Kim Namjoon

The doors to the heavy office swung open without a knock. Yuki wasn't even bothering to observe the rules of decorum. The heels of her massive boots loudly clicked on the marble floor as she strode confidently forward, completely oblivious to the dozens of stares from the guards. Her short, bright red hair was more disheveled than usual, as if she'd deliberately neglected to style it. Her black miniskirt, fishnet stockings, and leather jacket looked more provocative than appropriate for meeting her future fiancé. She knew her father wouldn't be pleased with this appearance. That was precisely why she'd come like this.

There were already two people sitting at the long table.

Her father.

And the man she hated even before they met.

Namjoon.

Tall, calm, perfectly dressed in a black suit, he sat with his fingers slightly clasped, as if the proceedings had no bearing on him. Not a trace of excitement. Not a trace of interest. Only a cold, calculating gaze.

Yuki stopped in front of him and just looked at him silently for a few seconds.

"Here he is... The man who decided he could buy my life."

Everything inside her was literally seething. If her father hadn't been there, she probably really would have tried to hit Namjoon. Not because she hated him personally. She hated the very fact that someone had decided to decide her fate.

“You’re late,” the father said calmly.

• Specially.

• This is disrespectful.

— Is it respectful to marry off your daughter without her consent?

A heavy silence fell over the office.

The father only closed his eyes tiredly.

• We'll discuss this later.

• No, Dad. We'll discuss it now.

She abruptly turned her gaze to Namjoon.

Their love will never begin with sweet words, casual touches, or love at first sight. On the contrary, they will become people who sincerely hate each other. Yuki will view Namjoon as a cold, heartless tyrant who has deprived her of the right to choose her own destiny. His every command will make her want to argue, his every calm look will irritate her. She will deliberately test his patience: she will disappear without warning, argue with security, break house rules, and show up to official events in clothes that infuriate the entire clan council. She will want to prove that no one can tame her, not even the most powerful man in the city.

At first, Namjoon will see her as nothing more than a spoiled rebel who completely fails to understand the cruelty of the world they live in. He'll be irritated by her impulsiveness, stubbornness, and habit of acting first and thinking later. He'll convince himself that the only reason he tolerates her antics is the promise he made to her father and the responsibility he feels for the union of the two clans. He'll never respond to her screams with a scream. Instead, he'll watch silently, wait for her to calm down, and then respond so calmly that it will only anger her even more.

But over time, moments will emerge between their endless arguments that neither of them can explain. Namjoon will begin to notice something he hadn't seen before. Yuki will turn out to be more than just a brash girl, but someone who has spent her entire life desperately trying to prove to others that she has the right to make her own decisions. Behind her loud laughter, he will see loneliness, behind her caustic jokes, a fear of being unwanted, and behind her defiant behavior, a desire for her to finally stop being seen as a tool for someone else's purposes. And for the first time in years, he will feel not irritation, but a desire to protect someone, not because duty demands it, but because he can no longer do otherwise.

Yuki will also gradually begin to notice the real Namjoon. She will see that the person,