The Selection | liskook

Prologue

"Take a detour to Advisor Kim's place." Prince Jungkook's eyes met his chauffeur's at the rear view mirror.

"Certainly, Your Highness."

It was a peaceful drive through the quiet neighborhood where the houses were about ten metres apart separated by trees. Prince Jungkook has always been fond of the idea of moving to this kind of place once he wedded Miyeon. He loved the palace, but a smaller space where laughter and conversations from living room could be heard from the kitchen would be perfect. 

He got lost in his own daydream until the car stopped abruptly, slamming his back onto the seat. He lowly hissed, feeling dizzy and shocked at the same time.

"Someone just jumped in front of the car, Your Highness," the chauffeur informed.

Prince Jungkook's annoyed eyes spontaneously looked for the cause of the unpleasant surprise. It was a desperate-looking girl who apparently was accompanied by two companions. Their car was parked on the roadside, most probably had broken down.

"Keep driving," he ordered.

Yet, the girl didn't let them.

She knocked furiously on the chauffeur's window, yelling words that both the prince and the chauffeur couldn't decipher.

If only The Prince traveled with the car he used for any monarch duties, such disturbance would've been avoided.

He couldn't care less and take his phone out instead, letting his chauffeur deal with the situation.

When the car didn't move an inch, he repeated, "Drive."

"She's sitting on the car, Your Highness. Or trying to."

He sighed loudly, visibly irritated. But here's one thing you should know about the Prince: he might be a lot of things, but he doesn't hurt his people. Not even the girl who was very adamant about hitchhiking and wasting his time.

"Go talk to her," the Prince said. 

He didn't even bother to watch their conversation, refocusing his attention to the phone instead--sliding through the photographs of the girl who owns his heart.

"Your Highness."

The Prince looked up.

"She's asking for a ride to a shelter nearby. She's bringing some supplies for the Untouchables."

Only then she piqued his interest. No one cares about the Untouchables besides... the Untouchables. They commit crimes, hurt people, mock the monarch, break the laws. Yet she was willingly helping them? Why?

The Prince couldn't just not take a look at her. The falling snow flakes were a contrast to her wavy bright red hair. She tapped her foot, impatient. Her big doll-like eyes furious; her red-painted lips pulled into a straight line. Another girl walked up and talked to her, glancing at his car two or three times.

"She's a Two," the chauffeur informed. "Liberty Ahn, a celebrity."

Is she now?, The Prince mused internally.

"The girl beside her is her manager and the man standing beside their car is her twin brother--also a celebrity, goes by the name Ten."

"Interesting," The Prince muttered to himself. "Take the supplies, but they're not coming. We'll drop the boxes to the shelter."

"Understood, Your Highness."

The red girl, Liberty, looked like she was ready to throw bricks at the car (or the Prince, to be frank). He got it, there was no guarantee that he would do as promised. She must think that the Prince was lying.

"You must be joking," he could read her lips saying.

At the sight of her cheeks and nose getting more red, the Prince pulled the car windows finally, shifting their attention. The brown haired girl curtsied immediately realizing whose car they're stopping, but Red Hair didn't even budge. If anything, she grew even more irritated.

"I promise we will deliver the supplies safely. You have my word."

Red Hair didn't seem to buy it.

"Libby, let's just let him help," he heard Brown Hair said. "It's getting colder, they're not going to survive. Please."

Red Hair released a sharp breath she's been holding. She turned her back and signalled to her brother who immediately took some boxes out. While he was doing that, Red Hair took a closer step towards him.

"Where do you think you're going?" the chauffeur quickly got in her way, almost pushing her back.

"Showing my gratitude to his Highness?" If the Prince didn't notice her sarcastic tone, he clearly chose not to because Red Hair didn't even try to hide it.

"Keaton, let her."

Red Hair was only a few steps away from the Prince, her gaze burns, looking directly at him. If this was any other time, the Prince would've been offended. Yet he found that feeling non-existent. There was just something about the flame in her eyes. Whether it was pure hatred or something entirely different, he couldn't draw a hypothesis.

"Thank you for taking care of your people, Your Highness." She curtsied then left.

She was not grateful, he concluded. She was angry.

And not because he left her shivering in the cold. It was something else, but Prince Jungkook didn't know what it was.

"Thank you, Your Highness," this time it was Brown Hair.

"I'll send help as soon as I can, just stay in the car," he replied warmly before closing back the window.

After they finished loading the supplies, the Prince took a last look at Red Hair and immediately knew that the thoughts of her would haunt him.

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