Fated by 'I Do'

Chapter 4: The Broken Trust

Jungkook's life had always been filled with ease and comfort. Things came easily to him, whether it was love from his family or admiration from his peers. And though the engagement to Hwan Inseyeop was not something he had dreamed of, he had accepted it because it was what his grandparents wanted. His love and respect for them ran deep, so when they arranged for him to marry Inseyeop, he didn't protest, even though there was no real affection between them. He trusted his grandparents' judgment.

Two days before the engagement, Jungkook found himself at a trendy restaurant with his cousin Hoseok, his wife yoonji, and two of his closest friends, Mingyu and Eunwoo. They had gathered for lunch, laughing and chatting about the upcoming engagement and the lavish preparations. Hoseok had teased him about his engagement suit, while yoonji assured him that he would look stunning.

"You're going to steal the show, Jungkook," yoonji smiled, her eyes twinkling. "You always do."

Jungkook smiled, trying to embrace the moment. He wanted to be excited. He really did. But there was a lingering feeling in his chest, something that didn't quite feel right. Still, he pushed it aside, focusing on the light-hearted banter and the delicious food laid out before them.

It was then, in the middle of a shared laugh with Mingyu about something trivial, that Jungkook's gaze wandered across the restaurant. His eyes fell on a familiar figure sitting in a corner booth-Inseyeop. He was sitting with a girl Jungkook didn't recognize, and at first, Jungkook thought nothing of it. Maybe it was a friend or a colleague.

But as Jungkook continued to watch, something shifted. Inseyeop wasn't acting like someone simply having lunch with a friend. His hand rested on the girl's knee, his body leaning in toward her intimately. The girl giggled, shyly touching Inseyeop's arm in return. They were sharing soft smiles and quiet words, their faces close enough that it made Jungkook's stomach churn.

He tried to ignore it at first, tried to tell himself that it didn't matter. Inseyeop was his fiancée, and maybe this was just a misunderstanding. But deep down, Jungkook couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that was starting to creep up on him.

It was when he saw Inseyeop drop to one knee in front of the girl that Jungkook felt his entire world crumble.

The girl gasped, her hand covering her mouth in surprise as Inseyeop pulled out a small box from his pocket. The sight of the engagement ring inside was unmistakable. Jungkook felt the air leave his lungs as he watched Inseyeop propose to someone else, in a public restaurant no less. People around them were clapping and cheering, congratulating the couple, but Jungkook felt like he was frozen in place, unable to process what he was seeing.

It wasn't just the fact that Inseyeop was with another woman-it was the fact that he was proposing to her, two days before his own engagement to Jungkook.

Jungkook's chest tightened, and the betrayal hit him full force. He had never truly loved Inseyeop, but he had trusted him. Trusted that he was at least honorable enough to keep his commitments. Seeing him on his knees, proposing to someone else, shattered any semblance of that trust.

His friends noticed the change in his demeanor almost immediately.

"Jungkook, are you okay?" Eunwoo asked, his voice laced with concern.

But Jungkook couldn't respond. He couldn't breathe. He felt like the walls of the restaurant were closing in on him, the noise of the crowd too loud, too suffocating. He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor as he pushed it back.

"I need to go," Jungkook muttered, his voice shaky.

"Jungkook, wait-" Hoseok began, but Jungkook didn't hear the rest. He was already walking out of the restaurant, his mind racing, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt sick, betrayed, and utterly broken.