Prompt: “You’re doing it wrong.”-- @challengingwords challenge
Pairing: Kim Jongdae x reader
Genre: enemies to lovers au
Word count: 533
“You’re doing it wrong.”
Snapping your focus away from the sheet music, your fingers ceased in playing the melody as you saw who stood in the doorway. You heaved out a breath and then smiled politely. “This is a private practice room.”
“I know, you’ve booked it for the next two hours as well,” Jongdae mentioned, pointing to the sheet attached to the door. “Still, if I have to spend the next two hours walking back and forth up this hallway hearing you doing it wrong, well, it’s going to get on my nerves.”
“Clearly, you don’t realise how much you’re getting on mine,” you muttered and the man smirked, stepping into the room. You willed him to leave with a glare, which he either ignored or didn’t see.
Hitting a lone key on the piano, Jongdae looked down at you sternly. “Hit the note again.”
“Excuse me? I didn’t sign up for a vocal lesson today. Especially with the likes of you.”
“Oh, you mean as the one with the most experience?” Jongdae stated, grinning lopsidedly. “Don’t worry, Y/N. I won’t charge you for it. Now, hit that note again.”
You didn’t know what compelled you to do it. Nor did you realise how obedient you were over the next thirty minutes as Jongdae drew out a sound that you had been struggling to reach. His expressions were now gentle, smiling and nodding at you as you hit the note over and over, each time with more conviction.
He had truly morphed the sound of your song already.
When you came to a stop after singing the full chorus, you looked at the man beside you and smiled. “Well, I hate that I’m admitting this but thank you. That really helped me.”
“Do you know what else I’m sure you’d hate to admit?” Jongdae questioned and you narrowed your gaze on the charming smile on his lips. He was always dangerously handsome when he got like this.
“What?”
“All this tension between us is not because you hate how good I am, though, I don’t think it’s all that bad to have a rival,” he started and you rolled your eyes at his cockiness, about to cut him off when he stole the words right out of your mouth, kissing you passionately.
You cursed inwardly for wasting no time in responding, your hand reaching out to grip the edge of his unzipped jacket, drawing him in closer. Your lips melded together as if they had the fitting components to become one and you didn’t pull away until you were breathless, staring at Jongdae wide-eyed. He was dishevelled and yet he smirked, wiping at his now swollen lips as he stood up. You followed his movement, addicted to the bitter taste of him already.
“Looks like we might have to explore this more often, Y/N. I’ll let you get back to your practice. I’ll be listening out to ensure you’re hitting all those notes too.”
“What if I don’t?” you breathed, and Jongdae stilled in his departure, throwing a look at you over his shoulder.
“I guess we’ll have to get more creative in how I help you reach those high notes then.”
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Word count: 1633 (I went overboard a little I know, I’m sorry)
Description: A simple evening can lead you up to unexpected situations.
A/N: so this is my little drabble for @nunchiwrites :) as a part of @exo-writers-net secret valentine’s drabble. Hope you like it, I did my best. Also I’m back after probably more than a year, so please anticipate this :) (idk please read this on desktop, mobile app is trash and don’t make a gap between two paras and it’s so clogged that you can’t have a good reading experience)
You’re constantly looking from the wall clock to your phone checking time, wishing that the time goes by a little faster today.
You brighten up your lock screen, to check how many minutes passed by. You sigh, putting down your phone on the kitchen counter for the nth time in the span of two hours. Just a minute, it felt like an hour though.
The windows behind you are continually clattering even though they are closed, winds thumping the window panel, making them bang against the frame. This has been the only noise in the kitchen except for the distant noises of chattering of people and rumbling of dried leaves.
The weather is windy, cloudy too but not somber, sun rays are still visible through the clouds making it pleasant to view.
You stand, leaning your back against the counter and your hands crossed over your chest. Lightly tapping your foot on the cabinets, You look at the wall clock.
It’s exciting how you’re so eager to meet him again. It’s only been couple days when he left for his business meeting and he will be coming back by any time now. A smile forms on your face thinking about him.
A sudden ding startled you from your reverie. You look over your back, shifting your eyes from the counter to the oven. The lights inside are off and it shows the time at 0:0.
“Finally” You mutter, taking out the pan of cookies from the oven.
You put the pan on the dining table opposite to the counter, when you hear the doorbell. Your focus immediately shifts from the cookies to the noise. You take off your oven mitts before starting off.
You take long steps, almost running to the front door. You can hear your heartbeats, loud and clear. This is the moment you have been anticipating from the past two weeks and it's finally happening. You turn the door knob and open the door.
There he is, looking at you with those hypnotizing eyes and then he gives you a smile and a tight hug, which is genuinely sweet with just the right amount of tenderness that unexpected warmth rushes through you.
“I missed you, Jongdae,” you mumble, hugging him as tight as your power can allow.
“It’s only been two weeks that I’ve been gone, Kara” he chuckles, enveloping you in his warmth and kissing the temple of your head.
“So you didn't miss me? I see!”
“Defense rests, I missed you so much that I didn’t want to attend the meeting and come back as soon as possible”
“Liar,” you scrunch up your nose to jut out your lower lip at him.
He shakes his head and burst out laughing. He enters, breathing in the citrus scent of the home that comes from the candles you’ve placed on every countertop. He looks at you and gives you an appreciative nod with a smile before removing his shoes and wearing his slippers.
Before he can say anything, you take off his coat and hat with his luggage to unpack and give it to the laundry “I’ve prepared the tub with hot water and essential oils with light music as you like, towels are in the middle rack with your pajamas right next to it. I know you’ll be tired and will need some relaxation, so I’ve prepared this for you, if you need anything you know I’ll be right here,”
He seems to be taken aback from all these but nod anyways. You give him a smile but before you can leave, he pulls you into a tight hug, kissing you deep and passionate. His hands in your hair keeping you as close as possible, in the process you drop his coat and hat and your hands wrap around his neck to give him all he wants.
***
You sit down on the couch, waiting for him. Crossing your legs, you go through your phone to check any mails or texts when Jongdae suddenly puts his head on your lap, snuggling into you more. You smile, putting down your phone.
“How was your trip, Jongdae?” you ask, ruffling his hair.
“Okay,”
“It was a two week trip and all you gotta say is okay?”
Silence fill the room for minutes while you are playing with his hair. So you think he is asleep and don’t ask any further questions anymore.
“Because you were not with me,”
You chuckle. “Alright, ok so Jongdae don’t freak out from what I am about to say,”
He sits instantly, looking at you with serious eyes. “What?”
“Jongdae, I saw a strand of gray hair,” you say, pursing your lips and holding back a laughter.
“WHAT!!” he shrieks, standing abruptly, eyes wide, mouth wide open from terror or funk, you can’t decipher.
