𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

𝟭𝟰 | 𝗠𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗬

MOLLIFY
verb as in pacify, soothe

"A what?!"

Seokjin rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed. He crossed his arm petulantly and stared at Namjoon, now looking at him like a fish outside of the water.

"An interview," he repeats. His voice gruff to show his irritation.

Namjoon's furrowed. "For what?" utterly confused.

Seokjin let out a sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew Namjoon knows what he meant by the "interview". Namjoon is not that stupid but acting like one really hit his nerve. Not when he is tired dealing with a lot of people today at the office.

"Please do not make me angry, Namjoon. I know you know what is this all about. It's an interview about our new marriage. It's important to alleviate my image in public after all the mess!" he said viciously.

Namjoon's heart raced as he stared at Seokjin, evidently pissed off. But Namjoon could not decipher the sudden request. It was not the first time he had been asked to participate in an interview (for his books), but this one felt different – it was personal, delving into the very heart of their relationship. Namjoon couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, for their marriage had been anything but controversial.

As a renowned writer, Namjoon was no stranger to the public eye, but this was a different kind of spotlight. The thought of discussing the intricacies of his marriage, especially one that had been born out of necessity rather than love, made him uneasy.

How could he possibly convey the complexities of their relationship to an audience that craved a fairytale romance? Even if the public has known the truth behind their marriage, still they want Namjoon and Seokjin to feed them with some romance, isn't it?

Namjoon's mind drifted back to the day he halfheartedly agreed to marry Seokjin, one month ago. The decision had not been an easy one, and Namjoon had wrestled with the ethical implications of their arrangement. He's been facing a lot of turmoil since then. The marriage of convenience had taken a toll on his life. Everything had changed and Namjoon couldn't even tell himself whether he was happy or not with this new arrangement.

Namjoon admitted that Seokjin had become a bigger part of his life. Being the husband of a conglomerate had made him exposed to the public eyes twenty-four hours. Everyone wanted to know about their marriage life. Especially how they both delve into the relationship built out of desperation. Namjoon was stuck between his family and Seokjin. He tried to fit in but still Seokjin's cold demeanor makes his heart ached day by day.

"They will give the questions beforehand, so you don't have to worry about telling unnecessary information to them. I'll let Taehyung go through all the questions and prepare the answers too. Hoseok will be vetting everything and finalize it to be appropriate for the broadcast. Just read and memorize everything. That's the only thing you should do..."

Namjoon's long reverie paused at the statement, glancing at Seokjin for a few seconds before his eyes fixated on the book he was reading before. But his attention wasn't there anymore. "Do I – Do I need to attend the interview? I mean – "

"It was never a yes or no, Namjoon..." cuts Seokjin sharply.

Namjoon holds his breath. "So – sorry, I just – "

Seokjin chided at the younger. "This is what you must do when you marry me. This is your main role as my husband. Or whatever you must do to pay for the sin of your sister..." he said begrudgingly while his eyes on Namjoon like a hawk.

Namjoon's heart throbbed at the words. "I – I just worry if I ever made mistake during the interview – "

"Like I said, everything will be finalized by Taehyung and Hoseok. They will make sure everything will be on our favor. Just memorize all of it and do well in the interview. Wear something nice and be presentable too. Do not do something stupid that can bring more shame to me. I had enough of the mess done by your sister!"