Chapter Text
Lee Jihoon vividly remembers how days ago he was chained up against the wall of his room. He could still feel the ache of his bruised wrists and a few throbbing scars from being whipped. It was almost ridiculous to think that he’s getting dolled up right now to be someone’s bride in a few hours.
The makeup artists had done an amazing job at covering his imperfections made by his own parents. His mom had stayed still behind him since the process started, staring intently to make sure he was not misbehaving in any way.
His lips pursed as his thoughts travelled back to when this whole thing started.
“Get up,” his vision was blurry and his mouth was dry. All he could hear was his mother urging him to stay conscious while smacking his sides. How intelligent. He softly groans when his wounds started furiously hurting when his mom was harshly getting him out of the chains.
“I said stand up!” She started screaming and Jihoon hurriedly forced his weak body to stand up. Although he was shaking like hell, he was more scared of making his mom angry.
“Listen. You can’t mess this up.” She stripped him out of his smelly clothes and replaced him in new ones that he absolutely hated the color of.
”Go out and eat until your stomach explode. I don’t want them to think I starve my own son.” But you do. He kept his thoughts silent and could only nod obediently.
He found out he was being sold to someone only after he arrived at the venue. Without no explanation or warning, he was to be wed at that moment with someone he’s never even heard of.
His trailing thoughts was stopped when his mom started a commotion with one of the artists. He could only offer a glance when his mom absolutely chewed the poor woman out for leaving one spot of small bruise on his back.
“Mom,” he meekly but steadily called. “The ceremony is starting soon, we shouldn’t.” His mom’s eyes dart towards his figure and he could feel the breath catch in his throat.
She huffed, but let it go. “You’re lucky. If it was anyone else you’re getting married to, I would’ve told them to make more bruises on your little slutty body. Honestly, why do you have so many anyway? If my husband didn’t insist on keeping you, I would’ve thrown you out in the Red Light District like how your bitch of a mother ended up—” before she could further crush his feelings, a nearby escort stopped her sentences.
He was quite tall, his hair was cut into a fine mullet and he wore sunglasses so dark you couldn’t see a glimpse of his eyes.
“Please get out now. The bride’s going to change his outfit and I hope he would get the privacy he prefers. Get out before I get physical, please.” She was madly yelling at how she was his mother and she needed to be there but was thrown out the room anyways by the escort.
With a huff, the taller closed the door shut leaving only him and Jihoon in the large room.
”Thank you,” Jihoon mumbled softly. He couldn’t afford to cry right now since he’d ruin his makeup that the makeup artists had worked hours on. “Don’t mention it. She was really getting on my nerves in the first place anyway.” Jihoon finally smiled. He didn’t know who the escort was, but he never felt this way towards anyone. It was like finally having a friend that would stand up for you.
”I’m Xu Minghao, the Kwon’s private escort. My job is to keep you safe, but I’m sorry I hesitated to throw that woman out because she was your mom.” Jihoon shook his head. “It’s fine. How am I going to get changed again?”
“Oh right. Come, follow me.” He held out a hand for Jihoon to receive which the older quickly but politely refused. “Sorry. Skinship’s just… not my thing.” Minghao nodded in acknowledgment. “No worries. We can have you wear gloves later if you’d like.” Jihoon gratefully said yes and the two continued their ways down further in the room where the dresses and suits sit.
”We have options. Dress, suits or even dressuits. Whichever you prefer.” What the hell is a dressuit? Jihoon questioned to himself, but found the answer soon after when he was shown the catalogue.
”Certainly… unique.” He says with his forehead wrinkling from confusion which made Minghao chuckle. “I told Wonwoo to take it off the catalogue, but he insisted that we should have as much variety as possible.”
“Wonwoo?” Jihoon asked but continued flipping through the thick album of pictures of wedding outfits. All of them were attractive and he was having a hard time to choose. “Ah, sorry. He’s our tailor. All of these,” he gestured to the hundreds of pages of the album. “are his creations.”
Jihoon hummed then it went silent between them. Only the sound of paper rustling from the pages being flipped could be heard, but it wasn’t anything awkward. It was quite comfortable, actually.
“Have you decided on one?” Jihoon shook his head. “Would you like me to help? I’m quite an expert at fashion.” The older smiled and nodded.
Firstly he went through the suits section and immediately stopped when his eyes caught something. “I think you’d suit this.”
The design of the suit was nothing extravagant, it was rather simple but still managed to be eye-catching. The suit had a thin layer of glittering fabric on the outside that was almost subtle. It was white in color, but there were two roses placed in the chest pocket of the blazer. The description for the suit said; a glittering suit like diamond and stars, paired with roses that are the creator’s favorite sky color, Rose Quartz and Serenity.
“It’s not bad.” Jihoon was actually absolutely in love with it. “This then?” Minghao asked for confirmation and the older nodded. “I like it. Thanks.” The escort grinned as a response and led him in the changing room.
A female helper was there which made Jihoon hesitate but he was quickly assured by Minghao that she was trusted. Minutes passed by and when Jihoon was finally in his suit, he stopped to admire himself in the full length mirror provided in the room. The helper excused herself the moment Jihoon was done buttoning up so it was him alone inside.
It all felt like a strange, cruel dream. Plus it was unfamiliar. He hates unfamiliarity. Rather than this lavish and seemingly easy future he’s about to get, he’d rather choose getting locked up and getting starved for days in his home. Although it pains him so, at least it was familiar. He could predict his parents’ movement and know when to beg for food. But this whole thing he was caught up in was an enigma to him. The urge to run away was getting harder to fend off after each second pass.
”Sir Jihoon? Are you okay in there?” He snapped out of his thoughts and dusted of the nonexistent dusts on the suit before finally going out. Minghao broke into a large, satisfied grin. “Seems I made the right choice.” Jihoon could only offer a small smile after all that extreme thoughts he was having.
”Do you want me to put on your flowers?” Minghao asked with two stalks of roses in his hand. “I’ll put it on myself. Thanks anyway.” The taller nodded and handed him the flowers which he safely tucks in the suit’s breast pocket.
His makeup was done, his outfit is finished. All that’s left for him to do is to get this wedding done and over with. Physically he was prepared, after getting contentedly fed and daily check-ups at a hospital, his body had partly recovered. Mentally, though, he was far from okay. The thoughts running in his mind are certainly not friendly ones, but he couldn’t help but think of it. He did spent years alone in a dark room with no one to talk to, after all.
He took a deep breath in before following Minghao out of the room where he was faced with his furious mother who was trying to keep herself composed.
The clock strikes 11 in the morning and officially the wedding starts.