Secrets Kept (Namjoon x Reader)

Chapter 6

Namjoon POV:

"Welcome home son." My father's arms hugged me tightly, but over his shoulder, I could see the shock on Y/N's face. This was yet another thing I had not told her, yet something else I had kept from her, something I had hidden. As much as I wanted to tell her, I just didn't know how to. How do you tell someone that you're the son of an Aegneyan king? I mean, how does that really come out in a conversation? Would she even have believed me?

Shaking my head, I tried to force the doubt from my mind. Of course she would have believed me. It might have taken her a moment, but she would have trusted me, understood, and had stood by my side just like we had always done for each other. I just never gave her the opportunity to. I returned my father's hug then pulled back. "Good to see you dad."

My father took me by the shoulders and studied my face. "Everything okay? You look... tense."

Hesitating for a moment, I nodded my head. "Um... kind of." Turning to face Y/N, I gestured to her. "Dad? This is Y/N."

"She's not from here." His voice was matter of fact, but thankfully there was no hint of animosity or anger in it at all, just curiosity.

I could tell from the tension in Y/N's frame that she was uneasy with everything currently happening. I couldn't help but feel guilty knowing there was nothing I could do about it, at least not now. "No. She's not."

My father stepped past me and moved closer to Y/N. He held out a hand, one she took. "I am Keighan, king of Aniran. It's a pleasure to meet you dear."

"Likewise." Y/N's eyes turned to me and I could see she had questions, things she wanted to know, but was hesitant to ask.

Studying Y/N's face, my father then turned to me. "Y/N? Is this...?" His words trailed off and I knew what was on his mind. So many times I had confided in my father about Y/N, about the love for her, about how I hated myself for what I had done to her, the way I had broken her heart. Nodding my head, I didn't say anything else. My father gave me a sad smile, one of understanding then turned back to Y/N. "You're very pretty."

Y/N ducked her head in embarrassment, but I didn't miss the tiny smile on her face. I couldn't help my own smile seeing as though some things never changed. Y/N had always hated compliments and I could tell that was still true about her.

As my father continued to talk to Y/N, I let my thoughts wander. I hated it, but they immediately went to thoughts of Eric and Y/N. I hated knowing that they were so close, that it was my fault that their relationship had grown so strong over the years. The idea of them being together made an unbearable pain fill my chest and tighten around my heart. It made me miserable, but I knew everything that was happening was my fault completely, that everything could have been different if I could have just been honest with my best friend.

"Namjoon?" The sound of my father's voice calling my name pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned to see him watching me. "Y/N was telling me about how she got here. Is it true?" My father's question was filled with curiosity and when I met his eyes, I could see something else there, something else that was on his mind.

I nodded. "Yes. We were preparing to return, but then something... I don't even know what it was, grabbed Y/N and pulled her through the portal."

My father nodded, rubbing his chin with his fingers, something he did when he was thinking about something, something that didn't make any sense to him. He turned back to Y/N. "How long have you been working with Seokjin's company?"

"Just about three months. I was going to his office for my three month review when... when everything happened." Y/N's eyes darted over to me, but quickly moved away.

More than anything I wanted to rush over to her and apologize. Apologize for everything and beg her to forgive me, but I knew it just couldn't happen. Especially now. I went to speak but Y/N turned her attention back to my father.

"How do I get back home from here?"

My father looked over at me then back at Y/N, sighing as he did so. "I'm so sorry my dear, but it's... it's not that easy. Mainlanders are not... not usually brought to Aniran in the way that you were. Something pulled you here and I don't know why." My father went to continue but a whine interrupted him and he looked behind Y/N to see the oversized house cat standing by the door. "How did one of the cats get in the palace?"

Jin laughed nervously. "Um... well you see your majesty, the cat here has... she followed Y/N from the forest. She stayed by the girl's side throughout the entire journey."

My father's mouth dropped open and I could see he was just as stunned as the rest of us. "One of the forest cats befriended a mainlander?" Jin nodded and my father watched as Freyja made her way to Y/N's side. She bumped her head against Y/N's hand then looked up at my father as though she was asking
Whatcha gonna do about it? "Very peculiar."

"I agree your majesty." Jin's voice was quiet, but I could see the confusion on his face, the same look that most of us had carried from the instant Freyja had designated herself Y/N's new best friend.

"Look Y/N. I'm so very sorry that you were dragged into this mess, that you were pulled here. However, it has clearly happened for a reason." My father's words were gentle as though he were speaking to a spooked animal.

Y/N's eyes narrowed at his words. "For a reason? What exactly are you saying?"

My father reached out and placed a hand on Y/N's shoulder. "I'm saying that as much as I wish I could send you home, I'm afraid I can't. You were brought here and I have to know why."

Y/N shook her head in refusal. "No. No. I need to get home. There's people that..." Y/N's voice trailed off and I knew she was thinking about what Jin had showed her in the mirror. "I want to go home."

My father's eyes filled with sympathy and I knew he was feeling terrible about needing her to stay, wanting to know why she was here. "I know you do, but I just can't. I have to send my son on a mission and I would like you to go. If you were brought here for the reason I think you was then you would be a huge asset to Namjoon."

"What type of mission?" Y/N's voice was curious and I knew she had been drawn in. She always did like puzzles and mysteries; clearly that had not changed in the last ten years.

My father went to speak again, but the door slammed open and a beautiful woman with long fire engine red hair entered the room. She saw me and hurried across the room, her long velvet dress sweeping out behind her like a cloud. "Namjoon? When did you get back?"

I couldn't stop the clenching feeling that wrapped around my stomach at the sight of the woman in front of me. When I looked over at Jin, I didn't miss the way he rolled his eyes and the look of pure disgust on Yoongi's face. "We just arrived."

The woman grinned, but the smile disappeared when she noticed Y/N standing next to me. "And who is this lovely young woman?" The way she said lovely came out in a sneer and I wanted to shake her.

"This is Y/N. She was a friend of mine in school and has been working for Jin's company." I tried to keep the introduction short, not wanting to reveal too much information about either of them, but from the look on the woman's face, I knew that was hopeless.

She turned to Y/N and stuck a hand out. "Well it is so nice to meet you Y/N." Y/N took the woman's hand. "I'm Emberley. I'm Namjoon's fiancé."