Secretary Jeon [Jungkook x Reader]

♡ 15

CHAPTER 15

I set my plan into motion, laying everything out on the table to my father about my 'relationship' with Taehyung. It had gone as well as I had expected it to, which was not at all. He scolded me, cursing me for acting irresponsibly and emotionally, and hung up the phone in a fit of rage. After, I presume, doing his research on Kim Taehyung's family and recognizing their level of wealth, he called me back to accept my terms of calling off the marriage interviews. Though, he did not bother extending an apology for his earlier behavior.

"Where did you meet him?" he questioned, feigning interest. His act wasn't fooling me, this was a test, not a genuine display of curiosity or excitement about his daughter's love story.

"We met in Paris at a conference we attended two months ago. It was love at first sight," I cooed, really playing up the drama. This was the story that Taehyung and I had come up with. Easily verified by plane tickets and receipts since we had both in fact attended that conference...we'd just never met. The best way to succeed in a lie was to tell a bit of truth.

"Two months, huh?" my father hummed. "So, you will be prepared to marry soon?" I wasn't even surprised that his mind immediately went down that path. I was just another source of profit to him, after all.

"We would like to properly court before rushing into marriage," I stood my ground. "As I am sure you know, his family is of similar status as ours, and they would very much like to see this succeed. They have already approved of the additional time that we requested."

He sighed, unable or unwilling to hide his disappointment. "Fine, I will allow the two of you to hold off, for now. However, I expect that you will publicly announce your engagement to prove that you are serious about one another."

"I can't wait!" I gave an overly upbeat response. "When would you like the announcement party to take place?"

"Tomorrow night. I will have the staff start preparing right away." Lovely. So, we would be diving right into things headfirst. I had to hope that Jungkook was ready for the ride because there would be no easing into this.

The man in question was due to be arriving any moment now. From one tense conversation to the next, with barely a second to catch my breath. I couldn't decide which one terrified me more- telling my father about my newfound fake lover or telling Jungkook that I'd gotten engaged to a stranger so that we could be together. Maybe I wouldn't lead with that...

Pacing the room back and forth and back and forth, I nibbled at the skin of my fingers. There was still a chance in all this that Jungkook would reject me, and all my efforts would be for nothing. Dark thoughts were getting the best of me, swallowing up my conviction. Not good enough. Not worthy. Not good enough. Not worthy.

The doorbell rang, and I was pulled from my haze, taking a deep breath to regain my composure. My hands were shaking as I turned the knob, opening the door to welcome my guest. "Hey, Jungkook."

"Hey, Y/N," he greeted quietly, stepping into my apartment. His face, his tone, his body language, everything, was impossible to read. He was keeping his cards close to his chest. I would be going into this blind.

I beckoned him over to the couch to take a seat, eager to get the conversation over with so that I could stop panicking. "I am not sure how I want to start this, but I don't want things between us to be awkward."

"I don't regret kissing you," Jungkook interjected, looking down at his hands, before returning his gaze to mine, locking our eyes. "I don't."

"I don't regret it either," I smiled, feeling the heaviness in my chest begin to lift. "But you know how things are...with my family."

Jungkook's jaw clenched, gritting his teeth. "I do." His eyes never left mine, he was hanging on my every word, but I could tell my comment had unnerved him.

"I think I found a way to keep my father off my case about marrying for a little while," I explained. "It's not the most traditional solution, but it's all I've got."

His face softened and he leaned in closer to me. "What is it?"

I pursed my lips, not wanting to speak the words for fear of his reaction, but I knew I couldn't drag things out any longer. "I've entered into a fake engagement with one of Jimin's friends."

Jungkook leaned back again, brows scrunched together, blinking rapidly as he considered my words. "I uh-"

"I know it's incredibly strange and slightly crazy and it's definitely not something you signed up for by kissing me," I rambled frantically.

"Let's do it."

"W-wait what?" I stuttered, flustered by his quick answer. Seeing his initial response to the fake engagement painted on his face like a flashing neon sign- shock and possibly even horror, I'd fully expected him to take off running. And I wouldn't have blamed him.

"I said let's do it," he confirmed. "I feel things for you that I can't even begin to explain, Y/N. I'll go along with whatever it takes if it means that I get to keep you in my life."

Hearing his confession, my heart skipped, and my stomach flipped over into a tangled mess. Relief couldn't even begin to describe it. I didn't know what was so special about Jungkook, I just knew that I couldn't accept 'us' coming to an end. If I had to marry someone else, I would never be able to keep him at my side. It would be too painful. We would never be able to return to a coworker relationship, even going back to a friendship was asking too much. He was so much more to me than that.

As much as I wanted to live in that moment forever, relishing in the bliss of the knowledge of his feelings towards me, I had to bring up another point of concern. "There is one more thing," I laughed nervously, pushing my hair behind my ears. "My family will be hosting the engagement party...tomorrow."

He raised an eyebrow at me in amusement. "Is that all?" Confidence like that looked damn good on him. I was pleased to know that he wasn't too put off by the idea of spending the evening with my fake fiancé. One less thing to worry about. Me, however? I was squirming at the thought.

"You don't have to go!" I waved my hands in front of me, hoping he would take me up on the offer to skip out.

He shook his head, "I'll be there. It would be strange for me not to be, as your secretary."