Chapter Text
Jeongguk scurries through the airport, dragging his little suitcase in which he clearly didn’t have enough time to pack everything. He cannot believe he’s having to rush into his long-awaited holiday just to avoid his family.
Everything is going to shit.
But, Jeongguk being ever the optimist has quite the plan to come out of this victorious. He isn’t going to let his parents decide the most important thing in his life. If he is to be married at all, it’s going to be for love and nothing else.
He lowers his bucket hat when he sees a small group of people pass him and taps on his mouth to ensure his mask is still intact. He cannot have paparazzi filming him in this state. He does love the attention media gives him but when it borders on being invasive and most importantly portrays him when he’s not in his elements, a.k.a. gorgeously styled like he chooses to be at every hour of the day, the paps become his worst enemies.
Today, not having the time to dress himself the way he usually would, he’s chosen to sport an all-black look with the baggiest pants and the biggest shirt he owns along with a black bucket hat that does a good job of hiding his eyes. He’d wear glares but he feels his worked-up mind may not see through the dark screen and bang into things causing him embarrassment which he much rather avoid.
He’s happy he’s at least getting to go on his much-desired vacation in his paradise destination. Although, he hasn’t anything booked there he’s sure he’ll find his way around somehow. Holidaying alone is the perfect way to destress from all his family drama he decides and carries on walking towards the ticket counter.
He remembers then to inform his trusted friend of his whereabouts before he deploys search parties to hunt him down in Seoul because knowing Jimin, he’d do that and more if he thinks his best friend is in harm’s way. To avoid all that unnecessary drama he fishes out his phone and calls Jimin, whose number is obviously on speed dial.
It barely rings before Jimin answers the call and rains down expletives on Jeongguk’s poor ears that grow strained by the minute. After three whole minutes of yelling out curses when Jimin finally pauses to breathe Jeongguk uses the window to let his friend know of his plan which is already in motion.
“Chim they wanted me to meet some Kim Taehyung to discuss our marriage,” Jeongguk exclaims, although quietly, not wanting to disclose his state to the people around and end up on the front page yet again.
“Like what the fuck! They didn’t even think to inform me of this before. Said that I’d probably escape the meeting if I knew of it and are just informing me of it now because said man is arriving in Seoul today,” Jeongguk utters out in one breath, struggling to get his predicament across to his best friend, who he knows will understand and support him once he has the full picture in front of him.
“Shit. That’s bad Kook. While I’m half a second away from bursting a nerve due to your sudden disappearance and your parents blowing up my phone, I genuinely think you did good. But what’s next?” He knew he could count on Jimin to back him. He’s the bestest friend to ever exist and no one compares, anybody opposing this can go eat some mud.
“I decided that the only way to bring them back to their senses and out of the snare of this arranged marriage is to run away, make them suffer thinking I’ll never return and then have them beg me to on the one condition that they never force me to marry again,” Jeongguk finishes reciting his brilliant plan patting his own shoulder at the genius he came up with at the last minute.
“Um, ok. Sounds cool but where you off to though?” Jimin asks, wary of his friend’s tendencies to go overboard, much like a spinning top when he tastes the freedom of a foreign land. Now, with no Jimin by his side, that can only be a severely concerning matter.
“Greece,” Jeongguk exclaims, a smile painting his face in the brightest hue.
“It’s a connecting flight so I’ll be stopping at Dubai for 2 hours and landing in Athens in about 22 hours. I plan to spend the entire time napping so I can have all the energy I need to go on a shopping spree because I didn’t have enough time to pack holiday wear,” Jeongguk’s excitement can be felt even through the phone and Jimin, although worried, is happy he is getting to go on the trip he’s been raving about for the past few months.
“That’s so great Kook but just take care. There ain’t no Jimin in Greece to take care of your chaotic ass. I wish I could send a guardian angel with you or something, the guy would probably be my soulmate if he could take care of you,” Jimin gushes in concern.
Jeongguk loves his little best friend. He may be tiny but packs in much more love than anybody ever could. Jeongguk loves him to bits.
“I’ll be fine Chim, I’ll keep calling you to let you know I’m alive and out of trouble I swear!” Jeongguk promises an apprehensive Jimin.
“Oh and Chim? Please, I beg of you, do not tell Hobi hyung about where I am. You know that would entail the whole of Seoul knowing what’s up with me.” Jeongguk doesn’t want such private details of his life circulated as gossip and he’ll protect himself from it as much as he can.
“I love Hobi hyung but he will not be able to stomach the news and end up spilling it out to one of his journalists and boom, all my covert hideaways will be public knowledge! I’d hate for that to happen Chim.” Jeongguk really wishes he could talk to Hobi hyung about this because he offers him so much comfort with his sunshine smile alone but he’ll have to hold off if it means he gets to have his privacy, at least on this trip.
“Yes Kook, I know. I won’t tell him where you escaped to but I won’t keep him in the dark about your plan either, you know how worried he gets about you. I’m sure he’ll understand it’s serious enough to not spread, especially since it concerns Kim Taehyung. Speaking of, the man’s a hot piece of meat. One I would snag for myself if given the chance, and so rich too, imagine having the perfect princely life!”
