by my real family.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

"Hey, honey." Kelly smiles warmly at Yeji as we arrive outside the fine-dining restaurant. She embraces Yeji in a hug before pulling away with an apologetic smile on her face. "Did we keep you waiting?"

"Not at all. You guys just arrived on time." Yeji beams with a smile before we follow her into the restaurant.

With the rest right ahead of me, Hyunjin falls into the steps as I briefly scan the restaurant. It is rather a full house with waiters and waitresses busily serving the customers, but one of the employees guides us to the second floor, where it is rather spacious compared to the first floor.

I guess both Yeji and her fiancé booked the whole floor solely for us, given the fact that I spot Yeji's fiancé seated with a few people at the massive, lengthy table. But I freeze in my spot as soon as I see two familiar faces whom I haven't seen in a long time. Sunghoon's parents.

My ears perk up at a familiar laughter coming from a certain someone, prompting my eyes to shift as they land on him. At once, my heart flutters at how good he looks in his beige down-button blouse, and the sleeves are rolled to his elbow, revealing his black wristwatch.

I stand like a lovesick fool, admiring him as he is conversing with presumably the rest of his family members and how his eyes form the shape of crescents with his fang-like teeth peeking as he smiles. I should've realised sooner that Haneul is Sunghoon's older brother.

"Stella." Hyunjin shakes my shoulder lightly, forcing me to snap out of the trance. A frown touches his lips. "Are you okay?"

I smile faintly and nod my head in response before we catch up with the rest. I watch as Yeji and Haneul embrace each other in a loving hug, with him kissing her forehead while some of the family members are gushing over the bride and groom.

I notice how Sunghoon's parents seem to tense a little when Minjun greets them, but soon enough, they lower their guards and engage in a polite conversation with him. It is obvious why they were wary of Minjun since he's a Hwang too.

"I want to sit in between Aera and Stella Unnie." Sophia tells the rest, not giving us time to say anything as she grabs both Aera and my hand, bringing us to the empty seats.

How lovely that my seat is just situated across from him, facing him directly. As his eyes meet mine, they widen, looking genuinely surprised to see me in the flesh. Trying to be discreet, I give him a small smile as I take my seat.

"Park Sunghoon!" Aera, being loud as always, gasps as she looks at him. "How are you here?!"

I spot the way some of the family members have quizzical looks written across their faces, probably wondering how Aera knows Sunghoon.

"Uh, because Haneul's my older brother?" Sunghoon deadpans, but soon his eyes return to my face while I busily clear my throat as I grab a glass of water before drinking it, in an attempt to avoid looking at him.

It isn't that I have some issues with him. These damn butterflies in my tummy just won't stop fluttering while my heart is beating fast. Part of it has something to do with the fact that we are now in a relationship and I don't know how to act even when we've already slept together, but another part of it is that Sunghoon's parents hate me ever since I'm a Hwang, so they would most likely disapprove of our relationship.

However, they obviously seem to accept that Yeji will soon be their daughter-in-law, so maybe─

"Thank you all for coming to this lovely dinner." Haneul's voice is resonating, drawing our attention to the bride and groom as they stand next to each other with their fingers intertwined. A smile dawns on Haneul's face. "Although tomorrow is the wedding, I would like to deliver a short speech to express my gratitude to my family members who have supported me through and through. To my parents, thank you for giving me your blessings."

As Haneul continues to speak, with Yeji staring at him lovingly, I can sense Sunghoon's gaze fixated on my face the entire time, which makes my cheeks feel warm while I avoid eye contact with him.

In the next fifteen minutes or so, the food has been served, and each dish is delectable. Sophia occasionally converses with me, but most of the time, Aera entertains her. Other than that, I eat my food in silence, still not daring enough to look up.

"Do you want some more?" Hyunjin asks as he is sitting right next to me, showing me the leftovers on the plate.

I shake my head. "I'm full." I say, grabbing my glass of drink and taking sips, but my eyes accidentally lock with his across the table. His well-defined, thick eyebrow is arched at me in an attractive manner, which almost has me choking on the liquid.

I place the glass down and give Hyunjin a tight smile. "I need to go to the ladies." I inform him before rising from my seat and walking away from the table.

