Royal Pain | PJM • slow updates

Chapter 9

Jimin sat back on his throne, an eager yet unreadable expression on his face as he stared Eunjae down. She gulped under his hot gaze, but nevertheless kept her eyes trained on him.

Jimin averted his eyes to land on the man who would be overseeing the hearing. "And who would this be?" His regal voice was low, smooth, and held a hint of fascination.

The middle-aged man cleared his throat before responding. "Prisoner 2673, Kang Eunjae, age 21."

Jimin hummed to himself, a finger hovering above his plump lips. Eunjae thought it was unfair how inherently handsome he was. His stare never left Eunjae—like a predator eyeing his prey—which caused her to shift her weight, the corner of his lips quirking up a bit at the sight.

"Shall I proceed with the case reading, your highness?" The man asked through the growing silence. Jungkook silently overlooked the scene from the sidelines.

Jimin nodded his head.

"Prisoner 2673 has been charged with attempted burglary, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, and could possibly face consequences for treasonous actions."

Jimin's eyebrows shot up on his forehead upon hearing the list—it was an impressive lineup, to say the least. "What, exactly, was the crime she committed?"

The man turned to Jungkook, who, in turn, didn't meet his gaze. The young guard felt remorseful enough about the situation, he didn't want to add onto his guilt by testifying against Eunjae. He avoided the mediator's gaze so that he could avoid doing so.

"Well, according to Jeon's report, Kang Eunjae had attacked him and another officer while they had been guarding the royal carriage. It is believed that her motive was to steal from your belongings. Kang struck the officer on duty and strangled him into unconsciousness, then went into combat with officer Jeon where she was then detained."

Eunjae bit her bottom lip as she diverted her gaze to the floor, her heart sinking as she began to believe that she would not come out this. She wouldn't even get to say her farewells to her family—to Sungjae. She was losing hope.

Jimin listened intently until the man was finished. After he concluded his statement, Jimin rose from his throne and began to slowly descend from his perch. "Is that all?" He asked the older man.

The mediator nodded. "Yes, your highness, no-"

"You're dismissed."

Jimin had interrupted the man just as he was about to continue, causing the perplexed individual to stammer as his eyes bulged.

"P-prince Jimin, I mean no disrespect, but you are supposed to handle this case in my presence." The man nervously spoke. Jimin fixed his cold eyes on the insubordinate elder.

"I will see to it personally that the matter is dealt with. Now, you are dismissed. I do not like repeating myself." Jimin's rising voice was hard and assertive.

The man gulped. "B-but-"

"That is an order!" Jimin exclaimed, becoming impatient and bewildered by the man's lack of aderence to authority. At the severity of Jimin's tone, the man instantly clamped his mouth shut, cowered back, gathered his things, and hurried out of the room. Jimin scoffed once the door was shut and the room was left to himself, Jungkook, and the restrained woman.

Jungkook took a slight step forward. "Shall I excuse myself, then?"

Jimin pondered a moment. "Whatever you see fit, Jungkook."

Jungkook eyed the two occupants of the room, noticing Jimin's mischievous eyes, before biting back a smile and beginning to retreat to the door. "I'll be right outside should you need anything." With a final short bow, he was gone.

Jimin sauntered up to Eunjae who was stood still in the center of the room. She wasn't sure what to make of all of this, and she wasn't sure what standing she was in at the moment. She had to play her cards right.

"You're quite the busy woman, Kang Eunjae." Jimin stated, enunciating her name which he now knew. His hands were clasped behind his back as he tauntingly spoke, "You've targeted my belongings twice now, I'm beginning to think you have some sort of vendetta against me."

Eunjae scoffed under her breath. "I wouldn't feel so self-important quite yet, I didn't even know who you were up until you sat on that throne."

Jimin flashed a dazzling smile. "And that fact still baffles me. So, how is it that you don't know me?"

Eunjae glanced up at the slightly taller man skeptically. "I'd feel more obliged to answer your question if I wasn't restrained and food-deprived." She nonchalantly replied as she held up her chained hands for emphasis.

Jimin chuckled lowly at the woman's snarky response. "You are aware of your current situation, correct? You're facing possible treason, and yet you still talk back to your Prince—and with attitude?" Jimin's eyes pierced into Eunjae's, causing her to falter back a step slightly.

Eunjae swallowed and shook a hair out of her face, remaining silent. Jimin analyzed her features openly before continuing to speak, "These are some serious charges you've managed to stack up."

"Well then let's get on with this whole thing and quit dawdling away! I don't understand why you feel the need to reiterate what was just established several minutes ago, and I certainly do not appreciate the fact that this is somehow amusing you! So please, spare me the idle talk." Eunjae furiously flustered. She was becoming irritated by the prince's behavior and was beginning to understand Jungkook's words from earlier.

The side of Jimin's lips tilted upwards seeing Eunjae lose her composure. It'd been quite some time since Jimin found something to genuinely entertain him—and this one was as captivating as she was resilient. Eunjae's chest was rising more heavily than before, her lips in a slight pout that encaptured Jimin's gaze.

"I like you." Jimin simply spoke, taking Eunjae by surprise.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Eunjae huffed out, giving him a pointed look.

"It means," Jimin began, licking his lips before elaborating, "I won't have you executed." Eunjae felt her heart rate pick up at what could've been her possible fate. Jimin took another step closer. "Oh, no, I have something else in mind for you, miss Kang Eunjae."

Eunjae gulped anxiously. "What would that be?"

Jimin chuckled knowingly, darkly. "I'm going to be putting you to work."

Eunjae let out a relieved sigh. That wasn't so bad, she could handle physical labor. She had been expecting something more daunting.

"As my personal maid."

Eunjae's jaw dropped for a moment. "You've got to be joking."

Jimin's expression fell, an unreadable one replacing his previous bemused one. "Would you rather face the chopping block? Because that's your other option, and I can assure you it is as gruesome as you can imagine." Eunjae shut her mouth and averted her gaze downwards, shaking her head curtly. "That's what I thought."

Jimin took another step, leaning forward to speak above Eunjae's ear. "A word of advice: work on the attitude before it becomes a real problem. And remember your place." She shivered at the delicate contact of his lips to her ear, his hot breath on her skin.

Without another word passed between the two, Jimin strode past Eunjae and out of the room, leaving her to contemplate what just occurred.

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happy new year loves❣️