JiMina Collection

More Than Gold ~ Part 17

      Jimin sincerely thought his face was going to fall off. He had spent the past few hours grudgingly standing at the gates to greet all the noblemen and upper-class aristocrats in the kingdom. The flow of the debonair crowd never seemed to cease as more and more people filed into the ballroom. Guests came dressed in their finest clothes. Considering the fact that the crowd consisted of the kingdom's wealthiest, all were draped in expensive silks and linens lined with precious metals and jewels. This was everyone's chance to flaunt the extent of their riches; the whole event was a huge deal.

      After an eternity of bowing and shaking hands, Jimin was ordered to stand at the front of the ballroom next to his father. They were positioned high above everybody else on a balcony of sorts. His nerves were starting to get the best of him as he shifted his weight from side to side. Jimin was rarely allowed out in public, and so, being in front of so many people all at once was quite jarring. According to his father, the point of this ball was to, in simpler terms, provide the kingdom with a kind of update on the progress being made in an attempt to find a suitable queen. 

     Unfortunately, Jimin saw no progress at all. He was just as indifferent as he had always been. On one hand, he didn't want to marry any of the other girls. They were all terribly haughty and rather insensitive. The only remaining choice was Mina, and that wasn't even an option. She was his friend; he had no will to court her. It was no secret that he and Mina were mutually uninterested in romance. Jimin was starting to get concerned. He genuinely didn't know what to do.  What would his father think?

    Jimin, who was already quite anxious, almost jumped out of his skin when the fanfare of horns announced the arrival of the thirty women vying for the position of queen. Jimin groaned inwardly and tried to relish his last few seconds of freedom. With a bang, the ballroom doors swung open to reveal the women waiting behind it. 

      The crowd clapped loudly as the large groups of girls entered the ballroom. They were dressed in a rainbow of different colours. Much like the day they arrived, each girl had their hair piled up to the sky and bejewelled with all manners of emeralds and rubies. Their gowns were each the size of a small horse and completely covered in intricate patterns and golden embroidery. To the wealthy demographic of the kingdom, they were the epitome of high status. All noblemen wanted their sons to marry women like them, whose families had endless pockets filled with money. Jimin was nothing like those people. While the crowd clapped in approval, Jimin stared impassively at his feet. As much as his father wanted him to, Jimin could never tolerate those women. He didn't understand how human beings could be so shallow. So arrogant. And yet, he was being forced to announce his marriage to one of them in two weeks.

     Without warning, a pronounced hush fell upon the audience. Confused, Jimin looked up to find the source of the commotion. The dispersal of the thirty women gave the audience a glimpse of one girl who had previously hidden at the back end of the group. Jimin felt his jaw drop to the ground. 

      Standing shyly off to the side was none other than Mina. Under the sparkling light of the golden chandeliers, she looked absolutely heavenly; there was no other word for it. She seemed to glow from the inside. She looked as delicate as a glass figurine, skillfully crafted to perfection. Jimin had always known she was beautiful, but how had he never noticed just how ethereal she was? 

     Mina seemed composed as always, but Jimin could see the panic in her eyes. She didn't know why everyone was staring. Jimin, however, totally understood why. She was such a contrast to the girls around her. The others wore loud colours and were covered in flashy jewels. Mina had presented herself in an unseen, and yet not unwelcome manner.  She alone was the personification of elegance. The simplicity of her shimmering dress only amplified her alluring presence. Her porcelain skin glowed without the layers of white powder caked on the others' faces. Her hair was in a simple bun and delicately framed her face. The small silver crystals of her jewellery were minimal, yet dazzling. In other words, Mina looked perfect. Jimin knew she was completely flipping the crowd's perception of beauty upside down.