Royal Pain | PJM • slow updates

Chapter 26

As Eunjae strolled through the castle entrance, she found it almost humorous how different her circumstances now were from the first time she was brought within its seemingly impenetrable walls. Back then, she'd been a captive. Now, with a vibrant step and her shoulders set, she returned as someone with a place and a purpose.

While Eunjae made her way inside, her thoughts brought her back to the conversation she and Jungkook had had with Jisoo.

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Flashback

Jisoo led Jungkook and Eunjae to sit down in a room adjacent to the one they'd just been in, leaving the rest of the peculiar bunch behind in order to talk in private. It was smaller in comparison, with a wooden circular table accompanied by a couple matching stools. A gas stove surrounded by several cabinets took up the furthest wall from the entrance to the room.

"Can I get you anything to drink? Water, tea, I know you've come a long way." Jisoo offered kindly after Eunjae and Jungkook had taken their seats.

"Water is fine, thank you." Eunjae responded, Jungkook also requesting the same thing. Once they both found themselves with glasses in hand, Jisoo took her seat and joined her hands before her on the table.

"I'm sure you both have many questions regarding our actions and what we stand for," her eyes darted to Jungkook, whose expression was careful and neutral, before she continued, "but I assure you that we are all on the same side."

Jungkook failed to suppress his scoff. "Your threats would prove otherwise."

Eunjae nudged him slightly with her foot, causing him to shoot her a wide-eyed look of nonchalance. "Let's just hear her out."

Jisoo held up a hand to Eunjae to stop her, a subtle friendly smile playing at her lips. "We do not wish harm on any member of the royal family, nor do we wish to cause distress within our nation. We simply wish for our voices to be heard and for our position to be taken seriously, hence the need for threats. Unlike other nations such as in the west, there is little freedom of speech here."

Jungkook begrudgingly nodded in agreement to her words. "Fair."

Eunjae took a sip of her water before speaking, "So what is it you would like from us?"

Jisoo grinned. "For you, Kang Eunjae, we'd be delighted to have you join our ranks. We all agree that you would be a capable and beneficial addition to our team. You're everything we look for in an ally; headstrong, skilled, reliable, I could go on. You could make a real difference in the country—help us attain our goal and improve the lives of millions."

Eunjae pursed her lips at the thought, crossing her arms and sitting up straighter; Jisoo was doing a proper job making her point and selling it. Her offer was compelling. Jungkook shot Eunjae a perturbed look as he noticed her contemplating the opportunity.

"Am I supposed to just sit here and pretend this isn't entirely illegal? My entire job is to enforce the law; by simply being here I'm betraying the one person I owe my life to." Jungkook spoke heatedly.

Jisoo sighed. "I understand how you may feel, and I'm sorry to impose such a situation on you. But truthfully speaking, we've had our eye on you for quite some time." She trailed her gaze to Eunjae then back to Jungkook. "Both of you."