Protologue
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"Tae? Shall we go to the amusement park today?".
Aera's voice was light, hopeful,almost childlike in its cheer as she peered into the study room.
"I'm busy with homework," came the calm reply from a 16-year-old Taemin, eyes never leaving the textbook spread before him.
Aera didn't push. She simply nodded with a soft smile and gently closed the door behind her.
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"Taemin, do you like the new plastic model I got you?"
she asked,her voice bright with excitement as she held out a sleek, limited-edition figurine.
The now 17-year-old boy glanced at it briefly, then gave her a small nod.
"It's good," he said simply before turning back to his laptop screen.
Aera's smile faltered for just a moment. Just a flicker. But she recovered quickly.
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"Aunt?" 18-year-old Taemin called out, his voice a touch softer, uncertain.
"Oh, Taemina,I'm sorry, I have urgent work right now. Can we talk when I come back?"
Aera's voice rushed through the hallway as she grabbed her coat, heels clicking against the marble floor.
"Sure," Taemin replied with a small, almost imperceptible nod.but She failed to notice the way his fingers gripped at his back.
In a quick manner,her black car pulled out of the driveway and disappeared into the city traffic, just like every other day.
Whereas,Taemin remained in the spot where she left him.The cool breeze of the late afternoon brushed against his skin.
In his half-hidden back, he held a bouquet of red roses wrapped in a silver ribbon with a small card,its handwritten message peeking out between the petals.
"Happy Birthday, Aunt."
He stared at the empty driveway long after she had gone, the unspoken words still resting heavily on his tongue.
Present
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Hyun didn't realize how quickly the week had slipped away after their first meeting,entirely consumed by fittings, shopping trips, and endless preparations.
He could still recall how Jangwoon had bombarded him with a flurry of questions the moment he heard about the sudden marriage proposal.
But Hyun had managed to calm him down, explaining that it was their parents' wish,and he didn't have any problem with it. That alone had not been enough to make Woon convince.
After knowing the name,Kim Taemin. The most influential man in Korea.After knowing that Hyun was marrying the nation's crush, whom everyone dreamed to be with,kinda made him to convinced.
Now, Hyun stood behind the stage, heart pounding in his chest, with Jangwoon's steady hand covering his own as his best man,his land in this sea of nerves.
On the other side of the aisle, Taemin stood still,stoic in appearance, but his mind raced with thoughts he couldn't outrun.
Marriage had never been a chapter he imagined for himself. Yet here he was, dressed in an elegant suit,standing before a future he didn't quite understand.
He wanted peace, or at least the illusion of it. But looking back on his first meeting with Hyun, he doubted this marriage would bring anything close.
Still, he had no choice. This was only thing he can do,for the woman who had raised him like her own.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips when the priest called Hyun's name, pulling him out of his spiral.
His gaze shifted slowly and froze.
Hyun.
Walking down the aisle,like a Anime character come to life.
He wore a tailored blue suit that embraced his slender frame just right, accentuating the subtle curve of his waist and the soft line of his shoulders.
Beneath it, a white shirt peeked through,its glow intensifying the porcelain-like radiance of his skin.
Each step was graceful, almost too graceful, like the world had slowed for him. The soft lighting caught the shimmer of his eyes, the gentle slope of his jaw, the slight flush on his cheeks.
And for the first time, Taemin felt something stir in his chest,foreign and unexpected.
"He's... not that ugly," Taemin muttered under his breath, as if trying to rationalize the sudden flutter in his stomach.
Whereas Hyun continued walking down the aisle,each step measured, yet slightly shaky. His nerves clung to him like a second skin, palms damp, heart thrumming in his chest.
But the moment his gaze locked with him, everything else seemed to blur.
Taemin.
The man he hadn't seen for an entire week, now standing just a few feet away, looking every bit as intimidating and composed as Hyun remembered.
Dressed in a sleek black suit layered with a crisp white coat that hugged his tall, slender frame perfectly.
Taemin looked like he had stepped out of a high-fashion editorial. Every detail about him screamed perfection,from the way the fabric clung to his form, to the effortless elegance in his posture.
Only now did Hyun understand why people called him flawless. It wasn't just about his wealth or influence,his very presence demanded attention.
But then Hyun's eyes reached his face.
Blank. Cold. Emotionless.
A small frown tugged at the corners of Hyun's lips.
How can someone look so painfully handsome and yet so utterly distant?
He shook his head subtly, trying to dismiss the thought, but it lingered as he kept walking.
Finally, as he reached the altar, Jangwoon stepped forward, gently taking Taemin's hand and placing it over Hyun's with quiet sincerity. His voice, soft but full of meaning, said only a few words: "Take care of him."
The weight of that simple sentence settled between them. and Taemin, still expressionless, gave a slight nod, acknowledging the unspoken promise.
And with that, the ceremony began.
"Do you, Kim Taemin, take Min Hyun as your husband?" he asked, his voice echoing in the stillness of the hall.
Taemin stood still, his face unreadable, eyes locked on Hyun without a flicker of emotion.
