The Light of Dead Stars | KSJ

08

Seokjin hauls your luggages and arranges them on a pushcart, including your carry-on bag that he carefully places on top of his. He makes sure they're all secured before he turns to you and nods towards the right, motioning for you to go ahead.

"Just go straight," he says after you look at him questioningly. "Emile's waiting for us; he'll have a sign with our names on it."

"Why can't I just walk next to you?" You ask.

"You can, but at least you know where we're going."

You nod and keep up with his slower pace, given that he's pushing the heavy trolley with one hand now as he takes out his phone for a call.

Your eyes widen as he speaks to the person in French, and you admit that if there's anything that would make him more attractive than he already is, it's this.

"I didn't know you spoke French," you say amusingly after the call ends. "And who's Emile?"

"Ah. France was always my grandparents' favorite vacation spot and we'd come here all the time," he replies. "I just picked up basic stuff. Emile's been patient in teaching me. He's one of the butlers but when I visit, he's the one who helps me around."

You nod, a mix of excitement and nervousness overtaking you. First class from Incheon to Nice, a butler at your service, and so much more, as Jin's pretty much enumerated what his parents said they'd paid for both of you to enjoy - it's all so lavish and you feel undeserving, especially given that you've both decided to pretty much deceive his family about the true nature of your relationship.

You're being cruel, as your brother had said that time you told him about the whole plan, and then again when you spent that 3-hour phone call with him 2 nights ago before you left. He wasn't sold on the arrangement of your marriage in the first place, and now you have to lie to a bunch of people, as if your relationship wasn't already founded on it.

But you and Jin hashed it out; you've been talking about it ever since Taehyung made the bold suggestion of faking your romance in hopes that you and your husband would warm up to the idea. But the more you talked about it - more of what to do and what not to do and how to manage tricky situations - the more comfortable it felt. Seokjin doesn't force anything, and he doesn't make it awkward or intimidating.

"Just act normally," Taehyung had said. "Just don't overdo it, but you gotta crank up the romance machine sometimes, okay? I'll coach you."

And here you are with Jin, in the city of Nice, about to take the long drive to the Kims' holiday chateau and see just how much faking you and he could stand to do.

You finally see the man holding up a placard of your names and he cheerfully greets your husband. They exchange pleasantries and Seokjin introduces you.

Emile shakes your hand and takes the pushcart, with Jin taking your carry-on and putting it over his shoulder. It has your laptop and tablet, and he seems determined to not let you carry anything other than your purse.

He helps Emile place the bags in the trunk, and if you were an outsider, you wouldn't think that Seokjin is as rich and powerful as he is. There's no demand for service and there's even a vibe of simplicity.

He's wearing his favorite loose white shirt over whitewashed jeans and a navy blue baseball cap, the one that Taehyung had customized for him as a thank you gift for helping out in the wedding.

One should just not know that he's dressed in Louis Vuitton from head-to-toe, and the 'simple' vibe will fly. But still, he's being his usual kind self, not complaining if he has to wait in line or dodge his way around the small crowd in the waiting area. He pulls you closer to him when you're too distracted, though, and your smile softens at the gesture.