Arrange Marriage

CHAP 2

The weeks rolled on, and Mingyu’s carefree, candid nature never ceased to amaze Wonwoo. He had grown up in a world of caution and calculation, where everyone around him chose their words carefully, often afraid to step out of line. But Mingyu? He was nothing like that.

Mingyu had no filter. He would speak his mind, laugh freely, and sometimes make jokes that would leave even Wonwoo’s most stoic guards stifling smiles. Despite knowing who Wonwoo was and what he was capable of, Mingyu never held back. It was as if the danger surrounding Wonwoo was invisible to him, or maybe Mingyu simply chose not to care.

One evening, Wonwoo was in his office at home, reviewing security plans for an upcoming business trip, when Mingyu wandered in, sipping a can of soda and looking completely at ease, despite being surrounded by armed guards. Wonwoo glanced up, an eyebrow raised.

“Ever heard of knocking?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Knocking? With you? Nah,” Mingyu said, grinning as he plopped himself onto the couch across from Wonwoo. “Besides, I live here now, don’t I? Might as well make myself at home.”

Wonwoo’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Make yourself at home, but don’t expect me to entertain you,” he replied dryly, returning to his papers.

“Who said anything about entertainment?” Mingyu shot back, unfazed. “I was just bored.” He leaned back, eyes roving around the lavishly decorated room. After a few moments, he blurted out, “So, what color are our wedding invitations?”

Wonwoo looked up, clearly surprised. “You care about the invitations?”

“Of course, I do,” Mingyu said, straightening up, a hint of enthusiasm lighting up his face. “It’s my wedding too, you know. And I told you—I’m only getting married once, so I want it to be right.”

The way Mingyu said it, so matter-of-factly, caught Wonwoo off guard. Mingyu wasn’t just going through the motions of this arrangement. He was actually invested, determined to make this a true marriage, no matter what circumstances had brought them together. Wonwoo felt a twitch deep inside—a sensation he wasn’t used to. No one had ever wanted to be close to him by choice. No one had ever expressed excitement about being tied to his world, his name, his life.

Mingyu tilted his head, noticing the flicker of surprise on Wonwoo’s face. “What? You thought I’d just sit back and let the mafia boss handle all the details?”

“Frankly, yes,” Wonwoo admitted, chuckling under his breath. “I didn’t expect you to care.”

“Well, you thought wrong,” Mingyu replied, crossing his arms with a playful pout. “This is my only wedding, and I want it to be memorable. I want the decorations, the flowers, everything to be perfect. Even the cake.”

Wonwoo leaned back, unable to hide his amusement. “The cake? You’re serious?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Mingyu replied, now with a mischievous glint in his eye. “And don’t even get me started on the music. It’s gotta be something we can actually dance to. None of that slow, boring stuff.”

“You’re planning for the both of us, I see,” Wonwoo noted, his tone softening, and for a moment, he allowed himself to imagine the two of them at their wedding—Mingyu, carefree as ever, dragging him to the dance floor, probably laughing while everyone watched, completely unafraid of judgment.