AUTHOR'S POV:

Morning sunlight streamed through the large windows as Y/n strolled into the dining room at 9:30 a.m., taking her usual seat beside her father.

"Good morning, sweetie. You look... adorable in that outfit," Mr. Kim chuckled, gesturing toward her oversized t-shirt that read "MY CAT IS A ROCKSTAR," complete with a cartoonish image of Min Yoongi as a cool cat idol.

Y/n smirked, "Good morning, Papa. And you look... formal?" She squinted dramatically at his sharp suit, her mock-serious tone drawing a hearty laugh from him.

Her mother smiled at the playful exchange as Y/n grabbed a piece of honey bread and stood up, ready to head out. "Okay, Mumma, I'll catch you guys in the evening!"

She was halfway to the door when her mother's voice stopped her.

"Evening? You do remember we're meeting Taehyung's family this afternoon, right?"

Y/n froze mid-step, then spun around. "Oh... right. Totally forgot about that," she said sheepishly, glancing at her dad, who raised an eyebrow as if he had forgotten too.

"Well," her mom began, her tone soft but firm, "you should stay home today. We need to be ready."

Y/n pouted. "But I have to go to the library!" she whined, clutching her honey bread dramatically. "I promise I'll be back before 5!"

Her mom sighed, clearly unconvinced but relenting. "Alright. But you promised, hmm?"

"Yep!" Y/n chirped, flashing a quick smile before darting out the door.

As her footsteps faded, Mrs. Kim shook her head. "I just hope she gets back before they arrive," she murmured, her worry evident.

"Aye, she will! She's a responsible girl," Mr. Kim said with a reassuring grin, patting his wife's hand gently. "You'll see."

But even as he spoke, Mrs. Kim's gaze lingered on the door, her unease refusing to budge.

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Afternoon, 4pm

The afternoon sun blazed mercilessly, making the already hot day feel unbearable. Rosy groaned loudly, fanning herself with her hand as she trudged along the footpath.

"I don't understand why you're even rich if you end up riding a bicycle anyway!" Rosy snapped, glaring at Y/n, who pedaled beside her with an irritatingly cheerful expression.

Y/n laughed, unfazed. "Oh, come on! Just because I'm rich doesn't mean I have to drive a Lamborghini everywhere like in those over-the-top movies."

Her attention shifted to Rosy's cat, nestled lazily in the basket of her bicycle. With one hand, Y/n gently stroked the cat's head, eliciting a soft purr, while balancing the bicycle with her other hand.

"You're just jealous because my cycling skills are top-notch," Y/n teased, smirking at Rosy.

"Hell no!" Rosy suddenly shouted, her voice sharp with disbelief. Y/n flinched, nearly losing her balance as her head whipped in the direction of Rosy's gaze.

The sight ahead made her groan. The bakery they were supposed to visit was swamped with customers, the line stretching far outside onto the pavement.

"Well," Y/n said with an awkward chuckle, trying to keep her tone light, "guess we'll have to join the line, huh?"

Rosy rolled her eyes dramatically, already regretting agreeing to this errand. "You better treat me to a fancy Italian dinner for this!" she huffed, stomping into the line with exaggerated frustration.

Y/n grinned mischievously and handed Rosy her cat. "Here, why don't you play with your adorable furball to pass the time?"

But before Rosy could respond, the cat wriggled out of her arms and bolted toward the busy road at lightning speed.

"NOOO!" Y/n and Rosy screamed in unison, their hearts leaping into their throats. The bustling street was packed with honking cars, roaring buses, and hurried pedestrians.

Panic took over as they dashed after the runaway cat, shouting its name desperately while weaving through the chaotic traffic.

The street buzzed with alarmed voices as people pointed toward the road, their panic rising at the sight of a bus barreling down the lane. The small cat froze in the middle, paralyzed with fear, its tiny frame trembling as chaos unfolded around it.

Then, like a scene out of an action movie, a man in a sharp grey suit leapt onto the road without hesitation. Swiftly and decisively, he scooped up the cat just in time, narrowly avoiding the oncoming bus.

Gasps of relief rippled through the crowd as the man rolled to the other side of the road, shielding the trembling kitten in his arms. By the time Y/n and Rosy reached him, he was already sitting on the pavement, inspecting the now-relaxed cat in his lap.

Rosy quickly took her cat back, cradling it protectively. "Oh my God, thank you!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with gratitude.

The man remained silent, his attention shifting to his expensive suit. Dusting off his clothes meticulously, he seemed entirely indifferent to the chaos he had just resolved.

