Chapter Text
An arranged marriage.
That’s what it was. There wasn’t any point sugar-coating things. Prior to this dreadful day, Yoongi knew that this day would eventually come. He’s been prepped for this very occasion since the day he turned eighteen, but no amount of pep talk nor assurances from his family, blinding him with promises of a bright future would alleviate the resentment Yoongi was feeling towards everyone involved. This wasn’t a choice, there were no other options available for him, it was either he got married against his will and save his family’s company and reputation, or he got disowned. This was bullshit, Yoongi repeatedly told himself, as if doing so would somehow make things better. He was still going to get married to a complete stranger against his will whether he liked it or not. Yoongi was free to mutter all the profanities he wanted, was allowed to throw all the temper tantrums he desired, at the end of the day he was still desperately angry at the world. At the end of the day, he still had to get married.
The Min industry was a stone’s throw away from declaring bankruptcy, the only way to avoid it was to get married against his will. It killed Yoongi everyday that from the moment he turned eighteen, his life as he knew it, was over. It was just his luck to be born into a family who already had his entire future mapped out for him, that he was obligated to fulfill their demands. For someone who grew up independently, it was ironic how Yoongi discovered how dependent he was on his family’s influence and wealth. Aware that without it, he was seemingly nothing. From an early age he was taught that power and money will garner you respect, will grant you the veneration someone from the Min family deserves, which is why Yoongi never contested against his parents. He was instilled with these beliefs, he didn’t know if there were any other viable options available for the likes of him.
Last night over dinner, his parents informed him that he would finally be able to meet his future fiancé in a week’s time. A fucking week. He had a week left to do everything he’s ever wanted before obediently handing over his future to a complete stranger. It was like heading towards a war and fully immersing oneself into the battlefield unarmed, knowing that no scenario would end up with him as the victor. Why even try to fight? It was a losing battle to begin with.
The results were handed to him even before the war started.
So, he silently sat there. Gripping the silver plated utensils with more force than necessary, hoping that the material would break and injure his fingers. And he nodded, agreed. Swallowing his food, as well as a huge chunk of his pride. He absolutely detested how he couldn’t even bring himself to deny his parents of anything. He hated it. The thought that he only had a week of freedom left brought with it an impending feeling of doom and despair. It wasn’t as if Yoongi had many aspirations nor dreams, no, that wasn’t it. He just yearned for a sense of freedom. A life which didn’t require him to spend every waking minute of his life with someone he didn’t have any feelings for. He was an only child, the only heir to the highly acclaimed Min Industries, it wasn’t like anybody else could carry this heavy burden for him.
Since there wasn’t anything else he could do regarding his situation, or his life, he decided to take his last chance at freedom by going on an impromptu trip with his friends. It was his last hurrah before everything went to shit. Inevitably, things were bound to head downwards from here. Yoongi didn’t enjoy being a pessimist, not by the slightest. But with the cards life has handed him so far, it was impossible not to eventually turn into one.
That night he called up Seokjin and Hoseok, his two closest friends and asked them if they wanted to go on a trip with him, to which they obliged, not really needing much persuasion in the first place. Yoongi wasn’t the type of person who asked for much, rarely ever asking for favors and such, so his friends had no trouble immediately dropping whatever it is that they were supposed to be doing and agree to keep Yoongi company. The trio mutually agreed that even though flying off to another country was tempting, going somewhere within the country was the more viable option since Hoseok and Seokjin had work. After going back and forth, throwing around potential places to visit, the trio settled on Jeju since it had more secluded locations compared to other places. Truth be told, Yoongi couldn’t care less where they ended up, he just need to breathe for a few days. Run off to a place where his parents couldn’t reach him and endlessly remind him of something he couldn’t forget even if he wanted to. The nagging from his mother, he could tolerate. What she said went in one ear, and instantly exited through the other. But his father on the other hand, with his threats and the taunting in between, it was taking a toll on Yoongi. He should be used to it by now, but he was just exhausted. Dry to the bone. Yoongi was as strong willed as he could be given his upbringing and circumstances, but even the strong possessed moments of weaknesses, this was one of them. They decided to take the first flight out to Jeju the following morning.
On his first step out of the plane, Yoongi could instantly feel his body relax. He was surrounded by lush greenery and scenic views of the coast, this was without a doubt, the right decision. During their route to the hotel, he could already feel his worries dissipating little by little. They arrived at an upscale resort located on the edge of the island, Seokjin commented that this was too much since Yoongi insisted on paying for the entire trip. Hoseok let out an impressed whistle, admiring the entrance of the resort.
