The following day
"Yes manager nim, I'll come back to the office in an hour. Yes.. thank you for understanding. I'll call the client & apologize." I apologetically say into the phone & hang up.
Huh.. Things I do for my mother-in-law. I hope the client won't be too mad about the sudden meeting cancellation.
"You're early." Jin's mother's voice startles me & I abruptly stand up to greet her.
"Annyeong haseyo eommoni."
"I'm hungry. Shall we order first?" She takes off her coat & says, ignoring my greeting.
"Eommoni, the thing is, I need to go back to the office-"
"Y/n ah, that wasn't a request. Bring me two of the chef specials." She looks sternly at me then turns to the waiter.
I clamp my mouth shut & sit down stiffly.
"Have you read the e-mail I sent you about the guest list?" She asks as she taps her nails on the table.
"I have. Didn't we agree on keeping it small & intimate? There are so many names added to the list-"
"Y/n ah, you're marrying the son of Kim corporate, we don't do small weddings. Those people on the guest list are important acquaintances of my husband & I. If we don't invite them, they will talk badly about us behind our backs & it will hurt our business. You don't want that, do you?" She talks in such a condescending tone that I have to clench my fist tightly on my lap to stop myself from throwing the napkin to her face.
Remember you're doing this for Jin. Hold it in Y/n ah.
"Yes eommoni.."
"What about the decor?" She asks, but her vision is focused on her phone screen. She talks to me like she's talking to her secretary.
"My aunt will be responsible for the decor. She is a florist & I've seen her done table decorations for weddings. I really like her style, so-"
"What?! Your aunt?! This is a formal wedding that's going to be attended by a lot of high profile people in Seoul! How could you ask your aunt to decorate the venue? No offense to your aunt, but I'm sure she's never handled an event this big. Luckily, I've signed a contract with the most famous venue designer in Seoul. So just cancel whatever agreement you have with your aunt." Her eyes widen in surprise & the corner of her lips are pulled down into a scowl.
"But eommoni-" I instantly protest.
"That's the end of discussion." She throws me a sharp glance & continues checking her phone.
"Eommoni! What a coincidence." Suddenly, someone calls out from behind me.
That voice. No way..
I turn around & see Jungkook strolling towards me with a huge grin on his face.
"Ommo, Jungkook ah. Are you here to have lunch as well?" Her expression immediately turns much brighter when she sees him.
"I am. Oh nuna, annyeong haseyo." He bows at me.
"Nuna? Are you that well-acquainted with Y/n?" Her eyebrows rise in surprise.
"Of course! We're much closer than you think, right nuna?"
I look up at him & my tongue goes numb for a second. I feel like I'm stuck in between a devil & a monster.
"Y-Yes." I manage to force the words out of my lips in the end.
"Mind if I join you? I don't feel like eating alone today." He puts on his most charming smile for Jin's mother.
Please say no. Please say no.
"Sure. Please take a seat. But I need to warn you first, we're discussing some boring wedding details, so-" She chuckles as she signals him to sit down.
"It's ok eommoni. Maybe I can learn a thing or two for my wedding in the future." He says as he pulls out the chair beside me.
"Ommo. You really have a great sense. My Jin should definitely learn more from you." She laughs.
"Not at all eommoni. I'm the one who needs to learn from Jin hyung. Anw, please don't mind me & continue your discussion." He leans back & extends his palm, giving the space to us.
"Thank you Jungkook ah. Oh right Y/n ah, I almost forget. Jin told me that you're going to wear your mother's old wedding dress?" She focuses her attention on me & puts her phone away. Her impertinence towards me is visibly toned down in front of Jungkook.
"Yes, that's ri-"
"I don't think you should do that. I've ordered a custom wedding gown from Dior for you & it's on its way from Paris. The only thing you need to do is go to the boutique on Thursday for the fitting. Just think of it as my wedding gift for you."
"B-But I've promised my mother-"
"It's the wedding of the century. So we should wear the best of the best, don't you think?" She raises her eyebrow & shoots me a stern look.
"Y-Yes eommoni.."
I'm completely taken aback by her pretentious generosity. She has never consulted me about what style I prefer or whether I want it at all. I really want to reject her offer, but with Jungkook sitting beside me, I have to say yes so that Jin's mother won't cause a scene.
"Ah, the food is here. Let's eat first Jungkook ah." She smiles at him, while ignoring me.
My phone suddenly rings. It's the client who I was supposed to meet.
"Excuse me, but I really need to take this call." I stand up to excuse myself. Jin's mom only dismisses me with a wave of hand without even a glance.
I hastily rush to the bathroom & apologize profusely to the person on the other end of the line. Luckily, he's willing to understand my situation.
