Chapter Text
Seokjin took a deep breath before pulling himself together. The icy cold water from the tap woke him up from his drowsiness. He hated social events so much. The smell of expensive perfume and fake laughs echoing throughout the hall made him nauseous. Everyone knew the reason why they were all here in the first place; to build connection. Nothing about the place resembles sincerity or authenticity.
‘No matter how famous you are, you’ll still be insignificant if you don’t have a good connection, Seokjinnie.’
That was what Seokjin’s boyfriend would say every time he expressed his dislikes for these events. Speaking of his boyfriend, Seokjin had no idea where Do-hyung had run off to ever since they arrived. He told Seokjin to mingle with some potential business moguls who would be interested in investing in his new modeling agency. That was what Seokjin mostly did during these functions, building a network for his director boyfriend. It was at one of these events that he met his boyfriend. Seokjin was still a rookie model, all wide eyed and in-awe at all the extravagant things he witnessed.
Do-hyung approached him first, offering him a side role in his new project because a face like Seokjin should be cast in a movie and appeared on every billboard around Seoul. Both of them were rookies in their respective fields and Seokjin found him charming back then and accepted his invitation. The rest was history you could say. Even though it was thanks to his rich grandma that worked her way through for Seokjin to be able to get to the social event, it was the movie that he did with Do-hyung that caught the attention of the representative of a talent agency who was present on that day.
They offered him a contract on the spot and before he knew it, he was appearing on the screen of most households in South Korea. It took him five years of working nonstop to reach the status of an A-class actor, but even then some liked to dismiss his hard work due to his easy breakthrough. Do-hyung had been with him through everything and he was grateful that he had someone to lean on in this demanding industry. Which was also the reason why he didn’t refuse whenever his boyfriend used him to extend his business. Afterall, Do-hyung was with him from the start.
But these days, Seokjin felt like he was simply in the relationship for the sole purpose of making connections for Do-hyung. He never really saw him and the only time they would meet was in an event like this or when Seokjin had a photoshoot.
He pulled out his phone to call his boyfriend, hoping he would answer it. Just as he had predicted, it simply went to voicemail.
“Do-hyung-ah, where are you? I've had enough of mingling with people for tonight and I really want to go back home. Please call me when you get this message. I’ll be waiting for you near the entrance after I say goodbye to Minkyu. He said he’s interested in your modeling agency.”
Seokjin glanced at himself in the mirror once he ended the call. The makeup noona would be upset with him if she realized he had ruined her makeup. All the mascara smudges and the concealer comes off to show the bags under his eyes due to the contact with water. He didn’t mean to ruin it. But after putting on fake smiles and laughter for two hours straight, Seokjin simply needed a break to catch his breath. On impulse, when he got into the bathroom, he splashed his face with some ice cold water to get some relief. It did wake him up, but the consequence was the ruined makeup.
He fixed it a little with some tissues and checked himself in the mirror. Seokjin then left the bathroom after taking a few more deep breaths to return to the young CEO who seemed to be interested in his boyfriend’s new business. With some more charming smiles, he could totally win over Minkyu for his boyfriend.
Just when he left the bathroom, he heard a laughter coming through one of the vacant ballrooms adjacent to the toilet. Seokjin was not normally an inquisitive person. He would have walked away if the next voice coming from the room didn’t sound oddly similar to Do-hyung. Without noticing himself, his feet took him toward the room where his boyfriend might be.
The door to the room was slightly ajar so he pushed it a little to invite himself.
“Do-hyung? Is that you?” Seokjin heard a gasp and a curse coming from inside the room before the door suddenly opened and revealed a very out of breath Do-hyung. His hair was out of place like someone had run through it. His shirt and tie were out of place and the belt was unbuckled.
“Seokjin! W-what are you doing here?” Do-hyung questioned, trying to appear as calm as possible even though Seokjin could tell he was hiding something.
“What I’m doing? What are /you/ doing here in an empty room?” Seokjin’s heart beat rapidly against his ribcage. Even though he could tell from his boyfriend’s disheveled look, he foolishly wished he was wrong.
“N-nothing. Just trying to negotiate some business deal. You know some people are not so comfortable with the crowd. I’ll be back. Just wait inside the hall, okay.” Do-hyung tried to slam the door in Seokjin's face but he was quicker at blocking it.
“Business deal? Do you take me for a fool, Do-hyung?” Seokjin spat and stepped inside the room. His breathing stopped for a moment once he saw who was hiding behind the door.
“Sel-byul?” Seokjin whispered. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Sel-byul didn’t seem to feel comfortable getting caught as well as she kept trying to pull up the strap from her dress which was apparently pulled down by none other than his boyfriend.
“Seokjin sunbaenim-” Sel-byul began but the older actor stopped her mid sentence.
“How could you?” Seokjin couldn’t say more, feeling betrayed by both his boyfriend and a junior that he had willingly taken under his wing.
“Since when did this start?” Seokjin waited for them to answer but none of them responded. Eyeing each other as if to secretly communicate right in front of Seokjin.
“I said since when?” Seokjin bellowed, which got a reaction out of Do-hyung.
“Since you started busy with your goddamn schedule in March, geeze calm the fuck down!” Do-hyung retorted.
March. That was all Seokjin could register. It’s already October so it means every time he has seen his boyfriend and Sel-byul all these months, they’ve been cheating behind his back. Seokjin felt humiliated and used.
“Honestly speaking Seokjin, you can’t solely blame me for this. Think about it. How many times have you spent with me during the last 3 months? You are always putting your work first. How can you expect me to sit around and wait for you when you don’t even spare time for me?” Do-hyung argued.
Seokjin rendered speechless after hearing his boyfriend’s accusation. He had been busy the last three months going around building a network for Do-hyung’s new business. He begged him to do it for him because according to him, people loved Seokjin and they were more willing to listen about the investment if it came from him.
“Why do you think I’m busy these months? You asked me for my help to grow your god-damn business! I was running around like a lunatic for you while you’re having an affair with my junior behind my back!” Seokjin yelled. He couldn’t believe the audacity of his boyfriend. Yes, Seokjin had been busy with his new drama schedule, but when he’s not busy, he would be conjuring meetings every time he tried to make arrangements to meet up with his boyfriend, Do-hyung always gave a reason to postpone it. Seokjin realized it was no use arguing with him. He had finally come to realize that his boyfriend had always been a selfish prick. He was blinded by love before to see his true color, but now Seokjin was done fighting.
He felt betrayed and heartbroken, but one thing Seokjin couldn’t stand the most in the relationship was infidelity. He had always believed that there was no use in mending the bond once one of the partners began to be unfaithful. He had already decided to end whatever they had when he first saw Sel-byul behind the door, but Do-hyung’s comment was like a final nail in the coffin to make up his mind.
“And you,” Seokjin pointed an accusatory finger at Sel-byul who was trying her best to be invisible in front of him. At least she had the decency to show remorse for her actions.
“Ever since you joined our agency, I’ve been nothing but kind to you. How could you do this to me?” Seokjin whispered, hurt evident in his voice.
“I- I have no words to say, sunbaenim. I’m sorry I fell for director-nim.” Sel-byul whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked ashamed but Seokjin didn’t have any sympathy for her. He’s been in the industry for over 8 years now and he knew exactly why people like Sel-byul would willingly go after directors who were already in a relationship.
“Please, save your tears. You’re just sorry because you got caught. I thought you were different, but I guess I have poor judgment.” Before Seokjin could continue, Do-hyung stood beside Sel-byul and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“Now, now, why would you say something like that to Sel-byul. She’s your junior. You already know how things work in our industry, baby. There’s always a fresh face debuting every other week. You need to take care of your looks if you want to stay relevant. It’s not my fault that I get bored of the same face. Not to mention you’re getting old. I’m -”
Seokjin slapped Do-hyung hard in the face before he could spew more bullshit.
“Yeah, it’s my fault for falling for someone as despicable as you. I should have listened to my mother when she told me to drop your ass a few years back. You’re nothing but an egoistic prick. Just in case you haven’t realized, we’re over!”
Do-hyung rubbed the cheek Seokjin slapped in anger. There was no kindness or love in his eyes when he looked at the actor like Seokjin was the one who was in the wrong.
“Fine! It’s not like I still want to be with you anyway. Before you say nonsense like you’ve helped me build my career, I’m signing a big deal with Min Entertainment tonight. They wanted to invest in my modeling agency. You did nothing for me so get off your high horse and be thankful that I put up with you for even five years.” He walked up to Seokjin and patted his shoulder in a condescending way.
“I can’t say things are looking good for you though. I heard your latest drama hasn’t even reached the targeted viewer rating. I hope you can find someone who will be able to save your drowning career. Well, if you can’t find anyone better, you can always find me. I don’t mind having you as a side interest.”
Anger bubbling through his body, Seokjin attempted to slap Do-hyung again but the prick was faster this time and quickly grabbed his wrist.
“Have a nice life, Seokjin because I sure will. Let’s not cross paths again, shall we?” Do-hyung then grabbed Sel-byul’s hand and walked out, leaving Seokjin behind in an empty room.
Seokjin remained frozen in his spot for a couple more minutes trying to process everything that happened. He broke up with his long term boyfriend. The person whom he has given all his trust. His mother would be ecstatic though. She never really liked Do-hyung and Seokjin understood now that he wasn’t looking at his ex-boyfriend through rose colored glasses.
Seokjin couldn’t breathe. Everything felt suffocating like someone was holding him by his throat. He needed to get out. In a rush, he didn’t notice there was a person right outside the door. Seokjin slammed into the stranger and fell to the floor with its impact. He tried getting up, but his body wasn’t cooperating.
