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"As your lawyer, I am actually pissed you didn't tell me such an important detail in your life. A wedding, Jeongguk, a wedding!"

"And I told you that we didn't hold a wedding Hyung." Jeongguk passes a glass of water to Yoongi. He's been restless the whole day, walking around the home doing nothing but calls and emails.

"Doesn't matter. In the public's eye, you two had a wonderful destination wedding." Yoongi scoffs. "You must have written a lot of stories in your childhood since you sounded very experienced there."

Jeongguk sighs. He takes a seat across Yoongi on the same couch. Due to the marriage announcement, it has been difficult to step out of the house without getting a camera thrust on your face. He doesn't understand— he told everything he had to, made up a fake story of a 'private ceremony' and even asked people to not bring business in their private matters. What else do people need to know?

The size of the shoe he wore at his wedding?

"Jeongguk. Are you trying to pretend that nothing has changed ever since you have that wedding ring around your finger? Do you think it's that easy?" Yoongi asks, tone advancing into a more careful and serious one.

"I don't have to pretend Hyung, nothing has changed—"

"That Yang investor you lost recently," Yoongi interrupted, "Did you know he hates Minhee because, during the Wings' anniversary event, his surname was spelt incorrectly?"

Jeongguk laughs. "Seriously? That's the reason he hates her? It wasn't even her fault in the first place, must have been an intern..."

"She's the CEO, Jeongguk. She's responsible for everything that is related to Wings, regardless of what she actually does or not. And so are you." The sudden shift in the topic makes Jeongguk whine. His head is already throbbing from all the interviews, and his Hyung seems keen on having a 'heart to heart' talk today.

"Anyway, why did you think he withdrew the project from you?"

"If it's because of the marriage, then you're wrong." Jeongguk insists. "We were already dating publicly then, so he knew I was associated with Minhee."

"That's what the point is!" Yoongi huffs. "Dating isn't a big deal, Marriage is! It's a commitment. He probably thought you were dating to benefit each other and would break up soon but if you're married? It's very difficult to break things off."

Jeongguk shrugs, leaning his head back on the couch. "Seems like a new trend in the celeb world though. They make it seem so easy as if nothing has changed."

"Jeongguk." Yoongi sits up straighter, eyes boring into Jeongguk's half-lidded ones. "Do you plan to divorce her?"

Honestly, Jeongguk has always tried to escape his train of thought whenever he reaches the divorce. He doesn't know what he wants. If Minhee would want a divorce, he would sign the papers without hesitation and give her some money if she asks for it. But if he thinks now, he can only list down one reason why he can divorce her—he doesn't love her— but countless reasons on why he can't.

"I can't." Jeongguk says, closing his eyes, "I shouldn't. Would affect not only our family's relationships with each other but the companies would face a huge backlash. To an extent, we would have to beg for mergers."

"Then open your heart to her, since you can't afford a divorce." Yoongi scoots closer to Jeongguk, placing a hand on the younger's shin. "Do you plan to spend the rest of your life breathing down each other's throats?"

Jeongguk sighs. He doesn't say anything, thinking he would escape wherever this conversation could lead to. But maybe he forgets that it's Yoongi, and silence is more than just an answer to him.

"Do you still think about—"

"I don't. I don't." Jeongguk interjects, voice loud that it startles Yoongi. "I am not a child. I can separate my personal and business life, hyung. Minhee is business, not personal."

"Keep deluding yourself by thinking that," Yoongi says, sliding back to rest his body on the couch. "Can't you just live a little?"

"What do you mean? Do you want me to get more tattoos? Parties—" Jeongguk says, pointing towards his right hand.

"No like get laid—"

"Hyung!" Jeongguk whines, throwing a pillow towards Yoongi who dodges it.

"Hyung and I are worried that this isn't a flaw in your personality and something that can be fixed with some good fuck."

"Ew."

"Yeah ew.. Don't come to me when you're dick's gonna fall off or something." Yoongi stands up, rolling his eyes.

"Why would I come to you if that's indeed possible?" Jeongguk laughs when Yoongi glares at him. The older one sighs, "Anyway, think about what I said."

"Won't be necessary hyung."

"Think about it! And fucking talk to her instead of dropping bombs, poor girl can't even breathe for a second nowadays." Yoongi punches Jeongguk's chest, eyes squinting.