Y/n, however, dropped to her knees beside him, her eyes scanning him for any injuries. "Are you alright?" she asked, her tone laced with concern.

The man didn't respond immediately, his gloved hands brushing away invisible dirt from his pants. His rich, tailored three-piece suit gleamed in the sunlight, exuding luxury. Even through his black mask, his sharp features radiated an unspoken elegance, and the musky scent of his cologne lingered faintly in the air.

When he finally glanced at Y/n, his gaze was cold and distant. "I'm fine," he said curtly, his voice low and measured as he rose to his feet.

But Y/n wasn't convinced. Her sharp eyes caught a small smear of blood on his forehead. "Blood!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in alarm as she reached out instinctively to touch the wound.

The man froze as her fingers grazed his skin. His dark eyes met hers-a fleeting spark of something unspoken passing between them. There was an uncanny familiarity in her gaze, though he couldn't quite place it.

He leaned back slightly, avoiding her touch, his emotions carefully masked. "It's nothing," he said stiffly, adjusting his coat with precision.

Y/n, however, wasn't ready to back down. "Nothing? You're bleeding! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? What if bacteria infects it, and then it turns into something worse? Like... like green algae!"

Her voice grew higher with each word, her wild imagination spiraling out of control.

The man blinked, momentarily dumbfounded by her absurd logic. "Green algae?" he repeated, his brows knitting together in both confusion and disbelief.

Y/n nodded earnestly, her expression dead serious. "You never know! Better safe than sorry!"

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"Thank you for saving our cat earlier!" Y/n said, her voice filled with gratitude as she cleaned his wound with a small cotton ball. The man simply nodded, his gaze focused elsewhere, avoiding eye contact with her.

She pulled a Hello Kitty band-aid from her pocket and was about to apply it to his red scratch when he suddenly grabbed her hand. "What kind of ridiculous band-aid is that?!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Y/n chuckled, admiring the band-aid. "What? It's cute!"

The man pulled her hand away from his face, shaking his head. "I'm not applying that."

Y/n raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Alright, if you want bacteria to build up and turn it into a green algae infestation-" she said, her voice high-pitched and teasing.

The man blinked, utterly confused. "Algae...?" he repeated, looking at her like she was out of her mind.

She nodded seriously, as if it was the most logical conclusion. "Yep, green algae. Could happen."

He stared at her for a beat before taking a deep breath. "Fine. Apply it," he muttered, his tone stiff and resigned.

Y/n grinned widely, finding the whole situation amusing, as she carefully placed the Hello Kitty band-aid on his forehead.

When she pulled her hands back, her silver bracelet got caught on the collar of his expensive coat. "Oh!" she exclaimed, meeting his eyes as she tried to free it, but the more she pulled, the tighter it seemed to get.

The man sighed and looked down at her with an unamused expression. "My coat is from Louis Vuitton," he said, his tone flat but with an underlying hint of irritation. Y/n froze. Louis Vuitton? That was enough to make her stop tugging.

She reluctantly stood still, allowing him to try removing the bracelet from his coat. As he worked on it, the bakery owner brought their pastries over, placing them gently on the table. Y/n smiled sweetly, thanking the owner as the man continued his slow struggle.

Maybe the bracelet was stuck too badly with his collar, it was already 2 mins since he started the mission to get it off him.

Y/n's phone rang, and she quickly glanced at the screen. "Hello, Mum? What? They're here already?! It's 5:10?! I'll be there in 15 minutes!!" Panic crept into her voice as she looked at the time, then back at the man, still preoccupied with his task.

She couldn't afford to wait any longer. Agitated, she grabbed his head and swiftly twisted it to the opposite side, making a loud crack sound. The man gasped, clearly shocked by her sudden move.

Ignoring the discomfort in his neck, Y/n tore the collar of his coat free in one swift motion, then bolted for the door. "Sorry, Ajusshi!!!" she called out as she ran, leaving him standing there, still processing what had just happened.

The man stared after her, unable to comprehend the absurdity of the situation. He glanced down at his coat, now damaged beyond repair, and then touched his neck, which still throbbed slightly from the unexpected twist.

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TAEHYUNG'S POV:

"Ajusshi?!" I muttered under my breath, staring at the door she had just rushed through. It swung behind her as she dashed out, leaving me with a sense of shock. The word she called me-so irrelevant, so irresponsible-stung more than I expected. I wouldn't have cared... if this day wasn't an important one.

Do I really look like an Ajusshi? Is that what I'm giving off? Do I need to call my dermatologist? My mood dropped drastically, and I needed to talk to someone, so I grabbed my phone and dialed a number.

