Hwang Hyunjin was confused.
He was also angry and upset and happy and an odd mixture of different emotions, all at the same time.
He had never felt like this before.
Bae Jiwoo was back.
It had been a good couple of years since he had last seen the girl he once had feelings for, and even just thinking of her made his stomach tighten.
Hyunjin did not know whether it was a good thing, or not.
The last time they had seen each other, things had ended rather badly. It had resulted in a massive argument between the girl and his best friends. The Prince remembered holding Changbin back from screaming at her.
Despite having the knowledge that Bae Jiwoo wasn't the nicest of people, Hyunjin yearned to see her. The girl that had taken his breath away, the girl who knew how to say things that would make his heart thump, the girl who was practically perfect.
He wanted to see her.
But instead of impulsively leaving the palace to see his ex-girlfriend, Hyunjin reached for the small, iron key at the top of his wardrobe, and opened a drawer.
A drawer that had been kept locked for a good reason.
As the storage compartment slid open, the first thing that caught the Prince's eye was a bracelet.
"I made this for you, and me," She beamed, passing the wristlet to Hyunjin. "It's black and white! Your favourite colours! And, the 'J' represents me, Bae Jiwoo. I have your one on mine, see?"
The girl held up her own wrist, and Hyunjin spotted a silver 'H' dangling off of the bracelet.
"Is this a friendship bracelet, Jiwoo?" Hyunjin teased. "I thought you didn't do these kind of things?"
Jiwoo hummed, playing with the boy's wrist and surprisingly, he let her. "It could be a friendship bracelet, but, I don't see you as a friend,"
Before the Prince could ask, she cut him off. "I see you as more,"
Hyunjin swallowed.
"Like," He asked, uncertainly. "You - like me?"
Jiwoo nodded, a stray lock of her hair covering her eyes. "I'll be straight forward. I, Bae Jiwoo, like you, Hwang Hyunjin,"
Hyunjin was quiet.
"I - I think," He said, slowly. "I think I like you, too,"
The two teens grinned, not meeting one another's eyes, but the female's mind was whirring. This was only the beginning.
"Bae Jiwoo," Hyunjin muttered, returning to present time. "Did you really, genuinely like me, or was it really just a game?"
"What are you doing?"
Hyunjin slammed the drawer shut, slipping the bracelet into his pocket as he faced his wife, who offered him a soft smile.
A smile that he knew he didn't deserve.
Jarim was dressed in a pair of black pants and a white blouse, a string of stars decorating her neck. Her rich, black hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, and her fox-eyes that were so similar to Jeongin's crinkled.
"Just - just organising," Hyunjin murmered, making sure the drawer was locked.
"Are you," Jarim gulped. "Are you okay? You haven't spoken to anybody for three days, including the boys and they're all really- "
"I'm perfectly fine," Hyunjin cut her off.
The two lay in a silence, one thinking of how he could avoid the topic of Bae Jiwoo and the other thinking of how to approach that very same topic.
"Hyunjin," It was the first time she had said his name to him, and he ignored the floaty feeling in his stomach. "Please be honest with me,"
"About what?"
"About Bae Jiwoo,"
Hyunjin refrained himself from revealing any possible emotions, instead, he returned the question with a cool glare.
"The boys told you, didn't they?"
"I think I have a right to know both sides of the story," Jarim tried. "Hyunjin, from what I've heard- "
"But you don't know!" Hyunjin slammed his hands on the vanity in their room, and it appeared that he did not notice Jarim flinch. "You weren't there when everything happened, and you don't need to know,"
"I think I have the right to know what she did to my husband," She replied, coolly.
Hyunjin laughed, although there was no humour in his tone. "May I remind you," He hissed. "That this is a marriage purely for convenience,"
Jarim could not say a word.
He was right. They had wed purely for the crown.
"Now, if you excuse me," Hyunjin sneered. "I have somewhere to go,"
As the boy left the chamber, shutting the door behind him, Jarim felt her the floor swaying below her feet, and the girl dropped onto the bed, her fingers clutching the sheets underneath her, tears forming in her eyes.
She was sure that he was going to see her.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
hi there :)
how are y'all doing?
i hope you're enjoying this book despite the fact that our boy is being a bit of a fool, but it's a slowburn for a reason ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
take care and stay safe
xx
