Jeonghan's fingers trembled as he held the ivory invitation in his hand. His name was written in elegant gold script alongside the one name he never expected to be tied to: Choi Seungcheol. Arranged marriages weren’t uncommon in families like theirs, where power and influence took precedence over love. Yet, even after months of knowing this day would come, he wasn’t prepared.
His room was filled with wedding gifts from distant relatives, all congratulating him on securing such an advantageous match. It was overwhelming. None of them knew how he really felt — that beneath his composed exterior, he was falling apart. Marriage to a man he barely knew, much less loved? He didn’t know what to think.
A knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. His best friend, Joshua, poked his head in, concern etched on his face. “You okay?”
Jeonghan managed a weak smile. “As okay as I can be.”
Joshua stepped inside, taking a seat next to him. “You don’t have to go through with this if you really don’t want to, Jeonghan.”
Jeonghan sighed, shaking his head. “It’s not that simple. You know what’s at stake. My family… they’re depending on this alliance. Seungcheol’s family is the only thing keeping us afloat.”
Joshua placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You deserve more than just being used as a pawn.”
“I don’t know what I deserve anymore,” Jeonghan whispered. “But what choice do I have?”
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The wedding day arrived, and everything felt surreal. The grand ballroom was filled with guests, chandeliers casting a warm glow over the finely dressed crowd. Jeonghan stood at the altar, his heart pounding as he watched Seungcheol approach. Seungcheol was every bit the perfect groom, his tuxedo tailored to perfection, his stride confident. Yet, Jeonghan couldn’t read his expression. Was he happy about this? Was he as indifferent as he appeared?
Seungcheol stopped in front of him, their eyes meeting briefly before looking away. The priest began the ceremony, but Jeonghan barely registered the words. It was all a blur. Before he knew it, he was repeating vows that felt foreign to him. His hands trembled slightly as he slipped the ring onto Seungcheol’s finger, and Seungcheol did the same with a steady, practiced ease.
“You may kiss the groom,” the priest declared.
Jeonghan’s breath hitched. This was the part he dreaded the most. His eyes flickered to Seungcheol, unsure of what would happen next. But Seungcheol surprised him by leaning in gently, brushing his lips against Jeonghan’s in the softest, briefest of touches. It was barely a kiss, more of a formality, but Jeonghan’s heart raced all the same.
As applause erupted around them, Jeonghan couldn’t help but feel like a stranger in his own life.
———————
The reception was an elaborate affair, as expected from two powerful families. Lavish tables were adorned with white roses and silver cutlery, and the finest champagne flowed freely. Yet, despite the grandeur, Jeonghan felt utterly alone.
He watched as Seungcheol moved through the crowd, smiling politely at guests and thanking them for their congratulations. He played his role perfectly, the dutiful husband and heir. But Jeonghan couldn’t shake the feeling that Seungcheol was just as trapped as he was.
Jeonghan excused himself from the table, needing a moment away from the noise and the constant eyes on him. He slipped out into the garden, where the air was crisp and the world felt a little more still.
As he stood by the fountain, gazing at the reflection of the moon in the water, he heard footsteps behind him.
“I thought I’d find you here,” Seungcheol said, his voice low and steady.
Jeonghan didn’t turn around. “Do you regret it?”
Seungcheol was silent for a moment, the soft rustle of leaves filling the space between them. “Regret? No. But it’s not exactly what I wanted either.”
Jeonghan finally looked at him, his eyes searching Seungcheol’s face for any sign of emotion. “Then why did you agree to it?”
Seungcheol sighed, stepping closer until they stood side by side. “Because it’s what was expected of me. My family needed this marriage as much as yours did. I couldn’t let them down.”
Jeonghan let out a bitter laugh. “We’re just pawns in this game, aren’t we?”
Seungcheol didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared up at the sky, his expression unreadable. “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean it has to be unbearable.”
Jeonghan frowned, unsure of what he meant. “What are you saying?”
Seungcheol turned to him, his gaze softer now, more open than it had been all day. “Look, I know this isn’t how either of us imagined our lives going. But we’re here now. We’re married. And if we have to live with that, we might as well try to make the best of it.”
Jeonghan’s heart skipped a beat. Was he serious? “You think we can make this work?”
Seungcheol’s lips curved into a small smile, the first genuine one Jeonghan had seen from him all day. “I don’t know. But we can try. We don’t have to love each other right now, but we can get to know each other. Maybe, with time, things will fall into place.”
Jeonghan blinked, stunned by Seungcheol’s honesty. It wasn’t the response he’d expected, but it was the one he needed.
“You’re not what I thought you’d be,” Jeonghan admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Seungcheol chuckled softly, a sound that sent warmth through Jeonghan’s chest. “Neither are you.”
They stood there in the garden, the cool breeze tugging at their clothes, and for the first time, Jeonghan didn’t feel as suffocated by the weight of his circumstances. Maybe this marriage wasn’t a prison after all.
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As the weeks passed, Jeonghan and Seungcheol began to settle into a routine. They lived together in a sprawling penthouse, where every room was immaculate and every meal prepared by hired chefs. But beneath the surface, they were still strangers.
Despite that, little by little, things began to change. They ate breakfast together in the mornings, sharing small talk about work and their families. They watched movies in the evenings, each of them sitting on opposite ends of the couch at first, but gradually moving closer. They even attended family gatherings together, putting on a united front for the public.
And though it wasn’t love yet, it was… something. Something that felt like it could grow into more.
One night, after a particularly long day, Jeonghan found himself curled up on the couch with a glass of wine. He stared at the city lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows, his thoughts far away. He didn’t hear Seungcheol enter the room until he sat down beside him.
“Tough day?” Seungcheol asked, his voice gentle.
Jeonghan nodded, feeling strangely vulnerable. “Yeah.”
Without a word, Seungcheol reached out, taking Jeonghan’s hand in his. The gesture was so simple, yet it sent a jolt of warmth through Jeonghan’s entire body.
“Things will get better,” Seungcheol said quietly, his thumb brushing over Jeonghan’s knuckles.
Jeonghan looked up at him, their eyes meeting in the dim light. For a moment, everything else faded away — the expectations, the pressure, the weight of their families. In that moment, it was just the two of them.
And for the first time, Jeonghan felt like maybe, just maybe, this could become more than just an arrangement.