Phone ringing...

"Hey! Taehyung-ha!" Jimin's voice came through, loud and full of energy.

"Park Jimin."

"Why do you sound so heartbroken? Did she reject you?!" Jimin teased, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"I'm gonna beat you to a pulp if that happens," I growled, irritated, but I knew he was just messing with me.

"Why would you beat me for that?! You-"

"Do I look like an Ajusshi?!" I cut him off, my frustration clear in my voice.

"What are you talking about?! You're a 25-year-old tall, rich, handsome man! No one can resist your beauty. But... why-"

Call ended.

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Time skip

I was standing outside the Kim household, finishing a call when I heard the large gate creak open. I turned just in time to see a woman speeding past on a bicycle, cutting through the air with surprising grace.

I squinted, trying to make out her features. Something about her seemed familiar. I couldn't place it at first, but the more I looked, the stronger the feeling that I'd seen her somewhere before grew.

Just as I was about to brush it off, her bicycle slipped on the damp grass and she fell to the ground. My heart skipped a beat in concern. I immediately ended the call and rushed over to help.

"Ow!" she winced, massaging her elbow through her clothes.

"Excuse me, are you okay?" I asked, taking her hand gently in mine.

Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, everything else blurred. My breath caught in my throat as realization hit me. Those brown eyes. The same girl from the bakery. The one who put that ridiculous band-aid on my forehead and had the audacity to call me an 'Ajusshi.'

Her clothes, the pastry box she carried, the scent of Dior lingering in the air-everything about her screamed familiarity now. I didn't blink once as I stared into her, trying to make sense of this moment. Her eyes were wide with something I couldn't quite read, but they held emotion-so many emotions.

I know her. I know her. But... who is she?

Before I could stop myself, my hands moved toward her mask, that piece of cloth that hid something from me-something I needed to see. As I pulled it off, her face was revealed in its full beauty. There she was. Y/n.

I scoffed softly, unable to hide the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. There was no denying it now-I liked how we met. But why did she have to call me an 'Ajusshi'? Do I really look that old to her?

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get a word out, she shoved me aside and ran off into the house. I watched her, completely stunned, as she disappeared inside.

Why does she always run away?

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Y/N'S POV:

It was him. It was Taehyung. My eyes couldn't betray me. I remember those black, ice-cold eyes staring right into my soul, both then and now. The masked CEO-like man was Kim Taehyung all along-the Kim's son. Taehyung. Kim Taehyung, the same one I applied that ridiculous band-aid to. Taehyung, the one I made up that algae story for. And now, the very same Kim Taehyung who I was supposed to meet today!

We met like this?

I could barely process it. He looked different now, in a new outfit, and... was that a new band-aid on his forehead? The cute, ridiculous Hello Kitty one I had put on was gone, replaced by a boring, normal one.

I ran away. Yes, I did. Because it was all too much to handle at once. My mind was a blur. I almost lost my senses when he brought his mask-less face so close to mine. And when he removed my mask without warning? That was when the chills hit.

His fingers-long, pale, and slender-traced the outline of my face so tenderly, sending shivers down my spine. I can still feel the heat of his touch lingering on my skin.

What was that?!

I have to calm down. First things first, I need to change. If my mom catches me like this, I'm definitely going to get a whole 20-minute lecture.

I quickly changed into a decent white cardigan that my mom had specially picked out for this meeting. She had insisted I look like a doll in front of The Kim's, and I wasn't going to argue.

I rushed to the kitchen, careful to take slow steps in case I ran into her. I looked around, hoping she wasn't there. Thankfully, the kitchen was empty-maybe she had stepped out.

It felt like a blessing, honestly, because dealing with her right now would be... too much.

But just as I turned around, I froze. My heart skipped a beat as I saw my mom standing right behind me, holding a big spoon. I flinched-was she going to hit me with it?

"Mom! I'm ready..." I quickly cut off whatever she was about to say, then held up the plate of pastries I'd decorated. "And these pastries too!"

Her anger seemed to cool off a bit at that, which was a relief. But once The Kim's left, I knew I was in for it.

"Let's go," she muttered, giving me a side-eye before turning to walk out. I sighed and followed her, bracing myself for whatever came next.

We stepped outside to the patio where my dad and The Kim's were engaged in a friendly conversation. Ji-un Aunty and Yu-han Uncle noticed me, and I bowed to show my respect. They both embraced me warmly.

After the greeting, I took a seat in front of them, next to my dad, while my mom settled beside me.

