Chapter Text
Taehyung’s tears had dried on his cheeks a long ago, but his heart still beat fast as he looked out over the vast garden, larger than some districts of Seoul.
Paved pathways going through the beautiful greenery, leading to secluded nooks and bright flower beds, the soft sound of water running from fountains and the fresh scent of rain and damp earth was like home to him.
His eyes wandered as he spotted the familiar spots: the mini maze where he once hid, the decorative well where he tossed coins and whispered wishes, the rose bushes that pricked his finger and the koi pond he fell into while leaning too close to admire the fish. Every corner of the garden held a memory, a part of his past with his grandfather, the person he loved most in the world.
Kim Jaehyun was a global tycoon, celebrated for his influence and power in luxury leisure, real estate and maritime ventures. He owned many five-star hotels, luxury residences and a fleet of luxury cruises. And that made him a legend in his industry and one of the most influential figures in the world
Yet to Taehyung, he was simply Gramps.
Some of Taehyung’s earliest memories, going back to when he was just three years old, were filled with his grandfather. While his parents were busy with their privileged lives, Gramps was always there. He brought Taehyung to his office, entertained his curiosity, taught him anything he wanted to learn and above all, loved him unconditionally. It was something Taehyung never felt from anyone else, not even his parents.
Although Taehyung officially lived somewhere else, it was this mansion, just outside Seoul in a town owned by the wealthiest of the wealthy, that always felt like home. His grandfather was his true family, one person who really understood him.
Two weeks ago, that fragile world broke when the call came: Gramps had suffered a stroke.
At the time Taehyung was in Switzerland, having just completed his Master’s degree and waiting for his graduation ceremony. The late-night call changed everything for him and he packed his things, arranged for his diploma to be mailed and boarded a flight home without hesitation.
Kim Jaehyun passed away in the hospital. Taehyung was by his side, holding his hand. Outside the room, bunch of fucking opportunists stood, waiting for his final breath. To Taehyung, they were nothing but vultures.
The memory of his uncle’s first words after Gramps was pronounced dead still burned a spot in his mind.
"When’s the will reading?"
Taehyung wanted to lash out at him, slap the shit out of him, but he swallowed his anger. As the youngest in the family, he was often overlooked, sometimes to the point of being entirely forgotten.
The next day, the lawyer contacted the family to schedule the will reading. The thought of attending made Taehyung’s blood boil. He would have to sit and watch as his grandfather’s ungrateful children, along with their greedy spouses and spoiled kids tear apart his legacy, his life’s work, his blood sweat and tears, like wolves fighting over a prey.
Taehyung couldn’t care less about the cars, houses or yachts. What truly concerned him was the fate of Kim Horizons, his grandfather’s company. The thought of it falling into the hands of his father, the man Taehyung despised, despite being his child, made his mind go insane.
But what could he do? He had no voice in this.
"Taehyung?" A woman’s voice broke his thoughts. It was Jiung, his grandfather’s most loyal companion. She had no family of her own or romantic ties to his grandfather, but she had been like a matriarch in the household, raising Taehyung as if he was her own child.
"They’re waiting for you." She said gently.
"Do I have to go in there?" Taehyung’s voice shook. "I know Gramps probably left me something, but I can’t bear to watch them celebrate his death like this."
"I understand, sweet boy. I’d love to make you hot chocolate and cookies and let you hide away from them, just like when you were little. But if the lawyer is asking for you, it means this is what your grandfather wanted." Jiung stepped closer, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Okay, let’s go." Taehyung sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "I know." He straightened his back.
He followed Jiung from the terrace into the fancy dining room, where his family was gathered around the long mahogany table. None of them had cared about his grandfather unless money was involved, yet here they all were, so eager and greedy. Fucking disgusting.
His parents sat there with his two older brothers next to them. His uncle sat with his wife and their twin daughters, spoiled fucking brats that Taehyung could never tell apart. Both of them were equally unbearable. His aunt and her husband sat across the table and their son, an accused sex offender, who by miracle was out of jail thanks to the hundreds of thousands his parents had spent. At the end of the table was his youngest aunt. Still single and stuffed with fillers in every possible spot on her face just like a thanksgiving turkey. She was a failed actress who was famous for throwing millions into bribing directors for roles, only to become a laughingstock because bitch couldn’t even cry on cue.
Taehyung wanted to vomit.
"Oh, there he is!" His eldest brother exclaimed as Taehyung entered the dining room and took his place at one end of the table, with Jiung sitting beside him and the lawyer across from them.
Taehyung didn’t recognize the man in front of him. He remembers a lawyer that often visited his grandfather, but this one was much younger than the man he remembered.
The lawyer met Taehyung's eyes. His face seemed neutral at first, but Taehyung noticed a little smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. What was that about?
"Why is the maid here?" Taehyung’s uncle asked suddenly, causing everyone to turn their attention to Jiung.
"Jiung is not a maid, uncle." Taehyung replied quietly.
"It was Mr. Kim’s wish for Ms. Lee to be present at the reading." The lawyer interrupted, getting back everyone’s focus. "Thank you all for being here."
"Namjoon, get on with it." Taehyung’s father snapped, sounding quite irritated. "We have places to be."
So Namjoon was his name, Taehyung figured.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered today to honor the final wishes of Kim Jaehyun." Namjoon announced, slowly opening the sealed envelope. "I will now read it. This is the most recent version that Mr. Kim and I drafted, confirmed, legalized and signed last year on March 21st."
"Save the boring technicalities for later, man." Taehyung’s aunt groaned.
Namjoon ignored her, cleared his throat and proceeded to read.
"I, Kim Jaehyun, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will and testament. I wish the following: To Lee Jiung, my trusted friend and advisor, I leave my Gangnam apartment in Seoul and an estate located in California, along with twenty-five million US dollars. It is my hope that these gifts show my gratitude for her friendship, support and counsel throughout my life. She may do with the properties as she pleases. My dearest Jiung, go live your American dream, adopt as many cats as you wish and give them the best life in California, my allergies won’t get in the way anymore."
Namjoon read aloud and Taehyung’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise as he looked at Jiung, who had tears streaming down her face.