“Uhm, are you alright? Do you need help?” Maybe Seokjin was simply craving for care or it was the soothing sound of the stranger that made him finally cry his eyes out. Seokjin put his hand over his heart and patted it, desperately hoping for the aching feeling to go away. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t breathe properly at all and he realized a bit too late that he was having a panic attack. Do-hyung used to be the one to comfort whenever he got these attacks before but now, he was the one that caused it and there was no one to console him except for the stranger who was standing awkwardly looking down at his pathetic self on the floor. That thought drove Seokjin more into panic knowing there was no one to help him. He was getting out of breath, he couldn’t stop crying and the ache around his chest seemed to intensify as the second passed. But then, a large, warm hand made a soothing circle on his back. He found the man from before kneeling before him with a look of concern.
“Hey, hey, look at me. It’s okay. You’re not alone. I’m here. You are safe. Everything will be fine. Just breathe with me okay. Listen to my voice and breath. Can you do that for me?” The soothing voice of the stranger oddly enough calmed his chaotic mind a bit. He gave a slide nod as an answer and the stranger began to count.
“Now count with me in your head. 1 2 3 breath in. That’s it, very good. Now breathe out and count 1 2 3.”
Seokjin listened to the gentle voice of the stranger and followed the instructions. He held onto one of the man’s hands like a life line and tried to do as told, breathing in and out. After a few minutes, his breathing went back to normal and there wasn’t any ache in his chest anymore.
When the panic clouding his brain left his mind, he noticed how close they were sitting on the floor. Only then he could see the appearance of the stranger clearly and immediately he felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment. Just by looking at the expensive custom made suit the stranger was wearing, Seokjin could tell he was one of the rich businessmen attending the function. The man looked dashing with his long hair slick back accompanied by the branded suit. He seemed to be around Seokjin’s age and it stomped the actor as he knew most of the rich CEOs in his world, but this guy looked too young to be one of them.
“Are you feeling better now?” The man’s voice pulled Seokjin out of his thoughts and belatedly he realized he had been staring.
“Y-yeah I’m okay. Thank you.” The actor got up from the floor with the help of the stranger. He was aware of the hand that was still rubbing soothing circles around his waist even though both of them were already standing.
“I’m sorry I bumped into you. I didn’t see that you were there.” The stranger stared at him without saying anything. It looked like he was contemplating something. When Seokjin was about to say goodbye, he said,
“He wasn’t worth it, you know. If he had the guts to sneak around behind your back then you should be happy that you’ve dodged a bullet. Don’t waste your tears over a guy like him.”
When Seokjin looked at him weirdly, he continued, “I accidentally heard your conversation with your ex. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I came out of the bathroom and you guys were a bit loud.” He grimaced after he finished explaining as if he was uncomfortable. He moved on his feet from side to side waiting for Seokjin to say something.
“I get it. You don’t need to explain yourself. Thank you for your help. I guess I will see you around then.” Seokjin gave a slight nod toward the man and he returned the gesture. Both of them part ways without telling each other their names. Seokjin didn’t feel the need to introduce himself. After all, everyone knew who he was at this event. But that didn’t mean he regretted a bit that he didn’t ask the man his name.
Yoongi had always taken pride in himself for being able to distinguish work and personal grudges. Even if someone he worked with was a shitty person, he wouldn’t care as long as they could do their job well. So, it came as a surprise to him when he pulled out his phone from his pocket to make an impulsive decision just because he saw Kim Seokjin having a panic attack on the floor because of one asshole. Yoongi wasn’t even a fan of the actor.
“Hello, Taehyung-ah, could you cancel the meeting I had with Woo Do-hyung? No, you don’t need to rearrange it. Just tell him the deal’s off. I’m not making any investment in his shitty business. If he asks the reason, just tell him he will find out soon.”
Luckily, Taehyung, who happened to be his secretary slash cousin, didn't question his sudden change of heart. He thanked Taehyung quickly and ended the call before heading for the parking lot. It had been a long night. He couldn’t wait to return to the warmth of his bed and unwind. He hoped his mother wouldn’t give him an earful for his reckless decision.
*
The ride back home was such a blurry experience for Seokjin. He didn’t realize he was crying the whole time until his manager gave him a box of tissue to wipe the mess.
“I know this is not a good time, but you might want to check twitter. It’s related to Do-hyung.” Seojoon said while giving him an uncomfortable smile. Seokjin wanted to be left alone at this point, but he obliged nonetheless. When he saw what’s trending at the top spot of the world wide trend, Seokjin understood why Seojoon wanted him to check.
Seokjin glared at his phone as if he could set his phone on fire with just glaring. The grip on his Samsung Z flip got tighter as he reread the big bold red letters of the headline about his breakup with the director. Underneath the title was the picture of Do-hyung with Sel-byul taken at the event tonight. Do-hyung, that bastard told the public without his consent.
“Don’t worry, hyung. The PR team is already taking care of it. He announced his new girlfriend right there and people started to assume that he dumped you even though he said it like it was a mutual breakup so he’s the one getting backlash right now.”
That seemed worse in Seokjin’s opinion. He didn’t want sympathy from anyone. Especially not because somebody dumped him. Raged in anger, he dialed the number which he would block after this final call.
He didn’t expect Do-hyung to pick up the phone, but he did.
“You have no right to announce our break up without my consent. If you have an ounce of decency, you would have consulted with me first before you let the media get involved.”
Seokjin said as soon as Do-hyung picked up without giving him a chance to utter a word.
“I have been a fool for spending eight years of my time with you. But thank you for opening my eyes, Do-hyung. My mom has been right. You are nothing but a leech. Good luck with Sel-byul. You guys deserve each other.”
Seokjin ended the call right afterward and made sure to block the number. It was for the best, he thought. Seokjin was still mourning over the eight year relationship when he walked out of the hotel lobby despite Do-hyung cheating. But seeing the smirk on Do-hyung’s face while having his hand on Sel-byul’s waist in the photo was a total wake up call for him. He should thank the bastard for helping him completely move on from him.
Seokjin wiped all the tears and asked Seojoon to hand him a mirror. He made sure to fix his make up. His mom was going to be waiting for him when he arrived. He wasn’t going to act miserable for a prick like Do-hyung. Yes, they spent eight years of their lives, together, so what? People divorce every other day. A break up from a cheating boyfriend was nothing, it wasn't something he should feel ashamed of as he had done nothing wrong.
“Are you okay, hyung?” His manager asked while clutching his iPad tight. Seokjin knew what that meant. Whenever Seojoon held onto his iPad for dear life, something unpleasant had happened with Seokjin’s work and he didn’t know how to break it to the actor.
“I’m fine, Seojoon. I’m not made of glass, so spit it out whatever that’s bothering you.”
“Uh, well, you see. In the morning, Kang PDnim called and told me that there was a change in on set director for your current drama. He said Do-hyung would be in charge of directing the upcoming four episodes. The other director’s wife was rushed to ER this morning and he wouldn’t be able to continue with filming. PDnim wanted to know whether it would be okay for you to work with him.”
Seokjin closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
“I didn’t think it was a problem because you’ve worked with your boyfriend- I mean your ex before so I said it would be okay. I’m so sorry, hyung. I can cancel it if you want me to.” Seojoon hung his head low in shame. The actor knew he was beating himself up for not consulting with him first. He couldn’t really blame him though. Seokjin, himself wasn’t aware he would be breaking up with his boyfriend tonight.
“It’s alright, Seojoon-ah. I know how to distinguish between work and personal matters.”
“But hyung-”
“I’m not going to back out of my drama just because my ex is directing it. That would cause a stain in my career, Seojoon. So it’s fine. I will do it. Now just let me be.”
The younger manager nodded quickly and let Seokjin drown in his thoughts for the rest of the ride.
When he got home, just as he had expected, his mother was waiting for him in the living room. He attempted to go up straight to his room, but his mom called out for him.
“Not now, mom. I’m tired, I’ll tell you everything in the morning.”
“Seokjin-ah,” His mother called again, there was a hint of warning in her voice. The actor stopped midway to glance at her.
“Your grandma is here. She wants to talk to you.” Seokjin groaned internally.
Having his grandma at their house meant one thing only. She was here to play matchmaker again. She had been nagging Seokjin for the past two years to find someone from an appropriate household and settle down. She was never on board with his career choice, but Seokjin was also a stubborn person so they made a deal. If Seokjin couldn’t break through in the entertainment industry within two years, he had to work under his grandma’s supervision and take over the Kim corporation when he was ready.
Fortunately for him, and much to his grandma’s dismay he won the best new actor award by the end of the first year and became well-known throughout the country. Since then, his grandma had kept quiet about inheriting the family business.
Just like his mom, his granny dearest wasn’t very fond of Do-hyung.
“It’s very obvious that he’s using your status, Jin. What do you even see in a guy like him?”
His grandma would always say that at every family dinner, while telling him to go on a date that she had set up. She had been obsessed with Seokjin’s love life ever since she had to give up the plan of making Seokjin the successor of her company. Now, Seokjin bet she might have rushed from her mansion to their house as soon as she saw the news about his breakup. It was very on brand with her characteristics. Seokjin simply rolled his eyes and headed towards the living room.
“Hello grandmother, I hope you’ve been well.” Seokjin said it as a greeting before taking a seat in front of his grandma.
“I feel well now that my grandson has finally broken up with his good for nothing trash like boyfriend.” His grandma retorted. Kim Myung-Hee, the heiress to the sole empire of Kim corporation, who could still manage the company when she was already nearing seventy. She was a woman with an iron heart, who had lost her husband when she was only twenty-eight.
