Seokjin stormed into Taehyung's office at Kim Incorporated, his face red with rage. He slammed the door behind him, causing Taehyung to look up from his desk in surprise.

"This has gone far enough," Seokjin exclaimed, his voice trembling angrily. In his hand, he grasped a newspaper, which he hurled onto the desk with a disdainful flick of his wrist.

Taehyung's eyes widened in alarm as Seokjin's anger escalated by the second. "What's wrong?" he asked, trying to soothe his older cousin.

Seokjin's eyes blazed with fury as he spun around to face Taehyung. "This!" he barked, pointing a shaking finger at the newspaper. "And everything else I've had to put up with these past few weeks!" The paper slid across the desk, revealing the headline: "Kim Incorporated Heir to Marry Lee Jeon Group Princess!" Seokjin's face twisted in disgust. "Can you believe this? The whole city is going wild over it. I've never seen such absurdity!"

Taehyung's eyes scanned the newspaper article, his brow furrowing in disapproval. The sensationalized headlines and exaggerated claims that this marriage would save the slumping Korean economy made his eyes roll in frustration. He turned away from the paper, his expression somber.

"I'm sure no one takes this sensationalism seriously, hyung," he said, his deep voice laced with skepticism. "It's just a way to sell papers."

But Seokjin was beyond consolation. He spun around, his hands slapping the desk in agitation. "No, Tae! I'm the one being sold out. I'm the one being forced into this charade. If I say no and call it off, I'll be accused of sabotaging the national economy, according to these tabloid headlines. I can't take this anymore!" He pushed himself away from the desk and stalked over to the sofa, dropping down onto the cushions with a defeated slouch.

"I just can't do this," he mumbled, his head hung in his hands.

Taehyung's lips compressed into a sympathetic line as he saw his cousin's distress. He rose slowly to his feet and went to sit beside Seokjin on the sofa, trying to offer what comfort he could.

"Come on, hyung," Taehyung said, his voice gentle but firm. "Let's tell Uncle the truth. You don't want to marry Youngsoon, and you want to go back to America. I'll take your place. By now, Uncle might be willing to listen to me, considering my hard work around here and my feelings for Youngsoon." Taehyung placed a reassuring hand on Seokjin's shoulder. "I hate seeing you like this. You deserve better than this arranged marriage."

Seokjin's eyes welled up with gratitude as he nodded slowly. "Thanks for understanding, Tae. You're the only one who gets it, the only one who truly cares." He took a deep breath, a glimmer of determination in his eyes. "You're right. Let's do it. Let's tell my father the truth. What's the worst that could happen?"

Taehyung's smile was wry. "Oh, I don't know... maybe a national scandal, a stock market crash, our company going bankrupt? Yeah, what's the worst?" His words were laced with a mixture of concern and sarcasm, but Seokjin barely registered it, his mind focused on the daunting task ahead.

Seokjin's laughter was tinged with wistfulness as he shook his head. "Can you believe it? Me, Seokjin, the most important person in this country. Back in Dallas, I'm just a regular guy." His smile faltered, and he let out a sigh. "A regular guy in love with an extraordinary woman. I've spent nearly four years chasing after her – even more if you count our college days. I love her so much. The thought of being without her is unbearable."

Taehyung nodded thoughtfully. "From what you've told me, Luisa seems like an amazing person. Any other woman would have given up on you long ago, especially after you started seeing someone else without first explaining the situation. But she showed compassion and understanding towards the woman who was sick and didn't demand you leave her."

Seokjin's eyes lit up with admiration. "Luisa kept me from being a selfish and self-centered idiot, even though I didn't realize it at the time. She was willing to put her own happiness aside for someone else's sake – something Emily wouldn't have done. That's why I know Luisa is one in a million. God, I love her so much!"

The air was heavy with anticipation as Seokjin stood up, his decision made.

"Let's go talk to my father," he said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of trepidation.

Taehyung nodded, his expression serious, and fell into step beside Seokjin as they left the office. But as they walked away, it became clear that they had misjudged the stakes. The worst that could happen was far more personal, and far more devastating.

Seokjin instructed his father's secretary to reschedule his appointments for the remainder of the afternoon, then turned to Taehyung. "Wait outside, I'll be with you in a minute," he said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of uncertainty.

As he stepped into his father's office, Taehyung couldn't help but remember Seokjin's reassuring smile and thumbs-up gesture as he closed the door behind him.

The minutes ticked by at a glacial pace. Taehyung shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to make small talk with the secretary about her day. But even her normally cheerful demeanor was ruffled by the tension emanating from the office. He wondered if Kim Wonshik was listening to his son's explanation, finally understanding Seokjin's plight.