"I love it when you try to hit me, hyung. It feels like a prick— Ouch!" Jeongguk squeaks when Yoongi pinches his cheek. Yoongi grins, then lets go of him walk towards the door.

"Discuss what? She never agrees, tries to get herself drowned in more scandals—"

"You haven't even tried, have you?" Yoongi interrupts, sighing. "You think you know her so well to make decisions for her?"

Jeongguk widens his eyes, shaking his head, "That's not what I meant— Hyung— try talking to her once and you'll find out she pretends to act indifferent too. None of us really wanted this union, it's just the circumstances—"

"Don't blame the circumstances, Jeongguk." Yoongi passes a hand over his face. "You had a choice. You always have a choice."

"But hyung—" But Yoongi is already walking away while saying,

"And if your choices were each other, then you both fucking own up to it instead of running away."

...

Jeongguk had seen Minhee as someone untouchable, unapproachable when he used to visit the Yoon mansion with his father. His father had been Mr Yoon's right hand for a few years before he fainted due to over-exhaustion and got bed ridden.

Jeongguk was eleven at that time. His mother was forced to leave her job and take care of his ill father. He only wanted to be of help at that time. If Jeongguk looks back now, he would wonder how did the eleven-year-old even understand what his family needed.

Money was the topmost issue. Jeongguk's tuition, the medicines, the machines, the checkup— everything cost gold and they had money to pay only half of it. To the eleven-year-old Jeongguk, when Yoon Daejun had hugged his father while he was in bed and insisted on letting him help lessen the burden of money on their shoulders, it was the most heroic moment he had ever witnessed.

Daejun took complete responsibility for Jeongguk's tuition, anything related to his studies or interests, and didn't question Jeongguk's decision of studying chemical science, or the wish to visit Wings' factories. For the three years, his father couldn't walk around, Daejun was like the fun uncle he wished he had.

That's how he had come across Minhee a few times as well, but he doesn't quite recollect anything except when he had seen Daejun play with her in their yard while he looked through various books in Daejun's study.

Whatever memory Jeongguk has of her, doesn't quite fit Minhee's current image.

With time and care, Jeongguk's father was fit to work again. He didn't start working for Daejun again though, instead joined his mother's little plant business.

Jeongguk was sixteen when he had seen his father cry while hugging Daejun to thank him. His mother had made him bow down to his lowest to show his gratitude, telling him on the nights she was exhausted that he is the one who'll have to pay it back to the old man.

When Jeongguk was at the airport, ready to board the flight to Singapore, Daejun had clutched his shoulders and with a sweet smile told him. "Wings will always have its gates open for you Jeongguk, whenever you come back."

But his mother was the one who had told him not to work in Wings', he never understood it until he was in Singapore, establishing BE.

He had apologised to Daejun on call, saying how he had a change of interest while he was here and worried if Daejun would be too upset about it. But instead, he had gotten soft laughter with congratulations and 'i am so proud of you' followed which had made Jeongguk's shoulders sag in relief.

Probably, his mother didn't want him to turn into a slave to work to repay any gratitude. Maybe she worried that he'll meet the same fate as his father.

Then it made him question— did Daejun really want to help them or was he preparing a bait he could use in future? A favour he had done whose payment would be heavy on the Jeons.

It all came crashing down when his mother had told him about the union. Saying how happy we should be that they are still willing to let them take care of their daughter. Jeongguk saw it as nothing but another responsibility, another favour as if Daejun is setting up a trap to surround him from all sides.

No escape.

He refused at first, his father didn't say anything. The next time the topic was brought up during breakfast by his mom, he had threatened to leave the table with his food untouched.

"I know both of you aren't on good terms and no one knows why. But you both are a lot more similar than you think, loving each other wouldn't be difficult." is what his father had said, Jeongguk had laughed about it to Bam, his dog who was nothing but concerned by his owner's manic laughter.

Truthfully, Jeongguk isn't sure when their relationship started transforming from acquaintances to of rivals.

Maybe it was the meeting at Joel Miam, a restaurant at the top of the Wings' tower— when Jeongguk was back in Korea and establishing the headquarters and Minhee was in her final year, while training to be the next CEO of Wings.