Huh.. Do I have to cope with her degrading attitude for the rest of my life?
I heave a deep sigh & walk out of the bathroom.
"It's hard keeping up with their lifestyle, right?"
"God, you scared me."
Jungkook is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed & staring at you intently.
"Just admit it Y/n ssi. You don't belong in their world." He scoffs.
"I don't need your opinion on that & it's none of your business." I try to move pass him but he keeps blocking my way.
"What are you after exactly? Money? Do you think having a lot of money will make you happy?" He asks as he steps closer towards me.
"Jeon Jungkook, is it so hard to believe that I want to marry Jin because I love him? I don't know about you, maybe your life is so pathetic that people only befriend you because of your money. But don't hold that standard against me because I'm not that kind of person." I glare at him.
"Oh really? Then tell me why do you pretend like a goody-two-shoes in front of Jin, when in reality you're a wildcat? You act that way on purpose because you want to reel him in, don't you?"
"I told you, that night I wasn't myself. I don't even remember what I did that night!" I try to stay calm, but I begin to lose control.
"Yeah right, and you expect me to believe that? I've seen a lot of gold digger like you Y/n ssi. You better leave now before you get humiliated." He snickered.
"Think whatever you want Jungkook ssi. I'm done talking to you." I roll my eyes & push him away.
I go back to my seat & continue eating like nothing has happened. Not long after, Jungkook comes back too.
"Eommoni, I think nuna has something to say to you." He suddenly says as he puts a forkful of food in his mouth.
The spoon in my hand stops mid air as I turn my head to look at him.
What the fuck..
"Really? What is it?" Jin's mom asks as she puts down her utensils & wipes her mouth.
"I- I don't know what he's talking about.." I awkwardly chuckle while shooting death glare at Jungkook.
"Come on nuna. It's ok. I'm sure eommoni will understand." He smiles at me & all I want to do is rip that smile off his lips.
"He's right. Just say it." She also smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"I-I really don't understand-" I stutter.
"Ok then, let me help you. Eommoni, nuna wants to postpone the wedding because she has some personal problems that she needs to take care of."
"What?!" Both me & Jin's mother exclaim in unison.

"You told me, right? You said that you had something that you needed to resolve. Nuna, it's better to say it now than later. Right, eommoni?" Jungkook looks to Jin's mom for agreement.
"The wedding is in two weeks for goodness sake! If we have to postpone it, we'll be the joke of the town! What exactly is your problem?" She fumes at me. I can almost see the smoke blowing out of her ears.
"Eommoni, I swear I don't know what he's talking about. I don't have any problem, the wedding can proceed as planned. Jungkook ssi, I don't know how you got the idea that I wanted to postpone the wedding, but it's completely untrue." I stare at him stonily to let him know that I won't let him play me like a toy anymore.
A smirk appears on his lips for a fraction of second before he acts all innocent again.
"Oh really? Then, I'm really sorry. I must've heard it wrong. I apologize eommoni. I almost gave you a heart attack, didn't I?" He says apologetically to Jin's mom.
"Oh my God. Jungkook ah, please refrain from saying such groundless accusation ever again. You don't want to end up like your parents, do you?" She throws him a sharp glance, gone is the hospitality that she showed him earlier.
I can see Jungkook's jaws clenching for a second, but then he smiles again like nothing happened.
What the hell is she talking about? What happened to Jungkook's parents?
"Huh, I've lost my appetite. I'll get going first." She rises from her seat & throws her napkin on the table.
"Eommoni-" I immediately stands up as well to follow her, but she dismisses me with a flick of her hand.
"Don't. Just make sure you go to the wedding dress fitting on Thursday."
"About that.. Can I-"
"Can't you see that I'm having a headache? I don't want to argue about it anymore. If you don't go to the fitting, I'll consider it as you rebelling against me. You don't want that right, Y/n ah?" She says sternly before sashaying her way out of the restaurant.
"Huhhh..." I heave a deep sigh & plop back down on the chair.
"Tiring, isn't it? Just give up already." Jungkook smirks as he taps his nails on the table.
"Ugh, shut up. You've given me enough trouble already, but that stunt you pulled earlier was a new low even for you." I roll my eyes at him.
"You put up a good fight. Didn't expect that from you at all. I thought you would just tremble in place like you always did." He scoffs.
"Why you- ughh.." I cross my arms & lean back.
A stretch of silence follows, then I recall something Jin's mom said earlier.
"Ya, what happened with your parents? She said something earlier-" My curiosity got the best of me, so the question just blurts out of my mouth.
