Till death do us part [ j.jk × p.jm ]

chapter 18

The air in the room was thick with tension, each moment stretching like taffy as Jungkook and Jimin found themselves seated together, their unexpected guest perched across from them. They had to maintain the facade of a couple deeply in love, on the cusp of matrimony, but the truth hung heavy between them like a dense fog.

Breaking the stifling silence, Jungkook cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the unease like a knife through butter. "Grandma, would you care for some tea?"

A ghost of a smile flickered across the elderly woman's lips. "Yes, dear, I'd be delighted."

With a nod, the maid swiftly attended to their request, placing steaming cups of tea before each of them. Grandma delicately lifted her cup to her lips, taking a measured sip as she observed the strained tableau before her. Jungkook stole a glance at Jimin, silently pleading for guidance, but all he received in return was a furrowed brow and a steely gaze.

"It seems you two are holding down the fort quite well in your parents' absence," Grandma remarked, her eyes flitting between the two young men.

Jungkook forced a smile, his nerves fraying at the edges. "Yes, Grandma, we're doing our best. We'll manage."

As the weight of their discussion hung in the air like a dense fog, Grandma cleared her throat, shifting the conversation to a lighter topic. "So, tell me, have you two made any plans for the wedding yet?"

Jungkook squirmed in his seat, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks as he searched for the right words. "Well, we've been tossing around some ideas..."

Grandma raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching with amusement. "And what kind of theme are you considering?"

Jungkook shifted nervously, trying to sound confident despite his awkwardness. "Um, we were thinking maybe something classic, you know? Like, uh, timeless elegance with a touch of... Korean flair?"

Grandma's smile widened, thoroughly entertained by their banter. "Well, it sounds like you two have a vision. Just remember, the most important thing is that you're marrying the person you love."

As Jungkook nodded in agreement, his eyes darted to Jimin, seeking solace or perhaps an escape from the discomfort of the moment.

"Absolutely. Love is, uh..." Jungkook's voice trailed off, his gaze lingering on Jimin, a silent plea for understanding.

But Jimin felt the weight of Jungkook's words like a leaden anchor, dragging him into a sea of uncertainty. "Strange... and weird ever?" The words hung in the air like a heavy mist, obscuring the true depth of their meaning."That you feel like throwing your loved one out the window from so much love you have for them."

A flicker of irritation sparked behind Jimin's eyes, his instinct to react clawing at the edges of his composure. Yet, he remained steadfast, masking his inner turmoil with a practiced smile. "Exactly," he murmured, the words dripping with sarcasm. "Sometimes you have to hack your loved one to pieces for love."

Jungkook's eyebrows shot up in surprise, a flicker of understanding dawning in his eyes as he caught Jimin's subtle cue. "Right," he replied, his tone tinged with amusement. "For love."

As Jungkook's grandmother excused herself to the restroom, the room seemed to exhale a collective sigh of relief, leaving Jimin and Jungkook alone in a charged atmosphere. Jungkook's irritation simmered just below the surface, palpable in the air like an electric current.

"Great," he muttered through clenched teeth, his frustration threatening to boil over. "Now she probably thinks we're just putting on a show."

Jimin's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Jungkook's outburst, a flicker of annoyance dancing in his eyes. "Can you blame her?" he shot back, his tone sharp with bitterness. "We're barely convincing ourselves, let alone anyone else."

Jungkook's jaw clenched, his temper flaring in response to Jimin's biting words. "Oh, and whose fault is that?" he retorted, his voice barely above a whisper as they entered into their own private battlefield.

"Wow, now you're trying to pin this on me?" Jimin hissed, his gaze piercing as he fixed Jungkook with a withering stare. "Didn't sound too romantic when you wanted to throw me out the window."

A cold chuckle escaped Jungkook's lips. "Trust me, I would do that." Jimin shot him a disbelieving glare, but Jungkook pressed on. "You still owe me for that little water incident, by the way."

Before Jimin could retort, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered their tense standoff, heralding Grandma's return like a reprieve from the brewing storm. With practiced ease, Jungkook and Jimin donned matching smiles, masking their discord beneath a facade of unity as Grandma reentered the room, oblivious to the silent battle raging just beneath the surface.

Jungkook's patience wore thin as he waited for his father to finally answer the call. Each passing second felt like an eternity, amplifying the frustration bubbling within him. At last, his father's voice crackled through the phone. "Yes?"

Without skipping a beat, Jungkook launched into his tirade, his tone brimming with indignation. "What's grandma doing here? Wasn't it your brilliant idea to send her over?"

His father sighed softly, attempting to diffuse the tension. "Jungkook..."

But Jungkook cut him off, his impatience boiling over. "What is it?" he snapped. "It's not like that?"

With a hint of weariness, his father tried to explain. "Grandma needs company. I'm sorry I didn't inform you earlier, but she's staying with you and Jimin for a few days."

"What?!" Jungkook spat out the word, disbelief and irritation lacing his voice. "You can't possibly mean that! Why on earth did you send her here?"

"She's your grandmother, Jungkook," his father responded calmly, his tone tinged with admonishment. "I'm asking you to show her some respect."

"Respect her?" Jungkook scoffed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "I don't respect her at all. Now, because of her, that skunk and I have to put on this ridiculous act of pretending to like each other."

His father's voice softened slightly, a hint of advice slipping through his words. "That's good, keep it up." And with that final instruction, his father ended the call, leaving Jungkook seething with frustration.

"Fuck you too.."