Chapter Text
The food in front of Beomgyu already tasted bland in his mouth as he chewed while having dinner with Yeonjun’s family at their house. Mr. Choi was sitting in the middle of the long dining table at their dining hall still enjoying his food while taking a few glances between the conversation with his wife. Mrs. Choi's eyes were like a hawk, although still talking casually with her husband, she always takes the time to look at Beomgyu and her son that were sitting across the table. Beomgyu sometimes fidgeted in his seat as she took those sudden glances and lowered his gaze to his food.
Yeonjun was poking his fork at the food on his own plate. His face was seemingly bored to what his parents were talking about regarding their conglomerate, Choi Group. He knows he is the son of one of the wealthy elites in the country, the future of the company but sometimes he thinks that it’s too much and it was practically making him bored to go through the meetings and consultations he went through today. It was basically making him frustrated.
“Yeonjun, are you ok?” he heard Beomgyu say to him in a concerned tone, while also nudging him a little.
Yeonjun came to his senses from his long trail of thoughts, he looked at Beomgyu with a soft smile and nodded assuringly to him. Yeonjun mouthed a small ‘I’m fine’ to Beomgyu, he looked over to their parents and sighed that caught his mother’s attention who is now glaring at the both of them, telling them to behave.
Beomgyu has known Yeonjun for a few months now. They didn't accidentally bump into each other at the office, helping each other on the first encounter or even a buttdialing the wrong number. No, their parents wanted them to marry. Both were Choi families, at least a common ground there but mainly it was “to uphold the family business traditions for generations to come” as Yeonjun’s mother to whom Yeonjun always rolls his eyes when he hears it.
This arranged encounter was basically for business reasons, increasing power and wealth within their own families, ensuring they are saved from the unpredictable future. But starting like a couple of months ago, even though the both of them meet up like business appointments, somehow they started to understand each other better and Bomegyu can proudly call Yeonjun his boyfriend. Of course their parents knew, but both sides are still waiting for the couple’s verdict on whether or not to tie the knot.
Meanwhile, Beomgyu is the type to say it first. They discussed it with each other when they had a meet up at Beomgyu’s apartment, they both agree to tell Yeonjun’s parents first and Beomgyu thinks it's time to call the shots. He held a glass and a fork while slowly standing up from his seat. He lightly tapped his glass with the fork, he wanted to make an announcement and he had certainly caught everyone’s attention as there were only the four of them in the dining hall, Beomgyu included.
“Ehem, I- I would like to make an announcement,” he said looking at the three other people at the table.
Yeonjun and his parents were both now looking at him, a bit confused by the sudden way he acted at the table during dinner tonight. He usually kept to himself but today was a different Beomgyu. Yeonjun was giving him an eyebrow raise and mouthing ‘what are you doing?’ seemingly confused at his boyfriend's behaviour.
“Uhh, so as you know. Me and Yeonjun have known each other for a while,” he cleared his throat while taking a glance at Yeonjun beside him, his face knew what Beomgyu was trying to do. “For the past couple months, I have started to take a liking to him, and I can rightfully say that I- I love Yeonjun. I hope we can be together going forward for marriage. We both hope for your blessings.”
Beomgyu still stood at the dining table, now grasping Yeonjun’s hands on the table. Truthfully, he felt anxious to announce this matter to Yeonjun’s parents but he knew his boyfriend was still by his side. Or so he thought at first.
Yeonjun stared up at Beomgyu with wide eyes, his grip also tightening between Beomgyu’s hand as his heart fluttered. In some way, he felt proud of him doing this for them, for their future together. He loves Beomgyu more for this. His parents, who were fixated talking about their business affairs before, now looked at each other and felt shocked until Mr. Choi cleared his throat and spoke up.
“How… What great news! Right darling?” He quickly turned to his wife signalling her to say something.
Beomgyu began to slowly sit down back on his seat. Looking at Yeonjun and now back to Mr. and Mrs. Choi, both of them are still stunned to speak, but at the same time Beomgyu felt relieved that he got this off his chest as the both of them had talked about this for so long. Yeonjun felt relieved too, he then broke the awkward silence and decided to speak up.
“I also care about him too. I’m happy as long as he is happy,” Yeonjun said to his parents and then smiled at Beomgyu.