He stand at the same place in same horrific manner for couple minutes, looking like a live wax statue but can breathe. His hands are on his side loosely hanging as if not knowing what to do with them. He is not blinking and for a second you think he has lost the ability to do so.
You can hear his heartbeat, loud and clear. He’s alive, thank god. You blink, unable to think what you should do next, this is not how you thought it would turn out. It’s impassive but also funny. You keep looking at him before you gulp, hard and raise you hand to shake him from his state.
“Jongda-” before you can complete his name, he growls - loud enough for you to be surprised and terrified that you have to hold your chest to calm yourself down.
He starts pacing in circles, hands in hair - ruffling, tousling and pulling them until they are all over the place and disheveled.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my go- NO,” he whines, blinking rapidly and halting suddenly. He looks at you from which you are taken aback, “NO, I shouldn’t have tousled my hair, I LOST that gray hair…”
He starts pacing again, hands in air, trying to make the situation understandable to me(more like himself) looking more confused than ever, “what if you can’t find it again, wait- no, no, that can’t be,”
“Jongdae, what can’t be? What are you saying?” you ask, confused.
“You’re kidding with me, right? This is a prank, knew it, knew it Kara” he lets out a brittle laugh, stopping in his tracks to shoot a glance at you.
“I’m not kidding, this is not a prank, let me sho-”
“NO, don’t. I don’t need to see,” he yelps, before you can stand up he starts pacing again.
“I need to cut that strand of hair,” he say, rushing to the kitchen and bringing back a scissor. “No, no, they say if you cut one strand, it will be multiplied by two, no.”
“Booking my appointment at a salon, right now.” he picks up his phone, and put it right back on the coffee table, “No, dyeing will damage my hair,”
“I need to hide the gray hair,” he asserts, pointing at you, “you also help me hide it,”
“What if, what if people see it and make fun of me? What if our future kids will see and think of me” he throws a tantrum, pacing again, “no I can’t let that happen,”
“What if all of my hair turns gray now?” he covers his mouth with his one hand and holds the cough with another.
“Worse, what if I go bald?” he vouches, utterly shocked. He is bewildered, throwing hands in air in weird directions, sometimes screaming odds, sometimes whispering crazy, continuing with his circles and only stopping when he comes with his new ‘what ifs’.
You try to interrupt him, telling him to stop but he seems like his hearing ability is at stake too, he can’t seem to see you’re speaking and if he do, he don’t let you speak. You can’t think while Jongdae is pacing in front of you, it was funny at first but now, it seems it's getting out of control and you can’t do anything about it.
“Jongdae, calm down. It’s just A strand of gray hair,” you try to reason and stop him from his dramatic quarter-life crisis but failing miserably.
“Just, just? Just A gray hair? NO, IT’S NOT. Not for me, I’m getting old, oh god I’m looking old,” he unlocks his phone and checks himself on the front camera.
“Jongdae…...listen,”
“I’m looking old, I’m old, so what if...what if you leave me, what if you don’t want to be with me, Kara,” he wraps his forehead with his palms, stopping and looking in void.
“Jongdae, no-”
“What if you want to break our engagement after this and don’t want to marry me?”
“What if…”
“JONGDAE,” you shout, making him look at you and stop talking.
You stand up from the couch and walkover in front of him, as soon as he opened his mouth again, you cup his face and kisses him. It’s slow and soft, comforting him in a way words will never. He reciprocates, resting his hand below your ear and pulling you closer until your breathes mingle.
You break the kiss after couple minutes, “Jongdae, I’ll never ever leave you, I want to be with you as long as possible and I’ll marry you no matter what,” you smile, wrapping your hands around his waist.
“Are you sure?” he ask. You nod still smiling at him.
“And for our future kids, they’ll think nothing because it’s natural, also stop thinking about what’ll people think of you,” you cheer, gaining his smile.
“Ok, so now stop worrying and eat this cookie I made for you,” you say, stuffing Jongdae’s mouth with cookies.
Summary: Despite suspicions with coming home later than usual, even without knowing where you stood. Everything will be okay, right?
A/N: Based on a true story
Where
Jongdae and you never forgot how you met even when the memory was thought to be forgotten. He worked for inside this pizza parlor as the delivery driver and you were coming for an order ten minutes before the parlor would close. His assistant worker has insisted keeping the doors locked, that maybe you and your companion would leave, but Jongdae walked over and turned the locks. He welcomed you inside and offered to take the last minute order where he smiled the most brightest you had seen and you did an automatic smile back. Jongdae treated you with the friendliest customer service for someone working the night shift.
While your friend ordered, pay, and double checked the pizza order with the other associate, Jongdae had clocked out and pulled his phone blackberry phone out pressing the buttons.
“That phone’s not shit.” Jongdae whipped his head towards you. His expression was amused rather than struck.
“Sorry?” He asked smiling and then that was the beginning of Kim Jongdae and you. He had broken up with his previous girlfriend when he realized that you were the one catching his eye. Both practically teenagers then and still barely considered adults, and freshly in love. The time took ten years with seven handmade birthday cakes and finding yourselves living under the same roof together. Almost three thousand days with countless dates from fancy restaurants to fast food inside the car. Sixty-five thousand, seven hundred hours with celebrating holidays together and several boxes and furniture moved into one house after the next.
Ninety months together and during a snowy traffic session inside the heated vehicle, Jongdae finally proposed. Other than the toasted temperature blasting through the vents that made your cheeks red you whispered yes. You nodded and said yes ten times and romantic feelings until the vehicle from behind honked their horn.
An entire decade together and six months engaged became the wedding day that took place inside your aunt’s house. You weren’t the perfect couple, but were both families best example of genuine love. The best example of friendship and strength and a team. Jongdae kissed your knuckles looking down, giving you eyes from pure passion while you did the same.
The same silent giggles and passionate gazes one year later inside the brand new home. Those giggles faltered within the darkness of the new master bedroom-eventually becoming gentle quick kisses and then becoming deeper.
“Fuck I love you so much.” Under eight hours having intimate action and thankful if you could add for the uninterrupted night together. Only half an hour, thirty minutes later until dawn broke through the newly draped windows, sunlight peeping into the room and ten minutes worth waking up to a droopy eyed Jongdae holding your leg over his thigh, tugging a smile.
“I love you.” Whispered from both.
Two bars over one pregnancy test one morning signifying that in as little as nine months, you and Jongdae would become parents. Jongdae was speechless when he had found the baby shower card over the table saying ‘What’s up Pop?‘ Jongdae broke out in excitement and began calling every family member from both sides just to reveal the good news while you hide behind your hands feeling flustered and took the phone away when you heard him describe the magical evening. Since then Jongdae insisted that he would work extra hours for you to relax and spend the weekends with you more often. You went onto maternity leave and within nine months, three days and what felt like eternity until little Naomi was finally bathed, wrapped into a blanket cocoon and ready to meet you two.