“Halmonim, I’m really not in the mood right now. Just in case you haven’t noticed, I had a bad breakup and the whole world is talking about it on social media. Can we please talk tomorrow only?” Seokjin pleaded with his grandma while pulling the biggest puppy dog eyes he could ever conjure.
“I’m sorry you got hurt, Seokjinnie, but I’m not sorry that you’re finally free from that leech. Don’t you think this is the best time to get back at him? He ditched you for some plain girl. It’s the best time for you to go on a date with the heir of the Min corporation. I heard the Mins were looking for a husband for their son.”
Seokjin immediately choked on his own saliva at his grandma’s suggestion. The Mins were the most influential people in the business world. From supermarkets to electronic appliances, there wasn’t a field in which their household name wasn’t dominating. And to think his grandma wanted him to go on a date with the son of the Min family, the one and only Min Yoongi. His grandma might have been really out of it this time. Everyone including little kids in South Korea knew the name Min Yoongi. The precious, most visionary CEO of the country. But what seemed to be the strangest thing was that nobody knew what Min Yoongi looked like.
He had never done interviews publicly nor had he taken any photoshoots. Whoever tried to get his picture ended up in jail for up to 10 years with no leniency policy.
Seokjin didn’t want to date someone who was that private. Him being constantly in the spotlight, it wouldn’t even last for a day if he had to date someone like Min Yoongi.
“Both of you, do you even know what you’re talking about? I’m not doing it. The answer remains the same even if you force me to.”
“Why are you so against it? You’re finally single! Min Yoongi is a good match for you!” Seokjin’s grandma exclaimed.
“Granny, why would someone like Min Yoongi want to marry me? Not to mention how he’s been hiding his face for a long time. Who knows what he even looks like. Do you really want your grandson to marry someone who’s this secretive? What if he’s an old man and has been lying his age this whole time!” Seokjin screamed dramatically, causing his grandmother to roll her eyes at his outburst.
“Yoongi is simply a quiet person who doesn’t want anyone to invade his privacy. I’ve met him before when I was negotiating a business deal with his mom. He’s a nice young man. It was his mother who reached out to us first and proposed this arrangement.”
Seokjin’s eyes widened at the revelation. If the mother reached out to his grandma then Min Yoongi must be on board. Or was he forced into it just like Seokjin.
“Let me tell you before your brilliant mind comes up with any ridiculous theories,Yoongi agreed to this arrangement willingly.” Myung-Hee said as if she sensed what was on her grandson’s mind.
“According to his mom, he has been refusing to go on any arrangement for quite a while now, but when he saw your photo, he agreed to it immediately. That boy already has interest in you, Seokjin-ah. And he’s rich and successful. All you have to do is give him a chance. Don’t you want to see your grandma happy? I’m just asking you to go to one family gathering. If you don’t like him, then we’ll move on to another best suitor although it might be hard to compete with Min Yoongi.”
Knowing the fact that Min Yoongi agreed to the proposal did pique Seokjin’s interest. Why would a chaebol who could get anyone easily agree to an arranged marriage with someone like him? A celebrity whose career was built on being in the public eye. Seokjin’s curiosity for the man got the best of him and in the end, he gave in to his grandmother’s request.
Myung-Hee beamed brightly at him, telling how he wouldn’t regret his decisions at all and then shooting him upstairs because she had phone calls to make and a wedding to plan with her daughter-in-law. Seokjin watched his grandmother talk happily on the phone with Yoongi’s mom with a fond smile before he decided to head to his room. It had been a long day. Just in the entirety of one day, he had found out about his boyfriend cheating behind his back, breaking up with said boyfriend and then agreeing to get into an arranged marriage with Min Yoongi. He hoped he did the right thing.
The next morning, Seokjin’s mother told him that his granny had planned for his and Yoongi’s family to meet in two days. The actor was surprised how fast his grandma planned it. He just nodded his head and left for work.
********
Woo Do-hyung had the nerve to look smug when Seokjin stepped onto the set. The atmosphere of the set turned rather tense as soon as people saw the couple standing face to face. Seokjin mustered up the brightest smile and greeted Do-hyung like nothing happened. It took the director by surprise how friendly the actor was acting. People seemed to lose all their nerves after they sensed that nothing was really going to happen.
Do-hyung didn’t comment anything and just like that, they began the filming of the episode. Everything seemed okay until Sel-byul showed up at the set. Seokjin’s blood boiled just by seeing the two standing close to each other. Sel-byul had the audacity to parade around the set announcing how she brought snacks for all the set members. Do-hyung gave everyone a 20 minute break to enjoy the light snacks. The crew were torn between accepting the food and politely declining it to avoid Seokjin’s wrath. The actor simply decided to return to his trailer so that he could take everyone out of the awkward situation.
“Seokjin-ah, our Sel-byul has brought food for everyone. Why don’t you join us?” Do-hyung called out before the actor could walk away. Seokjin rolled his eyes internally before turning around to face the couple. Frankly speaking, he didn’t feel anything for Do-hyung, but everytime he looked at the two, Seokjin could still sense the anger rising within him. The betrayal still fresh in his mind, he couldn’t pretend like what they did had no impact on him. To stay level headed during the filming was easy because Seokjin could tune out any distractions or emotions once he was in character. However, the actor didn’t have any energy to exchange pleasantries and put on a facade when they were on breaks. So he was about to turn down their offer when an idea struck him. He realized then that the reason why Sel-byul and Do-hyung so desperately wanted him to interact with them was for the publicity stunt. They wanted to look like they have a good relationship with Seokjin. Do-hyung had stated in his interview that the breakup was a mutual agreement and that they had a blessing from the actor.
His announcement about their breakup wasn’t received well by the public. Everyone assumed Do-hyung cheated behind Seokjin’s back and they were absolutely correct with their assumption. Do-hyung used Seokjin as a shield in his statement but unfortunately, the public didn’t buy it and they were getting quite a backlash on the internet since the news broke out. Sel-byul has been dragged to hell and back by the netizens calling her names while Do-hyung had been labeled as the two timer and the ungrateful boyfriend. They got what they deserved and Seokjin didn’t have any ounce of sympathy for them. He ain’t making anything easy for them which was why he decided to make sure everyone saw his distaste towards the couple.
“Do-hyung ssi, I would appreciate it if you address me accordingly while we are on set. I’m not going to let my personal grudges interfere with my work, but that doesn’t mean I would tolerate any bullshit. You are not in any position to use banmal with me so make sure you use correct honorifics when you talk to me.” Seokjin then glanced at Sel-byul who was trying to plead him with her eyes. The actor scoffed at her action.
“As for you Sel-byul, I’m kind of amazed you have the courage to show up on the set where I’m present. If I were you, I would try to lay low for a while instead of showing up at the same place as my boyfriend’s ex. Thanks for the food, but I’m not in the mood to eat, so I’ll pass. Enjoy yourself.” Seokjin walked away from the set afterward, leaving the fuming Do-hyung and a dumbfounded Sel-byul behind with multiple judging pairs of eyes.
The actor could hear all the whispers and gossips going around among the people who have witnessed the short interaction. Seokjin smirked to himself. If Do-hyung and Sel-byul thought they could still use him like they pleased, then they were pretty naive. The actor was sure they weren’t expecting that kind of reaction from him. After all, they had never witnessed a petty Kim Seokjin before. The actor had always been a very supportive person who would do anything for the sake of the people he loved and cared for.
What Do-hyung and Sel-byul seemed to forget was the fact that he no longer cared for them. That they had badly hurt him and there was no way he would play along with their narrative just because there were so many people on set. The old Seokjin might play along as he would feel bad to turn down someone’s offer even if they had done dirty to him, but not this Seokjin. If they thought they could still mess with Seokjin after everything, then they were so damn wrong.
Seokjin spent the remaining break inside his trailer, letting his makeup noona retouch his makeup and reading the script for the next scene. Five minutes before the break ended, he heard a knock before Do-hyung entered. Seokjin glanced up for a second before resuming his reading, barely acknowledging the director’s presence.
“I didn’t tell you to come in, Do-hyung-ssi. Don’t you know that waiting for permission to enter someone’s trailer is the basic manner?”
“I want to have a word with you before we resume filming.” Do-hyung demanded, purposefully ignoring Seokjin’s former statement.
“Then talk, nobody’s stopping you.” Seokjin replied without looking up from his script.
“In private, I want to talk in private.” Do-hyung hinted at the makeup noona who was standing beside Seokjin while silently throwing daggers at the director.
Seokjin closed the script and exhaled a long sigh before smiling at the makeup artist.
“Noona, could you please give us a moment? I’ll let you know when we’re done. It won’t take long, that’s for sure.” The makeup artist gave Seokjin a small smile and walked away. Once the door to the trailer closed shut, Do-hyung showed his true colors.
“What the fuck were you thinking out there? Calling Sel-byul like that and talking about honorifics. I know you are still upset about the breakup but that doesn’t mean you have to go around holding grudges. That was very childish of you, Seokjin.”
The actor let out a laugh after listening to Do-hyung’s outburst. Seokjin never knew there could be people so full of themselves that they couldn’t see what was wrong with them.
“Did you hear yourself? You cheated on me first. Sel-byul willingly has an affair with you even though she knew that you were taken. I was the one who got betrayed and yet you are calling me childish?” Seokjin retorted. There was no limit to the amount of disappointment and hatred he felt for his former flame.
“This would benefit you too if you play along. If people could see we were on good terms, you wouldn’t be labeled as the pathetic actor who got his boyfriend snatched away by some young actress. They would believe our breakup was mutual and that would bring a better reputation for you and for all of us. Now everybody’s going to think you are a crazy ex who can’t let go of the past.”
Seokjin scoffed at the obvious bullshit that Do-hyung was spewing.