As I make my way to the ladies restroom, my palms hit my cheeks as they remain there. I can feel how warm my cheeks are. I can't help it. Seeing Sunghoon makes me feel all fuzzy on the inside. I'm most certain this is the aftereffect of us being in a relationship.

As I'm being completely distraught, I fail to hear a pair of footsteps from behind me in rather haste. Just as I turn around in a corner, a hand latches around my wrist, pulling me back abruptly and causing me to whirl around.

My breath catches in my throat when our eyes meet, and his gaze bears such intensity that it causes the butterflies in my tummy to become tenfold. "Sunghoon─"

A startled gasp leaves my lips as soon as he slams his lips hard on mine, kissing me with such yearning and passion while I flutter my eyes close, melting against him as he holds me delicately in contrast to his kisses.

He pulls away quicker than I like, and as I look at him, he doesn't seem pleased, which confuses me. "Why were you avoiding me?" He asks adamantly.

"I wasn't avoiding you." I deny, looking away from his stern eyes briefly.

"Lying really isn't your strong suit." Sunghoon tugs me closer with his hand still holding my wrist. He grips my chin, tilting my head so he can gaze deeply into my eyes, which has the butterflies within me fluttering wildly. "Tell me the truth, princess." He demands lowly. "Why were you avoiding me?"

"I─" I bite my lower lip, lowering my gaze to his lips for a moment before looking back up. "I was nervous." But my words come out barely as a mumble.

His face contorts into confusion. "What?"

"I said I was nervous." I raise my voice just slightly.

The frown on his lips deepens, and his grasp around my wrist loosens. "Why would you feel nervous?"

I groan lightly and bury my face in my palms, with my head coming into contact with his neck. His strong cologne smells so good that I'm tempted to bury my nose into his chest. "Because you look good." I tell him meekly, which prompts him to grab both my hands and pull them away so he can see my face better.

He cocks an eyebrow at me while his lips curve into a smirk. "What was that again, princess?"

"I said you looked good." I repeat it distraughtly as my eyes flicker at his pretty pink lips.

"Do I, really?" He asks mockingly while his arm slithers around my waist, pulling me close to his body.

I nod my head numbly as I continue to stare at his face, feeling as though I'm in a trance. "So, so handsome." I utter, my hands curling into fists as they rest on his solid chest.

"My princess thinks I'm handsome." His soft chuckles sound melodious. With his arm around my waist, he uses the other to cradle the side of my face, gazing at me with such affection. "Is my handsomeness the only reason you're nervous?"

"I'm not sure." I mumble. "It's just that we're in a relationship now, and I'm having these jitters." I confess. "It's absurd, really, because I'm not the one who will be getting married tomorrow."

"I'm glad to have such an effect on you." He smirks, leaning his face closer to mine. "I've missed you so much, even though we had just seen each other last week."

Just as he is about to kiss me, I press my finger against his lips, stopping him. "There is something else we need to discuss." I say, releasing a shaky breath. "It's about your parents."

His face turns serious. "What about them?"

"Your parents hated my parents, and I'm sure they do now. They hate the Hwangs."

"But they're fine with your sister." He says. "I'm sure they'll be fine with you too."

"I don't know. I mean, I've been the heir for years, and our families were enemies." I tell him, disheartened. "Let's not reveal our relationship to anyone yet, just to be safe. Which also means we have to be discreet."

"I have to admit, princess, that it's hard staying away from you because all I want to do is hold you close like this." He drawls, a mischief glints in his eye. "But there is no denying how fun it is to sneak around behind them and to kiss you like this."

He tilts his head to a perfect angle and slams his lips on mine once more, this time backing me up until my back hits the wall. His hand goes underneath my thigh before hoisting it up to his waist while still kissing me senselessly.

"We can't be kissing all the time." I manage to speak in between the kisses.

He pulls away, breathing heavily and leaning his forehead against mine. His lips turn into a grin as he chuckles. "Which is why I make the most of the limited time we have." A shiver runs down my spine as he caresses my bare thigh. "Haneul invited the guys as well, but we'll only see them tomorrow."

