Closer Than This...(vsoo)

Bliss's 50th Anniversary & The Engagement Announcement.

The grand ballroom of the Bliss Hotel was a masterpiece. Every detail had been carefully curated to perfection, and the air was thick with a sense of anticipation and excitement.

Guests swirled around in formal attire, their laughter and voices blending with the soft notes of a string quartet in the background. The shimmering lights cast an almost ethereal glow over the entire event, giving the space a dreamlike quality.

For Jisoo, it was the first time in a long while that she truly felt a moment of peace amidst the chaos of the past few weeks.

But peace was fleeting, as her heart skipped in nervous anticipation, knowing the engagement announcement was just moments away.

She tried to smile and greet the guests who approached her, but her mind kept drifting back to him, the man she was supposed to marry, a man she barely knew. Taehyung.

She had seen him at his most cold and distant, but tonight, he was different. Clad in his signature black attire, his hair styled in a way that felt somehow more free, more alive than the stiff, perfect bun he usually wore, he was the picture of elegance. His presence commanded the room, even as he conversed with other business officials. The way his hands gestured, the slight tilt of his head as he listened. It all felt so… intimate, and Jisoo couldn’t help but stare.

It wasn’t just his clothes that had her captivated tonight. It was his aura, something deep, powerful, and almost unknowable.

His gaze, piercing and unreadable, kept glancing her way, and though she tried to avoid meeting his eyes, it was impossible to ignore the pull between them. Each time their gazes met, her breath caught in her throat, and she couldn’t decide if it was the tension or something else entirely that made her heart race.

She wasn't the only one who noticed him. As Mr. Park Jimin, the new global ambassador for Bliss, joined her, his eyes also flickered toward Taehyung.

"Your fiancé..." Mr. Park commented casually, his tone warm and genuine. "Kim Taehyung, right?"

Jisoo nodded, trying to mask the unease in her voice. "Yes."

“He’s very impressive,” Mr. Park continued, clearly admiring Taehyung from a distance. “People say he's a mastermind in the business world, but there’s something about the way he carries himself, isn't there?”

Jisoo barely heard his words. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Taehyung, who was now talking with her aunt and his uncle. His posture was so confident, and though he appeared unaffected by the crowd, Jisoo could sense the sharpness in his gaze, the precision with which he observed everything around him.

This man is dangerous.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another relative, who, with a wide grin, gushed about how handsome Taehyung was, and how lucky Jisoo was to have him.

Her cheeks flushed involuntarily at their words, her mind struggling to separate the truth from the expectations they placed upon her. She wasn’t sure if they were complimenting her or just focusing on the man beside her, as usual.

As if on cue, her aunt appeared, nudging Jisoo in the direction of Chairman Kim. The old man greeted her with a smile so wide it seemed almost too forced, but she didn’t have time to analyze it further. He was already ushering her toward Taehyung.

“Jisoo, this is your future in-law,” her aunt said with a cheery tone. Jisoo could feel her nerves coil tighter, but she followed without protest.

Chairman Kim Taehwan’s smile was always on the edge of something predatory, something calculating. And now, as he spoke of the alliance between their families, Jisoo felt a new wave of unease ripple through her. She had always known that this was never just a union of families—there were stakes here, and they were high. But now, as the night unfolded, the feeling of something darker behind the scenes seemed to solidify.

Is this just about business?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Taehyung was called upon by his uncle, who casually mentioned the engagement ring exchange. Jisoo's stomach clenched. The reality of it hit her harder than expected. This wasn’t a partnership she had agreed to willingly—it was a carefully laid-out plan by the people around her.

"Taehyung..." Chairman Kim said, his voice carrying the weight of years in the business world. "How does your fiancée look tonight? Doesn’t she look beautiful?"

Jisoo’s breath caught in her throat as Taehyung’s eyes locked with hers. His gaze was unwavering, his voice cool, yet his words were unexpectedly sincere. "Beautiful. She looks beautiful."

Her cheeks flamed at the compliment, and she quickly turned away, unsure why she was reacting this way. It’s just a compliment, she reminded herself. Nothing more.

But still, it felt like something more.

As the moment drew closer, Jisoo couldn't shake the nagging feeling that her life was no longer her own. The announcement was coming, and with it, the life she had reluctantly agreed to would become real. The alliance. The marriage. The future.

But in the midst of her worries, Taehyung extended his hand toward her, his touch unexpectedly gentle despite his usual cold demeanor. With no choice but to comply, Jisoo placed her hand in his, and he led her to the dance floor.

The music was soft, almost ethereal, and for a moment, Jisoo forgot about the crowd. She focused solely on the man standing before her, feeling his hand on her waist, pulling her closer.

The proximity was electric.

She couldn't help but notice how naturally he moved, how effortlessly he guided her through the dance. There was no hesitation, no awkwardness, just fluidity and grace. The sensation of his hand on her waist felt like an unspoken command, a silent promise of what was to come.

The engagement. The marriage. Them.

This wasn’t just a dance, Jisoo thought. This was an unspoken exchange of power, control, and something deeper, something neither of them was willing to admit.

And yet, there it was, a brief moment of intimacy between them, a moment where the world outside seemed to fade away.

As they continued to sway with the music, Jisoo couldn’t help but notice the tension building between them. His words, though soft, had an edge to them, something teasing in his tone that caught her off guard. "Maybe you did hypnotize me," he whispered, a slight grin playing on his lips.

Jisoo’s heart fluttered.

Was he being playful, or was he testing her?

The rest of the night passed in a haze of uncertainty, excitement, and anxiety. And when the ring exchange finally came, Jisoo’s breath hitched. The reality of her engagement was no longer just a business deal...it was happening. She was really marrying him.

And with that realization, a new, more troubling thought settled in her mind.

What was Taehyung’s true plan?

The more she watched him, the more she began to wonder if he was playing his own game. The question that lingered in her thoughts all night was no longer about the wedding or the business—it was about him.

What did he truly want from her?

What was his real motivation in all of this?

As the event drew to a close, the final moments of the night only left Jisoo with more questions than answers, but one thing was certain—her life was about to change in ways she hadn’t even begun to understand.

The engagement was just the beginning.