"Of course he did." His uncle scoffed. "How many crusty blowjobs did it take you, Jiung?"
Jiung gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
"How dare you accuse me of this?" She sobbed, her voice shaking as Taehyung reached for her hand to try and comfort her.
"Oh, the crocodile tears!" Taehyung’s failed actress aunt mocked. She turned back to Namjoon, very eager for her own twenty-five million dollars.
"No disrespectful remarks during the reading or you’ll be asked to leave." Namjoon warned them, giving a look at both Taehyung’s aunt and uncle. "Now, moving on…"
Taehyung watched as the greedy eyes of his relatives widened, their faces were twitching with anticipation. It was an absolute state of the art shitshow.
"As for the rest, I leave all remaining assets and possessions, including my financial holdings, personal property and any other interests, everything I own, to my dearest grandson, my sweet boy, my Taehyungie. Additionally, I designate Taehyung as my successor as CEO and a voting board member of Kim Horizons."
A silence fell over the room. Some faces turned pale, some jaws dropped but all of them were in disbelief. Some exchanged confused looks, while others froze in their seats, their greed overtaken by anger and shock for a single moment. It felt as if time had stopped.
Taehyung couldn’t breathe as he processed Namjoon’s words.
"What?" He whispered, staring at Namjoon.
"That old fool." Taehyung’s uncle mumbled under his breath. "Hilarious."
"Is this a joke?" Taehyung’s father screamed furiously. "Everything is in Dad’s name, our houses, planes, yachts!"
Taehyung noticed his two aunts turning to him with fake sweet smiles, as if they had suddenly realized the situation had changed and thought that flattering him might improve their position.
"That’s correct." Namjoon confirmed. "All assets under Mr. Kim’s name will pass to Taehyung. But there’s more."
"Oh? What else?" The actress aunt, who had just been smiling at Taehyung, quickly turned back to Namjoon, eager to hear.
"According to his wishes…" Namjoon continued reading. "Taehyung will only have access to these assets and assume the role of CEO if he marries Mr. Jeon Jungkook. It is my hope that this decision brings him both personal and professional happiness. However, if my grandson prefers to marry at his own pace, I won’t pressure him. Should he decline this offer, he will still become CEO but must build his own wealth. All other assets will then be divided among my children."
Signed,
Kim Jaehyun."
"Oh, that’s a relief." Taehyung’s father laughed. "Dad had a messed-up sense of humor."
"What do you mean, Mr. Kim?" Namjoon asked, narrowing his eyes. Taehyung’s father’s smile quickly faded as he locked eyes with the lawyer.
"Taehyung isn’t going to marry some random guy dad picked out for him! We’re still getting our shares! And as for CEO, the board will vote him out. He’s just a kid!" His father said proudly.
Kid? Taehyung was twenty-five, hardly a child. Sure, he was young for a CEO, but not inexperienced, he had years of education and work behind him.
"Mr. Kim, the board has already voted to appoint Kim Taehyung as CEO in the event of your father’s death." Namjoon explained calmly, staring at Taehyung’s father. "This decision, made by your father, stands for five years after the will was signed. If your father was still alive after that, another vote would be held." The lawyer pulled out a document. "The vote took place last year, on March 25th, just four days after the will was signed. It still has four more years of validity."
Taehyung was shocked to his core. While he was busy with his Master’s thesis, his grandfather had been planning for him to become CEO of Kim Horizons?!
"Are you serious?" Taehyung’s father stood up from his chair angrily. "My brother and I are board members! Why weren’t we informed about this? Chan, did you know anything about this?" He turned to his brother, who was just as stunned. "Board voting can’t happen if even one member is absent."
"You and your brother were both sent letters inviting you to the voting meeting on March 22nd." Namjoon replied, pulling out another document. "As far as I know, both of you were in Europe, on a superyacht called Ruthless Majesty near Ibiza. Your father’s secretary confirmed with your yacht staff that the sealed letters reached the yacht safely on March 23rd. We tried to contact you again on March 24th at 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM and 6 PM local Spanish time. We received no response from you or your secretaries. This is all on record. The board had to proceed without you and as board members, I trust you’ve read your contracts and understand what happens in case of no communication after several attempts."
Taehyung’s father and uncle sat back in silence, exchanging looks of embarrassment with each other.
"You’re lying." Taehyung’s uncle mumbled, shaking his head. "We didn’t receive any letters. We were—"
"Partying, drinking, sleeping with a bunch of twenty-year-old models and spending dad’s money like it was nothing!" Taehyung’s aunt interrupted him, raising her voice. She seemed more concerned about her share of the wealth than anything else. "Now whether we get our money or not is in the hands of this kid!"
"It’s not up to anyone else." Taehyung’s father insisted, shaking his head. "Taehyung will not marry that… whoever he is. We’ll call the board back and revote to choose me as CEO. I’m the oldest child. That position is my birthright!"
"Who told you that?!" Taehyung’s uncle shot back at him. And just like that, the room erupted into chaos. Insults, shouts and sarcastic remarks were thrown around as if they had forgotten they had just lost a father, a grandfather and a family member. To them, Gramps was nothing more than a source of money.
Taehyung felt numb among it all. He heard the words, but they barely registered. His world had just been turned upside down and he had no one to look support in.
"Enough!" Namjoon’s voice cut through the noise, demanding attention. Taehyung looked up, surprised to see Namjoon looking directly at him.
"Everything is in Taehyung’s hands." Namjoon said firmly. "If he agrees to marry Jeon Jungkook, his grandfather’s wishes will be honored and everything will go to him."
"Wait, Jeon?" Taehyung’s father asked, processing the last name only at that moment. "As in Jeon Industries? Our biggest competitor? Our father despised them! That family and their head are our rivals! Which Jeon is this?"
"I’m not familiar with your company’s competitors, Mr. Kim." Namjoon replied, unruffled. "But the will clearly states that Taehyung is to marry Jeon Jungkook, the son of Jeon Dohyun."
"But Dohyun doesn’t have any sons?" Taehyung’s uncle said, unsure of it. "As far as I know, it's his brother who has a son but that kid is like thirteen. Dohyun only has daughters."
"Of course you’d know that." Taehyung’s aunt smirked. "They’re probably all under twenty-six."