My eyebrows jump in surprise. "Haneul knows them?"

"Yeah. They met him back in college when he paid our family a visit and stayed for two weeks before heading back to New York." He says. "I'm not going to tell the guys that you're here, though. I want to see the look on their faces when they see you tomorrow."

I roll my eyes as he chuckles. "We need to go back, or else we'll be raising suspicions."

"Nah." He presses his body against mine, tilting my head up and smirking down at me. "I'm not even done with you yet."

"Sunghoon." I warn him while my pulse seems to be beating louder in my ears.

"Just a kiss." He whispers, leaning down. "One last kiss." Sunghoon is many things, and one of them is a liar.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

As expected on a wedding day, everyone is occupied with their respective tasks, at least for those who have been appointed to crucial roles. Initially, I had hopes that Yeji would appoint me as her maid-of-honour, but I was a little disappointed that she chose her best friend─whom I had just met earlier today, Shin Ryujin.

Though we met and talked in a short span of time since Ryujin needed to resume her tasks, my interaction with her was more than pleasant. Not only was she charming, but she was also quick-witted. Regrettably, she had to cut our conversation short. Now that I think about it, I'm glad that I was not appointed as a maid of honour. My mind is already occupied with other things, which also involve work, so the least I need for my brain is to work overtime with new additional tasks.

"Hey, sweetie." Minjun greets me with a fatherly smile, his arm is extended, to which I instinctively go in for a side-hug. I feel him kissing my crown affectionately before I pull away and face him. His eyes seem to be scanning me while a smile rises on his lips, but I am taken aback to see his eyes glistening with tears. "My daughter looks beautiful."

My eyes soften at his shaky voice, which is filled with such affection. I give him a smile before tip-toeing to peck his cheek. "Thank you, Dad."

No longer do I find it weird to call him that. I remember when I called him 'Dad' instead of uncle for the first time, Minjun burst into tears and hugged me tight. It was one of the unforgettable moments for me because I could finally call my real father the deserving 'Dad'.

"Indeed, our Stella looks beautiful." Kelly, looking lovely in a baby blue dress, chimes in with a smile as she engulfs me in a side hug as well. "You must've taken your looks from your father." She nudges Minjun in a playful manner, to which he gives her a fond gaze.

I chuckle in response. "You look beautiful as well, Kelly."

"We're here!" Both Aera and Sophia announce their arrival with enthusiasm, drawing some eyes from the other guests to them, but they continue to make their way straight to us. Sophia looks utterly adorable and lovely in a baby pink dress that flows with every step she takes, whereas Aera is dolled up in a beige spaghetti strap dress that looks amazing on her.

"Sophia, don't you feel bad for always clinging to Aera?" Kelly chastises her daughter, who pouts in return. Kelly looks at Aera with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, honey."

"It's totally fine, Kelly! Besides, Sophia is a darling!" Aera reassures Kelly, grinning widely.

"I see that you're closer to Aera than you are to your own sister." Minjun narrows his eyes at Sophia in a playful manner. "It seems that you like Aera more than Stella."

"No, Daddy!" Sophia looks at me frantically before rushing towards me and hugging me. "I swear I like Stella Unnie as well!"

A chuckle leaves my lips as I stroke her braided hair gently. "I don't doubt it, little one."

"Here you guys are." Hyunjin appears, decked out in a suit, while his hair has been styled neatly, allowing his forehead to be visible. With a grin on his lips, he slings an arm around Minjun. "Are we ready to head inside? The ceremony will start in ten minutes."

"Where have you been?" I ask, having long since noticed his presence was nowhere to be found.

"I was just talking with the groom." He shrugs his shoulders, but I know him so well.

"Or maybe you were threatening him." I deadpan.

"You are so right, baby sis." Hyunjin grins deviously at me. "As the oldest brother, I ought to give him some heads-up if he ever dared to break my sister's heart."

"Ugh, protective older brother things." Aera rolls her eyes. "Been there, done that."

We chuckle in unison before deciding to enter the massive grand ballroom. A series of 'woah' elicits from Sophia, Aera, and Hyunjin while my eyes are sparkling with admiration for the interior designs and how impressive the ornaments have been put together to bring such a vibrant yet elegant touch, which were done by the expert designers. The venue soars 65 stories above Midtown Manhattan against a sparkling backdrop of city lights.