“Hyung, if you keep up your spending habits, you’ll be broke by the time your wedding rolls around.”
“Then that would work in my favor since the damn wedding will probably be cancelled.”
He bitterly chuckled to himself, it was wishful thinking at this point. The end of the world could occur and he knew that his parents would still insist that the wedding should be continued.
Yoongi took strides towards the reception desk, giving his information as he waited for the staff to hand out their room keys. He looked around, checking out the interior and how everything was tastefully decorated. His line of sight momentarily flickering towards a small group of people who were most probably around the same age as them, particularly a silver haired man caught his eye. Snapped out of his reverie when he heard a thud in front of him, as the receptionist placed welcome baskets on top of the marble counter along with their room keys.
“It’s a small token to welcome you to the island. We hope you enjoy your stay here!”
She remarked with a wide grin, which she probably used on all the patrons. Yoongi wondered if she ever grew tired of pretending to be beyond pleased to see everyone all the time, that was probably draining. He knew from firsthand experience how exhausting it was to pretend that you were okay all the damn time. He thanked her, handing out a basket to both Hoseok and Seokjin. Even if this was a group trip, Yoongi opted to have separate rooms, he still wanted his privacy. And he was used to being alone anyway.
The rooms were beside one another, all three located on the topmost floor. Even the elevators leading up to the rooms were lavishly designed, they made it a point to ensure that the entire resort screamed out luxurious. Heading to their designated rooms, they decided to unpack for a few minutes. After he was finished unpacking, Yoongi decided to check out the balcony, hands placed on top of the metal railing, he took his time admiring the view in front of him. The deep blue of the sea as well as the crystal clear sky gave his mind a sense of calmness, this view right here, would be the thing he would remember looking back on a time when he was somewhat free. The next time he would probably encounter such a breathtaking view would be on his honeymoon. The word left a bitter taste in his mouth. He felt dread creeping up on him.
No, he shouldn’t allow his thoughts to consume him during his last vacation as a single man, he’ll eventually face the music, the least he could do for himself was to relax and enjoy his last week before he got hitched. He closed his eyes, calming himself down, as the breeze blew against his skin when he heard knocks coming from the front door. It was Seokjin wearing a ridiculous outfit with the loudest floral prints Yoongi has ever seen in his life.
“What the hell are you wearing?” His eyes thoroughly inspected Seokjin’s choice of attire.
Seokjin rolled his eyes, frustrated with Yoongi’s reaction.
“It’s called fashion, Yoongi. We are at a tropical island, are we not?”
Yoongi could barely contain his chuckles. “I know what fashion is, that, whatever the heck you’re wearing, is clearly not it.”
Letting out a loud gasp, Seokjin acted scandalized and downright offended.
“Whatever. It’s comfy and it fits the island. I’m sure Hoseok would appreciate my taste.”
And just like clockwork, the door from Hoseok’s room opened, as soon as he closed the door behind him and stepped out into the hallway, he spotted Seokjin standing halfway inside Yoongi’s room and let out a roar of laughter.
“Hyung!!!! Are you drunk already? What are you wearing?”
Yoongi peeked out and spotted Hoseok wearing an equally bright polo shirt with weird artistically drawn animals on it. Hoseok clearly had no right to judge or make fun of Seokjin, but seeing Seokjin frustrated brought him great joy so he didn’t say anything.
“Ah, how you wound me Hobi. I thought you would understand my fashion choices. At least I’m not like Yoongi who wants to walk around looking like he has a thundercloud over his head. Who wears all black to the beach??”
Sending Yoongi a strange look as he furrowed his brows together.
“Hyung, you can literally wear black to any occasion. Besides, the sun is blinding enough, I don’t want to blind others with my clothing as well.”
This was a well known fact, 99% of Yoongi’s wardrobe was composed of black clothing. His socks, tops, bottoms, shoes.. even down to his underwear, he preferred black for everything. A reflection of my soul, he’d often bitterly joke.
After they were done poking fun at each other’s clothing choices, they decided to check out the beach. Luckily for them, their resort was directly connected to the beach, it was merely a few steps away. They passed by the humongous pool area which boasted three separate pools. The main pool with a floating bar right smack in the middle of it, a heated one which was like an oversized jacuzzi, and one for the younger patrons which had two adjacent slides. There was also a garden nearby which also hosted a modest restaurant and café, the outdoor seating was great for people who preferred to have a meal or a cup of coffee while admiring the view.