Jeongguk was there to take a few documents from the owner of the building he had bought to set up BE's office and was surprised to know it belonged to Mrs Yoon Eunhye, Minhee's mother. He was actually a bit relieved because he knew the handover would be done smoothly since it's the Yoons.

He hadn't expected to have Minhee deliver the documents in person but when he had seen her at the entrance, he didn't hesitate to call out to her and gesture towards himself. There was no hint of recognition or acknowledgement on Minhee's face when she had taken a seat across from him, passed (almost thrown) the documents at him which had taken Jeongguk by surprise.

"Thank you Ms Yoon," Jeongguk says, hesitance clear in his tone. "You didn't have to come in person."

"I know right?" Minhee says almost immediately that it makes Jeongguk jump. "I shouldn't have to come in person to do such a petty job for someone like you."

"Excuse me?" Jeongguk is baffled at the way Minhee is looking at him— bored, agitated and something about those underlying fierceness in her eyes brings Jeongguk to the realisation that...

Fuck. Not a shy hour of meeting him and she doesn't like him already, does she?

"Oh, did I perhaps offend you?" Minhee says, shrugging. "But it's true, right? You're the one who bought a building from us and I have to come to bring you the documents so you can carry your petty business peacefully— after building your foundation on whatever you had leached off from us for years?"

"What the hell?" Jeongguk furrows his brows.

"Hell, indeed. Admit it, Jeon, you can do nothing if not for my dad. You wouldn't even be sitting here if he had just left you be—"

"Ms Yoon!" Jeongguk raises his tone, the restaurant rendering into silence as everyone witnesses the exchange.."Don't act all high and mighty, that fucking overconfidence would drown you badly."

"Apply that advice to yourself, Jeon. Do you think you could survive in this industry, hmm?"

A humourless laugh bubbles in Jeongguk's throat. A daunting realisation that she hates him. Minhee hates him and he fucking doesn't know why.

"Classic." Jeongguk says, "Having seen you before, I thought you would turn out to be decent. I guess I was wrong, you're just like the rest of the assholes in this industry."

"I see Mr Jeon, you seem to be catching on."

Jeongguk didn't know he would have to prepare for such an attitude today. It is a whiplash, Minhee's personality being nothing that he thought it would be like— it's bullshit.

"Cat got your tongue, huh?" Minhee taunts. Jeongguk considers walking out because anything more would make it escalate or simply childish.

"I don't want to build more bricks to your inflated ego." Jeongguk is about to get up when Minhee says, "You'll eventually come to us. To save you and your company. You'll need me again, Jeon."

There's a spark in their air, thick and hefty, and it would be visible to anyone who's passing by. Jeongguk's chest is too tight for his comfort, breathing shallowly because of the little cocoon formed in the past ten minutes around them— as if they are the only ones here.

"We'll see about that."

"Cheekiness would get you nowhere Jeon. Your company would burn to ashes if it even tries coming near Wings'. I know dad didn't say anything when you refused to work at Wings' and chose to do your own bullshit instead," Minhee tilts her head in one side, eyebrow-raising, "Maybe he knew you would be nothing but a moth instead."

Jeongguk has never been pushed to the edge this hard, had never been treated rudely like how Minhee treated him, had never been talked down like he's a piece of thrown paper, not understanding anything. It sets him off so severely that the red hot anger boiling simmers to white clear rage, prompting sudden tranquillity to wash over.

The next moment he knows—Minhee's hair, the checkered coat to the sleeves, everything, is drenched in water from the packed bottle kept on the table which she doesn't recall Jeongguk had a hold on.

"What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Insult anything, Ms Yoon. But never the product of my hard work." Jeongguk says sternly, ignoring the way everyone else gasped at them.

It is the most excessive thing he had done which didn't even make it to viral videos when Minhee took down all of them.

Somewhere in the back of his head, he wondered what Daejun's reaction to their exchange would be if he would be too upset but the next morning he knows they are at the Yoon's for dinner, with Minhee nowhere to be seen.

And Jeongguk thinks back to their disastrous meeting.

A ruined tailored suit, Minhee's bruised ego and her cryptical claims on how she would ruin Jeongguks life— a twenty-three-year-old Jeongguk had thought, 'that's all it needs to get Minhee out of his way.'

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and i have my offline prelims from 12th, what a good start to the year