The King's Arrangement (BTS X Reader)

Chapter 37

Dissolve the marriage?  Did he mean...?  "Do you mean the marriage with Soobin will come to an end?"

Jungkook waved a hand at me in surrender.  "You don't have to if you don't want to.  I'm just letting you know the option is there."

"No!  I do.  I want to end it.  I... I don't love him and he sure as hell doesn't love me.  Why would I choose to stay with him when I'm in love with someone else?"  Damn it!  I froze as the words slipped out.  I wasn't planning on saying that.  This was not the way I wanted to tell Jungkook I was in love with him, especially knowing that he loved another.

Jungkook turned to me, a smug smile on his face.  "Oh?  In love with someone else princess?  Please do tell me about this man you love."

I hesitated but then let out a sigh.  "The man I love?  He's caring and kind, smart and gentle, and so handsome I get almost tongue-tied in his presence.  He's been so wonderful to me since I've met him."

"But yet you don't sound happy?  Why is that?"

"He is in love with another."  I couldn't stop the tears that gathered in the corners of my eyes.  "The one I love?  He loves another."

Jungkook stopped his horse for a moment and I pulled Sugar Holly to a stop.  He came close and wiped the tears that I hadn't realized had slipped down my cheeks.  "Are you so sure about that princess?"

I nodded my head, the heartbreak clear on my face.  "Yes.  He told me himself." 

"Have you told your mystery man that you love him?"  I shook my head at his question.  "Maybe you should.  You might be surprised what his reaction would be."

"I can't.  I can't tell him.  It... it just wouldn't be right.  If he is in love with another, it would be wrong for me to put that type of pressure on him."  I turned my face away from Jungkook, unable to maintain the eye contact any longer.

A soft touch on my cheek had me turning my attention back to Jungkook.  "Then maybe he will tell you first."

Jungkook POV:

As I spoke, I could see the sadness in her eyes.  I wanted so badly to pull her into my arms and tell her everything.  Tell her that I loved her, tell her I wanted to be with her, tell her that she was the one I was in love with, but I knew it wasn't the right time.  With everything going on, I couldn't tell her just yet.

Y/N sighed but then turned away again.  "Have you told your mystery woman about your feelings yet?"

I shook my head.  "No.  There... there has never been the right time.  I was worried that she was in love with someone else, but I recently learned she does return my feelings."  I love you.  You're the one I'm talking about.  You're the one I'm in love with.  Those were all the things I wanted to say, but couldn't.  I couldn't admit to everything just yet.  When I told her I loved her, I wanted her to be in a better state of mind, be more open to the idea that I could love her and want her.

Y/N said nothing, but from the look on her face, I could see the sadness in her eyes.  Although I was afraid to believe that she had fallen in love with me, there was no denying it now.  She had a soft look about her whenever she focused her pretty eyes on anyone.  Well anyone except Soobin and Mina, but when she turned that gaze to me, there was something in her eyes, in her smile that was for me and me alone.  It was the same look on Emira's face when she looked at Jin, the same look when Jin looked at her, the same look on my own. It was the face of someone in love.

After another hour, we stopped the horses in front of a surprisingly pretty cottage.  It looked like something out of a fairytale with climbing roses and dark green ivy.  I hadn't expected Kai's cottage to be so lovely, but the man had surprised me before so this should be nothing new.  We tied the horses to a tree temporarily but I reminded myself to put them in the stable that I could see a short distance away. 

We dismounted then walked up the stairs to the cottage and I unlocked it using the key that Kai had given me.  I opened the door and gestured for Y/N to walk inside.  The cottage was dim but tidy, the fresh scent of cleaner still present in the air.  There was a main living area with a small kitchen off to one side.  Off the living room there was a set of stairs that led up what looked to be a small loft area.  I went into the kitchen and found it fully stock, including dry goods, fresh produce, and dairy.  Kai must have spoken to the caretaker and asked to have it prepared.  I definitely owed him a thank you when I saw him again.

A soft sound of surprise had me turning to see Y/N staring at a photo on the shelf next to the television.  When I joined her, I saw a younger Kai in the photo with his arms wrapped around a pretty young woman in a white wedding gown.  Kai had been married?  This was something I never knew about the grumpy hostler.  There were other photos of the woman and Kai, including a photo of the woman with a swollen stomach.  Both of their faces radiated happiness, but there were no photos of a baby. 

I looked over at Y/N and saw a tear slide down her cheek, the compassion and sorrow evident on her face.  "Did... did Kai's wife pass away during childbirth?"

Clearly, Y/N had been thinking the same thing I was.  It was something that helped to explain the anger that so often surrounded the man, but now seeing these photos, I relieved it wasn't anger, but grief.  "I'm not... not sure but there are no photos of them with a child, so I'm guessing that's what happened."

"Oh poor Kai.  What a terrible thing he must have gone through.  I can't... I can't imagine losing my love like that."  Y/N's lips were turned down in a miserable frown and I could hear the sadness in her voice. 

I put a hand on her shoulder, a gentle gesture of comfort, but was surprised when she turned and hugged me, wrapping her arms around me tightly and drawing me into her embrace.  This was the first time Y/N had ever hugged me and I wanted nothing more than to tell her right now.  Tell her I love her, but I stopped myself.  I put my arms around her and let myself enjoy the moment of her in my arms, a place I felt she was always meant to be. 

After a moment, I pulled back and touched her cheek, swiping away the tears.  "Are... are you hungry?  We didn't eat a meal and the cabinets and fridge are fully stocked."  I gestured towards the kitchen and Y/N nodded.

"Yes I actually am.   Come on Jungkook.  I'll make you dinner."  Y/N stepped back from my arms, but reached over and took my hand, sending a tingle racing through me.

"You can cook?"  I couldn't stop the surprise in my voice, but she was a princess after all.  Members of the royal families were not known to do menial chores such as cooking, cleaning and laundry.

Y/N laughed at the stunned expression on my face.  "Yes Jungkook.  I can cook.  Yoongi taught me in college.  My dorm had a small kitchen and Yoongi insisted I learn.  He even taught me to do my own laundry.  Said he wasn't going to do it."

Although mentions of the other man still sent a pang of envy through me, it was more that he was able to be so open and informal with her rather than me being jealous of any intimacy between them.  Yoongi had made it very clear that he was not interested in Y/N, especially since he had a boyfriend that he loved so much.

"Alright princess.  How about you change first and then let's see what you can do."  Y/N nodded and I grinned at her.  "Let me go grab your stuff from the horses.  You can take the loft bedroom upstairs and I will sleep down here on the sofa."  Y/N went to protest, but I waved a hand at her.  "Don't even think about it.  I'm not going to let you sleep on the sofa."  Y/N sighed and I could see she wanted to argue with me, but she just shrugged her shoulders.

I walked out to the horses and grabbed the bag that Emira had packed for her, hoping she didn't include any of the princess's fancy clothes, but knew Emira was smart enough to want her to be comfortable.  I went back into the cottage and saw Y/N standing by the photo of Kai and his wife again.  Setting her bag down on the floor, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close again.  "It's all going to be okay.  Everything is going to work out just like you want it to.  It's going to be fine."

Y/N laid her head on my chest and I could feel her relax in my arms.  "How... how do you know Jungkook?  How do you know that it's going to be okay?"

I sighed then lifted her chin up to meet my gaze.  "Because I'm going to take care of you.  Because... because I love you."