A sleek black sedan rolled to a stop in front of Myoi Corp. A crimson carpet stretched out before the towering glass doors, a stage set for perfection. Flashes of cameras sparked through the tinted windows, catching glimpses of the two women seated inside. Mina and Chaeyoung sat beside each other—close, but miles apart.
The air between them was thick, suffocating with unspoken tension.
Chaeyoung's throat tightened. She inhaled slowly, then turned to look at Mina. Her expression was unreadable.
"Let's get this done," Mina said, her voice steady, eyes locking onto Chaeyoung's with quiet intensity. "Just hold my hand, and don't leave my side."
A pause.
"They're expecting a fairytale, so let's give them one. We'll make them believe this marriage is real."
Before Chaeyoung could respond, a warm hand slid over hers. Mina's fingers curled around her own, firm and assured. The sudden heat of her touch seeped into Chaeyoung's skin, crawled inward, and coiled around something buried deep.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She blinked.
Exhaled—shaky, unsteady—before shoving the feeling down, locking it away like it didn't matter.
She nodded, unable to trust her voice, but she gave Mina's hand a slight squeeze in return.
The door opened.
A wall of flashes and furious clicks greeted them like a tidal wave. Cameras. Voices. Attention.
Chaeyoung had done this before. She knew how to play the role. So she stood tall beside Mina, their hands entwined like lovers', and began the walk down the carpet lined with strangers' eyes. Her smile was practiced—flawless, artificial.
Then, amidst the chaos, she glanced toward Mina.
Mina stood like she belonged to the world that surrounded her—poised, graceful, untouchable. But her eyes...
Her eyes held something else.
Soft. Knowing.
There was a warmth in them that settled deep, like sunlight breaking through a stormy sky. A stillness before the inevitable unraveling.
Looking into those eyes felt like entering a quiet, sacred place where words weren't needed—where everything was understood.
Chaeyoung's heart stuttered again.
This time, it did a little somersault.
Inside, the venue was a vision of understated opulence. Draped in shimmering golds and silvers, the space glowed under the light of countless crystal chandeliers that hung like fallen stars. The air hummed with quiet elegance, scented with fresh blooms and the low buzz of anticipation.