"Y/n, you've grown into a beautiful and well-mannered young woman!" Ji-un Aunty said, taking a bite of the vanilla strawberry pastry.

"That's right, dear. You've become such a well-mannered lady!" Uncle added, and I couldn't help but blush, feeling a little shy and embarrassed.

My gaze shifted to their son, Kim Taehyung-whom I had already met twice, both times in situations that were far from graceful. He was sitting with perfect posture, hands folded, and his eyes lowered as though physically present, but mentally absent. Was he being forced to join this gathering?

"Y/n, this is my son Taehyung. He's the Wise-Chairman and CEO of our company in Korea," his mother introduced him, and at that, he finally looked up.

He. Was. A. Greek. God.

The last two times I'd seen him, I hadn't been able to fully observe his features because I was too rushed, but now, at a safe distance, I could see how strikingly handsome he truly was. But... why was he so serious?

Enough of this, I thought, quickly shifting my gaze to his mother and breaking the uncomfortable eye contact I had made with him.

"Y/n," my mom began, gently massaging my hand with hers. "As we told you earlier, we've chosen Taehyung to be your husband. Do you have any objections to our decision, love?"

I glanced at Taehyung and his family, my gaze settling on his mother, who seemed eager for my response.

Well, this was my destiny. I was destined to be arranged someday, for the sake of my family and my own happiness.

"As you can see, my son is a very good man. He may look cold and obnoxious, but that's just his face. He's actually a kind and sensible person," Ji-un Aunty continued, praising Taehyung, tying his qualities together like a well-crafted story. "If you want, you and Taehyung can talk privately and share your thoughts."

Every mother would do that, of course. Even my own mom wouldn't admit that I don't know how to cook in front of Ji-un Aunty.

I liked the idea of talking in private, though.

"Um, Mom, Aunty, if you don't mind, may we talk privately?" I asked politely. They exchanged a quick look before nodding in agreement.

Soon, they all stood up and went inside the house, leaving just me and Taehyung behind. He was still sitting in the same spot, not moving an inch, as if he hadn't even noticed the others leaving.

I stood up and began to pace around, waiting for him to start the conversation. I couldn't help but feel disappointed by how uninterested he seemed earlier. Like, what does he mean? I came all the way here, pedaling my bike like a racehorse, and he didn't even say hello?

I guess my first impression wasn't much better either. Earlier, I pushed him when he was just helping me up. But at least I was interested in talking.

A full minute passed, and all he did was give me a side-eye once, just to check if I was still staring at him. Does he have ADHD or something?

"Taehyung, do you have anything to tell me?" I asked, glancing at his side profile.

"Do I really look like an ajusshi?" He tilted his head slightly to look at me, his voice deep and unbothered. I was speechless.

He's so freaking handsome. Like, are you serious right now? Who told him he looked like an ajusshi?! But wait... was he really thinking about this the whole time? And ajusshi? When did I-

My jaw dropped in realization as the memory hit me, and I froze in silence. Meanwhile, he was still staring at me, waiting for an answer. Why was he so serious?

So, just because I called him 'uncle' at the shop, he's been sulking this whole time? Haha...

"Are you mad about it?" I asked, finding some amusement in the situation. But, honestly, I was a bit concerned, too. The way he seemed so upset about being called an 'uncle' was a big deal to him.

Ji-un Aunty said he was a chairman. Shouldn't that make him more mature? Why does something like this matter?

"Uh, why would I be mad? Am I a kid?" His voice softened, but he still sat stiffly, hands resting on his knees. "It's just... do I really look like an ajusshi to you?"

He is definitely sad about it.

I stood next to the chair where he was sitting. "Taehyung, are you really sulking over this?" I scoffed, trying to lighten the mood so he wouldn't feel embarrassed.

"I'm not sulking!" he replied, his voice dripping with a sulking tone as he crossed his arms over his broad chest and gave me a tight-lipped pout. I fought back a laugh. Maybe Aunt Ji-un was right-Taehyung isn't what he seems. He's actually kind of cute.

"At the shop..." I started, trying to explain, "I didn't know it was you, and you were wearing a mask, too."

"However, I was still visible as a man, right?" He stood up from the chair and said it so calmly, his gaze fixed on me.

See Taehyung, you're clearly sulking.

"Yes, you were. But I was in a hurry, and it was just a slip of the tongue. Or else, you're a freaking Greek God with flawless-" I paused when I realized I'd crossed the line.

His cheeks instantly flushed pink, and he turned his face away, trying to hide it. He was blushing?

I felt my own cheeks heat up, though probably from embarrassment.

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A/n: Edited!

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