chapter 1: prologue

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in the stark, impersonal surroundings of the courthouse, taehyung and jungkook sit across from each other at a plain wooden table, their expressions reflecting the gravity of the situation. taehyung, at 42 years old, chews nervously on his lips, his fingers twisting a tissue in his lap. he steals anxious glances at jungkook. He, at 43, sit with a rigid posture, his features stoic and unreadable, his hands clasp tightly together on the table, radiates coldness that seems to permeate the very air around him. it has been long sine he resigned himself to a life devoid of love and warmth.

as the judge enters the room, taehyung's heart races, the reality of the moment crushing down on him. this isn't the marriage he had dreamed of, but rather a forced union thrust upon him by the expectations of their families. jungkook's demeanor remains unchanged, his cold, stern facade giving nothing away.

as the judge begins the brief ceremony, taehyung struggles to suppress the tremble in his voice as he recites the vows, each word heavy with the weight of obligation. beside him, jungkook echoes the vows in a monotone voice, his eyes fix on the judge in front of them.

with the simple exchange of rings and signatures on the marriage certificate it is done, taehyung and jungkook are now legally bound to each other, not by love or choice, but by the cold, unforgiving hand of circumstances. and as they leave the courthouse, the weight of forced marriage hung heavy in the air, a bitter reminder of the sacrifices they have been forced to make for the shake of familial expectations. they can't help but wonder if they would ever find true happiness in the cold, sterile confines of their forced marriage.

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