"The wedding is next week?!" Jimin screeched. I had just returned to the shrine from the castle in which the royal family had decided that you and Taehyung would be married by next week's end. "It's so sudden," the monk stated in a much milder tone.
"Not really," I told him as i removed the wrapped herbs and roots from my bag. "I've been engaged to him since I was young. It was bound to happen one day." i kept replaying the conversation from earlier in my mind. Just as it had been in the past, the moment his parents decided it, he just nodded and went along with their plans.
The same feeling in your gut wrenched and twisted like a dying tree root. Was he just going along with his parent's decision because he admired them so much? Was he just doing this for the sake of his people because you were the Isle's priestess? Or, was he doing this because it was something decided so long ago and he felt like he had no way out now?
As i set my items along the marble alter inside the shrine Jungkook watched me with soft, dewy eyes. He knew how much my heart loved the prince and how much i kept breaking my own heart over and over again. i never let myself have the satisfaction of being with Taehyung all because i wouldn't let yourself believe Taehyung would ever love you.
"Dahyun," he gently called. "Why don't you just talk to him? I'm sure if you told him how you felt, then-"
"There would be no point in that," i interrupted. "If I told him how I felt, and he didn't return those feelings, then the whole relationship we've built up our entire lives would be ruined. At least if we get married as childhood friends, I can keep a piece of my happiness when I wear a ring around my finger."
"But, if you just-"
"Jimin," you cut him off again. "Please, just drop it. I've made up my mind, you can't change it." The monk yielded as he just sighed and moved to stand beside me. Looping his arm over my shoulders, he pulled you in for a side hug.
"Just don't get hurt," he whispered.
Three days later, a ball would be held in an advanced celebration for the prince's wedding. The event is grand, even invitations sent to the mainland were met with positive notes and promises to attend. i grew more and more anxious as the ball grew closer, specifically because you were going to be in charge of the first song of the evening.
A part of you thought it unfair. You were in charge of singing the first song for the guests in attendance. Meaning you wouldn't be able to participate in the first dance and even more sour tasting is that Taehyung had the option to dance with whomever he chose. It was your engagement ball too, but there was no way around it- since it was the priestess's duty to sing after all.
