Soo-yun stormed into the practice studio the next afternoon, her mind still a whirlwind of frustration from last night’s encounter with Taehyung. As soon as she entered, her group members—Nam-ra, Lily, Mei, and Aera—paused their stretching and turned to face her.

"You're late," Nam-ra noted, crossing her arms. "Did something happen?"

Soo-yun let out a dramatic sigh and flopped onto the floor. "You guys won’t believe what I’m about to tell you."

Lily, the most energetic of the group, gasped. "Did you meet a secret billionaire?!"

Aera tilted her head. "Are you moving to Hollywood?"

Mei narrowed her eyes. "Wait… don’t tell me you're dating someone?"

Soo-yun groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Worse. Much worse."

Nam-ra frowned. "What could possibly be worse than that?"

Taking a deep breath, Soo-yun sat up and muttered, "I’m… engaged."

A beat of silence.

Then—

"WHAT?!"

The studio practically shook from the combined screams of her members.

"Engaged?!" Lily squealed, grabbing Soo-yun’s shoulders. "To who?!"

Mei's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, this can’t be real. You? Engaged? What kind of nightmare alternate universe is this?"

Soo-yun exhaled sharply. "Trust me, I wish it was a nightmare. But it’s real. My parents set up an arranged marriage, and I just found out last night."

Aera’s eyes widened in disbelief. "But… you never even hinted at something like this. Who's the unlucky guy?"

Soo-yun clenched her fists. "Kim. Taehyung."

Silence.

Then—

"NO. WAY!"

Lily let out a high-pitched scream and started jumping. "Kim Taehyung?! The Kim Taehyung?! The nation’s most beloved actor?!"

Aera gasped. "Oh my god, Soo-yun! You’re marrying a literal superstar!"

Mei covered her mouth, struggling to contain her laughter. "Wait, does this mean we get VIP seats to all his premieres?"

Nam-ra, however, was the only one who noticed Soo-yun’s murderous glare. "Guys, I don’t think this is good news for her."

Soo-yun shot Lily and Aera a look. "Stop fangirling! This isn’t a fairy tale—it’s a disaster!"

Lily pouted. "I mean… he's gorgeous though."

Aera smirked. "And rich."

Mei nodded. "And insanely talented."

"And insufferable," Soo-yun snapped. "You don’t understand. He hates me. And honestly? The feeling is mutual. This is not some romantic drama where we fall in love overnight!"

Nam-ra sighed. "So… what happens now?"

Soo-yun groaned. "Dinner. Tonight. With both of our parents."

Lily squealed. "Can I come?!"

"No!"

"Ugh, fine," she pouted. "But I better get all the details later!"

---

Dressed in an elegant but simple black dress, Soo-yun arrived at the exclusive five-star restaurant where her soon-to-be in-laws were waiting. She stepped out of the car, took a deep breath, and reminded herself: Stay calm. Be civil. Don't stab Taehyung with a fork.

As she entered the restaurant, her parents waved her over to a private dining room. Inside, Taehyung was already seated, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here. His parents sat beside him, smiling warmly.

"There you are, Soo-yun," her mother said, gesturing for her to sit next to Taehyung. With great reluctance, she took the seat.

Taehyung didn’t even look at her.

His father cleared his throat. "We’re very happy to have this dinner together as a family. This engagement is a great union between both families, and we are thrilled to welcome Soo-yun into our lives."

Soo-yun forced a smile. "Thank you, sir."

Taehyung’s mother beamed. "You two must be excited! A new chapter of your lives is beginning."

Soo-yun stole a glance at Taehyung, who was still refusing to acknowledge her existence. She clenched her fists. If he wanted to play this game, fine.

She turned to his mother with a saccharine smile. "Oh, I can't wait. Taehyung and I have gotten so close in the past twenty-four hours. Right, honey?"

For the first time that evening, Taehyung turned to her, his eyes darkening. "Absolutely," he said flatly.

Their parents, oblivious to the tension, continued discussing wedding plans, while Soo-yun and Taehyung sat in silence, mentally preparing for the war that was about to unfold between them.

