Arranged Art of Love: Diamonds and Dreams ( KTH ff)

7. Handsome stranger

Taehyung and Jimin exchanged a worried glance. The casual atmosphere of their hangout vanished, replaced by a tense urgency.

"But what is she doing here?" Jimin blurted out, his voice laced with surprise. "We haven't seen her here before tonight."

Jungkook, still grappling with his shock, shrugged. "Maybe she came with someone," he stated, more to himself than anyone else.

"Okay, let's check," Jimin declared, already on his feet.

Without a word, Taehyung rose as well, placing the phone in his pocket. Jungkook followed them. They navigated through the crowd, their eyes scanning the dimly lit tables.

Across the room, Yena sat slumped over, her head resting on the table.
After watching the three boys approach, Aera's eyes widened in surprise and confusion as she recognized Taehyung among them. She stood up, unsure of what to expect.

Taehyung's expression shifted to concern as he noticed Aera's reaction. He stepped closer, asking, "What happened to Yena?"

Aera shook her head, trying to process the situation. "She's just... drunk," she replied, her voice tinged with concern.

Meanwhile, Yena sensed someone's presence nearby and lifted her head, her gaze locking onto Taehyung's. For a moment, she seemed to struggle to place him, her expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

Finally recognizing him, Yena turned to Aera with a slight frown. "Oh, look who's here," she said, gesturing towards Taehyung. "He's my soon-to-be husband. But what are you doing here?

Turning back to him, Yena introduced Aera. "Taehyung, meet Aera. She's my best friend."

Soon after spotting Taehyung, Yena's gaze shifted to the other two boys beside him. Pointing to one of them, she exclaimed, "Look, Aera, there's the same handsome stranger over there too! Hey, handsome stranger, do you know me?"

Taehyung's jaw tightened at her words, his expression unreadable.

Noticing another familiar face, Yena turned her attention to the other boy. "Oh, Jimin is also here. What are you doing here?"

Then, turning back to Jungkook, she grinned mischievously. "Hey, handsome stranger, do you wanna have drinks with me?"

Jungkook, caught off guard by her boldness, was unable to form a coherent response.

A voice cut through the moment, interjecting, "No, he won't be drinking with you. You're already drunk."

Meanwhile, Jimin struggled to contain his laughter at the amusing situation unfolding between Taehyung, Yena, and Jungkook.

As Yena rose from her seat, she pointed an accusatory finger at Taehyung, her tone laced with a pout. "Why is he interrupting my conversation with the handsome stranger?" she exclaimed, gesturing towards Taehyung. "Is he feeling jealous that I didn't call him 'handsome'?"

Aera, realizing the potential disaster looming, attempted to discreetly grab Yena's arm in a silent plea for her to stop, but Yena was too engrossed in her own to notice. "Hold on a second," she continued, oblivious to Aera's signals. "What's the deal with you three? Do you know this handsome stranger?

The air crackled with tension as Yena finally lifted her head. Her eyes, glazed and unfocused, landed on Taehyung, followed by a nonsensical question.

"Aera," she slurred, leaning heavily on the table, "can I ask this... handsome stranger...?" Her voice trailed off, searching for the right words.

Aera, catching on faster than Yena, shot a panicked glance at Taehyung. This was not the plan for their evening together.

"Yena," Aera soothed, gently placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Maybe we should head home and..."

But Yena wasn't finished. Ignoring Aera, she gestured towards Jungkook "Can he pretend to be my boyfriend?" The question hung in the air, absurd yet strangely hopeful for her.

"What?" Jimin burst out, unable to contain his amusement. The situation, while concerning, was undeniably comical. Yena, in her intoxicated state, thought a random encounter with a "handsome stranger" could solve all her problems.
He knew it wouldn't change anything about the marriage and the involvement of Jungkook as a fake boyfriend would do little to alter the inevitable outcome of the arranged marriage. Taehyung's parents knew that the three were friends from their college days.

Jungkook, caught between surprise and amusement, couldn't help but smirk. This unexpected turn of events was a wild card. He stole a glance at Taehyung, curious to see his reaction.

Taehyung's jaw clenched tight. He understood Yena's desperation, even if her solution was childish. The thought of another man pretending to be her boyfriend was a bitter pill to swallow, although an arranged marriage wasn't ideal for him either, but this was going too far.

"Yena," he began, his voice low and dangerous, "you're not thinking straight."

"Oh, I am!" Yena insisted.

Aera let out a defeated sigh. Explaining the situation to a drunken Yena was like talking to a brick wall.

Jimin, still chuckling, leaned towards Jungkook and whispered, "Looks like your 'handsome stranger' status just got promoted, Kookie."

Jungkook's smirk widened, a mischievous glint in his eyes. This was not how he thought of spending his evening, but the unexpected turn of events presented a unique challenge. He glanced back at Yena, her vulnerability masked by a veil of intoxication.

Taehyung, realizing the situation was getting out of hand, turned to Aera and spoke quietly with her for a few minutes. After their discussion, he made a call and then, with Aera's help, managed to coax Yena out of the club.

Meanwhile, Jungkook pulled Taehyung's car from the parking lot to the club's exit. Taehyung guided Yena into the passenger seat while Jungkook handed over the keys to Taehyung after stepping out of the car.

As Yena settled into the seat, she called out to Jungkook, "Where are you going, handsome stranger?" Taehyung rubbed his temples in frustration at her words. He closed her door gently and then sent Aera off by calling for their driver.

Once Aera had left, Taehyung bid farewell to Jungkook and Jimin, who were still laughing as they headed towards their cars. Taehyung couldn't help but shake his head in irritation, wondering how she is going to explain her drunken acts to him.

As Taehyung started driving, Yena couldn't resist but asking him questions. "Do you know handsome stranger and Jimin already? Why did you let him go, and why didn't you let me drink more? Aera and I planned to drink till morning."

Taehyung sighed, feeling a mix of annoyance and concern. He glanced at her in the rearview mirror, her eyelids being sleepy. "Yes, I know them," he said softly. "And you've had enough to drink for tonight." She again opened her mouth to ask another question but before that could've happened, Taehyung turned towards her and gently placed his finger on her lips, urging her to be silent. Startled by his sudden action, Yena fell silent.

Silence settled between them and she placed her head to the side, and soon she was fast asleep. Taehyung watched her for a moment and turned his head again to the road.

Soon, they arrived at her home, and Taehyung rang the doorbell. The staff opened the door and greeted him, but Yena's sister, Soojin, appeared and was surprised to see Taehyung with Yena. Taehyung asked Soojin for help in bringing Yena inside because she was asleep. Soojin, although surprised, agreed and helped Taehyung carry Yena from the car to the couch inside. After that, Taehyung bid them goodnight and left for his own home.

______________________

What are your views on this chapter? Give your suggestions on the way the story is proceeding and the way characters are involved. Is it any good or I failed to make it something better. Do vote and comment on the chapter✨️

Guys, Jungkook has recently opened an Instagram account for Bam. He's back again on Insta🥹🫶💜.
Username: bowwow_bam