By the time Monday rolled around, I had packed the last of my stuff. My clothes had all been moved by a truck yesterday, so the maids could arrange them before I arrived.

It was not appropriate for newlyweds to stay in different houses after the wedding, but if anyone in the neighborhood saw me at my father's house, I would simply respond that I had come to pick up the rest of my belongings.

Sophia handed over the suitcase in which mostly my toiletries were stowed to the man who worked for a moving company I had hired. And so there was nothing left in the four walls I had once called my room.

Empty bookshelves, my bed, and most of the furniture remained, however, because I didn't need them. Rai and dad could remodel the room into whatever they wanted and yet I knew it would stay as I left it. We had enough rooms in the house so it wasn't like they needed it.

I felt strange. Not only were two rings now clinging to my finger, but there was a weight on my chest. I had spent my life in this house, not having had the need to move out, because it had always been Rai, me, and my father anyway.

And now I had to move into a completely foreign house, sharing a life with people I had never even sat at a table with. I didn't know why I had agreed to move into the Jeons' mansion, because having my own apartment would have made a lot of things easier for me.

But it had been one of the stipulations in our prenup and for some reason, I didn't want to fight it, which is why I had quietly given in with my signature in the end. At least the mansion wasn't far from ours.

I tucked my charging cord into my purse and made my way down the stairs. The van with my things had already left I guessed since the entrance was empty. Sophia closed the door before she spotted me.

Are you leaving already? she asked, pressing her lips into a line. I wished I could bring her with me because besides someone I could ask for help in my daily life, I needed a familiar presence to lean on much more.

I nodded. "I still have a lot to do. Unpacking and stuff." I shrugged. "The sooner the better."

She looked over my shoulder before she could answer, making me turn around. My father stood in the doorway to the living room, a cup of coffee in one hand and the other shoved into his pants pocket.

"Do you have everything?" he asked, glancing around but unable to spot any more boxes.

"Yes. But if I've forgotten something, I can still come back for it," I said, and he nodded. It was only a fifteen-minute drive, so it wasn't the end of the world.

"Call me if you need anything," he then breathed out. While I appreciated him saying that, it made me sad that he walked away after that.

I didn't know what I was expecting, but a hug would have been nice. Anything.

He didn't sleep all night, Sophia told me, and I looked back to where he had been standing just seconds ago.

"Well, he can sleep in peace from now on." I attempted a smile. Everything would be fine from now on.

Mr. Jeon and my father had already been in contact yesterday about the new business they had planned together. As a lawyer, my father was to settle and resolve some matters for him, which his former lawyer had done.

It wouldn't take long for my father to then gradually balance all of his debts and that way we would prevent Rai's college from being jeopardized or our house from being hypothecated against our will.

Keys rattled against the door and when it swung open Rai stepped in wearing his training suit and sweat on his brow. He had grown so much that I could already see the basketball player in him who worked hard for his school team.

"Hey." I greeted him as he put the dirty basketball down next to the door for which he received a scolding from Sophia, but laughed it off.

"You got everything packed?" he asked when he noticed me and my purse. I knew he was sad to see me leave because we had done a lot together since the day he started living with us. He always considered me a big sister as I considered him a little brother - who was now a head taller than me.

"I did. I was about to head out, but wanted to see you one more time." I smiled. He complained that he was sweaty when I tried to hug him, but I didn't care.

"This isn't a goodbye." he reminded me as he rested his chin on my head. "You're just moving out and you're going to visit."

I laughed, nodding in acknowledgment of his quiet request. "I will. Maybe not so soon, but soon."

We said our final goodbyes and I stepped out of the house. It took me half an hour to pull into the Jeons' driveway, as I had stopped at my favorite coffee shop to order a caramel latte, of which I only drank half.

A middle-aged man dressed in a black suit opened my door and asked me to leave the engine on so he could park the car. I got out and with my latte in one hand and my purse in the other, I stared at the house.

It was a bit bigger than ours and had a correspondingly larger yard that stretched out to the back. I hadn't been able to make out much in the dark the first time I was here, but now I saw the many flowers, the fountain in the middle of the driveway, and a gazebo with seating underneath.

I climbed the stairs to the door and before I could ring the bell it was already opening, exposing a petite girl. "Welcome, miss," she said in her high-pitched voice and I nodded in recognition.

The entryway was the same and this time I spent a few minutes exploring the interior than last time since it was now the place I would live for God knew how long.

Two staircases were situated on opposite walls, leading to the different wings of the house. Yoongi and I had used the right one to get to the office, so I wondered where the bedrooms were.

A chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting little specks of light on the walls, which were painted in what looked like ivory. There wasn't much to see except a few traditional Korean decorative items.

"Hello." a voice echoed to me, making me turn to the source of the call. I saw Jungkook's mother approaching.

We hadn't spoken much on Saturday during the wedding reception as she was talking to all the guests, but she looked the same, her eyes unwavering and her head held high. We hadn't had too positive an interaction during our first meeting.

I sympathized with her, nonetheless. It must have been a shock to her and the entire family, although I still couldn't understand why they had made such a big deal about it. She was probably overwhelmed with different emotions, so I was willing to make a new start with her.

"Good morning." I greeted her formally as she came to a stop a few steps in front of me. I extended my hand in her direction because a hug would feel odd and a handshake was the most respectful thing to do.

She stared at my hand, then up at me, then back down. I waited, my eyebrows lifting. She didn't seem entirely fond of me and yet she linked her fingers with mine, but that lasted only a few seconds before she pulled her hand away.

"I just got here." I then stated, already bothered by the interaction and her attitude towards me. Still, I sucked it up and remained neutral.

Mrs. Jeon connected her hands in front of her body. "I know. I sent your boxes up to the bedroom. A maid will show you the way."

"Thank you," I said. "Is there anything I need to keep in mind?"

"Dinner is at 7. We eat as a family, so don't be late," she replied before storming off.

God, it was so hard to stay composed when you were met with this kind of treatment.

Not only did I not know my way around the house, but I had come into a family whose values I did not know. I didn't expect them to welcome me with open arms, but neither this. A little introduction would have been the least a mother-in-law could do for her daughter-in-law.

I wondered where the rest of the family was, but considering it was Monday morning, my husband was probably at work with his father and Dalrae was at school. I didn't know what Yoongi was doing, but I guessed he was probably at work too.

Wanting to benefit from the time until dinner for useful things, I let the same maid who had opened the door for me lead me upstairs to the bedroom where I would stay.

It was the top floor and all the doors were shut until we stopped at an oak one. She opened it for me and I was greeted by a room that, much like the rest of the house, had zero personality.

The walls were white with no color or pictures. The bed was propped up with perfectly made sheets to my right with a nightstand on each side. I could see a few of Jungkook's possessions lying around, but the majority of the clutter was made up of my boxes.

My clothes were already all hanging in the walk-in closet of which the right side occupied his clothes and the left mine. Suits in various colors hung from which I guessed he always sent to be dry cleaned.

The maid offered to help me arrange everything that was still lying around and I accepted her offer. It would probably take me all day to unpack everything, so a helping hand was exactly what I needed.

Thanking the maid after we had more or less packed away my belongings - except for my books for which there was no empty bookshelf - she excused herself to prepare dinner.

I hadn't realized how much time had actually passed, and the house was so quiet that I couldn't hear if Mrs. Jeon and I were still the only family members, or if the rest had now arrived.

I was overwhelmed with my feelings that I didn't even know what I wanted or what to think anymore. I was probably making my first day here harder for myself than it should have been.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my lost-in-thought state, and I wondered if it was the maid having forgotten something. But when I called the person on the other side of the wooden door in, two appeared to my surprise.

"Hey." Dalrae waved shyly and I saw a glimpse of Yoongi's blonde hair behind her. "Can we come in?"

"Of course." I smiled and put the jewelry box back on the dresser to sort later.

Yoongi greeted me as well and they both came to a stop in the middle of the room. I didn't know why, but their visit surprised and at the same time delighted me because running into everyone first at the dining table would certainly have made me feel like an outsider. At least I knew someone cared to check on me.

"We wanted to say hi before dinner." Dalrae clarified, confirming my thoughts. She still seemed shy like I had witnessed her the night I first saw her. I still felt bad for her and something inside me told me that she was still ashamed of what had happened between Rai and her.

But I knew it was neither her nor Rai's fault because they had done nothing wrong. Sure it was something intolerable for a conservative family to be confronted with such a view, but I had to admit that it could have been resolved more peacefully.

Would it have changed anything about me marrying Jungkook? Probably not, but a young girl wouldn't have to be humiliated in front of so many people and portrayed as a peace breaker.

"Thank you." I smiled in assurance. "I appreciate it."

"Welcome to the family." I heard Yoongi say now, after closing the door behind him. His voice was calm and warm, though it didn't hold much emotion. I gave him a nod in acknowledgment. "Did you get all settled in?"

