Royal (Jeon Jungkook)

Nine

Jungkook was silent as he led Antoinette outside, then to the garden Jimin had spoken about. Antoinette was almost too entranced by the beauty of the flowers to remember the silent prince beside her, though when the man finally spoke, it felt like someone replaced her blood with ice-cold water.

"I'm sorry I've been such an asshole to you." He muttered, his voice still hardly there. It was raspy like he had been yelling. "You didn't ask for any of this either"

Antoinette only blinked as she stared up at him. This was like whiplash from how he had been a week ago. "Was it the orange juice or did Jimin..." she trailed off. Jungkook offered another smile. She felt a flutter in her chest, and she quickly looked away. She refused to let herself be attracted to him. Even just his smile.

"A little bit of both... I understand why you said... about our parents being dead. You never met them, I would be angry too." He sighed, then ran a hand through his hair. "I am still a bit angry myself."
Antoinette's lips pressed together as she thought of how to respond. This was the first he'd shown a bit of humanity toward her, how could she move forward without ruining it?
"You knew about this though? Since you were a child.. why are you still angry?" She asked carefully, sitting down on a bench, which had been there long enough for rose vines to start tangling around it.

The prince gave a small smile as he looked to her. "I wasn't given the chance to find love myself. As you know, we hardly know each other. Our lives were tailored, and our future was decided for us, wasn't it?"
Antoinette but her lip as she nodded, silent in thought. It was a nice silence, almost too comfortable, only the birds chirping filling the silence.
"It's new to me, everything is. But I don't want to be in your way, or a burden. We don't ... have to go through with this. Right?"
Jungkook gave a small laugh. "No. I made a promise to my mother that I would marry you"

Antoinette's heart fluttered every time he said that. Even though she almost loathed the prince, hearing someone say they were going to marry her set her butterflies off, despite who it was.
"So.. what do I do now?"
"You stay here. We don't have to act married or in love, but when we're out in public.. we have to try" he said, chuckling.
Antoinette frowned. "I see. So we have to hold hands and things like that?"
Jungkook gave a small laugh, "yes. And things like that. It won't be often that we are out together. But I just .. don't want the kingdom to think anything bad about us together" he explained, resting his hand on his knee as he crossed his legs.
Antoinette smiled softly, teasing, "I wouldn't want them to think anything bad either... but regardless we may have some conflict. The young women of the kingdom aren't exactly pleased that it wasn't them that you chose"
"Ahhh" Jungkook breathed, his head leaning back. "What a pain" 
She gave a light laugh, "no wonder you need such high security, with crowds like that gathering your car"
He scrunched his nose, "maybe being married will lighten that up a bit.. I hope."

Antoinette fixed her skirt as she leaned back against the bench. "So you aren't as stuffy as I thought. Hm."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jungkook squinted at her.
"Well, you know, I thought before that you liked that attention."
"Not at all. You just get good at acting after a while on the throne" he chuckled, nodding. "I believe after the wedding it'll be easier to go out without being screamed at"
"Oh, the wedding? When is that?"
"About... six months" Jungkook smiled.
"Six?" Antoinette's eyes grew wide. "That's awfully soon, will everything be ready?"
Jungkook chuckled, "you forget, we have the greatest staff here. Everything will be ready" he assured.

Antoinette nodded, smiling in return to him. "I'll trust you then... can it be pink though?" She asked, tilting her head. Jungkook laughed, his nose scrunching and dimples showing. It was definitely the first real laugh she'd heard from him. "I believe that will be fine" he said, smiling to her. Antoinette's heart warmed. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.