Steal Your Heart (and Make It Mine)

01.

"Intern Lee Jihoon, your husband is waiting for you outside."

Jihoon almost instantaneously rolled his eyes and sighed.

It's not his fault he's stuck on an arranged marriage with an idiot. It was just that he told his mom about his plans on not getting married and having kids (despite being very much capable of carrying a baby) so of course, his mother was devastated but that didn't stop her from getting the perfect partner for her son.

"WHAT?! YOU PAID SOMEONE TO MARRY ME?"

"I didn't have a choice, son! I wanted to see you get married before I die!"

"But that is not the solution, mom! I'm trying to actually meet someone I like..."

"But Jun is an asshole and cheated on you with your friend." Jihoon's eyes widen.

HOW ON EARTH DID HIS MOTHER KNOW ABOUT THAT SHIT.

"Of course you know I'd find out about it somehow. What do you take me for, Jihoon?"

"Okay fine."

"YES! You shall be meeting Seungcheol tomorrow at lunchtime! Please don't be late-- and dress well!"

He lets his mother's words pass right through his other ear and walked up to his room.

He mentally slaps himself for thinking that his circumstance is actually pretty interesting.

"Lee Jihoon. Get your senses back! This is a bad idea. Really bad."

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The 'Choi Seungcheol' his mother got to marry him is surprisingly good looking.

He actually looked like a man that you usually see on magazines and billboards across the city plus, he's a real gentleman.

Jihoon mentally slaps himself again. 'No way you're falling into your mother's tricks again, Jihoon. No.' He tells himself over and over again, but he kept his cold deameanor.

They got past the formal introductions and other stuff and both sides ate their lunch. Somewhere in the middle of Mrs. Lee and Seungcheol's conversation the older opened up "I heard Jihoon-ssi is in Med school-- is it difficult?" Jihoon looks up at the sound of his deep and gentle voice and meets his hazel (and twinkling) eyes.

He immediately returns his attention to his food and bashfully said "Um... Yeah." The older man laughs a bit and reaches out to pat his head.

The latter was tempted to say 'Im not a dog that you can pet.' But decided against it. He knows better than to show sass in front of his mom.

After then, Mrs. Lee talked in behalf of his seemingly quiet son and Seungcheol seems to be overall impressed with him and he has no idea why.

"I look forward to a wonderful life with you, Lee Jihoon."

'I can't say the same to you, Choi Seungcheol.'

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A month after their exchange of marital vows that was sealed by a forehead kiss (because Jihoon ain't ready and Seungcheol understands), their parentals finally showed them their shared apartment-- a not-so-huge one but definitely big for the two of them.

"I'll send someone to clean the house every week so you both won't have to worry about cleaning up the whole house." Jihoon's mother spoke while she was wheeled into their supposedly shared bedroom. "I hope that in this room, you'd develop perfect harmony and give me a grandson or daughter before I die, okay?" Jihoon scoffs at his mother's remark. Why does she love making embarrassing statements like that?

Seungcheol laughs awkwardly, "We'll try our very best, madam." The elder bowed at his (now) mother-in-law. She grabbed his hand into hers and softly caressed it, just like how she usually would when she tries to comfort a sad jihoon. "Take good care of my son, Cheol. I love him so much and I know you do too so I hope you'll never leave him, okay?"

Seungcheol's eyes turned soft as he held Mrs.Lee's hands in his. "Thank you for trusting me, madam." He smiles and the madam smiles back. "Just call me 'Mom', Cheol. We're family now, aren't we?"

"Yes... Mom."

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Jihoon was about to leave for his graveyard shift when a Seungcheol in an apron speeds through the halls of their apartment with a lunchbag in hand. "I made some kimbap and put a little more so you could share with your colleagues. Please don't forget to--"

"Don't worry, I won't. I'm leaving." The younger grabs his bag and the lunchbag with him. Seungcheol was about to give him a hug (at least) but Jihoon looked like he's in a hurry so he decided against it and just smiled at him.

"Take care, Ji! I..."

The latter leaves through the door coldy before Seungcheol could even finish his sentence.

"I love you."

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I have been working on this for a long time and I have no idea if I will be continuing it any time soon. I hope that posting it here and everywhere else will HOPEFULLY encourage me to continue this.

This is unbeta-ed so please pardon any errors! :)