you would be lying if you said that his pickup lines had no kind of effect on you because it sure did. it makes you feel the little butterflies in your stomach, the lightheaded feeling that makes you feel like today was going to be a good day. it's impossible to not to be affected by it, not when you hear it every day and you know he says those to you and only you, no one else.

and now, you were falling for him, and you fall for him much harder day by day than it was the last.

another one he said was "so, did your driver's license get suspended for driving me crazy?" to which you would reply with "i don't even know how to drive" and that's how things would usually go.

sometimes you wonder if jisung meant those pickup lines he would say—that maybe there's a meaning behind them and that maybe he actually likes you.

maybe it's just your wishful thinking.

yet, you hope it was true.

the both of you were walking home together from school, but something was not right today. you haven't heard any pickup line from jisung. he would usually say it in the morning as soon as you arrive in the classroom instead of the normal "hello," but today, no matter how much you waited and no matter how much your heart yearned for it, there was none.

he also didn't talk much with you today. he tried to look normal as usual, plastering a big smile on his face, yet you could easily tell as someone who's been with him for years that something feels off and that wasn't your normal han jisung.

the walk was quiet. the two of you weren't talking. was the day going to end with nothing from jisung at all? it may be just a pickup line, but for you, it's the safe space you and jisung had made.

a million questions were running through your mind. did you do something wrong? did you lose his pen? did he find out you got a candy from one of the pockets of his bag filled with candies all over and was mad about it?

maybe he's the one who's driver's license got suspended for driving you crazy.

"y/n, i have something to tell you."

you stopped in your tracks as you turned to face jisung beside you.

confrontation? maybe you did do something, it would've been easier if you knew what the reason was though.

"tell me," you look at him, eager to know what he would say but scared at the same time.

jisung let out a breath and then said "you may fall from the sky, you may fall from a tree, but the best way to fall... is in love with me."

you were taken aback and it should not have left your heart beating this loud.

this pickup line was not like the others. his face looks serious and he was not smiling like usual whenever he says one. was it because he said a pickup line too late?

"jisung, you scared me. i thought it was something serious," you laughed.

"but i am serious." your laugh immediately died down as it disappeared into thin air. serious? "i am serious, y/n. i want you to fall in love with me."

you couldn't believe what you were hearing. everything felt like a dream. maybe you are in a dream. it's something you wouldn't want to to wake up on though. but the sound of your heartbeat and the heat rising in your cheeks feels too real for it to be a dream.

jisung chuckled, "i'd say it was kind of obvious. it was my way of confessing to you. the first time i said it, you smiled, but it was clear you didn't get it. so every day i said a pickup line in hopes you'd find out about my feelings one day. but now, i couldn't wait."

"so, what's your answer? it's okay if you don't like me back, we can just be... friends afterwards," he looked down on the ground.

you smiled softly at how he became shy. cute. "i like you too jisung."

his eyes immediately went up to yours as it widened in surprise and sparkled in joy. "really?"

"i'd gladly be the pineapple to your pizza," you smirked.

"oh, please. not the pineapples on pizza," he rolled his eyes scornfully.

"come on! pineapples on pizza is so good," you defended. you've had a hundred reasons in stored ready in your mind to defend why pineapples on pizza is superior, but you're going to save the debate off for another time. "i just have one thing to ask for."

jisung held your hand, his thumb playing with your fingers as he grinned, "sure, what is it?"

"please don't stop your pickup lines. i know you already have me but i want to hear more," you sheepishly admitted and you heard jisung chortle. now he knows you like it much more than he thought.

"sure, but you know, i must say that on a scale of 1-10, you're an 8 and i'm in 2 you."

"pfft, but i'm an 8?"

"i just copied what the internet said. maybe there's a meaning behind 8? i don't know, but you're definitely an 11," he winked.

"han jisung!" you covered your face with your free hand as you smiled uncontrollably.

so this is how it feels like to hear a confession. it's beautiful. it is more than just the butterflies in your stomach, rapid heart beats and flushed cheeks; it's the peace you feel afterwards when you are finally able to find out those are the same feelings they had when they were with you.

having such feelings is a beautiful secret, but once it's been out in the open, they are much, much more.

how exciting a confession is, isn't it?

,

you reached the end of the ballroom, facing the wall. where else can you go? going around in circles would lead to nowhere. if you hide, he might send out his men to come and find you and that is too much trouble.

"miss y/n!"

sigh. he's near. you've never agreed to this in the first place. your father had arranged for you a marriage of convenience. it was something you were prepared for growing up. it was your life purpose after all, already determined ever since you were born—to debut and get married in order to improve your social status.

you knew all that, yet, the books you've read taught you something else. from time to time, you would always read books in your quarters. it taught you things about the world, things your mother never taught you about. it also taught you about love, that marriage does not force two people together for their personal benefits, rather, it happens when two people love each other.

and it became your dream to find someone to love and to be loved.

so that is why even when you were the most sought out person after your debut last spring's debutante ball, receiving over a hundred marriage proposals, you've never accepted any of them even with their so-called gifts that they use to impress you.

you've never felt the type of love you've read in books. although you never knew how it feels like, you just know it, and you know that you would feel it once you've found the right person.

love is such a mystery, but it's a beautiful one.

you've rejected all of the marriage proposals, going from a hundred to ten, then ten to none. and now, you might've been the only one in your batch of those who debuted last spring who's not married and such is looked down upon.

that is the reason why your father had created this arranged marriage. it could've been fine, but your suitor is not.

you suddenly hear his footsteps getting closer and closer. is there anything else you can do?

looking around, you caught sight of someone familiar, someone who lives to infuriate you. you had no choice, do you?

