Arranged = In Love (Jaehyun Fic)
-> Pairing: Viscount! Jaehyun x Adopted Daughter, afab! Reader
-> Plot: Your cruel parents arrange you to marry the coldest, most disinterested man in the town. How do you fare when he acts no differently towards you than your parents did?
-> Genre: smut, fluff, angst, piv sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), no protection (wrap it up!), both Y/N and Jaehyun come from troubled childhoods, Jaehyun is cold and lowk misogynistic in the beginning, crying, cruel parents, arranged marriage, little brother! Woonhak, let me know if I missed anything
-> Warnings: mentions of dead parents and potentially triggering backgrounds for the characters
-> Notes: This fic was a long one and took me a little over a month to complete. It was a request from my lovely @mikk1-lol. I am so sorry this took so long, I experienced so much writers block and literally wrote this 3 different times with me completely scrapping the first 2 ideas but I had so much fun writing this! I absolutely LOVE writing royal/ renaissance AU type fics and hopefully receive more asks about them in the future!
He always kept his nose buried in his work. As the next Viscount of the Myung estate, he couldn’t afford any distractions. There was a lot of unfinished paperwork to attend to, many files to fill out. Not to mention the pressure his grandparents had put on him as the new head of the household not so long after the death of both his parents, soon after he became a teen. Ever since then, his chaotic and carefree spirit had slowly dwindled away, leaving him to always be a shell of the person he once was, so serious, so tightly wound.
He was nearing his mid-20’s, the age at which most men would be concerned with finding a wife. But he never cared to find a wife— at least not this early. He had too much to worry about already, but even then, his grandparents insisted he find someone to marry. He refused to find anyone on his own, always making excuses as to why he wasn’t able to find a date. It was then that his grandfather got fed up, arranging for him to meet with different women in hopes of finding a wife. But he never paid any interest to his dates, not caring about them or what skills they possessed or what stories they wanted to share.
He had hoped that this disinterest would stop his grandfather from finding more dates, but it only kept him going, determined to find someone for him. It was like he knew everyone from everywhere, calling ladies from many towns away in order to meet with his grandson. But as time went on, the dates became less and less, much to his appeasement. He continued to focus on his work without the worry of marriage following him around, for now.
The sound of broken glass filled your ears, the sharp noise hard to drown out. You wince, watching your mother smirk as she deliberately dropped a glass tea saucer and cup set onto the floor.
“Oh no, looks like I dropped a plate.”
She turned towards you, an evil glint in her eyes.
“What are you waiting for, pest? Clean that up will you?”
You nod in understanding, walking up with a broom and dustpan, careful not to get tiny shards of glass stuck in your bare feet.
“Well, if no one is willing to marry you, at least I can keep you as my slave forever.”
The tears slowly fall from your eyes and onto the broken glass as your witch of a mother walks away, cackling to herself. Correction: adoptive mother. You couldn’t bear the idea that she was anything like your real mom.
Your father had left shortly after you were born, leaving you in the care of only your mother. You didn’t know much about your father, and you never really asked any questions since whenever you would, your mother would start sobbing uncontrollably. You never asked after that, wanting to spare her from any more pain. You didn’t have much growing up. You lived in a little house with only one bedroom and a small, slim mattress that you shared with your mother.
You were so young, but you could never forget the day your mother died. She had fallen gravely ill, ultimately resulting in her death a few short months later. The pain you felt of losing the only person that had ever loved you still hurt you to this day, almost thirteen years later. You were adopted by the Kim family, and, while not exactly royalty themselves, they were the Baron and Baroness of the town. They had mass amounts of wealth, more than you could dream of, and more rooms in their house than you could’ve ever imagined. Even though nothing could replace the home you grew up in, you sure believed this would be the best place to live.
But seeing as you weren’t their real daughter, and the fact that they already had a son that was a bit younger than you, you were never treated as more than a servant in the house. Everyone in the town knew about the adoption and had believed that they saved you after your mother had died. They would always be praised for their kindness, pretending that they loved you so much. But behind closed doors they had no problem raising their hand against you, punishing you for mistakes all children make, but to them it was justified because you weren’t their biological daughter.
You were at that age where marriage was on the forefront of your mind, partly because you wanted to experience real love again, but mostly because you wanted to get out of this godforsaken household.
You empty the dustpan into the garbage can, sighing as you put everything away neatly. Your mother had put out the call that you were ready to be married, waiting for a suitor to call upon you. But it seemed that everyone in town around your age had already found someone to marry, leaving you with very limited options.
You were very kind, yet timid, your once bouncy and bubbly personality beaten out of you through your adoptive mother’s relentless punishments and laborious tasks. But you never let it stop you from always wanting the best for everyone around you. You had never stopped being kind, especially to your younger brother, Woonhak.
He was the only one in the house that treated you with any kind of respect. Though you didn’t see him much, seeing as your parents always favored taking him out and letting him leave the house, he would always make time at the end of the day to come see you, telling him about his adventures, allowing you to live vicariously through him. You were always thankful that you had at least one person who cared about you.
“You are to go to their house at once! I am tired of your constant pushback and attitude! There is no excuse for you anymore. You are to visit that girl and you will marry her, that is final!”
His grandfather had really given it to him now: an arranged marriage. There was no way out of this one. He could try to fight it, but he knew nothing would come of it.
After the constant rejections he’d given, rumors about his cold and aloof attitude had spread, with many ladies being able to corroborate each other's stories as they were true. It was to the point where no families had reached out for their daughters to marry him, all except one.
But maybe, if his search for a wife was over, he could finally get back to his work. His silence was enough of an answer for his grandfather who was still angry yet pleased with his grandson’s conformism. He made his way to the carriage, preparing himself to meet his future wife, whether he liked it or not.