Three years passed since you became parents and one thousand ninety-five days worth being a family. Eight dozen more holiday photos now with three people including the mother’s and father’s day photos. One of your favorite framed photos was one where you wore a simple knee length red dress with Jongdae wearing blue suit pants and a sweater sitting over a bench holding a then one year old Naomi above your knees. Both of you smiling as wide as you could. Another favorite was before Jongdae proposed when you were living together and the two of you went to a friend’s house party where your heads were connected together, sitting close knee to knee and your smiles made slits into your faces. That photo had been taken with your camera so long ago. Much too long ago to even remember the date or year that photo had been taken. Long before real life came running into your life as a family like a bullet train.
Now that you and Jongdae have been working non-stop and rarely ever saw each other except the morning and evening. You have rarely saw each other around Naomi and Jongdae began working late. More than you would work late night. From the baby steps when Jongdae saw you sleeping he refused kissing you goodbye before leaving so he sent photos of himself blowing kisses toward the camera that you enjoyed receiving. Not very common behavior for a married couple especially one who have been together most of their lives.
You love Jongdae with your entire heart that the thought of him having an affair would cause an emotional riot within you. Filled with anger and resentment and sobbing along with Naomi walking out the door holding your hand. That was what you intended hiding from your mother-in-law watching Naomi that night when you wanted to surprise Jongdae with dinner at his office. She was wrapped with a cloak over her shoulders while reading a novel in the living room. Out of all people your mother-in-law was the last person you wanted her to see you the way you are. You felt anxious walking into the house that you both called yours. There your mother-in-law looked up from the novel and rose onto her feet with an expression of shock.
“Y/N, what’s the matter?” She walked over you. She rushed over and held onto both your shoulders with much concern shown over her face. “What happened between you and--”
“Please pretend you never saw me.” You hissed with tears coming down. “I don’t want to see Jongdae.”
You held onto her forearms, trying to speak lowly without waking Naomi. “Y/N talk to me, please what happened between you two?”
“Please let me go,” you whispered. Your mother-in-law was growing desperate to know why you came back in such distraught. Why you didn’t want to see Jongdae, your husband and her son. But with your pleads weaving stitches through her heart she kisses your cheek and hugs you and asks you to take deep breaths before letting you go. You wiped the waters from your eyes and forced the whimpers down your throat and quietly closed the bedroom door.
“There it is.” You pulled a purple suitcase out underneath the bed.
You grabbed whatever from the shared closet and threw them inside the suitcase, looking like tongues sticking out the mouth. The last place you expected to see Jongdae walk out from an apartment building across the street from his office at four in the morning. You think about where you and Naomi would spend the rest of the night and how quickly you have to leave before Jongdae could arrive. You thought about where would be a suitable place for mothers and children and would be close enough to the school, but then you’d have to face Jongdae outside in front of other parents.
From the living room you hear your mother-in-law speaking along a male voice.
“Have you eaten?”
Jongdae arrived home before you could attempt the plan to leave. You heard his feet coming closer and you panicked going into the closet when you hear the door open. While grabbing whatever was in front of you, you didn’t want to face Jongdae but he would find you eventually. Silently inhaling through your nose and chomping your lip, you marched out the closet through the bathroom and threw the clothes into the suitcase. You avoided looking at Jongdae but you still see him from the corner of your eye.
Now here is how you found yourselves in the room with Jongdae staring at you with bloodshot eyes. They were moist with tears while he pressed his lips together. Your mouth opened and closed before gulping the choking pain down with anxiety washing over you. You moved away for the doorknob but stopped when Jongdae pulled your wrists, eyes pleading you to stay. You don’t snatch him away as you try fixing your gaze upon him.
“I didn’t sleep with anyone Y/N. You have to believe me.” He says.
You look away as you release the doorknob.
"I know you didn’t,” you whispered, “I believe you.”
He exhales with relief hitting him like a tsunami. He was petrified that you would leave him for committing something that he'd never do and how troubled you'd become. From the corner of your eye, he turns his head over the luggage over the unmade bed. The case barely closed with the fabrics poking out.
“Why did you want to leave then?” He asked.
You secretly placed one of your favorite photos on the bottom under the clothes with Naomi and Jongdae on his first Fathers Day. In the photo she is pulling his hair and he’s forcing a smile through the pain.
“At first I thought it’s because you might’ve cheated,” you say, “But it was the stress and anxiety from work I wanted to get away from.”
Jongdae knew exactly where your thoughts are coming from. He was also stressed about constantly thinking and calculating everything the two of you spent money on in order to be comfortable and for Naomi to have what she needs for a child.
“No more working overtime. From now on we’ll stay as the family we planned being.” He says.
Over ten years together, a connection can’t easily become broken especially when Jongdae hurried the way over in time. The problem overall was the reality that awaited you two once you had gotten married and became parents. You already carry stress with keeping a roof over your heads and bread on the table. That was the agreement for baring that stress when you began living together and moving from one place to another.
You also made an agreement upon a wholehearted note for the stress and major escalated responsibility when you found out that you were pregnant. And just as you hoped, Jongdae promised to go above the atmosphere and take as much hills and valleys being a father would be. Between those two things however, for a moment you forgot about affection and support you had vowed upon the wedding night. Jongdae’s mother insisted that she could spend the night inside Naomi’s room still solemnly worried about her son and daughter-in-law after the way you both ran into the house. Worried about your temper, now seizing a chance to calm you and exceeding toward the kitchen to make tea. She also scolded Jongdae a little for sleeping on the job and working late instead of being with his family while unwrapping her ricerolls for him.
“Your anniversary will be here soon, have you got any plans yet?” She asks.
You clutched the blanket she removed from herself to wrap it around you. From when you first encountered your mother-in-law, she had a bitter taste over her tongue. When Jongdae broke news about the engagement saying the marriage would be for tax purposes, she was against that. She believed that marriage should keep away from business and have attempted to put your relationship on trial.
Of course her views changed when she noticed the way you and Jongdae locked hands together, the exchanged loving gazes, the hug squeezes, the playful fighting, and how you stayed beside him tipsily snoozing into your neck, she also realized that you were the one.
You looked at Jongdae holding the white mug. “We haven’t thought about that yet Mother.”“Work has your ankles by the chains.” She says, “Don’t you still love each other?”
“Of course we do Mother!” Jongdae lowers his voice-noticing Naomi’s cracked open door-“With all my heart. We’re just trying to make things work now.”
