nct oneshots [2020-2023]

a r r a n g e d

a r r a n g e d   m a r r i a g e

nomin
2023.09.02
NOT EDITED

jeno was always misunderstood. he was viewed as cold, merciless or even dangerous but no one knew why he behaved the way he does. thats how people are though, they only care about what's on the surface, what they have easy access to but never what was behind someone else's eyes. jeno didn't choose to be this way, he never intended to grow up and become such a quiet and lonely person. everyone he loved seemed to distance themselves from him, the few people he considered his best friends slowly turned into casual people he only said hi to. he didn't understand how or why, it just always seemed to happen. he would put his all into a friendship just for the other person to eventually leave him alone. he was always alone and not in the sense that he was simply alone he was actually lonely and deprived of affection from others.

after his mother's death his father completely changed. he completely abandoned the family he worked so hard for. the family that comforted him when his projects got rejected or when he would get scolded. the family that was there for him when no one else was. he completely abandoned them. maybe not abandoned in the literal sense but emotionally he was gone from their lives. the only thing he would ever do is drink and spew nonsense about his work. at the young age of 17 jeno had to start working to provide for his three younger siblings. the little money that their father made he would waste on gambling or on cigarettes and alcohol. jeno was beyond grateful that his father wasn't abusive when drunk because considering how often he would be in a wrecked state of mind jeno and his siblings would be done for. despite not being present emotionally or financially for many years jeno's father suddenly had a change of heart. after a near death experience he truly understood that this life was only temporary. he wanted to spend the last years of his life with his kids creating fond memories that they never got to make earlier. but consequences always chases one until the end and suddenly he had to put his pride aside and get rid of his selfishness. he found himself standing in front of another man with both their hands stretched forward for a handshake. partnering with someone wasn't anything on mr.lee's list. he worked hard to build his reputation and brand and he has always dreamed of seeing jeno sit on his own office chair as the representative and chairman of his father's company. unfortunately life got in the way and here he was. despite the positive aspects of this partnership mr.lee couldn't helo but feel self conscious. not only does he have to share the business he cried, bled and sweat for but he also ended up agreeing on a marriage contract that would benefit both parties.
despite his father's changed lifestyle 26 year old jeno still lived with the habits of his old self. he still only ate small portions of food in hopes of his siblings being full while he often heard his stomach growl an hour or two later. his selflessness was admired by others but they didn't understand how much depth that selflessness had on jeno's life. a single day wouldn't pass where he wouldn't call his siblings making sure they lived comfortably. jeno created a name for himself however and despite having multiple new branches and multiple sources of income he would still catch himself behaving like everything he worked hard for wasn't his. in a way he still felt guilty whenever he thought about his father and how he hated him for not being there for them when they needed him the most but he eventually realized the only way he would heal his inner child is by being there for his siblings and future kids.

jeno knew he eventually would have to marry na jiyeon to please his father and her family but she was never into jeno and all his attempts to start a conversation were always unsuccessful and got shut down immediately. jeno wasn't particularly into her either he thought of himself as asexual but just wanted to make his father happy since ever since his mother's passing he never saw his father smiling if it wasn't while talking to her grave. jeno was willing to give everything up for his family and was more than willing to sacrifice his own happiness if it meant he would get to see his father's beautiful eye smile once more. the smile that was no longer shown was the same eye smile that he got from his father.
despite his effort to make this thing between hum and jiyeon work she never fails to surprise him from ditching him on dates to outright laughing at his face whenever he tried to bring the topic up. as 22 year old jeno was preparing for their wedding he was unaware that jiyeon wasn't preparing by trying on dresses or practicing her makeup. she had her own plan that would end uo successful. a bride's disappearance is never a good thing right? but especially when said bride is the rebellious na jiyeon. to put it simply the glamours wedding that was supposed to end up bringing joy and power to both families ending up with jeno afraid of jiyeon's father breaking off the marriage leading to his own father's misery but mr.na seemed to have caught on early on and instead blamed his own daughter and instead decided to continue with the plan but instead by using his gay son. he wasn't sure if jeno was gay but he assumed since he didn't protest there was a possibility he was into men. jeno's father was a bit traditional and unfamiliar with the concept of queerness but he was in no place to decline this offer.
still unsure he decides to talk about it with his son. mr.lee takes steady steps towards jeno's office, he looks around and smiles as he sees that the company has only been slightly renovated. he could still see himself walking in and out of the office after saying hi or bidding farewell to the receptionist. "jeno-ya" he lets out as he knocks on the office doors. "come in!" he hears fromthe other side. as he enters he watches as jeno continues signing something while trying to shift his eyes towards his dad. "it's like I'm looking at my younger self" mr. lee lets out with the smallest smile possible. "sorry, make yourself comfrtable I'll finish this quickly" jeno says without lifting his eyes from his desk. jeno's father takes a seat and starts looking around jeno's office. "sorry about that" jeno lets out with a small formal smile before adjusting his sleeves. "what did you want to discuss?" he asks while looking at his father. "jeno-ya you know I'm old and maybe even old fashioned so I'm not very acquainted of a lot of things you younger people do but I need to know what your thoughts are about jaemin and this whole new marriage"
oh jaemin. jeno could talk about him for hours. growing up jaemin was one of the few friends jeno had. he liked talking about himself but absolutely loved hearing jeno talk. despite jeno not being a good speaker with a lot to say jaemin never failed to make him feel important and like what he had to say was meaningful. unfortunately they drifted apart after jaemin's family moved away for a few years and even aftee coming back their bond wasn't the same.