Prince Pauper || KTH

5. Suffer, Boy

Despite being loved by everyone, Taehyung's first week was hell. The unpleasant smell lingering all over the town, the peasant food he refused to eat, the sounds of farm animals scaring him, and the constant yelling of his Halmeoni.

Every time he'd come home and try to relax, she would complain to him to do the chores which he fought back and refused to. He never touched broom or dish scrubber in his whole life and he wasn't about to do it here.

But alas, the old woman won and forced him to at least clean the dishes to which the prince took an hour to wash three plates, a pot, and two sets of chopsticks. She would also watch over him and complain about how he did them.

"Why are you holding the pot like that?" She questioned. "Grab the edge with your entire hand."

Taehyung held the pot handle with only his finger and thumb. "It's dirty. Why would I even touch it?"

God, he wanted to leave the house to get away from her. But he didn't even bother exploring Imuwa. There wasn't anything worth looking for, there was no tourist directory he could use, he didn't want to smell anything. All he could do is sit on the couch bed and scroll through his feed.

It was finally the weekend. Thankfully, he had no homework since it was syllabus week. Taehyung couldn't wait to just nap and do nothing.

As he pushed through the entrance doors, he noticed Penny sitting on the grass alone reading a book, probably waiting for her friends that Taehyung decided to call rats.

The only time he could actually talk to her was during their one class together. It was because Jimin would act as a bodyguard and push the prince away from her. When it was Jungkook...he was too weird that Taehyung didn't want to be around him.

Their conversations were brief and chill though not learning any new information about one another. Taehyung would be the one starting their talks which Penny would happily reply to. She was an approachable person, just not the type to gawk at his presence. Maybe his princely ways didn't excite her.

She seemed like an ambivert, friendly, and engaging with others so well like an extrovert but kept to herself and hid a lot of things like an introvert.

For being so curious, Taehyung actually asked around about who she was. People eventually did tell him and he was actually in shock to find out her upbringing. Poor girl went through so much when she was younger, yet managed to give back more than what she had in her lifetime. It saddened Taehyung, almost pitying her but he doubted that's what she wanted considering she's not vocal about it.

He walked towards her. The dried grass brushed through his thousand-dollar shoes. He didn't want to sit, it was dirty and disgusting, so he simply looked down.

"Sweetheart, what's your name again?" He began.

The deep familiar voice rang through her eardrums, making the girl stare up at the beautiful man. She furrowed her eyebrows as she wondered why he asked that question because he knew her name.

Before she could speak, he said, "Can I call you mine?"

A side of her lips curved but she tried hard not to smile at the cheesy pickup line. So she simply countered, "Only if I can I call you anytime?"

A rectangular smile beamed on his face from her smooth come back. She didn't seem too amused by it but was satisfied that she made him smile in such a way it made squirrels run in her stomach.

Though he acted rude and snobby towards her best friends, he was never like that with her which she felt bad for them but enjoyed it for her. He just flirted a lot but she wasn't complaining.