Royal Pain | PJM • slow updates

Chapter 33

the music they're dancing to is
the second waltz, my fave waltz hehe

=*=

The first couple to be announced and descend the staircase was Jennie and Taehyung; Taehyung's arm hovered at his side at a perfect angle, with Jennie's arm looped around it as he led them downwards. Eunjae could not deny the man's princely appeal; his cloudy grey hair tussled in permed waves, a white dress shirt with a ruffled collar was tucked into his fitted black dress pants. Taehyung's black suit jacket, with peaked lapels and elegant gold designs stitched stylishly throughout the frontside, was properly befitting of a royal. He looked neat, chic, and tasteful, but the empty expression he donned curtailed his attractiveness by a fraction, at least in Eunjae's eyes.

Once the two arrived at the ballroom floor, they lingered at the bottom of the steps and directed their gazes back to where they'd just come from. Now headed down the stairs were the king and queen, their countenances prim and stately as they quickly bounded towards the floor to flank the other side of the base of the stairs, opposite the engaged pair. The queen's kind smile flashed the crowd before she beamed proudly up at the final member to arrive.

Eunjae felt heat rush through her as she finally caught sight of Jimin. When he calmly strut down the staircase, chin held heigh and shoulders set, it was like the rest of the room and its occupants faded away, merely becoming part of Eunjae's peripheral as her attention remained rapt on solely Jimin. The ruler of her heart was clad in a puffed ivory shirt with black dress pants; his black suit coat garnered attention with golden epaulettes topping his shoulderblades, fashionable short tassels swaying with every movement. Lining the edges of his structured jacket were stitched golden depictions of leaves and swirling embellishments, his collar also decorated in a similar fashion. With his distinctive silver hair styled up and brushing his forehead, Eunjae was unequivocally spellbound.

As she ran her gaze over other members of the crowd, she realized she wasn't the only one. A bitter feeling churned within Eunjae as she noticed countless young, beautiful women practically drooling at the sight of the prince, their eyes shamelessly burning with zeal and appetency. She did not went to imagine the amount of them that would try their hand at coercing the prince into asking for their hand.

Some foolish part of Eunjae's mind had expected Jimin's gaze to magically drift to her figure amongst the mass of people on the dance floor; she let out a controlled breath as she shook off her fixation. Ripping her gaze from the scene before her all together, Eunjae turned to Chaeyoung and attempted to distract her mind from the potent lechery swarming the room. She paid no attention to the short welcome the king was garishly yawping.

"How do you think Jennie's feeling? You reckon there's been any sort of confrontation yet?" Eunjae quietly asked Chaeyoung as the crowd began to disseminate away from the center of the room in order for the engaged pair to lead the first dance, causing the two girls to take careful steps backwards. The small orchestra had resumed their playing, now performing an elegant, melodious waltz.

Chaeyoung's eyes followed Jennie and Taehyung as they strolled to the dance floor, curtsying and bowing to one another respectively before joining together to begin their dance. Several other couples, mainly aged guests who had long found matrimony, surrounded the young pair as they swayed to the music as well.

Chaeyoung sucked in a chaste breath. "I'm not sure, but if they hadn't before, they surely will now." Eunjae pressed her lips together as she nodded in agreement, whisking a fresh glass of champagne off the tray of a passing server.

The aforementioned princess was a bundle of nerves as she felt the burning stares of the crowd penetrating into her. Despite years of attending such events in addition to formal dance training, Jennie couldn't help but feel burdened by her status and the constant judgment she faced from others, especially in moments like this one. It also didn't help that Taehyung was still putting up his detached, glacial front. The only acknowledgment the princess had received from him was a simple, "Good evening," when he'd arrived at practically the last minute.