I looked around the room and was pleasantly surprised to see that there were now no more jumbled boxes lying around. "For the most part, yes. There are still a few things left, but that will settle in over time."

"Great." Yoongi nodded, also looking around as if he wasn't a frequent visitor to this room.

I had to admit it was a little weird because I didn't know what to say. I was now related to these people, even if it wasn't by blood. They would be in my life every day, and so we were ordered by fate to approach each other.

"Jungkook is not home yet. He usually stays out until just before dinner." Yoongi explained, even though I hadn't asked.

Maybe he found it in my eyes, the uncertainty of my husband's whereabouts when his siblings came to check on me. He hadn't even cared to ask if I needed help moving. The last time I saw him was when he had left in his car on Saturday after the wedding.

"It's okay. I don't like people running around my feet while I'm organizing anyway." I shrugged. It seemed like a quick excuse I had made for my husband as to why he wasn't helping me.

"So that's my hint to leave." Yoongi teased and I realized how my words could be taken.

I exhaled. "That's not what I meant."

"I know, relax." he laughed. "But I really have things to take care of. I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yeah." I nodded. A glance at the clock on the wall told me that we still had about an hour until Mrs. Jeon wanted us all present at the table.

I watched Yoongi's back as he left the room, leaving me with Dalrae. She smiled at me and her eyes sparkled with youth and shyness. She was beautiful, her brown hair framing her round face and her porcelain skin glowing and without flaw.

"I could show you around the house until dinner if you're done putting your things away." she then suggested as we ended in a comical silence. Her cheeks turned red. "I mean, if you're tired, you can rest. No pressure."

"No, actually, I'd love that," I shook my head. Her tension visibly eased with my soft words. "Let me take a quick shower. I feel kind of gross after all that work. You can wait here."

She nodded and took a seat on the sofa in the corner. Like Yoongi, she too seemed a stranger in this room, and that only made me suspect that the siblings didn't visit each other often or even spend time together.

Maybe they had a shared room or just the living room where they met, so I didn't want to be quick to judge. After all, I hadn't seen the house and I was sure one of the many rooms served that purpose.

Dressing quickly, I left the bathroom. "I'm ready," I told her and she jumped to her feet.

I didn't know if her mother had urged her to make me familiar with the house or if it was her own idea, but I guessed the latter. Dalrae led me down the stairs into the entryway.

"The left wing is where Yoongi, I, and my parents' room are located. Everyone has their own floor, sort of, with an office, bathroom, etcetera. If you need anything, I'm on the second floor." she smiled and I nodded.

We walked past the storage rooms and the kitchen where an estimated dozen people were frantically completing preparations for dinner. Delicious smells filled my nose and I only now realized that I hadn't eaten all day. My stomach protested against my carelessness.

The living room was empty. Literally and figuratively. I didn't know if it just appeared that way because I was new here and unaccustomed to being in a new environment with new arrangements, but it lacked warmth and cordiality.

The large window connected the conservatory to the living room and we saw Mrs. Jeon watering the plants. Feeling eyes on her, she turned toward us, giving only a quick glance before continuing with her work.

It had started to rain, so Dalrae could not accompany me through the garden and instead showed me the rooms that I was not supposed to enter without permission. They were mostly offices that belonged to Jungkook's father or a private library that belonged to his mother.

I would probably never walk into any room but the bedroom where I kept my things anyway, but it was still good to know where I could find someone in case I was looking for them.

Maids greeted us whenever they passed us to set the table. They all wore the same clothes and held tablets of delicious-looking food. Everything was so organized, it felt like boot camp. A beehive.

It tensed my spine for no reason and it felt like someone was about to yell at me if I did something that didn't pertain to the house rules.

"I think dinner is ready now," Dalrae announced, her eyes darting from her wristwatch to me. We were currently on the lowest floor where an indoor pool and sauna were located.

Then we headed back to the first floor and down the hall. The double doors opened and a grand table that offered seating for more than a dozen people was revealed. This was the only room Dalrae had not shown me because the maids were busy setting up the table.

Mr. Jeon was already sitting at the head of it, his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him, his elbows resting on the wooden surface while his hands were clasped together. I hadn't talked to him much at the wedding either, so I couldn't judge what kind of man he was. Talkative not really, but obsessed with his work, that much I knew.

Mrs. Jeon had taken the seat to his left with Yoongi right next to her. No one was talking, all eyes were fixed in front of them. I heard footsteps behind me, which made me look over my shoulder. And there he was.