“We are not on good terms so why should I act like it? You should be grateful that I’m not going around playing the victim card. With all the hate both of you are getting, if I shed a tear in an interview and talked about the breakup, you wouldn’t even be able to direct the drama. So be thankful and know your place. If you do anything ridiculous and bring Sel-byul again on the set, I’ll make sure both of you don’t even have a career.”
Do-hyung began to argue, but Seokjin beat him to it.
“My patience is running low, Do-hyung. Next time, don’t come into my trailer for anything except to discuss work. Your five minutes are up so leave before I change my mind and make sure to tell everyone what happened that night at the function.”
The director glared at him but without another word, he dashed out of the trailer.
The rest of the filming went smoothly with no more drama. However, Seokjin could sense a shift in the staff's attitude. Most of the staff no longer interact with Do-hyung unless it was necessary.
As he was still the director, there was a certain level of respect when they spoke to him, but he could see how it was forced and apart from talking about work, no one was willing to strike a convo with Do-hyung. He could also see the glares some staff sent toward Do-hyung when he wasn’t looking. As for Seokjin, everybody was doting on him. They got much friendlier and everyone was ready to help and fix anything that could cause the actor discomfort. Seokjin wasn’t expecting a drastic change in attitude with the staff, but he wasn’t complaining. He didn’t want pity from people at first, but if it made Do-hyung suffer more, then he wasn’t against the idea of people taking pity on him.
Just as he had expected, headlines about Do-hyung’s infidelity appeared on every news and media outlet the next day. People talked and everything that happened at the set was shared on social media. Even though the original poster didn’t include the celebrity names, everybody concluded that it was about Seokjin, Do-hyung and Sel-byul. For the next few days, the rumors about Do-hyung cheating was the only topic discussed on the internet. More people followed Seokjin on his Instagram and Twitter while Do-hyung was losing his. It went so bad that at last Do-hyung released a statement deflating all the rumors and saying he would sue whoever kept writing misinformation about his breakup.
Seokjin wanted to laugh seeing how his ex still wanted to keep the act about how their breakup was mutual. Since the news broke out, the actor hadn’t released any statement from his side and that made the netizens make more assumptions. The only thing his company had released was asking for fans to respect his private life and to not make any assumptions which was a very vague statement that didn’t give much information. The comments and articles began to die now after Do-hyung threatened to sue. But everything was already out in the open and people already knew that the breakup wasn’t mutual like the director had stated. They just stopped commenting because they were afraid of facing a lawsuit. Do-hyung already got a bad reputation so Seokjin was happy with it. It was time for Seokjin to move on as well and try to see whether his relationship with Min Yoongi would work out or not.
Seokjin decided to give the CEO a chance as his grandmother couldn’t stop praising the latter whenever he was brought up in the conversation. He was supposed to meet his family and Yoongi at 12 noon today, but he was running late. There were some technical difficulties on set and the filming got delayed by thirty minutes which made Seokjin late for the family gathering.
He hoped Min Yoongi wasn’t the kind of person whose pet peeves were tardiness.
When Seokjin arrived, everybody was already there, the two families talking animatedly.
“I’m sorry I’m late, there was a delay at the set today and I couldn’t leave early. I hope I didn’t make you wait long.” Seokjin kept bowing while apologizing to Myung-hee, his mom and Yoongi’s mother. Luckily for him, everyone was understanding and simply urged him to sit. Only then did he notice the young man sitting across from his seat who seemed to be engrossed in his work, furiously typing on his laptop. Seokjin let out a surprise gasp when he realized the man sitting in front of him was the same guy from the function who helped him during his panic attack. Just like back then, he was wearing a three-piece black Armani suit. His hair reaching his shoulder has been gelled and slicked back. He looked handsome in a non-traditional way and it took Seokjin’s breath away. The man looked up, sensing his stare and gave him a curt nod.
“Hello, Kim Seokjin-ssi. Nice to meet you again.” Seokjin opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. He was too stunned to form words.
“You’re Min Yoongi?” Seokjin questioned and Yoongi smirked, amusement clearly visible in his eyes.
“Do you know each other?” Yoongi’s mother questioned, obviously she wasn’t aware of the fact that Yoongi has met Seokjin before.
“Yeah, we met briefly at one of the functions not too long ago.” Yoongi filled in for his mother.
“That’s brilliant! It means you guys are not a total stranger. We should start talking about when we would want the wedding to happen. I think the sooner the better.” Seokjin’s grandma suggested.
Yoongi’s mom nodded in agreement with Seokjin’s grandma. They began to talk about which wedding hall they should book and how many guests they would be inviting without actually discussing with Seokjin or Yoongi. The latter didn’t seem to care as he had resumed his work on his laptop as soon as his mother’s attention diverted from him. He didn’t even glance at Seokjin which kind of bruised the actor’s ego. He was Kim Seokjin for crying out loud. Everybody craved to have his attention on them and yet his future husband was acting indifferent toward him. Not being able to sit still anymore, he decided to interrupt the two adults.
“Sorry to interrupt, but don’t you think it’s too soon for us to get married right away? Shouldn’t we take some time to get to know each other first?”
“You’re absolutely right, Seokjin. When are you wrapping up your latest drama shoot?” Myung-hee asked eagerly. The actor found it odd that his grandma didn’t even protest his suggestion.
“In two weeks. Why do you ask?” Seokjin inquired. Knowing his grandma, there was something Myung-Hee was planning for her to accept Seokjin’s suggestion so eagerly.
“Two weeks? Okay, then we can have the wedding next month. You can get to know each other during this time. Chae-rim has even bought two tickets for the musical that’s playing next week.” Myung-hee’s answer got the attention of Min-Yoongi and for the very first time throughout this whole conversation, the young CEO decided to speak up.
“Next month?”
“Why would you do such a thing, mom?”
Both Seokjin and Yoongi said it at the same time, but they were concerned about two different things. Seokjin found it a little strange that Yoongi got worked up so easily at the mention of the musical. He looked frustrated when his mom told him that it would be a good chance to bond while watching a musical.
“There are other ways for us to bond. We are not going to that musical.” Yoongi snapped, making everyone look at him in surprise except for his mother who seemed to know why Yoongi was against it.
“You’re going to the musical and that’s final, Yoongi. Besides, how will you inform Eun-Jae about the good news if you don’t go?”
Chae-rim said, there was a hint of finality in her voice, challenging Yoongi to go against her wish. Yoongi also knew it was no use once his mother had made up her mind. He let out a loud sigh and resumed typing without a word, once again ignoring Seokjin’s existence. The actor had a hunch that Yoongi’s annoyance and unwillingness to go to the musical might have to do something with Eun-Jae. The name sounded familiar to him, but he couldn’t put a finger on where he had heard before. Probably someone from the entertainment industry that was for sure. He would have to do some Naver search once he got home.
The room became quiet and tense after the little outburst. Yoongi’s mom plastered a smile and began asking Seokjin random questions about his job and praising him for his stellar acting in his recent drama. The rest of the meal continued that way. Seokjin, Myung-hee and Chae-rim were engaging in a conversation while Min Yoongi remained in his own little bubble, typing away on his laptop. He would give a one word reply even when Chae-rim tried to drag him into the conversation.
“You have no idea how much you made me happy when I got the reply from your grandma, Seokjin-ah. I’ve heard so much about you from your grandma and I know you would be good for our Yoongi.”
Chae-rim’s comment made Yoongi stop typing for a moment. He finally looked up at Seokjin, curious to see how he would reply.
The actor simply smiled, “That’s very lovely of you to say, Chae-rim-ssi, but I’m not sure whether your son thinks the same or not.”
Seokjin’s reply definitely got Yoongi’s attention. The latter looked up from his laptop to Seokjin so fast that he was worried Yoongi would sprain his neck. He then looked at his mom, trying to communicate with her secretly with his eyes and Chae-rim looked like she was having the time of her life, purposefully ignoring her son’s warning signals and looking gleefully at Seokjin.
“Nonsense! Of course our Yoongi likes you. He’s the one who suggested the engagement to your grandma. He can look a bit distant but he’s really endearing once you get to know him. He’s just shy.”
“Mom,” Yoongi interrupted, he looked like he could dig a hole and hide which made Seokjin giggle.
“Speaking of being shy, I can’t believe we’ve been imposing on our kids. How can they talk freely when we’re here, Chae-rim. Let’s leave the kids to chat while we go to the new salon that opened up recently in Dongdaemun.”
Myung-hee declared and without giving Seokjin or Yoongi a chance to react, she pulled Chae-rim out of the chair, told them one last time to have fun and then walked out of the door, leaving a very speechless Seokjin with a rather blushing Yoongi.
Seokjin found the latter quite endearing when he tried to avoid his eyes and kept on staring at his laptop while blushing profusely from the comment his mother made before leaving.
“I might have left quite an impression on you if you have told your mom to ask for my hand in marriage. I’m quite flattered, Yoongi-ssi.” Seokjin teased which made Yoongi glare at him.
He finally decided to close his laptop and face Seokjin. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms in front of him. His eyes never leave the actor as if he were analyzing the latter and calculating what he should say. What made Seokjin uneasy was how his eyes no longer held any warmth and appeared somewhat cold. He didn’t look like the same person who helped him overcome his panic attack on the dirty floor of a hotel.
“Now that it’s just the two of us, I’m not going to beat around the bush and tell you the real reason why I told my mother to send a marriage proposal to your house.” Yoongi muttered, he couldn’t help but think how deep his voice appeared to be.
“There’s this person that I like, but he likes someone else. He’s one of my close friends and I never intend on confessing because I know I could ruin our friendship. Besides, he’s in love with my other friend and I know I never stood a chance.” Yoongi paused to take a deep breath, his eyes fixed on one of the patterns on the table cloth instead of looking at Seokjin.
