Twilight | ATEEZ

Chapter Seven

The night has gone on long enough when Seonghwa and Seulgi's parents excused themselves to speak about their children's futures together, leaving Seonghwa and Seulgi to sit alone at the dinner table.

"I thought they'd never leave us alone," Seulgi sighs out a long breath, easing her shoulders back after sitting in perfect posture all evening. She tilts her head over towards Seonghwa, "Can you believe it's been four years?"

Four years that Seonghwa and Seulgi have been 'dating' after their parents so kindly forced them together after conspiring about the rise of their two businesses at the hands of their children. Seonghwa and Seulgi's marriage would equate to a happy conjoining of two companies, and happy dealings between them.

Seonghwa remembers the event gala where he and Seulgi first met. It was clear what their parent's intentions were at their introduction, and it was also clear what feelings Seonghwa and Seulgi held for each other.

Platonic ones.

After being, to put it bluntly, forced to be together, they eventually grew accustomed to being significant others -- albeit, not exactly how their parents would prefer. They found comfort in one another. They were both in the same position, so it was easy to get along and relate. They became good friends, but of course, being friends was not what their parents were looking for. If they were, they would have settled for Seonghwa and Hongjoong's friendship.

No, they wanted them to consummate their relationship.

So they did.

They were dating openly not even a month after meeting.

At first, they dreaded having to act romantically-involved, since they still didn't hold those special feelings for each other that were expected of them.

Eventually, they didn't hate the facade they had to keep up for their parents as much anymore. It became easier to kiss each other and spend more time together as time went on. Kisses and touches adjusted to normal for the two, as if they were second-nature, not intentionally romantic gestures.

Of course, they hadn't even started college when they got together, and being together in such a way for that long would lead to a bit more... Seonghwa often wondered if these acts required emotional attachment, as he's never felt much of anything towards Seulgi, or other people in general. He's always been quite the flirt, finding it fun to tease the people around him, but his heart has never stirred the way he thought it should.

He and Seulgi didn't think much of when they would lay in bed together, they knew they would inevitably be at each other's side for the rest of their lives anyway, so they were glad they at least could stand one another.

That's more than they could say for either of their parents.

"It's hard to believe it's been that long, really."