Yoongi chose this resort specifically since it was on the pricier side, and in the world they were living in, expensive was equivalent to more privacy. Only a handful of people were willing to spend an exuberant amount of money for a trip when there were a lot of cheaper options around the island.
Upon reaching the beach, it came as no surprise that besides them, there was only one other group around. It was the same group of three they spotted earlier hanging out by the hotel lobby. Yoongi found himself staring at the silver haired man, but was quick to look the other direction once the man spared a glance his way. Yoongi didn’t do too well when it came to maintaining eye contact, it was awkward and unnecessary. Although he should be used to socializing and meeting new people growing up in a household which loved to attend and host various social events, he internally detested it. What was the point of meeting tons of people and not forming any genuine connections with any of them? The business world was cut-throat and downright brutal, Yoongi wasn’t too keen on taking over their family business someday. He continued to look at the opposite direction, pretending that he never noticed the only other group on the beach. There were a number of sunbeds placed by the shore, he hurriedly picked one and placed his belongings on top of it. His friends however, were distracted. Visibly ogling the other group who were busy taking turns applying sunblock on one another. He rolled his eyes, calling their attention.
“Weren’t we supposed to be on a friendship trip or some shit like that? If you would stop accumulating enough drool to compete with the sea, that would be awesome.”
Seokjin shot him a look of incredulity, reminding him to keep his voice down.
“Relax. We were just admiring the view.”
He lowered his sunglasses until they were resting on the bridge of his nose, trying to see which one caught Seokjin’s eye, and judging by his type, he already knew which “view” Seokjin was too busy admiring.
“Sure you are. I’m sure that the view is exquisite. How is this relaxing when the two of you are sending heart eyes to that group over there?”
“I’m relaxing my eyes by looking at pretty boys! Anyway, you down for water sports? I saw a jetski rental over there.”
Yoongi told himself that he would go on a vacation to have fun, but the thought of doing something which required a lot of body movement and not to mention, energy, under the intense heat of the blazing sun did not sound appealing in the slightest. He informed his friends that he wouldn’t be joining them for the activities and that he was more than content laying around by the shore, ignoring Hoseok’s remarks implying that he was worse than a grandpa. He watched as his friends walked towards the shed which had a number of activities for rent, and noticed that the other group was headed in the same direction. He was mentally and physically exhausted, and concluded that today was a good day to take a nap on the beach while he waited for his companions to return. Slowly shutting his eyes until he fell asleep.
When he woke up, he was surprised to see that the sun was beginning to set over the horizon, checking his complexion to see if he had tanned too much under the sun even if he was underneath a huge umbrella shielding him from the rays the entire time, it didn’t hurt to double check. When he was satisfied and sure that his skin had no red marks indicating a sunburn, he looked around the area wondering where his friends were. A speedboat was steadily approaching the shore, Yoongi could already hear a loud guffaw that belonged to none other than Seokjin, he squinted his eyes hoping to get a clearer view. He noticed that there were more than two people on board but couldn’t make out who the other people were, he patiently waited for the speedboat to come closer. After a few minutes a shrill voice called out to him.
“Yoongiiiiiiiii!”
It was Hoseok frantically waving his hands, as if his thunderous voice wasn’t enough to grab Yoongi’s attention. Normally Yoongi would be embarrassed, but since they were at a secluded beach, he paid no mind to it.
He watched them as they got off the boat, animatedly chatting with the three men from the group earlier.
Seokjin made brief introductions once they made their way to where Yoongi was laying down.
“This is Taehyung, Namjoon and.. sorry, what was your name again? I have a terrible memory when it comes to names.”
Pertaining to the silver haired man.
“That’s Minnie.” The man named Taehyung replied.
Yoongi acknowledged them by saying the usual nice to meet you line before excusing himself, letting his friends know that after spending hours roasting himself under the heat, he needed a cold shower to cool him off. As he walked back to the resort, he couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that someone was watching him.
That night, Yoongi and his friends planned to have dinner at one of the more upscale restaurants located around the vicinity, followed by a few drinks. He was already looking forward to a laid back night where he didn’t have to dwell on the fact that he was about to get engaged soon. Staring at his suitcase for a few minutes, he decided to dress up a little more fancier for the occasion, they were heading to a nice restaurant anyway, might as well dress up. He brought out a black coat with matching custom made slacks, choosing to leave out a bow tie or necktie since it would be too much. Apparently he and his friends were more in sync than he thought, showing up at his doorstep donning neatly ironed button downs and tailored slacks. He chuckled at their unintentional synchronization.
