𝖲𝟣 𝖤𝖯𝖨𝖲𝖮𝖣𝖤 𝟨
⌗ 𝖳𝖶 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗅𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗍 𝗅𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗎𝖺𝗀𝖾 ¡! ❞

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌, an imposing structure that seemed to grow out of the ground like a dragon coiling around itself. The exterior of the building shimmered beneath the last luminosity of the dwindling sunlight, its lavish extrinsic a pastiche of dark jade and rich gold accents, glinting under the lambency.

Tall pillars rose from the ground, sculpted with intricate designs of mythical creatures, whose forms seemed to shift in the light, alive with ancient power. Lanterns, suspended from the roof, hung like luminous orbs, casting a soft, golden glow over the entrance in the fading eventide. The breeze beyond hummed of luxury and wealth, and Ahn Jihye could feel the weight of it pressing down on her as the driver cut the engine of the car.

The back doors of the black Benz sedan swung open almost simultaneously, with one escort stood on Jihye's side, and another on Hanwool's, dressed immaculately in stygian black, pressed suits.

Without a word, Jihye stepped out of the vehicle, feeling the crisp eve ether caress her supple skin like an invisible tether, pulling her further into the world she didn't want belong to.

However, Hanwool, ever the picture of calm, was already whisking away, his footfalls deliberate and unhurried as he ambled towards the grand opulent entrance of the restaurant, the escort tailing closely behind him before rushing by to open the door for them.

"Does that asshole think he's the chaperone?" Jihye released a scornful chuff as she followed him on his detached trail, the soles of her ebony loafers plodding on the stone pathway as she tried to keep pace, her eyes briefly snapping to him, her mind still swirling with the remnants of their conversation.

He didn't spare a glance back at her, moving with the same fluid grace, as if this entire ritual was second nature to him, etched into his very being. And like a mere afterthought, he left her to walk on her own behind him despite them being together.

As they treaded beneath the ornate archway past the entrance, the interior of the restaurant opened before them like an imperial temple. The flooring was an inky lacquered marble, the polished surface reflecting the exquisite gleam of the hanging crystalline chandeliers that hung aloft from the high ceilings as they strode by.

The refined ambience was rather assuage, the distant murmur of other guests a sheer whisper in the distance. As they walked, the soft rustle of silk and the clink of porcelain echoed faintly throughout the vast space. A series of delicate wooden screens partitioned the area, their surfaces painted with elaborate scenes of birds in flight and flowers in full bloom, their colors vibrant and rich, despite the sombre lighting.

Upon nearing their private dining room, the escort leading them halted, bowing slightly as they approached a hefty doorway made of dark ligneous wood, its surface smooth and polished, looming beyond the two.

As Jihye finally caught up, closing the distance, she stood next to him, her muscles bundling up and stiffening, heart tying itself into a knot with a heavy feeling as she glared at the door before her.

Sensing her presence, Hanwool's arm slithering down by his side, swiftly taking a hold of her delicate one as his hand found hers. The pit of his smooth palm moulded perfectly against hers as his fingers threaded through the gaps of her own, entwining their fingers with a gentle yet firm grasp, settling with an ease that felt practiced, yet of second nature.

"Let me make things clear for you one last time, Ahn Jihye." His tone came as an abrupt low murmur, his grasp remaining steadfast, as his fingertips tightening ever so slightly around hers, like a silent warning, a restraint disguised as something almost natural. "Don't bring up anything that would cause trouble for both you and me. In fact, don't speak at all unless necessary."

Jihye let out a breathy scoff, her grip twitching in his hold. "You've got quite the nerve to tell me what to do, especially after all that bullshit just now."

His fingers curled just the slightest bit tighter around hers. "I think," he mused, "you know better than to make a scene right now."

"Struck a nerve, did I?" A stifled chuckle escaped her lips, deep, nearly inaudible, yet laced with something mocking.

"Don't push it."

Standing hand in hand alongside Hanwool, the door was suddenly opened silently by another attendant, revealing the private dining area on the other side of the grand doors.

The room was massive, far larger than Jihye had expected, with a large, round table adorned with gilded porcelain dishes at its center, surrounded by plush chairs upholstered in deep red velvet. The walls were emblazoned with traditional Chinese tapestries, their intricate designs depicting ancient legends, dragons winding through palled clouds, with phoenixes soaring high above sweeping wave tides.

As the two set foot inside, the ambient radiance of the chandelier fanned out a golden sheen over the opulence of the dining room, where their glances instantly fell upon the two men at the far end of the round table.

𝐀𝐇𝐍 𝐉𝐀𝐄𝐊𝐘𝐔𝐍𝐆 and 𝐏𝐇𝐈 𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐁𝐀𝐄𝐊 raised their glasses in quiet accord, the crystalline chime of fine glassware striking, filling the volatile milieu with a refined finality.

"This is an achievement worth celebrating," Jaekyung intoned, his voice smooth, each syllable measured with the precision of a man accustomed to authority. The deep burgundy of his wine swirled as he lifted it in a composed toast. "AGA's recent success is just the beginning. Sure, we've set the bar high, but I will make sure we continue to surpass it. This is just the first step."

"Very, very bold words, my friend." Yeonbaek remarked, as he hoisted his glass with practiced ease, the intense crimson of the wine catching the light as he twirled it idly. "But then again, I've never had reason to doubt you. Especially now, with Daeil Group reduced to nothing more than a cautionary tale. The path ahead is clear, and if anyone can turn that bold ambition into certainty, it's you, Ahn Daepyo-nim."

"You know I couldn't have done it alone, Phi Hoejang. If not for the help of YB Family, it would've been impossible."

"Ah well, you could say it's partially for the respect I have for your father, late Chairman Ahn. He's done a lot for YB Foundation, it's about time I give back what I owe."

The faint melody of soft laughter interwove with the delicate clatter of silver against porcelain, the air thick with the rich aroma of lacquered viands and aged wine drifting in the zephyr.

Phi Yeonbaek was the first to swerve his keen gape towards the hefty entrance as Hanwool and Jihye strode through, their hands intertwined with one another. With a slight tilt of his glass, he gestured towards the empty seats reserved for them, bidding them to the chairs on the other end of the table in a silent decree.

"Ah, here, our future generation." Yeonbaek's voice rang out, the edges of his words smooth and controlled, but there was an undercurrent to his tone. "I'm glad the two of you could join us tonight. Take a seat."

The door behind them closed with a soft thud, as the two bowed their heads instinctively before making their way over to the table.

Hanwool sauntered ahead, his strides steady, but paused mid-step when he felt Jihye hasn't budged from her posit. He glanced over his shoulder to find her still rooted to the ground, her head lowered, lost in some distant thought.

Without a word, his thumb gently pressed against the back of her entwined hand, the subtle nudge jolting Jihye from her reverie, snapping her back to the present with a quiet, almost imperceptible shudder.

"They make quite the pair, don't they?" Yeonbaek chimed. "Two sharp minds, raised by sharper men, don't you think?"

"I suppose, it has always been in both our heritages." Jaekyung leaned back in his chair, setting his glass upon the surface of the table as he let out a soft, knowing chuckle. "They've known each other for far longer than anyone realizes," he uttered, his voice smooth but tinged with a trace of mirth. "Since they were children, in fact. Long before their families' ambitions to join forces ever crossed their heads."

The two took their seats across from their fathers in solemn silence, as if the very air between them thickened with ponderous tension. Jihye, with a deliberate grace, freed her hand from Hanwool's gripe, her fingers momentarily lingering before slipping from his hold as though reclaiming some small fragment of herself.

The elder men's voices, rich and sonorous, began to echo through the space, reverberating within their eardrums like the distant tolling of a bell, the words tumbling over each other in an indistinct murmur, filling the air with an oppressive weight that seemed to press upon their very chests.

Ahn Jaekyung glanced over towards the young teenagers, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards in a stealthy grin. "It's a bond established over years, built on more than just connections or interests. They've grown up together, been groomed together, trained together. It will be interesting to see where that kind of history takes them."

Yeonbaek let out a faint chortle, as he raised his glass, swirling the wine before taking another swallow, the rouge liquid sliding across the glass, pooling into his mouth.

"Well," he spoke, "if they've been inseparable for this long, it might be time to move on to the next step, wouldn't you say? Perhaps we should start discussing dates, or at least the wedding plans."

Hanwool bluntly poured himself a glass of water as he vigorously grabbed the carafe, knuckles whitening as though the act alone could siphon the unrest clawing beneath his skin. The water surged, sloshing tumultuously before spilling into his glass in uneven rivulets, trembling as if echoing the tension coiled within him. Without pause, he pressed the rim of the cup to his lips, tipping his head back and downing it in one go, the fleeting cool rush doing little to steady the tempest that churned beneath his composed facade.

He exhaled sharply as he set the emptied vessel upon the table, the hollow clink ringing through the silence, a quiet testament to the unease he refused to name aloud.

"Didn't he tell me not to make a fuss in front of them? Look at this asshole now." Jihye arched a brow, throwing a sidelong glare at Hanwool as the subtle ruckus he caused snatched her attention, their fathers' laughter blearing far off into the distance, meaningless compared to the silent anomaly seated beside her. "He could've at least poured me a drink too. I'm just as frustrated as he is, maybe even more."

"Ah, I see," Jaekyung said, his voice low and dripping with dry amusement. "You think we should just skip the formalities and go straight to the wedding bells, ey?" He chuckled softly, the sound more like a rumble of contemplation than humor.

A hushed, bitter scoff slithered past her lips, a dour sound twisting, warping into something far more insidious — A breath of disbelief, churning into a brittle hollow chuckle that escaped the back of her throat. Her vision veered off to the side, the plush of her lips puckering in a sardonic grimace, as a sneer clawed its way up, breaking apart like fractured glass, morphing into something that teetered between derision and something far more fragile.

"I'd say it's about time to strengthen the businesses further. To build on this partnership we've got going. To finally join our prodigious lineages together." Yeonbaek laughed, his words carefully measured, as though testing their waters. "We can't afford to let opportunities slip by." His eyes moved from Hanwool to Jihye, gauging their reactions. "Maybe it's time for a little more of a...personal investment."

Jihye finally spoke, her voice icy as she looked directly at her father, trying to hide the growing anger beneath her calm exterior. "Are we seriously talking about this right now? In the middle of dinner?"

"Jihye." The thins of Hanwool's eyes darted towards her stance, a quiet admonition woven into the intensity of his glare.

A pause — as everything came to a standstill, the aether enveloping them draping heavy as if time itself had drawn a breath and held it in suspense.

Then, Phi Yeonbaek snickered anew, his tenebrous orbs gleaming with amusement, boring straight through hers. "Aigoo, Jihye," he said with a soft, teasing tone. "You've always had a fierce tongue."

"But you'll learn that sometimes, we must think beyond the immediate." He turned to Jaekyung, as if Jihye's response had been nothing more than a passing remark.

"You know, business alliances can be strengthened in many ways, especially when the next generation is already involved in the picture."

The older Phi leant back in his chair, his gaze flicking towards his son, then to Jihye. "You're both young, yes. But there's no better time than now to begin preparing for the roles you'll eventually take on. Education, College, yada yada, will come, of course, but let's not forget the weight of what truly matters."

"After all, what's a degree compared to making the right connections?"

Jaekyung emitted a scarce breathy laugh, his hand raising to signal one of the waitstaff to begin serving the first course. "The future of our businesses and families have been in the making even before the two of you were born." His utterance was liberal, yet there was something unnerving smeared in his tone of voice.

"So, as for the future of the two of you..." He paused, glancing briefly at Jihye before turning his attention to Hanwool. "It's already been decided, set in stone long before either of you were brought into this world. Like, what's the saying? A match made in heaven."

Jihye felt her skin prickle at his words, the casual cruelty of them sinking in deeper than she would have liked to admit. She met her father's gaze, unable to mask the flash of defiance in her own. "A match made in heaven?" she repeated, her voice tight, "More like one made in a boardroom."

"If this so-called match is so perfect, then why does it need to be forced?"

Ahn Jaekyung's eyes thinned into slits, the severity of his behold cutting through her like a knife. "You should watch your tone, Jihye," he announced. "This is not the time for childish tantrums."

But Jihye, already teetering on the brink, felt no intention to hold back. "Childish tantrums?" she repeated, her voice growing louder now, her chest rising with the swell of her fury. "No. This is me standing up for myself, Abeonim. For once, I'm not going to sit here like a doll and let you dictate my every step."

Heavy eyelids pried themselves closed, as a breath, slow and weighted, escaped Hanwool's lips, scarcely audible beneath the tension laden tenor, an ephemeral reprieve from the tempest swirling around him. His fingers flexed against his lap before curling into a loose fist, a faint crease forming between his brows, a minutes crack in his impassive veneer.

"You call it duty, tradition, family honor or whatever. But let's not dress it up in pretty words. This is control, plain and simple. And if you think I'll just stay quiet and let you trade me off like an asset, then maybe you never knew me at all."

Yeonbaek's glance batted over her, a trace of raillery flashing in his eyes, but it quickly faded, replaced by something piercing. "It's endearing, really," he mused with a grin almost indulgent, infused with a knowing ferity, "how young people think they can escape and outrun such fate. But you'll come to understand, Jihye. Everyone does, sooner or later."

"Success, wealth, all of these luxuries aren't trifles one can just stumble into," Yeonbaek continued, his voice still light and mocking, but there was a certain edge to it now as he gestured broadly at their surroundings, the very air steeped in affluence.

"You have to build it. Earn it. And what better way to ensure that than with a partnership that guarantees both our futures? You can have all the knowledge, education, college degrees in the world— but families like ours? We have no need to chase for such things. We already possess everything. The only thing left is to consolidate our power."

Jihye's pulse quickened, a piercing, erratic thrum against her ribcage. Her mind raced, thoughts colliding in a maelstrom of umbrage, yet the words felt strangled in her throat, struggling to form through the sheer weight of her exasperation. "You think I want this?" she spat, her voice trembling with a meddle of rage and disbelief. "You think I've spent my whole life growing up for this? To just end up as your pawn in some game where I have no say in?"

Yeonbaek leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly, though his tone remained almost playful, as if this were nothing more than an amusing conversation. "You don't have to like it,