Jeno sat down on an empty bench. It was hard and uncomfortable, but this wasn't the time for him to be complaining and asking for a luxurious seating arrangement. After all, he was in a public park, there isn't much he can do about it. The boy refused to cry, well, more like he couldn't cry. All he could do was breathe. He looked up at the sky which was beginning to fill itself with the stars of the night. "At least it isn't raining," He thought to himself, chuckling.
Departure. It seemed like such a faraway concept that Jeno would never have to experience. But, here he is now. This is it. The final moments of his first love have officially ended, and it was time for him to move on. He'd obviously have to thank her, for everything. All the pain and all the love, it allowed him to understand the world more.
And just like that, the universe began to align in accordance with the time. It was almost like peace was swept over, and there were no longer any troubles. It was all over, even if it meant losing her. His first love. Would he ever see her again? Would he even remember her if he did? Those questions intrigued the boy's mind, though, the answer wasn't going to come falling from the sky. He would have to leave that up to fate.
How did he even get here in the first place? Well, it is quite the story...
A couple hours before:
A common misunderstanding of Lee Jeno and Jeon Jiyeon is that the two know exactly what they were doing. They don't. The duo pair is what people may possibly call an idiotic arrangement. One of them doesn't know anything, and the other thinks they know everything. At times, this may just be the best duo to execute an innocent plan, but this scheme is quite the opposite. Depending on how the night goes, Lee Jeno and Jeon Jiyeon may be tied together in holy matrimony for a very long time.
So, they need it to go perfect. They must rely on a couple of things in order to make sure they hear the sweet words of 'The engagement is cancelled' come out of their parents' mouths. There are three variables that must always be perfectly balanced to make sure their plan goes safely: Jeon Jungkook, hatred, and expectation.
However, they've failed to realise their surroundings.
Now, if there was perhaps one thing Jiyeon should've told the boy before the dinner, it was that he must be prepared for all the surprises. The Jeons were an unpredictable bunch, everything about them constantly changed. Their business plans, their investments, their stocks, and the family. They weren't defined to one path as that would be boring. Jeon Jihoon, the owner of Jeon-Pacific Engineering, as well as Jiyeon's father, once said this, "If business was predictable, everyone would've done it." Though the man was talking about the foundations of a company, the saying holds true for most of what the Jeons do. Perhaps, it runs in the family, each and every single one of them always have a plan that no one could see coming, even within the household. And maybe, Jiyeon should've warned herself and Jeno about this before he was introduced. Because of this, the duo has failed to make sure their expectations will occur.
The first strike.
As the two young adults made their way into the familiar restaurant of The Refinery, they were directed into a different path, one towards a private dining room. The two took a deep breath, prepared for most of the situations they may be greeted with. Jeno carefully slid the door open, greeted with the sight of his parents, as well as the Jeons.
"Jeno! You're here, finally," He heard his mother say, almost insanely fake. Jeno and Jiyeon both sat down at the table, sitting down next to each other. Jeno bowed to each of the Jeons as a sign of respect, as he held back the urge to talk back to his mother. "Hi mother," He quietly said.
"You must be Jihyun-ssi and Seunghyun-ssi's son. It's nice to meet you," Jeon Miyoung, Jiyeon's mother greeted.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too. The both of you," Jeno replied, facing Jeon Jihoon as well. He wasn't a man with many words, so the elder just nodded in acknowledgement.
"Jiyeon dear," The girl's mother called out, "Don't drink your tea too fast. Jungkook is coming soon."
Jeon Jungkook. As the first child between the couple, Jeon Jihoon and Jeon Miyoung, over two decades ago, the boy was already put into the spotlight even before he was born. When the couple found out a few months into Miyoung's pregnancy that he was a boy, his career was already planned out before him. See, the Jeons, though they don't explicitly tell people, are a very patriarchal family. That's why unlike many other business families, the Jeons' marriage is harmonious because Miyoung understands she is less than Jihoon, and the woman has no interest in being seen as equal or higher in status - much different from her second child's point of view. Anyways, this legacy has been carried out for the four generations that the business empire has existed, so it was expected that one day Jeon Jungkook himself will one day succeed the Chairman position after he completes his Masters degree in college, which is in a couple of months.
