The Royal Promise

3. The Prince

Y/N
Five Minutes Prior...

"

You're sure?" I ask hopeful that the tip is accurate. The man nods, sliding the money I had just used to bribe him for intel into his front pocket.

"Just around the corner, you can see better."

"Thank you!" I shout, jogging around where literally no one else is. Either they're the stupid ones or I am for believing a stranger but I still have to be certain. There's no way ill get anything back at the front. Nothing anyone else is getting anyways. I'm glad that I'm a likeable enough person to be able to successfully bribe my way into my favor. Thats something I know I have on Hoseok.

My teeth grind as I see a large fenced area with nothing but a garden. I can see the back of the tent where the prince is believed to be but thats not enough for a cover photo. I almost abandon the idea when the thought of Hoseok belittling me again overtakes me. With my camera around my neck, I scale the fence, hopping over and snagging my skirt along the jagged top, ripping it slightly but luckily not bad. Just as I land on the other side, I duck behind the bushes, seeing a man running through the garden area across the yard from me. He seems lost, and almost panicked, making me stand slowly and lift my camera to my face. He turns around, bumping into the other male that followed him before they're hugging tightly.

I have to save this.

My eye lowers from the viewfinder after capturing a few shots but before I can look them over, I see the two men I just photographed walking closer. One seems confused while the other has a stern look on his face. I flip the off switch, settling the camera around my neck as they approach me quickly. I'm sure I'm in trouble for trespassing but my charm should be enough to get away with it. It usually is.

"Sir.." I hear the slightly shorter one whisper and that's when I notice exactly who I'm looking at.

"Excuse me." He says firmly. "What are you doing here? You're not part of my staff." My eyes widen as they look him over. Its the first time anyone has seen the prince since he was young. And now...he's —

"The prince asked you a question." The other male says and I blink once.

"Forgive me, I was just looking around.." I lie, faking my way to get out of this as I bow my head. I hear him force an annoyed breath as my head raises and I meet his eyes. He's staring me down like I'm beneath him. Literally and figuratively. His brows are angled inwards and his tongue is barely visible between his teeth.

"Jungkook, leave us."

"Sir.." the shorter one questions but is given a single nod that sends him away. The prince glances back at me. My heart is racing but I try to remain calm. What will happen? Will I be arrested? Can I be arrested?

"I need you to delete that photo." he says in an almost command. I move the camera behind my back with a confused expression. The prince never speaks to the people directly, and yet here he is...less than a foot of distance between his face and mine. "Why? What's wrong with it?" I ask informally but he doesn't correct me. "Is it money you're after? I'll triple whatever you'd make selling this to the press." I chuckle at his attempt to buy my silence and realize I must have something much more important than I originally thought. "No."

His head cocks to the side at my defiance. "No?"

"I'm sorry, but no. I'm not deleting it. Besides, even if I wanted to, it saves automatically to my laptop at work." I shrug and watch his brow quirk.

"Work? Whats your job?"

"I work for Korean Issue Magazine." He looks back at his friend who is staring us down from across the lawn and then faces me again.

"How much for you not to publish whatever you just took?" He almost pleas with me. How did I end up at his mercy? Maybe he can give me something better than a far away shot of a hug. Something close...more personal.

"Let me photograph you up close." I say. "All I need is something that the rest of the media won't have."

"Deal." He answers immediately. My jaw drops before closing after his next words. "But I have to approve of the photo." I nod my head, lifting my camera as he takes a step back and sits on a rock. My fingers shake as I push the button to snap the photo. It's a shame no one has seen him this close...he's breathtakingly handsome.

c l i c k

"Let me see." He says reaching out for the camera. I hand it over, nibbling my lip anxiously as he looks it over. He presses the arrow, scrolling to the photos from earlier and hits delete. He thinks I'm bluffing... "For safety measures...I have to be sure you'll keep your word too." Handing my camera over to me, I see he left the photo I had just taken and I bow grateful that he was lenient with me.

"I understand...Prince Kim.."

He barely looks at me after I address him properly this time. "Jungkook, show her out please."

"Yes sir." The male answers back, rushing over to me and placing his hand on my back. "This way." I turn my head back to the prince even as I walk forward. He's already walking back to the tent as if nothing happened.

But then he turns around, looking me in the eye once more.