Bond Made in Hell || A TAEJIN STORY || Arranged Marriage

7

So, I remember saying time and again this book was going to be cliche, but definitely not the abusive-husband-turns-sweet type of cliche. You may keep in mind that Taehyung has never actually physically abused Seokjin in any way (I personally do not think abusive people deserve to be redeemed either in real life or in fan fiction) though I have myself read a ton of such stories, and found some of them really good as well. Anyway, this one is not going to be that type, I assure you.

The morning dawns, bright and early. It is the striking of the wall clock to eight that wakes me up. I open my eyes and stare at the blue-flowered wallpaper on the ceiling above me.

I think I remember passing out on the floor in my tears after Taehyung left, but what I feel beneath me is not the cold, hard floor, but the very soft surface of a mattress. The realization makes me wide awake as my eyes blink rapidly.

My hands creep to the sheets drawn over me and pull them off as I sit up in bed. My head is aching terribly, and I have the sudden urge to vomit. I stagger off bed and stumble to the bathroom where I empty my insides into the toilet and then simply sit next to it with my head against the cold tiles of the wall. I feel like passing out once more.

'What are you doing?' A cold voice jerks me out of unconsciousness.

'T-Taehyung!' I get unstably to my feet. 'I-I just-'

'Did your family make you sleep in bathrooms? Or is that something new you thought up to drive me mad further?'

His words, his tone, his look, everything hits me like a thousand sharp knifes in one, and I glare at him as anger takes over me, as I remember bits and pieces of last night. 'You hit me!'

'I hit you?' his voice is calm as he stares at me, still tottering on my legs in my loose shirt and pyjamas (though I barely recall changing into them) while he stands tall and handsome in his three-piece Gucci suit. 'I hit you so you passed out in the bathroom?'

'No! You hit me last night! You hit me last night because I-I got drunk with-with-'

'With whom?' his voice drops to a dangerous level. 

'Jeon Jungkook...' I don't know why I whisper the words.

He doesn't say anything, only looks at me impassively. 'Good that you remember.'

'Or you'll do what?' Rage sweeps over me in a sudden, gigantic wave. 'Don't you dare threaten me, Kim Taehyung! I am not your slave. And I am only your husband by word and name and ceremony, as you made sure to remind me last night!'

'Enough with the drama, now,' Taehyung holds up his hands, his eyes glinting coldly. 'And I did not hit you, Seokjin. I do not remember hitting you and I am sure that if you try and clear that pretty head of yours you'll remember too. It's almost half-past eight. You will get dressed and come down for breakfast. My parents shall be arriving any moment. I want you to be presentable at least before them.'

'I shall do whatever I want and you can't order me!'

He shrugs and walks out of the bathroom. I bang the door shut behind him, and cry my heart out as I puke my guts out for a second time.

Two hours later

'So how are you finding married life, Seokjin?' Mrs Kim asks, gently.

I press my lips tight as I try to think of a suitable answer to that. 'It's...okay.'

Mrs Kim is a total angel. It is hard to understand how she produced such an asshole for a son. I mean, the values of your parents are supposed to be ingrained in you since you are in the womb, right?

For beginning to end of the visit her first concern is to make me comfortable, ease me into talking more about myself. And for a few brief minutes, that is just what I do. I tell her about my parents, my house, my friends, my cat, and my life as a whole before marriage. I am actually beginning to really get into it when the asshole and his father, who he had been talking to for the first half-hour since the Kim's arrival, show up at the door of the living room.

Taehyung walks over to the couch opposite and folds his arms across his chest as he looks down at the table in the center, not acknowledging me with a single word or glance. Mrs Kim seems to notice it, and she says a little worriedly, 'Tae, dearie, why don't you go sit next to your husband? Did you guys have a fight?'

'Of course not, Mom,' Taehyung says sharply. 'Don't assume things.'

'Okay, calm down,' Mrs Kim rubs her son's shoulder. She turns to me and smiles broadly. 'So how are you finding married life with Taehyung, Seokjin?'

My world goes numb. Taehyung  lifts his head and his eyes look straight at me. There is no expression at all in them; not of pleading, request, regret. If there is anything I see in those eyes at all, it is anger.

'It's...okay.' I can't think of anything else to say.

'What do you mean by okay?' Mr Kim leans forward, his hands on his knees. He is a tall lean-looking man with a stern face and gold-rimmed spectacles. He wears a Gucci suit just like his son, I wonder if they have bought the whole clothing store just to fit their wardrobe. I heard Gucci is doing well these days. 'Is Taehyung not treating you well?'

'Oh no, he is, very much,' I say hurriedly. 'I like staying here a lot, Mr Kim. I'm very happy and very comfortable, and Taehyung is a darling.'

I feel like puking while saying all these lies. I dare not look at Taehyung to see his reaction. Mr and Mrs Kim exchange smiles.

'That is very good,' Mrs Kim says, sounding pleased. There is a short silence, and then I break it by saying, hesitantly, 'would you guys like some t-tea?'

'Oh, that would be lovely,' Mrs Kim gushes, and I get up and walk into the kitchen as fast as I can. I am so glad I am out of there, the atmosphere with Taehyung in it was like carbon monoxide, so terribly suffocating.

As I pour water into the electric kettle and set it boiling, I feel a presence behind me. I turn around, expecting it to be one of the maids, wanting to help. It's not. Guess who it is?

Surprise, surprise. My lovely husband, looking just as dark and stormy as ever.

'What the hell did you mean in there?' he hisses, grabbing my wrist tightly. I shake his hand off, determined not to tolerate any more of his aggressiveness. 'What do you mean? What did you do?'

'What was all that trash you were saying to Mum and Dad about me?' 

'That was trash? I am sorry, what made it trash exactly? All I did was say nice things about you, where I should have been talking the opposite. If I were you right now I would be bending down and kissing my feet.'

Taehyung stared at me. 'What?'

I raise my voice, 'I said, if I were you and you were me, I would be bending down and kissing your feet clean as a thank-you and a apology for all the horrible things I've done to you.'

'What horrible things have you done to me?'

I sighed and shook my head. 'You are really dense.'

The kettle hissed. I turned back around and took off the cover, pouring the hot water into a tea-cup. As I reach out for the sugar-sachet, Taehyung grabs my wrist once more and spins me around, pressing me back against the kitchen counter. 

'I got what you meant,' he says, bringing his mouth close to my ear, and our proximity makes a shiver run down my spine. 'And let me tell you this one thing Seokjin. Whatever I might do, I will never apologize for how I have behaved or will behave with you. You might suck up to my parents all you like but I will never love you or learn to love you. My heart belongs to someone else and I'll be damned if I allow you to even have one percent of it. So stop trying.'

He lets go of me and I wince as my butt hits the counter. 'Nobody wants your poisonous heart, you asshole!' I shout after him as he walks out of the kitchen.

I'm trying so hard to not make Seokjin a pushover here, because I don't like weak characters in my stories, especially my bias, who is definitely a very strong-minded and resolute person in real life. But I'm so bad at it honestly:-(