However, unknown to many, Jeon Jungkook is studying performing arts. Yes, the boy had lied to his parents about taking Mass Communication and was, instead, taking Music & Dance. Simply because, the boy had absolutely no interest in engineering or business, and would rather work in his good friend, Min Yoongi's, entertainment company as a choreographer, or perhaps something more. The only person who knows this, however, is Jiyeon, but she innocently believed that this was just as a hobby, and that her brother only participated in this huge shift in paths because he followed the bandwagon his friend group took. Because of this, the duo has failed to make sure Jungkook will act in their favour.
The second strike.
"Hello everyone," The families heard from the door, and there he was, Jiyeon's brother, Jeon Jungkook. "Sorry I was late, I was busy moving my things into my apartment that I lost track of time," He apologised, bowing at everyone.
"Ah, you recently came back from America, did you not?" Jeno's father confirmed.
The boy nodded, "Yes, during my semester break, I went on a trip with some of my friends to LA." Everyone let out a series of understanding, except for Jiyeon, who knew he was lying - her brother had told her himself that he would be travelling to work with some foreign dance instructors.
"Anyways, let's get back to talking. Jeno, what's my daughter like?" Miyeon inquired as the food began coming in.
After giving a 'thanks' to the waiter, the boy turned towards the older woman, "Jiyeon is really smart. She's sweet but also has a lot of wit in her, you did a good job in raising her," He complimented.
Unlike everyone else in the room, Jeno knows little to nothing about business. He doesn't know what to say that makes him sound polite, but not too kind that he's fallen into a trap. The boy never understood Business 101 - even though he took the course in his first year at the Academy - and so, Jeno failed to realise that to get the impression he wanted, he needed to know his opponent. Because of this, when the boy complimented his partner in crime, believing that it was out of common courtesy, he's sparked an interest in the Jeons.
Though she isn't the first child, Jeon Jiyeon was the family jewel. To the media, she was a sweet girl, but she was a lot smarter than what she appeared to be. Not saying she was an absolute genius, but she had her moments every now and then. The Jeons, ever since Jiyeon was young, wanted her to find someone that understood the beauty their daughter holds. And so, Jeno's compliments hit a lightbulb somewhere in the Jeons' mind, and they've silently given Jeno their consent to marry their only daughter. Because of this, the duo has failed to create any negative relationships that could benefit them.
The third strike.
As the game ended with Jeno and Jiyeon's loss, the principles began to tip off balance. And everything started to fall apart. The chaos was about to erupt, and it was only a matter of time before they must forfeit.
"Before we begin discussing dates, this wedding should be held before Jungkook's succession conference," Jeon Jihoon announced, "Speaking of which, Jungkook, when will you be ready? We need to get planning as soon as possible."
"Uhhh, here's the thing, dad," Jungkook began, nervous about what he was going to say, "I'm not becoming the heir."
To say this was the biggest surprise the Jeons have encountered would be exaggerating. This isn't absolutely wild, but nonetheless, everyone in the room was shocked.
"Jungkook dear," Miyoung nervously chuckled, "What do you mean? You've been preparing for this your entire life-"
"And I don't want it. I've never wanted it. I thought when I told you that I was studying Performing Arts you'd understand."
This came as a shock to Jiyeon. She thought she was the only one who knew her older brother's secret. But more importantly, she didn't think he was actually serious about pursuing this as a career. The girl took a quick glance at her environment as she wondered what was going on. And that's when Jiyeon realised.
They've lost.
this whole part was supposed to be kinda short but i ended up writing an essay- so thats why it's gonna be split into 3-ish parts
also like thanks for 5k yall🥺🥺🥺🥺🤍🤍