"Pick up the phone, little sister. The Academy is calling to deliver your non-existent—"
"It doesn’t matter which Jeon it is. My son is not marrying anyone, especially not a Jeon!" Taehyung’s father shouted.
My son. That was fucking hilarious. Taehyung couldn’t help but smirk at the irony.
"The decision is up to Taehyung and only him." Namjoon said. Taehyung stared back, his eyes wide and kinda uncertain. Who the hell was Jeon Jungkook? He had no idea. He didn’t want to marry him, but it was clear that his grandfather, who had always loved him, had placed this responsibility on him, along with his entire legacy.
It was either marry a stranger or watch his ungrateful family tear apart everything his grandfather had built.
"Taehyung, tell this man you’re not marrying anyone." His older brother finally spoke. Taehyung looked at him and saw nothing but the desperate hunger for a new Lamborghini funded by the inheritance he expected to receive.
"Silence already speaks for him, Namjoon." His father said, turning to the lawyer. "Taehyung is a smart boy. He—"
"I’ll marry him."
If the words could cut glass… Taehyung shivered as every head slowly turned to him, at the end of the table.
"What did you just say?" His father demanded as his fists clenched on the table. That made him shiver.
"I’ll marry him." Taehyung repeated, standing from his seat without breaking eye contact with the lawyer. "I’ll marry Jeon Jungkook."
ᝰ
Taehyung was so fucking frustrated. It had been weeks since he started sending letters to Jeon Jungkook, but there was no response, nothing at all. For a while, he wondered if his new assistant somehow messed up the delivery address, but Park Jimin swore on his life that the address he had used was the only legal one tied to Jungkook.
Either he had changed it or he was intentionally ignoring him. If it was the latter, Taehyung would probably go insane.
On top of that, he was struggling to settle into his new role as CEO of Kim Horizons. The adjustment was more difficult than he expected. His grandfather was a legend, respected and admired by everyone in the company. Stepping into his shoes felt like impossible task. Some executives shot Taehyung skeptical looks, clearly questioning the decision to appoint someone so young to such a powerful position, but he refused to let it bother him. He had years of training, a solid education and most importantly, his grandfather had chosen him. That was all that mattered to him. Executives could go and suck it.
To make the office feel more like his own, Taehyung redecorated it. He put up his diplomas and certificates on the walls and added a few personal touches to make the space feel more comfortable. He even bought new stationary. If he was going to be CEO, he was going to do it with style.
The stationery was so pretty, it was premium paper with 24k gold flakes embedded in it and it had his name on it. Taehyung loved how both elegant and charming it looked. He decided to use it for his letters to Jungkook, hoping it would make a good impression. But as the silence continued, his patience ran thin.
Then, one random Tuesday, Jimin walked into the office with a grin on his face.
"Why are you smiling, Jimin?" Taehyung asked, tilting his head. Park Jimin wasn’t exactly the type to smile much at work.
"Jeon Jungkook wrote back, Mr. Kim!" Jimin announced, handing Taehyung a sealed envelope.
"Finally!" Taehyung sighed in relief. Between legal headaches, document deadlines, Namjoon’s constant calls, his family’s endless complaining and the stress of managing his grandfather’s company, he just wanted to get the marriage settled and move on.
He tore open the envelope, but when he looked at the contents, all he felt was confusion. It wasn’t a response, it was one of his own letters, the one he had sent to Jungkook, now mailed back to him.
"I don’t get it. Is this a joke?" Taehyung mumbled, staring at the paper.
"There’s something on the back!" Jimin pointed out, leaning over.
Taehyung flipped the letter over and found a handwritten message:
"Be a doll and come ask me in person, my future beloved."
The ink was cheap blue, so in contrast to the luxurious pen Taehyung had used.
"What the hell is this?" Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Does he expect me to get down on my knees? It’s an arranged marriage!"
"If I may speak, Mr. Kim, he has a point." Jimin said with a shrug, settling into the chair. "If it were me, I’d still want a proposal, arranged or not."
"I don’t have time for this!" Taehyung groaned. "I don’t even know what he looks like! The only photos I found online are old, from when he was a teenager!"
"I can clear your schedule if you’d like." Jimin offered, looking at his iPad and pulling up Taehyung’s agenda for the day.
Taehyung hesitated. The thought of meeting Jungkook in person made him feel kinda uneasy. He would much rather prefer if Jungkook just said yes, showed up, signed the papers and be done with it.
But realistically, if a stranger sent him a letter asking for marriage simply to get an inheritance, he’d want a face-to-face meeting too. What Jungkook was asking for made sense.
"Fine." Taehyung sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Get the car ready. But tell the driver to take me home first, I need to change."
If he was going to do this, if he was about to willingly embarrass himself, he had to look good doing it at least.
"Yes, sir." Jimin nodded. "One more thing before I go. Your father wanted to see you again. He was told he couldn’t come onto this floor, per your instruction."
"Good." Taehyung sighed. "I can’t deal with him right now."
ᝰ
Taehyung stepped out of the elevator and into his penthouse in the financial district of Seoul. It was a gift from his grandfather two years ago before he left for Switzerland to pursue his Master’s degree. It was a beautiful penthouse. The floor-to-ceiling windows showed the Seoul skyline.
He kicked off his shoes and shrugged off his blazer as he made his way upstairs to his bedroom and into his walk-in closet.
If he was going to meet Jeon Jungkook, he needed to look perfect, sexy but not desperate, not too overdone either. He wanted Jungkook to take one look and know exactly who he was dealing with. So what if the marriage was just for show?
Taehyung slid open the closet doors yo neatly organized suits, shirts, ties and designer pieces.
"No ties." He said to himself, pulling out a jet black button-down. He held it up against his body for a moment, then tossed it aside. "This is too stiff."
After a few more passes, he found the perfect shirt: a navy silk shirt that had a little shimmer under the light. It sat against his body perfectly, showing off at his toned chest without being tight, enough to leave something to the imagination. He paired it with tailored black trousers that outlined his hips just right.
He stood in front of the mirror, checking himself from head to toe. The outfit was classy and expensive and in Taehyung’s mind, not too much. He left the top two buttons undone, to show a little bit of his collarbones.