“I have set you up with the Baron’s daughter, Kim Y/N. Her mother says that she is looking to marry. You are to accept her and bring her back here, she needs to adjust to the family and you as soon as possible to speed up this process of marriage.”
He scoffed, returning to his office. He sighed, the reality of what he would soon do hitting him now. He was going to get married.
“He’s cold and uninterested. No woman has ever dated him and gotten anything out of it. But he has no choice now but to marry you, a miserable little shell of a human. Who knows? Maybe you’re made for each other. You and the apathetic Viscount, Myung Jaehyun.”
Your viper of a mother says to you, sitting back in her chair before sipping at her cup of tea. You run to your room, tears in your eyes. Of course you had heard rumors from the servants around the house about Myung Jaehyun, about how terrible of a suitor he is. How he never cares about the lady in front of him, keeping to himself and only responding in short phrases and sentences. You had always wished to be freed from this house, but was it worth living with someone who would choose to ignore you completely? Was that a life that you could truly be happy with?
You didn’t have much of a choice though. He was going to visit the next day. You hear a knock on your door, choking out a weak ‘come in,’ knowing who it was.
“I just heard the news, I am so sorry big sister.”
Woonhak says, closing the door behind him and taking a seat next to you on your bed. You rest your head on his shoulder, letting any stray tears fall down your face and onto your raggedy dress.
“It’s not like you set me up Woon. Besides, this is what I’ve been asking for, right?”
You laugh bitterly, not really believing it yourself that this is what you truly want.
“Yeah but not like this. You deserve to be with someone nice that treats you kindly and like a human. Not some scum that doesn’t know how to treat a lady!”
You sit up straight, facing him with a smile on your face and wiping your tears.
“C’mon Woon, that’s no way to talk about your future brother-in-law. I know you don't like it. I don’t either, but I dont have another choice. But I'll be okay, alright? Just take care of yourself.”
He scoffs, facing away from you before pulling you into a hug.
“I don’t know how you do it, being positive all the time and even seeing the good in bad people. And just because he’s going to be my brother-in-law doesnt mean I have to like him.”
You chuckle, hugging him back and enjoying the comfort of your younger brother, cherishing what little time you have left with him. You agree that you don’t know how you’ve managed to stay so kind and positive throughout the tragedies of your life, but you like to think it has something to do with how your mother loved you, and by extension, how Woonhak loves you.
The next day, you wake up early to get ready, putting on your best dress to meet Jaehyun. You go out once you’re ready, preparing tea like you did for your parents everyday.
“This is the best you could do? You might just have to stay here forever. He might break the arraignment if he sees how decrepit you look.”
Of course the first words she speaks to you on arguably the most important day for you is nothing but negativity. You excuse yourself to tidy up, making sure the little bit of makeup you were allowed to wear looked smooth. You stare at your dress, the only decent one you had amongst your old, worn-out servants’ gowns. You try to stay positive, putting on your best smile for when the guests arrive. As if it was perfectly timed, you hear a ring throughout the living room, signaling to you that your guest had arrived. Your parents and Woonhak are off to the side of the room while you stand in the back of the room, in line with the door.
“Welcome, Lord Myung, I hope the carriage ride over wasn’t too troublesome for you.”
She says, bowing to him. You couldn’t stand her and her fake act of concern, it was sickening. He was stoic in his expression, not really one to care for small talk. He bows back, returning the sentiment.
He looks over to you who is shyly standing across from him. What your mother had said seemed true. He seemed cold and uninterested, but his features looked soft, he was very handsome. You stop analyzing him, bowing your head.
“Hello Lord Myung, my name is Kim Y/N.”
You were nervous, and it showed by your shaky voice that came out small in the big room. He tsks.
“Quit being nervous and hold yourself up better. If you’re going to be my wife you’re going to need to learn to be a lady. And what is the raggedy dress you have on? We must get you a new one immediately.”
You held back tears as he was harshly degrading you in front of your parents and brother, something you thought you’d be used to by now. Woonhak looked over to you before looking back at him, clenching his jaw and balling up his fist in rage, but releasing both to calm himself down. He couldn’t stand your parents treating you this way, how would he be okay with a stranger acting the same?
You hated the way you spoke, not being able to hide your sadness and emotions overall. You were told beforehand that this arrangement was set in stone, that there was no room for objection, that the end result was most definitely going to be marriage. But this is what you had wished for, to be away from your accursed family, even if it meant that your husband wouldn’t be much better than them.
“I am sure you have packed your belongings. You will be coming to stay with me at the Myung estate for a while. I’ll have someone grab your things.”
Woonhak glares at him, making sure he can see it before walking past him, making sure to nudge his shoulder on his way to your room. He wanted to help you in any way he could, even in just the small act of grabbing your things for you. He loaded your stuff up in the carriage for you, smiling at you when you showed up outside. You look at your parents, barely waving to them before walking up to Woonhak.
“Don’t cause too much trouble while I’m gone. There’s no one here to discipline you.”
You laugh, taking subtle jabs at your parents but trying your best to hold in your tears. But you don’t expect them from Woonhak. He pulls you in a tight hug, one hand on your back and one over your head.
“You’re coming back soon right? Please tell me you’ll be back soon.”
He didn’t show his affection much, especially not this boldly where he outright displays his feelings. You can’t help but let tears soak onto his shirt, wrapping your arms around him tightly.
“Yes. I’ll be back soon.”
The carriage ride back to the Myung household was silent, not a single word exchanged between the two of you. He had come alone save for the carriage driver, making the ride awkward and nerve wracking for you. Your attempts to make conversation were almost always shut down with his next response being vague or direct, neither leaving any room for elaboration. You opted to stare out the window instead, the view outside providing you more entertainment than your supposed fiancée. You were careful in your movements, not wanting him to see the small tears flow down your cheeks as you try to subtly wipe them away.
