Kim Taehyung (23) "We'll solve the problem... after eating." Officially? An unemployed graduate. Unofficially? A full-time troublemaker. Loud, dramatic, funny, and unbelievably clumsy, Taehyung somehow turns every disaster into a comedy show. For the past six months, he's secretly been preparing for his dream career as a Global Youth Exchange Coordinator in Europe—a dream he has kept hidden from everyone, hoping to surprise them once he succeeds. His best friend since kindergarten is Park Jimin. And another college friend is Min Yoongi

Jeon Jungkook (25) "Responsibility comes before everything." The future heir of Jeon Company, Korea's leading business empire. Instead of taking the CEO's seat, he chooses to work as an ordinary employee in his own company to learn every position from the ground up. Only the Jeon and Park families know his true identity. To everyone else... He's simply Jeon Company's most capable employee. Recently engaged to Park Jimin, Jungkook believes responsibility should always come before emotions.

"I'm your father... but I'm also your best friend." A hardworking professor in university and Taehyung's biggest supporter. After losing his wife, he raised Taehyung alone with endless love, laughter, and terrible jokes. To Taehyung... Home has always been wherever his father is.

Park Jimin (23) "Respect is earned, not inherited." The only daughter and future heir of Park Company. Recently returned to Korea after studying abroad, she chooses to start her career as an ordinary employee at Jeon Company, determined to learn business from the ground up. Recently engaged to Jeon Jungkook, she hopes they'll first become good partners before anything else. Taehyung has been her best friend since kindergarten, and over the years, the Kim and Park families have become one family.

Min Yoongi (25) "Some friendships never fade with time." The only heir of Min Company. Taehyung's college friend and Senior. After graduating , he became the CEO of Min Company and has been busy handling new responsibilities ever since. Raised by his grandfather after losing his parents, Yoongi respects him more than anyone. Though work keeps him busy, he always stays in touch with Taehyung.

Jeon Namjoon "Perfection first. Emotions later." Chairman of Jeon Company. A respected businessman who believes discipline creates great leaders. He loves his son deeply... He simply doesn't know how to show it.

Jeon Seokjin "Love is felt in the little things." Jungkook's kind-hearted mother. Gentle, caring, and devoted to her family, she quietly hopes that one day her husband and son will understand each other's hearts.

The Jeon Family One of South Korea's most powerful business families and the owners of Jeon Company. Known for their discipline, leadership, and business excellence, they believe true successors should earn success through hard work rather than privilege.

The Park Family One of Korea's most respected business families. Despite their wealth, they value kindness over status. Having watched Taehyung grow up beside Jimin, they've always treated him as their own son. To them... Kim Taehyung has never been just Jimin's best friend. He has always been family.

And this... Is the story of an unemployed troublemaker... A man who chose responsibility over emotions... A woman determined to earn her own success... Friends who became family... One impossible lie... And The Girl Who Never Existed.

Seoul,South Korea.

10:02 A.M.

The most expensive wedding in Seoul was about to begin.

The Grand Élysée Resort stood at the heart of Seoul's most exclusive district, its enormous glass façade shining beneath the morning sun.

The entire resort had been booked for one event.

One wedding. And not just any wedding.

The wedding of Jeon Jungkook and Park Jimin.

The two names belonged to the most powerful business families in South Korea. The Jeon Group. The Park Group.

For decades, their companies had dominated different sides of the Korean business world. Technology. Finance. Construction. Luxury. International investments. Entertainment. Their names appeared on skyscrapers, airports, hotels, shopping districts, television networks, and countless international contracts. And today, those two families were becoming one.

The media had been waiting for this day for months. Outside the resort, hundreds of reporters stood behind barricades. Television cameras were already broadcasting live. News vans filled the surrounding streets.

Security guards stood every few meters. Luxury cars arrived one after another. Black Mercedes. Bentleys. Rolls-Royces. Private chauffeurs. Foreign businessmen. Korean celebrities. Senior executives. Politicians. Members of influential families.

Everyone who mattered in Seoul seemed to have received an invitation. A reporter standing outside the entrance looked directly into her camera.

Behind her, another convoy arrived.

The camera moved toward the entrance. Another Rolls-Royce stopped. The doors opened. Guests stepped out. The cameras exploded. Flash. Flash. Flash. The wedding had officially begun.

