NEVER LET GO |TAEKOOK| [Discontinued]

26 - Date

Jackson sat at the reserved table, one hand drumming lightly on the surface. He wasn’t particularly interested in this so-called "date." What was her name again? He thought about leaving, but just then, a voice broke his thoughts.

"Did I make you wait long?"

His eyes flicked up, meeting the figure standing before him. Irene, he remembered.

"Uh, no," Jackson replied, motioning to the chair. "Please, sit."

As she settled in, Irene extended her hand toward him. "Irene."

Jackson shook her hand. "Jackson."

She smiled, a pleasant expression that, on the surface, might have been charming. But Jackson wasn’t easily swayed. He’d seen plenty of people like her, polished and poised, with or without the wealth to back them up.

Irene kept her smile, leaning slightly forward. "I already know you "

Jackson raised an eyebrow but remained silent, letting her speak.

"I don’t like wasting time—neither mine nor anyone else’s. So I’ll be straightforward." She leaned back in her chair, her expression unwavering. "A life partner? Not for me. I don’t see it working out now or in the future. But... I’m willing to marry if the other person shares the same perspective."

Jackson’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened, intrigued despite himself.

Irene continued, her tone matter-of-fact. "I’m talking about marriage for the sake of family, society, and status. We’ll be friends, keep a good bond, and maintain solid relationships with each other’s families. If you’re looking for something like that, we can proceed. If not, let’s just eat and go our separate ways."

Her bluntness left Jackson momentarily speechless. He wasn’t expecting such a direct proposal, especially not from her. He blinked, trying to gather his thoughts.

"My situation is similar," Jackson finally admitted, "but I’m not sure if getting married just for others’ sake is the right move for me."

Irene smirked at his hesitance, clearly unbothered by his uncertainty. Her eyes locked onto his, unwavering.

He stared back at her, but something about the way she held herself struck him—she wasn’t backing down. That’s when he felt it. The subtle, unspoken presence of dominance.

Alpha.

Of course. He had sensed it when she walked in, but the vibe was clearer now. There was something... off, but not in a bad way. Something that stood apart from the usual crowd he dealt with.

Irene raised an eyebrow, amused. "What’s wrong, Jackson? Are you analyzing me?"

He tilted his head slightly, meeting her eyes again. "Hmm, yeah."

They continued with dinner, engaging in conversations about business, family, and personal interests. The topics flowed naturally, building a connection, though some things remained unsaid, hidden behind their polite exchanges. As they finished, Jackson offered to drop her off, but she politely refused, leaving a hint of intrigue lingering in the air.

-------

Back home, Jackson dragged himself into his room, falling back onto the bed with a heavy sigh. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, his mind racing. Why did no one understand him? Marriage wasn’t for everyone. He was perfectly content being on his own, without the need for some partner to complete him. But his father? He wasn’t going to let this go.

In a strange way, maybe Irene was the best choice after all. She didn’t want anything from the relationship either—just a name, just the status of being married. But was that really enough?

"Hyung?" A voice whispered.

Jackson glanced up, seeing Jimin standing by the door, a mischievous grin on his face.

"How was the date?" Jimin smirked, stepping inside. "Did she pass your alpha vibe?"

Jackson rolled his eyes. "So you knew before and didn’t bother telling me?"

Jimin shrugged casually. "Where’s the fun in that?"

"Get out of my room, idiot."

Jackson hurled a pillow at Jimin, but his brother only laughed, slipping out and closing the door behind him. Finally, some peace.

Just as Jackson settled into the quiet, there was another knock. Groaning, he dragged himself up, yanking the door open, fully prepared to chew Jimin out for another round of teasing.

But what greeted him wasn’t Jimin.

In an instant, his room disappeared. The door now opened to the entrance of a high-end boutique, the kind his father loved to drag him to for ‘special occasions.’ Jackson blinked, disoriented, suddenly standing inside the shop. The soft glow of chandeliers reflected off polished floors, and the rich scent of cologne lingered in the air. It felt surreal, but there he was, stepping into the boutique for his engagement outfit. He couldn’t help but wonder how the night he first met her had spiraled so quickly into this day—everything had passed in a blur.

The weight of it all hit him like a wave. This wasn’t just a conversation anymore—it was real. His father had pushed him straight into the deep end of this engagement, and now, he had to act the part. Irene might’ve been the perfect choice for a hollow marriage, but was he really going to go through with this?

The boutique door clicked shut behind him, sealing his fate.