La Seine

One.

“TAEHYUNG, YOU WILL DO exactly as we say.”

Mrs. Kim’s stern voice echoed in the opulent hallway, her fingers tightly wrapped around the ornate door handle of the grand banquet hall. The crystal chandeliers above them cast a shimmering light on the polished marble floors, reflecting the grandeur of the evening.

Taehyung adjusted his expensive suit, feeling the weight of the tailored fabric pressing against his skin. He met his mother’s gaze, a mixture of frustration and resignation in his eyes. The anticipation of entering the hall, filled with aristocratic families and their expectations, weighed heavily on him.

Born into wealth, Taehyung had never truly felt at ease in this world of privilege. There was a stark difference between being born rich and feeling comfortable in the life it entailed. The grandiosity, the constant scrutiny, and the relentless pursuit of maintaining an image—it all felt suffocating.

The soft murmurs and laughter of the guests seeped through the door, a reminder of the reality waiting inside. Taehyung wondered if he was ready for this. Would he become one of them—sitting inside, champagne in hand, discussing business and politics? Was this the life he had envisioned growing up, or merely the one imposed upon him?

His mother’s warning glare interrupted his thoughts. “Do you hear me? No excuses regarding this marriage. It’s crucial for our family—”

“Because without their money, we’ll go bankrupt,” Taehyung finished bitterly, his voice laced with sarcasm. His mother flinched at his words, her composed façade momentarily cracking. An arranged marriage felt like a relic from old books, a formal dance among nobles. Yet here he was, bound by duty to a woman he didn’t love, and perhaps could never love.

Love didn’t work that way. It couldn’t be forced. The idea of spending his life with someone chosen for convenience rather than affection gnawed at him.

He wondered if his mother secretly sympathized with his plight or merely played her part in this grand charade. If he were to elope, would she secretly rejoice, relieved that he had escaped this gilded cage? Or would she wish for his return, clinging to the traditions that bound them?

Without waiting for his retort, she swung open the door, the heavy wooden panels revealing Taehyung’s handwritten fate.

⊱ ────────── ⊰

The banquet was exquisite but intolerable. The room was a symphony of crystal and gold, with tables laden with the finest delicacies and guests adorned in their most elegant attire. Taehyung moved through the crowd, his actions mechanical. He smiled, greeted, and laughed—all on autopilot. His eyes scanned the room, seeking someone to connect with, even if only for a fleeting moment.

The girl he was to marry stood across the room, surrounded by admirers yet looking profoundly alone. She was beautiful, her dress a masterpiece of silk and lace, but her eyes told a different story. Behind her forced smiles, Taehyung saw a reflection of his own discontent. Her lips strained to maintain the façade, and he glimpsed tears brimming in her eyes.

They were both prisoners of circumstance, bound by expectations neither had chosen.

By the grand window, Taehyung gazed at the city’s night-lit expanse. The glittering lights seemed to mock his predicament. His parents had reluctantly allowed him one last tour before the wedding. Rome beckoned—a December escape from the life closing in on him. He had planned every detail meticulously, yearning for a taste of freedom. It was his last chance to be the Taehyung he knew, not the one molded by his family’s desires.

Clutching the plane tickets, he vowed to live these moments fully. Not the Kim Taehyung they wanted, but the one he chose to be.

As he lay on his bed that night, the events of the evening playing over in his mind, a tear slid down his cheek. He wished things didn’t have to be this way, wished for a life where he could make his own choices, free from the chains of expectation.

The weight of his reality pressed down on him, but within that moment of sorrow, he found a flicker of resolve. Taehyung vowed to himself that no matter what happened, he would find a way to live on his own terms.