Ties of Fate

A Perfect Facade

Jungkook sat in the back of his family’s limousine, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past. He had a tight grip on his phone, his thumb hovering over the screen. His father had sent a message earlier in the evening, reminding him about tomorrow’s press conference where the marriage would be officially announced.

It was happening too fast. He hadn’t even processed the reality of it, yet tomorrow, they’d be standing in front of the world, pretending to be the perfect couple. Pretending they were in love.

He scrolled through his messages until he reached the one from Taehyung. Short, impersonal, and straight to the point: "We need to look convincing. Meet me tomorrow morning to rehearse for the press. Don’t be late."

Jungkook sighed. Taehyung was treating this like a performance, which, in a way, it was. They had to play their roles, make it look real. He had no idea how they were going to pull it off, considering they could barely speak to each other without biting remarks or long stretches of silence.

The car pulled up in front of the Jeon family’s estate, the sprawling mansion glowing under the soft lights of the driveway. Jungkook straightened his jacket and exited the car, his mind still racing. He couldn’t afford to fail. Not for his family, not for the company. This marriage had to work, no matter how miserable it made him.

---

The next morning, Jungkook arrived at the designated café Taehyung had chosen for their "rehearsal." It was a trendy spot tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, far from the prying eyes of the media. As he stepped inside, the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and he spotted Taehyung sitting at a corner table, sunglasses perched on his nose, a lazy smirk already forming on his lips.

"Right on time, Mr. Perfect," Taehyung greeted, waving him over.

Jungkook resisted the urge to roll his eyes and took a seat across from him. "We don’t have much time. The press conference is in two hours."

Taehyung leaned back in his chair, his expression relaxed as ever. "Don’t worry. We’ll be ready. You know, you could try relaxing a bit. The more uptight you are, the more obvious it’ll be that we’re faking it."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes. "I’m not the one who’s worried about putting on a show."

"Maybe not, but you’re going to have to pretend to enjoy my company," Taehyung said, flashing him a teasing grin. "Think you can manage that?"

Jungkook forced himself to stay calm. Taehyung’s casual attitude irritated him, but he couldn’t afford to get riled up right now. "Let’s just get this over with."

Taehyung tilted his head, studying Jungkook for a moment. "You know, you’re not exactly making this easy either. If we’re going to convince people we’re a real couple, we need to get to know each other a little better."

"I know everything I need to know about you," Jungkook said flatly.

"Do you?" Taehyung’s tone was light, but there was an edge to it that Jungkook didn’t miss. "All you’ve ever seen is the version of me you wanted to see—the one who annoys you, who doesn’t fit into your neat little world."

Jungkook felt the frustration building, but he kept his voice steady. "You’ve never shown me anything different."

Taehyung leaned forward slightly, the playful smirk on his face fading into something more serious. "Maybe you’ve never bothered to look."

Jungkook opened his mouth to respond, but the words died on his tongue. There was a shift in the air between them, something subtle but undeniable. For a split second, he saw past the confident mask Taehyung wore so well. There was a flicker of vulnerability, a crack in the armor.

But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by the same infuriating smirk. Taehyung stood up, pulling on his coat. "Come on, let’s go. Time to show the world how in love we are."

---

The press conference was held at one of the city’s most prestigious hotels, the grand ballroom filled with reporters, photographers, and industry elites. Cameras flashed as soon as Jungkook and Taehyung stepped onto the stage, their hands clasped together in a gesture that felt more awkward than natural.

Taehyung was the picture of calm, his charming smile never faltering as they faced the crowd. Jungkook, on the other hand, felt a knot tightening in his stomach. He could handle business meetings with ease, but this—this was a performance, and it went against every instinct he had.

Their fathers stood beside them, beaming with pride as the media fired questions at the couple.

"When did you two first realize you were in love?" one reporter asked, her voice sweet and curious.

Taehyung responded without missing a beat. "It wasn’t one moment. It was a series of moments. We’ve known each other for years, and somewhere along the way, we realized we didn’t want to be apart anymore."

Jungkook nodded, playing along with the rehearsed lines. "It’s been a long time coming. We’ve always respected each other, and now… it’s just natural for us to take this step."

The crowd seemed satisfied with their answers, and Jungkook breathed a small sigh of relief. He caught Taehyung’s gaze for a moment, and to his surprise, Taehyung gave him a reassuring nod. It was almost like they were on the same page for once.

Almost.

As the press conference drew to a close, the final question came, one that made Jungkook’s stomach twist. "Can we expect a wedding soon? Do you have any details to share?"

Taehyung chuckled, squeezing Jungkook’s hand lightly, a move so subtle that only the cameras would catch it. "We’re still planning the details, but yes, the wedding is definitely happening soon. We’ll make sure it’s a day to remember."

Jungkook forced a smile, but inside, the weight of the lie settled deeper. The cameras clicked, capturing their perfect facade for the world to see.

As the press conference ended, they were ushered out of the ballroom, their fathers staying behind to handle the final few questions. Jungkook and Taehyung walked in silence down the long corridor, away from the crowd, away from the lights.

When they finally reached a quiet corner, Taehyung leaned against the wall, letting out a breath. "Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it?"

Jungkook didn’t respond immediately. He felt drained, like every ounce of energy had been sapped from him. He glanced at Taehyung, who was watching him with that same unreadable expression.

"You really don’t care, do you?" Jungkook asked, his voice quieter than before.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"About any of this," Jungkook said, gesturing vaguely. "About us, the marriage, the act we just put on."

Taehyung’s smile faltered for a second, just a second, but it was enough for Jungkook to notice. "I care more than you think."

Jungkook stared at him, waiting for an explanation, but Taehyung just pushed off the wall, turning away.

"Come on," Taehyung said over his shoulder. "We’ve got a lot more of this to get through. Better get used to it."

Jungkook followed, but his mind lingered on those words. For the first time, he wasn’t sure what Taehyung really felt about any of this. And that uncertainty unnerved him more than anything else.

This was supposed to be a business arrangement, a means to an end. But the more time he spent with Taehyung, the more complicated it all became.

And Jungkook hated complications.