𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐄 || 𝐉𝐉𝐊

chapter thirty

——#[Jungkook's pov]:[next day]:

The complexity of human emotions still baffled me. She was once just a burden, a necessary compromise, I had to carry along, it didn't matter if I wanted to or not, but now….all I can think about is her. 

I couldn't shake off the desire to talk to her, hear her voice, and see her face. It was as if she had taken up residence in my mind, refusing to vacate. I couldn't focus on anything else but her. The one and only thought that had consumed me was….her. 

Just then, a voice broke the spelling, “sir, you have an appointment with Mr. Seo. He's waiting for you in the conference room.” I snapped back to reality, looking up to find Axel standing before me, his expression expectant. 

I hadn't even noticed him enter. After a minute of silence, I nodded curtly, trying to compose myself, but my mind was still elsewhere, with her. 

///

—#skiptime:[conference room]:[2 hours later]:

Ethan Seo, the CEO and sole heir of the Taesan Group, rose from his seat, his eyes locked on mine. "Never thought we'd be business partners, did we?" he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. 

I remembered him from y/n's uncle's party— the boyfriend of her cousin. I had never expected to collaborate with him, especially since he was notorious for his shrewd business acumen. Taesan Group was a behemoth in the industry, and I had always approached partnerships with caution. But this time, I needed to be extra vigilant.

I stood up, meeting his gaze, and offered a cautious smile. "Life is full of surprises." I extended my hand, hoping to establish a sense of camaraderie. "Here's to a successful partnership."

Ethan's silence was unnerving. He stared at my hand for a moment before looking up, his eyes piercing as they met mine. "Businessmen take risks," he said finally, his voice came out measured. "And this partnership is no exception." I frowned, sensing a hidden message beneath his words.

As I tried to understand his twist of words, he smiled before speaking up again. 

He clarified, "This project has been delayed for 10 years. We'll face scrutiny and criticism if it fails. But we won't let that happen. We're in this together." 

He finally took my hand, his handshake was firm, but I remained silent, still trying to decipher the underlying tone of his words.

[End of Jungkook's pov]

[Ethan's pov]:[A few minutes later]:

As I gazed out the window, watching Jungkook disappear from view, a sly smile spread across my face. "Partnership..." I whispered to myself, savoring the word. “...indeed.” 

I stood there for a moment, lost in thought, before pulling out my phone and dialing a number. I leaned against the window, my eyes drifting to the cityscape below as I waited for the call to connect.

A low, mysterious voice answered, "How did it go?"

I chuckled, "It went as planned."

The voice on the other end smiled, making me wonder how one can be so evil but was I any different? No. 

After a minute of silence, I spoke again, "He's a smart man, won't be easy to trap," I warned.

"Let's stick to the plan for now," the voice replied, its tone firm. "And don't even think about ditching me halfway. I'll drag you down with me if things go south."

And then with that, the line went dead, and I was left standing there, the silence hanging heavy in the air. 

[End of Ethan's pov]