You took small sips, “We might have raised enough for that trip we’ve been planning.”
Jongdae enlightened remembering the consideration of traveling to the Caribbean someday. You’ve always dreamed about visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Jongdae dreamed about visiting the Caribbean Islands. There would be documentary audios playing in the background about Marine Life whenever Jongdae was home alone. Soon as Netflix released the movie Moana, the neighborhood children were tormenting their parents with “How Far I’ll Go” while Naomi’s preference was We Know The Way. She was also carried a Stitch plushie with her around the house and wore Lilo pajamas. Both were based off Hawaiana roots and culture rather than Caribbean, but she’ll know the difference soon. It had also been too long since you had a vacation since the honeymoon.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Your mother-in-law asks.
Jongdae nods. “We’ll be fine.”
After two kisses on the cheeks, and a wish to arrive home safely, she was gone. The two of you stand alone outside in silence crossing your arms and the both of you glance at each other. Eight months after, how many weeks total, and handfuls of days from working late, barely being home and fear that you would leave Jongdae alone that night for something he would never. The breeze blow through the knitted quilt and still made your skin shiver, and Jongdae pulls your elbow, making you face him. The time was probably five in the morning growing close to dawn.
The emotions from earlier stimulated your nerves now that you were calming down, your yawns were approaching after Jongdae yawning. “Can we start relaxing with slumber?”
He chuckles. “Good idea.”
You also remembered Naomi was still inside the house, and not to mention by herself. Several hours before the evening was still Saturday night meaning that right now was Sunday morning and Naomi doesn’t have preschool and you can both use mass session for an excuse if you overslept. Rather than proceeding toward the bedroom, you both slumped over the leather couch and Jongdae plants a kiss over your forehead as you closed your eyes.
For the moment, your worries about Jongdae disappearing wouldn’t be forgotten but for the moment everything would be okay. Surely everything would be alright, everything would be just fine.
When you married Jongdae, he claimed that what was his was now yours and the greatest thing he had given was his heart. He was the only person ever you had shared everything with from the mobile numbers all the way to the bodies and an offspring. Before announcing two syllables that would mean the promise of spending the rest of your life toward yourself and your husband, there was the promise to always stick together hip connected to hip.
Four months passed and you were stuck working another nine hour shift while Naomi stayed with her cousins until you arrive home. She was sleeping in your arms and the last thing you remember was tucking her into bed before seeing black.Then out of nowhere your phone starts ringing, making your eyes roll before digging through your bag and answered. “Hello?”
You were hardly paying attention when Jongdae’s voice flowed through the speaker.
“Babe where are you at?”
You wiped your mouth. “I’m at the house. Why?”
“Do you need something?”
Jongdae’s mouth gaped at your words.
“Y/N, I’ve been waiting for you at the new Wok restaurant.”
What was Jongdae doing there? He was supposed to be off work and home, unless he had sent you a text that he was there with his coworkers.You shot up from the spot with widened eyes. Your anniversary. You completely forgot your anniversary! That’s why Jongdae was there!
The front door closing stopped your increasing closet rampage when your husband walks through the living room, looking like he was trying to attack your heart with the way his shirt hugged his upper body and styled back hair. Instead of standing on the spot with awe, you apologized for missing out the date.
“Don’t worry hun, you were busy. We’ll try again soon.” Jongdae says through a smirk.
You sighed. For a moment you were afraid Jongdae would react annoyed and scowl through the phone, thankfully he reacted calmly. You changed into your sleepwear and brushed your teeth before flossing when the front door became unlocked and scared you for a split second. Jongdae hadn’t told you how close he was arriving home.
The anxiety disintegrated when Jongdae walked into the room. He was dressed in black dress pants and dark blue with some unbuttoned buttons. You opened your eyes slightly and you realize you’re standing inches away from your husband. “Dae, I’m so sorry I forgot baby.” He rested his hands over your lower back while you tugged his collar. “Everything will be fine.”
Jongdae said his words with assurance while looking into your eyes hoping you would notice the disappointment laced around them. He took you into the bedroom and changed into his pajamas. Tonight you held each other close, one leg over his, and noses barely touching. He flicked the ends of your hair with his fingers, admiring you to ignore the negative thoughts whirling above his brain. He left the bed and walked as quietly as possible into his daughter’s room, where he crouches down beside her sleeping and pushed back strands of hair and held her petite fluffy hand.
Summary: As the son of the opposition, you had been raised to hate Kim Jongdae. You had never expected to actually marry him one day though.
Pairing: Kim Jongdae x reader
Genre: arranged marriage au / enemies to lovers au
A/N: thank you @trishmarieco for requesting this! I admittedly had a few ideas for how this could go, and in the end this is the idea that won. I’m hopeful you enjoy it!
Word count: 6553
Your marriage was the event of the year. Not only was it glamorous in every way, boasting a large A-list of affluent attendees and the most expensive designer labelled clothing, you had all the press lined up just trying to catch a glimpse of what they could write or snap photos of that would end up on the front page of every newspaper and magazine cover tomorrow morning. Everything had gone so well, from the I do’s to the reception speeches. Everyone who was anyone would have tales to share about this wedding for weeks on end. You were the faces of the merger between two super companies that shook the entire nation by storm.
By morning, everyone would be talking positively about how your parents had gained the upper hand by joining forces with Kim Industries. There would be no opposition worth fighting now, as they had single-handedly taken that away with your union to the youngest Kim son, Jongdae. Everything was so picture perfect that no one would be talking about how long at war your family had been with the Kim’s anymore. Instead of the headlines wondering who would take out the top spot for the most innovative design of the year, they would now proclaim how much money this marriage has accumulated for both families so far, and how stocks will continue to soar.
In theory, this was the best move for everyone. Even you had to admit it was a well-played card no one had ever considered until three months ago. But your life wasn’t theory based. You had to live it, and well, the last person you wanted to be married to was Kim Jongdae.
From when you were born until that fateful moment three months ago, the only thing you had heard from your father was how much he hated the CEO of Kim Industries. You had grown up with the belief their family was your rival in every way, and you had been a pawn in continuing this trend, competing against Jongdae your entire life. You went to the same schools, you studied at the same university upon graduation, and you shared similar skills in sport. You were on par with him in every way, and now he was your husband. Any other girl would kill for your spot with the handsome man. You half hoped they would just so you could escape this newly made hell. There was no way you were a perfect match for Jongdae and even he had voiced multiple times now that you would never be his first choice as a wife. Yet just as you had, he had put on the best performance of his life at your side tonight. Actually, since the beginning of this scheme, Jongdae had done his part exceptionally well in fooling the nation that you had both fallen madly in love with each other, enabling your parents to push their decades of a feud aside to support your blossoming love. They would merge the companies together instead of battling it out in every aspect. The media had eaten it up and even those in the circles around you had stopped being suspicious of this being a plan all along. It was so well executed that had you not been aware of how fake and awkward the intimacy between you was all along, you would believe that in the pictures snapped of you on all your outlandishly public dates were coming from real passion and not perfect acting.
