If Money Could Buy Love (BTS NamjoonxOC) [Forced Marriage AU]

Chapter 22

》Namjoon's POV

"I think it's time to let her go." I say, looking at my friends. We are sitting all around at Jungkook's house. Iseul left yesterday morning with her friends to the beach. So I decided to spend my Sunday with my friends. We had not had a reunion for a very long time. So now we are all together again: Jungkook, Hoseok, Jimin, Jin and me. 
Though Jin is not a close friend, he is my personal assistant and deserves to enjoy a nice free Sunday. 

"Hyung, you have liked her for the past three years. Are you really giving up on her when you two are married?" Jungkook asks, taking a drink. 

"We can't break the contract, if we do, I'll lose my partnership with her parents' company. That would destroy my progress and will affect the Mono 5 project. For now we'll have to stay married."
Hoseok rolls his eyes, walking to the poll and sitting by it's edge. "Namjoon, you know he didn't ask you that. Just answer."
I sigh, looking down at my glass of soda. "I don't want to give up on Iseul, but she loves Taehyung. She has for a very long time, and keeping her from him will make her hate me. We might be married, but our union means nothing more than a partnership and a one sided love." 

The boys nod understandingly. "And these days, it's hard to keep myself away from her. I am afraid of stepping my boundaries and end up hurting her." I throw my head back to look at the blue sky. 

"At this point, nothing will change between us. She has made it clear that she loves Taehyung. And I should respect her feelings." 

Jimin has a grim look on his face, "I think you shouldn't give up just yet. Iseul has never been in love before which makes her feeling for her friend questionable. If her life has been nothing but living up to her parents' expectations and never receiving affection from people, then you can't assume she is 100% sure about her feelings. She hasn't used the word 'love', but the word 'like'. There are different possible meanings to 'like' as to the word 'love'. And the human feelings tend to change drastically."

Jimin has a point, but I am tired of hiding my heart, of ignoring my feeling and waiting for Iseul's feelings to magically change. Of course I want to open up to her and tell her the truth, but I would be crossing a line she has put between us herself. "I understand that Jimin, but-"

"No but's Namjoon, Jimin is right. Stop whining about how Iseul doesn't love you, how she'll never will, and how her feelings for her friend still remains the same. Stand up, and wow her. Show her you really love her. Stop wasting your damn time in stealing kisses from her, or buying her stuff. If she isn't a materialist person, then wow her with emotions and actions." Hoseok says, annoyance in his voice. I guess I always make Isuel an issue when I hang out with the boys. 

"Fine, I'll do it. I won't waste my time anymore." I say, standing up walking to the pool. "Let's just have fun today. I'll stop worrying about my love life and relax."

"Yeah! Let's get it!" Jungkook shouts, running to the pool and diving into it. We laugh and decide to leave the topic of my complicated love life.
Iseul might not love me like I wish she did, but I need to stop backing down and start stepping up. No more running away. This time I must cross the line I put myself. It was never Iseul, it was my own fear.