Seokjin was just buttoning his Prussian-blue suit when he got a call from his husband.

“I have to work late and won’t make it in time for dinner at your grandmother’s.”

“Really? You’ve worked late every single night this week,”

Seokjin said, trying to maintain a neutral tone and avoid snapping at his husband. He wasn’t able to attend the event they had in Japan a few days prior and now, this?

“The whole team is staying late.”

His husband provided on the other line but gives no further explanation as to why. Because as far as he can remember the launching of their new project has already ended and according to his secretary there’s no pending papers nor project at the moment. His husband had canceled on almost every family occasion over the past few months.

“How about joining us whenever you get off work? It’s probably going to be a late night. Halmeoni invited some people over.”

“I’m going to be much too worn out by then,”

Seokjin looked baffled on the blank screen of his phone when his husband hung up right after. Seokjin can’t do anything but sigh and decided that it wasn’t worth pushing his husband any further. He had obviously don’t want to attend the dinner and avoiding a conversation is what he did best.

As he continues to prepare himself, Seokjin can’t help but remember how not long ago when his husband would be so sweetly apologetic for missing any family occasion. He would say soothing things to him but that gentler side of his husband had dissipated. When exactly did that happen?

Seokjin notices his reflection in the glass window of their room and decided to change his outfit. He felt like he needed to turn up the volume tonight. He was not going to let his husband’s absence ruin his night.

He wouldn’t cheat, right?

But even with the convincing inside his head, Seokjin knows otherwise.

Taehyung and Jimin had fortunately approached the gate of Jeongguk’s grandmother’s house without any scratches on their body and ticket in their pocket despite the way Jimin drives his car

“Oh, please Taehyung, stop acting so dramatic! That’s how a sports car should be driven!”

Looking ahead, Taehyung noticed that the gate is rather tall and black in color, surrounded by trees and shrubs, with no sight of a house or any civilization at all. There are also more than four people guarding the front and armed with guns.

“Holy , Taehyung. Are you sure Jeongguk gave you the right address? If yes, it looks like he’s trying to dispose off your body in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.” Jimin whispered as he leans in closer to Taehyung’s side.

Before Taehyung could answer, a guard with a fierce-looking beard, wearing a crisp black suit, appeared at the Jimin’s side. Jimin slowly rolled down his window just a little bit and squeaked a, “Yes, hello what can we do for you?”

“Kim Taehyung, sir?”

“Yes, that’s me,” Taehyung answered

“Taehyung! You just don’t confirm your identity to someone you don’t know!” Jimin whisper-yelled at him, hands still on the buttons to rolled up the window if something happens, but Taehyung just ignored him when he noticed that the gate had opened and the people guarding the gate had moved on the side, letting a wide space for Jimin’s car to go through.

“Welcome, Mr. Kim. Keep following the road, and stay to your right,” The guard instructed with a smile before he moved away from the car and wave them along.

“I thought I was going to die tonight,”

Jimin said as the car continued on the road and wound up a slight hill, both sides of the driveway a dense wall of clipped hedges.

“I thought you knew Jeongguk’s family? Why are you shocked just right now?” Taehyung questioned looking out the car’s window

“I knew about their huge- house in Busan but not this one, never heard of a house located in this kind of place.”

Jimin explained. The car turned up a gentle curve, they came upon another gate. This time it was a reinforced steel gate, with a modern guardhouse attached. Taehyung could see two other guards staring out the window as the imposing gate silently rolled to the side, revealing yet another long driveway, this one paved in gravel. As the car rolled along, its tires crunching against the loose gray pebbles, Taehyung can’t help but be in awe as he admires the landscape. There were perhaps thirty palm trees perfectly lined up along both sides of the driveway, and someone had carefully placed tall rectangular lanterns lit with candles under each palm, like glowing sentinels leading the way. Taehyung wondered what would it look like once the first snow had started?

As they get closer, the enormity of the place truly became evident. It wasn’t a house. It was more like a palace. The front driveway was lined with cars, almost all of which were large and European – many with diplomatic medallions and flags. Waiting by the massive front doors in a white linen shirt and tan slacks, hair perfectly tousled and hands pensively shoved into his pockets, stood Jeongguk.

“Oh wow, what a sight.”

Taehyung snorted as he himself admired his boyfriend from inside the car. But nervousness slowly consumed his body and for the first time in his life, Taehyung is unsure of what to do.