The ties that bind us

Chapter I: The arrangement

Your family and Yoongi's had been friends for three generations, so you both had known each other since babies.

At the end of the 90s, the Min family was going through a very difficult economic situation and your family loaned them a lot of money so that they could pay for their children's education, since they barely had enough to live on. At the same time, they were asked to make a pact between families, and they promised you to marry Yoongi when you both became adults; in fact, there had already been another tie between the families before when an uncle of yours married Yoongi's aunt.

During those years, the rate of single women over 30 had increased since it was difficult to find a husband; many men had died in military service. Your parents thought that if the trend continued, it would be even more difficult for girls of your generation to marry in the future. Yoongi's parents approved of the idea, considering that you would become an excellent companion for their youngest son.

Clearly, you two didn't even know what had been agreed between them.

Despite the loan, the Mins still struggled; the eldest son had to look for part-time jobs to help his parents and there was never enough money to pay the debt, however, your family never mentioned it.

Yoongi and you were never really close, since you were two years younger than him and had little in common. If you saw each other, you would greet and treat each other nicely. Sometimes you met at the bus stop when going to school and Yoongi would occasionally act like an older brother if other children bothered you, or he would walk you home if you ran into each other, but honestly neither developed any kind of feelings towards the other.

Yoongi was always passionate about music, especially rap. He was an underground rapper in Daegu along with his friends, he did everything secretly from his family, as they saw his claims as a waste of time. His parents dreamed of his youngest son going to college and being what they considered, "someone in life."

At age 18, he made the drastic decision to leave for Seoul to pursue his dreams of being a music producer and became a trainee for a small entertainment company that wanted to launch a group of hip-hop artists.

Yoongi's parents felt betrayed, and many problems arose between them. Yoongi stayed at Seoul and due to the financial cut off from his family, and the fact that the payment as a trainee was not enough, he also looked for part-time jobs secretly from the company.

From then on, you and Yoongi lost all contact.

By that time, you were 16. You were already a teenager and like every girl your age, you began to take an interest in boys. In fact, there was a classmate who had shown interest in you, and you found him very attractive. Sometimes you would walk together after school, and you started to consider having something with him.

One afternoon when you were coming home from school, your mother saw you walking with your classmate. When you got home, she told you that she had seen you and asked about the boy. You were close enough with your mother, so you told her that he was a friend from school and that you liked him, although you were nothing but friends.

That day, your mother decided to reveal to you what they had been keeping in silence for so many years.

Mom: Daughter, I know you are already a young lady and you are attracted to your friend, but I don't want your heart to get hurt.

Y / n: What are you talking about, mom?

Mom: I want you to cut your ties with that young man, so you don't get your hopes up. At your age it is very easy to get excited.

Y / n: What are you saying, mom? Why are you telling me this? If you think I'm too young to have a boyfriend, I understand, and I'm going to wait. My friend is very respectful, I know that he would not pressure me into anything, we are just getting to know each other. Maybe in a year or two-

Mom: Daughter, it's not about waiting. You can't make that kind of commitment to that young man or anyone else. There is something you have to know.

Your mom was taking so many detours that she was making you nervous. What was she trying to say?

Your mom made tea for both of you to drink, then sat with you at the table and explained about your engagement to Min Yoongi.

You were so amazed, so much so that what she was telling you didn't seem real. Your mother gave you more details and she told you that this "family pact" was something very important, that could not be broken or missed.

Mom: Anyway, don't worry, you are still many years away from getting married, you are barely 16.

Y / n: But mom, oppa left Daegu for something I don't know about, and I heard from aunt that he doesn't plan to return.

You used to call Yoongi and his brother oppa. You referred to his parents as aunt and uncle.

Mom: Don't you worry about it. He went there to work, but just like for us, for your uncles this commitment is something very serious. When the time comes, you two are going to get married.

It seemed crazy to you, but from that day on your parents stipulated that you could not have any kind of romantic relationship with other boys, because that would be betrayal to Yoongi and his family. It was difficult for you to get used to the idea at first, but little by little any intent you had with your friend disappeared and you no longer noticed any other boy.

Each time you were alone in your room, you would think about Yoongi, you felt embarrassment just imagining your wedding with him. As time passed, you realized that you found him attractive and started to long for the day when you would see him again.

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Note: This fanfic is also posted on YouTube and TikTok. You can find me as BangtaniesFics.