“But he found out about my feelings accidentally and confronted me. He was angry. Honestly, I still don’t understand why he was so mad. But I guess he was just lashing out on me because my other friend rejected him. I also got angry and told him I was dating someone and that I’ll be getting married soon. I told him I never thought of him that way. He looked surprised and asked me who it was but I told him my partner wasn’t ready to reveal it yet. He didn’t really believe me and kept pestering me to introduce my boyfriend to him.
Yoongi finally looked up from his lap and stared at Seokjin.
“And then I met you at the function and it struck me with an idea. If I’m married to the most beloved Kim Seokjin, I think he wouldn’t question me anymore. My mother had been nagging me to get married so it’s like killing two birds with one stone. She was over the moon when I told her I would consider getting married if she could arrange a marriage with Kim Seokjin.”
Yoongi’s words felt like a slap across Seokjin’s face. Here he thought Yoongi genuinely liked him. Seokjin couldn’t believe his luck in men. His boyfriend was a manipulative cheating bastard and now his potential husband was telling him he simply used him to cover up his big fat crush on his best friend. He simply couldn’t believe his luck. Seokjin let out a laugh out of the blue, startling Yoongi.
“So, you’re just going to use me to cover up your stupid crush. What makes you think I’m going to agree with your stupid plan? Why me out of all people? Because I just got dumped by my boyfriend? So you think I would be an easy target? Did you help me that night because you were planning all of this?” Seokjin spat, his voice getting louder with every sentence. The more he thought about it, the more his blood boiled.
“That was pure coincidence. All I wanted to do was help you overcome your panic attack. It was only after I parted ways with you that I got this idea. I’m not asking you to marry me for life. It’s just for a short period if that’s what you want. We can stay married for about a year and then get a divorce. It will be like a contract marriage.”
Seokjin shook his head in utter disbelief, “You are a menace, do you know that Min Yoongi-ssi?”
Yoongi had the audacity to roll his eyes at Seokjin’s comment.
“You are totally not at a disadvantage here, Seokjin-ssi. Think about it, this is like the huge fuck you to your ex who’s desperate to get an investment from me for his newly set up company. Not to be a narcissist or anything but anyone can see that I’m clearly a better husband material compared to him. You can get your revenge on your ex and I can cover up my crush. It’s a win-win situation.”
Seokjin snorted at Yoongi’s answer.
“A win-win solution? Probably for you, but I’ll become a laughing stock when I get a divorce after marrying for only a year! No thanks, go find another person to play as your puppet. I’m not interested. I’ll tell my grandma that the date didn’t go well.” Seokjin grabbed his bag and stood up to leave.
“You know, what’s funny is that I was actually looking forward to our possible marriage. I’m not coming into this marriage with a divorce in mind. I’m already 30, I have wanted to make this work with you. But it seems like we have different motives. It’s been nice knowing you, Yoongi-ssi. I hope your crush will return your feelings someday.”
Seokjin began walking away from Yoongi, not even bothering to look back when the latter called for his name. The CEO didn’t bother to follow after him or make an attempt to stop him. The actor felt like shit. It was too good to be true that an heir to the largest corporation in South Korea would want to marry him without any ulterior motive. He was right for feeling skeptical. Yoongi just wanted to use him to maintain friendship with his crush. An ugly sensation of jealousy arose within him just thinking about what kind of person had wrapped Min Yoongi around their finger. Guess they weren’t meant to be after all. His grandmother might be disappointed once he broke the news to her.
Just as he had expected, his grandmother welcomed him at the door with a big grin when he got back.
“There’s my favorite grandson! Come join granny for tea and tell me all about your date with Yoongi.”
“There’s no date, grandma. The wedding’s canceled, sorry to disappoint.” Seokjin replied and headed for his room.
“Stop being a brat and think about family for once Seokjin. What kind of nonsense are you even talking about?”
Seokjin groaned and looked at his grandma who was totally mad because of his word choice.
“We have no chemistry, granny. He’s boring and he doesn’t even like me. He just wanted to use me to get over his crush.” Seokjin pouted, hoping for Myung-hee to fall for his infamous pout. His grandma might be an iron lady that ran the entire Kim business by herself, but just like any grandparent, she also had a weakness for her grandson’s pouty face.
“Nonsens! Yoongi’s mom called me before you arrived. She said you two got along well together and Yoongi wanted to go to the musical with you.”
“Min Yoongi said what?” Seokjin screeched, his hands curling into fists in anger. How dare he lie bluntly like that? He should have known Yoongi would use such tricks to trap him. He was a businessman after all.
“Yoongi seemed to like you a lot so don’t throw away the chance, Seokjin. It’s time you move on from that prick and settle with someone like Yoongi. You’ll grow to love him after staying together. Besides, this is not a simple marriage. Me and Chae-rim decided to form an alliance for our company with your marriage, so you can’t say no even if you don’t like it. Merging of our two families will be mutually beneficial. I’ve let you do whatever you want for a long time, but not this time around. You’re marrying Min Yoongi whether you like it or not.” Myung-hee then walked away without giving Seokjin a chance to talk.
He couldn’t believe Min Yoongi lied through his teeth. No wonder he didn’t make any attempt to stop him when he left the restaurant. Seokjin pulled out his phone and typed an angry text at the one and only Min Yoongi.
“I’m coming to your office in 10 mins.” Seokjin pressed the send button a little too aggressively before getting in his car to head to the main reason for his annoyance.
Yoongi must have informed his staff because no one stopped him when he decided to barge into the CEO’s office without knocking.
The latter was sitting at his chair, busy looking at the papers when Seokjin walked in. He didn’t even lift his head to greet him which made Seokjin’s blood boil even further.
“I assume you have got my answer about our date from your grandmother, Seokjin-ssi.” Yoongi said while still reading the papers at his desk.
“Why did you lie like that? I told you I’m not marrying you if it’s just a hoax! I’m not that free to play your fake husband, Min-Yoongi-ssi.” Seokjin spat, it took a whole lot of self control for him to not snatch the papers out of Yoongi’s hands. He hated it when someone was not paying full attention to him while talking.
“Who said it would be a hoax?” Yoongi put down the papers on the desk and looked up at Seokjin for the first time since he walked into his office.
“You didn’t listen to me till the end and made your own assumptions, Seokjin-ssi.” Yoongi got out of his chair and walked towards the mini-kitchenette set up in the corner of his office.
“Coffee or tea?” The latter asked while preparing one for himself.
“I want answers. If it’s not a fake marriage, why would you say something like that?” Seokjin pressed.
“It was true that I used to have a crush on my friend, but I’ve moved on. I don’t like him like that anymore. But he didn’t know about it and was mad at me when he heard about my feelings for him from my other friend. I tried to explain, but he wouldn’t listen. He kept accusing me of things, and in the heat of the moment, I told him I’m already in a relationship.”
Yoongi moved away from the kitchenette and gave one cup to Seokjin. The actor was pretty surprised to see his cup was filled with tea. Seokjin wasn’t a fan of coffee and somehow this little gesture made him feel fuzzy all on the inside. It was just tea! He shouldn’t be swooned over something like that. A little naver search about him would show how much he liked tea so no biggie.
“I told you it could be like a contract marriage because I thought you might not be comfortable marrying me after knowing the reason behind it. I have never really dated before so I can’t guarantee I would be your ideal husband which is why I gave you that option. But you don’t need to worry about me rekindling with my friend or anything like that after we get married. I’m not that kind of person and I know my friend doesn’t like me that way as well.”
The room went quiet for a while with them sipping on their drinks. Seokjin tried to take in everything the CEO had said and he wasn’t sure what to do.
“Besides, our marriage will happen whether you like it or not as my mother and your grandmother have been in some kind of agreement to form an alliance with our businesses with the marriage. They will continue with the wedding whether we like it or not.”
“And you’re okay with it? To marry a stranger you don’t love?” Seokjin asked. He wasn’t very wary before because people got into arranged marriage all the time and most of them worked one way or another. But after knowing Yoongi used to have a severe crush on his friend, he wasn’t very confident with the marriage anymore. What if Yoongi changed his mind after they got married?
“It doesn’t really matter. I’m too busy with my work to go around looking for love. I’m past that age.”
Seokjin wanted to roll his eyes at the way Yoongi was talking like he was nearing fifty. He was only twenty-nine, but yet he acted like an old man.
“Then why me? If you don’t mind marrying anyone your mother sets up, why did you request her to send the proposal to my grandma? You can marry whoever suits your status.”
Yoongi chuckled lightly at Seokjin’s comment.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Seokjin-ssi. You have all the qualities I want for my partner. Whenever my mom sets up dates for me, most of those people are more interested in my wealth than me. Even when I said love doesn’t matter, I’m not going to marry someone who’s clearly only after my wealth and what my family name could give them. You are loyal and supportive. You didn’t ditch your ex-boyfriend when you became famous. You cherished what you have built with him instead of jumping on the social ladder and dating some rich guys. I know a few celebrities who would do just that to elevate their career. That speaks volumes about your character and I admire that.”
Yoongi sipped on his decaf coffee not knowing his words had a certain effect on the actor.
“Secondly, the nature of your work is demanding just like mine which means you would completely understand if I can’t make it home some days due to my work. Lastly, the most important reason you could say is that you’re the most suitable person that would impress my friend and believe why I decided to marry. Also, what you haven’t noticed is that the girl that stole your ex-boyfriend, she was my ex-partner. I wasn’t serious with her. Just casually hanging out from time to time and trying to see how it would go. She didn’t know I’m Min Yoongi. I don’t use my real name when I’m in a casual relationship. So when she thought she found a better option, she ended it with me and started dating your ex. Call me petty or whatever, I wanted to see her face when she realized the person she let go was someone who could elevate her whole career.”
