You didn't sleep.
Not even for a minute.
At 3:12 a.m., Mina was still aggressively scrolling through social media like she was monitoring a national emergency.
Mina:- "At this point," (horrified) "people know your blood type."
You groaned into a pillow.
Y/n:- "This is how I die."
Mina:- "No, this is how you become a documentary."
Your phone buzzed again.
Another headline.
> TECH EMPIRE HEIR SECRETLY DATING?
Then another.> WHO IS THE GIRL BESIDE KIM TAEHYUNG?
You turned your phone face down immediately.
Y/n:- "I can't go tomorrow."

Mina:- "You have to."
Y/n:- "What if they sue me?"

Mina stared.
Y/n:- "What if they assassinate me?"

Mina:- "...Less likely."

That did not help.
By 7:15 a.m., you were standing outside the tallest building you had ever seen in your life.
VANTECH Holdings.
Glass.
Steel.
Money.
The entire place looked like it charged people simply for breathing near it.
You checked the address three times just to make sure.
A black car pulled up beside you.
The back window rolled down slightly.
A woman in a navy suit looked at you calmly.
Secretary Kang:- "Miss Y/N?"
You nodded cautiously.
Secretary Kang:- "I'm Secretary Kang. Please get in."
You briefly considered running.
Unfortunately, your survival instincts had terrible decision-making skills.
The ride was silent.
The deeper you entered the city's financial district, the worse your anxiety became.
By the time you reached the top floor of VANTECH Tower, your hands were freezing.
Secretary Kang led you through massive hallways lined with minimalist artwork and intimidatingly attractive employees.
Everyone looked expensive.
Meanwhile, you nearly tripped over the carpet twice.
Secretary Kang:- "Mr. Kim is inside." 
Then she opened the doors.
The conference room was enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked Seoul like something out of a movie.
Three people in suits sat near the far end of the table.
And beside them—Kim Taehyung.

You forgot how breathing worked.

He looked even more unreal in person.
Dark suit.
Sharp features.
Messy black hair falling slightly over his forehead.
Cold.
Not cruel.
Not angry.
Just distant.
Like someone permanently exhausted by the world around him.
His eyes lifted toward you slowly.
The room suddenly felt too warm.
One of the executives cleared his throat.
Executive:- "Miss Y/N, thank you for coming."
You bowed awkwardly.
Y/n:- "Thank you for not arresting me."
Silence.
Then—
Taehyung spoke for the first time.
Taehyung:- "Your editing skills are impressive."
You blinked.
The executives looked mildly alarmed.
You stared at him carefully, trying to determine whether he was joking.

His expression didn't change at all.
Y/n:- "...Thank you?"
Mina would absolutely lose her mind hearing this conversation.
Another executive slid a folder across the table.

Executive:- "Unfortunately, the situation has escalated beyond expectation."

You opened the folder cautiously.
Your soul nearly left your body.
Articles.
Trending graphs.
Stock reports.
Your fake relationship had apparently affected the economy.
Y/n:- "I'm sorry." (you whispered weakly)
Executive:- "Normally, our legal team would handle false publicity immediately."
Your stomach dropped.
However—
Executive:- "Mr. Kim has declined legal action."
You looked toward Taehyung in confusion.
He sat quietly, fingers resting against the table.
Watching you carefully.
Like he was studying something.
Secretary Kang spoke next.
Secretary Kang:- "Public response to the image has been... unusually positive."
Positive?
The internet was treating you like a criminal and Cinderella simultaneously.
Secretary Kang:- "Mr. Kim's public image has historically tested poorly in emotional relatability."
You stared blankly.
Y/n:- "...What does that mean?"
Secretary Kang:- "It means people think he's cold."
Taehyung looked deeply uninterested in this conversation.
One executive quickly changed slides.
Photos appeared on the screen behind him.
Taehyung at business events.
Magazine covers.
Articles calling him:
> Untouchable.
> Ruthless.
> The Ice Prince of Tech.
Then your photo appeared beside them.
The engagement statistics skyrocketed upward.
Comments flooded the screen.
> HE LOOKS HAPPY NEXT TO HER
> SHE MAKES HIM LOOK HUMAN???
> WAIT THEY'RE CUTE
Taehyung sighed softly, like he regretted existing.
You almost laughed.
Almost.
Secretary Kang:- "We would like to propose an agreement." 
Your instincts screamed immediately.
Never trust rich people speaking politely.
Y/n:- "What kind of agreement?"
Another folder slid toward you.
You opened it carefully.
Then froze.
"CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP CONTRACT"
Y/n:- "No." 
The executives looked startled.
Executive:- "You haven't read it yet."
Y/n:- "I don't need to. That title alone sounds illegal."
For the first time—
Taehyung smiled.
Tiny.
Brief.
Gone in seconds.
But you saw it.
And somehow that was worse than if he'd stayed cold.
Secretary Kang continued professionally.
Secretary Kang:- "The proposal is simple. For six months, you will publicly act as Mr. Kim's fiancée."
You choked on air.
Y/n:- "I'm sorry—WHAT?"
Secretary Kang:- "In return, all legal concerns disappear. You will also be compensated appropriately."
Y/n:- "No. Absolutely not."
Secretary Kang:- "Five hundred million won."
You inhaled sharply.
Traitor lungs.
Y/n:- "That's not enough." 
The entire room went silent.
Taehyung's eyebrow lifted slightly.
You quickly added:

Y/n:- "I mean—it's still no. Definitely no."

Secretary Kang hid a smile.
One executive looked personally offended by your existence.
Taehyung finally spoke again.
Taehyung:- "Why did you post the picture?"
The room quieted instantly.
You looked down awkwardly.
Y/n:- "...My ex-boyfriend."
Understanding flickered briefly across his face.
Not mockery.
Not judgment.
Just understanding.
And somehow that made your embarrassment worse.
Taehyung:- "He cheated?" 

Y/n:- "No."

Pause.
Y/n:- "...He just moved on first."
Something shifted in Taehyung's expression then.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But softer.
The silence stretched.
Then he leaned back slightly in his chair.
Taehyung:- "We only need six months" (he said calmly)
His voice was low.
Controlled.
Dangerously persuasive.
Taehyung:- "You help my public image. I help clean up yours."
Your heart pounded.
This was insane.
Completely insane.
And yet—
You thought about your student loans.
Your collapsing privacy.
The online chaos.
The humiliation.
Then you looked at Taehyung again.
Still calm.
Still unreadable.
Waiting.
Y/n:- "You'd really trust a stranger with this?" 
His eyes met yours directly for the first time.
And suddenly the room felt too small.
Taehyung:- "I don't trust you." 
Then after a pause:
Taehyung:- "But I think you're honest."
That should not have affected you as much as it did.
Secretary Kang pushed a pen toward you gently.
Secretary Kang:-"Take your time deciding."
You stared at the contract.
Then at the man across from you.
Kim Taehyung—
the terrifying heir to a billion-dollar empire—was waiting for your answer like this might actually matter to him.
And for reasons you didn't understand yet—you had the strange feeling your life was about to split into:
before him
and after him....
Stay tuned.....💟