Royal (Jeon Jungkook)

Six

As much as Antoinette had previously been against the idea, she still found herself groggily sitting up from the pillowy bed she had all but fainted on while playing her game.
But, the prince hadn't come in like she was afraid of, as she still had about twenty minutes before she had to find her way to dinner.
Her door suddenly swung open though, as she glanced around for any sort of map or path plan that Hoseok could've given her. Unfortunately, there wasn't one.

Antoinette looked up, still half asleep as her eyes registered the face of Prince Jungkook's brother, Jimin. He wasn't much younger, maybe by two years? Antoinette didn't know or care enough to say for sure, but she could tell he was a trouble maker by the way he charged inside with a big, mischievous grin on his face.

"Princess! No one told me you were here yet... did I wake you?" He said, rather quickly.
Antoinette shook her head and stood from the bed, her legs wobbly. "No, I woke up a bit before you came in... why are you here though?"

"Well if you're going to be my sister in law I'd like to meet you, is that a crime?" Jimin plopped on the bed, not phased by how he sank into it. But why would he be? He was a prince, he had to be used to the soft beds by now.

"I... guess not. Sorry, I guess I'm still processing." Antoinette mumbled and sat beside him. "So why is Jungkook next in line and not you?" She randomly asked, as if it was all her business. But really, she had been kind of curious before she even knew the truth.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm younger than my brother so he has to be next in line... besides, I don't even want it. He can have that responsibility. But even so, he was always the favorite so... it would've ended up this way anyways."

Responsibility? It started to make sense now. Even though Jimin was maybe just in his 20's, he was still living free away from becoming the king, smothered by press and the war threats this kingdom was receiving. Jimin was just... free.
For now.

Jimin's soft lips spread into another smile, unaffected by their conversation. "Anywho~ I was sent here to take you to the big fancy dinner Kook wanted, so let's go-" he grabbed her hand, then yanked her down the hall. Antoinette squeaked but allowed him to pull her, unless she wanted to all but gracefully face plant upon first meeting the prince.
"Wait! I just woke up! And I look like it, too." She whined, trying to fix her hair. Jimin snorted. "Relax, you've got the rest of your lives together, first impression means nothing."

"Thanks for sugar coating the 'rest of our lives' part, Jimin." She mumbled with a small frown.
He rolled his eyes, then turned the corner to the dining room. "Thanks for the honorifics there."
"I didn't use them on purpose."
"I was being sarcastic."
"So was I." Antoinette said, then stopped when she made eye contact with the prince, who stood by the table with his arms crossed, and his brow raised. Antoinette's heart stopped when he looked at her, his dark eyes seemingly boring into her head. His hair was neatly combed into what can only be described as prince hair, and his white undershirt was tucked into a pair of navy black, neatly pressed slacks.

He was much more put together than poor Ani, who only wore her regular jeans and a lilac blouse covered in oil stains from her previous projects.
"Jimin... are already causing trouble?" The prince said, his lips curled upward, amused, like Jimin and Antoinette were the main show at tonight's dinner. But Jimin only gave a short bow, then booked it for the door before his brother could scold him for messing with his fiancé.

Antoinette scowled as she watched him leave, already annoyed by the man's general existence.
"Antoinette..." Jungkook started, as if suddenly... nervous? Why would he be nervous? He was the dang prince.

Her blue eyes avoided his dark ones, fearing they'd look right through her if she looked up.
"I don't want to be here. I want to go home..." she said, still, no eye contact. Antoinette knew if she did look into this prince's eyes, her courage to say what she was feeling would go out the door right behind Jimin.
The prince gave a small sigh, then pulled a chair out for her to sit. Antoinette, not wanting to be rude, took a seat against her better judgement.
He sat in the seat beside her, which instantly had Antoinette's head spinning, considering how close they were, and the insufferable amount of cologne he had used. "I know, it's terrible how this whole system works. But this was the last thing my father wanted and... my mother arranged it." He said, but didn't really make eye contact. Antoinette figured this was because he was ashamed, shy even.

"My father arranged it as well. We really can't just say no? All of them are dead so why do we still have to obey them-"

Jungkook's eyes flashed with anger, his brows downward as if to warn her to shut up.
It worked.

"Antoinette listen very closely to me..."
He leaned forward, voice low. "Everything you think you know about me, my family... the Unity. It's bullshit. While I don't want to marry you either, it's either this or death."

"I'd rather die."
"So would I. But unfortunately we have a kingdom to rule, don't we?" He said, then leaned back in his seat.
"You seemed so nice before... Hoseok said you wanted a big dinner to celebrate our engagement." Antoinette muttered, aghast that he was treating her so poorly. But what did she expect? Some handsome prince to actually like her upon first meeting? This was arranged. Surely, Jungkook had someone he had to let go for the engagement, too. 

"The dinner was only to announce Korea and Paris' Unity... did you think I was excited about this? To marry some Parisian thrown at me by my mother?" He spat, hardly taking his harsh eyes from her petrified ones. It was like the shy, bunny-esque man she had seen when she first walked in the room vanished, and now Antoinette was beginning to regret what she had said. And, now that she was really thinking on it, she began to realize he didn't avoid her eyes because he was shy, he avoided her eyes because he wanted nothing to do with her. 
Antoinette flinched from his words and stood. Without a word, she walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" He said, his voice tinged with frustration as he watched her go.
"I'm not hungry." She said shortly, then went back to her room. That was a lie. Antoinette was starving. But not hungry enough to accept food from this bipolar prince. At least, that's what she thought he was. Bipolar? Or scared?