Inside the Grand Ballroom The ballroom looked nothing like an ordinary wedding hall. It looked like a royal palace. Thousands of white roses covered the enormous stage. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like falling stars. A massive floral arch stood behind the altar. Golden decorations lined the walls. Tall glass windows overlooked the Seoul skyline. Every table had been decorated with white orchids and crystal candles. Even the smallest details had been designed by internationally famous wedding planners. At the center of the ballroom stood an enormous stage. And surrounding it were hundreds of guests. Important guests. Powerful guests. Dangerous guests. The kind of people whose names could change the direction of entire companies with one phone call. Politicians sat beside CEOs. Actors sat beside billionaires. Royal families from overseas had sent representatives. The front rows were reserved for the two families.

On the left— The Jeon family. On the right— The Park family. Everyone looked flawless. The Jeon family sat with the quiet confidence of people who had never needed to prove their power. At the center sat Jeon Namjoon, chairman of Jeon Group. Beside him sat his wife, Jeon Seokjin. Both looked elegant. Powerful. Untouchable.

Across from them sat the Park family.

She had clearly cried. Yet not a single tear remained on her face. She sat perfectly still. Her hands were folded tightly together. Anyone looking at her would think she was simply emotional about her daughter's wedding. Only she knew that wasn't the reason. She lowered her eyes for a moment. Then looked toward the stage. Nothing. No expression. No reaction. Just silence.

The orchestra began playing. The guests turned toward the stage. The priest stood at the altar. The wedding was about to begin. A voice came through the speakers.

The ballroom slowly became silent.

Chairs moved. Hundreds of guests stood. The lights dimmed. The enormous doors at the far end of the ballroom closed. The music changed. Low. Powerful. Elegant. The atmosphere shifted instantly. The groom was coming.

Jeon Jungkook The doors opened. And Jeon Jungkook entered. For several seconds, nobody spoke. He walked alone. Slowly. Confidently. His black tuxedo was perfectly tailored to his body. His dark hair was styled neatly. His expression was calm. His eyes were sharp. Every step was controlled. He didn't look nervous. He didn't look excited. He didn't look like a man walking into the biggest moment of his life. He looked like a man who had already decided exactly how the moment would go.

The orchestra continued playing. Jungkook walked down the long white aisle. Every camera turned toward him. Flash. Flash. Flash. The media couldn't get enough of him. The twenty-six-year-old heir to Jeon Group. The only son of Chairman Jeon Namjoon. The man who would eventually inherit one of South Korea's largest business empires. Women whispered his name. Businessmen watched him carefully. Politicians smiled. Executives nodded respectfully. But Jungkook didn't look at anyone.

He reached the stage. Stopped. Turned. And waited. The applause slowly faded. The lights shifted toward the entrance. The orchestra began playing again. This time— softer. More romantic. The bride was coming.

Park Jimin The enormous doors opened. Everyone stood straighter. A bride appeared. White. Elegant. Perfect. A long wedding gown flowed behind her. Thousands of tiny crystals reflected the chandelier light. A long veil covered her face completely. In her hands was a bouquet of white roses. The ballroom fell silent. The bride slowly began walking down the aisle.

Every guest admired her. "Beautiful..." "She's stunning." "Look at that dress." "Park Jimin really looks like a princess." Cameras flashed continuously. The bride continued walking. One step. Then another. Her face remained hidden behind the veil. But everyone knew who she was supposed to be.

Park Jimin. The Park Group heiress. The woman who had been chosen to become Jeon Jungkook's wife. The future Mrs. Jeon.

At the front of the ballroom, Mrs. Park watched her daughter walk toward the altar. Her eyes became slightly wetter. But she didn't cry. She simply watched. Beside her, Mr. Park remained completely still.

Across the aisle, Namjoon watched the bride. Seokjin smiled softly. Everything looked perfect. Exactly as planned.

The bride reached the stage. Jungkook stepped forward. For a moment, they stood facing each other. The veil still separated them. The guests smiled. The cameras flashed. The priest looked at both of them.

Everyone sat. Jungkook remained standing. The bride stood beside him.

He paused. Hundreds of guests leaned forward slightly.

A few people smiled.