How long should you both have to act though? The elders in this scheme had gotten what they wanted. The attention of the nation and complete control of the industry. Money would pile up so much that you wouldn’t know what to do with it. You didn’t care for money, for fame, for stability in business anymore though. You held the same dream as most people – to marry for love, to raise children that bore yours and your husband’s resemblance and live the rest of your time on Earth happy and fulfilled by what you could achieve as a person. The scheme had robbed you of such pleasures. The idea of having children with Jongdae was laughable, considering how being physically close to him made you tense and irritable. You might now be his wife, but there was no inclination for you to consummate this marriage. Your parents had sold you off to the highest bidder, however, they had no say on what you did or didn’t do with your womb. You would draw the line there indefinitely.
Besides, Jongdae seemed to share the same thought process. “Ah good, this suite has two bedrooms. I’ll take the master and you have the spare. There’s no way I’m sharing with you.”
“Why do you get the master?” you asked, heading towards the door of the largest room in the plush hotel suite you had just arrived at. Jongdae blocked you from entering. “Move, today has been the most stressful and exhausting day of my life and I want to rest.”
“So do I, and I said I would have this room first,” he mentioned pettily, folding his arms firmly across his chest.
“You’re an adult, there is no such thing as calling shotgun between respectable human beings.” You rolled your eyes. “Ah, I made a mistake, where would I find anything worthy of respect within you?”
“I’ve had more than enough of you today, wife.”
“Don’t insult me with that title,” you spat and Jongdae smirked. “We are merely the receipt of a transaction made by our parents. There’s no need to believe in anything we uttered today.”
“At least we can agree there,” Jongdae said and then smiled firmly. “But because you took my last name, and this hotel belongs to my family, you’ll just have to toddle on off that way to the other bedroom.”
Before you could refute anything, Jongdae was firmly enclosed behind the door of the bedroom, locking it for effect. You groaned and stomped over to the spare room, and threw yourself down on the bed in frustration.
Just how on earth could you get used to being married to your enemy?
You blinked several times, trying to decipher what your father had just said to you. He had called you into his office, almost bouncing off the walls with excitement. He was always like this when something big was happening at work and you had been waiting in anticipation for what he had to say. As someone working your way up the ranks within the company your father owned on your own merits, you had a great deal of interest in how things were run. One day it would be yours to oversee, after all.
But what he had just spoken of had you seriously reconsidering everything you had been working towards. “What did you just say?”
“Kim Industries and our company will become one in just over three month’s time. And you will be the reason we can do so!” he told you again, smiling generously.
“H-how? I’m only a mere member of staff here-”
“Y/N, you know you’re expected for greater things than that office job, right? You are barely tolerated by the other staff there because they don’t want to get fired if they upset you. It’s time for you to play within the big leagues where you belong. And I’ve found you the best partner to do so.”
The information he had given you about your role stung, but you were too confused by what your father was talking about to really allow it to settle within your mind. “W-who?”
“Kim Jongdae, of course.” Your father rounded his large oak desk and came over to the plush chair across from where you sat. He grinned again. It was unfathomable; you had only ever seen this man scowl in disgust at mentioning such a name. Had you stepped into another universe when you came into this room? Or perhaps you had fallen ill. They were much more plausible options than the spectacle before you.
“Dad, are you feeling well?” you asked weakly and he chuckled.
“Never been better, baby girl! Why hadn’t I thought of this earlier when we started looking at suitors for you, I’m not sure. But I’m glad we have now! This is perfect.”
“Suitors? For me?” Your mind was reeling. You were a smart woman, and your brain was already lining up his words effortlessly inside your brain. But you wanted to refuse them immensely. This was your sworn enemy he was talking of! It all sounded nonsensical and your head began to pound with the effort.
“You can’t expect to remain single for the rest of your life. You knew your mother and I were looking at marriage for you this year. And now we’ll have one.”
“Dad,” you said weakly, your eyes wide with fear. “Can you hear yourself? You just said Kim Jongdae is a perfect match for me. We’ve hated each other since kindergarten. You were the happiest person on the planet when I accidentally lobbied a tennis ball right into his face and he sported a bruised eye for two weeks. Surely, you’ve gone mad.”
“Maybe I have, but there’s no better acquisition for this company than Kim Industries.”
“So you’ll sell me off to the highest buyer, is that what this is?!”
“Y/N, can’t you see the good in this?! Business wise this is the best thing that could happen to us. Your life would be set for the rest of your days!”
“My life was already set. And what about what I want? I don’t want to marry Jongdae. Heck, I’d rather marry a monkey before I marry him!”
“From what I read about him before, he’s actually a monkey in the zodiac sign, so maybe you can marry both.”
“This isn’t time for joking around,” you huffed and the smile faltered from your father’s face. Instead, it was replaced by a look you knew all too well, his business face. You shook your head incredulously. “I won’t marry him. Everyone knows how much we hate the Kim’s. Don’t you think the reporters will see right through this scheme of yours? And it is so unlikely that your opposition would even agree-”
“We’ve been in discussions all week long about it. For the first time in thirty-seven years, we actually agreed on something. Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Nightmarish,” you corrected.
“Y/N, I know you feel vindicated. I am sure you want to fight this completely. But the adults have agreed here and you will be married with or without your say in it. I must say, it would be far easier for you to just go along with the plan. Refusing this will only make you miserable.”
You stared at the man you had believed to be fair and honest your entire life. Whilst he was being honest with you right now about what he wanted, you felt as if you didn’t know your father at all anymore.
Despite your constant refusal, plans were made and expectations were high of your first performance. You had always been a filial daughter and your public image was a positive one. If you played up now, there would be a lot of damage to your career. More than you’d like to endure. Your goals as a businesswoman relied on your reputation to remain intact.
Even if everything surrounding you was putting you to the greatest test yet.
“Do you honestly believe anyone is going to see this as fact?” you scoffed as your mother flitted around you, smoothing out your outfit. You rolled your eyes at her efforts, soon swatting her away. The buzzing in your head was more than enough to deal with, let alone her hovering. “Everyone in this nation knows Jongdae and I are rivals. No one will believe we are in love.”
“On this first outing together, of course not sweetie,” your mother agreed, smiling at you through the reflection of the mirror. “It will spark curiosity for what you are both doing together though, and that’s what we need. For people to show interest.”
“This all seems ridiculous, why can’t you just merge the companies without needing a marriage to do so?!”
