It had all started months ago, with families and contracts, traditions you had never imagined yourself part of. Your parents’ insistence, his family’s pressure—suddenly, you were engaged. You hated the idea, and he hated—well, he claimed he hated it too—but neither of you had ever been good at speaking honestly.

That afternoon, you were in the kitchen, cleaning up from lunch, when you heard his voice through the hall.

“Yeah… alright, I’ll be there,” Jungkook said casually on the phone.

You froze. Your chest tightened immediately, a small sting of jealousy rising. Who was he meeting? A business associate? A friend? The thought of him speaking to someone with that calm warmth made your stomach twist.

“Oh… so you’re meeting someone?” you asked as he walked into the kitchen, casually leaning against the doorway.

“What was that?” he asked, voice sharp, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Nothing,” you muttered, avoiding his gaze, pretending you hadn’t been listening.

He stepped closer, and you could feel his presence behind you. Your heart raced, unsure if it was fear or something else. You were waiting for his usual cold dismissal, the brush-off he gave so often, the distance that kept you both safe from whatever this… marriage… had become.

But then, unexpectedly, he spoke softly, right behind your ear.

“You don’t need to worry,” he murmured, warm, almost gentle. “It’s just family. No one else matters… not when I’m here.”