Upon arriving at the Myung household, your bags were taken by one of his servants, presumably to the room that you would be staying in.
“Welcome to the Myung household, Lady Kim.”
You were greeted by his grandfather, a man who seemed much kinder than him, and was pleased at your arrival.
“Hello, Lord Myung. The pleasure of meeting you is all mine.”
You bow, already feeling better about the whole arrangement. You’re taken to your room where you were told to settle in. You take your time setting your things down, smiling when you pull out a framed picture of you and your mother when you were just a kid, laughing as she was holding you, and another picture of you and Woonhak when you were kids. A few small tears escape your eyes at the overwhelming rush of emotions you were feeling right now. ‘This really is how I’m going to be spending the rest of my life…’
On the other side of the house was Jaehyun, already cooped back up in his office. Just because he was marrying you didn’t mean he had to see you all time.
After settling in, you made your way downstairs with the escort of your maid who was assigned to you shortly after your arrival.
“Take a moment to walk around, Lady Kim, lunch will be ready soon.”
“Thank you Ms. Choi, and please, just call me Y/N.”
“Alright Y/N, I will see you soon.”
You nod your head, taking the time to explore your new home. You let yourself picture what life here would be like. Imagining little kids running around, though you have trouble picturing such a cold man with sweet children. You were glad to be walking alone but the house was bigger than the outside lead on, having trouble navigating through the maze of hallways and endless doors aligning the walls. You’re wandering aimlessly at this point, stopping when you see a set of open glass doors. You peer in, staring in awe at the millions of books lining the shelves.
“Has anyone ever taught you manners? How rude of you to simply walk in unannounced, without so much as a knock on the door?”
You flinch, not having noticed Jaehyun sitting at the desk all the way in the back of the room. Heat rises to your cheeks out of embarrassment, bowing to him.
“I-I am so sorry, Lord Myung. I was told to walk around, I had no idea this was your off-”
You stutter, voice shaky before being cut off by him.
“Are you always this shaky and emotional? First you choke up when greeting me, then you cry saying goodbye to your brother and now this? Not to mention how you continued crying in the carriage even after we had departed from your home. You have no business being my Viscountess if this is the way you’re going to behave, not being able to control your emotions. That is weakness.”
You try to fight back the tears welling in your eyes, trying not to prove his point about you being emotional as images of your mother yelling at you for crying play through your head. You carefully lift your head back up once he’s done scolding you, taking another look around the room, taking note of the state of his desk, the broken pen holder and low ink cartridge specifically, before silently walking away, making sure he couldn’t see the way you wiped your tears while leaving the room. ‘Am I really weak for crying after being yelled at and showing emotions?’ You sit with the thought for a while before continuing on your own tour of the house.
It was time for lunch. You had walked around the house for a bit, even having some time left over to rest in your room. You all gathered at the table, Jaehyun sitting at one end and his grandfather on the other, you sitting opposite of his grandmother. She was very sweet.
“How did you like the house, Lady Kim? Is everything to your liking?”
“Yes, of course, everything is magnificent, thank you. And please, Y/N is fine.”
You explain, smiling as she nods at your preference. You continue eating silently, when Jaehyun’s grandfather starts speaking.
“Jaehyun, how was meeting your future wife?”
You look over to him, curious at his response but not expecting much.
“She’s fine. Could use a little refresher about manners, how to knock on doors specifically, and she needs to learn to handle her emotions and not cry all the time.”
He didn’t seem pleased with his grandson’s response, but accepted it nonetheless, figuring it would just take him some time to get used to the arrangement. You all continued to eat, having small conversations here and there, but it was mostly his grandparents asking you questions, Jaehyun not participating in the conversation unless directly asked a question. He leaves first, not saying anything as he simply returns to his office. You try not to think about it too much, not wanting your feelings of inadequacy to eat you alive after what he said. But it wasn’t anything that you weren’t used to, taking it and continuing the conversation with his grandparents like normal.
The next couple days were uneventful. You spent a great deal of time with his grandparents and Ms. Choi, getting to know the estate better. It was really big so you still got confused where everything was. You would spend the mornings asking Ms. Choi to let you help around the house. You had a love for gardening and nature in general, wanting to be outside whenever you could, even though you weren’t allowed to do it back at home.
You got to know all the servants, and you were really excited to be able to help out. You would ask them about Jaehyun, what he likes and what things make him mad or upset. You wanted to know for the future, so you wouldn’t make him upset again like you did when you walked into the office without knocking. They all found it adorable how you tried to get to know him, knowing how difficult it is for him to open up. You guys hadn’t spoken much, only a small conversation here and there during meals and on the rare times you’d see him leave his office. Like now. You greeted him with a bow as always.
“Good evening, my Lord. Have you been busy today?”
He looks at you, returning your bow before scanning your appearance, the worn out servant’s gown getting on his nerves.
“Yes I have. Do you not have any other clothes? Why do you insist on wearing these hideous servant's garb? Are you a future viscountess or a lowly peasant? Tomorrow, I will arrange for us to go into the town and get you some new clothing. I refuse to look at you in this horrid attire any longer.”
He walks away from you, scoffing like you offended him. You look down at your clothes, sighing as a few small tears escape your eyes and hit the fabric of the dress. You decide to rest up early. You had an early day tomorrow, going shopping for new dresses as per Jaehyun’s demand, your old servant gowns not good enough for him.
You make your way to your room, sighing and taking off your makeup first before taking off your dress, only being left in your white undergown. You walk to the bathroom attached to your room, running a bath. You step out of the bathroom, looking into the mirror and trying to unzip the back of the gown, not hearing the knock on the door over the sound of the running water. You flinch upon hearing the sound of the doorknob being turned, door slightly creaking as someone walks in. You look back, face red as you find Jaehyun staring at you.