Since we have approximately seven minutes left till the ceremony commences, they disperse, with Sophia dragging Aera towards the massive window to probably enjoy the view. Hyunjin is speaking with an unfamiliar man, and Minjun and Kelly are mingling and socialising around, leaving me standing awkwardly alone.

My eyes begin to search for certain faces, but disappointment befalls me when there is no sight of them. Maybe Sunghoon is with Haneul, but are the rest late?

Just as I'm about to make my way to the seats by the front row, my gaze lands on a bunch of figures by the entrance far across the ballroom, striding inside as though they are models. My breath catches in my throat as I freeze in my spot. They look utterly striking and charming, no wait, no amount of words is enough to describe how handsome they look with their distinctive hairstyles and tuxedos.

They even draw attention to themselves, with some ladies blatantly checking them out. I don't even blame those ladies. They look really, really dashing. Heat weaves across my cheeks while my heart flutters, and the longer my gaze stays on them.

"Stella Unnie! Let's go!" Sophia calls for me from behind before I feel her tugging on my hand. I look at her briefly as she pulls me with her before returning my gaze back at them for one last time, and this time, Jungwon's eyes meet mine. It is brief and far, yet I can feel the electricity just from our eye contact.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Yeji and Haneul have finally tied the knot, now standing on the altar as they engage in a sweet, passionate kiss while the crowd applauds and cheers for the newlyweds. Some are shedding tears, which includes Minjun─who walked her down the aisle, Kelly, Aera, and even Hyunjin, who tries his best to suppress himself but fails miserably when I catch a tear drop from his eye.

Despite no tears leaking from my eyes, my heart swells with pride and elation. I am genuinely happy for my older sister, who has now become someone's wife. Without a doubt, I trust Park Haneul to love and cherish Yeji the way she deserves.

We watch as the newlyweds make their way to their designated table, where the food is served. The wedding host speaks into the mic, welcoming us once more and encouraging us to enjoy the rest of the event, prompting us to disperse in different directions.

As I follow my family behind, my eyes search for them, but it is rather impossible, especially when the crowd of people is obscuring my view. Oddly, I feel thankful that I have yet to meet any of them. Lord knows that I might stammer my words or, even worse, be unable to form coherent words when I speak to them.

The damn jitters.

Without informing any of my family members, I change course, heading straight for the champagne fountain. It is rather interesting how they built the fountain, which has some of the nearby guests snapping shots of it. I grab a glass and help myself with the champagne before attempting to take sips from the glass.

Just as I finish my last sips, a firm arm slithers around my waist, pulling me closer to him while his breath hits the shell of my earlobe. "Hey, pretty girl." He greets me in an oddly seductive whisper.

"Sunoo." I utter his name nervously while my eyes dart around my surroundings. There are two things I'm worried about, but the main thing is that I don't want any of my family members to learn about me being in a polygamous relationship. At least not until I'm ready and certain to face the worst outcome of their reactions.

Another thing that I'm nervous about is the fact that Sunoo looks utterly charming in a tuxedo, which I've already seen him in, but there is a certain ambience he exudes. His hair is neatly styled in such a way that the front bangs are curled. His fox-like eyes, which I admire, are staring at me with adoration.

"I admit I was surprised when Jungwon told us that he saw you earlier." Sunoo says. "I don't fancy weddings, but right now, I'm glad that I came."

"Sunoo, we can't." I try to move away from his strong grip, but he simply remains undeterred and cocks his eyebrows at me.

"What do you mean by we can't?" He asks, a look of discontentment masks his fine countenance.

"We can't be seen like this." I tell him in a whisper while my eyes are still busy scanning our surroundings, and fortunately, my family members are further across the ballroom.

"I don't like where this is going, darling." Disapproval laces his tone. "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"

"It's not that." I sigh, staring at him pleadingly, to which his eyes soften. "Let's go somewhere where no prying eyes can see us, please?"

His pink lips press thinly together while his arm around my waist tightens. "Fine, but you better provide a good explanation, pretty girl."

