Loving The Wrong Man (SD) ➸ Taekook ✓

- Second -

The two men were now silently facing each other. The waiter had just left with their order, so Taehyung grabbed his stemmed glass and gently swirled the reddish liquid that had been poured in. He then took a small sip, without taking his eyes off the old man. Apparently, Jeon would not deign to start a conversation. Well, Taehyung should do it then.

"I'm glad we could agree on this last project, Mr. Jeon." he said, putting his glass down. "I think this mall will be a great benefit to both of us!"

The man smiled at this remark.

"I agree with you, Mr Kim. If there's one thing I can assure you now, it's that none of my partners have ever offered me projects as attractive as yours!"

"That goes straight to my heart, sir."

Jeon drank in his turn, though the young CEO did not do so before him. Concentrating, Taehyung could even see some anxiety in the man. Ah, he had not been mistaken, this one really had something to ask him. Money? Certainly not, Jeon had more than enough. It certainly wasn't another project either, since they'd long since passed that point, especially since the mall deal had only just been signed. But then... what was he wanting to talk about?

"In any case, Mr. Kim," said the old man, "your family must be very proud of you! When you look at your record, anyone would be impressed."

Taehyung could only give a sad little smile.

"Ah, they certainly are, from where they are. Unfortunately, no one is here to congratulate me."

Jeon bit his cheek, conscious of his indelicacy.

"Please forgive me, Mr. Kim."

Taehyung shook off his guilt with a wave of his hand.

"Don't worry, Mr. Jeon, I've grieved. And I'm sure you're right, they're all proud of me."

Jeon put his hand on one of his cutleries and began to play with it for fun while he found his words.

"You know, Mr. Kim..." he continued. "For as long as I've known you, which is not yesterday, you've always seemed... very lonely."

"Ahah..."

Taehyung could only agree. But he had no idea... that it was that obvious.

"Ah, I don't have that much time on my hands." Taehyung explained. "I'm already desperately short of sleep, so finding the time to meet someone... You can see that I can't."

Jeon laughed.

"Oh I know exactly what you mean. I was like you at your age. That's where my parents came in, without them I wouldn't have the life I have today..."

Taehyung frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"My marriage with my wife was arranged." The old man shook his hands frantically. "I know, I know, it sounds a bit archaic nowadays, and even when I was young it was a bit borderline. But like you I didn't have time to meet anyone, and I wanted to start a family, so on a whim I agreed. And I fell madly in love with my wife, with whom I had a wonderful daughter..."

Taehyung was beginning to see what he was getting at.

"And so," the young man tried, "you think I should accept an arranged marriage too?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't go that far!" Jeon exclaimed. "But... what about meeting my daughter? She's your age, she's beautiful and serious, I'm sure you'd get along just fine!"

Taehyung nearly spat out his glass of wine. Wow, the old man was not shy, he was playing it straight.

"Mr. Jeon, I'm not sure..."

"I'm not asking you to marry her right away, just a dinner, nothing more."

The two men looked at each other for a long time, Taehyung very uncertain. But seeing the old man's almost pleading look, he could hardly see himself refusing. After all, it was only a dinner, it didn't commit him to anything.

"All right, if that's what you want... He finally gave in."

Jeon's face lit up, and he grabbed Taehyung's hand and squeezed it hard.

"Thank you, Mr. Kim, you can't imagine how much I appreciate it!"

"It's nothing, Mr. Jeon, it's nothing..."

***

When Jungkook closed the door behind him, he was met with the icy silence of his home. There was nothing to disturb that silence except for the young man's ragged breathing. Disappointment gripped his heart. Why was he disappointed? He was used to it, he should not be surprised anymore. No, definitely, he should not expect anything.

He shook his head, banishing these ideas from his mind, then took off his shoes and went straight up to his room. He undressed immediately and went straight to the bathroom. He felt dirty. What a paradox: he hated spending the night alone, but feeling the presence of these strangers on his body was just as repulsive. When he spent almost an hour in the shower, scrubbing his skin to erase that disgusting feeling, he regretted it. He regretted giving in to temptation, and offering his body to a man who most certainly did not respect it. And yet, the same evening he did it again. He was exhausted by this infernal loop.

When he came out of the bathroom, the growling of his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything since the day before, and that it was already past noon.

"I must have something left in the fridge..."

He rubbed his hair one last time with his towel before abandoning it nonchalantly in a corner of his room, then went down to the kitchen.

He nearly had a heart attack when he saw a woman sitting at the centre island, busy leafing through a magazine. Her long black hair tied up in a bun, her tight white suit and her huge stilettos gave her a distant, unapproachable aura. When she heard the young man's footsteps, she frowned, bringing out the few wrinkles she had, and looked up at him.

"You're only coming home now?" she asked, annoyed. "I've been waiting for you for an hour."

Jungkook couldn't believe his eyes. What was she doing here? He hadn't seen her in over a month, and that was because they had both gone to a family dinner. Otherwise, they hardly ever saw each other. Once or twice a year, that's all.

"Answer me." she ordered him.

"Ah... Sorry, Mom..."

She sighed and stood up, abandoning her magazine, in which she had lost all interest.

"W-what are you doing here...?" he asked in a whisper.

He wasn't sure she had heard, but the look she gave him told him she had.

"I'm not staying, I just came to give you this." she said, handing him an envelope.

"What is it?"

"An invitation. To my wedding."