Chapter 5 - Vows and Veiled Cruelty

The day arrived with an air of finality. No more discussions. No more delaying. Hyunjin and Minho would be husband and husband by the end of it.

The venue was breathtaking, an elegant ballroom decorated with cascading white roses, gold accents, and the kind of extravagance only their families could afford. Soft classical music played in the background, setting the tone for an event that, on the surface, seemed like a fairy tale.

But it wasn't.

Not for Minho.

Not for Hyunjin.

The weight of it all settled deep in their bones, an unshakable presence that neither of them could escape.

--

The Ceremony

Hyunjin stood at the grand entrance, his fingers clenching and unclenching around the bouquet in his hands. The white suit he wore was custom-made, perfectly tailored, and pristine. He looked the part of a groom—graceful, poised, radiant even.

And yet, his heart felt like it was carrying stones.

Chan's hand rested on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this."

Hyunjin turned to him, offering a small, tired smile. "I do, though."

Chan's brows furrowed. "Hyunjin—"

"I promised my parents." His voice was steady, soft as ever. "And Minho doesn't want this either. We're both just... fulfilling our roles."

Chan exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. He hated this. Felix, standing beside them, hated it too. But neither of them could stop it.

Because this wasn't just a wedding. It was a deal, a contract signed with invisible ink long before they had a say in it.

The music shifted. The doors opened.

Hyunjin stepped forward.

--

Minho was already waiting at the altar.

His suit was black, crisp, expensive, but the rigid set of his shoulders, the clenched fists at his sides, betrayed his composed exterior. His eyes were unreadable, dark and cold, as Hyunjin walked down the aisle.

Their guests—all people of status, wealth, and influence—watched in admiration. To them, this was perfect. A beautiful union between two prestigious families.

To Hyunjin, it was a performance.

To Minho, it was a punishment.

The moment Hyunjin stood before him, Minho barely spared him a glance.

The officiant began speaking, reciting the vows, words that were supposed to hold meaning.

"Do you, Lee Minho, take Hwang Hyunjin to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish—"

"I do."

The response was curt, immediate. Minho didn't hesitate, but not because he meant it.

He just wanted this over with.

The officiant turned to Hyunjin. "And do you, Hwang Hyunjin, take Lee Minho—"

Hyunjin inhaled deeply. His heart ached, but his voice was gentle when he answered.

"I do."

They exchanged rings.

They kissed.

Minho's lips barely lingered on his before he was pulling away.

There was no love in his gaze.

Only obligation.

--

The Reception

Laughter, clinking glasses, warm conversations filled the air, but beneath the golden chandeliers, another kind of tension simmered.

Minho had abandoned Hyunjin the moment they arrived at the reception hall, disappearing into the crowd with Jisung and Seungmin.

Hyunjin, as always, remained composed, smiling at guests, thanking them for attending. But his friends saw through it.

Felix leaned toward Changbin, his voice low. "He's being such an asshole."

Changbin hummed in agreement, swirling the drink in his hand. "No surprise there."

Chan, arms crossed, watched Minho from across the room. "He's making it obvious. Too obvious."

Felix frowned. "And who the hell is that?"

They followed his gaze.

Seungmin stood close—too close—to Minho. Their conversation seemed casual on the surface, but Seungmin's fingers occasionally brushed Minho's wrist, his body language relaxed, familiar, possessive.

Felix scoffed. "Wow."

Seungmin turned slightly, his eyes locking onto Hyunjin's from across the room.

He smiled.

Not the friendly kind.

The kind that said, I won.

Chan had to grip Felix's wrist before he could storm over. "Not now," he muttered.

Felix gritted his teeth. "How can Hyunjin just stand there and act like everything's fine?"

Changbin sighed. "Because that's who he is."

And that was the most heartbreaking part.

--

The Hotel Room

By the time they arrived at the hotel, exhaustion weighed heavy on Hyunjin's shoulders.

He didn't expect kindness from Minho.

But he hadn't expected cruelty either.

The moment the door closed behind them, Minho turned to face him, arms crossed.

"This is all because of you," he said, his voice sharp, cutting.

Hyunjin stilled. "What?"

Minho scoffed. "This whole mess. This marriage. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

Hyunjin's fingers curled slightly. "Minho, I never asked for this either."

"Yeah?" Minho stepped closer, his eyes dark. "Then why the hell didn't you say no?"

Hyunjin met his gaze, calm despite the storm brewing in Minho's. "Because I didn't want to disappoint my parents. Just like you didn't want to disappoint yours."

Minho's jaw tightened. "That's different."

"How?"

Minho had no answer.

He just scoffed, running a hand through his hair before grabbing a pillow from the bed.

"You can sleep on the couch."

Hyunjin didn't argue.

He simply nodded, taking the pillow from Minho's hand, walking over to the couch without another word.

Minho expected him to fight back, to be angry, to show any sign of frustration.

But Hyunjin just accepted it.

And for some reason, that made Minho even angrier.

--

A House for Them

The next morning, a call from Hyunjin's parents disrupted the silent cold war between them.

They were gifting them a house.

A grand, modern home near their university, fully furnished, prepared for them to start their life together.

Minho almost laughed.

A life together.

What a joke.

Hyunjin, on the other hand, simply thanked them, his voice warm, appreciative.

When he hung up, he turned to Minho with that same quiet, unwavering kindness.

"I guess we'll be moving soon," he said softly.

Minho only glared.

He hated that tone.

He hated how unshaken Hyunjin was.

He hated how, despite everything, Hyunjin still tried.

Minho scoffed, grabbing his keys. "I'm going out."

The door slammed shut behind him.

Hyunjin sat there, staring at the space he left behind.

And even then, he still didn't cry.