I Dreamed a Dream || BTS

~ 8 ~

After the chance encounter in the woods, the Crown Prince had visited Baram thrice more.

The first time was several days after Samjil. Festivals sparked such brightness that non-celebratory days seemed bland and unenjoyable. Samjil had nearly emptied her mother's store of food, and thus, the following meals were dull. Baram was nudging at her bowl of plain rice when a sharp knock sounded at the door, and a loud voice proclaimed, "In the name of the king, open!"

Her heart leaped, and she stood so fast that the room spun. Upon flinging the door open,she immediately searched the crowd of palace guards for a particular set of intense, sienna eyes. But she saw no traces of royalty among them and scowled a reluctant, "Yes? May I help you?" Her other family members were standing respectfully, and her harshness made Seokjin choke on the food he was persistently shoveling in his mouth.

"The Crown Prince" – Baram immediately perked up – "has requested that Baram of the Chun family takes a stroll through her family's garden."

"Through my family's garden?"

"Those were his words."

"What? Why?" Baram ignored her mother's inquiries and snatched up her parasol. "Baram, where are you going?"

"To the garden," she chirped back, already pushing past the palace guards and hurrying into the open air, "as per the Crown Prince's orders." Her heart was fluttering like the remaining cherry blossoms that still flitted through the sky, reminding her of the intense desire from her first meeting with Yoongi. Baram did not need to search long for her Crown Prince – naught but several yards past the entrance, there he was, crouching beside a brook and drawing his finger through the trickling water.

She stood still for a moment, admiring him. The sunlight was perfectly illuminating his figure, bathing his blonde hair in rays of light. He was struggling to withhold a smile at the fish's gentle nips against his finger, but no pretense could disguise his delight when he turned his head and spotted her. She could not tear her eyes from him, not as she fumbled with the bolt on the gate, not as she traversed the uneven cobblestone path alongside the brook, and certainly not when she stood directly in front of him.

"You summoned me, Jeoha?"

He laughed, his nose crinkling endearingly. "Please, I hear my title often enough. You may call me Yoongi." Her heart pounded so fast that she was unsure she could form a coherent sentence. "You came so quickly. I was not certain if you would even be interested in seeing me."

"Why would I not?" she asked breathlessly.

"Well, a betrothal would be enough to keep most women away from other interested men."

"Then, I suppose I am not like most women."

"No, you are not," he murmured, his eyes flickering once to her lips. He shifted his position so that he was standing beside her and extended his elbow. Smiling graciously, she looped her hand through his arm, and even as they strolled along the cobblestone path, their eyes never left each other. Yoongi stared at her as though she were heaven personified, the most beautiful and entrancing creature to grace his presence. She saw him as he was, the captivating man with sienna eyes who woke passion from its slumber in her soul, who made her feel alive. "Tell me about yourself, Baram."

"Well..." It was difficult to concentrate on herself while in his presence. "I am Air. My father is on the Court of Air. At the moment, I am finding it rather difficult to focus on the garden, but I am grateful that you chose this location. I stay here as many hours as my mother will allow, reading, sketching, painting."