The Love That Remains

It feels like I have walked into a fairytale with a dragon standing at the center. The walls are decorated with flowers and twinkling little lights. All of the guests are dressed in fancy clothes and masks. In the center, my father in law is standing with a giant wedding cake. He isn't wearing a mask. Behind him, a mermaid is singing a song in an aquarium. I can't understand the language of her song. Her voice is both distracting and relaxing.

I turn my head around and look at the mermaid again. Green shiny fishtail, upper silver-blue half body. She is wearing a necklace of shells, pearls and other beautiful sea stones that somehow covers her upper body. She has an irresistible allure. I glance at Sung Jun. He isn't looking there. That's good.

I notice Ms. Sung standing behind Mr. Sung with a complicated face. Even after eight years, she looks the same. She smiles at me when she notices me watching her. I return her smile.

"My beautiful daughter in law." My father in law walks to me. I feel goosebumps all over my body when he hugs me. This man killed me and my unborn child in my previous life. I had no doubt that he would do it again. Some people never change.

He lets me go and beams at me. I start to notice the similarities between him and Sung Jun. Sung Jun has inherited most of his features. It seems that he also learned how to have a fake personality from his father. They have the same fake smile when they are hiding something unpleasant. But Sung Jun isn't like his father.

"Father, thank you for the surprise," I say to him with the same plastic smile on my face. Sung Jun squeezes my hand reassuringly. "You have a ghost behind you."

My father in law's smile freezes on his face. He turns around to take a look. There is a ghost standing only three feet away. I have seen it the moment I stepped into the house. I am sure that everyone in the hall could see it. A shaman has a ghost following him around. The world is getting funnier these days.

"He is a guest." He gives me a tight smile. Something flickers in his eyes. Ah! He wanted to confirm whether I could see the dead or not. Well, dear father in law, I am making you regret meeting me every day from now on.

"Sung Jun!" A tall female walks between us. Suddenly, I am wondering why everyone is taller than me here. She is dressed in a blue long dress. Her hair is black and waist long. She looks like a model. She smiles too warmly at Sung Jun and says, "It's been so long. I was dying to see you again."

"Inha, it's great to see you again." Sung Jun smiles back. He lets go of my hand and gives her a half hug.

"You must be the famous Fang Aisa," She says to me.

"My popularity precedes me. I wonder what I have done so great." I can't help being sarcastic.

"Yes, it's not every day we meet someone who can fake her own death at the age of fifteen and disappears for more than eight years." Park Inha's voice is both sweet and grating to my ears. "Our Jun was crazy about you. I am interested to know what kind of woman Fang Aisa is.

"Inha is Jun's closest friend." I hear his father say. There is something in his voice that gives me a bad feeling. She must be the fiance. She is too beautiful. I decide that I don't like her. She doesn't like me either.

"Inha, when did you arrive in the city?" Sung Jun changes the subject.

"Oh, around five days ago." Park Inha's eyes are full of warmth when she looks at Sung Jun. I sigh when I realize that she likes him. It was never easy dealing with Sung Jun's fangirls in the past, but this one is rather someone who is close to him. I need a drink.

"Daughter in law, come with me. I want to introduce you to some people." He drags me along with him. Sung Jun wants to come, but Park Inha stops him. Her arm is wrapped around his arm. She is slightly leaning on him. She winks at him and laughs about something.

Damn! I need a drink.