Empress Handbook

Chapter Twenty-One | Twin Arrows

The dim light refracts a faint gold glisten on Jungkook's face through his champagne flute, tracing his bewitching features that almost seem surreal. Sometimes, Jungkook really hates his face. Then on second thought, it has always been one of his sharpest weapons.

"Happy birthday, Jungkook," Taehyung says. He passes Jungkook a small cupcake with anime characters printed over the vanilla cream. "It was two weeks ago, but I still wanted to celebrate it for you."

Jungkook takes the cake with a boyish grin. "Thank you," he utters. "But I thought you weren't allowed to have alcohol?"

Taehyung sits on the lounge chair next to Jungkook. He takes a sip of the champagne and smiles.

"I'm off duty now."

"So, you lied to Her Majesty? How sly."

Taehyung widens his smile. "This is a secret she shouldn't know of."

"Do you not trust her?" Jungkook says, cocking his head.

"Of course, I trust her. She is my wife, after all. It's just that celebrating your birthday is a relatively private matter, right?"

"It's a private matter you haven't attended to for many years now," Jungkook says jokingly.

Taehyung purses his lips. "I'm sorry I am not strong enough to protect you, Jungkook."

"That's fine," Jungkook says. He nudges Taehyung and chuckles. "You need to stop treating me like a child. I'm an adult in Europe now, Hyung."

"But within my empire, you're still a minor."

"My foster father certainly doesn't think so." Jungkook laughs.

Taehyung narrows his eyes. "What is he making you do?"

"It's nothing disturbing. My foster father has just been bringing me to dinner parties to entertain the people he wants to please."

"You don't need to do that. I can help you."

"No, it's fine. I find it to be entertaining," Jungkook says. He chugs his flute of champagne. "We rarely get the chance to talk like this. Let's not focus on the sad things."

"Yes, you're right," Taehyung says instantly.

Jungkook widens his smile. "So, how is Yeoreum-ssi doing? That funeral thing was crazy. She irritated mother so much."

"Yes, Mother hasn't gone to Pyungha Temple in such a long time."

Jungkook winks. "And we all know what that's code for."

The two of them burst into laughter together. Yunhee's scandalous affairs were never a secret among them. From a young age, they would see young men visit her at controversially late hours from the study room they were locked up in indefinitely. They never told Namjoon, Eunseo or their father, presuming they already had a brief idea of what was happening.

"Right, Jungkook. Why did you help Yeoreum at her funeral?"

"Because what Hyungsu-nim said was true," Jungkook utters. "I was discovering the wilderness with some friends when I saw Yeoreum-ssi struggling in the middle of nowhere. I gave her some food and medication, and she told me she got washed up on the shores after falling into the ocean. At first, Yeoreum-ssi refused to return to the family, but she changed her mind after I showed her the news articles about her disappearance. So, as an amazing human being, I decided to help her."

"Did you come up with the idea of making her come back at her funeral?"

"Obviously, Hyung. I came up with that masterfully dramatic plan," Jungkook gushes. "Rebirthing at one's own funeral like a butterfly breaking out of a chrysalis is so pretty. Don't you find it to be poetic?"