“Enemies don’t just join hands without a sacrifice in between,” the older woman said with a sigh, her eyes for the first time showing signs of sympathy. Towards the daughter she had raised so lovingly to be bold and courageous. The emotions dispersed quickly and you could see now that she viewed you as a necessary evil for the greater good.
You still couldn’t accept this was what you needed to do with your life.
“Well, are you ready for the next two hours of being completely sickened to your stomach?” Jongdae greeted with a forced smile and you swallowed roughly as he sat down at the table in the middle of the bustling restaurant. You had hoped for something more natural for your first date, but the longer you sat across from Jongdae in such a public setting, you realised it was a good idea. That way, you could both sabotage this plan from going any further.
“In your company, anything is possible.”
“I’m surprised you turned up, I heard you were throwing the biggest toddler tantrum over this,” he mused as he picked up the menu casually, and you rolled your eyes dramatically. “What did Daddy promise you today? A new pony? A shopping spree? A trip to Paris?”
“This is why I really didn’t want to sit here tonight. You have no idea about what excites me. Further, I wasn’t bribed to come here, I know that new sports car out there though was the prize for you turning up,” you mentioned sweetly and Jongdae grunted, not denying your claim either. For a moment, you both focused on perusing the menu and ordering with smiles on your faces when the server came over to your table.
Once your meals were in front of you both, you looked quickly over at Jongdae as he cut his steak into small bite-sized portions. It irked you that he had chosen the same meal as you had. Taking a deep breath, you squared your shoulders. “Want to break free?”
“Why? The food here is delicious,” he said, his hands moving too quickly for you to keep up. The plate that was in front of you that you had barely touched was soon whisked away and replaced with his one, the cut steak now mocking you much like his gaze was. Jongdae smiled in pleasure. “Look, I even helped you and your juvenile self out by cutting it nice and small. Try not to choke on my efforts.”
You could think of many things to choke and your eyes narrowed on his neck for a split second. What kind of game was he playing at? Looking around yourself, you became aware of the further attention your table now held, the women at a table nearby all swooning at how Jongdae had cut up your meat for you. It irked you greatly; you didn’t need help with such a thing. Your hands that had fallen to your lap when he moved suddenly before now clenched up in fists.
“So you have no interest in stopping this ludicrous plan. You actually want to marry me?”
Jongdae’s gaze snapped to yours. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“So we can agree neither of us wants this. So, why don’t we-”
“All the same, my goal isn’t our parents,” he mentioned airily as he cut his steak neatly. He smiled down at his efforts. “It’s to see just how far I can push you.”
“What?”
“I don’t need to worry about the wedding, Y/N. We won’t make it that far because you find the idea of being near me so impossible to endure. I am rather relaxed about this all.”
“You’re bluffing,” you stated and Jongdae arched an eyebrow at you. You blinked a couple of times. “Are you challenging me?”
“Why would I need to? You won’t cope with any of this. You’re barely eating a meal with me. The press will need more than that; they’ll need physical interaction and adoration from us both. You cannot act in my presence so how will you even stand a chance, hm?”
“Are you done yet?” You folded your arms across your chest and smirked. Jongdae shrugged as he continued to eat. “Your lack of faith in my abilities is truly tragic.”
“Says the one who can’t even share a simple meal with me without fussing,” he pointed out and you glanced down at the food you hadn’t touched yet. You speared a piece of the meat he had cut for you and smiled.
You wouldn’t allow him to gloat for long. It would be him running to his father to cancel the wedding first.
Over the next month, you met with Jongdae often. You had been on a variety of dates, each one more intense than the previous one. When Jongdae had first grabbed your hand as you strolled in a park together, you had to resist the knee-jerk reaction to shove him off for touching you without permission to do so. On the next date, it was you pushing his boundaries by snuggling into his side as you watched the ballet. He had taken it too far on the last date by pecking your hand as he dropped you off at work after sharing sushi for lunch. It left you fuming and you were determined to end him today. You couldn’t take any more of being in his company.
And the longer your museum date progressed, the further convinced you were to end this fake relationship. His smarminess had reached an all-time high and every gentle touch along the small of your back grated you further. When you got back into his car, you wound down your window and glanced out irritably. “You’re feisty today, Y/N.”
“Wouldn’t you be too if you were stuck with the most obnoxious person on Earth?” you muttered and Jongdae chuckled.
“Well, do I seem feisty to you? Since the same could be said about you.”
You spotted a familiar sighting from what you had gotten used to on these dates and smiled to yourself, your idea would finally come into fruition today. Turning to Jongdae, you grabbed at his face hurriedly. He jerked back at your advance “What are you doing?!”
“Are you afraid?” you wondered, knowing you had the most opportune angle for a perfect photo. Leaning in so close that your lips were almost flush with his, you tilted your head to the side. With you up this close, Jongdae froze. You smirked triumphantly. “Seems like you are.”
“Are you attempting to kiss me right now? Because you’ve missed my actual lips.”
“I don’t need to kiss you for this to be snapped as one.”
Jongdae’s eyes were dark when you pulled back and sat in your seat with ease. He rushed to wind up the window before continuing. “Was that meant to scare me off?”
“I’m over this game with you, let’s just give up.”
“You just gave the press more than we ever have. It was you who leaned over and fake kissed me. I’m impressed; you’ve clearly wasted so many years watching all those silly dramas on TV to think of pretending to kiss someone.”
“I guess I have put you in a bind, Kim Jongdae,” you agreed, still content with your decision. He had been the one pointing to various sculptures and paintings proclaiming they all looked better than you did. He had even joked about marrying a plump statue over you since you lacked in the chest department. With how much he wanted to escape you, he sure hadn’t done anything about it yet. You had seen the fear in his dark gaze though, and it made you feel at ease. He would end this tonight with his parents.
Instead, he rang to plan your next date. You blinked. “Our what?”
“Did you really think I would be put out, Y/N? You surprised me, I’ll give you that.”
“You don’t want to marry me, Jongdae!”
“You’re not my first choice for a wife, you’re right.”
“So then end it.”
“And be the one who has to deal with both our parents? No thanks.”
You groaned unattractively. “You coward.”
“At least if I was to ever think of using kissing as a publicity stunt, I’d go through with the actual thing.”
“Don’t you dare think of doing such a thing!” you hissed and his hearty laughter filled the receiver. You hung up on him, frustrated that he was holding out just to see you crumble.