The restaurant itself had noticeable high ceilings accompanied by huge chandeliers which were surprisingly not too bright. The overall place was still dimly lit, with the exception of a couple of candles scattered around the area. Yoongi being a fan of interior design, immediately took notice of the French bistro seating, as well as how the windows were big enough to give customers an impeccable view of the ocean. Inside, there was a modest lounge which was just as exceptional as the rest of the interior, and a bar towards the back area of the restaurant. They engaged in random conversations, avoiding the dreaded topic of marriage, while having dinner. It was a bit crowded, given that it was a Saturday night, as they made their way to the bar, they noticed how almost every barstool was already occupied, as well as the nearby tables. Not being fond of crowded areas, Yoongi was about to suggest that they head to another bar nearby instead of waiting for a vacant table, when a low voice called out to Seokjin.
“Hyung! We still have room here. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”
It was Taehyung, and judging from the way he eyed Seokjin, the attraction was mutual between them. Yoongi knew Seokjin since they were kids, he decided to let him have his fun for tonight, eventually agreeing to have a few drinks with Taehyung and his friends. He was a good friend, and frankly, if he was going to have a shitty future, the least he could do was to ensure that his loved ones were happy. If it meant sitting uncomfortably with a couple of strangers for a few hours, then Yoongi would gladly oblige if it meant that his friends were going to have a good time which was the main point of this trip anyway. He followed suit, sliding into the sleek black booth, checking out the impressive marble topped table. There were various pieces of contemporary art fixtures hung by the bar, as well as a live band playing in the background. Hoseok decided to sit beside Namjoon, and Seokjin obviously took a seat beside the guy he was into, Taehyung, leaving Yoongi to awkwardly take the vacant spot next to Minnie. The five of them soon began having a conversation, probably picking up where they left off. They were fast friends, almost like they’ve known each other for years. It seemed like the awkward atmosphere was mainly because of Yoongi, truthfully, this was nothing new. He liked to veer away from social events. While they were engrossed with exchanging personal stories, Yoongi quietly listened to them, minding his own business as he took slow sips from his whiskey glass, savoring the taste on his tongue. Minnie noticed that he was the only quiet one in the bunch, striking up a casual conversation. To salvage the strange situation.
“Hey. You doing okay?”
His voice was sweet, if Yoongi would compare it to something, he would definitely associate it with something like honey. The way it dripped into the surface, echoing in Yoongi’s ears.
“I’m okay. Life’s been shitty and it’s about to get shittier but other than that, I’m doing great.”
He didn’t mean for it to come out sounding as grim as it did, internally cursing himself for his lack of appropriate social skills. Why couldn’t he have inherited his mother’s impressive social skills instead of her crippling anxiety? He was positive that he was handed the shorter end of the stick from the day he was born. If Minnie was frightened by this strange confession, he did an amazing job at concealing it. Instead of handing out a judgemental look, he offered a consoling smile. It was probably out of sympathy, but did it really matter?
“Quite the pessimistic one, aren’t you? It’s probably one of your more charming traits.”
He teased, easing Yoongi into gradual comfort. He wanted to show Yoongi that this wasn’t a place for judgement, therefore he wouldn’t be receiving any from Minnie. He took a gulp from his cosmopolitan, Yoongi couldn’t help but watch the movement in his neck as he ingested the drink.
“For what it’s worth, I’m not having such a good time myself. I mean, I am now since I’m with my friends, but in the near future, not so much.”
“Then that makes the two of us. At least I can find some type of comfort knowing that I won’t be going through this shithole called life alone.”
Seokjin overheard Yoongi saying this, yelling out.
“Yoongi, easy on the words of despair. You’ll send poor, cute Minnie running for the hills.”
The entire table bursted into laughter.
“Don’t worry, hyung. I have my fair share of anguish.”
Minnie interjected, sending Yoongi a smug look as if he was telling Yoongi with his eyes that he’s got his back. He raised his glass, initiating a toast with Yoongi.
“To the wretchedness and misery of life as we know it.”
Yoongi let out an amused snicker, this was definitely his type of humor. Without thinking twice, he lifted his own glass, clinking it against Jimin’s, saluting his toast and his statement. They both drank up the remainders of their preferred drink until their glasses were empty up to the very last drop.