"hey, min," you wrapped your arm around his, a grin on your face hoping that it looked convincing enough that you were in love with him when, in fact, you're not.

you detest him.

"what-" minho was taken aback by your sudden demeanor, but before he could say anything, you immediately pulled him to the middle of the ballroom to join the couple of people who were dancing.

if you act like you're in love with minho, maybe your suitor could drop his proposal.

minho smirked.

oh dear.

"you despise me but now took me here to dance. i knew no one could ever resist my charms," he looked down at you, eyes filled with exhilaration. it would be so good to wipe that smile off his face, but not now.

"ugh, i brought you here so you can embarrass yourself with your dancing skills. now let's just dance until the music ends," you say.

"sure, but maybe you'll be the one to embarrass yourself." he lends out a hand to you, "shall we dance?"

"at least you have manners." you took his hand with no hesitation and you smiled, "we shall."

you put your left hand on minho's shoulder as he put his right on your waist, the other hand interlocking with yours and the both of you danced with the music.

it was quiet for a while. the both of you weren't speaking, only focused in the moment of the two of you swaying to the orchestra playing waltz of the flowers by tchaikovsky.

never had you ever imagined that you would be dancing with your enemy.

it was as if you suddenly forgot what brought you here.

unexpectedly, you accidentally stepped on minho's foot. "ow," he squinted in pain. even so, he still continued. "it hurts so much. there was so much force there."

you raised a brow, "i think you deserve it though."

"hm, but i didn't think you were this bad at dancing as i thought."

"maybe it's because you aren't a good partner," you rolled your eyes.

minho spun your around as he had a smug look, "you know, you're the only one who has the audacity to speak like this to me, the duke. no one would dare talk informally like that. but it's fine, you're an exception."

suddenly, you felt your heart beating fast. was it because you couldn't give a retort? was it because of the look he was giving you?

the air around you changed. you notice how the both of you are so close to each other, only a few inches apart and the way he's holding you tight by your hand and waist. his eyes were staring straight at yours as his mischievous smile was still there.

all of a sudden, you felt a piercing look from behind you, breaking you from your daze. when you looked back, you saw your suitor watching you carefully as he was waiting for you.

the music was coming close to an end.

what can you do once the dance is over? are you going to run away again? even so, at the end of the day, he's going to be the one you would have to marry.

noticing the distraught look on your face as your eyes were looking at the floor, minho couldn't hide his concern, "miss, are you okay?"

you sighed as you decided to tell him, "i'm going to get married."

"who?" minho immediately asked.

you glanced behind you, "the man with a bouquet of flowers."

minho followed to where you were looking at, and as he noticed the man you were talking about, he looked at you bothered. "him? the prince of the kang family whose family is corrupt? why-"

"i had no choice. i was the only one left who wasn't married. father wanted me to get married and the prince was the only one interested in me." minho could feel your tight grip on his hand.

he was enraged and the music ended. when your suitor was about to go to you, minho's hand grabbed yours as he pulled you and ran.

"hey!" the prince shouted, yet the two of you still ran. all eyes on you both, but it was something that didn't worry you. rather, you feel excited about what was happening. you were at ease as you looked at the man in front of you, holding your hand as the both of you were running away to who knows where.

eventually, the two of you stopped somewhere in the gardens, sitting down and catching breaths. it was a large garden and you don't know how to get out, but that wasn't important anyway.

"i've never ran that much in years," you laughed.

"same here." when minho started to calm down, he said something that you would never think he would say to you, not even in a million years, "marry me."

you blink rapidly as you stared at him in confusion. he looked away in embarrassment. he was thankful it was dark outside. if not, you might see how red he was. "what? do you want me to say it again?"

when you didn't reply, he breathes out as he continued, "you're not the only one who's not married you know. my parents keep pestering me to find a wife. i know you don't like me, but you don't deserve someone like him."

he stands up, both hands on his waist, "aren't you grateful? the most amazing person in the world is willing to marry you."

you chuckled. even at a situation like this, he still managed to show off. it's lee minho after all.

and maybe now you understood everything. you now know why it was fun to have a banter with him every time you see him, why your heart skips fast and why running away with him made you feel euphoric even when it should've been the opposite.

and now you know why you hated him when you first met him because of what he made you feel that you couldn't explain.

you let out a hand to him and teased, "where's my ring? you have to give me a ring if you dare to propose to the most astonishing person in the world."

minho was bewildered.

you chuckled.

"i'll marry you."

it was love all along.

,