A frown forms in between his brows as he stares at me, obviously irked by my question.
"It's none of your business. I'm saying this for your own good. No matter what you do, you'll never be one of them. So just give up already." He says as he pushes his chair back & leaves me alone on the table.
"Pssh.. What an annoying prick." I grumble at his back.

The next day
It's been a long & tiring day. Since I'm going to take a leave for my wedding, I have to finish all the projects I'm working on before that. I've worked nonstop since morning, so I can't wait to go home, kick off my heels & lie on the bed with a good book.
I open the apartment door & a whiff of delicious smell fills my nostrils.
"Jin, I'm home. Are you cook-"
I stop in my track as I see Jungkook sitting on the couch with a game controller in his hand.
"You're back. I'm cooking ramyeon. Do you want some too?" Jin pops his head out from the kitchen.
"What is he doing here?" I try to stay calm, but I just can't mask the annoyance in my voice.
"Oh, I invited him for dinner. We were going to order some jjamppong & jjajangmyeon but we got too hungry so.. You don't mind, do you?" Jin heads back into the kitchen without waiting for my reply.
"What are you doing?" I hiss at Jungkook once Jin is out of earshot.
"You heard him, he invited me." He put down the controller, put both palms behind his head & lean back on the couch.
"Leave after you finish eating." I whisper sternly as I take off my coat.
"Actually, I intend to stay for a few more hours." That smirk again.
"You-"
"Ramyeon's ready!" Jin walks out of the kitchen with a pot in his hands.
"Just in time. Nuna was just telling me that she's hungry too." Jungkook jumps off the couch & steps to the dining room.
Calm down Y/n. Don't engage in his game.
I suck in a deep breath, clench my fists & follow him to the dining room.
"Nuna, you're so lucky to have Jin hyung as your fiancee. He's good in the kitchen, good in the office. You must have been a hero in your previous life." Jungkook says as soon as he sees me coming.
"Ya, why are you suddenly flattering me like that? I'm definitely the lucky one in this relationship." Jin chuckled embarrassedly.
"Really? It doesn't seem like it." Jungkook looks me up & down.
I have to grit my teeth to stop myself from cursing at him.
"Of course I'm the lucky one. Jin is not like other men. He always thinks with his head, not with his.. uhm.. sorry.. member down there. He's the most trustworthy & kindest person I've met in my life, so unlike other manipulative men I know." I smile saccharinely at Jungkook.
"Ya ya, what's wrong with you guys today? Let's just eat ok? The noodle is getting cold." Jin awkwardly sits down & picks up his chopsticks.
Jungkook & I stare at each other as we pull our chairs.
Suddenly, my phone rings & I readily pick it up.
"Yes director nim? Oh sure, I'll be there in 15 minutes." I say to the other person on the line.
"What's wrong Y/n ah?" Jin asks.
"Sorry, but I need to go back to the office now. You guys enjoy." I rush to grab my coat & walk out the door.
He won't say anything to Jin, right? Ahhh I don't care anymore. Let's not think about that now.

Jungkook POV
I see her dash out the door & think to myself that this is my chance to talk to Jin about her.
"Hyung, are you sure you're going to marry her?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me that? Don't you like her?" Jin looks at me in confusion as he slurps his noodles.
"Well, I just want to make sure that you're making the right decision. Aren't you- aren't you scared that she's after your money like other girls you've dated?" I cautiously ask.
"Y/n? No, that's impossible. I'm sure of that. She's a successful advertising designer. She worked on a project for one of our company's hugely successful campaign, that was how I met her. She makes enough money herself, so she definitely doesn't need mine. You know, she even bought the replacement for the engagement ring she'd lost despite my offer to buy a new one for her." Jin laughs at my question.
"What if she did that only to impress you?" I still can't believe that she's genuinely nice like Jin says.
"Impress me? Dude, that ring costs a fortune! Why would she spend so much money just to impress me? Besides, she doesn't need to. I'm already impressed. She paid her college tuition fee on her own because she didn't want to burden her parents. She worked hard, climbed from the bottom up to where she is now. She didn't have it easy nor come from old money like I am, but that's what makes me respect her even more." His eyes are filled with so much love when he talks about her.
"What if she disappoints you? I'm just worried that you'll go back to-"
"Jungkook ah, thanks for your concern. You're a good friend, have always been, but I'm not the old me. I don't break that easily anymore. Plus, I know she won't disappoint me. She's perfect." Jin squeezes my shoulder & smiles at me.
Maybe I'm wrong about her. Maybe she's truly a nice girl who just accidentally committed a sin at an unfortunate time. Maybe I'm the only blemish in their otherwise perfect life.