FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT| JJENINII

15

The obnoxiously loud ringtone was the first thing Jennie heard that morning as she unwillingly pulled herself out of her bed in the morning.

She stretched, blinking against the brightness and slowly easing herself into the day. The quiet of the early morning was calming, and she took a moment to enjoy it before the day's whirlwind began.

She padded into the kitchen, still in her pajama pants and a loose T-shirt, expecting to find the usual emptiness.

Instead, she spotted Taehyung already there, fully dressed in a crisp suit, looking every bit the polished CEO he was.

He stood by the counter, sipping a mug of coffee with his eyes scanning his phone, clearly deep in thought.

Her eyes traced his figure, lingering longer than they should've before she snapped herself out of her blatant ogling.

"Morning," she greeted him, surprised to find him up and about.

He glanced up, a slight smile softening his features as he looked over at her. "Good morning, fiancée. Didn't expect to see you up so early."

Jennie shrugged, rubbing her eyes. "Old habit. Besides, you left a lot of work for me to catch up on," she teased, reaching for a coffee mug.

He handed her the coffee pot, pouring some into her cup before she could reach it.

"Oh, I don't know," he replied, his voice light as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "You make it pretty easy."

Jennie shook her head, sipping her coffee as she leaned against the counter. "Easy, sure. Right up until HR sent us a detailed wedding leave policy. And did you see the email about the engagement party?"

He smirked, shaking his head in amusement. "Ah, yes. 'In honor of the esteemed engagement between our CEO and Head of Legal,'" he quoted with mock solemnity. "You're telling me you're not excited for a little office celebration in our honor?"

Jennie paused, sipping her coffee. "You do know I said no, right?"

"Obviously."

The comfortable ease from the previous night seemed to linger between them, making the space feel cozier than usual.

They exchanged a few more light remarks before Jennie slipped away to get dressed, pulling herself together for the day ahead.

When she re-emerged, she wore a sleek, fitted blazer and her usual calm, composed look that she reserved for the office. Taehyung was waiting by the door, his phone in one hand, checking his watch.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice returning to the more business-like tone he used at work. 

"Ready as ever," she replied, grabbing her work tote and stepping into her heels. They walked out together, falling into step as they headed to the elevator.

The car ride to the office was relatively quiet, with Taehyung reviewing a presentation on his laptop while Jennie went over her notes for a meeting scheduled that afternoon.

Every so often, she glanced out the window at the city rushing by, her thoughts wandering to the recent changes her life had gone through ever since she accepted this deal.

They arrived at the office building, and as they stepped out of the car and walked across the lobby, Jennie could feel the eyes of their colleagues and staff turning toward them.

The announcement of their engagement had come a while ago, but the curiosity hadn't faded. In fact, the news had only deepened the interest in their every move.