SWITCH

Chapter 24- Intention

When Chaeyoung woke up Jungkook wasn't there, the blanket he used to cover himself was wrapped perfectly and as cold as the other half of the bed. The thought that he is hurt is making her uneasy. She felt guilty.

After stepping out of the shower stall, she stopped her gaze at her reflection in the mirror. She looked to see if there was any sign left of the bullet, but there was nothing, not even a scratch...

She stood for a moment recalling the feeling she had when their connection began to treat her. It felt like sunshine on a winter day, warm and comforting, and it was coming from him.

Chaeyoung heard his cries, she felt all his kisses and his caressing hands, and she felt his pain when he was begging her not to die as well as the happiness and glory when she was healing... But then, why can't she let him in? Why is she so stubborn?

Leaving her bedroom was greeted her two servants. They would usually come in and start helping her prepare for all her schedules.

"His Majesty told us not to disturb your Highness...", one of them answered, her eyes looking down as it was forbidden to look directly into the eyes of the King and Queen.

"Where is he right now?", she asked calmly like it was her duty as his wife, but inside she was dying of curiosity and couldn't wait to talk with him.

"His Majesty is in the library at the moment..."

"Did he eat yet?", she hopped she didn't sound too eager as it wasn't worthy for a queen to show too much emotion.  How much she hated to pretend.

"No, Your Highness."

Chaeyoung decided that it was a good opportunity for her to use it as an excuse to start a talk with him and find out if he was upset with her... Which, most probably, he is...

Near the door, she heard him arguing with his father about something that made her stop and listen. Not before signaling to her maids to leave her.

"What do you mean you want to end the monarchy?", she recognized Doyoung's voice

"There is no need for a king... It's useless,  we have presidents to govern...", It was Jungkook's voice and her heart reacted immediately as it skipped a bit.

"You can't stop something that has been working for centuries..."

"I can do whatever I want... till I am the king...",

"What is the need for that? "

"To cure your obsession with power and influence and to live a normal life with my wife... I want her to feel free to do what she likes, and not what she is forced by the rules... ",

So this is his intention? The purpose of all his secrets? He wants to give her a free life. So he was sincere when he said he was doing it all for her?

"The Sages... They won't let you..."

"They're running out of time anyway,  and they lied to us too, so it will be fair enough to back out of this and let things be as they should...",

The Sages lied? What else is he hiding?

"And Jeongkook?",

"He will wake up soon... You'll be surprised..."

"Chaeyoung, what are you doing here?", she almost screamed when Ari called her. She was so focused on hearing the conversation behind the door that she didn't even sense anyone approaching.

"I..., I wanted to ask Jungkook to eat with me.... ", she quickly pretended as if she was about to enter the library.

"Mmm, newlyweds always can't stay away from each other... I hope he was gentle with you... " she asked winking, a teasing smile on her lips.

Chaeyoung took some time to figure out what Ari was hinting at, and when she did, her face became like a hot iron.

"...", she didn't know what to say as words weren't coming out of her mouth.

"I couldn't have been gentler... But that's between me and my wife...", it was Jungkook who answered for her. He snuck up behind her as his hand found its way around her waist. She felt goosebumps and a knot forming in her stomach.

"Of course...", she said with a knowing smile

Doyoung walked out of the library too and was about to greet Ari, but she avoided him by asking Chaeyoung about her well-being

"Chaeyoung, how do you feel? Did you recover completely?",

"I am good...  Thanks to Jungkook...", This time she turned her head to him to look at his reaction. But he didn't move his orbs to meet hers, instead, she felt his grip tightening on her waist. So he's just trying the urge to look back?

"I'm glad to hear that, I can rest easy knowing you're looking out for each other..." Looking at them fondly she said, then invited them all to finally have breakfast
"Come! Let's all eat..."

Ari was first to walk in the kitchen direction followed by Doyoung. When Chaeyoung heeded there too Jungkook held her wrist stopping her from going.

"How much did you hear?", he asked her. Jungkook looked at her with all seriousness, though it was hard to keep his composure when she looked at him so guiltily.

"I heard that you want to end the monarchy... and that Jeongkook will wake up soon... Is it true?"

Hearing his brother's name from her mouth pissed him off, his tongue pushed the inside of his cheek, "Ah, Jeongkook... Of course, you will ask about him... Yes, it is true,  he'll wake up soon, and you will be able to do whatever you want with him...", he said gruffly not realizing how mad he sounded.

How stupid of him to be jealous of his brother whom she never even met. He knows that she loves only him, it has always been him, but he cannot help but be afraid that one day her heart will beat with love for someone else... That's why he is acting like a kid not even realising that he might hurt her with his words.

Chaeyoung knows that she confessed her confusion to him about her feelings but that doesn't mean that he should act like a prick. "You have no reason to be jealous, and talk with me like that... It's not like I am about to run in his arms when he wakes up...",

For a moment both of them forgot who was mad at whom. Chaeyoung remembered why she came here in the first place and clearing her throat asked

"Khm, do you want to eat with me?", she acted as if it was just a simple question, as if she was doing it with no care.

But he could read through the way she looked at him, wasn't it what they wanted to do in the first place?

"Only the two of us?", he arched his brow watching how she was wetting her lips.

"Well, if you want we can share the breakfast...",

***

On the night of the same day, a young woman was doing her routine. As usual, she stopped by the riverbank.

Looking around, her attention was drawn to something floating in the water, being pushed by the river waters toward the shore. She approached and, realizing what it was, her voice broke out in terror leaving a shriek that filled the surroundings.

In the river lay the lifeless body of a beautiful young woman. Her mortified face looked up to the sky, and her hand clutched a necklace with a precious stone...

24 chapters...
Thank you all for reading!!!
I will see you in the next chapter!!!