THE ROYAL PACK

NEW FRIEND

Jimin  walked  into the music room . It was on the other wing of the palace  from the ball room where the party was going on . None seemed to have noticed his absence as they were engrossed in the party . 

Jimin looked in an awe at the music room . He had managed to jump into the room through the windows . Jeongyeon  who was right behind him looked at him surprised . why did the prince have to sneak into his own palace, she thought . Jimin had helped her to jump through the windows as well. Not being able to hold in her curiosity she questioned him," Your highness, we do have doors for this room , why do we need to sneak in through the windows like thieves ?"

Jimin smiled at her and said , " The doors are locked from outside ."  Jeongyeon looked at him with a puzzled look . " That is because Jeongyeon sshi , we have no access to this room ." 

She was even more confused what could this prince mean by no access to a room in his own house . "  I am not allowed to play music , my brother has a strong opinion that someone who plays  music is  considered weak ." he added . Jeongyeon could not believe her own ears ,                 " What ?  why ? ....I am sorry to have sounded rude Your highness ,but music is a form of a beautiful art ,why would anyone playing music would be considered weak ? " she added quickly not to sound rude to the prince but still she felt agitated at the rude opinion of the emperor .  She respected the emperor highly , though many feared him . He was considered as the best ruler of his time by the people of his own empire .  She had to rethink about her respect for him after his stupid opinion on music and artists.

Jeongyeon had been a bold and an outgoing girl in an era of strong social hierarchy. She always wanted to have equal rights despite the social ladder put forth by their ancestors . She though belonged to a noble family , learnt haegum . Her parents had always supported her dreams . Their dream however was to marry her off into a rich noble family.

" I apologize for bringing you here without telling you about this Jeongyeon sshi ,  Please do not be offended about my brother's opinion . I love music and could not hold my passion after listening to you play the haegum  so beautifully .I hope you would help me learn the haegum . If you do not want to , I am not forcing you  ; you may leave . "  Jimin said , he cannot afford to include her into the risk he was taking . 

Jeongyeon looked at him for a moment  processing his words into her mind . She slowly understood that the prince was asking her for help to learn music  despite his brother's  strong restriction of not to play music . So , that was the reason the prince had to sneak in through the windows and stated that the room was not accessible . Now that she could read the room clearer, she can see that though the room contained several large musical instruments , the dream room for any musical artist , the instruments appeared unused  , it seemed like the room had been locked for years . Her thoughts were interrupted when jimin was waving  his hands before her face so as to gain her attention , " Jeongyeon sshii ....., its okay you can leave if you don't want to , I will escort you back into the ball room ", he said feeling bad for dragging her into an unwanted situation . 

" No , your highness , I am more than happy to help you , I know this would have been hard for you on having passion but not being able to  express it ",  she said feeling sad for the prince . She took her seat before the large haegum . It was made of gold .  It looked rich and royal though it seemed to be unused . It surely was a beautiful piece of antique .

Jimin felt happy , he smiled at her beamingly ,it seemed to him as if his dream had come true.        " Thank you so much Jeongyeon sshii ," he said feeling thankful to her.   "  'Jeongyeon' , you can just call me that ,  your highness ," she said to him smiling softly.

Jimin nodded before adding , " Call me jimin , the formal language makes me uncomfortable ". Jeongyeon chuckled , " sure , let us begin Jimin "

" How old are you jeongyeon ? I am seventeen ,"  Jimin said to her cheerfully . " Seems like I have made a new friend , I am seventeen too ", Jeongyeon said to him smiling .

Then she slowly started teaching him the notes , jimin being a quick learner , quickly learnt to play the melody beautifully, the music filling the entire room. 

Jeongyeon clapped for Jimin , " You play too well , jimin , you sound like a pro already ",  she said feeling proud for him.

" All praise to my teacher , the great Jeongyeon ", Jimin said playfully . Jeongyeon blushed at the comment ," I did not do much , come on , it  was all on you ,"  Jeongyeon said laughing .

" Do you know how to play daegeum  ? "  Jeongyeon asked jimin before taking a seat near it . Jimin shook his head as no with a pout . Jeongyeon laughed at him before saying ," You are so cute . I cannot believe you are seventeen ."  Jimin pouted more , " Come on , even my little brother says that teasing me , you better not do the same , Do you want me to show how much of a man I  am ?,"  he said smirking at her winking his eyes . Jeongyeon blushed , she shyly tugged her hair behind her ears ," So , do you want to hear me play the daegeum  ? " , she  said trying to change the topic . Jimin found her to be cute , her long hairs hanging freely over the frills of her gown . Her slender finger traversing the strings of daegum.

Soon , the beautiful melody filling  in his  ears. He stared at her in an awe all the time she played the daegeum . She seemed to him like an art that added beauty to melody she was playing.

" You are beautiful " , he mouthed out his thought. Jeongyeon stared back at him looking right through his eyes . Jimin surely had the charm , she expected in a man . He looked handsome at the same time cute with a playful aura . His smile making his eyes turn into crescents could melt anyone and the fact that he was way too polite for a prince made her fall head over heels for him. " Excuse me ? " she asked him confused by his words.

" I mean, what a beautiful music ",  he said rubbing the nape of his neck , not wanting to make the situation awkward between them. " You sure have a lot of talents ." he added.

Suddenly , they both halted when they heard the knob of the door twisting , " WHO THE HELL IS IN THE MUSIC ROOM ?  GUARDS OPEN THE DOOR . "  

Jimin froze in his place . That was surely Jin' s  voice .  His breath hitched to his throat . He started shivering feeling his eyes getting teary.