Upon coming out of the elevator, Taehyung roamed his eyes around the place. The hotel’s lobby features Siena marble and Russian Walnut Paneling and is topped off with a stained glass ceiling. Right at the middle is a giant Christmas Tree that is at least a hundred foot in height decorated in different ornaments and a few gems here and there. Beside it is an equally expensive-looking white grand piano, it’s a pity that no one’s playing it yet.

“KIM TAEHYUNG”

A yell came first and then a small body barreled towards Taehyung, causing the both of them to nearly fall on the floor if not for Jeongguk barely catching Taehyung’s back. Despite that, both men are sporting their brightest smiles upon seeing each other. Jeongguk stood behind Taehyung a soft smile gracing his lips after he makes sure that Taehyung won’t fall anymore, watching the exchange between the two best friends with fondness.

The lobby was deserted save for the three of them and the two attendants on the front desk who paid them no mind and just continue sorting whatever they have to sort out under their desk.

“Look at you! You look dashing as always!” Jimin said and holds his best friend in an arm’s length while looking at him up and down, his eyes were twinkling with excitement.

“I could say the same to you,” Taehyung said and pulled Jimin into a bone-crushing hug once again. He then pulled away and put an arm around Jeongguk’s waist while the other is on his shoulder.

“This is Jeongguk, the boyfriend and Gukkie this is Jimin, the best friend”

“Great to finally meet you personally,” Jeongguk said and offered his right hand towards Jimin for a handshake.

“I can’t believe it took just one baby faced man with daddy body to finally get him out here” Jimin jokingly said as he accepts Jeongugk’s much larger hand into his.

“Jimin!” Taehyung hissed while the tips of his ears turn red because of embarrassment.

Jimin hushed him and turns to Jeongguk again, “I know you’re busy doing whatever a best man should do today, but when do I get to do my debriefing on you? Better promise I’ll see you soon” He said, small pointer finger directed towards Jeongguk’s face.

“I promise” Jeongguk laughed and kissed Taehyung goodbye. As soon as he was out of earshot, Jimin turned his attention to his sulking best friend and raised his eyebrows.

“You didn’t tell me that you’re dating THE Jeon ing Jeongguk.”

“What’s the big deal?” Taehyung asked and Jimin just gave him his are you serious look before sighing as they continue to walk towards the main entrance.

“I’m surprised you haven’t seen his face in those big billboards yet.”

“Why would Jeonggukkie be on a billboard? He’s not a model. That’s his brother’s job.”

Jimin had only thrown him a disbelief look and massaged his temple with his fingers. Jimin doesn’t know how the hell Taehyung doesn’t know Jeongguk’s background when they’ve been dating for a long time now. Either Jeongguk didn’t tell his boyfriend anything about his family here in South Korea and is very good at hiding it or Taehyung just doesn’t care.

“You’ll see, Anyway, let’s go, my parents are waiting and they’re so excited to see you.”

“Wait, If I’m going to meet your parents, should I change?” Taehyung stopped in his tracks and looked down in his outfit. He is currently sporting a black long coat with a white turtle neck beneath it and a pair of pants. An effective outfit to fight the cold brought by the winter season.

“Dude, you’re fine. You should save that dressing up when you meet Jeongguk’s parents.”

Before Taehyung could question what Jimin meant, he was pushed inside a large metallic-gold BMW with tinted windows. As soon as Jimin drove out of the hotel grounds, he then began to talk his ear off about this guy he met in a gala once and how they’ve been going out on a few dates and his 15,000,000 won pet dog.

Taehyung smiled fondly at his friend while listening to his ramblings. He had always known that Jimin came from a rich background. How could he not notice when the guy is literally wearing clothes not less than a thousand dollars 24/7?

They met during freshman orientation, and Jimin was the guy who showed up at 8 o’clock class as if he had just come from a shopping spree. As a newly arrived international student from Korea, one of the first things he did was buy himself a penthouse, claiming that the dormitories are too cramped for his liking and his roommate is too loud. Turns out it was his ex-boyfriend and on the first night of being dorm buddies, the guy brought someone home and said hook up stole Jimin’s favorite Gucci slippers that he left beside the door and Taehyung had laughed his off when his best friend had told him the truth why he wanted a penthouse while the latter had sported a scowl on his face.

“It was a limited edition, you er. Stop laughing!”

Park Jimin was generous at fault, and Taehyung spent most of his college years being showered with gifts, enjoying glorious meals at those expensive restaurants that you can’t even pronounce half of what’s written in the menu and even surprised him with a weekend trip in Norway for his birthday a few years back.