This was the beginning of a familiar feeling of solace within Yoongi, as the night grew deeper, he slowly slid into an acceptable level of comfort with his current company. Namjoon, despite his intimidating built and structure, shared many similarities with Yoongi. His knowledge was vast concerning different aspects, but it surprised Yoongi how clumsy he was. He knocked over at least 4 glasses that night, muttering out sheepish apologies. Taehyung was extremely extroverted, it was hard not to feel endeared towards him. Even Hoseok became chummy with him as the night progressed. Seokjin was charmed to no end, that much Yoongi could tell. He watched him hanging on to Taehyung’s every word, intently watching his every move. He had a feeling that this would carry on even after returning back to the city. Minnie was a mystery. A huge question mark. He made little remarks here and there but mostly kept to himself. He communicated when spoken to, but other than that, he remained quiet throughout the night. It was like he was mostly deep in thought, but who was Yoongi to assume and judge when he had his own burdens to worry about.
The group informed the trio that they would be leaving in the morning and that they should stay in contact and arrange another night out in the city. Without question, Seokjin was quick to get Taehyung’s number, and even Hoseok managed to exchange numbers with Namjoon. The night was coming to an end, Yoongi looked at the bottom of his empty glass, suddenly reminded of how eerily similar his life was to the empty glass.
“Hey, we’re probably never going to meet again, or maybe we will, who knows. I just wanted to say that it was really nice to meet you, Yoongi. I hope that life has something pleasantly unexpected for you.”
Jimin was stirring his nearly empty drink when he spoke under his breath causing Yoongi to look over towards his direction.
“Thanks. I appreciate it, I really do. I hope that if I ever get to see you again, you won’t look so sad.”
Yoongi responded with a sincere smile on his face.
He looked taken aback by Yoongi’s keen sense, astonished that he was able to instantly tell that he was feeling down despite smiling and engaging in as much conversation as he could.
“Thank you.”
He let out a dazzling smile, probably his first smile that actually managed to reach his eyes this entire trip. But Yoongi didn’t have to know that. His friends started standing up, clumsily stumbling out of the booth, ready to head to bed since they had an early flight to catch the next day. He gave Yoongi and his companions one last nod bidding farewell before heading back to his quarters.
The rest of the trip passed by in a blink of an eye, Yoongi and his friends spent most of their time relaxing. He wasn’t really in the mood to venture out and explore what the island had to offer, content with having a drink and laying under the sun, mind free of any unwanted thoughts. Seokjin and Hoseok were constantly on their phones, furiously typing away and giggled to themselves from time to time. He was glad that at least his friends got something good out of the trip, which deemed Yoongi’s eventful as well. And soon enough, it was finally time to face the music.
As soon as he stepped out of the chartered plane and into the familiar black car, he couldn’t rid himself from the apparent feeling of suffocation. Dread. Yoongi was in his late 20’s, but initially thought that he had his entire life ahead of him, but thanks to his parents he was reminded yet again that he was not brought into this world as a free man. More like a bird chained to his cage, there was no hope for escape.
The more than modest mansion that greeted him ignited even more worries in his already worry-filled mind. It was cold, and too fucking big for a family of three. Most people had a soft spot for the home they grew up in, but not Yoongi. He absolutely detested the place. It was a mansion. Plain and simple. A house but not a home. Growing up, he saw the people that served them more often than his parents, not that he would complain about that since he would much rather see anyone else rather than his family. He could hear the sound of heels clicking against the marble flooring, and knew who it was in an instant.
“Yoongi? Is that you? Are you finally back?”
The shrill sound of his mother’s voice annoyed Yoongi to no end.
“Yes, eommoni. I just got back.”
“Took you long enough, you’re meeting your fiancé tonight. We’re having dinner, make sure to look presentable.”
This was how it was like living with her, she never bothered to ask Yoongi how his day was, how he was. It was always about what she wanted, what Yoongi had to do in order to meet her expectations. She was more of like his boss rather than the woman who gave birth to him. As awful as that sounded, this was his reality.
“And Yoongi, don’t forget that you’re part of the Min family. Don’t say or do anything that could possibly taint our name.”
She added before walking off to another part of the house, barely even sparing Yoongi a second glance.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he saw a man with a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, his hair was growing noticeably long. He grew it out on purpose since his mother hated it, it was Yoongi’s way of expressing his rebellion. His eyes looked puffy, dark circles began becoming more and more prominent. A result of his nights spent tossing and turning, wondering if he’d end up marrying someone unfathomable. He had to give it to himself, he looked dashing. Although he was dying inside, at least he looked good on the outside. A servant came in informing him that his parents were about to leave and that he should make his way downstairs to join them. He looked at his reflection one last time, unable to recognize that man staring back at him, so dull and empty.