Seokjin sat there, absorbing everything Yoongi had just revealed. The tea in his hand was running cold. The situation seemed more complex than he initially thought. He didn’t know how to feel about being chosen for a marriage based on practical considerations rather than love, but at least Yoongi was straightforward about it.
“So, you’re saying that our marriage is a business deal to cover up your crush on your friend and settle a personal score with your ex-girlfriend?” Seokjin questioned, making sure he got the situation right.
Yoongi nodded, “In a nutshell, yes. But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to make it work. I may not be in love with you right now, but I’m open to the idea of building a real relationship over time. We can make it beneficial for both of us.”
Seokjin sighed, conflicted. On one hand, he appreciated Yoongi’s honesty and the fact that the marriage wasn’t entirely devoid of genuine intentions. On the other hand, the idea of entering a marriage as a means of impressing someone else felt strange to him.
“Are you sure that you’re really over your friend? No more remaining feelings left?” Seokjin inquired. Out of everything, he was worried about staying in a marriage with a man whose heart was not with him. He didn’t doubt that they could bond and build a relationship overtime, but if Yoongi still had that friend in his heart, it would be a whole lot difficult for their marriage.
Yoongi nodded firmly once again to his question. “100 percent sure. I’m not a fool to stay in love with someone who clearly likes someone else for a long time. I guess it was just an infatuation. Him being the first person I came out to and everything. But I feel nothing for him now aside from platonic friendship.”
Seokjin didn’t say anything for a moment, trying to take in everything and weighing the pros and cons of this arrangement.
“I need time to think about this,” Seokjin finally said, placing the tea cup on Yoongi’s desk.
Yoongi understood, “Take your time. I know this is a lot of process. But keep in mind that our families have their own expectations, and it might not be easy to change the course they’ve set.”
As Seokjin left Yoongi’s office, he couldn’t shake off the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. The situation was far from what he had imagined, and the weight of family expectations loomed over his decision.
In the following days, Seokjin deliberated over the proposal. He considered practical aspects Yoobgi pointed out, and he couldn’t deny that the man was sincere in his own way. However, the thought of being part of a strategic alliance rather than a love match weighed heavily on him.
But then his last relationship was built on love or so he thought and looked where it took him. At this point, a marriage with love or without it didn’t really make a difference for him anymore. After Do-hyung, Seokjin didn’t think he would be able to get into another relationship easily. His trust had been broken and it would take quite a while for him to get used to dating again. With Yoongi, he could at least make his family happy. Besides, the CEO witnessed what really happened between him and Do-hyung first hand so he really didn’t need to bother explaining stuff like that. Still, he was indecisive so when his grandmother asked him when he was going to meet Yoongi again, he tried to voice his concern about the marriage.
“I’m not sure that it's the right thing to do. Marriage without love. I have to spend my whole life with him, granny. I don’t want to rush it.”
Once he was done with his explanation, Myung-hee heaved a sigh, “Seokjin, I understand your concern. But you have to see the bigger picture. Our family, our business, they depend on alliances and strategic moves. This marriage with the Min family is not just about personal happiness; it’s about securing our legacy.”
His grandmother tenderly enveloped his hands within her own, delicately tracing the lines etched upon the back of his palm. He could see the wear and tear on her delicate hands.
“Indulge your old granny for once, won’t you?” She implored, her gaze fixed upon him.
“I kept my mouth shut when you stuck with that good-for-nothing guy for ages. Even though I knew he’d mess things up eventually, you seemed happy so I didn’t say a thing. But this time, with Yoongi, it feels different. Even though it’s also for the sake of the family, I genuinely think Yoongi will be good for you.” Myung-hee locked eyes with him, emphasizing her sincerity.
“When I tied the knot with your grandpa, it was arranged too, and I had my doubts. However, it blossomed into a union that brought me profound happiness. He provided security and love.I am not suggesting that obstacles won’t arise; of course every marriage necessitates effort and sacrifices. Call it intuition, but I firmly believe that Yoongi has the potential to bring you happiness. You don’t have to rush into marriage if you’re not ready. Just give the guy a shot, okay?”
Seokjin couldn’t sleep that night, his mind thinking over the things his grandma had said. When the first ray of sunlight seeped into his room, he made up his mind and grabbed his phone from the night stand, going to the contact number that became somewhat familiar.
-Let’s do it. I’ll marry you if you promise that we will work on building a genuine connection between us.
Seokjin read over what he has typed over a dozen times before hitting the send button.
He lay down on his bed, looking up at the beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It might have only been a minute but he heard the ding of his phone indicating there was an incoming message. His heart skipped a beat when he realized who the sender was. Min Yoongi might have already been awake if he could reply this fast.
-Okay, I promise. When do you want to meet up to discuss further?
Without knowing himself, Seokjin started texting back and forth with Yoongi. They decided it would be better to go on a few dates before the night of the musical so that they would be more familiar with each other when Seokjin finally met Yoongi’s former crush. Just from a few texts, Seokjin could tell Yoongi wasn’t very good with texting or flirting in general. They decided they would skip the engagement and go with the wedding in a month. It didn’t seem long enough to marry someone but Seokjin didn’t really care. He would be marrying anyway so might as well do it as soon as possible. Yoongi let him choose the place for the first date and agreed to meet up at a cozy restaurant near Seokjin’s agency. Their plan was to let the paparazzi catch them together and afterward they would announce their marriage.
-Are you okay with your face getting revealed?
It will be quite chaotic once the news blows up.
Just giving u a heads up.
-It’s fine. I can’t hide my identity forever.
Besides,
I’ll be suing whoever tries to put my face on the cover, so it’ll be okay.
- u can’t sue whoever take photos of u, Yoongichi
You’ll be the husband of the A-list celebrity! How can
U sue every time you get photographed!
-Yoongichi?
-yea, it’s ur nickname that I just made up!
Why? U don’t like it? I can think of other names
If that’s what u want
–but why would you need a nickname for me?
-cuz we’re going to be couples, duh!
Hang on! R u shy? You’ve never
Gotten nicknames before?!!
Aww that’s cute
-no i’m not shy I just find it weird
-well get used to it cuz you’ll be my
Husband soon and I love making nicknames ^^
Anyways, answer my question. R u really gonna sue
Everytime u get photographed? That’ll b bad for
My image, ya know
-I won’t sue if it’s with u.
But if they try following me
when I’m not with u then
I’ll take legal actions.
-hmm fair enough.
I gotta go. Have a meeting at 8am.
Okay. see u tomorrow, Yoongichi :)
See u tomorrow, Seokjin-ssi.
Seokjin couldn’t stop smiling while rereading his texts with Yoongi. Although there wasn’t much to laugh about, he just found it endearing how Yoongi struggled to make conversation and how he was formal over a text. Seokjin couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out on their first date.
💍
Seokjin couldn’t deny the flutter of nerves as he walked into the restaurant. Yoongi was already there, engrossed in his tablet. The ambiance was cozy, and Yoongi had chosen a seat tucked away from the prying eyes of passerby.
“Hi! I hope I didn’t make you wait for long. I left as soon as I’m done with my last schedule,” Seokjin greeted with a smile, trying to conceal his own nervousness.
Yoongi looked up, his expression shifting from concentration to surprise.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just early,” he reassured, setting aside his tablet with a deliberate gesture. It was a small act, but to Seokjin, it spoke volumes. Do-hyung never bothered putting his phone away during dates, always using work as an excuse which had always made Seokjin feel somewhat neglected.
Seated across from each other, Yoongi offered the menu. “What would you like to order?”
Seokjin perused the options before deciding, “I’ll have spaghetti.”
As they waited for the server to come by, the air was laced with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Seokjin couldn’t help but marvel at how different this was from his previous dating experiences. Yoongi seemed genuinely interested in their time together, trying to put an effort in asking questions about Seokjin’s life and that sparked a warm sensation within the actor.
“Well, my life’s not that interesting. You may be surprised, but I’m more of an introvert if I’m not on set. I like staying indoors when I don’t have any schedule. I love playing games more than going out and hanging out with people or whatever most people think is more productive to do during their leisure time.” Seokjin shared, attempting to brush off the judgments about his gaming habits people made like nothing.
“It’s your free time, you can do whatever you want with it. As long as you’re enjoying it then other people’s opinions don't matter. I like staying indoors, too, so I guess we have our first thing in common.” Yoongi said nonchalantly, sipping on a glass of water. Unaware of the effect his response had on Seokjin. Yoongi’s words had a way of surprising the actor in the best way possible.
“Is that how you swoon your previous partners, Yoongichi? By saying things they would like to hear? You’re pretty good at that, I'm not gonna lie.” Seokjin teased.
Yoongi sputtered in surprise, momentarily taken aback.
“I-no? I just said what I thought was the right thing to say. Besides, I’ve never dated before.” The CEO muttered under his breath.
“You haven’t? Then what about Sel-byul? I thought you two were an item.” Seokjin couldn’t help but reveal his surprise.
“I told you it was a casual relationship. She’s more like a sugar baby than an actual girlfriend. I provide her with what she needs, and she, in return, keeps me company.” Seokjin’s eyes widened at that, his cheeks quickly turned the color of tomatoes when he grasped Yoongi’s implication.
“Wow, you’re so full of surprises, aren’t you, Yoongichi.” Seokjin muttered, a hint of jealousy arising within him. He didn’t have the right to judge when he himself had a boyfriend in the past.