“Oh my– why didn’t you respond when I knocked on the door?”
He looks embarrassed himself, a light shade of pink dusting his face.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear it over the sound of running water…”
You’re in a compromising position, right hand reaching behind your back to grab at the zipper, the left holding it taut against you to make it easier to unzip. You shiver when you feel a pair of hands on your shoulder.
“Next time you’re changing to take a bath, lock the door. You seriously have no manners… were you taught any at all?”
He says, very gently unzipping your gown. He was flustered but he kept his tone. You turn around, holding the front of the gown up to prevent it from falling down, pushing your chest up and defining their curves.
“Thank you, Lord Myung. I’m sorry about the door. My last room didn’t have a lock so I’m not used to locking doors.”
You say with a smile. He’s looking down, taking glances between your moving lips and your chest. You walk into the bathroom, closing the door, a ‘click’ being heard from the other side; you locked the door. He couldn’t help but think about what you said while leaving the room. ‘She’s the daughter of the Baron… what does she mean she didn’t have a lock on her door?’
He takes the night to think about, but gets distracted, the image of your chest pushed up and the way your lips move when you talk clouding his mind. He shakes his head, snapping himself out of any thought before going to bed.
You come out of your bath wrapped in a towel, going to your bag to grab a nightgown when something pink on your white bed catches your attention. A silk, baby pink gown was neatly placed on your bed. You smile at the fabric knowing it was most likely Jaehyun that came to give you a new nightgown whilst you were bathing. You quickly slip it on, locking the door before going to sleep.
The next morning you wake up refreshed, sunlight pouring in through the little spaces between the curtains, warming up the room. You hear a knock on your door, unlocking it before opening it.
“Good morning Lady Y/N. I hope you slept well last night. Lord Myung wanted me to deliver you this dress to wear for today. Please let me know if you need help with anything.”
The smile on your face is radiant, cheerfully taking the clothes.
“Good morning Ms. Choi. Thank you so much, I am so excited to wear it. It is absolutely beautiful.”
You look at the dress in awe, thanking her once again before getting yourself ready for the day. Once you’re ready, you make your way downstairs where you see Jaehyun.
“Good morning, Lord Myung. How was your sleep?”
You bow to him and he bows back.
“Good morning, Lady Kim. You should know I am not one for small talk, but I suppose it was alright. And you?”
“I slept well, thank you. I shall keep that noted, no small talk.”
He seemed happier today, which made you happy in return. You both ate breakfast quickly, already running slightly late. You head out to the carriage, Jaehyun offering his hand to help you in, making you blush. The town wasn’t too far from here, only a 30 minute carriage ride. You sit across from Jaehyun, looking out the window. He tries to do the same, but his eyes keep drifting back to you. The way you look in the new dress he gave you. The way you fill out the dress perfectly, the sweetheart neckline perfectly complimenting your body. The shade of light green very fitting for the late spring season and accenting your skin tone.
You can feel his eyes on you, the familiar burn of your cheeks causing you to open the window slightly. You didn’t want to look back, too nervous to meet his gaze. He could see the way your face flushes, opting to look out the window instead to avoid causing you any further self-consciousness.
Upon arriving at the town, Jaehyun helps you down, making sure the bottom of your dress doesn't get caught in your shoes. You thank him, looking up at him, urging him to lead the way.
“Do you know where the boutique is? You are welcome to walk next to me.”
“Umm… my family actually never took me out. That’s why I don’t have any good dresses. I have no idea where we even are.”
You admit, and the look on Jaehyun's face shocks even you. He decided not to ask any questions, wondering how you could say such a disheartening thing with a smile on your face. ‘Was she used to being imprisoned in her own house…?’ Nonetheless, he guides you to the boutique, looking back every few steps to make sure you were behind him.
“You know, even if you don’t know the way, as my fiancée, you should still stand next to me. We have a reputation to uphold you know.”
You nod your head, smiling as you wrap your arm around his, walking side-by-side. He can’t help but find your actions dainty and delicate, or in other words, cute. But still, he kept his cold demeanor, face stoic as you walked into the boutique, the both of you bowing as you entered.
You looked around, in awe at all the colors and styles they carried. You had never seen a place so vibrant and full of colors. This was your first time at a boutique. Your gaze was like that of a child, unable to fathom the concept of so many dresses. Jaehyun observes your behavior, confused at your sudden fixation.
“You’re so… focused? Have you never been in a boutique before?”
He looks dumbfounded at your cheerful answer. Why were you excited about having never been to a boutique, something even babies experience regularly? Though, it clicks in his mind after you said your parents never took you out.
“I’m glad I could be here today, thank you, Lord Myung.”
You say, a genuine sparkle in your eyes. He could melt at the sentiment, cold exterior slowly breaking down. You were so nice to him, even when he hasn’t been the nicest to you.
He watches as your eyes zero in on a specific dress, a lilac piece with little white lace flowers topped with crystals creating the design. You reach your hand out to touch the dress, falling in love with it more.
“Do you like that one? Do you want to try it on?”
You turned your head back fast enough to give you whiplash, as if you couldn’t believe what he was saying. A small smile spreads across his face, pointing to the little changing booth on the opposite side of the boutique.
“Go try it on, I’ll have someone come over and assist you.”
You try your best to contain your excitement, speed walking to the booth. He didn’t know it now, but already, Jaehyun had seemed to carry a certain fondness for you, your slowly unveiling backstory coupled with your attitude towards life being something he would come to admire about you, and envy you for all the same.
Once you got the dress on, you step out, nervous for what his reaction might be. ‘What if he doesn't like it…’ You look at yourself one more time, the first time you've ever seen yourself look so pretty. You look around for Jaehyun, heart thumping in your chest when you see his back is towards you. You tap his shoulder, smoothing down your dress once more. His eyes go big in shock, dazed at how beautiful you look. But you can’t tell if he like it or not, bashfully looking away.