The dinner continued, filled with polite conversation between their parents—while Soo-yun and Taehyung sat in a silent battle of wills. Every now and then, their gazes met, sharp and unyielding, but neither dared to cause a scene in front of their families.

"So, have you two started discussing any wedding plans?" Taehyung’s mother asked, her voice full of excitement.

Soo-yun nearly choked on her water. Wedding plans?! They hadn’t even gone five minutes without wanting to kill each other.

Taehyung, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair, expression unreadable. "Not yet," he said smoothly. "Soo-yun and I are still... getting to know each other."

Soo-yun gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Yes. It’s been such a pleasure so far."

Taehyung’s father chuckled, completely missing the sarcasm. "That’s good. A strong foundation is important. We want to make sure you two are comfortable before the wedding."

Comfortable? Soo-yun wanted to laugh. Taehyung had literally given her a list of rules last night as if he were some kind of king. There was nothing comfortable about this arrangement.

"So, Soo-yun," Taehyung’s mother turned to her eagerly, "have you ever thought about acting? With your background in performing, you could easily transition into dramas."

Soo-yun’s forced smile twitched. Acting? As if she’d ever want to step into Taehyung’s world.

"I think I’ll stick to music for now," she said sweetly. "Besides, I wouldn’t want to overshadow Taehyung in his own field."

Taehyung scoffed, finally looking at her. "You wouldn’t."

Soo-yun’s eye twitched. "Excuse me?"

"I mean," he said, feigning innocence, "acting is different from standing on a stage and dancing. It takes... skill."

Soo-yun clenched her fists under the table. This man is testing me.

Their parents laughed, completely oblivious to the tension. "Well, if you ever decide to try, I’m sure Taehyung would be happy to guide you," his mother said cheerfully.

Soo-yun smiled sweetly. "Oh, I wouldn't want to burden him. He seems very busy."

Taehyung smirked, sensing her growing frustration. "Oh, I’d make time for you."

Their parents sighed happily, mistaking their passive-aggressive exchange for budding romance.

Soo-yun, however, knew one thing for sure.

This marriage was going to be an absolute nightmare.

As dinner continued, Soo-yun felt like she was trapped in some twisted drama. Every time she tried to subtly express her displeasure, Taehyung would counter her with his infuriating smirks and dismissive remarks, all while keeping up his perfect, gentlemanly façade in front of their parents.

By the time dessert arrived, she was barely holding back her frustration.

"So, Taehyung," her mother started, "do you plan on moving in together after the engagement ceremony, or will that wait until the wedding?"

Soo-yun nearly dropped her spoon. Move in?!

Taehyung didn’t look nearly as shocked as she felt. Instead, he simply wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering.

"We’ll see." His voice was cool, detached. "I prefer my space."

Soo-yun’s jaw clenched. Oh, like I’d want to share a roof with you anyway.

His father nodded approvingly. "That’s understandable, but it would be wise for you two to start spending more time together. You’ll be married soon, after all."

"Of course," Taehyung agreed, though there was no warmth in his voice.

Soo-yun’s mother turned to her expectantly. "What do you think, Soo-yun?"

What did she think? That this entire situation was ridiculous. That she was being thrown into an arranged marriage with a man who made her blood boil. That she wanted nothing more than to storm out of this restaurant and forget this night ever happened.

But instead, she forced a smile. "I think," she said slowly, "that we should take things one step at a time."

A safe answer. Non-committal.

Her mother seemed pleased, and Taehyung gave her a knowing glance, as if he could hear the sarcasm behind her words.

"That sounds reasonable," his mother agreed. "No need to rush. But we should arrange more family gatherings so you two can get more comfortable with each other."

Soo-yun’s stomach dropped. More meetings?

Taehyung barely reacted, sipping his drink like he had all the time in the world. "Whatever makes you happy, Mother."

Soo-yun wanted to throw her fork at him.

Instead, she plastered on another fake smile. "I look forward to it."

And just like that, the trap was set.

a/n :

Aish! These two! Seriously I'm in love with them and their banters

Hopefully you guys are loving it

Anyways take care of yourselves and drink plenty of water.

Love
Lily 🤍