His eyes moved to his million cologne bottles on the shelf. After a moment, he picked one that smelled warm, pleasant and woody. He wanted to show that whether it was an arranged marriage or not, he was worth every second of Jungkook's attention.
After putting on a thin gold Cartier bracelet on his wrist, Taehyung gave himself a final look in the mirror. His dark brown hair was styled neatly, but a little messily. Just as he liked it.
Slipping his phone into his back pocket, he checked the time.
"Alright, Jeon Jungkook." He sighed. "Let’s see what you got."
Taehyung’s sleek black Rolls-Royce came to a stop at the narrow street. Taehyung stared out the tinted window with his brows furrowed. The GPS confirmed that he was at the right place, but the neighbourhood was nothing like he'd expected.
The shiny and polished skyscrapers of Hannam The Hill were nowhere to be found. Instead, the streets here were worn with faded shop signs and cracked sidewalks. There were only convenience stores and old brick buildings and people’s laundry hung from balcony railings.
Taehyung had never seen anything like this in real life, only in movies. He knew very well of his privilege but it still scared him.
"We’ve arrived, Mr. Kim." The driver said, turning in his seat.
"Thank you." Taehyung exhaled through his nose. He didn’t know what to think of Jeon Jungkook, but this was definitely not it.
Jeon Jungkook, the son of Jeon Dohyun, CEO of Jeon Industries, one of their richest rivals, was here? It was strange there was barely any information about him online, but maybe this explained it? Taehyung had no idea. Carefully, he stepped carefully out of the car.
The neon lights of a nearby convenience store were buzzing overhead.
"Are you sure this is the right address?" Taehyung asked, giving a strange look to his driver, even though his phone confirmed they were in the right place.
"Yes, sir." The driver replied with a polite nod. "I’ll wait here for you."
Taehyung suddenly felt out of place in his expensive clothes. A few strangers eyed him curiously, their eyes staying on his flashy car and polished shoes as they passed him the street.
Taehyung found the small restaurant tucked between a tattoo studio and an old laundromat. The windows had the faint outline of faded letters that read: Japchae Jubilee.
The lights were on inside, but the place was empty. The only sign of life was the flickering Open sign above the door.
Taehyung hesitated, staring at the door and wondering what the hell was doing here. But this was his grandfather's wish. He had to go in.
With a sigh, he pushed the door open. A small bell jingled above his head as he stepped inside.
The scent of spicy sauces and boiled noodles hit him instantly. The walls were covered in food posters. Some were well designed, others looked like they’d been screenshotted on the internet and then printed.
"Welcome to the Japchae Jubilee." A female voice said from behind the counter, taking Taehyung’s attention. "Would you like a table? Just so you know, we’re closing in 15 minutes."
"Hi." Taehyung responded, looking at her. She was so pretty, with bright blonde hair and little highlights. She looked like she was in her forties. "I’m not here for food. I’m looking for Jeon Jungkook."
The woman tilted her head, giving him a playful smile as she sized him up.
"Oh, you must be Kim Taehyung." She chuckled.
"Oh?" Taehyung blinked, surprised. "You know who I am?"
"Of course I do." She replied, leaning her elbows on the counter. "I’ve been passing on your fancy letters to Jungkook. He’s in the kitchen." She gestured toward the double doors that led to the brightly lit kitchen.
"Can I just walk into the kitchen like that?" Taehyung asked, a bit thrown off by her casual tone.
"Well, you can. Not just anyone, though." She laughed again. What did she mean by that?
Taehyung nodded politely, but his heart was racing more than he liked. Who was this woman? Was she Jungkook’s partner? That would make everything a lot more complicated. All he wanted was to sign the papers, secure his inheritance and move on before his family got their hands on it.
Why am I nervous? He wondered. It’s not like I’m meeting a celebrity. But Jungkook was important in a way. This whole ridiculous marriage situation depended on him.
With that thought, he walked toward the kitchen, the sound of his shoes tapping on the echoing tile. When he reached the door he hesitated, his fingers brushing against the cool surface.
Get it together, he told himself. It’s just a conversation. The worst thing he can do is say no. And tell him to fuck off but he won’t do that, right? And well, also ruin his inheritance.
There were many bad things he could do, but regardless, he pushed the door open.
The kitchen was brightly lit, almost blinding compared to the softer lighting in the dining area. There, standing by the counter, cleaning the surface and humming a random song under his breath with an apron on him, was Jeon Jungkook.
So, he was a cook. A chef.
He looked nothing like the polished, preppy images Taehyung had found online. In those photos, Jungkook looked like a rich, spoiled kid, just as he was supposed to be. But this version of him was completely different. He was wearing a black t-shirt that clung to his body in just the right way, showing off the muscles of his chest and arms. He had tattoos on his forearms and his jet-black hair was hidden under a kitchen hat.
Jungkook looked up, his eyes locking onto Taehyung’s as a slow, almost wicked smile tugged at his lips.
"Well, well." Jungkook said, setting the cloth he had been holding. "Look who finally decided to show up."
"Do you know who I am?" Taehyung asked, feeling a little nervous.
"I Googled you." Jungkook shrugged. "And your face is too pretty to forget."
Taehyung blinked, taken aback by the bold compliment... or comment? He didn’t know how to take it. He quickly looked away, avoiding eye contact as his mind crumbled down in his head. He suddenly felt overdressed in his tailored silk shirt and slacks.
"I thought it would be polite to come in person." He mumbled, twitching at how awkward it sounded.
"Yeah, after I reminded you!" Jungkook replied. His eyes roamed up and down, slowly studying Taehyung in a way that made a strange warmth sneak up his neck. "I bet you couldn’t wait to see me."
"Don’t flatter yourself." Taehyung huffed.
Jungkook chuckled at that, too amused by the situation.
"Too late." He smirked.
Taehyung moved uncomfortably under Jungkook’s gaze, feeling very exposed in a way he wasn’t used to. People often looked at him, but not like this.
Jungkook moved from behind the counter and approached Taehyung, closing the distance between them. He was much closer than Taehyung had expected and even closer than he liked. He had a faint scent of spices, probably from being in the kitchen all day.
