What You Never Had

Chapter 1

Seokjin x Reader, with Namjoon and Jimin

Genres: Royalty AU, Fluff, Future Smut

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"Your highness! Please come down," your nurse begged, nearly in tears at the sight of you climbing towards one of the higher branches of the tree, the skirt of your dress scandalously bunched up past your knees.

"Just a bit more!" You shouted back, determined to get to the frightened cat stuck in the tree. It was a mystery how it got there in the first place, but after observing it for a while, you were convinced that it was not going to be able to make it down on its own.

You ignored your nurse's desperate pleas as you reached the branch the cat was perching on. The branch was quite thin so you didn't dare climb on top of it, trying to stretch your arm to reach the cat instead. You were doubtful that the branch could even hold the cat for much longer. It was scared out of its wits, obviously, hissing and refusing to come towards you, even though you tried your best to persuade it by talking to it softly.

Just then a strong gust of wind blew, sweeping your hair into your face, making you lose sight for a few seconds. You brushed your hair out of your face irritatedly just in time to see the cat losing its balance and falling towards the ground. More out of reflexes than anything else, you made a crazy swipe for it and managed to grab it by its stomach.

Unfortunately you had no time to even feel happy about the feat as your move to catch the cat made you loosen the grip on the tree trunk that you had with your other arm, resulting in a quick and rough descent down the tree, the coarse bark ripping your hands and clothes as you tried to regain your hold on the trunk without success before you lost hold completely, freefalling towards the ground, screaming in fright.

A light smack on the back of your head brought you back to reality. You tore your gaze from the tree where the incident happened years ago to scowl at your grinning second brother, Jimin.

He looked pretty proud of himself. Usually you were a model student, paying complete attention to lessons that you were permitted to attend with your brothers but today you were simply not in the mood, and Jimin apparently had taken it upon himself to bring your focus back to the lesson by throwing a paper ball at your head. You scoffed silently. He rarely paid attention during lessons, and your tutors frequently reminded him to be more like his sister and elder brother.

Sneaking a glance at the tutor, you held the paper you had crushed into a ball in your fist, waiting for the right moment to retaliate. Several attacks were exchanged before your tutor noticed that there was a growing pile of trash around your desks and gave the two of you a dirty look, but decided to let it slide when both of you had the sense to look apologetic and turned back towards your books. Your eldest brother, Namjoon, was too focused on his notes to notice that anything out of the ordinary was happening.

One glance at him reminded you of how lucky you were to be able to learn mathematics, science and the like with your brothers when most girls were not given that opportunity, being encouraged to pursue more feminine activities instead. Namjoon's intelligence and dedication to learning was something that you've always admired, among other traits, but it was expected of him, since he was the crown prince after all. He had always been responsible and hardworking, while your traits hovered between the two princes —interested in gaining knowledge and governing the country like your eldest brother, with a fun-loving and carefree attitude similar to your second brother, and a stubborn and rebellious streak of your own that drove everyone crazy.

"Just what were you daydreaming about, pipsqueak?" Jimin asked a few minutes later as you walked down the hall, pinching your cheek. You swatted his hand away, resisting the urge to kick him. Childhood had left you behind years ago, and you needed to remember to act like a lady. Like a princess. Even though you never held back on Jimin when there were no prying eyes.