“Yea-yeah. Mom, Dad…” as Beomgyu looked at his future in-laws.
Mrs. Choi was shifting uncomfortably in her seat, meanwhile her husband was nodding in an understanding and accepting gesture of what the future holds for the couple. However, Mrs. Choi scoffed, crossing her arms as she gave a disapproving frown to the both of them as if this was bad news for the family. She then cleared her throat before speaking.
“We will discuss the wedding later. But don’t you think you both are going a bit fast? I think it’s still early to get married?” she asked, her tone was filled with a hint of mockery and while looking at Beomgyu like it was his fault all of this happened.
“I uh-,” he stammered to reply to Mrs. Choi’s argument.
She then smirked, like she knew she caught the culprit, the one who planted this seed of pretending to love her son, she didn’t want Beomgyu to marry him in the first place and her mission was that alone.
“Aigoo, you’re both still busy. Let’s not think too much about this yet. I don’t believe that rushing this matter will solve anything yet. Both companies are still looking out for each other. I think you both need more time to… well discuss this again,” she said to the both of them but her eyes were back on Beomgyu like she wanted to take him apart piece by piece.
Yeonjun frowned at his mother’s words, he can’t believe that she is saying these while his father already agrees to their marriage. He wanted to open his mouth to argue back but Beomgyu spoke first.
“I feel that we both already know each other really well Mrs. Choi, and I think this is our decision to make as a cou-,” Beomgyu was cut off in the middle of his explanation by her.
“Oh, how about what both of us feel about this Beomgyu?” he looked at her husband who dropped his head to meddle with his food, “We as Yeonjun’s parents also care about him. I think also as his parents, we would know what our Yeonjun would do. Right, Yeonjun?” she said now looking at Yeonjun as if she wanted her son to agree with him on the agenda.
Her son frowned, barely making eye contact with her. He was furious there and then but he didn’t want to say anything to her, as she is still Yeonjun’s mother. Beomgyu was feeling hopeless, he was trying to explain their relationship to his boyfriend’s mother but he felt frustrated like Yeonjun didn’t even defend him. He didn't defend their relationship.
“Love. Love doesn’t happen overnight you know,” she continued to say to them but her words cut deep with her tone sharp and full of disapprovement.
Mr. Choi finally felt the need to intervene in this heated quarrel between his wife and the guys. He wanted to try and calm both sides down.
“Let’s not argue, dear. I think they have a point,” as he pleaded with his wife to stop her from making this a big issue when it was already a heated topic between both of the families. “We can’t-” suddenly he was now cut off by Beomgyu mid persuasion with his wife,
“I believe- As Mr. Choi said that we have a point, and it is love!.” he replied rebelliously to her while slightly talking in a more higher tone. Beomgyu thinks that he may have gone too far with it.
Mrs. Choi scoffed while looking at him in disbelief, her eyebrows furrowed as if she was now ready to fight Beomgyu right there and then on the dinner table and said “You’re a fool Beomgyu. To think that love can just happen that quickly!”, she snapped her fingers to prove the point she was making “It takes time, patience, and maturity which I’m sure the both of you don’t possess at the moment!” she said harshly to the both of them, while also looking disappointed at her son.
Beomgyu’s grip on his pants tightened and tears were now forming at the corner of his eyes. Beomgyu has got to get a hold of himself, he is starting to get emotional.
“I-I’m sorry Mrs. Choi,” he sniffled through his nose but still tried to not cry in front of everyone at the table.
Mrs. Choi noticed Beomgyu's watery eyes and decided to strike at that precise moment at Beomgyu’s vulnerable state he is in right now she said “See?! Crying! Like a toddler. Do you think crying is going to solve all of your problems? It’s embarrassing Beomgyu!”.
Yeonjun saw how upset Beomgyu was and he silently placed his hands on Beomgyu’s thighs in an attempt to comfort him. Beomgyu just glanced at him, his teary eyes mixed with his disappointed expression at Yeonjun as if to tell him ‘Why are you not saying anything?’. Beomgyu grabbed a used tissue on the table in front of him and wiped the tears from his eyes.
“I’m sorry I need to go to the bathroom. Excuse me,” Beomgyu stood up from his chair and hurriedly walked to the bathroom while clenching his fist to distract himself from bursting into tears.