Dates continued in the same masochistic manner, both not wanting to be at the other’s side but unable to not be there either. Jongdae hadn’t kissed you, thank goodness, but he had definitely increased his skinship and it was making you very uncomfortable. Your skin would burn from where he held you and you constantly felt on edge whenever you were with him, wondering what he’d do next. You had been so confident with the fake kiss scene in the car, but it had gotten you nowhere. You were already in your final fitting for your custom made wedding dress and a cocktail dress for the reception. Everything you tried to stop seemed to roll ahead with everyone not listening to you. Eventually, you were left standing in a dress that was far too beautiful for such an event. Something as gorgeous as this should only be worn when you could walk down the aisle to someone you actually loved.
“Oh the groom is here!” the designer crooned and tried to usher you behind the large velvet curtain so your dress would be unseen to him. You rushed behind there, panting heavily as you dropped the yards of gorgeous fabric back down so you could balance yourself. Then you frowned. Why had you done such a thing? The jinx of seeing the dress before the wedding might work in your favour. You went to move out again but flinched when someone joined you behind the curtain instead.
“What are you doing?!” you whispered sternly and Jongdae merely eyed you from head to toe. You blushed, not understanding why he was paying so much attention to you right now. A small part of you hoped he liked what he saw. You squashed the mindless thought immediately.
“Don’t stress, I’m only meant to not see the dress if we’re hoping for a positive union, right? I thought of all people you would have stood proudly before me to put as many omens on this gorgeous gown as you could.”
You couldn’t help but bite your lip when he used the word gorgeous. Was your mind weak today because of the magical feeling of being in such a dress? Clearing your throat, you placed your hands on your waist. “All the same, I find it hard enough to be in this dress, let alone be with you whilst I’m in it.”
“Call it a rehearsal.” Jongdae continued to look at the details intently. “You’ll have to do the real thing very soon.”
“Don’t remind me.”
He smirked when his gaze finally lifted up to your face. “We need to rehearse a lot of things for this to be the best performance of our life, right?”
“Because we’re totally going through with this,” you refuted weakly and Jongdae chuckled.
“You look every part of a blushing bride. I think you’re ready to marry me more than you admit.”
“Honestly,” you said dryly and turned away from the mischief within his gaze.
This was your first mistake. Before you realised it, his arms had slipped through yours still poised on your hips and you snapped your face towards his right as his lips found yours. Your eyes grew wide and you didn’t know what to do for a moment.
Jongdae pulled away and licked at his lips. “There, we even practised that.”
“You had no need to kiss me! We’re not in public at all and you have zero permission to do such a thing to me!”
“What about at our wedding?” he wondered, his gaze lingering over the detailed bodice of the dress. “Should I just kiss you on the cheek and call it a day?”
“If we get married.”
Jongdae sighed. “When.”
And it really had happened. Whether you wanted to admit it or not, you both ran out of time and excuses. You had tried to run away pathetically the night before the wedding, yet you were there bright and early for your salon appointment. Somehow you had lost your voice that you had been so loudly using in the beginning of this scheme. Now, you just sat there and did everything that was asked of you.
And when Jongdae was signalled to kiss you, it felt like it went on forever. With your eyes closed, and focusing just on kissing him back, you felt the build up in the back of your throat. Every sensation in your body was awakened with the kiss and it took you immense effort not to ball your hands up in fists as you locked lips with Jongdae for too long. When he pulled away and smiled at you generously, you were stunned. He looked so happy to finally have you as his wife and for a moment you almost believed he truly felt that way.
Almost.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard to get used to living with your husband. Maybe it was because your newlywed home that your parents had organised was just so large that you didn’t have much reason to cross paths. You had your own chambers and he had his. Of course, you couldn’t avoid him most days. After all, there were endless interviews, events, and work to do. But at least when at home, you could relax a little bit.
Most of the time.
“Eat with me.”
You looked up from your computer and rolled your eyes, going back to the project you were in charge of. Although you weren’t happy with how you had gotten to this point in your career, having more of a voice in the workplace actually fulfilled you more than you had expected. You really liked going to work these days.
“Y/N,” he whined and you continued to ignore him. Jongdae stepped over to your desk and sighed heavily. “I don’t want to eat another meal alone.”
“So eat with one of the in-house helpers.”
“I’ve been doing that for two weeks now!”
You smiled. “Then you’re not eating alone. They are people, just like you and I.”
“They have no idea about the new spring collection launch I’m working on. You do.”
“So you don’t want to eat with me, you want to pick my brain,” you concluded, finally looking up from your computer. You bridged your fingers together on your desk and smiled again. “Oh dear, what to do? I have no interest in sharing my plans with you to steal.”
“Why would I steal something we’re both working on?”
He had you there and you groaned. Glancing down at the proposal again, you relented. You had questions for him yourself that you could get to over dinner.
And this trend continued. Most nights you shared dinner whilst discussing plans and changes that were needed for your first project to run smoothly. You had to admit, majoring from the same degree in business administration meant you did have a balanced work ethic together. It became more evident to you when you were at work, seeking him out after meetings to discuss the happenings together. Everyone surrounding you claimed your marital harmony at home had to be the spark behind this amazing collaboration.
You just knew how his mind worked in a business setting and yours complimented his. That was all.
But you had to admit, some days it felt like the lines were blurring. You would smile at him without any forced nature behind it, and when one of his projects took a major production stumble, you had genuinely been supportive for Jongdae. He had worked so hard and you knew how important it was to him to succeed.
When the launch was finally released and sold out within a day, you had rushed into his office, positively beaming. “We did it!”
“It’s all sold out, already?!” he asked excitedly and you nodded earnestly, Jongdae rounding his table so fast and hugging you tightly. You clung to him for a moment, your elation clouding your mind. And when you finally realised where you were, you didn’t get much chance to pull away, Jongdae’s mouth crashing down on yours.
You could have pushed him off, reminding him that this was a marriage of convenience. But the spark of arousal was instantaneous and you leaned into the heated embrace, Jongdae spinning you around and pressing you up against his desk as his lips hungrily explored your neck, his hand slipping down your body and hiking one of your legs up around him. You moaned in pleasure and then a knock on the door broke the spell immediately.
You stared back at Jongdae, wondering just how such an embrace had occurred between you. And why it didn’t feel as bad as you had thought it always would.
You were on edge with each other respectively for a week after the office incident and your mind wouldn’t stop taking you back to that moment in time frequently. Why had he kissed you? His grip on your body felt like he wanted to have you. Yet you were someone he had always claimed he’d never crave in that way. You were so confused that you went into his study after work, too wound up and needing answers.
“Y/N,” he said tenderly and you blinked, wondering why your name sounded so good falling from his lips. He smiled weakly. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Oh.” Jongdae nodded softly and closed the lid on his laptop. “What’s wrong?”
“Why did you kiss me last week? Why did you have to take me in your arms like that and, and…” you trailed off, feeling your cheeks grow hot. “We don’t have that kind of relationship. We hate each other.”