"I do," he said flatly, as if reading a line from a script, his voice void of warmth.
Hyun blinked, trying to mask the sting that settled in his chest.
How can he say those words like they mean nothing?
Hyun let out a silent sigh, already feeling the weight of what was ahead.
"Do you, Min Hyun, take Kim Taemin as your husband?" the priest asked, snapping Hyun out of his thoughts.
He swallowed hard, eyes dropping to their intertwined hands,Taemin's fingers cool and still against his.
"I do," he whispered.
That's it, Hyuna. You're done!. Welcome to hell.
"You may now exchange the rings," the priest declared, motioning to the best men.
Jangwoon and Junki stepped forward with the rings, their expressions caught between pride and worry. With hesitant fingers, Hyun picked up the sleek band, his heart thudding in his ears. Taemin mirrored him, cold eyes betraying nothing.
And with one final breath, they slid the rings onto each other's fingers.
A wave of applause erupted around them, echoing through the hall like thunder.
"I now pronounce you lawfully wedded. You may kiss," the priest said.
The cheering crowd shifted into a chorus of chants:
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"
Hyun's eyes slowly lifted to Taemin's, searching for something,anything in that face. But it was the same as always. Blank. Detached. Cold.
Even now also?, I thought my first kiss will be romantic.
Hyun cried internally.
Taemin rolled his eyes subtly at the crowd's insistence, then stepped forward, closing the small distance between them.
Without a word, he placed his hands on Hyun's slim waist,fingers firm but careful, like he was handling something fragile. The touch made Hyun's breath hitch, his body tensing from the unfamiliar sensation.
His hands instinctively found their way to Taemin's broad shoulders, steadying himself.
Why is my heart beating so fast?
Taemin's hands were warm,too warm. It felt like fire coursed through him with a single touch. The heat from the elder's palms spread across his skin like wildfire, igniting something inside him he couldn't explain.
As Taemin leaned in, Hyun's eyes fluttered shut. His fingers curled slightly into Taemin's suit, breath shallow, lips parted just a little in anticipation.
The air between them turned electric.
Taemin's gaze lingered on Hyun's face,his flushed cheeks, his trembling lashes, the soft curve of his lips waiting for something that would never come.
Just as their lips were about to meet, Taemin tilted his head and shifted,leaning toward Hyun's cheek instead. His lips barely brushed the skin there, close enough to deceive the crowd.
Everyone cheered, convinced the kiss had happened.
But Hyun stilled.
Then came the whisper,cool breath against his ear.
"Did you really think, I'll kiss you?"
Hyun's eyes opened instantly, the spell broken.
A scoff slipped past his lips, subtle but sharp.
What could I even expect from him?
2 hours later
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After the ceremony, the grand hall echoed warm congratulations. Guests took turns offering their blessings, shaking hands, and smiling politely at the newlyweds.
But for Hyun, it all passed in a blur. His mind was already somewhere else...somewhere heavier.
And then came the moment he'd been dreading.
The time to leave!.
Slowly,Hyun turned to Jangwoon, his best friend,his only family. The one who had stood by him when no one else did. The one who helped him turn an old, crumbling space into their dream restaurant through years of sweat, laughter, and silent tears. And now,he was walking away from it all.
Without saying a word, Hyun threw his arms around Woon, burying his face into his shoulder. The soft sniffles quickly turned into harsh ones as he clung tightly, his breath shaking.
"Hyuna…" Woon whispered, voice cracking as his own eyes welled up, "Don't cry like that. You'll make me cry too."
But it was too late,as woon tears had already fallen.
Their embrace held years of shared memories, unspoken understanding, and the painful ache of temporary separation.
"Take a few days off, Hyuna. Don't worry about the restaurant.I'll handle everything in your absence,"
Woon said, trying to smile through the emotion, even though concern lined every word.
Hyun slowly pulled back, eyes still glossy. "Woona, even if I want to rest, how can I?" he said, brows knitting together.
"You know we only have one chef,that is me! If I stop cooking, the whole restaurant will go bankrupt by the time I get back."
His voice was held seriousness while woon chuckled softly, shaking his head with that familiar pride of his friend.
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Moments later, after another round of reluctant goodbyes and tearful glances, Jangwoon finally walked away, leaving the newly married couple standing in silence at the edge of their new life.
As time pass by Junki approached, holding out a small keyring in his hands.
"Sir, here are the keys. The car's parked outside."
Taemin took the keys without so much as a thank-you, but Hyun's eyes followed them, blinking curiously.
"Are those.. the house keys? The one Aunt Aera left for us?" he asked, voice soft with hesitation.
Taemin didn't even look at him. Just gave a slow, tired sigh and said, "What's the point of asking when you already know the answer?"
His tone was flat. Dismissive. Like the conversation was a chore.
Hyun blinked at him, lips parting slightly before pressing into a tight line. He let out a silent exhale, gaze narrowing.
Was he born in Antarctica or what? Why so cold ?
A/n:How's it?
Hope you enjoy reading.
I'll upload next chapter only after getting some comments,I think deserve it after continues updates.