Silence. Absolute silence. The orchestra stopped. The cameras stopped clicking. For one strange second— the entire ballroom seemed to forget how to breathe.

Someone in the third row whispered, "...What?" Another guest looked toward the Park family. "What did he say?" "Kim Taehee?" "Who is Kim Taehee?" "Did he make a mistake?" The whispers spread. One after another. "What happened?" "Isn't the bride Park Jimin?" "Why did he say Kim Taehee?" "Who is she?" People turned toward the Park family. Then toward the Jeon family. Waiting. Expecting someone to stand. Someone to object. Someone to stop the ceremony. But nobody moved.

Chairman Jeon Namjoon remained seated. His expression was calm. Seokjin sat beside him. She didn't look surprised. Across the aisle, Mr. Park remained still. Mrs. Park lowered her eyes. Her red eyes were visible for only a moment. Then she looked toward the stage. No one spoke. No one protested. No one corrected the priest.

The name echoed through the enormous ballroom. The guests stared at the bride. Behind the long white veil— the bride's fingers tightened around her bouquet. Her heart was pounding. She could hear the whispers. She could hear the confusion. She could hear someone asking who she was. But she didn't lift her head. She couldn't. Not yet. The priest looked toward her.

The bride slowly raised her face. The veil still hid everything. Only her eyes could be seen through the thin white fabric.

The priest smiled.

A long silence. Then—

Her voice was soft. Young. Different from the voice everyone expected to hear. A murmur moved through the guests. Jungkook turned his head slightly toward her. His expression didn't change. As though the name Kim Taehee had never surprised him. As though this was exactly who he had been waiting for.

The bride's fingers trembled. Jungkook's hand moved beside hers. Not touching. Just close enough for her to feel his presence.

The bride stared at the floor.

Her fingers tightened around the bouquet. She could barely breathe. The priest continued

The entire ballroom became silent again. Jungkook looked at the woman standing beside him. At the white veil. At the trembling hands. At the person hidden beneath it. His answer came without hesitation.

A wave of whispers passed through the hall. The priest turned toward the bride.

The bride's lips parted. For one second— she couldn't answer. Her eyes lifted. Through the veil, she looked at Jungkook. He was already looking at her. There was something in his eyes. Something only she understood. She swallowed. Then quietly said—

Jungkook took the first ring. He reached for her hand. His fingers closed around hers. She trembled. He didn't. The ring slowly slid onto her finger. Then it was her turn.

She picked up the second ring. Her hand shook slightly. She reached for Jungkook's hand. And slipped the ring onto his finger.

The two rings met. The ballroom erupted into applause. But nobody looked happy. Because everyone was still thinking about the same thing.

Who was Kim Taehee? And more importantly— Where was Park Jimin?

The bride lowered her head. Behind the veil, she closed her eyes. She had imagined this moment many times. But never like this. Never surrounded by hundreds of people. Never wearing white. Never standing beside Jeon Jungkook. And certainly never under the name— Kim Taehee.

Applause filled the ballroom once again. The cameras started flashing.

For one second— neither moved. Then Jungkook lifted the veil. The bride's eyes widened. The veil began to rise.

The ballroom leaned forward. Everyone wanted to see the face of the mysterious woman who had just become Jeon Jungkook's wife. The cameras were ready. The Park family remained silent. The Jeon family remained calm.

And behind the veil— the bride held her breath.

Jungkook looked directly into her eyes. Neither of them smiled. Neither of them spoke. The veil stopped just beneath her eyes. And the entire ballroom waited. Who was Kim Taehee? And what had happened to Park Jimin? The answer would come later. Much later. Because one year before this wedding—

Kim Taehee had never existed.

Jeonju, South Korea

8:37 A.M.

Nothing.

Still nothing.

Silence.

A second later—

Taemin smiled. The bedroom door opened slightly. One sleepy eye appeared through the gap.

The door closed again. Taemin stared at it. Then laughed.

Kim Taehyung eventually came downstairs at 9:02 A.M. His hair looked like he had fought with his pillow and lost. His T-shirt was wrinkled. His pajama pants dragged slightly over his slippers. He stopped halfway down the stairs.

Taehyung walked into the kitchen. His breakfast was already waiting on the table. Eggs. Toast. Fruit. Coffee. And his favorite strawberry jam. He sat down immediately. Then frowned.