“It doesn’t look good, does it? I should put it ba–”
“Keep it! I mean, if you like it of course…”
You’re surprised by how excited and quick his response is.
“Do you like it, my Lord? I will wear only what you approve…”
He thought he would like the feeling of control, in every sense of the word. He liked being in control of his work, of his business affairs, of his household for the most part, but the way you said you’d only wear what he would allow you to, it didn’t sit right with him. He didn’t want to control you. He didn’t want you to feel like you couldn’t have your own opinions and free will. ‘Is this what she went through back at her home?’
“I think it makes you look very beautiful…”
You have to face away from him, hurriedly walking back to the changing booth to hide your beet red blush and the way your heartbeat speeds up at the compliment. He also looks away, calming himself down to keep his composure and ‘cold’ image. He clears his throat, walking up to the clerk and paying for the dress, along with a couple other dresses he thinks would suit you and that you would like. You hand him the dress when you walk out, hair a little messed up from changing your clothes.
“Didn’t you look in the mirror before leaving? Your hair is all messed up.”
“O-oh, I’m sorry my Lord, I’ll fix it right–”
Your sentence is cut off by him as he silently runs his hands over your head to tame the flyaways, fixing any pieces that were moved out of place. You needed a fan for how often he seemed to catch you off guard and make you blush, heat spreading throughout your face.
He brings his arm out for you to hold, walking out and back to the carriage where he hands the bag of your dresses to the carriage driver.
Maybe he was nicer than you initially thought…
The rest of your time out consisted of more shopping. Jaehyun was adamant about getting you a new wardrobe fit with new nightgowns, under gowns, shoes and dresses. If you were going to be Viscountess you had to look like one. It was late in the afternoon when you had arrived back at the Myung estate. You had come back with many bags, enlisting the help of your maid and other servants to help bring them up to your room before making your way to the dining room for dinner. You greeted his grandparents, talking about your day all together and eating dinner before Jaehyun announced that he was going to go back to his office.
“Lord Myung, I just wanted to say thank you, for today. Thank you for getting me new clothes and other items.”
Your tone, the way you look up at him, the way your hand was barely tugging on his overcoat to get his attention, he found it all so endearing.
“Of course, Lady Kim. That is part of my role as your fiancée and future husband, I must provide for you. But I am glad that you are appreciative nonetheless, I guess you do have some manners.”
You smile, happy that he was starting to warm up to you. You both go your separate ways, you to your room and him to his office. It is late now, the day’s activities weighing down on you as you draw yourself a bath. You relax in the warm water, letting your body recover for a while, this bath longer than your usual ones. You think back on the day. The amount of times you caught him staring at you and the way he looked at you when you came out wearing the dress that you chose. How he cared more if you liked it and told you to buy it only if you wanted it. How he called you beautiful in the dress. And the way he fixed your hair for you even after he scolded you. Your cheeks burn replaying the memories, but you wished they lasted a little bit longer.
After your bath you went to sort and put away all the new clothes you bought, a tiny box inside one of the other bags catching your eye. You don’t recall buying anything like it so you were confused, opening it up to see a little lilac colored ribbon inside, one that would perfectly match the dress you bought. You smile, wrapping it into your hair in a braid. You grabbed the last bag left, making your way towards Jaehyun’s office.
You remember to knock this time, even if the door was open, to get his attention.
He says, voice echoing throughout the grand space. He doesn’t look up right away, not knowing that it was you who walked in.
“You haven't washed up yet, is it going to be a late night for you?”
You ask calmly. He looks up at you, looks back down at his papers before looking back up again. The ribbon. He glances down at the bag in your hand.
“What brings you in here? Shouldn’t you be asleep by now?”
“I was putting my new clothes away when I remembered this–”
You pause to pull out the items from the bag: a new pen holder, one that matched his desk, and two new ink cartridges.
“–I noticed your pen holder was broken and that you were almost out of ink. I gave the carriage driver some money and had him get these when you were in the washroom when we were out earlier today.”
You look at him, smiling.
“I hope you don’t mind, I didn’t use any of the money you gave me, I used my own…”
You go to place the items down, his hand coming to assist you in a fleeting touch.
“Thank you… I really needed these. That was very thoughtful of you, I really appreciate it, Lady Kim.”
He gets up from his chair, walking around the desk and standing directly in front of you. He grabs your hands, holding them both softly in his own, looking at the ribbon in your braid.
“The ribbon looks wonderful. Do you like it?”
Your eyes sparkle at the contact, finding it hard to stop the smile forming on your face.
“I love it. It matches the dress you bought me.”
He places a kiss to the backs of your hands, his pillow-soft lips barely touching the skin.
“I’m glad. I shouldn’t be up too late, but you should go to bed. I will see you tomorrow morning, Lady Kim.”
He smiles, chucking a little before repeating after you.
You woke up this morning covered in sweat. As the summer was approaching, you found it harder to keep dry during the night, even with the windows open and wearing lighter clothes to sleep, oftentimes not even sleeping with the covers over your body. You get up, closing the windows and blinds to block out the sun, drawing yourself a bath right away to get the sticky sweat off of you. After bathing, you get dressed for the day, opting not to wear makeup in fear of sweating it off. Making your way out of the room, you’re surprised to see Jaehyun standing outside your door.
“Good morning, my Lord. What brings you outside my door this early? Is everything alright?”
“Good morning, my Lady. I hope you slept alright. I just wanted to be the first to greet you today. And to give you this, I know it's hot today.”
He says, handing you a fan. You take it, immediately fanning yourself down.
“My Lord, thank you so much. How very thoughtful of you. What a pleasant way to start my morning.”
