The FORCED MARRIAGE | KTH FF

Chapter 30

Y/N, her cheeks still burning, finally mustered the courage to gently press her hands against Taehyung’s chest, creating the slightest bit of distance between them. Her touch was hesitant, almost shy, but firm enough to make him step back a little.

“Mr. Kim,” she said softly, her voice carrying a warmth that seemed to linger in the air, “you shouldn’t tease me like this. It’s… unfair.”

Taehyung’s gaze remained locked on hers, a flicker of something unrecognizable in his usually cold eyes. The soft smile that played on her lips struck a chord in him—a simple, delicate expression that carried an innocence he hadn’t seen in anyone for a long time.

“Unfair?” he repeated, his deep voice dropping an octave, as if savoring the word. “Maybe it is. But Mrs. Kim,” he continued, his tone lighter now, almost playful, “you’re the first person who’s ever made me forget about fairness altogether.”

Y/N’s eyes widened slightly, her heart skipping a beat at his unexpected words. She wasn’t sure if he was teasing or if there was a deeper meaning behind what he said. But the way he looked at her, as if she was the only one in the world, made her chest tighten.

“You’re impossible,” she murmured, shaking her head with a small laugh, though her voice carried no real annoyance.

“And yet,” Taehyung replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, “you’re still here.”

His words hung in the air, heavier than the teasing tone he used. For a moment, the world around them seemed to disappear. There were no cold walls of indifference, no biting sarcasm or guarded glances—just the two of them, standing in a fragile bubble of warmth and unspoken truths.

For the first time in years, Taehyung felt something unfamiliar—a desire not for control or distance, but for the simplicity of a moment like this. He didn’t want to think about the walls he’d built or the cold mask he usually wore. Right now, none of that mattered.

“You should smile like that more often,” he said suddenly, his voice quieter now, almost thoughtful. “It suits you.”

Y/N blinked, taken aback by the unexpected compliment. Her cheeks flushed deeper, and she looked down, her soft smile still lingering.

“And you,” she replied, her voice just above a whisper, “should stop pretending to be someone you’re not. It doesn’t suit you.”

Taehyung froze, her words hitting him in a way he didn’t expect. For a moment, he said nothing, the faint smirk on his face faltering as her sincerity reached a part of him he thought was untouchable.

He let out a quiet breath, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “Maybe you’re right,” he said finally, his voice laced with a rare vulnerability. “But don’t get used to this, Mrs. Kim. Tomorrow… I’ll be back to being impossible.”

Y/N laughed softly, her eyes meeting his as she stepped past him, her voice carrying a teasing note. “I’ll hold you to that, Mr. Kim.”

As she walked ahead, Taehyung stayed where he was, watching her with a mixture of awe and confusion. For the first time, he didn’t care about tomorrow or the masks he wore. Tonight, he allowed himself the smallest taste of something he hadn’t felt in a long time—peace.

___________

Taehyung walked into the house behind Y/N, a faint smile lingering on his lips, though he tried his best to mask it. The evening had been… unexpected, to say the least, and he couldn’t shake the image of her soft smile and the way she spoke with such simplicity.

“Bring the car to the house by morning,” he instructed his driver with a curt nod before heading inside.

Y/N didn’t say much as she walked toward their shared bedroom. “I’ll take a quick shower,” she mumbled, disappearing into the bathroom, leaving Taehyung standing in the middle of the room.