CHAP 1

                                    

                                          
It all started on an unusually hot afternoon. Kim Mingyu, a tall and handsome university student with a mischievous grin and a knack for pulling pranks, was lounging in his family’s luxurious garden, completely unaware of the twist his life was about to take. Aged twenty-one and comfortably living the life of a young, carefree student, he was oblivious to the darker side of the world his father, Mr. Kim, kept from him. His family had done well in business, and although his father always had a serious look whenever he mentioned "old friends" or "business partners," Mingyu rarely paid it much attention.
But today, his father’s tone was different.
“
Mingyu,” his father’s voice boomed through the garden, instantly pulling him out of his daydreams. Mingyu looked up, immediately noticing the unusual tension in his father’s eyes.
“Dad? What’s up?” Mingyu asked, chuckling nervously as he saw his father’s solemn expression.
“Mingyu, you’re aware of our family’s business, yes?” Mr. Kim asked, sitting down beside him. “And that we’ve maintained strong alliances over the years to ensure our success?”
Mingyu nodded. He knew his father’s business was involved in countless industries, from real estate to import-export, but his father had always left out certain… specifics.
“There’s an old friend of mine,” Mr. Kim continued, choosing his words carefully. “A powerful man with whom I’ve maintained a long-standing alliance. He has a son—a very successful man, a prominent figure, someone people… fear.”
At this, Mingyu’s interest was piqued. “Fear? Dad, are we talking about some mafia boss or something?” he laughed, but his laughter faded as his father’s silence confirmed his suspicion.
“Yes, Mingyu. That’s exactly who we’re talking about. Jeon Wonwoo.”
Mingyu blinked in shock, immediately recognizing the name. Jeon Wonwoo was a name that circulated not only among the most influential circles but also on the streets as a legendary figure, the most feared and powerful mafia boss in Asia. Rumors said he was ruthless, calculative, a man who rarely showed mercy. Mingyu couldn’t fathom why his father would be talking to him about a man like Jeon Wonwoo.
“We had an agreement years ago, one to be honored when the time was right,” his father continued. “Wonwoo is to be your husband, Mingyu. The arrangements have already been made.”
Mingyu’s jaw dropped. “What? Dad, I—I’m a university student, and he’s…” He tried to find the words to describe Wonwoo but came up blank, his mind reeling. “This is insane!”
“Mingyu, listen,” his father said firmly, gripping his shoulder. “Wonwoo may seem intimidating, but he’s a man of honor and loyalty. He protects those he cares about. And though he may be ruthless in business, I know he will take care of you.”
Mingyu’s heart raced. He’d heard so many stories about Wonwoo that painted him as a remorseless figure, one who could strike fear in the hearts of his enemies with a single glance. And now, his father was telling him that this man was going to be his husband?
“But, Dad, I don’t even know him!” he argued, panic creeping into his voice.
“Then you’ll get to know him,” his father replied, unyielding. “Mingyu, this arrangement is more than just marriage. It’s a pact of loyalty between two families. It’s not just about us—it’s about our futures.”
A week later, Mingyu found himself seated in a luxurious restaurant, his leg bouncing nervously under the table as he waited to meet his fiancé for the first time. The wait felt like an eternity, each passing second tightening the knot of dread in his stomach. Finally, the heavy doors opened, and a figure walked in—a tall man, dressed impeccably in a black suit, with a face sharp enough to cut glass.
Jeon Wonwoo’s dark, piercing gaze swept across the room and settled on him. Mingyu gulped. There he was, the man people called ruthless and feared, yet handsome in a way that made his heart skip a beat.
“Kim Mingyu,” Wonwoo greeted, his voice a low, commanding baritone as he took a seat across from him.
“Uh… hi,” Mingyu managed, trying his best not to sound nervous.
They sat in silence for a moment, and Mingyu wondered if he should say something, maybe try to break the tension. But before he could, Wonwoo spoke.
“I don’t expect you to like this arrangement,” Wonwoo said bluntly. “And frankly, I’m not here to play the part of a doting husband. This is business.”
Mingyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of defiance bubbling up inside him. “I’m not exactly thrilled about it either, so I guess we’re on the same page,” he replied, a hint of his playful spirit coming through.
Wonwoo’s expression softened, ever so slightly. Mingyu could have sworn he saw a flash of amusement in his eyes. “Good,” Wonwoo said, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t want this marriage to be a burden. We’ll maintain appearances in public, attend events together, but privately, you’re free to live as you please.”
Mingyu was stunned, half-expecting the mafia boss to enforce strict rules or demands. But instead, he was offering him freedom. “You… you really don’t care?” Mingyu asked, his guard slipping slightly.
“I care,” Wonwoo replied, his gaze hardening once more. “But I respect freedom. You’ll have your life, and I’ll have mine. But if you’re ever in trouble, Mingyu, you come to me. I don’t abandon my own.”
Mingyu’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t know why, but something about Wonwoo’s words struck a chord within him. Beneath that ruthless exterior, there seemed to be a code of loyalty, of protection. Maybe his father had been right.
Over the following weeks, Mingyu found himself unexpectedly drawn to Wonwoo, who, though cold and reserved, had a strange allure. He noticed how Wonwoo seemed to treat people with quiet respect, even when they were terrified of him. And though he rarely smiled, there were moments—a slight quirk of the lips, a softening of his gaze—that hinted at a man hidden beneath layers of hardened steel.
One evening, Mingyu returned from class to find a small box on his bed with a note in Wonwoo’s elegant handwriting.
“I heard you lost your favorite pair. Consider this an early wedding gift.”
Inside was a pair of headphones, the exact brand and color he had mentioned missing to his friend just the day before. Mingyu couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. Wonwoo had remembered.
As the weeks passed, Mingyu found himself warming to Wonwoo’s subtle acts of kindness. And though Wonwoo was quiet, there was a warmth in his presence that Mingyu hadn’t expected.
One night, after a lavish event they had to attend as a couple, Wonwoo pulled Mingyu close for a dance. Mingyu felt his heart pound as Wonwoo’s hands held him, steady and secure.
“You’re not what I expected, you know that?” Mingyu whispered, half in wonder, half in disbelief.
“Neither are you,” Wonwoo replied, his voice soft, his gaze never leaving Mingyu’s. “But I think that’s a good thing.”
In that moment, Mingyu realized that perhaps he’d been wrong about Wonwoo, that maybe beneath the fearsome title of mafia boss lay a man who could be tender and caring. And maybe, just maybe, his arranged marriage wasn’t the prison he’d thought it would be, but rather the start of something deeper, something real.
After all, he’d always loved a bit of danger.