"So…" Jungkook began, his voice low and teasing. "Did you bring a ring or what?"
"What?" Taehyung choked on his breath.
"For the proposal." Jungkook giggled. "I mean, that’s why you’re here, right? Or were you hoping I’d do the honors?"
Taehyung opened his mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t come out. He wasn’t used to being thrown off like this.
"I— No. I mean, yes, but—" He groaned, frustrated. Jungkook tilted his head, enjoying the way Taehyung was struggling.
"Relax, my future beloved." Jungkook stepped back just enough to give Taehyung some space, but his smirk didn’t leave. "Now, tell me everything."
"Everything was in the letter." Taehyung said. "For some reason, my grandfather put this on me. He wants me to marry you to get my inheritance. Apparently, you’re the son of Jeon Dohyun, the head of our rival company. Maybe he wants the rivalry to end. I don’t know, I can’t ask him... He’s dead."
"I see." Jungkook nodded. "But what if I don’t want to marry you?"
"I’ll pay you." Taehyung quickly responded. "I went over everything with my lawyer. There’s nothing in the will that states I can’t divorce you once I get the inheritance. I don’t have to, but I’ll pay you well for your troubles."
"How much?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow.
"We’ll decide later." Taehyung shrugged, trying to keep control. "Will you do it or not?"
Jungkook was silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes as he studied Taehyung.
"Don’t you want to know why your grandfather asked you to marry me?" He suddenly asked, ignoring Taehyung’s question. "How did he even know who I am?"
"Of course I want to know." Taehyung replied. "I’ll never know his true reasons, but I can only guess. Maybe he thought having you, the heir of Jeon Industries, as my husband would help merge our companies or—"
"What?" Jungkook laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "Do I look like the heir of a multibillion dollar company to you?"
Taehyung was completely thrown off. Was this the wrong person? Yeah, it seemed so weird that the heir of such a powerful company would be working as a chef in some rundown restaurant, but Taehyung knew rich people often did strange things when they got bored of their money. But still, he didn’t want to make assumptions. He hoped Jungkook would give more information, but Taehyung needed the agreement first and the details later.
"I did my research, Kim Taehyung." Jungkook continued. "You’re the new CEO of your company, but whoever put you in charge must be an idiot for choosing someone who doesn’t even know who his rivals are."
"You’re the son of—"
"Disowned son of Jeon Dohyun." Jungkook interrupted, his smirk suddenly fading. "My father kicked me out when I was fifteen."
Disowned? Why on earth would his grandfather want him to marry a disowned Jeon?
"Huh?" Taehyung whispered, eyes wide with shock. "That’s why there’s no information about you. The last pictures I found were from when you were a teenager at a Seoul Academy talent show."
"Yeah, that was twelve years ago, just a few days before I was thrown out to fend for myself." Jungkook shrugged. "You won’t gain anything from me by marrying me, so there must be some other reason."
"Look, we’ll figure it out later." Taehyung sighed in frustration. He was desperate to understand why his grandfather had done this, especially with nothing to benefit from Jeon Jungkook, but he had no time to waste. "Will you do it or not?"
"Do you really need me that much?" He asked, stepping forward.
Taehyung gulped. Why does he have to stand so damn close?
"Yes. I really need you." He wanted to slap and curse himself for how desperate he sounded.
Jungkook tilted his head slightly, looking at Taehyung for a moment. Meanwhile, Taehyung was trying not to burst from how tightly he was holding his breath.
"Are you nervous?" Jungkook asked, his voice low.
"No." Taehyung lied.
Jungkook’s lips twitched, not like a smirk this time, but something knowing, as if he understood exactly what Taehyung was feeling and found it amusing. He leaned in a little, close enough for Taehyung to feel the heat from him, but not enough to cross any boundaries.
"I’ll marry you." Jungkook said and this time, there was no trace of humor in his voice. "But if we’re doing this, I have a condition."
"A condition?" Taehyung raised his eyebrow.
"Yeah." Jungkook nodded. "You don’t get to treat me like a business transaction. We won’t divorce for a while and you won’t just forget my existence. If we’re going to be married, even if it’s just on paper, I want to be treated like a real husband." He paused, his eyes still on Taehyung. "At least in front of other people."
Taehyung stared at him, feeling speechless for a moment. Jungkook’s words were simple and direct.
"Why would you want to be stuck with me?" Taehyung asked, genuinely curious. "In a contract like this, you wouldn’t be able to have any romantic relationships with anyone, either publicly or privately."
"Like I said, I’ve done my research, Taehyung." Jungkook stepped back, his eyes scanning him up and down once more. "I looked into you and your company. Despite the rivalry, you and Jeon Industries will have to cross paths often. And I want to be there for every single one."
"Why?" Taehyung’s voice came out almost a whisper.
"I want to see my father’s face every time I stand next to you." Jungkook’s voice dropped lower, sounding very… vengeful. "Imagine it, every event, every gala, every business dinner, his disowned son, whom he despises so much, standing beside his greatest business enemy, holding his hand."
Taehyung’s throat felt tight and his heart threatened to jump out of his chest. He couldn’t help but hate how easily Jungkook was throwing him off of his balance.
"That’s petty." Taehyung said, but his voice came out softer than he intended.
"Maybe." Jungkook chuckled, tilting his head. "But you can’t deny it would be satisfying."
Taehyung gulped, struggling to maintain his composure. Jungkook wasn’t wrong, part of him could already picture the twisted satisfaction of watching his grandfather’s rival businessmen burn with anger.
"But Jungkook…" He hesitated. "It won’t be easy. There are too many eyes on me right now. You won’t be able to act however you want when we're in public. You’ll need media training, a protocol of your own and you’ll have to quit this job. You’ll have to move in with me. God, your life will be picked apart by the press. This will be so complicated."
"I know." Jungkook nodded without hesitation. "I don’t care. A few months in boring suits is nothing compared to the satisfaction of seeing my father suffer." He shrugged casually. "I know what I’m getting into. But do you? Are you really willing to go through with this?"
"My grandfather’s legacy is on the line. Of course, I am." Taehyung answered confidently, very sure (not really) in his decision.
