UNPLANNED | namjoon ✔️

11 - unusual

double update, read chapter 10 first!

~mama bagels

❁ CHAPTER 11 ❁

UNUSUAL

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"No."

"Hear me out-"

"Joonie... no," you said softly, shaking your head.

He eyed you across the restaurant table. Both of you had been drinking - not enough to be drunk, but you could feel it coursing through your veins now, setting them alight with the strangeness and absurdity of his words.

"Why not?" Namjoon said, a generous edge to his voice. He reached over, placing a hand over yours. "Nari can go to school where you work, then. It solves your problem completely."

"That's precisely why not," you laughed a little, squeezing his hand. "Because it solves my problem. You are always doing so much for me, Joonie. You're not doing this for me too."

"I'm doing it for Nari," he replied instantly. "And for you. Can't I do this for my best friend?"

"Yes, but... but won't it be hard to explain to women you go out with?" you chuckled. "Oh, by the way, I'm married to my best friend so that her kid can go to this poncy school."

He rolled his eyes. "That's the last thing I'm worried about."

"Joonie, I appreciate it," you said now, confused by how casual he was about the whole thing. "But I can't let you do it."

Namjoon paused, considering your words, before he leaned forward to speak quietly.

"You gave something up for me a long time ago," he said in a low, gentle voice, stroking a thumb over the back of your hand. "Let me do this for you now."

Your heart raced at his words. The pair of you never spoke about that day in his bedroom, when you had given him your welcome pack for Page7 and left in a flood of tears. It was one of the hardest things you had ever done, but you didn't regret it one bit. Namjoon had an amazing career there, and you had Nari, and your students. Life had turned out well for you both.

And yet you knew Namjoon felt indebted to you. You were convinced that was why he was such a huge help over the last few years. That, and because he was such an enormously kind and generous person to everyone he knew.

"It's insane," you said eventually, after considering it. "Completely, utterly insane."

Namjoon's dimples punctured his cheeks as he grinned. He knew you were thinking about doing it.

"Yes," he nodded. "But it just might work."

You studied him carefully. He really didn't seem to be joking, or wasted, or on drugs, and so now you were starting to seriously think about it too.

Could you really do this? Marry Namjoon, all so that Nari could get into some school you sort of hated now anyway?

But you knew that when it came to choices, you were limited. You had a job to think about. A mortgage to pay.

And Nari was so smart. Youwanted her to have the best start in life, at a school like that. At the end of the day, you were doing it for her.

"Okay," you breathed. "I cannot believe I'm agreeing to this, but okay, let's do it. But... I don't think we should tell anyone, except our friends, and the school. Especially not Nari. It will confuse her."

Namjoon was nodding, smiling a little. "I agree."

"Good," you said, nodding too, a little numb to how strange this whole thing was. "So... when do you suggest we...?"

Namjoon shrugged, glancing at his watch and then back at you. "What are you doing right now?"

Your eyes went wide. "Now?"

"Why not?" he shrugged again, drawing out his phone and calling someone, letting it dial as he continued. "You're in a dress. I'm in a suit. We may as well."

And before you could reply to his utterly ludicrous logic, the person he was calling picked up.

"Eomma, can you look after Nari for a little longer tonight?" he said, not taking his eyes from you. "We have to go into town quickly. We might not get back until late."

Mrs. Kim must have agreed, because Namjoon thanked her and rung off, giving you a mischievous smirk.

"Well?" he said, draining his whiskey and holding a hand out to you. "Shall we?"

-- ★ --

The courthouse was empty, considering that it was nearly closing time.

Namjoon went to the desk and explained that you needed an emergency appointment, and thankfully, the registrar was free. You were asked to wait, and so you stood off to the side of the room, the adrenaline pumping through your veins like never before.

"You know, I never really planned on getting married in a courthouse," Namjoon mused, glancing up at the ceiling as you waited to be called in.

"Well, I never planned on marrying a man who I've seen passed out naked on a beach in Thailand, but life is full of surprises," you retorted, poking him in the side. "Go with it."

"Don't lie, you loved seeing my butt on that beach," he teased, and then his tone turned wistful. "It was perky back then."

"It's perky now," you reached back and slapped his butt. "Damn, Joonie, you been hitting the gym?"

"Ouch, woman," Namjoon groaned, rubbing the place you'd hit him. "And yes, I have, thanks for noticing by molesting me."

The corners of your mouth tugged upward in a smile at that nickname. "It's been a while since you called me woman."

"Well, don't get used to it," he murmured. "I'll be calling you wife soon."

For one terrifying second, your stomach somersaulted at the sound of it.

And then the registrar had peeked her head around the door of the office and was calling you in, and there was no more time to think about it.

He turned to you and grinned, a dimple poking his cheek, and it put you at ease.

You grinned back.

You were going to marry Namjoon, your best friend of eight years, right here and now.

What could possibly go wrong?

-- ★ --