Kingdom

72. Laws of Magic (11)

Jungkook paces back and forth in the dressing room as a lion in a cage. The foreign saleswoman left a while ago. She had other clients to take care of, she said in her weird accent. What clients? There is no one around but Jungkook and Mira. Surely that woman could have helped the Lady get dressed... How long does it take to put on a dress anyway? An hour....?

Mira had ordered some weird dress for Nori and then proceeded to try out the clothing she had always wanted to try. Jungkook kept insisting she put that strange red dress on, but now he questions his choices...Mira has been hiding behind that huge screen for at least 10 years now and he can't do anything about it but wait.

Jungkook stares at the packs of colorful beans left by the door; at the fabrics stored in big rolls, placed on shelves that reach all the way to the ceiling. His mind gets lost into the rich embroideries covering the gentle scarves hanging by the window. He feels like being locked into a fairytale world where butterflies are born, sewing their wings together with strings of light and pieces of transparent fabrics.

The food and the heat has made Kook feeling drowsy, his eyes almost closing; his mind imagining all those butterflies flying around him, lifting him up and carrying him to a soft bed, where he can get a nice, long sleep.

"Jungkook?" Mira calls for him, waking him up from the illusion.

"Yes!" He jerks his head in her direction."Are you okay in there?"

"I am almost ready..." Mira says, sounding out of breath. "I just need to close this thing...but it is closed on the back.. it's hard to reach ... "

"Do you need help?"

"Yes, I think I need help." Mira says, stepping out from behind the screen. Jungkook blinks a few times making sure he is indeed awake. The woman in front of him doesn't look real at all - she must be an illusion. The light entering from the open window falls directly over her hair, inflames the red nuances of her dress and shines bright in her eyes. She must be a fire fairy, or a seductive enchantress or...

"Jungkook?"

He shakes his head, trying to wake up, to chase the drowsiness away.

"Are you okay? You look startled?" She steps towards him, moving away from the ray of light, yet coming alarming close. "Do I look weird? This dress is very weird..."

Jungkook shakes his head again, more fiercely than before. The dress is unusual indeed - closing tight around the waist and falling down not as one slick shape but in tones of various ruffles and furbelows. As Mira moves the skirt shuffles around her as if each little piece of it has a life and an opinion on its own. But it is not what catches Kook's attention. His eyes fall on her shoulders, partially left uncovered as the dress remains opened on the back. He gulps as he realizes what she would ask him to do.

"You have to tie it on the back," She turns around. "There are little bottoms but I can't reach them."

Only 3 buttons are left open, only a small part of her skin left visible below her neck. And it's not like Kook's hasn't seen a woman's naked back before... It's not like he was born yesterday. Yet, his hands tremble as he proceeds to close each of those buttons, careful not to touch the Lady more than what is absolutely necessary.

His thumb brushes against her skin and this momentary touch is enough to make his palms heat up. Something about this woman makes his body turn weak. Is it the boldness of her gaze, the sound of her cheerful voice or the cool smirk of confidence she flashes at the merchants from time to time? Or is it the passion in her eyes as she speaks about love and about the desire to be brave. Maybe it's none of these things. It must be the heat of the day and the scent of her flowery perfume that make Jungkook's body fill with impermissible desires. He should not imagine weird things, he needs a slap in the face to wake up from this dream. Yet, the dream continues...

"Jungkook, this morning you came to my residence." Mira says, without turning around.

Kook's fingers shiver as he closes the last button. This morning? But all of that was a dream... wasn't it?

"You kissed me."

The blood freezes in his veins, his eyes ready to fly out and crash on the floor from terror and embarrassment."But wasn't that like a fever dream?" he mumbles.

"It was like a fever dream, only that it really happened."

His hands fall by his side as heavy logs, his body tense and horrified. Another sensation of deja-vu washes over him. As if he had once before felt those same emotions, the same shame and regret. "I was drunk, I am sorry."

Mira turns around, her bold eyes looking straight at him, no mercy whatsoever. "What are you sorry for - for kissing me or for being drunk."

"I..." His lips tremble, struggling to say what he should say and not the truth. He cannot and should not cross certain boundaries, especially with dangerous women dressed in red, as if wearing living fire around their bodies - a clear warning for anyone to stay away.

"I swear never to drink again, my Lady." Kook says, his throat getting as dry as a desert. "I promise to never disrespect you in any way. I am truly sorry for all I have done."

Her eyes turn ice cold. "Do you think a simple apology would be enough?"

"Not sure what else to do..." His eyes fall down. "I can't undo what is already done. I don't even remember it clearly..."

"You don't, do you?" She steps back, her dress rustling around her loudly as a forest shaken by a storm. "Tell me one thing. And tell me honestly, I really want to know."

Jungkook glances at her face, his heart racing in anticipation and confusion. What sins has he committed against her in the past for her to be so hostile? And why did she say nothing about it before? Was the drunk kiss discussing and unpleasant? Why did she change her attitude so rapidly? He secretly wishes she could look at him again with the same sparkle of interest and warmth as before.. even just for a split second.

"Why do you always kiss me and forget?" Mira asks, her eyes a mixture of ice and fire."Why am I the only one who remembers? The one who gets her hopes up and then has them crushed down at her feet. I don't like that. I don't want to feel this torture on my own. Jeon Jungkook, don't you dare kiss me and forget ever again."

Mira grabs him by the collar and pulls her towards herself, their lips crashing together. She kisses him - gently but hastily, as if afraid of her own boldness. She moves away but Jungkook chases after her lips, leaning closer and kissing her back. He has gone insane; not a grain of common sense left in his brain. Only an impulse. She answers his kiss and for a moment they give in to the desire to be together. Yet, a moment way too short. She flinches back and releases his clothes.

"You better remember this." Mira says and storms out of the room, her dress dancing around her in wild waves of fire.

Jungkook remains speechless, his heart beating faster and faster. The butterflies who used to fly in his mind are now all gather in his lower stomach; every muscle of his body is tense and strained.

At one point the saleswoman enters to take out Mira's servant's clothes; but Jungkook still stands in place, uncertain what to do.

"Your girl said she will be waiting for you outside in 15 minutes." the older woman says."She said you better not be late, my Lord."

Your girl.... The sound of that makes Jungkook feel weirder than before. A slap in the face, a bucket of cold water over his head - he does need something to sober up.

As soon as he steps outside the shop, Mira greets him, her eyes filled with coldness.

"All is settled in here." she says. "We better go and get our Princess back. Before that dancer has enchanted her or something."

Jungkook nods and lifts the packages he has left by the door. They head back towards Jimin's house without anyone saying a word.

Mira doesn't look at Kook or address what happened between them in any way. She is marching forward with the gloomy expression of a soldier going to war. She looks indifferent and distant. Unnaturally cold. But deep inside of Jungkook's heart something has started burning, and it burns stronger with every second. 

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a/n: There are 2 more parts left from Laws of Magic ... 😅