"Hyung, are you even listening to me?" Taehyung asked, his voice laced with concern as he waved his hand in front of Seokjin's face. Seokjin's gaze drifted away, and he stared down at his food, avoiding his cousin's direct attention. His mind was still on the events of two nights ago.

Taehyung's eyes narrowed. "Hey, what's going on? You're not even looking at me."

Seokjin's eyes flickered up to meet Taehyung's, then quickly dropped down. "Sorry. Go on," he muttered, his tone unconvincing.

Taehyung sighed and sat down beside him. "Listen, hyung, before you came to Seoul, I've been working so hard at the office for the past year, trying to prove myself to Uncle and show him that I'm responsible and trustworthy."

Seokjin nodded mechanically, his mind still elsewhere. "Yeah, yeah." Even though it was lunchtime, it seemed as if the whole world was dark and cold.

Taehyung hesitated, sensing something was wrong. "You need to tell your father that you've trained me as much as possible and that you'll be heading back to America. You can even announce that you're getting married in America so that Youngsoon's father will understand you're unavailable. That's all I'm asking."

Seokjin's nod was perfunctory this time. "Okay."

Taehyung's smile faltered, replaced by a calculating glint in his eye. "The sooner you leave, the sooner I can take over your position in the company, and Mr. Lee will agree to let me marry Youngsoon," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "I'm sure it will work out." He paused, his gaze lingering on Seokjin's profile before moving on. "I know she's grown quite attached to you."

Seokjin's gaze remained fixed on his plate, his jaw clenched in an effort to suppress the emotions threatening to surface. "N-No. Not really. It was all pretend," he muttered, his tone laced with false nonchalance.

Taehyung's eyes narrowed. "I hope you're right." He sighed, his expression softening. "I love her too much to let anyone else have her. We've gotten close this past year, but her father insists she marry the heir to the company, and that was always you."

Seokjin's hands tightened around his fork as he forced himself to nod again, forcing his mind to focus on Luisa, the woman he loved, and not Youngsoon, the woman who'd been available.

Taehyung's next question caught him off guard: "Have you spoken to Luisa lately?"

Seokjin's eyes darted up, then back down, his face heating with guilt. "Uh...yeah," he muttered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the turmoil brewing inside him. He'd been too cowardly to tell her what he had done, afraid of revealing his true emotions in his voice. Instead, he'd convinced her to have video sex. Now the guilt and shame were overwhelming his thoughts. What would she say when she knew the whole story?

Taehyung's words trailed off, and he leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "She seems like a wonderful girl," he said. "But I have to ask, can I be honest with you about something? I hope you won't get upset again."

Seokjin's eyes narrowed, his grip on his glass tightening. "What is it?"

Taehyung's voice dropped to a whisper. "In America, couples are often...intimate before marriage, aren't they?"

"What do you mean?"

The younger man took a deep breath. "I mean, couples in America have sex before marriage all the time, right?"

Seokjin's hesitation was palpable as he paused before responding. "Yes, many couples do."

Taehyung's eyes locked onto Seokjin's, his expression intent. "So you and Luisa have...been close in that way, right?"

Seokjin's frown deepened, and he looked away, his discomfort evident.

Taehyung quickly added, "I don't mean to pry. I'm not saying it's wrong. In our circles, it seems like many marriages are arranged for business reasons rather than love matches. No one cares if a man and woman are attracted to each other, so there's no intimacy before marriage. No one cares if that part of the relationship is good. Many couples are not compatible." He paused. "So you two are...compatible in that way?"

The older man took a slow breath. "Yes."

The atmosphere between them grew heavy, and Seokjin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Taehyung continued, his words laced with sincerity. "I'm happy for you. I don't know about my relationship, but I do love Soon with all my heart, and I want her to be happy in every way possible. Especially physically." He bit his lip before adding, "You know that the only physical intimacy we've shared is kissing."

Seokjin's gaze snapped back to Taehyung's face, his eyes searching for something.

Taehyung's voice dropped to a whisper, his eyes locked on Seokjin's as he spoke. "I think she's still a virgin."

The sound of Seokjin's fork clattering onto his plate startled him out of his stupor. He felt his stomach twist with shame and guilt, as if he'd been punched in the gut. He was trapped in a living hell, tormented by his own deceit. He was deceiving not only Taehyung, but himself, and the weight of it was crushing him.

Seokjin's gaze met Taehyung's concerned expression, and he forced a weak smile onto his face. "I'm...fine. Sorry. I think I-I added too much salt to my food. I just need a minute." Taehyung's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded and took another sip of his drink.

"So, did you talk to Youngsoon?" he asked, his tone casual, but Seokjin detected a hint of tension beneath the surface.

Seokjin's throat constricted with guilt as he nodded. "Yeah, we talked two days ago. She wanted to...clarify some things." His voice trailed off as he struggled to maintain his composure.

Taehyung's eyes locked onto his cousin's, and Seokjin felt a surge of anxiety. "What did she say?" he asked, his voice low and even.

Seokjin hesitated, his mind racing with the weight of his secrets. How could he confess to Taehyung that he'd betrayed him? That he'd gone a little too far with Youngsoon simply because she was available to him and Luisa was not? The thought made his stomach churn with disgust.

He cleared his throat again, trying to buy himself time. "She...she just said she wanted to stick to the plan until things worked out. That's it."

As he spoke, Seokjin could feel his guilt and shame simmering just below the surface. He was desperate to keep his secret hidden, to avoid the inevitable consequences of his actions. But as he looked into Taehyung's eyes, he knew it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

As Taehyung spoke, Seokjin's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white with tension. "Again, I think Luisa is lovely," Taehyung continued, his smile faltering for a moment. "I'm sorry if I said something that made you angry the other day. I never meant to imply that she was... that you and she...well, you know. She is a good girl. Her reserve and respectability are qualities I admire. If you've been intimate with her, I know it was because you are in love. I know she's a woman you respect. Tell her I said hello when you talk to her."

Seokjin's voice was tight as he replied, "Yes. I will." He reached for his wallet, but Taehyung's words hung in the air like a challenge.

"Hey, hyung, don't rush back to the office just yet," Taehyung said, his tone light. "Let me get to the office first. You want your father to see me working hard, don't you?"

Seokjin's grip on his wallet tightened. "Yes, but let's both go," he said curtly, pulling out a few bills and shoving them into Taehyung's hand.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice softening.

Seokjin's smile was strained. "Just take the money, Tae. My treat." He slid out of the chair and practically ran out of the restaurant, leaving Taehyung behind.

As he hurried away, Seokjin felt a pang of guilt and unease. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he hesitated before opening the text message. It was from Youngsoon.

The words on the screen made his heart sink. She wanted to see him again.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath.