CONTRACT MARRIAGE ||KookV||

6

When the two made it downstairs to the dining room, the dinner table had long been set. Grandpa Jeon was at his seat, while beside him sat a middle-aged man and a beautiful, dignified woman. Taehyung guessed they must be Jungkook's parents.

Sure enough, without delay, he heard Jungkook call out to them, "Dad, Mom."

Taehyung followed along beside him, and just as it was before with grandpa Jeon, there he went again with that feeling of awkward reservation.

"Oh, you came down? Come, sit over there." Yejun said, beckoning them, her gaze lingering on Taehyung's body. The look was in no way malicious one, as the smile she wore seemed quite pleased. Regardless of this, Taehyung still felt a bit awkward. It looked like he felt no matter what status he had as he appeared in that place, would come off as a joke.

Jungkook with Taehyung beside him, made their way over, simply for the task of mutual introductions.

The awkward boy went on to say, "Hello Uncle, hello Aunty. I am Kim Taehyung."

"Have a seat." Jeon Jihoon motioned.

"Come on now, hurry up and sit. Stop standing around." Yejun instructed with a smile.

Both Taehyung and Jungkook took a seat just as Yejun spoke, "Taehyung, you don't have to be so nervous, since you and Jungkook will be married just think of us as your own family, alright." Even though she said those words, Taehyung just couldn't do so. He was only able to do his best to maintain a smile.

The dinner was fairly peaceful. Unexpectedly, it was not just grandpa Jeon who was very much bothered about his grandson's marriage to a man. Jihoon and Yejun were both also unconcerned about the matter, they were even asking about the wedding plans.

"So Taehyung, are you twenty yet? When are you two planning on registering the marriage?" Yejun probed. With same-sex marriages now being legal, the legal age for marriage was revised as well.

"He's already twenty, and I'm going to the Department of Civil Affairs next week," Jungkook stated.

Hearing what he said the chopsticks in Taehyung's hand froze, his lips drew together lightly, sealing themselves without a word.

"When's the wedding going to be? Do you have any ideas?" Yejun prodded, "Is there going to be a banquet, or are you two planning on travelling overseas to get married?"

"It doesn't matter to me, ask him." It was true, Jungkook really did not care about those things, it would all be left up to Taehyung's personal preferences.

This sentence of course prompted Yejun to turn her attention towards Taehyung," So do you have any ideas, Taehyung? You don't have to be so nervous, you know, whatever suggestions you have you can just tell us."

"I......" he felt his throat tighten, "I will."

He would because he simply lacked the power to not do so.

After he accepted, he was left in a daze, one which even Jungkook noticed. Not long after they had finished with their meal, he took Taehyung and left.

On their way back to Jungkook's apartment, Taehyung gradually relaxed. Even though that place also made him quite uncomfortable, compared to the Jungkook's family home, it was much better. In that flat, he would only have to face that man, but there, he would have to come face-to-face with that man's entire family.

It wasn't that he was afraid of them, just that he did not know how he should face those elders while they were in front of him, discussing and consulting him, about the wedding since he did not wish to be married. That he, in fact, wanted his own life, and no matter how friendly they were during this situation, they still were not his kin. His only relative was back in that tiny village, the old man he called, Grandpa.