Noticing Seokjin’s tone, Yoongi quickly added, “Not the kind of company you’re thinking of - more like a friend. Emotional support for when I’m feeling stressed or lonely. She would mostly come to my apartment, we would have dinner together and she would listen to me rant about my business or whatever I’m frustrated with. I know she didn’t really care about me, but I feel more comfortable sharing my feelings with a stranger who has no clue about my real identity than opening up to my friends.”
Seokjin nodded, although he couldn’t fathom how ranting to someone you’re paying for company could be more comforting than confiding in a caring friend. But who was he to judge? They weren’t on that level of closeness yet, so he decided to reserve his opinion for later.
The air between them became a little awkward after that.
“I’m sorry, Seokjin-ssi,” Yoongi started, a faint blush tinting his cheeks, “I’ve never been good at this small talk thing. I’m more of a straight-to-the-point kind of person. A-and I won’t be having any more sugar babies after we get married, so if you’re worried about that you absolutely don’t need to.”
Seokjin smiled at that. He was amused watching Min Yoongi turn into a blushing mess in front of him. He was impressed that the young CEO could pick up his uneasiness about the sugar baby stuff almost immediately, like he could read his mind. Do-hyung could never figure out his feelings unless he spelled them out for him, so this was really interesting. He also noticed that Yoongi, despite his confident exterior, seemed a bit shy when it came to casual conversation. It was quite endearing.
“No need to be nervous, Yoongichi. Just be yourself. Even though I was caught by surprise, I’m enjoying our conversation. Also, drop the formality. We’re getting married in a month. Shouldn’t you be addressing me more casually? You can call me hyung or, even better, make a nickname for me, just like I’ve done it for you.”
Seokjin winked at him, trying to diffuse the earlier awkward tension. He smiled brightly when he saw how Yoongi had a tiny smile on his handsome face due to his comment.
“I’ll go with hyung. Nickname sounds lame and I’m not a lame person.”
“Wow, I said you can drop the formality, not outright becoming rude to your future husband!”
Seokjin pretended to be offended by Yoongi’s comment, which made the latter smile heartily.
Seokjin’s heart skipped a beat looking at the smiling CEO. He wished he could see him like that for the rest of their marriage, smiling and happy. The thought came and went, and Seokjin mentally slapped himself.
‘Are you developing a crush already? That’s nonsense! Kim Seokjin never has a crush on others; it’s the other way around. Get a grip, Kim Seokjin; don’t get swapped away by a gummy smile!’
“Uhm- are you okay?” Yoongi’s voice brought him back to reality,
and he realized he had zoned out for a bit. Embarrassed, he let out a chuckle.
“I’m fine, don’t worry about it. Okay, enough about me, tell me something interesting about yourself. Something that’s not in the headlines,” Seokjin prompted, wanting to peel back the layers of the CEO sitting across from him.
Yoongi chuckled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. ‘Well, I’m a huge fan of old-school hip-hop. I have a secret playlist dedicated to it. Don’t tell anyone; it’s classified information,” he said with a playful smirk.
Seokjin grinned, feeling a connection forming. “Secret hip-hop aficionado, huh? I might need to hear that playlist someday. And here I thought you were all about business and seriousness.”
The conversation flowed effortlessly afterward, filled with laughter and glimpses into each other’s lives. As the night progressed, the conversation continued, seamlessly blending laughter, teasing, and the promise of something new. The first date had surpassed Seokjin’s expectations, leaving him eager for the chapters yet to unfold in his unconventional marriage with Yoongi, not knowing that there was a storm awaiting ahead for them.
When they left the restaurant, Seokjin made sure to hold hands with Yoongi. The latter seemed surprised by his gesture.
“We need to give the paps a good photo to fuzz about, don’t we?” Seokjin said with a cheeky smile. His grandmother had already tipped off to Dispatch about Seokjin meeting up with an unknown man at the restaurant, so the actor was sure there were paparazzi hiding in the bushes near the restaurant to capture the best photo to gossip online.
“It might get a bit too much so just hold on to me and follow my lead, okay?” Yoongi only seemed to remember now about their plan to get caught by the paps before announcing their marriage. He gulped and nodded, suddenly feeling wary about agreeing with the plan.
“Hey, it will be fine. Don’t worry too much. Just don’t look in the camera’s direction.” Seokjin reassured him.
As expected, they were blinded by the camera flash lights once they stepped out. Some were throwing questions at them while the others were fighting for the perfect picture to snap asking them to look in their direction. Yoongi seemed to be overwhelmed by the attention he was getting, temporarily frozen on the spot. When Seokjin noticed that, he made sure to wrap his arm around Yoongi protectively, securing him away from the hungry lens of the cameras and leading him towards their car. They were supposed to drive away in Yoongi’s car, but Seokjin wasn’t sure whether he’ll be able to drive after that commotion.
Once they had successfully climbed inside the safety of their car, Yoongi didn’t even waste a minute to drive away from the crowd. Seokjin kept looking at Yoongi, but the latter didn’t spare him a glance. He didn’t say anything along the way, but he sure looked tense.
“I’m sorry,” Seokjin’s voice carried a note of sincerity as he broke the silence that lingered between them. Yoongi, focused on the road, furrowed his brow slightly and stole a quick glance at Seokjin before returning his attention to the traffic.
“For what?” Yoongi questioned, his tone tinged with curiosity and a hint of concern.
“About the paparazzi,” Seokjin confessed, his gaze fixed on his lap.
“I think my grandmother went overboard with the number of paps she called. It must have been really overwhelming for you. I shouldn’t have suggested such a way to announce our relationship to the public. I’m sorry.”
Seokjin’s genuine apology hung in the air, and he braced himself for Yoongi’s response. Once they stopped at the red light, Yoongi’s calloused hand reached out, gently enveloping Seokjin’s delicate one. The touch, though simple, carried an unspoken reassurance, and Seokjin couldn’t help but feel a subtle flutter in his chest as his heart quickened.
“Seokjin,” Yoongi’s voice cut through the air, drawing Seokjin’s gaze to meet his steady eyes. “You don’t need to apologize for the paparazzi. That wasn’t on you. We agreed to this plan together. I agreed to it knowing full well of the consequences. Sure, I was a bit shaken up back then, but that has nothing to do with you, so don’t worry about it.”
Yoongi’s words took Seokjin off guard. In the past, Do-hyung’s response to any conflict had been guilt trips and blaming him, so Seokjin anticipated a similar reaction from Yoongi. The contrast between Yoongi’s response and his past experiences last Seokjin reevaluating the toxicity of his previous romance.
The gentle reassurance from Yoongi, both in his words and the comforting squeeze of their intertwined hands, began to dissolve the lingering shadows of guilt within Seokjin. He recalled his grandma’s words about Yoongi being the right match for him, and for the first time, those words seemed more than just a hopeful sentiment.
“I’m sorry if I seemed upset. I tend to withdraw and get lost in my thoughts when I’m overwhelmed, so don’t mind me. It has nothing to do with you.”
Seokjin nodded, a soft smile gracing his lips. As the traffic light turned green, Yoongi’s focus shifted back to the road, but their joined hands continued to speak a language of mutual support for the remainder of the drive.
When the car pulled up in front of Seokjin’s house, an unexpected boldness overcame the actor. Breaking the usual norms, he turned to Yoongi with a genuine smile.
“Thank you for tonight. I really had a good time.” With those words hanging in the air, Seokjin leaned over the passenger seat and planted a quick, daring kiss on Yoongi’s cheek. Before the CEO could react, Seokjin swiftly exited the car and hurried into his house. He made a beeline for his room, ignoring the calls from his mom and locking the door behind him. His heart was pounding with a mixture of excitement and embarrassment.
As Seokjin lay in bed, he couldn’t comprehend what had driven him to such a bold move. He hoped that Yoongi wouldn’t bring it up during their next encounter. The night unfolded with contrasting emotions for the two men. Seokjin found sleep elusive as he replayed the audacious act in mind, while Yoongi, on the other hand, reveled in the satisfaction of receiving a kiss from the nation’s beloved actor. The anticipation of their next meeting weighed differently on each of them- Yoongi eagerly looking forward to it, and Seokjin dreading the potential aftermath of his impulsive action.
💍💍💍💍
The following morning, Seokjin woke up to find his face splashed across every news headline. The images were somewhat blurry, and thankfully for Yoongi, his features weren’t prominently visible. The actor breathed a sigh of relief at that. On Twitter, his name was trending worldwide, with fans expressing joy for moving on from the trash Do-hyung. Some netizens condemned him for supposedly rushing into a new relationship, but Seokjin paid little heed to such opinions.
Later that day, his agency issued a statement confirming his relationship with the heir of the Min Corporations and their impending marriage in a month. As news spread, the internet erupted into a frenzy. Journalists clamored for interviews and photoshoots, eager to get the glimpse of the elusive Min Yoongi, given his low public profile. Headlines gushed about how Kim Seokjin, the nation’s treasure, had secured a union with South Korea’s most eligible bachelor.
Contrary to the media’s wishes, the couple declined all interviews and photoshoots, limiting their interactions to an article on Seokjin’s label platform. Yoongi had no desire to endure repetitive questions in numerous interviews, a sentiment shared by Seokjin.
Seeing lots of journalists gathered outside Yoongi’s company, Seokjin decided to give him a call. As the phone rang, panic set in, prompting him to hastily end the call.
“Kim Seokjin, don’t act so desperate, for goodness sake!” He scolded himself. Moments later, Min Yoongi’s name illuminated his phone screen. Heart racing, he answered, hoping Yoongi wouldn’t get too cocky about last night’s bold move.
“Did you just pull a prank on me or what?” Yoongi greeted, sounding amused.