"And like I said." Jungkook continued. "I want you to treat me like I matter. I don’t want to be some trophy husband or whatever you were expecting."
"Fine." Taehyung mumbled, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "I’ll treat you however you want."
Jungkook leaned closer again, just enough for Taehyung to see the faint freckles on his cheeks.
"However I want?" Jungkook asked with a teasing tone.
Taehyung’s face heated up before he could stop it and he forced himself not to look away.
"In public." Taehyung clarified, hating how breathless he sounded. "Don’t get any ideas."
"What?" Jungkook’s grin spread. "Don’t husband duties include everything, my future beloved?"
Taehyung nearly choked. Did this guy really just say that with a straight face? His heart beat fast as he realized Jungkook was enjoying every moment of his discomfort.
"That’s not—" Taehyung struggled to find the right words. "We’re not—"
"Why? You dolled yourself up for me today and I’m not gonna lie, you made quite the impression." Jungkook’s grin widened. There was no apology in his expression, just a quiet challenge, as if daring Taehyung to drive him even more insane.
"You’re blushing, my future beloved." Jungkook teased smoothly. "What? Thinking about it already?"
"There will be no sex involved, Jungkook." Taehyung said firmly. He clenched his jaw, determined to keep his face neutral as Jungkook stopped.
"I’m joking, relax." Jungkook chuckled, stepping back. "So, when are we going to make it official?"
"I’ll contact you." Taehyung said, trying to sound collected, but it came out more like an hesitant sentence. "And answer this time."
"Another gold-flaked letter?" Jungkook laughed, raising an eyebrow. Taehyung rolled his eyes but stayed quiet, refusing to give Jungkook the satisfaction or another reaction. "Oh, come on." Jungkook pressed. "It's kind of adorable. All that expensive paper for little love notes."
"They weren’t love notes!" Taehyung snapped, but the traitor blush creeping up his face stabbed him in the back.
This was it, Taehyung had reached his limit. His skin burned and his mind was a mess. If he stayed any longer, he was sure Jungkook would say something even more insane and push him past the point of no return.
Without another word, he turned his heels and made for the door. He could feel Jungkook’s eyes staring at his back and it took all his self-control not to look over his shoulder.
The bell above the door jingled as Taehyung yanked it open and practically ran outside into the cool night air. He inhaled the fresh air, hoping it would clear the fog Jungkook had left in his head.
Just as the door slammed shut behind him, he heard Jungkook’s last words.
"Don’t keep me waiting too long, my future beloved."
Taehyung cursed under his breath, frustration and something else bubbling in his chest. He was very close to cursing out his late grandfather for putting him through this shit too.
He knew, Jeon Jungkook was definitely going to be a pain in his ass (mentally and physically).
ᝰ
"Do I look good?" Taehyung asked, looking at himself in the mirror of his walk-in closet.
"You look beautiful, Mr. Kim." Jimin responded.
Taehyung gave himself one last look in the mirror, smoothing the front of his black silk shirt. His tailored trousers fit perfectly around his waist and he took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Everything would be fine.
Right? Right. Haha.
"You sure you’re not overdressing for your fake husband?" Jimin teased, smiling playfully.
"He won’t be fake, unfortunately." Taehyung replied, his stomach doing a backflip at the word husband. "Don’t you have somewhere else to be? I need tomorrow's schedule rearranged and sent over."
Jimin chuckled and raised his hands in defense before going out of the room. Taehyung shook his head, giving his reflection one more look.
This is business, nothing else, he repeated it to himself. This was all for his grandfather’s inheritance.
Downstairs, Namjoon was sitting on the couch, flipping through papers as the elevator doors opened. Jeon Jungkook stepped out, two duffel bags casually hanging over his shoulders, as if he had just returned from a trip. He was dressed simply in black jeans, a leather jacket and a white T-shirt.
He looked around the apartment. Taehyung’s penthouse was an embodiment of modern luxury with the elevator opening directly into the living space. The open layout had huge floor-to-ceiling windows that let in natural light and as an added bonus, had stunning views of the Seoul skyline. The space was decorated with sleek black and silver features and a chandelier hung down from the second floor.
"Good evening." Jungkook greeted Namjoon before looking toward the staircase, as if searching for someone. "You must be the lawyer?" He asked Namjoon.
"You’re early." Namjoon said without looking up, still focused on his papers. Jungkook shrugged and adjusted his bags, not really phased by him.
"I wanted to make a good first impression on my future husband." He replied casually.
"We’ll go over everything shortly." Namjoon said, his attention going back on the documents. "Do you have your own lawyer?"
"Do I look like I do?" Jungkook chuckled.
Before Namjoon could respond, the sound of footsteps captured their attention. Taehyung appeared at the top, pausing for a moment when their eyes met. His breath got trapped in his throat, but he quickly gathered himself and descended with as much composure as he could muster.
Jungkook’s eyes followed him all the way down and Taehyung felt the eyes on him.
"You look beautiful." Jungkook said and his eyes roamed over Taehyung. "Sorry, I didn’t dress up."
"Let’s just get this over with." Taehyung replied quickly, trying to sound as composed as possible, but the flutter in his stomach was threatening to come out.
"What? Am I not allowed to say that to my future husband?" Jungkook smiled.
"Ahem." Namjoon cleared his throat, uninterested in their bickering. "Let’s go over the contract."
They both sat down on the couch, Jungkook taking a seat next to him. Taehyung shifted uncomfortably on the leather surface, trying to ignore the feeling of Jungkook sitting just a little too close. The faint brush of Jungkook’s thigh against his sent a jolt of electricity through his body, but he tried to focus on Namjoon’s voice as he explained the contract.
Namjoon placed two neat stacks of papers on the coffee table between them. Everything looked oh so serious. Jungkook really wasn't used to stuff like this.
"There are two documents. One is the contract, the other is the marriage license." Namjoon began, his tone steady. "This outlines the terms of your arrangement as Taehyung’s husband. I’ll go over the essentials."
Taehyung crossed his legs, sitting back with his arms folded tightly over his chest. His eyes stayed locked on the papers, as if they were the only thing keeping him sane. Jungkook, however, leaned back lazily, his arms draped across the back of the couch like he owned the place.
