Chapter 2 - The First Encounter

The restaurant was luxurious—polished marble floors, chandeliers dripping with crystals, and soft classical music humming through the air. It was the kind of place where high society gathered, where wealth whispered rather than screamed. The perfect setting for an arranged marriage meeting orchestrated by two powerful families.

Hyunjin sat at the long dining table, hands folded neatly in his lap, trying not to fidget. His parents sat on either side of him, smiling warmly as they chatted with Minho's parents. He was dressed in an elegant white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up slightly, his golden hair styled to perfection. He had made an effort to look presentable—not that he needed to.

Despite his outward calm, his heart drummed anxiously against his ribs.

Minho wasn't here yet.

Hyunjin had spent the past two days mentally preparing himself for this moment, convincing himself that maybe—just maybe—his fiancé wouldn't be as bad as he feared.

Then the doors swung open.

Minho walked in, and from the very first glance, Hyunjin knew.

He was in trouble.

Minho was effortlessly attractive—dark hair, sharp jawline, dressed in all black as if mourning his own fate. But it wasn't his looks that unsettled Hyunjin. It was his eyes.

Cold. Unforgiving.

The kind of stare that made it clear he wanted nothing to do with this.

Minho barely glanced at Hyunjin before taking a seat across from him, greeting his parents with a forced smile. The tension in the air thickened.

Hyunjin tried to be polite. "It's nice to meet you, Minho-ssi."

Minho's gaze flickered to him, uninterested. "Yeah. Sure."

Hyunjin swallowed, his fingers tightening slightly around his napkin. This was going to be harder than he thought.

The conversation at the table continued—parents discussing business deals, speaking about the future as if Hyunjin and Minho weren't even there. Hyunjin tried to eat, but his appetite had disappeared.

And then, Minho stood abruptly.

"I need to talk to Hyunjin. Alone."

The parents paused, exchanging glances before nodding.

Minho didn't wait for a response. He grabbed Hyunjin's wrist and pulled him toward the balcony, the cool night air hitting them as the doors closed behind them.

Hyunjin turned to him, startled. "Minho-ssi—"

"Listen," Minho interrupted, his voice low, sharp. "I don't want this. I don't want to be married to you. I don't even know you, and I sure as hell don't love you."

Hyunjin felt his stomach twist. "I understand."

Minho scoffed. "Do you? Because you're sitting there, smiling like this is some fairy tale."

Hyunjin's grip on the railing tightened, but his voice remained soft. "I agreed to this for my parents. They want me to be happy."

Minho let out a bitter laugh. "Happy? You think I'll make you happy? Let me make one thing clear—I already have someone I love. Seungmin. He's my boyfriend, and nothing will change that. You and I? We're nothing."

Hyunjin hesitated for only a moment before offering the same gentle smile. "Then I'll stay out of your way."

Minho faltered, as if he hadn't expected that response. He narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"I'm not here to ruin your life, Minho-ssi," Hyunjin said quietly. "You can live the way you want. I won't stop you."

For the first time, Minho didn't have a response.

Hyunjin bowed slightly. "We should go back inside."

And with that, he turned, stepping back into the restaurant, leaving Minho staring after him—speechless.