Please... Love Me

6

"Why on Earth would I marry your friend’s son, Mom?! I have a boyfriend for Christ's sake!" Jin couldn’t believe what his parents were asking of him. Marrying their so-called "best friend's son"? It felt completely absurd.

"Jin! First of all, you never told us you had a boyfriend, so we assumed it would be fine if you were to engage with our friend's son. And believe me, if you saw this young man, you wouldn’t say no. Second, our company isn’t stable right now. We need this merger. They’ve already invested in your father’s project, so you can’t refuse this marriage unless you want our business to go bankrupt and us to end up in jail!"

Jin stood up abruptly, his anger boiling over. "Mom! I can borrow the money from Taehyung! I’ll take care of the company, I promise! Please, just trust me! I don’t want this marriage!"

His father entered the room, drawn in by the raised voices.

"You don’t understand," Jin's father said, his tone grave.

"Dad?" Jin pleaded, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and desperation. He and Taehyung had plans to marry right after Taehyung returned from the military. He never expected his parents would do something like this.

"Son, our company lost investors when a leak from one of our rival firms spread on social media. We’ve lost not just millions, but billions. Bankruptcy is looming. Jeon’s Corp has already lent us half the money we need to navigate this crisis. In return, we agreed to this marriage proposal—that you would marry their only son, or they will pull their support."

The weight of his father’s words crashed down on Jin, nearly bringing him to tears. He hadn’t been aware of the severity of the situation; his focus had been on swimming and his burgeoning career as an international athlete. As an eight-time gold medalist, he had poured his heart into his sport, while also navigating the complexities of a secret relationship with Taehyung, who was an idol in his own right. They planned to keep their romance under wraps, knowing that public knowledge could jeopardize both their careers.

"Dad, this is ridiculous! You could have told me! I have my own bank accounts, and Taehyung can help us—"

"No, son, we can’t take that risk. This is for your future. We don’t want to ruin everything you’ve worked for."

Jin slammed his hand down on the couch, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration. "But you’re already ruining my future, Dad," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

His mother sat beside him, rubbing his back soothingly. "Son, trust us. You won’t regret marrying Jeon Jungkook. He’s kind, smart, and attractive—"

"I have Taehyung, Mom! I don’t need anyone else! Why do you have to drag me into this?"

"Son!" His father’s voice thundered, filled with authority, cutting through the tension. Jin’s heart sank.

"I hate you," he muttered, feeling the weight of betrayal suffocating him. He stood up and turned to walk away, desperate for space to think.

But his father’s screams stopped him in his tracks. "Jia! Jia, what’s happening? Sweetheart, hold on! Seokjin!!!"

When Jin turned back, he froze. His father was carrying his unconscious mother, panic etched across his face.

"Mom! What happened?" Jin rushed to her side, fear clawing at his chest. His mother had always been the strong one, and seeing her like this sent waves of anxiety coursing through him.

His father laid her gently on the couch, his hands shaking. "Call an ambulance! I don’t know what’s wrong. She was fine just moments ago!"

Jin scrambled for his phone, the earlier arguments forgotten as his mind raced. This wasn’t just about business anymore; it was about family. He dialed emergency services, his hands trembling. "Please, hurry!" he said into the phone, his voice strained.

As he waited for help, he felt the weight of his parents' decisions pressing down on him even more. In that moment, all he could think about was how fragile everything was—their family, their business, and the future he had envisioned with Taehyung. Would he have to sacrifice it all to save the company? Or was there still a chance to forge his own path, one that didn’t involve marrying a stranger?

The sirens wailed in the distance, but the chaos in Jin’s heart was louder.