"Like an actual contract?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow, looking at Namjoon and Taehyung.
"Yes." Taehyung replied. "There are certain expectations, rules you’ll need to follow if we’re going to do this."
Jungkook leaned forward, picking up the contract with one hand, casually flipping through the pages.
"First." Namjoon continued. "Mr. Jeon, you’ll be required to live here in the penthouse with Taehyung. You cannot disclose this address to anyone, whether family or friends."
"Not a problem." Jungkook scoffed lightly. "I don’t have either." Taehyung blinked at that but said nothing, still not used to Jungkook’s casual tone.
"Next." Namjoon read. "You will need to quit your current job, effective immediately."
"Already did." Jungkook shrugged, looking up at Taehyung. "Didn’t think my position as a chef in a random restaurant would exactly scream the respectable spouse of a CEO."
Taehyung’s heart skipped a beat as Jungkook’s eyes met his, his calm and confident expression not forming a crack. How was he so composed? They were talking about a contract, a marriage and yet Jungkook made it all sound so easy.
"There are also safety protocols." Namjoon added, looking at both of them. "In public, you’ll need to follow security measures. Bodyguards, drivers, all of that."
"I don’t need a bodyguard or a driver." Jungkook shook his head, unimpressed.
"That’s non-negotiable." Taehyung answered for Namjoon.
Jungkook exhaled.
"Fine." He sounded a bit annoyed. Finally.
Namjoon continued, listing a few more rules, but Taehyung couldn’t focus on anything except the way Jungkook kept staring at him. He couldn’t see it, but he felt it.
"Your divorce is scheduled in six months from today. On December 20th. There are other rules, but we’ll address those later." Namjoon concluded. "They’re not written down and they’re nothing too extreme."
"Great." Jungkook stretched lazily, his eyes never leaving Taehyung. "So, when do we make this official?"
"Is there anything else you’d like to ask or clarify before signing? This is your last chance." Namjoon slid the marriage license in front of them.
Taehyung hesitated, staring at the papers before slowly turning to face Jungkook. There was one thing, something that had been bothering him since their first meeting.
"I always knew that Kim Horizons and Jeon Industries were the biggest rivals." Taehyung began. "Gramps never spoke much about it and I never cared either. But if I’d known he was going to spring this on me, I would have asked more questions." He sighed.
"Where are you going with this?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow.
"I did some digging and it turns out the rivalry goes way back to the 1970s." Taehyung continued. "Apparently, my grandfather and yours planned to start a company together, but something stopped them. I’m not sure what."
"I still don’t see where you’re going with this." Jungkook said with a shrug.
"I… I don’t know." Taehyung admitted. "But I need to understand why you were disowned. Don’t get me wrong, but I couldn’t find anything online about it and it’s all so confusing. I don’t understand why Gramps wanted me to marry you."
The room fell into an awkward silence. Jungkook’s relaxed expression changed just a little and Taehyung understood right away that this was the topic he really didn’t enjoy discussing.
"I said I don’t want to talk about it." His voice was low. "If you have any respect for me, you’ll trust me when I say it doesn’t matter."
It matters when my grandfather, who probably knew about it, practically forces me to marry you from the grave, but sure, whatever.
Taehyung held his eyes on him a moment longer than necessary, trying to read between the lines. But Jungkook revealed nothing.
"Let’s proceed, then." Namjoon cleared his throat and handed each of them a pen. "This is the marriage license. Sign here and it’s official."
Taehyung reached for the pen, but Jungkook grabbed it first, their fingers brushing for a second. The touch was so short, but it felt as if electricity surged through Taehyung’s veins.
Jungkook’s hands were cold too.
"Don’t I get a ring?" Jungkook asked, signing his name smoothly. When it was Taehyung’s turn, he picked up the pen with slightly trembling fingers, aware of Jungkook’s eyes on him.
"No rings." Taehyung replied, forcing himself to concentrate as he carefully signed his name. As soon as he finished, Jungkook leaned in.
"It’s official, then." He said in his ear, making Taehyung shiver. "My beloved."
ᝰ
There was a soft clink of dishes being cleared in the kitchen as Namjoon slipped on his jacket. After dinner, they had moved to the living room for dessert. Tiramisu with a pretty view of Seoul tasted even better.
"Dinner was excellent." Namjoon said. I could have made it better, Jungkook thought to himself. "I’ll be in touch about the next steps. Everything seems in order. Don’t take any calls from your family until everything is officially in your name."
"Of course." Taehyung replied, walking him to the elevator. "Thanks, Namjoon."
"Anytime." Namjoon looked at Jungkook, who was lounging on the couch, before giving a polite nod and leaving.
The elevator doors slid shut, leaving a silence that felt louder than anything. For the first time since becoming husbands, they were alone.
Husbands. The word alone sent a chill down Taehyung’s spine.
Jungkook stretched lazily, smiling as his gaze moved to Taehyung.
"Private chef, huh?" Jungkook asked, referencing the cook who had prepared their meal. "Must be exhausting, never cooking for yourself."
"Yes." Taehyung replied, giving him an annoyed look. "Some of us are busy running multibillion dollar companies."
"Ouch!" Jungkook grinned. "It must be tough. You know, being you."
Taehyung ignored the comment.
"Come on, I’ll show you around." He said, changing the subject.
They walked through the penthouse, as Taehyung gave short explanations and pointed out various rooms.
On the first floor, his office was tucked away to one side, next to a home gym. A beautiful staircase led to the second floor, where the master bedroom and guest rooms were. Jungkook’s eyes also caught sight of the terrace. He followed casually with hands in his pockets and his duffle bags slung over his shoulders.
"And here." Taehyung said, stopping in front of a door. "This is your room."
He pushed the door open revealing a spacious modern bedroom.
Jungkook stepped inside, giving the room a curious glance before dropping his bags onto the bed. He ran a hand along the edge of the mattress, then turned to face Taehyung, his eyes moving lazily between him and the door across the hall.
"Is this all you have?" Taehyung asked, pointing to the duffle bags, which didn’t seem heavy at all.
"It is." Jungkook nodded, looking toward the walk-in closet. "How will I ever fill it up?"
