The Ugly Duckling [Jinkook, Minjoon, Taegiseok]

25: Manipulative Monarchs

Ages at the moment:

Jin: 21

Yoongi and Hoseok: 20

Namjoon: 19

Jimin and Taehyung: 18

Jungkook: 16

~~~~~

Namjoon sat on his bed looking out the window as it rained. It looked gloomy outside, reflecting how he felt.

It had been almost a month since he had seen Jimin, and about three weeks since the incident with Jin.

He had rushed out to the dinner as soon as Jungkook had told him what happened, and he felt terrible that he hadn't been with Jin at the time to protect him. He felt somewhat like he was to blame. And then he couldn't even stay through the whole dinner because he was emotionally unstable and not ready to be around his parents.

He apologized to Jin later that night and was forgiven, but he didn't feel any less crappy about it.

Taehyung and Yoongi's wedding was set for next week, but he didn't feel ready for it.

Sure, he wasn't the one getting tied down in an arranged marriage, but he was nervous about the fact that weddings are a social event.

His parents would be there. Yoongi's parents would be there. Taehyung's parents would be there. Rich influential people would be there.

Jimin might be there too.

Namjoon loved his friends and wanted to be supportive, but he was already anticipating being held back by his parents so that he can't be with them and see the people he wants to see. His parents would send a girl with him as his "date", and he would have some annoying high class girl hanging off of him all night.

He really wasn't ready for the wedding.

Namjoon turned to the door when he heard someone knock. "Come in."

Slowly E walked in with a guilty face. "Prince Namjoon... your parents are requesting your presence in the throne room."

Rubbing his temples in irritation, Namjoon stood up. "Thank you, E."

E bowed and walked out, Namjoon following behind. E eventually made a different turn so she could continue some of her daily tasks, and Namjoon continued to the throne room without her.

Once he arrived he entered without knocking and stood at the front, bowing his head in respect.

Respect that he didn't have for them.

"Namjoon, you're here," the queen smiled and beckoned him closer. "Come sit with us."

Namjoon stood up straight and walked with his head held high, sitting down on a soft rug placed for him in front of their thrones.

They could have chosen to speak with him in any room of the castle and they chose this one. Clearly, they wanted him below them to symbolically and unconsciously place themselves above him as if it would make him more intimidated and pliant.

He would not let their power dynamic display throw him off.

"You requested my presence, my queen?"

Namjoon refused to acknowledge them as his parents anymore. From now on, they would be referred to as queen and king only.

The queen frowned. Namjoon was her son. Why didn't he say mother?

"Yes, we did," the king nodded, continuing the conversation when he saw his wife freeze. "We would like to propose something to you, and we are sure you will accept this lovely offer."

"What is it, my king?"

The king flinched. That title coming out of his son's mouth did not sound right.

"We have finally picked out your bride to be the future queen," the queen answered since she had finally recovered from her initial shock. "She will be your date to the wedding next week."

"This offer doesn't sound very appealing yet," Namjoon frowned.

"That's because we haven't given you the offer yet. Our offer is that after the wedding next week, you will have one month to decide whether or not you want to marry the girl. However, the wedding with her is set for the end of that month. If you do not wish to marry her, you must convince your brother Seokjin to take your place as the king and the groom."

Namjoon stared at his mother in shock. Aren't they taking this too far?

"What about the promised engagement with Busan?"

"You can take Seokjin's place. You like men, don't you? I'm sure you will be happy with Jungkook."

"I don't like Jungkook like that!" Namjoon exclaimed. "I could never marry him! Not when he and Jin are so close. I couldn't do that to them."

"What if we tell you," the queen smirked. "That we are willing to break off the Busan engagement and let you marry that wh*re you seem to love so much?"

"Jimin?" Namjoon asked, suddenly in a state of shock.

"Yes. I believe that's the one," the queen nodded nonchalantly. "If you can convince Jin to become king and marry the girl, you can marry whoever you like, even if it's that poor servant boy."

Namjoon stood, needed to process this. He turned and started speed-walking away from the throne room.

"Think about it, Namjoon!"

He closed the door behind him and ran, opening the first secret passage entrance he ran into, hiding away from the rest of the castle.

He hadn't been in the secret passages since the day Jimin left.

Namjoon leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. He was breathing heavy from running, and his head was spinning from his parent's offer.

He wanted nothing more than to be with Jimin forever as lovers...

But no matter what...

He couldn't do that to Jin.

Family comes first, and he knew Jin had already been having a rough enough life. He didn't need to pile his own wants onto the list of Jin's burdens.

The opportunity he needed for happiness had presented itself, but he didn't have the strength or will to take it.

He would have to look for another way.

There's always another way... right?

And as Jin always says... Namjoon in smart. If there's anyone who can think of another way, it's him.

But thinking takes time. Time that he doesn't have much of.

So for now, Namjoon settles for sitting in the secret tunnels to feel closer to Jimin, crying out for the loss of his love and his powerlessness against his parents.