Jeon Jungkook.

The moment our eyes met, he drew his eyebrows together. His steps slowed and I saw him blow out the last of his breath through his nose. He lowered his head until he arrived beside me and Dalrae.

"Good evening." he greeted everyone before quietly gesturing to me with his hand on which side of the table I had been assigned a seat.

Dalrae smiled at me, taking a seat next to Yoongi. Jungkook dropped into the chair next to Mr. Jeon, of course with me as his wife by his side. I wondered why this arrangement reigned, but it was something about the family that I would soon discover. I was in no hurry.

I shifted in my chair as maids served food onto our plates and we began to eat quietly. Only the sound of silverware clattering against china echoed through the room.

Everyone was focused on their food, heads forward. I glanced to my left and noticing this, Jungkook's hand stopped as he cut into his meat. His jaw was clenched, but it was nothing new to me.

He seemed annoyed whenever we countered each other, but it was mutual and so I didn't let it affect me.

The only time words were exchanged was when Mr. Jeon asked me if I had settled in, to which I replied positively. If dinner always went like this, I began to consider skipping this meal from now on.

Only when I was back in the bedroom could I feel the air filling my lungs. The pressure at the dinner table had me by the throat and I regretted agreeing to move into the Jeon mansion.

Jungkook had followed me up the stairs, but our paths parted as he walked to his office, presumably to work for the rest of the evening. I was okay with this marriage because it seemed like we were avoiding each other. He was doing his own thing and I was doing mine.

Upon noticing that the water carafe was empty, I decided to refill it downstairs in the kitchen before I went to sleep. Back in the bedroom, I heard the water running in the bathroom. Jungkook had to be in the shower and perhaps he had been waiting for the opportunity for me to leave the room to have privacy for it.

I perched on the edge of the bed, plugging in my phone and setting it on the nightstand as Jungkook exited the bathroom. At least he had clothes on, though his wet hair stuck to his forehead.

The man who had loved to drive me crazy with his remarks so far was quieter than the night today. He looked at me, pacing around the walk-in closet until he reached the bedside and pulled back the covers.

I looked at him in confusion. "What are you doing?" I asked, causing him to sigh.

His unblinking eyes focused on me. "What does it look like, Reva?" he stated the obvious. "I'm tired, and I'm getting ready to go to sleep."

"We're not going to sleep in the same bed, right?" it wasn't a question, but a reinforcement I was looking for.

Yes, the bed was the first thing I saw when I walked in here this morning, but I hadn't actually thought we'd have to share it. It was for a married couple, naturally, but we were anything but and there was no way I was going to spend the entire night next to a stranger.

He laughed, pinching his nose and closing his eyes. "Well, there's only one bed, so what do you want me to do?"

I stood up, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "I don't know. Maybe be a gentleman and let me have the bed." I said seriously but got more laughter in response. "Or at least tell me which guest room I can use and I'll sleep there."

Jungkook paused, the grin disappearing from his face. He brought his hands to his hips and let his tongue slide along his lower lip. Then he slowly moved toward me until he towered over me.

He wasn't that much taller, but I still had to look up at him. The fresh smell of his aftershave and shower gel enveloped my body, but I was determined to stand my ground.

"I don't know what princess treatment you got, and I don't know what your family thinks about this marriage," he rasped so low it was almost a growl. "But this is real for my family and neither I nor you will be sleeping in another room."

I tilted my head back, listening to his words. It was ridiculous to argue about such a topic at this hour, but there was no way I was going to sleep in this bed if he came close to it.

"So," he smirked that silly grin he always wore on his lips. He clapped his hands together. "There are two options." he held two fingers in front of my face. "Either you sleep in this bed. Or you sleep in this bed."

His lips twitched upward, clearly savoring the amusement in this. As it seemed, he loved to push my buttons. But two could play that game.

"In your dreams." I smiled back.

Grabbing the blanket and pillows on the left side of the bed, I felt Jungkook's eyes on me. The sofa in the corner suddenly seemed very soft and comfortable and it was a thousand times better than letting Jungkook win.

"You're the most infuriating person to exist," he muttered under his breath as I adjusted the pillow and blanket on the sofa.

"Coming right after you," I threw back.

"I hope you get a stiff neck." he smiled at me from the bed where I could only see his head peeking from under the covers.

"I won't." I huffed, turning to the wall.

In the morning I realized that Jungkook's wish had come true.

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A/N: I'm kinda caught in a writing slump that I'm trying get out of. Sorry for this filler chap😭🫶🏼