As the days passed, the tentative peace between Yoongi and Y/N grew. They continued to navigate their marriage with caution, each day feeling a little less like strangers and more like reluctant companions. The walls they had built were still there, but the cracks were becoming more noticeable, especially as they started to share small aspects of their lives.

Y/N's birthday was approaching, a day that had always held special meaning for her. Despite the tension of her marriage, she found herself looking forward to it—not because of Yoongi, but because of her boyfriend, Seokjin. Though their relationship had taken a hit after her arranged marriage, they had managed to keep it alive, meeting in secret and exchanging messages whenever they could. Y/N clung to those moments as a lifeline, a connection to the life she had wanted before everything changed.

Yoongi, on the other hand, was aware of Seokjin's existence. He had known about Y/N's relationship from the start, and while it had initially fueled his resentment, he had since come to terms with it. This marriage had been nothing more than a transaction to him, so Y/N's feelings for another man didn't bother him as much as it once might have. Or at least, that's what he told himself.

As Y/N's birthday drew near, Yoongi noticed that she seemed more distracted, her mind clearly elsewhere. He didn't pry—he had promised himself that he wouldn't interfere in her personal life. But a part of him couldn't help but wonder what she was planning with Seokjin, and if it would bring her the happiness she seemed to be searching for.

The day of Y/N's birthday arrived, and Yoongi made no mention of it. He wasn't sure if she even wanted him to acknowledge it, and truthfully, he wasn't sure how he would even go about celebrating it with her. They were still in that awkward, tentative phase of their relationship where anything too personal felt off-limits.

Y/N spent the day in a state of nervous anticipation. Seokjin had promised to take her out that evening, and she had been looking forward to it for weeks. She wanted to escape the confines of her marriage, even if only for a few hours, and pretend that things were as they once were. But as the day wore on, a nagging sense of unease settled in her stomach.

When evening came, Y/N got ready in silence, her movements quick and precise as she applied her makeup and styled her hair. Yoongi was in the living room, pretending to be engrossed in a book but occasionally glancing up to watch her. He could see the excitement in her eyes, the way she seemed almost giddy as she prepared to leave.

"Going somewhere?" Yoongi asked casually, though he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, just meeting a friend," Y/N replied, not bothering to elaborate. She was in too much of a hurry to care about the details.

Yoongi nodded, not pressing further. "Have fun."

Y/N didn't respond, grabbing her bag and heading out the door. As she left, Yoongi felt an inexplicable pang in his chest, a mix of emotions he couldn't quite identify. He tried to push it aside, reminding himself that it wasn't his place to care. This marriage wasn't real—she was free to do as she pleased.

Y/N met Seokjin at a small, intimate restaurant they had frequented during their dating days. The sight of him waiting at the table brought a smile to her face, and for a moment, all the worries of her married life faded away. She sat down across from him, feeling the warmth of familiarity wash over her.

But as the evening progressed, Y/N began to notice something was off. Seokjin was distracted, his responses to her questions short and vague. He kept glancing at his phone, his smile not reaching his eyes the way it used to. Y/N's heart sank as the realization hit her—something had changed.

"Is everything okay?" she finally asked, her voice laced with concern.

Seokjin hesitated, his eyes flickering with guilt. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just work stuff, you know."

Y/N wasn't convinced, but she didn't want to press the issue. She forced herself to enjoy the rest of the dinner, pushing aside her doubts. But when Seokjin excused himself to take a phone call, leaving his phone on the table, curiosity got the better of her. She glanced at the screen, her breath catching in her throat as she saw a message notification pop up from an unfamiliar name.

The message read, "Can't wait to see you tonight. Miss you."

Y/N's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the screen, the words burning into her mind. She felt sick, her worst fears suddenly confirmed. Seokjin was cheating on her. On her birthday, no less.

When Seokjin returned, Y/N's face was pale, her hands trembling slightly. She couldn't even look at him as she grabbed her bag and stood up, muttering something about not feeling well. Seokjin, still oblivious, offered to drive her home, but she refused, not trusting herself to be near him for a second longer.

Y/N rushed out of the restaurant, her vision blurred with tears as she stumbled onto the street. She had no idea where to go, no one to turn to. The one person she had clung to, the one person she thought she could trust, had betrayed her in the worst possible way.

She wandered aimlessly, her mind a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, betrayal, disbelief. The streets blurred around her as she fought to hold back the sobs threatening to escape. But the more she tried to contain it, the more overwhelming the pain became.

Eventually, she found herself back at the house she shared with Yoongi. She didn't even remember how she got there, her mind too numb from the shock. She entered the house quietly, not wanting to alert Yoongi to her presence, but as she closed the door behind her, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

The sobs came in waves, wracking her body as she sank to the floor. All the hurt, all the disappointment, spilled out of her in a torrent of tears. She felt utterly broken, the pain too much to bear.

Yoongi, who had been in the living room, heard the door and the unmistakable sound of Y/N crying. He immediately got up, concern flooding his features as he rushed to her side. He found her crumpled on the floor, tears streaming down her face, and his heart clenched at the sight.

Without thinking, Yoongi knelt beside her, gently pulling her into his arms. "What happened?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern.

Y/N couldn't answer, the words caught in her throat. She buried her face in his chest, her body shaking with sobs. Yoongi held her close, his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back as he tried to calm her down.

"It's okay, I'm here," Yoongi murmured, his voice gentle and reassuring. "You don't have to say anything right now. Just let it out."

Y/N clung to him, the warmth of his embrace offering a comfort she hadn't expected. She had never imagined that Yoongi, of all people, would be the one to comfort her in a moment like this. But as she cried in his arms, she realized that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the cold, distant person she had thought him to be.

Eventually, her sobs subsided, leaving her feeling drained and exhausted. She pulled away slightly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to—"

"You don't have to apologize," Yoongi interrupted gently. "You've been through a lot tonight. It's okay to let it out."

Y/N nodded, her heart still heavy with the weight of what she had discovered. "Seokjin... he was cheating on me," she finally confessed, her voice trembling.

Yoongi's expression darkened, a surge of anger rising in his chest on her behalf. He had suspected something was off, but hearing it confirmed made his blood boil. But he kept his voice calm, not wanting to add to her distress. "I'm so sorry, Y/N," he said softly. "You don't deserve that. No one does."

Y/N's eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of gratitude. She had expected Yoongi to be indifferent, to not care about her pain, but here he was, holding her, comforting her in a way she hadn't expected.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Yoongi didn't respond with words, but his arms tightened around her slightly, his presence offering her a silent reassurance. In that moment, the distance between them seemed to shrink, the walls they had built around themselves starting to crumble.

For the first time since their marriage, Y/N felt like she wasn't alone. And as she rested her head against Yoongi's shoulder, she couldn't help but wonder if, maybe, there was more to their relationship than either of them had realized.