As Sunoo ushers me elsewhere, my cheeks bear extra involuntary blushes at the nickname he gave me. We are still in the venue, but hidden behind a huge pillar with the lights dim. Sunoo has me pinned against the wall with one hand beside my head. His sharp eyes are staring at me sternly, making me feel intimidated.

"Talk."

Upon his command, I begin to explain. "I think we shouldn't display our affection for each other in public." Even as I speak, my voice sounds shaky due to how small I feel under the intensity of his gaze. "In fact, we should act as friends."

"Friends?" He says the word as though it's poisonous. He scoffs out a smirk, his fingers reaching out to caress my cheek. Each stroke feels delicate yet dangerous. "Darling, you do realise that what you're suggesting is absurd, right?"

"I'm not joking about it either."

"Neither do I." His smirk falls flat. "Why would you want us to act as friends? We've just started out our relationship."

"I don't want any of my family members to learn about my relationship with the seven of you." I state the truth, my eyes crestfallen. "Don't get me wrong. I'm happy that we're finally together for good this time, but I'm not prepared to let my family know. Please understand."

Sunoo doesn't say anything, seeming to be contemplating before he heaves a sigh and relaxes the tension on his shoulders. "Alright, fine. I don't like the idea, but I'll respect your decision."

"Thank you." I latch my arms around his neck, hugging him, to which he instantly reciprocates and nuzzles his head against the side of my neck, kissing my skin with affection.

"You smell good." He murmurs before pulling away from my neck, his arms still locked around my waist. Appreciation resides in his gaze as he examines me. "You look good. Exquisite even."

The jitters return to my stomach. "You look handsome yourself." A soft smile touches my lips, my hands are on the sides of his neck.

A boyish grin spreads across his pink lips. "Hearing the compliment from the goddess herself is an honour."

"Don't exaggerate yourself, Sunoo."

"I'm not, pretty girl." He kisses my cheek, allowing it to linger before a pleasurable sigh leaves his lips. "I really want to sneak you away with me so we can be alone, but I suppose my time is up, at least for now."

As soon as he says that, I am greeted by the sight of Riki approaching from behind Sunoo, his eyes fixated on mine. His once serious, intimidating countenance breaks, and his lips form into a smile. "Hey, Stel."

Sunoo presses one last kiss on my forehead before releasing me from his grasps, but his touch lingers even as he disappears from my sight.

"Riki." I breathe out, my eyes appreciating the sight of his handsome countenance. His hair is middle-parted, with the bangs hovering over his forehead, yet it looks a tad fluffy. I notice a new piercing on his earlobe, which looks good on him.

"Wow." His deep chuckles send flutters to my heart, as does the smile on his face. "You look beautiful, Stel."

"You look beautiful as well." I accidentally blurt out while my eyes go wide in panic. "Uh, I meant to say you look really handsome."

"Hey, I don't mind getting called beautiful by the woman I love." Riki says with a grin as he steps forward with his arms open wide. "Are you going to hug your boyfriend, or nah?"

I can't contain my giddiness, smiling widely before crashing into him, his arms wholeheartedly hugging me as I sink into the warmth of his familiar embrace. His cologne invades my nostril, sending me to inhale some. But then an important reminder pops into my head, prompting me to look up at him with a frown.

"There's something you need to know."

"What is it?" He asks, stroking the back of my hair with affection.

"We can't be seen in the eyes of others like this. It's not that I'm embarrassed to be seen with you, but rather, I don't want any of my family members to learn about our relationship." I explain in between shaky breaths. "I'm not ready yet. I hope you understand─"

"Of course, Stel." He cuts me off, his eyes softening. "You can count on me. Just remember that I'll be with you every step of the way, even if your family disapproves of our relationship."

"Thank you, my love." I tip-toe to peck his lips, taking him by surprise given how he blinks his eyes at me.

"That's new." Riki mumbles, his cheeks are a faint pink.

I tilt my head to one side, staring at him curiously. "What's new?"

"You called me 'my love'." Riki mumbles again, and this time he avoids eye contact as he buries his head into my shoulder. "They sound nice coming from your mouth."

