royal blood | sim jaeyun ✓

ten🩸

When Harin pulled it open, Jaeyun stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. His blonde hair was slightly tousled, and his usual cool demeanour seemed softened, as if he, too, had something weighing on his mind.

"Prince Jaeyun," Harin greeted politely, though her eyes flicked to Miyeon with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Jaeyun nodded in acknowledgment. "Harin," he replied coolly, but his eyes were fixed on Miyeon. "I need to speak with Miyeon. Alone."

Harin glanced back at Miyeon, who still looked stunned. She gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before turning to Jaeyun. "Alright, but don't take too long. She still needs to rest." With that, Harin slipped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. The room seemed to grow smaller, the air thick with unspoken tension. Miyeon's heart pounded in her chest as she met Jaeyun's gaze, trying to gauge what he was thinking.

"Miyeon," he began, his voice quieter than she was used to, almost hesitant. "We need to talk about last night."

Her cheeks flushed at the mention, the memory of the kiss and everything that followed flooding back in fragmented pieces. "About what exactly?" she asked, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "The part where you kissed me, or the part where you walked away like nothing happened?"

Jaeyun's lips twitched into a slight smile, but it quickly faded. "Both," he said, stepping closer. "I owe you an explanation."

Miyeon took a deep breath, her heart still thumping in her chest. "Then explain," she said, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts to stay composed. "Why did you kiss me? And why did you leave like that?"

Jaeyun sighed, running a hand through his tousled blonde hair. His usual arrogance seemed to have slipped away, replaced by something more vulnerable. "I kissed you because... I wanted to," he admitted, his eyes locking with hers. "I've wanted to for some time now. But it wasn't fair to you. I thought it would be easier if I just walked away."

Miyeon blinked, taken aback by his honesty. "Easier? For whom, Jaeyun? Because it sure as hell wasn't easier for me," she shot back, a hint of anger seeping into her tone. "You can't just do that kiss someone and leave without a word. It's confusing and...." She paused, struggling to find the right words. "And hurtful."

A flicker of guilt crossed Jaeyun's face. "I know," he said softly. "I thought it was the right thing to do. I've been struggling with... feelings I didn't think I was capable of having. It's complicated."

"Complicated?" Miyeon echoed, feeling a mix of frustration and something else. Something warmer. Something more hopeful begin to stir within her. "You think this isn't complicated for me? I don't even know what to think anymore, Jaeyun. One moment, you're cold and distant, and the next..."

"Believe me, Miyeon, I'm just as confused," he interrupted, his voice almost a whisper. "But I can't deny what I feel anymore. I care about you. More than I should, perhaps."

Jaeyun looked down, his shoulders tense. "Because I don't know how to do this," he confessed. "I've never had to care about anyone other than myself. I've never wanted to. And now... I don't what to do."

"What happened?" Miyeon asked abruptly. "You were bruised and bloody as you got into some sort of fight with your brother. And why was Duchess Ari unconscious on his bed?"

Jaeyun's expression darkened, and his grip on her hand tightened slightly before he let go, stepping back. His jaw clenched as he turned away, his shoulders tense. "It was nothing. It doesn't concern you," he muttered, his voice low and filled with a mixture of anger and frustration.

"Well, I did," Miyeon pressed, unwilling to let him retreat back into his shell. "And I want to know what happened. What did Jungwoo do?"

Jaeyun let out a bitter laugh. "What he always does, taking what he wants without caring about the consequences," he replied coldly. "I caught him in the middle of trying to.....take advantage of her. He wanted to use her for his wicked desires and then suck the life out of her. Like she was nothing. I tried to stop him and then a fight broke out."

Miyeon's eyes widened as she listened, her heart pounding in her chest. "And your parents took his side," she said, piecing together the scene she had overheard. "They always do, don't they?"

"Of course they did," Jaeyun snapped, his voice dripping with bitterness. "Jungwoo is the favoured son, the perfect heir. In their eyes, Jungwoo can do nothing just because he's the heir. And I'm the second born. The one who causes problems. The one who doesn't know how to 'play nice.'"

Miyeon felt a surge of anger on Jaeyun's behalf. She had seen the way his family treated him, the dismissive glances, the way they belittled him. "That's not fair," she said softly. "You were just trying to do the right thing."

Jaeyun's expression softened slightly, a hint of vulnerability peeking through his exterior. "Fairness doesn't matter to them," he said. "Power does. Control does. They only care about their 'perfect' image."

Miyeon was shocked. She had no idea Jaeyun was dealing with this. For all this time, she thought he was a coldhearted monster. But in reality, he was like her. Someone who had no control in their own life.

Without thinking, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice filled with sincerity. "I'm sorry for ever thinking you were a bad person, for believing all those things about you. I didn't know... I didn't see the real you."

Jaeyun stiffened at first, unused to such a gentle touch, such warmth. But slowly, he relaxed, his hands hovering uncertainly before resting on her back. He hadn't realised how much he needed this. Someone to hold him, to understand him, to see him for who he really was and not the mask he wore.

"Don't apologize," he murmured, his voice softer than she had ever heard it. "You had every reason to think like that. I've given you enough reasons to hate me." No, you haven't," she said firmly. "You're not like Jungwoo, Jaeyun. Or your parents. I see it now, and I'm sorry it took me this long to understand."

Jaeyun gazed down at her, a mixture of surprise and something deeper reflected in his eyes. For a moment, the cold, ruthless mask he always wore melted away, and he was just a man who had been fighting battles on his own for too long.

"Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "For giving me a chance. For seeing me." Miyeon smiled softly, her heart warming at his words. "Always," she replied, her arms still around him, holding him close. "I'll always see you, Jaeyun."