Suddenly, the office erupted into a cacophony of raised voices. The secretary's eyes widened in alarm, and Taehyung's own heart began to race as he strained to hear what was being said behind the closed door. The argument was growing louder, more intense, and it seemed to be escalating out of control.

Taehyung's eyes snapped up to meet the secretary's terrified gaze as the sound of crashing objects and shouting reached a fever pitch. He leapt to his feet, his mind racing with uncertainty about what to do next.

The secretary, her face ashen, stood frozen beside him, her eyes fixed on the closed door as if willing it to remain shut. The sudden, oppressive silence that followed was even more unsettling, like a held breath waiting to be exhaled.

Taehyung took a few hesitant steps towards the door, his heart pounding in his chest. Before he could reach out to touch the handle, the door burst open and Seokjin's ashen face appeared, his eyes wild with fear.

"Call for an ambulance! Find a doctor! Quickly!" he bellowed, his words tumbling out in a rush before he disappeared back into the office, leaving Taehyung and the secretary staring after him in alarm.

The secretary sprang into action, her hands shaking as she made rapid phone calls, her voice trembling with urgency.

Taehyung burst into his uncle's office, his heart racing with worry, and came to a halt as he took in the scene before him. The floor was littered with papers, broken lamps, and coffee cups. Seokjin was kneeling beside his father's crumpled form, his tie loose and his eyes streaming with tears.

"Father!" Seokjin's voice was a hoarse whisper, his words tumbling out in a desperate plea. "Father, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes? Please, Father!" His gaze met Taehyung's, filled with a mixture of fear and despair.

Taehyung felt a jolt of alarm as two men rushed into the room, one of them a doctor from Kim Incorporated's on-site medical team. The doctor quickly moved Seokjin aside and began to examine Wonshik's prone body, his expression grave.

As the minutes ticked by, a growing crowd of coworkers gathered in the doorway, their faces etched with concern and curiosity. The air was thick with tension as they watched the scene unfold.

The company doctor barked orders, his voice sharp with authority, as he worked to stabilize Wonshik's condition. "Someone, get me an update on the ambulance! Now!" The words echoed through the room, punctuating the sense of urgency.

Meanwhile, the chaos that had been building began to spill out into the hallway. The sounds of rustling papers, hushed whispers, and worried murmurs filled the air as colleagues tried to make sense of what was happening. The room seemed to shrink, as if the very walls were closing in on the distraught group.

Hours later, Seokjin slumped in a chair outside his father's hospital room, his rumpled clothing and vacant stare a testament to the devastation that had washed over him. His mind replayed his father's last words – his last request – on a neverending loop. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the memory.

Taehyung sat beside him, his presence a comforting solace in the midst of chaos.

But their moment of quiet was short-lived, as the hospital hallway erupted into chaos when reporters stormed in, barking unintelligible questions, their phones held aloft like weapons. Taehyung instinctively stood up and positioned himself in front of Seokjin, shielding his cousin from the barrage of questions.

"No comment at this time," Taehyung repeated, his voice firm but weary, as he fended off the reporters' relentless queries. But they wouldn't relent, their shouts and camera clicks creating a discordant noise. Taehyung's eyes scanned the area, searching for a solution, before he finally pulled out his phone and called the company office for backup.

The news was spreading like wildfire: Kim Incorporated's chairman had passed away on the eve of his son's dynastic marriage, plunging the company into crisis. The fate of thousands of employees hung in the balance, their families' livelihoods at risk if the company faltered. And the subsidiary businesses? They would feel the ripple effects just as strongly.

As Taehyung listened to the reporters' questions and comments, he couldn't help but wonder if Seokjin was even aware of what was happening. The latter's gaze seemed lost in a sea of despair. Taehyung stayed put until hospital security arrived to usher the press out of the hallway, relief washing over him when Kim Incorporated's security guards took up positions around Seokjin.

Taehyung finally sat beside his cousin, his eyes brimming with tears as he wrapped his arm around Seokjin's broad shoulders. The weight of grief crushed his cousin, a heavy sorrow that seemed to suffocate both of them. He wept for his uncle, for his cousin, for the devastating loss that had shattered their family's foundation.

Within weeks, the country's media frenzy descended upon Seoul as Kim Seokjin, now the chairman of Kim Incorporated, and Lee Youngsoon, heiress of Lee Jeon Group, would be exchanging vows in a lavish ceremony dubbed "Korea's Wedding of the Year." The union was touted as a high-stakes merger of two powerful conglomerates, one that would cement their dominance in the business world. But for Seokjin and Taehyung, it was a painful reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded, and the weight of responsibility that now rested on Seokjin's broad but human shoulders.