A soft chuckle leaves my lips. "Then I guess I'll have to call you that now. My love."

Riki sighs deeply before slowly pulling himself away from my shoulder, not before pecking my cheek and nose. "Again."

"My love?" Just as I say it, he slots his lips over mine, kissing me sweetly, which has me smiling against his lips.

"I think I just fell in love with you all over again." He murmurs, pulling away from me. "Oh, Stella, what are you doing to my poor heart?"

"More like, what are you doing to my poor heart?" I deflect the question with a playful scowl.

A smirk touches his lips. "I guess we're even, then, my lady."

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

After Riki left, I returned to my family, who thankfully didn't ask for my prior whereabouts. I also decided to avoid being seen by the rest of my boyfriends. I didn't want any of them to sneak me away, or else I'd raise suspicions from my family, especially when Hyunjin seems to be staring at me with indecipherable emotions. It's like he's reading through me.

"So, Stella, any plans for settling down?" Kelly asks as she raises her glass to take sips of her champagne. Her question draws the rest of my family's attention to me.

"Settling down?" Nervous chuckles leave my lips while I tighten the grip around my glass. "I don't actually know if I even want to settle down." I give my half-truth answer.

I used to despise the idea of marriage, mainly because I've seen how Minhyuk and Jihyun's relationship was like─cold towards each other, and there was barely any physical affection between them. But in the eyes of the public, they worked well and feigned being a loving couple. The only times they were a little less cold to each other was for anything that involved Rena.

"Aww, but I want to see Stella Unnie get married!" Sophia expresses her disappointment with a small pout on her lips.

"It isn't that simple." Aera blurts out, prompting me to look at her with wide, panicked eyes, which she mirrors as well.

"What do you mean by that?" Hyunjin asks Aera with his elbows resting on the table and his hands clasped together. His eyes look dead serious.

"What she meant was that part of my uncertainty about settling down has to do with the fact that I grew up witnessing Minhyuk and Jihyun's relationship. They ruined my idea of marriage." I quickly answer for Aera, to which she looks relieved. "You know what it's like, Oppa."

"Make sense." Hyunjin seems to buy my answer as he nods his head in understanding. "I, too, do not wish to get married because of the same reason."

"And here, I thought I would have a son-in-law soon." Minjun jests, feigning disappointment.

"I didn't say you wouldn't get a son-in-law, Dad." I chuckle, though my nervousness is probably perceptible to them, but this time, I decide to test the waters. "It's complicated."

"So you do have someone?" Minjun's eyes glimmer with hope. "Who is he, sweetie?"

Before I can answer, I see a shadow loom over my figure from behind, to which they look up with visible confusion written across their faces except for Aera, who looks oddly animated with a smirk of mischief on her lips. "Jungwon!" Aera greets him while my body gets tense.

I feel the weight of Jungwon's hand on my chair from behind. "Hey, Aera." Though Jungwon sounds affable, I can sense tension in his voice, as though he's suppressing himself from something else.

"This is Yang Jungwon!" I abruptly introduce Jungwon to the rest of them as I tilt my body to catch a glimpse of his face, and when I do, his cat-like eyes stare into mine with a certain intensity before I quickly look away from him and manage a smile at my family. "He's my friend─no wait, my childhood best friend, actually."

"Ah! That Jungwon!" Hyunjin's face lights up with recognition. He proceeds to shake hands with Jungwon. "You've all grown up into a fine lad!" They begin to exchange words while I busily downs the content of my drink in an attempt to ease the trepidation.

Although Jungwon is amiably conversing with the rest of my family, and Minjun even wholeheartedly welcomes him, I know for a fact that he's pissed just by the look of his eyes on mine earlier.

"You should come over to one of our family dinners sometimes!" Minjun says with a jovial laugh, and by the looks of it, he seems to approve of Jungwon, considering that Minjun is an F1 fan.

"It would be an honour." Jungwon tells him with a smile before his eyes flicker to mine, but this time, his smile remains on his countenance while I feel uneasy. "I apologise, but I would like to speak with Stella privately, if that is fine with the rest of you."

"Not at all!" Aera chirps, grinning deviously, while I shoot a glare at her. "She's all yours!"

