"What?" Namjoon shot up from where he was sitting, in his older brother's office, when he heard that his parents wanted to marry him off. No—wanted is the wrong term—his parents are selling him off like some company property.

"Namjoon, calm down and listen to the rest of it." Jin told him as he began to pace back and forth, trying not to thrash his brother's office.

"Why me? Why can't you do it?" Namjoon replied furiously but sat down nonetheless.

Jin let out a sigh before answering, "I'm already engaged, remember?"

"I don't care. Tell them not to involve me in their fucking business plans." Namjoon cannot stop fidgeting. He stood up again, looking for something to vent his anger on.

"I've been in your situation but do you think I had a choice before? Do you honestly believe that you have a choice?" Jin looked him in the eye as he said this, making Namjoon even more angrier. "They're going to announce it tonight."

"Fuck this." Namjoon cursed. He gritted his teeth as he faced Jin. "I'm not getting married. I don't want to marry someone I don't even know."

"Just do what they want, Namjoon. After this, they'll get off your back. Trust me." Jin tried to talk him into it. He's been in his place and he, of all people, knows that it's hard for him accept all of this right now but they were born into this family.

💍

"So you're getting hitched?" Hoseok asked he made himself comfortable in the recliner. Him, Namjoon, Taehyung and Yoongi are all together in their shared penthouse. It's a property they bought just for the sake of having a place of themselves aside from their houses, somewhere they can goof around without being monitored.

"That sucks." Yoongi said as he poured his troubled friend another drink.

Namjoon downed the glass of whiskey so fast he didn't feel it against his throat. "I'm not getting married."

"Just marry the girl then divorce her after a few months." Taehyung shrugged his shoulders, "Problem solved."

"Dumbass. It's not that easy." Yoongi told the younger one. "I know everything about divorce. My parents are the very icons of divorce. All those legal papers and property sharing.. it's not that easy."

"I'm not getting married so there's not going to be a divorce!" Namjoon yelled as he moves towards the bathroom but stubs his toe against a chair. He jumped up on one foot like a hysterical monkey before he stumbled on the floor. Finally feeling light headed as the alcohol take over his judgment, he rested his eyes and laid still on the floor.

"You cannot avoid it, Namjoon." Hoseok said, sighing as he watch how Namjoon is poorly managing himself. "Unless.."

Namjoon's eyes shot open, "Unless what? You have a plan?"

Hoseok pushed his back off the recliner and stood over Namjoon, "You know what I'm thinking?"

"Obviously, I'm no mind reader." Namjoon rolled his eyes as he sat up, his frustration growing along with his temper. "Damn it, Hoseok, just say it!"

"Remember that girl?" Hoseok had a smile on, hoping Namjoon would soon realize where he's getting at.

"Be specific, man. We all know Namjoon didn't have a lot of girls in his life but if you just say it like that, how would he know if it's not his mother you're talking about?" Yoongi said. He has a way of hurting other's egos while having a clear intention of stating facts.

"That girl who ran away from her wedding and ruined your brother's party." Hoseok said, waving his hand in circles to get Namjoon to remember her.

"I remember now. So what about her?" Namjoon replied nonchalantly. He couldn't think of a way on how she can help him with his problem.

"She's the answer to your problems!" Hoseok nudged Namjoon's arm. "Think about it. The law says you can't get married twice."

"A fake marriage!" Taehyung exclaimed, finally understanding Hoseok's suggestion. "But Namjoon's not married to her."

"Not yet.." Yoongi relaxed in his seat as he sported a smirk.

"How are you going to find her though?" Taehyung asked, scanning the faces of the three people with him.

Namjoon recalled that she gave him her number and offered to help him in return. He felt his phone from his pocket and checked his contacts. "I have her number."

All eyes are focused on him after he said this. Yoongi began to clap slowly as if he was recognizing Namjoon as some sort of a genius. Meanwhile, Hoseok and Taehyung sat down closer to Namjoon to see whether or not he's bluffing.

"Dude, you have her number!" Taehyung exclaimed, lighting punching Namjoon's arm while grinning. "Call her, quick!"

"No." Namjoon disagreed immediately. He was certain that she's not the kind of girl who would do that.

"Namjoon, she gave you her number. That's the universal sign for 'I like you. Let's hook up later'. Taehyung further emphasized. "Which means she will definitely not refuse you. Well, you're attractive in some way.."

"Well, that makes it easier." Yoongi added, sounding half sarcastic.

"So," Hoseok turned to Namjoon, smiling widely, "When's the bachelor party?"

