Bewitched.

chapter 07. forgotten memories.

Jeon Jungkook returns to the palace feeling defeated. 

As expected, Jisoo Kim's condition worsens, though she still gives him a tired smile and kisses on the cheek when he comes inside. 

Jeon Jungkook feels guilty, seeing her like this, knowing that there was really not much that he could do to protect her. Should he have forced the witch to give him more? 

For as long as he lived, he knew he had a duty to rule over the people, but more than that, his parents taught him about the value of being a husband. He had a duty to his fiance. Knowing that her condition would worsen, he decides to take his leave. 

"I'm needed in Busan to handle some business, I might be gone for a couple of weeks," he notifies her, "... will you be okay here?"

Jisoo Kim nods, "... don't worry, I'll be fine." 

"Let me say goodbye to your parents first," he tells her, "... just wait for me on the couch here, I don't want you to tire yourself out."

He wonders what he should do.

Perhaps he should ask Jisoo about it if she knew anything about her nation and why they separated. 

Slowly, he drags his feet upstairs to the chambers, hearing shouting on the other side. He recognises the voices; his future in law.

But he feels chills down his spine when he hears words he knows will change his life forever.

"It's that witch, isn't it? Catherine can't stand the fact that she had to pay for taking what was not hers to begin with!" 

At that moment, he swears he feels a chill fall from the top of his head to the bottom of his toes. 

For the first time in his entire life, he thinks that he might be marrying into the wrong family. 

Jeon Jungkook is about to take a step closer when one of the staff rushes to him.

"Your highness," the staff curtsey, "... the weather forecast isn't looking good, so you should head to Busan now before it gets worse. We will send your regards to the king and queen for you."

There was something wrong with her family, he realises.

And the staff were complicit too.

-

Jung Hoseok notices that something was clearly off with him.

Jeon Jungkook rarely wanted to go back to Busan. He much enjoyed the grand nature and modernity offered by the south. But suddenly—he requested to go back.

The car ride was silent as he simply stared blankly at the window, as though something had sucked out the spirit of royalty. 

"Your highness, is everything okay?" He cautiously questions.

The younger man turns and gives a tired smile, though it wasn't fooling anyone.

"You can trust me if you need someone to consolidate with," he offers himself, after all—it was his job after all.

Perhaps he was getting cold feet. 

"Hoseok," he finally speaks, "... where can I find records of people that lived in unified korea?" 

Jung Hoseok raises his brow in confusion, "... why would you need that? They've been divided for almost a decade now." 

"Nevermind," he mutters under his breath. 

As his advisor, Jung Hoseok cannot help but feel worried, "... what do you need to know? Maybe I can contact some people to get some information, we have an expansive network." 

Jeon Jungkook looks at him, in a way that borderline scared him. 

"Hoseok, I trust you——but there's something that the Kims are hiding from us, about the way the south and north separated. I need to be sure, before I give my life away and marry her," he explains.

Ah, so it was cold feet.

"Your highness, it's very normal to feel paranoid, especially with all the rumours spreading but I can assure you—" he tries to explain.

"Look at me, Hoseok, because I don't know who I can trust," he tells him, "... I need to know about someone called Madam Park Catherine."

Jung Hoseok freezes. 

Because he'd heard the name before.

-

The minute the pair set foot in the palace, Jeon Jungkook is being directed into a hidden library in the basement filled to the brim with old books and history.

"I've heard the name before," he explains, as he searches through the bookshelf, taking out a dusty book, and opening the pages before pointing to a picture of a blonde woman in a maid uniform. 

Beside her was a small child, with blonde locks, holding onto her hand.

"Madam Park Catherine was the king's staff... she served him before he was married to the now queen," he explained, "... I remember her name because it felt so—western, and her hair—it was so distinct."

Jeon Jungkook looks through the photo, his finger grazing through the pages as suddenly, he got a whiff of nostalgia, "... this photo was taken when the king visited Busan, when you were a child. The maid came too." 

His eyes widen as he squints his eyes at the photograph, feeling like he could recognise her.

The Witch?

"What happened to her?" He questions, though deep down, he'd already knew. 

"That I'm not sure... where did you learn about that name, anyway?" Jung Hoseok asked. 

"I heard that she was part of the curse, the curse on my marriage," he explains, brows furrowing as he inspects the photo closer. 

He sees it.

In the background.

It was him.

A little smaller than the girl, but he knew from his wide eyes and his favourite shirt that it was him. 

Yet how could he have not remembered at all? 

They had known each other the entire time.

"Ah!" Jung Hoseok exclaimed, pointing to her, "... she must have been the witch! The one that was burned eight years ago. But what does a maid have to do with your marriage?" 

More so, Jeon Jungkook wonders why he had so many forgotten memories.

-

Park Chaeyoung's heart feels heavy. He knows it purely based on her expression, and how void she seemed.

He'd served beside her since they were both still children—not even technically adults, navigating the world of magic and kingdoms.

"Can't sleep?" Kim Taehyung questions her, as he brings her a cup of tea as they stand against the veranda, watching the night sky. 

She shakes her head, "... I'm disappointed." 

The gentleman chuckles, "... he's still human after all, you can't have too many expectations." 

She murmurs in agreement, "... a part of me thought that maybe—he'd try to help me, to find her ashes so she can actually rest properly. And I guess I didn't expect that he'd actually forget about me." 

Kim Taehyung puts the glass down as he wraps his arm comfortingly over her slender frame. She takes a deep breath as she rests her head on his chest. 

"I'm thankful for you," she tells him, "... for always staying by my side."

He wishes that she could feel the same, not only for his service as her vice—but as someone she loved. 

Kim Taehyung wishes that she could forget Jeon Jungkook, as simply as he'd forgotten her, eight years ago.