Royal Temptations

Chapter 25

This story has honestly exceeded all of my expectations and then some. Most of the time, I just write because my friend wants to see something specific that doesn't seem to exist, so I do my best to make it exist. To believe this all started from a photo.

I'm not quite done with chapter 32 yet but I feel like you've waited enough for this.

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Junmyeon's POV

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It had been a few weeks since my first meeting with Hyeja, and to be honest I was still just as confused about my feelings now as I was then. The only difference now was the fact I'd gotten to know her a lot better. Amongst my busy schedule, I planned time a couple days a week to spend good quality time with her. As I suspected, she was a bit on the wild side, but that by no means diminished her charm.

She lived a life in her father's shadow as his oldest daughter. He'd been grooming her since she could walk on everything she'd ever need to know about keeping up with his empire. At the beginning, she was on board. She liked what he did. But as time passed, she began to despise the line of work, and wanted some kind of escape. Any kind. She'd tried talking directly to him, but that failed time and time again. He wasn't having it. She was the oldest. She had to fill his shoes some day.

"This is nice," she said as she settled beside me on the towels. I glanced up to her with a smile, leaning back on my hands, feeling them sink into the soft sand. God the last time I'd been to the beach was years ago. And today was a good reminder of why that was a bad idea. Cold water, soft sand, cool sea breeze... Let's just say I could feel a lot of stress melting away. "And you're sure no one is going to bother us?" she asked. "It's not like you easily blend into a crowd."

"No one will bother us," I assured her. "My family owns this stretch of beach. We have for generations. We're free to do whatever we want here." I gazed around. "I haven't been here since I was a preteen," I told her. "There was just never any time for this sort of thing. But I didn't know how much I missed it until today."

"I totally understand being busy," she commented. "Father keeps me plenty busy these days. The only reason I've been able to see you so frequently is because of the fact you're king. Otherwise I'm sure he wouldn't allow it at all."

"Such a shame too," I said. "A lot of people are missing out on meeting a wonderful girl." She blushed, a rarity from her, and ducked her head. "Seriously though, you're very lovely," I complimented. "And if your father is so strict with you that he can't see that, it's his loss, not yours."

"Ah, you praise me too much," she mumbled. "But thank you." The strangest part of this whole ordeal was that I meant every word of it. I did genuinely find her to be a lovely girl. I wasn't sure what it was about her exactly, but I was drawn to her like a bee to honey. "Also, a beach date," she added. "How cliche."

"Just because it's cliche doesn't mean it doesn't work," I told her. "Though to be fair, I also set us up a reservation at Jungsik's for tonight. Eight pm. That's why I asked you to bring something formal today as well."

"Ooo, look at you Mr. Fancy pants," she said. But the wide grin on her face told me she was excited about it. "You've been so good to me the last few weeks," she continued without missing a beat. "Private beaches, fancy restaurants, home cooked meals, it's all been so much. Thank you. You don't have to go to this much trouble you know."

"Oh hush," I scolded. "Any guy would be crazy not to treat your lavishly. Only the very best for you." What was I saying? This didn't sound like me at all. What about Yixing? What about the only love of my life? "Shall we pack up and head back to the palace to get ready?" I asked her, avoiding facing my feelings for now.