💍

Monday evening.

"Jimin, get the front door!" Hera shouted from the bathroom upstairs while holding Noah still covered in a towel and preventing him from running around the house, naked and wet from his bath.

"I'm coming! Jeez, woman! You don't own my house." Jimin replied, shouting from the kitchen as he was preparing dinner for the three of them.

He lowered the heat from the electric stove so the food wouldn't burn as he see who is outside. They weren't expecting anyone tonight so Jimin was wondering who it is. "Jungkook?"

"Hi, Jimin." Jungkook started. He was still in his uniform, carrying his bag behind his back. "Is my sister inside?"

"Uh, yeah, upstairs.." Jimin replied, eyeing the boy as he walked past him and inside his home.

He must have something important to tell his sister. He wouldn't come here for nothing. Jungkook is not that type of a person. He's quiet and keeps his problems to himself which is why Hera is worried about him most of the time, especially now that her family is in a slump. She can't help but blame herself for everything that's been happening to them. If she wasn't so helpless, she could've been a big help to her family.

"Uncle Jimin, what are you doing?" Noah giggled as he watched Jimin stuck against the door, intentionally eavesdropping.

"Shh." Jimin hushed softly. "We're playing a game. A spy game. We must not get caught by your mother, okay?"

The child excitedly nodded his head, thinking that they were really playing a game of spies. He stuck next to Jimin, carefully pretending to listen too but his mind was too young to understand everything.

Jungkook was convincing her to come home but she cannot agree with him. She missed her mother but was too ashamed to face her after everything she's put her through. She ranaway from the wedding. Just imagining how her mother was embarrassed in front of many important people, her heart hurts, especially now that she learned that her mother is ill.

"I'll come home when I'm worthy of becoming a daughter." Hera told Jungkook. "I promise. I'll find a way to get us out of this situation."

That was the last of the conversation Jimin heard before there were footsteps approaching the door. He acted quickly, picking up Noah and running to hide in the next room. Jimin quickly opened a story book and pretended to read it to Noah. Then after awhile, Hera entered the room with Jungkook.

"Kookie!" Noah jumped up from the bed and into Jungkook's arms.

"Here comes the Kookie monster! Aarggggh!" Jungkook lifted him up high above his head and he giggled. "Noah has gotten so heavy. Mom really wants to see him. Can I take him tomorrow?"

"You can take me too." Jimin said and then Hera threw him a look.

"What?" Jungkook asked to clarify if he heard it right. He doesn't know that Jimin is gay.

Jimin cleared his throat, "I mean, I'll go with you and babysit Noah while Hera is looking for work. That's what I said."

"Oh yeah. Sure." Jungkook shrugged it off with a smile. "Also, I think Mom would want to see you too. She hasn't seen you in a long time. She's always wanted you to be her son-in-law, you know."

"Oh really?" Jimin sent a smile towards Hera, teasing her. "We could still marry each other if she doesn't find anyone else. She's a pretty good husband material."

"Excuse me, I don't need a husband." Hera said and stopped Jimin's nonsense all at once. "Jungkook, why don't you stay over for dinner."

"It's my house." Jimin mumbled quietly but Hera still heard him, earning himself a look.

"Nah, I have somewhere to go." Jungkook declined and put Noah down, crouching down to his level, "I'll take you to grandma tomorrow then we'll go somewhere fun."

Jungkook left and Jimin finished cooking their dinner. They sat down together to eat but Jimin noticed something different with her. She's too deep in thought again. "Is it your mom?"

Hera raised her head up and met Jimin's eyes, "What?"

"What are you thinking so deeply about?" Jimin asked, "Is it your mom or Jungkook? Or me?" He sent her a wink.

"Ew, never. Actually, I'm worried about Jungkook." She opened up. "He seem so okay. I'm worried that he's having it too hard on his side. With our family going bankrupt, I'm afraid that he would think of himself as a burden."

"Don't worry. He's a strong person." Jimin added, reaching for her hand and giving it a firm squeeze. "Just trust him. He's a grown up now."

Hera smiled half heartedly. "Maybe you're right."

Jimin was glad he can somehow help her. They've been friends for so long and he would always remember how Hera helped her when his parents are going through a divorce. He would often leave home and stay at Hera's. Jimin spent countless of nights sleeping on Hera's couch, staring at the old glow in the dark stars that were stuck on her ceiling. Back then, he never would've thought her family would go through something like this. They were so kind and generous. They didn't deserve this suffering. Hera didn't deserve this.