Jimin rambles on some more about how the man is said to be returning from the States after the last deal he bagged which was a merger between two of the most renowned publishing houses in Seattle, which is now under him. Apparently, he’s an avid reader and sometimes even likes to write so he got into publishing for that. How does Jimin even have all this information Jeongguk doesn’t even want to ask. He’s a nosy bastard, this friend of his.
“Ok enough about Kim Taehyung! You sound like you’re trying to convince me to meet and fix this marriage with him now Jiminie hyung,” Jeongguk whines turning right to continue walking towards the counter. He’s about to complain some more when he bumps into a man.
“Sorry I did not see you,” Jeongguk begins and takes in the perfectly ironed navy pinstriped suit the man wears. He looks up then and feels like someone pulled the rug from under his feet.
No, he isn’t someone he recognises but his side-swept hair, thick brows, upturned nose and strong jawline will definitely make him someone he doesn’t ever forget. The light stubble on his chin makes him swoon because Jeongguk has always liked some facial hair on his men, makes them look manlier he thinks.
Was this a man at all?
His lips, oh he should stop looking at them if he wishes to maintain his sanity. He switches to look into his eyes instead and nope, wrong decision again because the dark eyes that gaze into his intently only draw him in more.
“Umm I-uh,” Jeongguk stutters, unable to think through what exactly it is that he wants to say to him. Should he compliment him on his looks? No! That would be super creepy considering they just met and he doesn’t even know the guy!
“Hey, don’t be sorry. It’s me who should apologise though. I think I was standing a tad too close to you and I couldn’t help but overhear you talking.” The man looks at him sheepishly and adds, “Is it that bad? Getting into an arranged marriage your parents planned for you?”
Jeongguk is stunned for a minute before he realises that he must answer and not embarrass himself further. The man knowing about all his family drama is embarrassing enough to last him a lifetime as it is.
“It’s okay. I don’t particularly think it’s a bad thing if discussed prior and agreed to by the parties in question. But I do think it’s a horrendous thing to subject someone to, especially if said person is unwilling to get married, that too for the sake of fame and convenience. I mean, I don’t even know the guy, just his name! And I don’t want to be forced to like him just because my family thinks the union would be beneficial for them.”
Jeongguk thinks he’s amply explained his disposition. However, he does realise he doesn’t know the man he’s talking to and he cannot afford a word of this going out on the street so he’s about to tell him the same when the man speaks before him.
“So you’d be into meeting the person on your own and then getting to know them with time right?” The man asks and frankly Jeonguuk is surprised that he is so interested in how Jeongguk would want to meet and know his future partner.
“Yes. I think accidental meet-ups are just my thing. I love the thrill of it all. Getting to know someone new without any outside pressure, especially where you least expect it can only mean I’m in for a ride and as an adventure lover, it's right up my alley.” Oh, how Jeongguk wishes for that with this handsome stranger but holds himself back before he fantasises too much about it only to get disappointed later.
“Hmm,” the man responds, “If you don’t mind me asking, how long are you planning to stay in Greece? I know the city will miss their most adored socialite and well, your company needs your face to sell their products so I’m assuming it cannot be too long even if you want it.”
“I haven’t really decided on that yet but I think I’ll cap it at two weeks. I’m pretty sure my parents would be off my back by then,” Jeongguk reasons.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll make sure they give it up today itself,” the man reassures and Jeongguk willingly accepts the assurance till he apprehends that the man before him knows who he is.
Oh fuck. Everything really is going to shit now.
Jeongguk furrows his brows as he lifts his bucket hat, giving the man a proper view of his forehead and eyes.
“You know who I am?” Jeongguk obtusely questions like the knowledge of him being a socialite and model wasn’t confirmation enough.
“Am I not supposed to?” the man questions back, his eyebrows creasing, the curve of his lip tilted in an amused smirk.
Jeongguk pulls down his mask to reveal his full face to the man, there’s no point hiding his identity from him now anyway.
“B-but how?” Jeongguk stammers out.
“It’s the eyes, Jeongguk. You can never hide stars no matter how hard you try.”
Wow.
That was awfully cheesy but Jeongguk finds himself swaying.
“And you are?” Jeongguk asks regaining his composure, after gaping at him for two whole minutes straight.
“Oh silly me! I must have forgotten to introduce myself.” The man stretches out his hand toward Jeongguk which he mindlessly takes, like his hand was itching to touch him and needed the slightest reason to give in to it.
“Kim Taehyung,” the stranger enunciates sending Jeongguk’s brain into a spiralling mess. “Your ex-fiancé”.
Jeongguk thinks he should just allow the ground to swallow him whole now but before he can raise his hands in prayer for nature to graciously end his life, Taehyung speaks again, pulling him out of his self-destructive thoughts.
“I know we met by accident and we’re complete strangers but,” Taehyung stops as if contemplating his next set of words carefully.
“Can we get familiar?”