The car ride was filled with silence as per usual, Yoongi didn’t even bother to ask where they were headed to have dinner, he lost his appetite a while back so it didn’t matter. Eyes aimlessly watching the buildings whirl by. The flashing lights coming from cars located on the opposite side of the road served as a good distraction as well. He could wish that his future partner would be a good person, but what good would that do when Yoongi was now a firm believer that wishes were never meant to come true.
The car slowed down until it finally stopped in front of one of the most expensive hotels in the city, can’t say he was surprised that they were having their meeting here. It was a towering skyscraper which had over 50 floors. Modern decorations and interiors, making it one of the most sought after hotels in the city.
He soon discovered that they were going to have dinner at one of the highest floors, a modern day restaurant which housed traditional Chinese cuisine. It was exclusive to only certain high ranking members of society making it one of the most private restaurants in town. Being on one of the top floors, the entire establishment had windows providing their patrons a 360 degree view of the city. They were escorted to a private room, and found out that they arrived earlier than their agreed meeting time. Yoongi's mother took the liberty of ordering several dishes off of the menu while they waited for the other party to arrive. Yoongi’s father suddenly began discussing business related issues with Yoongi, Yoongi merely assumed that he was probably bored and had no one else to talk to, answering respectfully to the best of his abilities. Honestly, their tumbling empire was the last thing on Yoongi's mind, it was far more concerning that he was about to meet the person he was arranged to marry. In the middle of their conversation, a waiter opened the door, informing the Min family that their guests have arrived.
Yoongi held his breath as he stood up, immediately lowering his head and bowing out of courtesy. He could hear his parents gleefully greeting their guests.
“Oh Yoongi, there he is. Yoongi, meet your fiancé, Jimin. Park Jimin.”
His mother blurted out, as he slowly raised his head to greet the person he was about to marry, but as soon as he caught a glimpse of who it was, he felt as if the oxygen had been drained out of his system.
This had to be a cruel joke.
This couldn’t be real.
Was his mind playing tricks on him?
Because the man standing in front of him with an equally frazzled look on his face was none other than the same man he met during his previous trip to Jeju, Minnie.
Who the hell was Park Jimin?
Was the man standing in front of him the person he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with?
Did “Minnie” know all along?
He had so many questions swirling around his head, but simply stood there with his mouth hung open. Yoongi had a difficult time trying to process what was happening.
“Jimin, honey, go greet your fiancé. This is Min Yoongi, heir to Min Industries.”
Jimin’s mom gave him a little nudge, snapping Jimin out of his trance. He cleared his throat and gave a polite bow to greet Yoongi.
“H-hi. Nice to meet you, Yoongi. I’m Park Jimin, the man you’ll be marrying.”
Yoongi kept his gaze on Jimin, he couldn’t comprehend what was happening at the moment. First, he was Minnie, now he was being introduced to Yoongi as Park Jimin, who was apparently his fiancé. They awkwardly stood there, Yoongi just staring at him, when his mother cleared her throat loud enough to remind Yoongi why he was here in the first place. He had to put his personal feelings aside and not dwell on the fact that he was unsure if he was purposely tricked or not.
“I apologize for my rudeness, I’m Min Yoongi. Pleasure to finally meet you, Jimin.”
Barely getting the words out, he bit his inner cheek the entire time.
His mother kept a steady hand at the small of his back, plastering a huge grin on her face.
“Now that we’re all acquainted, let’s have a nice meal together, shall we?”
Prompting the two of them to sit adjacent to each other despite the cumbersome tension between them. Their parents did most of the talking, both of their moms already enthusiastically planning the wedding, unaware that their sons have met previously under very strange circumstances.
Jimin ate his food in silence, careful to not make eye contact with Yoongi, he looked down at either his plate or his lap for the duration of the dinner. Yoongi was pretty much the same, only talking whenever Jimin’s parents directed questions addressed to him, but other than that, he kept his mouth shut. Based on what their parents were discussing, they were set to host an engagement party the following weekend. It included a long guest list composed of influential people which Yoongi could care less about, and he guessed that they probably felt the same way but of course in the world of the wealthy and famous you had to at least pretend to give a fuck. Putting on an act was necessary to form connections for your own benefit. Which was probably one of the many reasons why his mom exerted more effort when it came to being a socialite rather than being a mother. Another bitter truth.
As he looked at Jimin with his pouty lips which reminded him of plump strawberries, his delicate nose and innocent eyes, he couldn’t help but think that no matter how attractive Jimin was or how sincere he sounded back when they had spoken in Jeju, he was like the rest of them.
