Cheers erupted among the crowd. They congratulated Donghwi for a successful proposal.
Donghwi looked delighted. He quickly slipped the ring on Hoyeon's finger. It fit perfectly. Then he jumped up, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her on the lips in front of everyone.
Jennie, Alice, Chaeng and Jisoo clapped their hands. However, they weren't as enthusiastic as the people around them. They looked at each other, not really knowing whether to be happy or dismayed for Hoyeon.
"She doesn't look happy to me," Jisoo observed. Her voice was very soft. Only Jennie and the others heard her.
Chaeng sighed. "I don't know what your brother is thinking. This isn't really an appropriate time to propose. Now I feel bad for Hoyeon. I think she may have felt forced to accept Big Brother's proposal because of the crowd."
Jennie agreed with their observations. Remembering the perfect proposal her darling gave her, she felt that Donghwi was a big idiot. He basically dumped all the pressure on Hoyeon. Lisa would never do this to her.
The inconspicuous remnant inside her grew stronger and powered up Jennie's negative feelings about Donghwi. But she still failed to notice it. These more intense emotions started melding with her own calmer and rational emotions until it was difficult to differentiate between the two. Jennie treated all of these as her own feelings. She thought that these negative emotions were because she felt indignant and protective of her friend, Hoyeon.
"Thank you, everyone, for bearing witness to such a happy occasion of my life," Donghwi said in a loud and joyful voice. His arms was wrapped around Hoyeon who looked awkward being in the spotlight. "And thank you, Father, for allowing me to do this even though this is your birthday."
Jihoon only nodded.
The celebratory atmosphere was interrupted when Eunchae suddenly burst into tears. She looked distraught. She was in a sorry state, only emphasized by her ruined dress. She sobbed in her mother's arms.
"Oh, my beloved daughter! So pitiful!" Madam Wu cried, as she tried to comfort her daughter in her embrace. "You've suffered so much tonight!"
Her husband, Sir Wu, glared at Donghwi and Hoyeon. He looked absolutely furious.
"Donghwi, I can't believe that you'll do this to my daughter! You not only humiliated my daughter but also my entire Wu family in front of all of these people! Do you think that we, the Wus, are so easily trampled on just because you're a Kim?!" he shouted and pointed an accusing finger at Donghwi. Then he shot his angry glare at Jihoon next. "Jihoon! Your son is too much! I demand justice for my daughter! She has suffered so much!"
The rumourmongers among the crowd were almost in ecstasy at the development of the events. This was the kind of drama that they were waiting for! They started munching on imaginary popcorn, as they watched the drama unfold right in front of them.
Jihoon's eyes turned cold. He frowned, displeased that the Wu family was creating so much trouble during his birthday and his son's proposal. He didn't appreciate that the Wus were making this occasion about them when it was clearly supposed to be about his family.
Jufang interrupted and spoke directly to the furious Sir Wu. "Calm yourself. We'll certainly have a thorough conversation with Donghwi about his terrible lapse in judgment tonight. We apologize for the distress our young master has caused Miss Eunchae and your family. I, Kim Jufang, promise that we will solve this predicament of a sham proposal."
"Sham proposal? Granduncle, I am very serious in marrying Yeon!" Donghwi declared in a loud voice.
Jufang was angered that Donghwi talked back to him. But seeing Donghwi's stubbornness, the elder glowered at Hoyeon instead. "You low-born woman! You're not satisfied with just giving birth to Donghwi's firstborn child, you even want to be his wife?! Well, I'll tell you this right now! Even if you marry Donghwi, we'll never accept you into our family! You're nothing but a gold digging slut!"
Hoyeon flinched at the insults. Her eyes filled with tears but she refused to cry in front of all of these people.
A faint smirk lifted up Eunchae's lips, but she quickly returned to crying in her mother's arms.
"Granduncle, please stop. Yeon will become my wife whether you like it or not!"
Jufang opened his mouth but he was interrupted before he could even speak.
"Enough!" Surprisingly, it was Jia who erupted in anger. She couldn't hold it in any longer. She swept her unusually blazing eyes at Donghwi, the Kim elders and the Wu family. "If you intend on ruining my husband's birthday, then you have succeeded! How dare you make a circus out of my husband's important birthday party?! I am aghast at your thoughtlessness! You are disrespecting my husband! This is Jihoon's day, not yours!"
Everyone went silent.