SWITCH

Chapter 3 - The Soulmate Mark and Chaeyoung's Past

Park Chaeyoung was five years old when she got her soulmate mark.

It was Jungkook's birthday, he had just turned 7, and while the others were celebrating the crown prince's day, Jungkook was looking at little Chaeyoung sitting in her mother's arms. She was a cutie. In his eyes she looked like sunshine, something he didn't see in the others.

He was astonished, he couldn't understand why when he was looking at her she radiates but when he was looking at his mother or any other here there was nothing.

Chaeyoung turned her head to see a little boy looking at her, then in the other direction, back at her, his mouth was open in an expression of wonder. She let out a baby laugh, for her, it looked funny and entertaining.

Her mother hearing her laugh looked to see what made her so hipper since she started to jump happily. Her eyes landed on Jungkook. At that time she didn't think about anything but, that two kids are playing. She let him get closer.

Jungkook walked to her, he wanted to see her better, and the sunshine was still there. He held out his hand, "I am Jungkook", Chaeyoung reached out for his hand, and the moment their skin touched red strings of light appeared heading straight to their hearts.

This has not gone unnoticed. Everyone witnessed the happening.

Chaeyoung's mom got up with her in her arms, separating their hands. "Oh, God!", it was too late the light string formed already a red mark on her skin.

His father run to him too, "Jungkook what happened?",

Chaeyoung's father saw the mark on her skin, and got angry, "Jeon, what your son did to my daughter?"

The poor kid got scared, "I just wanted to hold her hand, she had sunshine around her...",

"Why are you two shouting... you're scaring them...", it was Ari to stop them and looked a Chaeyoung who was dumbfounded, she wasn't having a clue about the happenings.

Chaeyoung's mother said with concern, "But it's too soon for them to find their soulmate..."

"Soon or not they found each other...", everyone turned their heads to the Sages, five old men that were here to decide the future of those two kids, although fate already did it for them.

The sages were the ones who demand the appearance of the soulmate mark, so when the red string appeared without them calling for it, it made them wonder, and they had to decide what to do and how to be with it.

"You all just witnessed how fate is made, a miracle...", one of the Sages spoke, he was the sage from the Jeon family, probably the softest among them. Feeling that the others might be against this alliance, he decided to be the first to support them.

"Now you have found out the future queen, the union of these two clans will create a strong alliance, and strengthen the trust of the people. I'm sure that the other Sages see what I see too...", there was a moment of silence, after which the others agreed.

§

The appearance of the mark put a pause to the cold war between the two clans Park and Jeon.

The Parks were loved by the people, they have a good reputation and are an example for others. They are representing Power and Justice, even the Sages favor them.

The Park Clan always believed that the Jeons were abusing their freedom. And they almost dethroned them when Doyoung dared to commit adultery before marriage with someone who wasn't his soulmate. He escaped dethronement only because Sejeong was carrying his first child and not only the first child of the ruling family but also the first from the five clans, so the Sages let that slide.

The appearance of a couple of soulmates among the members of the five clans was something unique, it had never happened before. As well as such a young age when this happened.

At first, Jungkook and Chaeyoung were playing and spending their time together, she was having the time of her life, a happy childhood. It rested till she reached the age of seven years old.

She was seven years old when they took Chaeyoung to prepare her for her future as a queen. While the other children were playing and enjoying their childhood, she was reading history and etiquette books. They were teaching her to be a great queen and a good wife to her future husband.

She had spent most of her time in the palace, thus earning herself a room and even her servants.

She was seeing his parents more frequently than her own. And while he had the freedom to meet with his friends, she didn't even have any.

Her only close person in that place was the Queen. Ari, herself, knew what does it feels like to be locked inside a cage. She loved Chaeyoung like a daughter and tried to sugarcoat her hard time.

Because of her being close to Queen Chaeyoung was also seeing him. Jungkook always showed his love to his mother, breaking boundaries and forgetting about etiquette. For him, Ari wasn't his Queen she was his mother. Chaeyoung envied that.

At the age of eighteen, they were presented to the kingdom as the future king and queen, as a couple and people loved them. Their story of how they got their marks when they were still children inspired people and made them believe in true, pure love...

They were obliged to appear at events, to play a perfect couple. She had to blush at his every light touch. They had to show the world that their love is innocent.

She expected that they will be at least friends, they didn't, but they weren't cold to each other too, they were just doing their job. Accepting her fate Chaeyoung was just waiting for her time and that maybe, the love will reach them both...

And there were times when she would catch his eyes on her, a look that wasn't fake, she almost saw the light, but then that light was fading, there were sparks but they were not enough to start the fire.

Slowly Chaeyoung learned that Jungkook is a carbon copy of his father... Cuz just like him Jungkook found someone else to give his love... So, in the end, she accepted, that between them he was the only one to choose.

For Chaeyoung Jungkook, is associated with her stolen childhood, broken dreams, and right to choose who to give her heart to.

Short chapters from now on!
Are you guys still reading?
It may be boring now but I will try to add more action soon!

Thank you for reading!
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