Someone whom he couldn’t trust. Placing your trust in someone meant vulnerability and vulnerability meant failure. In a world where survival of the fittest existed, there was no room for failure or mistakes.
The dinner felt like forever before it ended, only then was Yoongi able to breathe out a sigh of relief. As they were saying their goodbyes, he looked Jimin in the eyes.
“Looks like I’ll be seeing you soon, my fiancé.”
He drawled out the last part, and made sure to emphasize the word fiancé while Jimin looked at him with confusion and daresay a hint of panic in his eyes.
That night, his mother wasted no time in scribbling down the potential guest list, while Yoongi sat back and could already imagine the shocked look on his friends’ faces once they see who Yoongi was going to end up marrying.
A week had passed and their engagement party was going to be held at one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. His mother made sure to have the entire placed closed down for the evening, renting it out for the party. She had a stylist come in who decorated the place with gold and black balloons to fit the motif she had in mind, drapes were placed on the ceiling cascading all the way down to the floor. Each table had a matching centerpiece and the tablecloths were all switched out to ones that contained the same color scheme. It was far too extravagant and extra, both of which were telltale signs that it was his mother’s doing, a woman who always made it a point to go above and beyond. Yoongi felt sick to his stomach, he was about to really seal the deal and propose tonight. He was going to propose to a complete stranger, he didn’t know which factor terrified him more. Jimin finally entered the establishment, earning a loud applause and a series of compliments being thrown at him for how good he looked. He was wearing an all white ensemble with small gold details embroidered to his suit.
Seokjin and Hoseok were part of the guest list and let out the loudest scandalized gasps as soon as Jimin entered, just how Yoongi expected them to.
Yoongi’s mother stepped up on the podium and positioned herself behind the mic stand, about to make an announcement.
“Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us on this special occasion, it means a lot to us that everyone here took the time to witness our son, Yoongi, propose to the love of his life.”
She brought out a silk handkerchief to wipe the imaginary tears from her eyes, Yoongi was barely able to withhold a scoff from escaping at the poor show his mother was showcasing for everyone else to see.
“My son here has prepared a wonderful speech for the man of his dreams, would you do the honors, Yoongi?”
Suddenly, the spotlight was on him. He was not informed whatsoever that he had to deliver a speech, in front of a huge crowd of socialites no less. He was inclined to make a romantic public proposal and he had absolutely no idea what he should even say to Jimin. How could he even begin to profess his undying love to someone he barely even knew?
He gingerly headed towards the spotlight which was now focused on the center of the room, where he spotted Jimin from the corner of his eye being ushered by his mother to do the same. Pretty soon, they were both awkwardly standing in the middle of the room with the bright spotlight above them. Clueless as to how they should proceed to sell this image of being in a loving relationship to the crowd, who were now anticipating this proposal to occur. Yoongi swallowed a lump in his throat, wishing he could have alcohol instead of a measly lump instead, but the show had to go on. Brushing his pride aside, he held Jimin’s hand as he slowly lowered himself to the ground. Jimin was good at keeping his emotions hidden, his face gave away no signs of distress even though he could only assume that someone as young as Jimin didn’t fancy getting married to a man he barely knew. Nobody in their right mind would. He forced himself to muster up the biggest grin he could as he faced Jimin.
“Park Jimin, the love of my life, I knew from the first moment that you were the one for me.”
Jimin quirked an eyebrow at this, and honestly Yoongi couldn’t blame him, it was a load of bullshit.
“I won’t make this long since you already know what’s in my heart.”
He muttered, it was true, and also he couldn’t take long since Yoongi didn’t even know what the hell he was saying.
“Jimin, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
It was the best Yoongi could come up with since his heart wasn’t in it, how could it be when he was asking a stranger to spend the rest of his life with him? He brought out a velvet box, opening it to reveal a huge diamond ring. Jimin eyed the box with uncertainty, he had an entire restaurant filled with people holding great amounts of expectations for him, he let out a compulsory smile, allowing Yoongi to insert it on his ring finger.
“O-of course I will, Yoongi.”
He didn’t sound as convincing as he would have liked. He brought his hand closer to admire the expensive ring on his finger, it held more weight and implications behind such a beautiful gem.
Perhaps it was the weight of expectancy that weighed the most.
The crowd cheered and applauded, but Jimin and Yoongi could spot their friends in the crowd with equally flabbergasted expressions. Who could blame them? They clearly weren’t expecting to see each other so soon. Heck, Yoongi wasn’t expecting to see Jimin ever again, but here he was, engaged to him.