Your cheeriness and heartwarming kindness never fails to bring a smile to his face.
“Come by my office later. Whenever you’re free.”
He says walking away, but not before leaving a chaste kiss on the back of your hand, causing you to fan your face a little harder. ‘Why does he want me to come by his office later?’ You nod, giving him your word and continuing about the rest of your day, spending more time with his grandparents and the servants.
You smile at the announcement that lunch is ready, asking if you could go up to tell Jaehyun yourself that it was time to eat. Making your way up the stairs, you knock on the door before entering.
“Could you close the doors for a second, I want to speak to you privately.”
You quietly close the door, standing across the desk from him as nerves build in you, worrying about what it is that he wants to talk to you privately about.
“You were adopted into the Kim family, is that correct?”
You nod, confused as to why he’d be asking you something he already knew.
“Your old family, would you tell me what happened? If you are comfortable, of course.”
You take a deep breath, preparing yourself for the emotions you’re about to feel.
“Well, my father left when I was a baby. It was just me and my mom. We didn’t have much and she would be working as much as she could so I learned to be happy by myself and embrace what he had. My mom, she was so amazing, the most loving mother ever. She died when I was about 8 years old. She fell ill, but we couldn’t afford to get her treated and she died. I was taken in by the Baron and Baroness Kim soon after.”
He was listening so intently, but you couldn’t help but let a tear or two fall down.
“I’m sorry, I know I’m too emotional and that crying is a weakness. I won’t do it again my Lord.”
“Don’t ever apologize for being emotional. I was wrong in saying that. It stemmed from my own emotions, being told not to cry, that it was weak. I know now that it doesn’t matter if you cry. I’m sorry for ever saying something so wrong.”
He walks around the desk, pulling you into his arms, letting you cry on his chest. You wrap your arms around him, the feeling of being hugged by someone other than Woonhak foreign to you. His heart broke for you.
“I ask because of everything you’ve told me about yourself over these past few weeks. Not knowing to lock the doors and only having servant’s clothes. Did they make you do that? Why?”
Sniffling, you wipe your tears after pulling away from him, taking his hands in yours.
“They didn’t see me as their real daughter. They already had my little brother, Woonhak, when they adopted me and they only did it because they were losing their popularity in the town. No one was really asking them for anything or helping them out. When they heard about an orphaned girl, they decided to use me as publicity, thinking I would restore their status– and I did, but it only benefitted them. They didn’t let me go out or have fun, I never had any friends outside of my brother, I wasn’t even allowed to be seen by other people. If they asked about me, they’d lie and say I didn’t like being out and that I’d rather be away from society. They treated me like their personal servant, mostly my mother, but I would have to make tea and clean up with the maids.”
His eyes widened in shock, not realizing how deep your story went and the magnitude of your mistreatment growing up. He had respected you and admired you more for it.
“I am so sorry… for everything. About what happened to your real parents, and what you went through at home. And I am deeply sorry for the way I’ve treated you until this point. I should’ve never treated you that way. You deserve so much better than what I’ve been giving you…”
This was the first time you’d ever see him so vulnerable and open about his feelings, used to seeing his cold exterior with some sprinkles of bashfulness here and there. You hadn’t known much about him or what he spent most of his day doing, but you sighed, falling back into his embrace. You felt a big weight lift off of your shoulders as this was the first time you’d ever told anyone the truth.
“Don’t say that. I am so grateful that you’re my fiancée. Thank you, for everything.”
“How are you so kind and happy all the time given what you’ve been through?”
“I never forget how happy and kind my mother was. No matter what we went through, she never once yelled or got mad, always trying to shield me from any sadness. I have her to thank for teaching me to always love. I especially owe it to Woonhak. He never treated me any different, he treated me like a real older sister. He let me love him like a sister, and I will never forget the love he showed me in return. The only person who has loved me since my mother died.”
He looks up, tongue at the roof of his mouth to stop himself from crying. You look up, wiping your tears and giggling. He looks down, confused as to why you’re giggling but you only shake your head.
“I am okay. I have been through a lot but I am really okay. Thank you for asking and thank you for listening.”
He trails his hands up your face, caressing it softly. He wipes away any tears that are left on your face. He stares into your eyes for a bit and you look back up into his, emotions that you couldn’t say out loud being conveyed through your eye contact. He leans down, looking between your eyes and lips before pressing a soft kiss to your lips. Your breath hitches: your first kiss. You almost miss it, slowly moving your lips against his. His feelings for you pouring into the kiss, and yours for him. It doesn’t last very long, but when he pulls away, he rests his forehead on yours.
“Thank you, for telling me.”
The days only got hotter as the season of summer arrived. And it didn’t help that Jaehyun seemed to be adding to the heat. After you had opened up to him, he had been kinder and wanted to spend more time together. Of course, you never objected but there were many different scenarios in which you’d find yourself alone with him, the air between the two of you becoming thicker each time, tensions rising.
Like a few days ago, when you were told that you were going out with Ms. Choi to meet other noble wives or soon-to-be noble wives, to learn more about what it means to be nobility and possibly to make new friends.
You chose to wear the lavender dress that Jaehyun had bought you, matching it with the ribbon he gifted you. To say that you were nervous was an understatement. You never had any real contact with other women around your age and you’ve never had friends before. You were worried about how you should act and what you should say. Before going out, you sought to enlist the help of Jaehyun. Surely he would know how to help you.
“Unfortunately, my Lady, I have no words for you except, be yourself.”
You looked at him, dumbfounded at his lack of response. You walked around his desk and stood in front of him, something he had you do if you were talking to him while he was working, to garner his full attention.
“You have friends, surely there is more to this than just being myself. This is my first time meeting other ladies like this, I want it to go well and make some friends of my own.”
He turned to face you as you walked up to him, smiling while taking in your beauty, before taking your hands in his.
