𝐊 𝕺 | k.th

Faulty Promises

"Oh Miss, you have no idea how sad I was when you said that!" Ijoo says with a pout while resting her elbows on your bed. "I'm so glad he convinced you to stay."

You laugh. "Yeah, me too."

It was the next day, and Hani and Ijoo naturally found out of your continued stay in the palace. They were overjoyed to hear the news, while Yerim had still not known of any of the recent events.

"What did His Highness say to make you stay, my lady?" Hani asks gently from the corner, folding laundry with a soft smile.

Your lips curve into a grin, and you hug your knees to your chest. "I'm not telling," you mumble.

"No!" Ijoo whines. "Tell us! You were so determined yesterday, it must have been big!"

You hum. "Mm. He may have confessed his love and admiration for me and vowed to make me Queen."

Hani and Ijoo gasp, while Yerim just now walks in with wide eyes. "Really?!" they say in unison.

"Uh," you groan while covering your beet-red face with your hands. "Something along those lines..."

...

Taehyung stares at the floor beside your room with downcast eyes, pondering what to tell you.

He'd just convinced you to stay, and now, his father was in the way.

.

"That girl lacking basic manners told you to eliminate Lady Lua?" he says in his deep, aged voice. "Nonsense. Leave her, and keep Lua. She seems much more useful."

"But father!" Taehyung whines with a tense form. "Lua physically attacked Sooyun; why would I even bother with a woman who can't control her anger and jealousy like that?"

Taehyung stands feet away while his father sits cross-legged on a chair. "She'll be a good puppet to keep until you're wed to Yoora. Seems gullible and fickle enough," the King says.

"I don't care about her, I'm keeping Sooyun."

"Don't challenge me, Taehyung. Lua is staying," he declares. "Keep the immature wench if it pleases you."

.

"Sooyun," Taehyung softly calls out while knocking on your door.

Within seconds, your bright face and shining eyes are staring into his, and he smiles. "Taehyung," your voice is as sweet as honey to him, "it's early."

Seven thirty-four the clock reads.

He takes your hand in his and lets himself in, seating on the bed and dragging you down with him. You giggle as his arms wrap around your waist and he holds you to his chest. "I know. I wanted to see you," he murmurs into your ear.

A chill is sent up your spine, and you smile widely when his lips connect to your neck. He kisses the same spot several times over, inhaling your feminine scent and fresh coat of vanilla lotion. You sigh.

"Actually," Taehyung says with a gulp. "I came to talk to you about something... Like my father and...Lua."

You frown, mood turned over and worry placed in your gut. "What is it?" you ask.

"Well," he pulls back, giving you the space you always need, "my father said he wants me to keep Lua in the Harvest for now."

You cross your arms and raise a brow. "You really can't make decisions on your own, can you?" you mock, jealousy firing inside and blocking your throat.

"Sooyun, please," he says softly as he takes your hand in his. You almost withdraw, but the warmth of his hand draws you in, and you stare intently into his eyes while focusing on his words. It seemed that you had gained a fair bit of maturity over the night, and you were now willing to listen to Taehyung's excuses. "Do you know that the Harvest can't end until I pick five girls to stay in the palace?"

"Yeah?"

"I only have three now. If I keep Lua to please my father, then I only need one more girl before I can end this," he explains with warm, genuine eyes. "Your younger sister is entering soon, is she not?"

Your eyes widen. "Y-Yeah. She must've entered..." you think of the day, heart sinking when you realize that you missed her birthday, "two days ago."

"I'll keep her."

Your forehead creases with discontent. "How soon is this going to happen if she just entered a few days ago?"

He smiles. "You always accuse me of fearing my power; this is one thing I can control. I'll have her in next week."

Your lips part. You can't believe a word he says. Was this man really so head-over-heels for you that he'd go through such lengths to marry you? What if you weren't right for him? What if you didn't turn out to be a good Queen?

Did he trust you?

"That makes five. Then, I can marry you, Sooyun."

You let out a breath of air you weren't consciously holding. "Do you really want to do that, though?"

He frowns. "Of course I do."

"W-What if I don't want to be Queen?" you hesitate.

He chuckles, eyes wrinkling with delight. "You'll want to after a night spent with me," he says. "Because it means you get to spend every night of your life beside me."

His lips are against your ear, and he grazes along your cheek and nose, gently kissing every part of your face except your lips.

"I swear to you that I'll maintain my loyalty, and I'll keep the others just so that I can marry you in the traditional way," he promises before pecking your lips. "You're mine, Sooyun."

And you give in, completely sucked into the idea of marrying Taehyung, in a daze and dedicated to the man already.

If he could say those meaningful, heartfelt words with utter sincerity and such innocence in his round eyes, maybe he deserved to break your heart.

Such a spectacular actor, then, should be awarded your heart and your body without question. Maybe you'd be crying yourself to sleep and wanting to escape this prison again in a few days, but that was your fault.

Because Taehyung deserved anything and everything, in the most pure and genuine manner possible.

He was precious.

To be Continued...

(A/N Yes that last part is mocking that 'if Taehyung cheats on you, it's your fault' girl 😂 I wonder if we're actually going to have peace for a while in this story? 🙃)