Pretend Love

Chapter 5: Reunited

Suzy spent the next hour getting ready for Jieun's party. She decided on a plum colored wrap dress that was both casual and dressy and left her hair straight. She got her best friend's present out of her suitcase and headed over to her house.

Jieun inherited her grandmother's house a few years back, she and Sander moved in together. Now the house was teeming with people. Jieun's parents had come in from out of town, as well as a couple of cousins.

Suzy took a deep breath before knocking on her future sister-in-law's door. She hadn't been the best friend to Jieun these past two years. Her work consumed all her energy, and even if she had tried to call Jieun every week during her years in college, those once-a-week calls had gradually turned into once-a-month calls and once-a-year calls.

Her fears were quickly dispelled, though, when the door flew open and Jieun wrapped her up in a tight embrace. "'Doll! You're here!" Jieun was positively glowing. Her now purple locks framed her pretty face and her cute eyes shone bright. "You look amazing as always," she said, stepping back and looking Suzy over properly.

"So do you," Suzy said emphatically. "You look really happy, babe."

"I am," Jieun beamed. "Now, come on, there are some people I'd like you to meet."

××××××

"Here we are," Jack said and pushed open the door to Hopeland's bar and grill.

Vincent paused in the doorway to take in his surroundings. The Grillmates was a nice-looking restaurant with a generously sized bar, a small stage and dance floor, and pool tables.

"You comin', son?" Jack said over his shoulder when Vincent didn't make a move to enter.

"Uh... yes, of course," Vincent snapped out of his thoughts and followed Suzy's father over to a table where a group of guys with enormous pitchers of beers in front of them were seated, talking and laughing. Vincent could instantly tell which one of the four men was Suzy's brother, Sander. Aside from he was the only Asian in the group, he had the same milky white skin and big innocent eyes with Suzy, albeit set in a masculine face.

Vincent's suspicions were confirmed when the young man laughed out loud and mirrored Suzy's crescent eye smile. He then greeted Jack with "Dad!"

"Hello, son. I see you've already started the party."

"Well, if you moved a little bit faster, old man..." he joked.

"Watch it, son. I'm still young enough to beat you at football."

"No offense, sir," a dark-haired, muscular man said, "but that hardly counts. My grandma can beat Sander at football."

"Ouch," Sander laughed. Then his friendly eyes found Vincent, lingering behind Jack. "Oh, hey, you must be Vincent," he said and rose from his seat, extending his hand over the table. "Glad you could make it."

Vincent returned the handshake. "Thanks for inviting me. Here..." he said and handed over a gift box. "I wouldn't open it in here, though."

Sander peered inside the box. "Scotch? I like you already, man. Everyone, this is Vincent Lee. Suzy's boyfriend."

"Fiancé, actually," Vincent corrected him.

"Really? Dude, that's awesome!" Sander went over to Vincent to give him a hearty slap on the back.

Jaws dropped around the table at Vincent's announcement and he noticed how all eyes fell on a blonde, blue-eyed, young man. He was the first of the other three to speak, standing up and extending his hand. "Hey, I'm Mark. Welcome to Hopeland."