“Well, hello to you too. I was going to check on you after seeing the news, but then my finger slipped and pressed the end button,” Seokjin replied, though he doubted Yoongi would buy his flimsy excuse.
“Okay. I didn’t go to the office today because I knew something like that would happen. But don’t worry, my PR team is going to release a statement asking everyone not to camp in front of my company, and if they don’t comply, we’ll take legal actions.”
“Wow, do you always sue people when things don’t go your way?” Seokjin asked, intrigued by the frequency of the word ‘suing’ in Yoongi’s vocabulary.
“Not always, but when they piss me off or invade my privacy, then I do,” Yoongi explained matter-of-factly.
“Alright, noted. I’ll make sure I never piss you off, then. Don’t need a headline that says my own husband sues me.”
“I would never sue you, hyung,” Yoongi assured. The tenderness in his voice caught Seokjin off guard, rendering him momentarily speechless. Min Yoongi had a certain effect on him, one he couldn’t quite decipher.
“Are you trying to flirt with me, Min Yoongi-ssi?”
“I don’t know, is it working?” Yoongi fired back, all bold after Seokjin’s impulsive kiss from the night before.
“Whatever, I gotta go. See you tomorrow for our interview. Don’t be late or I’ll sue you,” Seokjin remarked hurriedly, prompting a chuckle from Yoongi.
“Alright, bye,” Yoongi paused for a moment before adding, “hyung.”
Seokjin gasped aloud. He couldn’t fathom why Yoongi calling him hyung had such an impact, but the latter seemed to catch on as he laughed lightly before hanging up. Seokjin flopped onto the bed, groaning. The upcoming interview suddenly felt nerve wracking than ever.
💍💍💍💍
When the day of the interview arrived, Seokjin couldn’t shake off the nervous energy buzzing around him. Yoongi picked him up from his home. Both of them decided it would be better to arrive together to the set rather than showing up separately. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as they entered the studio. The staff greeted them warmly, their excitement palpable, especially the female staff when they saw Yoongi. A hush fell over the female staff as Yoongi entered the studio. The subtle click of their cameras paused as they found themselves momentarily captivated by his presence. After all, no one really had a clue what Min Yoongi looked like so it was understandable that everybody wanted to have a glimpse of him.
Yoongi had opted for a sleek black suit that accentuated his sharp features and lean physique. The well-tailored jacket emphasized his broad shoulders, and the crisp white shirt underneath added a touch of sophistication. The ensemble was completed with perfectly fitted black trousers and polished leather shoes.
However, what truly stole the attention was Yoongi’s hair. It cascaded down in smooth waves, framing his face in a way that heightened his allure. The long hair added a touch of mystery, making him look effortlessly cool and ten times more attractive.
The soft lighting in the studio played with the shadows on his face, accentuating the angles of his jawline and the subtle curve of his lips. As he moved, the strands of his hair followed suit, creating a mesmerizing effect.
“Is he even real? He looks like he could be in a K-drama.”
“And that long hair…it’s like he walked out of a romantic fantasy.”
All the hushed comments about his future husband brought a satisfied smile on Seokjin’s lips. He couldn’t help agreeing with all the comments. Yoongi indeed looked captivating.
Most of the staff resumed their work after they were glared at by the shooting manager, but the collective sighs and exchanged glances among the female staff lingered. Yoongi’s magnetic presence had left an indelible impression, turning the studio into a temporary haven of admiration for his effortlessly stylish and captivating appearance.
Amused by the collective admiration Yoongi was receiving, Seokjin couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. It seemed like the staff were under the spell of Yoongi’s charm, and he found it rather entertaining.
As Yoongi focused on fixing a bracelet on his hand, seemingly oblivious to the attention he was garnering, Seokjin decided to step in. With a playful grin, Seokjin approached Yoongi.
“Need a hand there?”
Yoongi looked up, his gaze meeting Seokjin’s, and a faint smile played on his lips. He handed Seokjin the bracelet, allowing him to fasten it effortlessly. The subtle touch of their hands sent a ripple of whispers among the staff.
Once they were ready, the photoshoot began. It started innocently enough, capturing candid moments that showcased their chemistry. The photographer encouraged Seokjin and Yoongi to let loose and be themselves. Yoongi was surprisingly relaxed in front of the camera which got praise from both Seokjin and the photographer. The atmosphere was vibrant, with occasional laughter and playful banter echoing in the studio.
However, the tension spiked when the photographer directed them into more intimate poses. He suggested a kiss on the cheek, and both Seokjin and Yoongi hesitated, their eyes meeting in silent communication. Seokjin was having an inner battle as to whether he should initiate the kiss or not. He already did the other night on impulse and if he were to kiss Yoongi again, wouldn’t he look like he was too desperate? But he knew they couldn’t say no to the photographer as it would look suspicious. Sensing his struggle, Yoongi decided to take the lead and leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on Seokjin’s cheek. The room erupted in cheers and gushes from the staff. Seokjin felt the warmth of Yoongi’s lips on his skin, and they both blushed profusely, trying to maintain their composure. They thought it was the end of it, but the photographer wasn’t having none of it.
“C’mon guys, why do you both look so stiff? Relax, let’s take that shot again okay. Seokjin-ssi please make sure to smile when Yoongi-ssi’s kiss you, okay. Just get comfortable.” The photographer’s request made Seokjin scream internally. He couldn’t go through that another time. But Yoongi seemed to be confident when he pulled Seokjin by the waist and turned him toward him.
“Put your hands around my neck, hyung.” Yoongi whispered, his own hands resting on Seokjin’s waist, and pulling him closer. Taken by surprise, Seokjin did as he was told, anticipation rising within him. As Yoongi leaned in, Seokjin felt a mix of nerves and excitement and on instinct, he closed his eyes. The soft press of Yoongi’s lips against his forehead instead of his cheek sent a shiver down his spine, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still and the shutters of the camera and the chatter of the staff grew distant. When Seokjin opened his eyes, Yoongi was already looking at him, a soft smile prominent on his lips. The actor mirrored the smile, feeling giddy overall.
“Well, that was unexpected.” Seokjin muttered, his arms still wrapped around Yoongi’s neck.
“What can I say? I’m full of surprises.” Yoongi smirked. They were lost in their own world until the staff erupted in cheers and applause, breaking their little bubble. Startled, they quickly broke away from the embrace. Both of them smile at the staff, their cheeks still tinged with rosy hue.
“Great chemistry, both of you! Yoongi-ssi, that was a nice improvisation. You will love the photos I can guarantee. Now let’s move on to the next set.”
As they transitioned into the next set, Seokjin couldn’t shake off the warmth that lingered from the kiss. He stole glances at Yoongi, who seemed equally affected but maintained his composed exterior.
“You really know how to make an impression, don’t you? Seokjin teased.
“Well, I aim to impress.” Yoongi fired back, a confident smirk evident on his pretty lips.
The playful banter continued, easing the lingering tension. The rest of the photoshoot progressed smoothly, each frame capturing the evolving chemistry between Seokjin and Yoongi, leaving the staff in awe of the couple who seemed to effortlessly complement each other.
Later, as they reviewed the shots, Seokjin couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude. The kiss, though staged, held a certain sincerity that lingered in the air. It wasn’t just for the camera; it was a shared moment that hinted at something deeper.
“You surprised me today, Yoongi. Pleasantly surprised.”
“I told you, hyung, I’m full of surprises.”
The unspoken understanding between them deepened, and as they moved into the interview, Seokjin carried the warmth of that unexpected kiss with him. Secretly he hoped that Yoongi’s feelings for him were gradually changing just the way Seokjin was slowly falling for the enigmatic CEO.
The interview wrapped up successfully. With the questions provided in advance, navigating through them was effortless for the couple. Being interviewed by Seokjin’s label’s columnist for their in-house magazine ensured that everything went smoothly as it planned. When they were done, the couple said their goodbyes to the staff and left the studio. The ride home was filled with comfortable silence. When they stopped in front of Seokjin’s house, Yoongi halted him just as he was about to exit the car. Turning to face Yoongi, Seokjin noticed a hesitation in his demeanor.
“Got something on your mind, Yoongichi?” Seokjin inquired, patiently waiting for his response. After studying Seokjin’s face for a moment, Yoongi finally spoke, “No, nothing in particular. I just wanted to do this.”
Leaning across the driver’s seat, he planted a gentle kiss on Seokjin’s cheek, reminiscent of the gesture from the other night. Yoongi’s ears turned a shade of red, and he avoided eye contact as he bid, “Good night, hyung. I’ll pick you up for the musical tomorrow night.”
Seokjin couldn’t help but marvel at the duality of Yoongi’s actions. One moment, he exuded boldness and confidence, as evidenced by his action at the studio, and the next, he seemed bashful and shy just like now, leaving Seokjin with a sense of whiplash.
“Yoongichi, you’re like a puzzle I’m trying to solve. One moment, you’re confident and bold, and the next, you act all shy. It’s giving me whiplash.” Seokjin teased, trying to diffuse the awkward tension.
Yoongi chuckled, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “I guess I’m still figuring out this whole relationship thing. I want to get to know you better and work on our relationship like I’ve promised, but that's new to me, so I might get awkward from time to time,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair.
Seokjin smiled, appreciating the honesty. “Well, we can figure it out together, step by step. There’s plenty of time for us to get close to each other. No rush,” he reassured Yoongi.
The younger lad smiled at the suggestion, “I guess we can do that.” They talked for a while inside Yoongi’s Maserati before bidding farewell. Seokjin watched Yoongi drive off with a smile on his face, a warmth feeling rising in his chest. He looked forward to unraveling the layers of Min Yoongi, one shy smile at a time.