36 I... dont know what to say. (1/2)

Everything seemed dreamlike, movements almost in slow-motion.

He was quite sure there was someone very pretty standing right in front of him, wearing what was supposed to look like a wedding dress, but he was so out of it that all he could do was shake his head in a faint attempt to clear his foggy mind.

To his right, he knew someone was fussing about something, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.

He didn't know how long he spaced out for, but when he finally came to, he saw Chung Ji-Eun standing only a few feet away, looking at him nervously.

”Hyun-Shik?” She said in a small voice, worry etched in her gentle features. ”I'd really appreciate it if you say something.”

”I-I...” He cleared his throat unceremoniously. ”I... don't know what to say.”

'That is one hell of a look... I almost lost my head there.' He ran a hand through his hair, not knowing what else to do at the moment.

”I don't know if that's a good or bad sign,” Ji-Eun laughed nervously. ”But now that you're smiling, I think it's safe to say you approved. Am I right?”

'I'm smiling?' Hyun-Shik shook his head again and closed his eyes for a second, trying to collect his scattered thoughts.

He took a careful look at Ji-Eun, who was now speaking with his mother.

'She really is stunning...'

Her long, wavy hair fell naturally over her shoulders while a simple comb, sitting on one side of her head, allowed for a more gentle look. The dress, subtle in their elegance, outlined her graceful body perfectly that he thought she could pass off as one of those A-list models on the Fashion Week runway.

'Let's not get started on her face...' He thought helplessly. 'Or I wouldn't know really what to say...'

”Hyun?” he heard his mother's voice call him. ”You like this dress on her?”

He automatically nodded.

”She looks beautiful,” he said, trying to even out his tone. ”I like it, Ji-Eun.”

At once, he noticed a faint blush on her cheeks.

'Oh?' He studied her a bit more closely and noticed that she avoided his eyes now. He smiled at the thought. 'So, there's still something that makes her shy, huh? Well, all this dress fitting business would make anyone feel like that...'

”Since everybody liked the ensemble, we'll go with it,” Ji-Eun said happily. ”Anita should be very happy we're not all that fussy, right?”

”Ah, but my love,” the French woman approached the group and smiled widely. ”I should be able to know your every taste since I've been with you for quite a while. I just knew that when I pulled this piece off of that designer's rack that it would look very lovely on you.”

Hun-Shik nodded in agreement. He was sure now that with this woman in their court, Ji-Eun would look very good in almost anything she puts out.

Ji-Eun's happy expression suddenly turned blank. ”There's more? I don't know if I can take much more of-”

”Of course, silly girl! You'll be changing clothes for the reception, right? And then there's your going away dress, and...” Anita's voice floated away as she began to lead Ji-Eun away from the group.

Hyun-Shik could only watch as the attendants ushered Ji-Eun back into the dressing room as she had a few more pieces left to try. He almost laughed at her expression when Anita told her that she had to change, but fought against it.

Just before the door to the dressing room closed though, he saw Ji-Eun turned her head to her secretary and mouthed, ”Help me!”

Following her line of gaze, he saw Oh Jaehyun shook his head and gestured for her to follow her attendants quietly.

In turn, she pouted and obediently followed suit.