“You look so beautiful. That color suits you very well.”
You were about to speak again, when he swiftly pulled you down onto his lap. The instant heat rising to your face required you to fan yourself even harder than you were before while he laughed at your cute behavior.
“I am sure the other ladies will love you just for who you are. If they don’t, then you have no business being friends with people like that. They would be considered undeserving of your kindness.”
His sincere words had you giggling.
“Maybe they will be undeserving of your kindness, that way I can have you all for myself.”
He says, hands that were once firmly gripping your waist now trailing down to rub at and caress your thighs. Your breath was caught in your throat at the sudden shift in his tone and his bold actions.
“Are you saying that you hope that I don’t make any friends, my Lord?”
He pulled you in closer, breath fanning your ear as he pushed the hair away from your neck.
“Would that be so wrong of me to hope for, Lady Y/N?”
He smirked, pulling you in for a kiss. You gasped into his mouth, this kiss much more fiery than ones you’ve shared previously. The tension is only growing stronger, each kiss preceding this one becoming increasingly more intense as the days went by. Your hands grasped at his shoulders, collecting the fabric of his shirt between your fingers. He ran his fingers back up your hips and waist, resting them there before pulling away.
“Can’t get carried away now, can we? You have things to do.”
You knew what he was doing, but you were too dizzy from the kiss to feel anything but want for him. You stood up, orienting yourself before getting ready to leave.
“Hurry back now. Don’t have too much fun.”
You smile and nod, closing the door to his office behind you, the kiss still fresh on your mind. You’re greeted by Ms. Choi, who you forgot was waiting outside of the door for you that day.
“I’m glad your relationship with the Viscount is alive and passionate. Shall we get going?”
You hid behind your fan as you shook your head, laughing with her whilst heading to the carriage.
Or like tonight, when you need his help before your nightly bath. You had gotten new undergowns, ones that were lighter and more flowy to help ease the heat during the summer months. While you were grateful to have gotten more, these ones were a little different than your other ones, the zippers being much harder to unzip. After trying for a couple of minutes, you put a throw over your shoulders, walking across the hall to knock on the door to Jaehyun’s room.
“My Lord? It’s me, I would like your help with something if you don’t mind.”
He swung the door open quickly upon hearing your voice, hair tousled from taking off his overcoat, leaving him only in his button-down, that had the first couple of buttons undone, giving you a clear view of his toned chest. You ogle at him for a second.
“That’s not very ladylike of you m’Lady, staring at my chest like that.”
You look up in his eyes, that teasing glint he’s been holding for days only becoming more apparent.
“Right, I, umm… can I come in?”
He steps aside, closing the door behind you. You realize that this was the first time you’d ever been in his bedroom. The walls were a light blue-gray shade, an even bigger bathroom than the one in your room attached to his. You walk up to the big mirror in the corner of his room, staring at him through the reflection. He watches you as you look around, meeting your gaze in the mirror as he also realized that this was the first time you’d ever seen his room.
“What did you need help with?”
You keep your back turned, holding his gaze. You shrug the throw off your shoulders, draping it around your arms.
“Could you help me unzip my undergown? I tried for a bit, but I couldn’t seem to get it.”
He approached you slowly, eyes never leaving yours from the mirror. He gently caressed your shoulders, tracing their outline. You’re staring at him, the way his expression shows something more than just wanting to help you out, his lips leaving kisses down your left shoulder as he carefully unzips the gown, not wanting to break it from the tracks. You take in a sharp breath at the feeling of his cold fingers brushing your bare back, the feeling doing the opposite of cooling you down, instead causing more heat to blossom throughout your body. His touch is so delicate, like you’re too fragile to apply more pressure. He fully unzips it, kisses now trailing up to your neck, but you can barely feel them, feeling almost a tickle-like sensation in their wake.
You move your hand from its position next to you to hold the gown up, knowing it would slip off of your frame if you didn’t. He places the hand that was on your back on the hand you're using to hold your dress up, squeezing it as his other arm wraps around your waist, pulling you closer against him. His scent of musk and amber from his perfume, encapsulating your sense, almost dizzying.
You whisper, moving your head back to allow him more room on your neck. The way he’s kissing you so softly, making you feel things you’ve never felt before. He hums against your neck, moving up to your jaw. He pulls away, looking down at you as you continue to look at him through the mirror. He brings his hand up to your face, tilting it to face him, drinking in your features.
It's you that leans into him this time, gravitating towards his lips. He spins you to face him properly, holding you tighter against him as your lips lock in a heated kiss. You sigh into the kiss, coming out more like a moan and driving him to deepen the kiss. His tongue swipes across your bottom lip before engaging it with your own tongue. Moving your hand off of your chest, you place one arm around his neck, the other going up into his hair, pressing him into you even more. You don’t think you can get any closer than this, heat budding into sweat along both your foreheads, both from the heat of the warm summer night and the intensity of the kiss. You pull away first, needing some air as he goes back to your neck, breathing heavily against it and pressing harder, hotter kisses to the skin.
“Jaehyun. You need not be so formal with me, like you fear me. Please speak to me comfortably.”
“Lord Jaehyun. We cannot do this right now, we aren’t married yet. You need to stop.”
Your body says otherwise, but you can’t help but think this is wrong from everything you’ve heard growing up. He doesn’t seem to care though, his grip on your waist tightening.
“Do you want me to stop because you don’t want to do this, or because of the technicality that only married couples should engage in these actions?”
He already knows your answer by the way you keep pushing his head further into your neck. You don’t want him to stop, moaning lightly as he bites your neck, soothing over it with little sucks and kisses. He pulls away, keeping you close and resting his forehead on yours.
“If you’re not ready yet, we can wait. But we are adults who were arranged into this marriage, and I can confidently say that I am falling in love with you. So my intentions aren’t coming from a place of sheer need. Whose to stop us from having some fun?”