Jungwon tilts his head to one side, as though motioning for me to follow him. I suppress a sigh and rise from my seat before reluctantly following him.

Jungwon doesn't stop until we are further and further away from the main event, nearly to the other side of the entrance, where there are also huge pillars that, thankfully, can obscure our sight from any eyes.

It seems I'm deep into my thoughts, resulting in me bumping into his back. A frown tugs at the corners of my lips as I lift my head, and by the time I do, Jungwon is already facing me. He doesn't look the slightest pleased.

"What?" I ask rather curtly, which fuels his apparent indignation.

"What?" He repeats, mocking me. "Don't play dumb, doll."

Something stirs within me at the new nickname, but I remain stoic. "I'm not playing dumb, Jungwon."

"Oh, really?" Jungwon sneers, stepping closer to me while I try to remain strong on my ground, but eventually succumbs to the trepidation and slowly backs away from him. "You're really gonna play it this way?"

I swallow harshly, unable to look away from his pinning gaze. "Are you upset that I introduced you as my friend?"

"That's one thing. Why have you been avoiding us?" He asks, undeterred from stepping closer to me until he has me trapped between the pillar and him. "You didn't even avoid Sunoo and Riki earlier. So why─"

"Surely, they must've told you what I told them." I cut him off, ignoring the jitters dancing within me. I take his silence as an answer. "You get the memo, Jungwon."

His eyes harden. "I don't like it."

I sigh. "Sunoo doesn't either, but you don't see him getting all riled up."

"Because I'm not Sunoo, doll." He speaks in a lower tone that sends shivers down my spine, as does the close proximity between our bodies. "Why are you afraid of being discovered to have seven boyfriends?"

I scoff in disbelief. "Are you hearing yourself right now? Why wouldn't I be afraid?" I match my glare with his. "Sure, it won't impact any of you guys if we reveal our relationship, but me? I'd be receiving criticism and labelled with such despicable names!"

"But we can protect you."

"You think it's that easy?" I scoff out a laugh of incredulity. "I don't know if you've been living in your own bubble or you're just plain ignorant, but us women have it harder than you men, especially with the double standards in our society."

A muscle pulses in his jaw. "Why are you even getting mad about this?"

"I'm not mad!"

"There! You just raised your voice at me!"

"Well, maybe because you don't seem to understand and respect my decision with the way you act!"

"You're right! I don't! We've just started out our relationship, and then you decided to make things difficult!"

"Me? The one who is making things difficult is you!"

We breathe heavily while the glaring contest between us persists, and the tension is close to snapping.

"Are you finished?" He asks lowly, and I falter as soon as I realise the lack of distance between our faces, with the tips of our noses almost touching.

That is also when I take the time to admire his looks. The front of his hair looks as though it is damp as it hovers over his forehead, but I know that he uses some type of hair spray to make it look the way it is. Both of his earlobes are adorned with new piercings, which greatly surprises me because I never would have thought to see the day where he would have piercings.

I moisten my lips as the jitters within me intensify. "Yeah." My voice sounds croaked.

"Good." He leans in to kiss me while I flutter my eyes closed as soon as our lips meet. I can't help but melt against him by how gentle he is kissing me, to which he holds my waist firmly.

Whatever heat or argument we were in earlier dissipates. My hands grip on his broadened shoulders as we continue to kiss slowly yet one with passion, making me forget that we are still vulnerable in public.

Jungwon pulls away first, panting lightly with his lips now moist from the aftermath. He gazes deeply into my eyes as he grips my chin to gently brush my bottom lip with his thumb. "You're so hot when you're mad."

"And I'm still mad at you." I utter while my heart flutters at his gesture of affection. "My decision still stands. If Sunoo and Riki can understand and respect it, so should you."

The dissatisfaction returns to his eyes. "You can't be serious, doll."

"Guess what? I am." I attempt to push him away from me, but he tightens his grip. "Yang Jungwon."

"You're acting like a brat now."

I try my best to quell my anger as I remain calm. "Look in the mirror, Jungwon. The true brat here is you."

