Left At The Alter

💍 Chapter 8 - Decision

Jin's Bed, A few moments earlier ...

"That was good ..." Namjoon murmured as he cuddled with Jin under the sheets. It was broad daylight outside but they were both tired from their previous activity.

He shifted a few strands of hair that blocked Jin's neck and planted a line of kisses on it. Feeling disappointed from Jin's lack of response, he started nibbling on his earlobe. That did the trick.

Jin slowly arched his back, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "N-Namjoon ... let's not ..."
"Why? You don't want another round?"
Jin sat up and shoved the sheets to the side. "Is this all I'm good for!? A few rounds of sex here and there before you go scampering off to your fiancé!?"

Namjoon groaned in annoyance at the mere mention of his name. "You talk about Jungkook more than I do. I don't even know where he is right now."
"He's at therapy with that counsellor Yoongi told you about!"
"Oh ... I didn't even remember that. I told Jungkook I'd be late anyway ..."

Jin rolled his eyes. "You say you love me. You say you want me and yet you're making steps to strengthen your fake relationship with him. What the fuck is up with that?"
"Jin ... please understand. I can't just dump Jungkook like that. Fans would kill me. Bang PD would kill me. Jungkook is-"
"KPOPs golden boy. I get it and I'm just a pauper right!?"

Namjoon shook his head. "You're not but he has bigger clout. That's why I even started dating him in the first place. Dating him did wonders for my career."
"Then he has outlasted his purpose. You've gotten big yourself ... on your own merit ... you don't need him anymore."

"Jin ..."
"Forget it," Jin spat. "I'm done. Call me when you've grown some balls. I'm not playing this game anymore. Get out."
"Jin ..."
"GET THE FUCK OUT, KIM NAMJOON!"

Namjoon didn't bother to protest. He searched frantically for his clothes to put them on. He didn't want to ruin what he had with the older man. He wanted to be with him.

He turned to Jin who was watching him as he dressed himself. "I'm going to break up with Jungkook today. I'm going to break off the engagement. I'm ending the relationship. Okay?"
"Promise?"
"I promise. I'm breaking off the engagement. "

⏳️

Present ...
The Marriage Counsellor's Office

"You can't break off the engagement, Mr. Kim."
"What!?"

Seo-Joon leaned forward, his eyes shooting darts through the man sitting before him. "You have to work things out with your fiancé. You two have to get married."

Namjoon laughed in disbelief. By the time he had raced over to Dr. Park, his 50 minutes with Jungkook would have ended but luckily for him, the counselor had time to squeeze in a one-on-one session with him.

"Dr. Park ... Jungkook and I are not compatible. We want different things in ... in ... in life. See? We were suppose to meet you together as a couple and I was late! We ... won't do well as a couple at all!"
Seo-Joon shook his head. "I know you love him deep down."

Namjoon couldn't believe what he was hearing. He understood that Seo-Joon's job was to help struggling couples rather than tearing them apart but forcing them to remain together felt toxic. He started to question the man's credibility.

"To make a relationship successful, you have to think more positively than negatively about each other. Look back into your memory and think about what drew you to Jungkook ..."

"He was good for my career. He gave me clout and that brought me more money. In other words, I used him."
Seo-Joon appreciated his honesty. "It's interesting that you used the word gave. He gave you clout and brought you more money. Are you of the belief that he's not giving you those things still?"

"Well ..." Namjoon tilted his head in thought. As much as he hated to admit it, he's still benefiting from being with Jungkook. People turned up to see him hoping to see Jungkook. People follow his social media pages just to see him post a picture of Jungkook. People listen to his music just to hear Jungkook's background vocals.

He needed Jungkook more than Jungkook needed him. His career would never recover if he broke his heart.

"Being with Jungkook is what built my career, I'll admit but ... I love someone else."
Seo-Joon began to feel annoyed. This wasn't going to be as easy as he imagined. Namjoon's fixation on Jin was preventing him from even being willing to try and salvage whatever relationship he had with the songbird.

Jim convinces Namjoon to break up with Jungkook ➡️  Namjoon breaks off engagement to be with Jin ➡️  Jungkook falls in love with Taehyung ➡️ Taehyung falls in love with Jungkook ➡️  Jungkook and Taehyung get married.

Seo-Joon did not like the possible outcome of the domino effect of Namjoon breaking up with Jungkook. If Jin came in the way of the wedding, he'd have to get rid of Jin. If Jungkook gets too close to Taehyung, he'd have to get rid of Jungkook.

"If you fall in love with someone else, your career is done and dusted and you'll be back in Dong-jak grovelling in shit. Do you want that? Do you want everything you built to come crumbling down?"

A sense of unease had Namjoon paralysed in his seat. He wasn't sure what caused it. Was it the fear of losing what he had or was it the way in which Seo-Joon's face contorted in anger. He didn't know.

"I want to keep what I worked hard for."
"Then the only way to be sure that you do is to stay with Jungkook. You two have an interview together this weekend, correct? That will give major boost to your streaming numbers. Go through with the wedding. Whatever you have with Jin can continue just ... just tie the knot."

"Continue how?"
"You can continue to cheat after getting married. This will allow you to keep the clout that comes with being Jungkook's husband and you get to continue your affair with Jin."

Namjoon saw sense in what he said but he still didn't love Jungkook. A lifetime of unhappiness and tied to a man he didnt want just for some clout? He sighed. He felt pathetic that he needed someone to keep his career a float.

He thought of Jin and how he promised to break things off, that he wasnt going to keep him in the shadows anymorr. How will he take it when he finds out he went back on his word?

"Fine. I'll go through with the wedding. You encouraging me to cheat feels illegal though."
Seo-Joon averted his gaze. "I have my reasons."
"What reasons?"

To keep your man away from Taehyung! "I just understand that humans are complicated creatures."
Namjoon nodded even though that answer wasn't quite clear.

Seo-Joon was pleased that he was able to convince Namjoon to go through with the wedding. The only roadblock would be Jin. He hoped Jin would back off and accept the role of Namjoon's secret lover rather than fight to be the main. It would take Jungkook's mind off Taehyung and Taehyung wasn't an asshole.

Taehyung would never fight to be with Jungkook if he got married to Namjoon. He would never sleep with another man's husband.

"Namjoon, where is Jungkook as we speak?"
"I ... I honestly don't know. He left when I came right?"
Seo-Joon nodded. "Yes. Could you please call him?"

Namjoon dialled his number but he didn't pick up the first time.
"Is he busy?" Seo-Joon questioned before getting up to pace the floor.
Namjoon scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "He didn't tell me anything this morning."
"Call him again. Maybe he'll pick up this time."

Namjoon tried again it rang twice before he heard Jungkook's voice on the other end. "Jungkook, where are you now? We need to talk."
"I ... I'm with the wedding planner."