16

[TIME SKIP][AFTER A FEW DAYS][THE PENTHOUSE - EVENING]

The door clicked shut behind them with a soft finality.Felix stood frozen at the entrance, eyes slowly scanning the lavish interior of the penthouse.

It was… breathtaking.

Warm lighting flooded the cream-marble floors. Fresh flowers adorned every corner, candles lined the stairwell railings. Ivory silk curtains framed the towering glass windows, offering a glowing view of the city lights below.

Everything shimmered with perfection.

Everything felt wrong.

“Wow,” someone murmured behind him. “They weren’t kidding about the décor.”

But Felix didn’t respond. He couldn’t. His chest was tight.Because what was the point of a beautiful place when your heart didn’t feel like it belonged here?

They gathered in the living room after settling in — all of them.Mr. and Mrs. Hwang seated elegantly on the plush white sofa, glasses of red wine in hand. Grandma in her embroidered shawl, smiling warmly. Mr. and Mrs. Lee seated beside their son — Felix — who hadn’t said a word since stepping inside.

Minho sat beside him.

Quiet. Composed.

A stranger.

Han and Hyunjin sat across from them, speaking in low voices about the food arrangements and guest list.

Felix caught Hyunjin’s eyes once.

Hyunjin raised a brow.

Felix looked away.

The conversation circled around logistics — dress fittings, final guest confirmations, table settings. All the adults were smiling. Talking like everything was falling into place.

But Hyunjin knew better.

He knew exactly what that “five-bedroom” distribution meant before anyone even said it out loud. It wasn’t rocket science.

Room 1: His parents.

Room 2: Felix’s parents.

Room 3: Grandma.

Room 4: Himself and Han.

Room 5: Minho and Felix.

Oh, the irony.

Later that night, once everyone had chosen rooms and begun settling in, Hyunjin shut the door to his own room — or rather, their room.

Han was already sitting at the edge of the bed, legs swinging slightly off the side. He looked too small for his voice when he finally broke the silence. “Your plan didn’t work.”

Hyunjin didn’t answer immediately.

He stood by the wardrobe, slipping off his jacket and tossing it aside with more force than necessary. Then he walked over, sitting beside Han. “It’s not over yet,” he said calmly.

Han scoffed, but there was no heat in it. “It’s been days, Hyunjin. He’s marrying someone else in 2 days. Even sharing a room with Felix , hasn’t changed anything. What are you waiting for? A divine intervention?”

Hyunjin leaned back on his hands, staring at the ceiling. His jaw clenched. “I’m waiting for him.”

“He doesn’t love me, Hyunjin.”

“He does,” Hyunjin replied immediately — too fast, too sharp.

Han looked at him.

“He won’t admit it.”

“He will Han, i know my brother...i know him from long enough to know...he definitely would.”

Hyunjin looked down at his hands.

“The pressure is already build. The walls are cracking, He just need to choose”

Han’s expression softened. There was silence between them. Heavy, strange. The kind of quiet that feels like the universe is watching closely.

Then Han nudged him. “You know... for someone pretending to date me, you’re not very romantic.”

Hyunjin laughed quietly, leaning his head against Han’s shoulder. “And for someone pretending to be in love with me, you’re too damn convincing.”

Han smiled, just a little. “Give it time. We still have 2 days.”