They remained standing in the middle of the room, entertaining guests who wanted to come up to them to congratulate them and give them their well wishes. It was a social event, after all. Their friends patiently waited until the crowd thinned out before approaching the couple.
“Yoongi, what the fuck is this?” Seokjin wasted no time and asked him directly.
“Sssshh. Keep your voice down, hyung. I'll explain things in private later.”
Yoongi warned him, looking around to check if anyone was eavesdropping.
“Min, you’ve also got some explaining to do.”
Taehyung warily eyed him.
“And I will, later. Just trust us when we say that we had no idea things would end up like this either.”
Jimin relayed, sending him an apologetic look. He could only imagine how baffled his friends were that he was set to marry the ‘grumpy looking hyung’ from Jeju and how concerned they must be.
The entire night they were forced to mingle with the other guests of the party, playing the part of a newly engaged couple who were blissfully infatuated with one another. As the guests were slowly leaving one by one, Jimin leaned in to whisper in Yoongi’s ear.
“Can I speak to you privately? After the party.”
To which he nodded, agreeing that they needed to have a conversation. There were so many things that needed to be discussed.
Soon, the only ones left were a few relatives and their friends. Jimin promised them that they would meet up soon and he’d keep them up to date as to what was actually happening, he needed to clear the air between him and Yoongi first. As soon as he noticed that there were only a handful of people left, Jimin pulled Yoongi to a secluded corner to have a word with him.
“Hey, we haven’t had a chance to actually talk about this.”
“Did you know? This entire time, did you know about this?”
Yoongi questioned, his tone came out sounding as if he was accusing Jimin of knowing and pretending that he didn’t this entire time. Trust issues, as one would say.
The lines across Jimin’s forehead were appearing as he furrowed his brows angrily.
“No! Of course not! I knew that I was about to be wed off, but they never told me to whom. All my parents told me was that if I agreed, and which I did by the way, and eventually I had no choice but to go along with what my in laws wanted since this is what your company needed.”
So, it wasn’t just Yoongi. They were on the same boat, but it didn’t mean he could easily trust Jimin. What caught his attention was how Jimin mentioned that he agreed to this. How could anyone in their right mind agree to an arranged marriage when they had other options? Yoongi couldn't wrap his head around it.
“This is what I’ve been meaning to discuss. You might assume that I tricked you or stalked you in Jeju, but that was purely coincidental. You can even ask my best friend, Tae, since he spotted your friend and was immediately into him.”
It was such a frustrating situation for Jimin, he had to somehow prove his innocence even if he willingly agreed to this arrangement out of kindness and maybe even pity. His heart was too big and this time, it was biting him in the ass.
“Let’s say I believe you, that still doesn’t change things. We're still getting married on Monday.”
Yoongi deadpanned. Honestly, none of it mattered at this point.
“I know. I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot. Can we at least try and get along? Make things a little easier for us?”
Jimin had a big heart, everyone who knew him could attest to this. Which is why even when he was in the middle of a hopeless situation, he tried to see the positive, attempted to make the best out of it since he wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Yoongi could hear the sincerity in his voice, he really could. But Yoongi has been holding on to false hope for most of his life, he couldn’t put himself through it again. Not now. Not with this stranger he was set to marry.
“What’s the point of getting along? Either way, we both have no way out of this marriage. Tell you what, you can do whatever you want to do. I won’t mind. Let’s keep our lives separate.”
Jimin couldn’t understand how Yoongi could ever believe that what he was suggesting would be a better solution. They were about to form a union, an eternal one at that, why couldn’t they just at least try and get to know each other?
“How is that a better option?”
He questioned.
“I don’t know. There is no better option in this situation. You need to learn how to let go of that foolish optimism of yours, it won’t do you any good.”
He began to walk away from the scene.
“Well then let me be foolish and try, Yoongi. This is a lifetime thing.”
Jimin called out, speaking to Yoongi who had his back turned to him.
“You can try all you want. Don’t come crying when it all doesn’t work out in the end.”
And he finally made long strides away from Jimin. Try? What did Jimin even hope to get out of this? A happy relationship? Yoongi didn’t think that people like Jimin still existed. He couldn’t lie, Jimin seemed like a nice guy, but Yoongi has learned the hard way that with the life they had, ‘nice’ wouldn’t cut it. Nice wouldn’t get you anywhere, if anything, being nice would end up betraying them in one way or another.
Yoongi was convinced that by the end of it all, Jimin would end up hating his guts.
Just like everyone else.