The car drove past a high white wall, over which peeked tall Chinese bamboos, and as the car pulled up to the entrance, a pair of ornate golden gates parted revealing a massive four-tiered marble fountain with a golden swan spouting water from its long-upturned beak.

 “Close your mouth,” Jimin said and walked ahead of him to open the massive double doors of their house.

The ceilings were high and right in the middle of it is a gold chandelier whose light reflects on the wooden floor. Jesus, how did they make it shine like that?

The walls were painted in beige and in between the grand staircase is the Park’s family photo. It looks recent since Jimin had a silver hair just like right now. And he remembered that Jimin once told him they change their family portrait every year. The photo is in a black frame that’s at least three meters tall.

Looking around the house, Taehyung can’t help but to squeal just a little bit louder upon seeing the rows of no doubt, expensive paintings lined on the gold-rimmed wall. His eyes nearly pop out of its socket when his line of sight landed on a piece by Nam titled “Portrait of a Beauty” hanging on the said wall.

“When you told me that Jennie’s family mansion was cramped up, I thought you’re just being a brat.”

It’s true. Jennie Kim, a fellow Korean classmate in one of his classes back in university had invited them to a party in their mansion. Upon entering, Jimin had bluntly said that the house looks too small to be called a mansion which made him received a jab on his ribs, courtesy of Taehyung.

“She boasted about their whole manor,” Jimin said as he quoted the air “I thought her description could live up to the reality but boy, was I wrong. It’s nothing but a huge house.” He then continued and they followed a middle-aged woman to their dining area.

“Isn’t that the same thing, though?” Taehyung tilts his head and followed Jimin and the middle-aged woman.

Upon entering, Taehyung first saw the grand table in the middle. Kind of like the ones you see in the Buckingham Palace but a little smaller, enough to cater to the whole Park family. There was also slightly smaller chandelier than the one in their living area hanging above that lets the whole room glow in gold.

Seriously, do they not know about the existence of fluorescent lamps? Why is this house full of chandeliers?

The whole Park Family, minus Jimin is already seated on the table as the house helpers set down different plates of food. Sat at the head of the table was Jimin’s father, on his right side was his mother, across from her was a young girl and an equally young boy sat beside her. Taehyung immediately recognized the two as Jimin’s younger twin siblings. While Jimin looks just like his father, the twins have mixed features from their parents.

The meal was full of conversation. Jimin’s father was a jovial story-teller. Dad jokes are always served on the side. He would recount stories from his younger years, or sometimes those of his children. No matter what the story, there was always a punch line, which would generally draw an exasperated sigh from the family.

While Mrs. Park is equally chattery as her husband. And she looked younger than Taehyung's, even though Jimin insisted that she's four years older than Ms. Kim multiple times. Being a verbal newsletter, as Jimin had nicknamed her, Mrs. Park fills them in with the comings and goings of family and friends. Birthdays, upcoming celebrations, and recent accomplishments, as well as the tastier tidbits of information that she was hearing through the grapevine. She had the whole table's full attention when she mentioned The Jeon's youngest bringing his partner to Jung Hoseok's wedding aka the wedding of the century.

Jihyun had splattered his juice as he was in the process of gulping it down when their mother revealed the piece of information, Jinah had her coughing fit and repeatedly slapping her chest, while Jimin just calmly laid back in his chair as he peered at them through the rim of his glass, watching them losing their s.

Taehyung on the other hand had the biggest question mark right above his head as he takes in their reaction with the information of Jeongguk bringing him to Hoseok's wedding.  Seeing his best friend's clueless expression, Jimin giggles and patted Taehyung's back.

"Why are they so shocked about that?" Taehyung wanted to whisper it to Jimin but the whole family heard it anyway.

"Oppa, don't tell me you don't know who Jeon Jeongguk is? Bright doe eyes and bunny smile?" Jinah said with a dreamy sigh.

Jihyun then flicks her forehead, “Stop dreaming about the guy. He’s like fourteen years older than you.”

The youngest just throws him a glare and turns her attention once again to Taehyung.

"Of course, He's my boyfriend." Taehyung unsuspectingly said as he continues to slice the piece of steak placed on his plate and looked up once he realized that the table had gone too quiet all of a sudden.

“Uhm….did I said something wrong?” Taehyung asked as he takes in the shocked expression of the Park’s with the exception of Jimin who enjoys laughing silently at them.