Not Always A Happy Ending

Breaking The Curse

Yuna's parents were an unexpected but welcomed surprise. They arrived early in the afternoon, after her lessons with Jungkook.

"I have a surprise for you," Jungkook said, putting his large hands over Yuna's eyes. "Will you trust me?"

"Maybe just this once," Yuna said, her heart beating triplicate the number of times when she felt Jungkook behind her, so tall and so warm.

They walked slowly through the hallways. Yuna was aware of every breath Jungkook took and every press of his wrists against Yuna's cheeks.

"Almost there," he said into her ear, and she felt the heat in her stomach, rolling around like fire.

When Jungkook moved his hands away from Yuna's eyes, she saw her mother standing there, and Yuna can't believe it until her mother swooped her up in a crushing hug. Something they hadn't done since she graduated from elementary school. Yuna was pleasantly surprised, her eyes burning a bit from the tears surfacing.

"You wouldn't believe my shock," her mother said after a little while, "When I found out you really were marrying a prince."

"I don't have the habit of lying to you," Yuna replied, and her mother gave her an arched expression. Rather, they don't get the chance to talk often enough for that, "Except about your glass plates, but—"

"Is this what you want?" Her mother ran an appreciative hand along the gossamer of her gown, admiring the embroidery on the dress. "I thought you wanted to write, Yuna, or keep working your part-times with Suga and Sinb. Was getting married really what you wanted?"

"No, it's not what I want," Yuna said, then she narrowed her eyes at her mother. "I told you over the phone, that there was an element of... magic."

"You've always had your head in the clouds," her mother said. "I like him."

Her mother pointed to Jungkook, who was making her father amused with some story, his button up shirt making him look far less formal than Yuna does. He must've noticed them staring because he turned to them and waved. Suddenly, Yuna's rib cage collapsed in on itself, seeing that smile turned on her full blast when she'd least expected it. Her mother, that experienced Headmistress, noticed it. "You like him too."

"He's not my fiancé," Yuna said, and her mother frowned. "He's his younger brother."

"I see," Yuna's mother said, and she rubbed her back in small soothing circles, understanding the situation right away. "I'm sorry, Yuna."

"Me too," Yuna said.

Taehyung was perfectly polite to Yuna's family, but so stiff and cordial that Yuna's father clammed up, which was the first time she'd seen him that way. His father was a big shark in his industry, so it was probably the prestige of being a royal. Jungkook tried his best to ease things along, but nothing got better until Yerin arrived, escorted by two guards.

Yerin immediately took charge of Yuna's parents; poking and prodding at Taehyung until he opened up and smiled. After that, the afternoon went more smoothly, Yerin and Taehyung finding common ground over the saxophone while Yuna's parents fall more and more in love with Jungkook.

Yuna's mother yawned and Jungkook volunteered to show them to their rooms for the night. There's no reason for him to, because about thirty servants were waiting on the wings to attend Yuna's parents' every need, but Jungkook insisted.

"I can tell you about the palace as we walk," he said to them. "And isn't it better if it's with someone who speaks Korean?"

Yuna, Yerin, and Taehyung stood alone in the once busy parlor, then Yerin looked down at her watch. "I should go."