𝐊 𝕺 | k.th

To be His Queen

With a quick snatch of your hand and a tug in the opposite direction, Taehyung aids you in escaping from the King's intense glower and eyes filled with disapproval.

.

The King.

"Holy fuck," you gasp in surprise, which is arguably not the correct response in this situation. Taehyung does you a favor and covers your mouth with his large palm, pushing you an inch backward.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" he whispers in a hushed tone with wide eyes.

"Iㅡ" you stutter under his hand, suddenly feeling that the reason you came here for is incredibly insignificant. Taehyung hurriedly closes the door behind him and places a hand on your shoulder.

"What?" he asks again in a quieter but harsher voice. "Hurry."

You breathe out. "I wanted to leave but the guards said they couldn't let me out."

.

"You make my life 10 times harder than it should be, Sooyun," he mumbles while dragging you around the hall and into your open room.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not," you sass while staring at your interlocked fingers with sparkles in your eyes.

He sighs before pushing you into the corner of your old room and pinning your arms to your sides, not caring to close the door first. "I already told you, I'm not letting you go. Stop being difficult."

You huff. "I already told you, I don't care what you say. Stop trying," you counter with a stern look.

"You're being impulsive and petty."

"What of it?"

He narrows his eyes before exhaling deeply and touching his fingers to your cheek. "You can only enter the Harvest once, Sooyun. Be eliminated or leave, and you're done. There are no second chances," he speaks gently, as if talking to a baby. "That's why I want you to think this over and not quit over a stupid, one-sided fight."

You ignore his belittling of his making out with Lua, and you instead scoff and attack another part of his argument. "There're no second chances? You're about to be King, for God's sake, Taehyung. You can do whatever the hell you want."

"No. I can't." He tightens his grip on your wrists and stares you down. "If you won't comply the easy way, I will lock you in this damned room and watch you sleep every night, myself. You're not leaving," he growls into your ear.

You shudder. "Taehyung! This is not funny! I'm not just on a whim right now; I really, truly want to leave this stupid Harvest already," you say with knitted brows.

His eyes hold desperation and dullness. "Why? Why, Sooyun? I apologized, I told you everything that I held in my heart," he swallows. "Why don't you just stay for me?"

You finally snap and release everything you've kept hidden these past weeks. "I can't, Taehyung. Why don't you understand that?" You ball your fists and feel a collection of energy form in your chest; you're about to burst with emotion. "I know it's your job to be with several ladies and go through with the competition, but I can't deal with that! I can't stand to see your lips on another woman, especially one I've despised since my childhood; why can't you think about me? Do you know how it feels to see the person you're slowly growing feelings for pick someone else over you, time and time again? When it's the same girl that's made you feel inferior since your childhood?"

Your face scrunches up as if you were about to cry, but at this point, you feel numb to the pain, and your eyes don't even want to produce tears. Taehyung parts his lips slowly, speechless and sensitive. "You don't like Lua?" is the first thing he says, and again, you're feeling insecure and little.

"No," you breathe.

He bites his lip, never breaking eye contact with your shaky orbs. "I kept her for you," he says. "I saw you two talking, and since you've never even spoken to another girl, I thought you two were friends... I wanted you to have someone with you, to help you break out of your shell and offer comfort in a foreign home..."

"I hate her," you choke out, close to tears and heavily distraught.

"I'll eliminate her," he offers with haste. "For you."

Your heart skips a beat.

"I lost the little desire I had for her when she raised her hand against you and marked your soft cheek," he says while caressing your face.

Your heart skips another beat. "Really?"

He nods slowly before connecting his forehead to yours and searching your eyes. "Will you stay for me then? Please," he begs.

His eyes are so soft, his breath so warm against your skin, and you're unable to resist his offer. "Okay," you agree quietly while fluttering your eyes shut.

Taehyung's heart does backflips in his chest, rapid beating almost audible.

"I'll make you my Queen," he breathes against your mouth, taking your lips into his and kissing you deeply. His fingers trail down your arms and reach your hands when he pulls back and kisses them both.

He smiles a beautiful, genuine smile, and for a second, all of your anguish is melted away under his gaze.

In the heat of the moment, a three-worded string flows around your brain, but you shake it away and simply smile at the man.

Things were going to be okay.

Before you two can go any further, Taehyung suddenly curses under his breath. "I completely forgot about my dad," he says, hushed, while checking his watch. "Shit. I'm sorry, Sooyun. We'll spend time together tomorrow night."

He gives you a wink, and you blush while looking down shyly. "Okay," you say quietly.

He gives one final look at the beautiful woman in front of him, and he grins before taking off to meet his father.

You, in a state of love deliria, plop onto your bed with a sigh, unable to contain your joy and letting out a high-pitched scream into the pillow.

You finally fixed things with him. There was no more insecurity or betrayals to come.

"Kim Sooyun..." you whisper while staring at your ring finger with a bashful smile. "King Taehyung..."

But what neither you nor Taehyung noticed earlier was the furtive Lua, hiding behind your half-opened door and prying into your entire conversation, hearing all of Taehyung's plans and true feelings. By the end, she was a crying mess with a new resolve to end your time in the Harvest once and for all.

At this point, Lua didn't need to accomplish this with grace and insincere kindness.

Fairly, she just wanted to see your world burn.

...

"Father," Taehyung says with a bow. "Forgive me for leaving so suddenly."

He narrows his eyes at the stiff boy, making his wrinkles more visible and prominent, and he calls out, "Taehyung."

Please don't mention Sooyun, please don't mention Sooyun, please don'tㅡ

"Who is that girl?"

To be Continued...