Taehyung happily picked up his toast. He took one bite. Then looked at his father.

Taemin burst out laughing.That was how mornings usually went in the Kim household. Taehyung demanded. Taemin complained. Taehyung teased. Taemin teased back. And somehow, everything still got done. Taemin had raised his son alone after losing his wife. Somewhere along the way, taking care of Taehyung had become second nature. If Taehyung left his clothes on the floor, Taemin picked them up. If he forgot breakfast, Taemin made it. If his room became a disaster, Taemin cleaned it. Not because Taehyung couldn't do these things. He could. He simply preferred not to. And Taemin had spoiled him enough to let him get away with it.

Taehyung smiled

Taemin laughed so loudly that Taehyung threw a piece of toast at him. It missed. Of course. It landed on the floor. Taemin looked down. Taehyung looked down. Neither spoke. Then Taemin slowly looked at his son.

Taemin left for university shortly afterward. Before leaving, he stopped at the door.

The door closed. Taehyung stood there for a moment. Then— “Finally.” He immediately ran upstairs. Not to study. Not to clean his room. Not to look for a job. He went straight to his bed. And threw himself onto it. Twenty minutes later, Taehyung was outside.

He lived in a quiet neighborhood in Jeonju, far enough from Seoul that life moved at a slower pace. The Kim house was small and cozy, surrounded by greenery.

But the garden— That was Taehyung’s pride. Flowers covered almost every corner. Roses climbed along the wooden fence. Lavender grew beside the pathway. Hydrangeas filled one side of the garden. Daisies, tulips, marigolds, and chrysanthemums grew wherever Taehyung could find space. He loved flowers. It was probably the only hobby he had never abandoned. He had tried photography. He broke the camera. He tried baking. He burned everything. He tried painting. He spilled paint on the floor. He tried cycling. He crashed. He tried guitar. He broke a string. He even tried jogging. He stopped after eleven minutes and declared running “a terrible invention.” But gardening stayed.

A bark came from outside the gate.

A brown stray dog came running toward him.

Taehyung opened the gate. Bori jumped against him.

The dog’s tail wagged furiously.

Two more dogs appeared behind him. Taehyung looked at them.

He disappeared inside and returned with packets of dog food. He placed them on the ground.

A neighbor walking past smiled. “You spoil those dogs.”

“You’re too soft-hearted.”

She laughed and continued walking. Taehyung watched the dogs eat. He could be lazy. He could be spoiled. He could spend half a day doing absolutely nothing. But if someone needed help, Taehyung never thought twice.

By lunchtime, Taehyung had helped three neighbors, fed four dogs, watered half his garden, and somehow managed to get dirt on his face. He returned home. His phone buzzed. Jimin calling. His entire face brightened.

Jimin laughed.

She had returned to Korea after finishing university abroad and was now living alone in Seoul. Unlike what her family expected, she wasn't sitting comfortably inside the Park family business. She had chosen to build her own career. She was working at Jeon Company. Taehyung knew she was busy. He also knew she had been spending most of her time adjusting to her new life in Seoul. But none of that stopped him from complaining.

📲The call ended.

Taehyung stared at his phone for a moment. Jimin had always been like that. Even after moving to Seoul. Even after studying abroad. Even after becoming busy with work. She was still Jimin. His best friend since kindergarten. The person who had grown up beside him. The person whose family had become almost as familiar to him as his own. He missed her. Maybe he really should visit Seoul soon. Maybe. If he wasn't too lazy.

Another message arrived.

Three dots appeared.

Taehyung laughed.

Yoongi had been his college friend. They had graduated together. Then Yoongi had returned to Seoul to live with his grandfather and take over responsibilities at Min Company. Now he was busy with the family business. Taehyung missed him. But he would never admit it. Not when teasing Yoongi was much more fun. He put his phone away.

Then looked around his garden. The afternoon sun fell across the flowers. A dog slept near his feet. The neighborhood was quiet. His father would return later.

The dog opened one eye.

He stretched out beneath the shade of the tree. For Kim Taehyung, life was simple. His father was home. His friends were still his friends. His garden was blooming. And tomorrow would probably look exactly like today. At least— that was what he believed.