The Contract

Convince Her

Three Months Later

Yoongi's POV

His bandmates had been in as much shock as he was. He tried to hide his emotions for their sakes' but they knew him better than that. He hid himself in his hotel room as much as possible, burying himself in his music. Maybe if he didn't come out it wouldn't be real. His company extended a few things but he knew eventually he'd have to return. It was this gray weight, hanging over his head and resting on his shoulders. Ever-present.

And eventually, it was time.

--

His uncle sent a car to the band's apartment. No hello, no please. He knew he had no choice.

When he got to his uncle's mansion, the man was in his study. Food was brought. Neither said anything to the other. Yoongi stared at the food as his uncle ate and took a few phone calls. He wasn't hungry. He felt helpless. Trapped. He refused to look up at the man who had enchained him.

When the dishes had been cleared away, his uncle finally spoke.

"I'm giving you an assignment."

"What if I don't want it?" He knew he was powerless but that didn't mean he couldn't make things as unpleasant as possible. As long as he technically followed the contract there was nothing that could be done. And why go along meekly, like a sheep to the slaughter? His voice had an edge of resistance to it. His uncle gave him a look and then continued.

"She's proven to be more uncooperative than I anticipated." Yoongi found himself completely lacking empathy. "She's not developing on the timeline I set. I don't want her in my house anymore." A pause as his uncle shifted in his seat.

"I bought an apartment, you both will move in. She needs Korean lessons. She needs to start graduate studies, the American investors will care about the credentials. She needs to start learning the business. Make her stop laying in bed." The snake made an exasperated sound. "I thought she wasn't lazy, everything looked good on paper. She sounded so enthusiastic in her job interview."

"Maybe she doesn't like being forced to do things she doesn't want to do." Yoongi muttered dryly.

"I don't care. You're her husband." Yoongi flinched slightly at the word. "Straighten her out. Your future with your band depends on this. Make the marriage work." The last sentence was spit in his direction.

His uncle's adviser showed him to her door, bowed, and left. Yoongi looked at the door for a long minute. He didn't want to do this. Every nerve screamed for him to turn and walk away. But music was all he had now. He steeled up his nerves and willed his fist to knock on the door.

His resolve to not force his way in left him knocking for several more minutes but finally he heard soft footsteps padding on carpet and the door cracked open.

They stared at each other before he bowed.

"Anyeonghaseyo." She looked at him for a moment, debating. Then she bit her lip and opened the door a little wider.

"Anyeonghaseyo." She quietly replied. How was he going to communicate with her? His spoken English was not the best and he knew she didn't know much Korean.

"How are you?" He said haltingly.

"I hate it here." Despite the situation, he smiled slightly at her candor.

"Me too." She opened the door wider.

"You can come in." Her room was spacious. She had two suitcases in the corner. There were various expensive-looking trinkets and clothes in another corner; he assumed attempts by his uncle to bribe her. None had been touched. They stood in the middle of the room, eyeing each other warily.

"Why are you here?" She finally asked, breaking the silence. He felt slightly panicky. How to explain....? He pointed at the suitcases.

"We go." He pointed at the door. "You here don't live."

"I can leave....?" She asked hesitatingly. He nodded. "Why?" He put his hand to his head, wishing he'd had more time throughout his life to study English. Or that Namjoon was here. One of the two. "Your uncle is letting me leave?" She prompted.

"Slow please." She repeated it slower. "Yes. You...can leave here. We can."

"Where are we going?"

"Apartment." She looked at him hard.

"Was this you or your uncle?" She said slowly, emphasizing each word. There was a measured aspect to her tone, a slight warning.

"Uncle."

"I don't want to go." Ah, now he could see why his uncle was having problems.

"Me too. But...we have to." She bit her lip again and looked down. There were so many things he would say if there wasn't a language barrier. "Please?" He tried to convey all the threats he'd been subjected to and all his wishes to not do this in that one word. He held out his hand to her. He felt awkward, everything was awkward. But he had to do this.