"I don't think this is going to work," Seokjin hissed at Taehyung. They stood in the foyer of the Kim family home, waiting for Lee Youngsoon's family to arrive.

Taehyung turned his gaze towards his older cousin. "There's a chance it might not, hyung, but we have no other choice. I love Youngsoon, but her father insists she marry you. I'm not prominent enough to be his son-in-law."

"You're still a Kim," Seokjin whispered back. "We can find a way—"

Their conversation was cut short by voices as the maid ushered in the Lee family.

Both young men bowed respectfully to their guests.

Seokjin nodded respectfully at the older man before him. "Welcome, Mr. Lee. I apologize for the delay; my father was held up at his office but should be arriving shortly."

"No need for apologies, Seokjin," Lee Jeongho replied with a warm smile. He turned his attention to the young man beside Seokjin. "And this must be...?"

"This is my cousin, Kim Taehyung," Seokjin interjected smoothly, prompting Taehyung to bow respectfully. "He holds a significant position in our company and I wanted him to have the pleasure of meeting you."

Mr. Lee nodded politely, though his smile dimmed slightly. "Ah, yes. I trust you will be a valuable asset when the time comes for your cousin to assume leadership."

"Yes, sir," Taehyung murmured humbly, bowing once more. His gaze shifted to the young woman standing quietly behind Mr. Lee.

"Youngsoon, please greet our hosts," Mr. Lee instructed.

Youngsoon, however, had not taken her eyes off Seokjin. A delicate smile played on her pink lips as she gazed fondly at him. Startled when she realized they were watching her, she gasped softly and cast her eyes downward bashfully.

"Hello," she murmured shyly.

"Hello," Seokjin replied. He glanced at his cousin, who had not taken his eyes away from her. He discreetly bumped Taehyung's elbow.

"Oh, hello," the younger man said and bowed again.

"Jeongho!"

Kim Wonshik walked towards the group. After quick bows and apologies, he ushered everyone into the living room.

The evening unfolded with the two elder men reminiscing and chuckling over memories from their youth, seemingly oblivious to the younger companions seated beside them in silence.

"Seokjin!"

"Yes?" Startled, Seokjin rose to attention.

His father beamed. "Why don't you take your future bride out to the garden for some fresh air?" He turned to the girl's father. "I thought it would be lovely to let them enjoy dinner outside alone. They must have much to discuss."

Lee Jeongho nodded agreeably. "A splendid idea. Will your nephew be joining us?"

Taehyung stood up. "Thank you, uncle. I'll join Seokjin for dinner."

"Nonsense, my boy," Wonshik interjected warmly. "Leave those two lovebirds to themselves—" He glanced at Jeongho with a playful grin. "Well, almost to themselves. The staff will be attending to them. Besides, my son is known for his manners."

"I never doubted that," Jeongho replied with a wink.

"Let's all go into the dining room. I'm sorry my wife could not join us," Wonshik said as they walked into the next room. "She had to tend to my mother, who is ill at the moment."

The men continued talking about people's health and the kindness of Mrs. Kim. All the while, Taehyung kept looking off into the distance, wondering how he could extricate himself from his current situation and head outside with Youngsoon. He was worried because she had not even looked at him since she arrived. Maybe she wanted to make sure her father would not guess at their feelings for one another. That must be it.

He got to his feet. "Uncle, please excuse me. I have to call and check on my parents."

"Of course," Wonshik replied, waving a hand casually before resuming his conversation with the other man.

Taehyung bowed his head slightly and hurried out of the dining room towards the patio. As he reached the door, he froze in shock.

His eyes narrowed in disbelief when he spotted Youngsoon sitting on Seokjin's lap, her arms draped around his neck. Quickly, he turned away, unwilling to witness any more. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself.

When he dared to glance back, Youngsoon was back in her chair, and Seokjin was standing beside her. Taehyung slid open the door and approached them.

"Hello," he said softly.

Seokjin startled slightly. "Oh, Tae."

"Hi, Youngsoon," Taehyung's gaze lingered on her briefly. "I apologize for not discussing the plan with you sooner."

Youngsoon smiled at him, then turned to Seokjin. "What plan?"

Taehyung cleared his throat nervously. "Well, you see, I thought that—"

"Are you here to congratulate us?" the girl interjected eagerly. "Seokjin and I are getting married. I'm so excited."

Taehyung scrutinized her closely, searching for any hint of pretense in her happiness. They had both hinted at their feelings for each other in a vague, indirect manner, and he was certain her affection matched his own. No, Taehyung loved Youngsoon deeply, and he believed she knew it. This engagement to Seokjin was merely a temporary solution until they could persuade her father to approve their marriage.

"Youngsoon," Taehyung began quietly. "They can't hear us out here. You don't have to pretend."

She glanced at Seokjin. "I'll inform my father that I want an immediate wedding," she said, turning back to Taehyung. "That should put an end to his pressure." Rising to her feet, she added, "That's all there is to say for now. I'll contact you later, Tae, to discuss our plans. We'll find a way to be together. In the meantime, we have to maintain the appearance that Seokjin and I are happy about this marriage."

Taehyung nodded. "Okay." His eyes flickered over to his cousin, who stood apart with arms folded.

"Don't worry," she reassured Taehyung, gently tapping his arm. "Everything will be fine. Just keep your composure." She glanced at Seokjin. "You understand that we need to make this look convincing, right?"

Seokjin nodded reluctantly. "Okay," he muttered, lacking enthusiasm.

"I should get back inside," Taehyung said softly, still unsure of the situation. He turned towards the door, hesitating before looking back.

Before he could speak, Youngsoon wrapped her arms around Seokjin. Pulling his face down to hers, she kissed him firmly on the lips.

Taehyung turned away, a heavy sadness settling in his chest. He no longer believed things would work out between Youngsoon and himself. It seemed she wasn't merely pretending to like Seokjin. He tried to remember her words.

"Look, Tae, I have to connect with your cousin and win him over so he can help us with our plan. You need to trust me and not interfere, okay?" she had told him recently.

He trudged back inside the house, his mind clouded. He couldn't recall agreeing to these affectionate displays as part of their plan. Something didn't feel right; he felt deceived.