Arrange Marriage

CHAP 6

The Jeon family home was every bit as grand and intimidating as one would expect from the family of Asia’s most powerful mafia boss. Mingyu had been to large, luxurious homes before, but there was something about the Jeon estate that felt more daunting—an atmosphere thick with formality and years of established tradition. He could tell by Wonwoo’s stiff posture and the slight tension in his jaw that tonight was going to be… challenging, to say the least.

Wonwoo’s family had always maintained an air of strict propriety and seriousness. Dinners were formal affairs, with everyone seated at a long, dark wood dining table that seemed designed to keep people from actually interacting. Mingyu, however, was determined to make it through the night without letting the atmosphere stifle him—and he’d decided, since he was married into the family now, that maybe it was time for the Jeons to loosen up a bit, too.

The moment they walked through the door, Mingyu felt the weight of the entire family’s gazes on him. Wonwoo’s parents, grandparents, and several aunts and uncles were all present, each one seated with a posture so impeccable it could have come from a training manual. Mingyu glanced over at Wonwoo, who gave him a small, warning look as if to say, Please, just behave.

But what Wonwoo didn’t realize was that this formal, rule-laden environment only made Mingyu feel more mischievous.

They took their seats at the table, and as dinner began, Mingyu felt like he was in a staged scene, everyone politely making small talk, the conversation drifting around various safe topics. Wonwoo’s father occasionally asked Wonwoo about business, but other than that, it was a whole lot of nothing. Mingyu fought the urge to yawn and instead decided to turn things up a notch.

“So,” he said brightly, breaking the silence as he looked at Wonwoo’s mother, “when did Wonwoo start showing his leadership skills? Was he bossing everyone around as a kid, too?”

A flicker of surprise passed over her face, but she quickly recovered, glancing at Wonwoo with an amused but wary expression. “He was… a serious child, even then,” she replied, choosing her words carefully. “Always determined to be in control, even with his toys.”

Wonwoo sent Mingyu a barely perceptible please don’t look, but Mingyu wasn’t about to let that stop him. “Ah, I should’ve guessed,” he said, grinning. “Because you know, these days he’s always acting like he’s got everything under control—but don’t let him fool you, he’s secretly quite soft. For example, just the other day, he spent an hour choosing a new pillow for our bed. An hour!”

Wonwoo’s grandmother raised a brow, clearly unused to this sort of casual banter. But rather than disapproving, there was a spark of curiosity in her eyes. “Is that so, Wonwoo?” she asked, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “An hour on a pillow?”

Wonwoo cleared his throat, looking mildly embarrassed. “Mingyu likes to exaggerate,” he muttered, giving Mingyu a warning look, which only made Mingyu grin wider.

“Oh, no, no, I’d never exaggerate. In fact, he has a whole strategy for picking out household items now. He calls it the ‘comfort zone,’” Mingyu added, leaning in conspiratorially. “If it doesn’t meet his exacting standards, it’s a no-go.”

The room was silent for a moment, but then Wonwoo’s aunt let out a small laugh, followed by his mother, who covered her mouth in a failed attempt to hide her amusement. Wonwoo’s father even chuckled softly, though he quickly regained his composure.