Secretary Jeon [Jungkook x Reader]

♡ 8

CHAPTER 8

"I know you don't care if I remain a daughter to you, but if you want me to remain as your CEO, your heir, then do not force me to marry Kim Namjoon." I was a few shots of liquor deep into the evening, or I never would have had the gall to speak to my father like this.

"Marriage is a tool, Park Y/N," my father spoke sternly. "I do not care how you feel about him- love is merely a concept adopted by the poor. It is not necessary for a successful marriage."

"Anyone but him," I was trying to maintain my confidence, but I was nearly begging at this point. "I don't need love, but it can't be him."

There was an uncomfortable silence between us for an equally uncomfortable amount of time. My father sat, taking my words into consideration. A good sign. "Fine."

"Fine?" I questioned, trying to mask my surprise.

"Yes, fine," he responded, emotionless. "There are other candidates that I have in mind- some may even prove to be more beneficial. You shall start meeting them for dates next week." He looked to me to confirm that I accepted his compromise.

"Yes, I will," I nodded in agreement. I couldn't think of a man in the world who could be worse than Kim Namjoon. Don't get me wrong, in the ideal world I would simply marry a man I loved...but that wasn't my world. This was the best I could hope for.

Unwilling to engage in further conversation with my dear old dad, I headed for the bathroom to make my escape. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I wondered what I was doing with my life. Dressed in a stunning, black, designer gown, adorned with expensive jewelry, and yet my face looked miserable. Was this all worth it? The finer things in life came at a cost- my freedom. I often thought about what my life would look like if I just ran away. Would I be happy, then?

I loved my job. I did. I just didn't love all the baggage that came with it. The politics. The backstabbing. I just wanted to design, create, and watch my company succeed, free from the rest of the bullshit. Why was that too much to wish for? Maybe it was childish of me to think, but it just felt so unfair.

I forced myself back to the company dinner, plastering a perfectly polished yet oh so fake smile on my face. I took my seat next to Jungkook, who instantly caught on to my behavior. "Are you okay?" he whispered, so only I could hear him.

"Of course," I tried my best to sound convincing.

"I watched you take four shots before going to talk to your father," he sighed, not believing my words. "That smile might be enough to fool these strangers who don't know you any better, but you aren't fooling me."

"I'm just having a rough night." My throat was growing hot, and I had to force back the emotions that were rising within me. No signs of weakness, Y/N. I grabbed the flute of champagne from in front of me a downed the contents, hoping to numb the feeling.

"This will be over soon," Jungkook gave me a reassuring nod, trying to provide me some comfort. "After that, let's talk."

Talks of business filled the next hour while I tried to drown my sorrows in what was probably too much alcohol. Though I was still capable of being mindful of my actions, my mind was growing foggy. It was a pleasant distraction from the pathetic displays of ego before me. These business trips were just an excuse for high level executives to show off to one another and make shady deals behind the scenes. No legitimate work got done.

The moment we were released from that hell didn't come a second too soon. Back at the room, I threw off my heels, and rushed over to the couch, collapsing down on top of it. Jungkook came and sat by my side, looking down at me with concern. Whether it was the alcohol or the fact that I was growing more comfortable around him, I couldn't hide my true emotions. Misery.

"What happened, Y/N?" He brushed a tear from my cheek that I hadn't realized had fallen.

I sucked in a deep breath. "I somehow managed to convince my father to free me from marrying Namjoon."

"That sounds like a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, it is," I let out a breath and sat up. "Except now, starting when we get back, he wants me to start seeing his other expertly selected marriage candidates."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, unsure of how to console me.

"I never expected to live out some fairytale romance dream, you know?" I scoffed at the ridiculousness of the idea. "But I don't know, I guess I wanted the option...instead I'm a prisoner in my own life."

"You deserve to live out whatever dream you want, Y/N." He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his gaze never leaving me. I suddenly felt so warm under his touch. My stomach was fluttering with an unfamiliar nervousness.

"I'm sorry for unloading all of this on you," I mumbled, struggling to keep his eye contact.

"I'm happy to listen. I just wish I could do more for you..." He reached out to me, pulling me into his arms. "This is all I can do."

Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around his waist, accepting his embrace. Maybe it was wrong, but it felt right, in the moment. Burying my head against his shoulder I let myself be free for the first time in a long time. I couldn't even remember the last time someone had held me like this. How pathetic was that? Was I? Just as everyone pushed me away, I pushed them away too. So, what was different about this time?

As I pulled away, I looked into his eyes again. "I'm sorry this is a lot, right? You're just trying to do your job, right?" I had to believe that, for my sake. If not...

"This has nothing to do with my job," he scrunched his brows together, almost offended by my questions. "Everything that I've said and everything that I've done has been of my own will."

"So, why are you being so kind to me, Jungkook?" Tell me.

"I- I don't know..."