Jongdae was silent for a moment, staring at nothing in particular. You were irked by his lack of a response until he gazed back at you. The power within his umber eyes almost made you lose your footing. “I don’t hate you.”
“What?”
“I’ve never hated you,” he mentioned and you gaped at your husband.
“Yes, we’ve always hated each other for as long as I can remember.”
“No, you hated me. You’ve always hated me. I never understood why.”
You shook your head slowly. “Because our families are rivals.”
“Is that it? I can’t hate someone because my parents are competitive towards their opposition.”
“You can too; you were competitive towards everything I did!”
Jongdae nodded. “Some things yeah, because you rubbed me the wrong way. But never because I hated you. Don’t confuse competitive with hatred, it’s two very different emotions.”
You looked around the room, trying to decipher what he was planning now. There had to be a catch, he was never this honest with you outside of work. Was there a hidden camera somewhere? Recording you so he could catch something to hold over you in the future? You were decidedly cautious but listened to his words all the same.
“Look at you, even now you’re uncomfortable with me.”
“Can you blame me? We went from being enemies to a married couple who now share a department in the office. I don’t know what to think of you.”
“Without what your parents have influenced you to do, what do you think of me?” You blinked rapidly. Jongdae sighed heavily. “Have you ever once thought of me as someone with the same goals as you? As someone who matches you as opposed to being someone you need to outdo?”
You didn’t answer, your mind racing to figure out what he meant.
Jongdae groaned. “I have. I noticed your ambitions. I realised how level-headed you are in a situation of crisis. You’re intelligent. You treat everyone as equals, apart from me, of course. You have compassion for bettering this world we live in. It touches me knowing you’re such an amazing person.”
“I made you think all those things?” you asked and he nodded. You didn’t buy it entirely. “Then why did you always tease me? Why did you make things harder for me every step along the way?”
“You wouldn’t allow me to be anything but your rival, so I admit, I played the role well. I told you I was excellent at acting, you just never wanted to believe me.”
“So you’ve been actively seeking out my company and not because you want to annoy me?” Jongdae nodded again. You shook your head. “Unbelievable.”
“Can I tell you my biggest secret yet?” he asked and you eyed him warily. He gestured to the chair you held the back of for support. “You might want to sit down.”
“This doesn’t sound safe.”
Jongdae leaned back in his own seat and took a steadying breath. “It wasn’t our parents.”
“What wasn’t our parents?” He raised an eyebrow at you and your eyes widened. “This whole thing?!”
“I’ll admit I didn’t want to marry you in the beginning. When I realised just how talented you were with business strategies during university, I knew I wanted to work with you. I was certain we could create something amazing together. When I loosely mentioned it to my Father, he laughed in my face. That your parents wouldn’t dream of letting you work with me and that he wouldn’t allow me to approach you either. There was too much of a risk if we simply combined our talents together.”
You nodded slowly, agreeing that despite your differences, you had a formidable balance in the workplace that had led to great success already. Your mind wandered back to the passionate moment in his office last week and you narrowed your gaze on his. “Then how did we end up like this?”
“In every transaction weighed with a lot of risks, giving the opponent something worthy to hold onto in case it sours is the best option, don’t you agree? You cannot have something without giving back just as much.”
“That is usual etiquette,” you mentioned and then sighed. “If your father had me as his daughter in law, my Dad couldn’t act rash and overtake your company.”
“Exactly, so I suggested it to him in a way that made him unable to refute it. And by the time it was murmured into your father’s ears, he felt as if he had come up with the idea himself. Our parents agreed with it and thus, everything else you already know about.”
You raised your hand in objection. “Wait, you got a brand new car. Why should I believe you actually wanted to marry me?”
“I had to make it seem like I didn’t actually want to marry you. I needed them to think I was against it in every way possible but for the sake of good business I would be bribed.”
“You played your own parents?” you uttered and Jongdae grimaced.
“It wasn’t that cruel. Besides, they didn’t want to listen to your objections and forced you into this. I figure they are just as guilty as I am for imposing this on you.”
“I just… this is all so much to take on,” you admitted and Jongdae smiled weakly. You then stared at him. “Wait, I’m confused. You said you didn’t want to marry me in the beginning, but then you actually did want to marry me. You claimed I wasn’t your first choice every time I argued with you. Who is your first choice? Why would you go this far just for harmony in making more money? We’re rich enough not to have joined as business partners, Jongdae.”
He didn’t answer, rubbing at his neck awkwardly instead. Your eyebrows shot up and you leaned forward in your seat. “You wanted to marry me?!”
“Well, did you not hear all the things I complimented you over?” he answered meekly, diverting his gaze. “I didn’t have a first choice. You were my only choice.”
“I was what?”
“I didn’t want to marry anyone else. Okay so I wasn’t completely sure from the beginning, but as we started dating and you kept trying to outdo me, I found you really adorable. I didn’t want to end it. And then when I saw you in your dress…” He smiled to himself and you were certain he was revisiting the day behind the velvet curtain in the dressmaker’s studio. “I knew then.”
“Knew what?”
“That I loved you,” he confessed. “That I had loved you for some time too.”
“You really mean that?” you questioned, feeling yourself grow anxious. “I’m asking you if you honestly believe you love me.”
“Being your husband is something I’m happy to be. I love you, Y/N.”
You shifted across to Jongdae faster than your mind was working and kissed him passionately, surprising you both. He pulled you onto his lap and held you close, his mouth hotly exploring yours. The kiss melded from one into the next until you were utterly breathless. When you finally pulled back, you stared into his eyes carefully. Had they always been this warm? Had Jongdae always been looking at you like this? It made you feel so feeble to think whilst you had followed the trend of your parents, Jongdae had given you the chance to be yourself in his eyes. He didn’t judge you as part of the opposition. He searched for ways to separate you from the feud. You felt guilty for only coming to realise his strengths recently. Although, when you looked back over the years, there had been reason for your jealousy – Jongdae was a talented person.
And he was your husband now.
“Do you kiss everyone who admits they love you like that?” he teased and you grinned, shrugging lightly. “Hey! You can’t act like that to me. Not after how much I’ve done to get us to this point.”
“Which is what?”
“You not looking at me like an enemy,” he answered and you nodded softly. “To actually see me apart from our families, and to work alongside me on the first project at work. You don’t know how happy I am right now.”
“Do you think you could show me how much?” you wondered airily and Jongdae smirked, suddenly hoisting you up as he stood up.
“Are you sure you want to challenge me with this? I mean, you tried to take me on in the past and look where we ended up. We’re married and you didn’t want that.”
You kissed his lips before slinging your arms around his neck and smiled down at him. “Well, this is something I might be able to excel in. Let’s see who can outdo who now.”
