Arrange Marriage

CHAP 15

Wonwoo never considered himself a sentimental person. His life had always been about efficiency, precision, and control. Every day was planned down to the finest detail, every hour accounted for, and he was used to sleeping lightly, ready to spring into action at the slightest disturbance. But ever since Mingyu had come into his life, those routines and habits he had so carefully cultivated had begun to change.

It started in the mornings. Waking up used to be a matter of necessity, something Wonwoo did swiftly and with purpose. But now, his favorite part of each day was that hazy, precious time just before dawn when he’d open his eyes to find Mingyu still snuggled up beside him, breathing softly in the crook of his shoulder. Mingyu was always curled close, their legs tangled together, his head nestled against Wonwoo’s chest. Sometimes, Mingyu’s hand would be resting on his heart, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to claim that space.

In those quiet, early moments, Wonwoo often found himself simply staring at Mingyu’s peaceful expression, taking in the soft rise and fall of his chest, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. The sight stirred something deep within him, a quiet contentment he hadn’t known he could feel. He’d allow himself to stay there a little longer, holding Mingyu close, pressing the lightest kiss to his hair, and savoring the warmth that Mingyu radiated. He found himself lingering there every morning, just a little longer than he intended, until eventually, Mingyu’s eyes would flutter open, and he’d smile sleepily up at him.

“Good morning,” Mingyu would mumble, his voice soft and warm.

“Good morning,” Wonwoo would reply, his tone low and gentle, as if speaking any louder might shatter the fragile beauty of that moment. Mingyu would stretch, his arms wrapping around Wonwoo’s neck, and they’d stay like that, sometimes in comfortable silence, other times exchanging whispered words and sleepy smiles before they had to face the day.

Wonwoo had never been much of a morning person, but with Mingyu in his arms, he found himself looking forward to the start of each day.

And then there were the moments in between—the quiet moments during the day when Mingyu would text him, sometimes with nothing more than a silly meme or a photo of something he thought Wonwoo would find funny. Wonwoo’s once-sterile office was slowly filling up with trinkets and little reminders of Mingyu: a photo of them on a beach trip, a small, silly cactus Mingyu had gifted him as a joke, even the mug that Mingyu had insisted he use, which had "World’s Best Husband" written in large, bold letters.

During breaks, Mingyu would often pop by the office, bringing him coffee or lunch and filling his day with laughter and light-hearted chatter that made the usual dreariness of work feel brighter. Mingyu’s presence transformed the office from a place of formality and business to somewhere that felt alive, somewhere he could breathe a little easier.

And at night, after the day's business was done, Wonwoo’s favorite ritual was coming home to Mingyu. No matter how late he worked, no matter how tired he was, Mingyu would always be waiting for him with a gentle smile, sometimes teasing him about working too much, other times simply listening as he shared the mundane details of his day. They’d make dinner together, or Mingyu would have already whipped something up, filling the kitchen with warm, inviting smells.

And when it was finally time to go to bed, Wonwoo would lie down with Mingyu wrapped in his arms, and they’d talk quietly until sleep claimed them. It was then, in the dim light of the bedroom, that he felt the most at peace. He’d feel Mingyu’s fingers tracing light patterns on his arm, Mingyu’s soft breaths tickling his skin, and the warmth of his body pressed against his own.

Even on the hardest days, when his responsibilities weighed heavily on him, when his duties as a mafia boss tested every ounce of his strength, those moments with Mingyu—the gentle conversations, the easy laughter, the unspoken understanding that passed between them—made him feel human. They reminded him of who he was beneath the title, beneath the image the world saw.

Wonwoo knew he’d never imagined having this—someone who made even the darkest parts of his life feel a little lighter, who made him want to smile more, laugh more, and live a little softer. Mingyu had a way of filling every moment with warmth, whether it was morning, noon, or night, and Wonwoo found himself addicted to that warmth, to the solace Mingyu brought.

As they drifted off to sleep together each night, Mingyu’s hand resting over his heart, Wonwoo would close his eyes and think about how lucky he was. He’d press a gentle kiss to Mingyu’s forehead, murmur a soft goodnight, and let himself sink into sleep, knowing that when he woke, Mingyu would still be there, filling his life with a love he never knew he could have.

Because, for Wonwoo, there was no better way to start or end his day than with Mingyu by his side.