"Trust me, the number of suits we’ll get for you will fill it in no time." Taehyung chuckled, leaning against the door frame.
"That’s your room?" Jungkook asked suddenly, nodding toward the door across the hall.
"Yes." Taehyung met his eyes, then quickly regretted it. There it was again, that pull, that unspoken feeling that buzzed between them like static noise. Taehyung felt frozen to the spot, too aware of how close they were, despite the actual physical distance being big between them.
"Hmmm." Jungkook tilted his head. "Not far at all." He added, the simplicity of the sentence having the obvious implications.
Taehyung’s throat tightened once again, a sensation that Jungkook seemed to give him a lot and he had to remind himself to breathe.
"Get settled." He mumbled quickly, stepping back toward his own door.
Jungkook only gave him a slow but smug smile.
Taehyung thought it would be easy, just tolerate and ignore Jungkook, but he was so wrong. Jungkook made the next three weeks a complete nightmare.
One morning, Taehyung woke up to the sound of water running in the shower. For a split second, he panicked, still not used to sharing his space with anyone. Then he remembered. Fucking Jungkook.
But wait... What the hell was he doing in there?!
Jungkook casually walked out of the bathroom with Taehyung’s towel wrapped around his waist. He should’ve been angry, but instead, his eyes locked on Jungkook’s abs. God, he could stare at them all day, but not now. He was furious.
"What? My shower doesn’t have hot water." Jungkook shrugged as he winked at Taehyung before walking away.
Taehyung told himself that would be the last time Jungkook would force him to see his abs. But no, motherfucker barely wore a shirt when Taehyung was home and it was torture. He was too damn hot and Taehyung was getting more attracted to him with each day. It was driving him insane.
One afternoon, Taehyung received a call from his house chef, the poor man practically begging him to come and take his husband out of the kitchen. Apparently, Jungkook had decided to cook dinner that day and ended up breaking the fancy equipment. The chef quit on the spot and Taehyung promised to pay him his monthly salary as compensation until he found another job as an apology.
And it didn’t stop there. Jungkook worked out late into the night and Taehyung could hear his grunts and heavy breathing from the next room, as the gym was right next to his office. He didn’t know how much more he could take. He wanted to slap him and jump his dick at the same time.
He wanted Jungkook badly. But it couldn’t be like that. Jungkook was just a business transaction and that had to stay the way it was.
But God. He was making it so fucking difficult.
The breaking point came when his new chef nearly quit too after working for three days. Taehyung snapped. He screamed at Jungkook, begging to either get his shit together or stop ruining the perfect system he'd created for his house.
Later that night, Taehyung sat at his desk in the home office, trying to work through the meeting notes for the next morning. But his mind kept going back to Jungkook. He had some kind of aura that made Taehyung feel both uncomfortable and strangely drawn to him in the weirdest way.
A knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up to find Jungkook standing in the doorway with two cups of tea.
"Can I come in?!" Jungkook asked. "I raided the kitchen and found some cool flavoured teas. So, I come in peace."
"Oh…" Taehyung blinked, caught off guard by it. "Thanks." He was wearing a shirt too. Weird. Definitely weird.
Jungkook set the cups down on the desk and leaned casually against the edge, his eyes looking over the room.
"This place feels too perfect." He said a little hesitantly. "I don’t know. I feel out of place. I’ve lived alone since I was fifteen, but honestly, my biggest apartment was the size of my bedroom here."
"Is this why you’re making it so hard? Running my staff off?" Taehyung said, a small smile sneaking in. "I don’t mind. You can come in whenever you want, as long as you don’t disturb me or my employees."
There was something in Jungkook’s eyes, something unreadable, that made Taehyung’s heart skip a beat. He was tired of being angry with him.
Jungkook began to wander around the room, his eyes flickering over the shelves lined with books, small trophies from Taehyung’s high school and university days and personal memories.
"Is this you?" He asked, holding up one of the pictures. Taehyung looked at it, smiling a little before walking over to him.
"Yeah. That’s me and my Gramps. I was five, I think." He said.
The photo was of a young Taehyung, barely reaching his grandfather’s hip, grinning widely under a bucket hat while his grandfather laughed beside him. It was one of Taehyung’s favorite pictures and it was taken at a lake near his grandfather’s mansion. They loved going there for fishing trips and whenever the nannies brought Taehyung to visit, his Gramps always made sure to take him along.
Jungkook set the picture back on the shelf, his eyes moving to the next frame, a photo of Taehyung’s grandfather standing alone in the garden, smiling warmly at the camera. Jungkook leaned in closer, his brow furrowing as he scanned the background.
"What the fuck is this?!" Jungkook suddenly asked, startling Taehyung.
"What do you mean?" Taehyung tilted his head. "It’s a picture my Gramps gave me before I left for Switzerland. He told me he wanted me to have it specifically to keep his memory there. I never asked why."
"No. Why is she there?" Jungkook asked.
Taehyung frowned, confused by the change in Jungkook’s tone.
"Who?" He asked.
"The woman." Jungkook said, pointing to the edge of the photo. "In the background. Why is she in this picture?"
Taehyung leaned closer, following the direction of Jungkook’s finger. Weird, he never noticed her. A woman stood partially obscured by a hedge. She had her back slightly turned as she worked in the garden. Her face was partially visible.
"Her?" Taehyung asked slowly, still not understanding a thing. "She’s probably one of the gardeners. Gramps had several over the years."
Jungkook’s hands clenched around the frame, his jaw visibly tightening.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Gramps always had a good relationship with the house staff. He probably knew her well." Taehyung replied, his brows frowning.
Jungkook let out a bitter laugh. He shook his head slowly, as if mocking himself.
"That’s not just a gardener, Taehyung. That’s my mother." He said.
"Your mother?" Taehyung stared at him in shock. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. Jungkook gave a nod. "That can’t be." Taehyung said, his mind failing to connect dots. "Why would Jeon Dohyun’s wife be working as a gardener at Gramps’ estate?"
"She was not his wife." Jungkook cut him off. "Yes, Taehyung. Jeon Dohyun’s wife isn’t my mother." His words were nothing but dripping with resentment. "I’m his bastard son. Breaking news."
And just like that, the room fell silent.