𝐈 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 | 𝐏𝐉𝐌

Engaged

- Engaged -

JIMIN

"Marry me" I heard her voice as clear as the daylight, but my mind went blank for a split second. I stared at her, feeling a shiver run down my back. It wasn't entirely unexpected, but I had never thought about a betrothal.

"Marriage?" I confirmed, watching her black locks flow in different directions. Her long lashes blinked against the strong breeze, and her face glowed.

I didn't want to admit it out loud, but Alaya was captivating. 

She hummed at me, "Yes. It's the only way you can protect me from my mother. As my husband, you will gain the rights to and already have the power for it." I couldn't help but bite a grin back at her witty answer. She took a bite from her chicken, and I kept quiet to admire her in her moment of pure bliss unintentionally. 

It could be a marriage of convenience, alright. I had my reasons to protect her. Alaya could be the perfect way to reach Kim Haejin and ruin her peaceful life, both for her and myself. 

"I will agree on a condition." I finally spoke as I leaned forward. I folded my arms on the table and lowered my head to the right. Alaya's eyes studied me, a small shred of chicken stuck to the corner of her mouth. 

I extended my arm, and softly brushed my thumb against her bottom lip, brushing off the food from the slightly salivated corner.

Her lips were as soft as a pillow.

I kept myself from showing how the action distracted my mind and continued speaking, "You will never speak about my identity to anyone because if you do.." redness grew on her cheeks as I husked my words out after running my thumb across her lips.

Did she like my touch?

"If I do?" she challenged. "If you do, I will break the deal, drop the marriage, and kill you." I finished, retreating from her quickly.

Touching her was a dangerous thing. I didn't know why, but it made me have second thoughts about being cold to her and getting attached would be the last thing I wanted in this marriage.

Alaya gulped, looking away from me. I was satisfied. I had to make sure she knew that this marriage was just an agreement, and it never will be more than that.

"Okay. I won't tell anyone about it, relax" Relief washed over me as she said that, I was glad she understood how important my identity was to me.

I picked up the bottle of soju and poured myself another bowl of it. She resumed eating, and as I felt the liquid coat my tongue, I listened to her question. "Why do you even help others? You don't get anything out of it."

It was a genuine question that I knew she would ask, sooner or later. I wasn't going to tell her the personal reasons behind it though.

At least not yet.

"The kingdom rewards me for it. Every time I kill a criminal, they give me money." I told her the half-truth, licking my lips clean before the soju dripped. Her brows crunched into a frown, "so they are aware of your identity?"