"I suggest you loosen the attitude, doll." He tuts, his lips forming a smirk, and I know he's up to no good. "Or I'll have you taught a lesson."

"What? You're gonna spank me like a child in need of reprimanding?" I ask mockingly.

"Nah, not from me." His soft chuckles sound lethal. "The rest won't like the fact that you decided to act like we're friends in public, you know?"

"Yeah? Well, tell them to suck it up." I manage to shove him away with a scowl on my face. "I need a breather. Don't you dare follow me."

"Drop the attitude, doll! Or you'll regret it!" Jungwon says from behind as I trudge further away from him, but instead of heading back to my family, I make my way outside of the other entrance.

By the time I arrive, I stop dead in my tracks and finally release the hot breath that I've been holding back. I don't care if any of them disagree with my decision. They'll just have to deal with it until I'm ready.

"You are not even welcomed here!"

Yeji's voice is resonating, prompting me to follow the source of her voice with calculated steps.

"How dare you show your face at my wedding?!"

I flinch at how Yeji sounds genuinely wrathful as soon as I'm approaching before hiding myself behind a pillar. I take a peek to see what the commotion is about, and when I do, it's like I've been struck by lightning. All colours drain from my face while my breaths become erratic.

"I'm your father, aren't I? It is rather disappointing that you chose my older brother to walk down the aisle with you."

"You are not my father!" Yeji screams with such resentment, which prompts Haneul to hug her from the back as he holds her back from lunging towards him. "I don't know how you're here, but I'll have you thrown out by the guards!"

"Is Stella here?" The devil asks, and a smirk is drawn on his face. "Of course she's here. She's your beloved sister, after all."

"Keep her name out of your mouth!" Never have I ever seen Yeji in this outrage. "Don't you dare show your face to Stella, you monster!"

"Guards!" Haneul barks out, and finally, four guards approach them in haste before escorting the devil himself out.

I stagger a step back, feeling as though I've been punched in the gut. My breathing continues to remain erratic while my chest feels tight. It appears that my heels have loudly come into contact with the marbled floor as I hear footsteps approaching.

"Stella?" The rims of Yeji's eyes are red as she stares at me in shock.

"He's back." I manage to utter despite my irregular breathing. Yeji tries to touch me, but I back away, shaking my head as my mind has erupted into chaos. "No, no." A whimper leaves my lips.

"Stella!" Haneul manages to catch me as soon as my knees buckle underneath me. He holds me against him while Yeji attempts to soothe me as she brushes away my hair and cups my cheek.

"Hey, look at me." Yeji demands sternly yet gently enough for me to focus my attention on her. "Breathe, Stel." I comply, but even as my breaths have regulated, my chest still hurts.

"How─?" Any form of coherency is beyond my ability at the moment, as I feel pure numbness.

Yeji and Haneul's exchange looks, uncertain. "We don't know, but we must alert our family about this." Yeji states firmly.

"Let's inform them after the wedding's over." Haneul says. "We don't want to cause panic."

"But Stella was hyperventilating!" Yeji argues. "Forget the wedding. My sister needs to rest and collect her thoughts after seeing that monster!"

"Honey." Though Haneul sounds firm, there is a tinge of softness as he places his hands on Yeji's shoulders. "I'm worried about Stella too, and you know that I care for her, but we must think about the guests. If we stop the wedding, we'll only cause confusion and alarm them."

"He's right." I manage to find my voice, drawing their attention to me, but my strong facade has returned. "Besides, you guys paid hefty for the entire event." I give them a smile of assurance. "I'm fine now, really."

"Are you sure?" Yeji asks, her face contorting into concern. "I think it's better for you to head back to your room and rest."

"It's okay, Unnie. I'm really fine now." I reassure her. "He's not here anymore. Plus, I want to enjoy the rest of the event, which includes the after-party."

After some assurance, Yeji concedes. Haneul gives me a side-hug before walking away with his wife, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Even as I make my way back to the ballroom and return to my family, who are in a jovial element, I can't bring myself to genuinely smile and laugh with them.

The devil's back.

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#enhypen #enhypen poly #enhypen fanfiction #heeseung #jay #jake #sunghoon #sunoo #jungwon #ni-ki

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