Your heart races at his confession. He can sense your shock, chuckling before shifting to hug you, head resting on your shoulder. Your hands around him squeeze at his sides, face pressed firmly against his chest.
“Take the night to think about it. Have a relaxing bath. We can talk about it in the morning if you’d like.”
You were certain in your feelings for the Viscount. You were falling in love with him too. Why should you let any previous stigma heard from other people stop you from showing your love to each other?
“I don’t need time to think about it. You are right my Lord. No one can tell us what to do.”
He’s beaming at your words, taking your hand and leading you to the bed, making sure to lock the door on his way. He lays you down gently, caressing your hair softly.
“Let me show you how hard I’ve fallen for you.”
He continues trailing kisses down your neck to your chest, stopping just before the valley of your breasts.
“May I take this off of you, my Lady?”
You nod quickly, the heat between your thighs growing hotter at every move he makes. He eagerly slips the gown off of your body, staring at your chest and smiling.
You blush at his words, leaning your head back as he places kisses on your boobs, tongue flicking over your nipple. You moan quietly, careful to not make much noise, the rest of the people in the house still awake and walking around. His hands trail lower down your body, pulling your gown down lower as he goes. You arch your back, pushing your chest further into his face as he switches between your boobs, licking and suckong on your other nipple while rolling the other one between his fingers. Your hands tug at his hair, pulling it to get his attention.
“Feels so good… but please…”
That teasing tone of his has you stammering over your words, embarrassed to ask him to touch you. But the ache is only growing worse at every second he’s not touching you passes by. You try to push your hips against his obvious bulge, hoping that he’ll get the hint that way. And he does, but he wants to tease you a little more first. Fully slipping your gown off of you and taking his shirt off, he hovers over you again, finger toying with your clit over the material of your panties. You let out a breathy moan, letting him know exactly what you wanted. He brings himself lower on your body, kissing above your naval as he hooks his fingers over your panties, pulling them down as you shiver at the cool air hitting your heat.
“You are truly magnificent,”
He kisses along your thighs and outer lips, dancing around your hole as you start to grind against his finger. He laughs, the vibration going straight through you. He drags his finger down from your clit to your hole, inching it in carefully as you let out a mewl, the best sound he’s ever heard escaping your lips.
You grip the sheets, continuing to grind yourself on his fingers, hoping to catch his nose on your clit with how close he is to it. He obliges, taking in your scent and letting you graze his nose a little before he sticks his tongue out, giving your clit little kitten-like-licks. You’re getting hotter, the pleasure building up faster than you can comprehend. Your walls clench around his fingers, preparing for your orgasm. But he pulls his fingers out, leaning up to kiss you before you can protest. He takes off his pants, his briefs following as you take in how big and hard he is. He giggles at your reaction, finding your scared expression cute.
“This might feel a little uncomfortable, let me know if it’s too much.”
You nod, trying your best to relax yourself as he lines himself up with your hole, spitting into his palm and rubbing himself a little to get it wet enough to slip in you with ease, not that he would need it with how wet you were already. You nod at him, giving him the okay to slowly push into you. You grip his arms, pulling him down to kiss you as he pushes just the tip in first. You inhale sharply against his mouth, the burn of the stretch a lot stronger than you believed it would be. He tries to pull away, wanting to make sure you’re okay, but you hold him in place, assuring him that you’re fine and to keep going.
Little by little, he fully bottoms out inside of you, letting out a deep groan into your mouth as he waits for you to adjust. Your nails are digging into his biceps, the tight yet filling feeling of him being fully inside you overwhelming. You’re both sweating like crazy, bodies almost stuck together with how close you have him held against you.
You manage to croak out, throat dry and breathless. He lifts his hips carefully, pulling out half way before pushing back in, keeping a slow pace. Your face displays everything you’re feeling, quickly changing from being scrunched up in pain to being completely relaxed from the pleasure, the stinging pain being replaced by the same feeling you felt earlier when his fingers were inside you. He quickens his pace, moans matching yours as you both struggle to keep your voices down.
You’re so lost in pleasure, completely dropping formalities as you feel your high approaching. Normally, he wouldn’t let anyone get away with calling out to him informally, but it was the way you said it so effortlessly and blissed out, like his name was meant to roll off your tongue that has him slamming his hips into harder, almost too much for you to handle.
“Fuck, you sound so amazing, saying my name like that.”
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to call you informally…”
“Don’t be. I like it. Shows that you’re comfortable around me, and that you’re enjoying yourself.”
You smile as he kisses you again, letting out a particularly loud moan into his mouth as you cum hard around him. He almost doesn’t pull out in time, lost in the way you moan for him. But he manages to just barely pull out, cumming all over your lips and navel, breathing heavy and shallow against your neck.
You say, catching your breath was you smooth your hands in his now sweaty hair, taking in his scent and relishing the post-orgasm bliss you’re feeling right now. He peels himself off of you, cringing at the way your bodies stick together because of the sweat. He lifts you up bridal style, carrying you over to the bathtub in his attached bathroom.
“You were amazing, Y/N. I love you. I am so sorry for the way I used to treat you. You never deserved that, and if you let me, I will continue to make it up to you until the day we cease to exist.”
He places loving kisses against your forehead and lips, making you giggle at the ticklish sensation.
“I love you too, my Lord. I already forgave you before. I am forever grateful that we were arranged. I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing fiancée. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
He runs the bath for the both of you, cleaning you up before getting in with you, savoring the bath together. You talk for hours, even after getting out of the tub, deciding to sleep with him for the first time since you started living there. And you couldn’t have been happier with the arrangement.
Ending is a little shitty cuz I couldn't figure out how to end it but I still hope that this was up to your standards!
