When Royalties Clash | JJk ff

4

Author's pov:

"Why is the material of this cloth so itchy?" Jungkook tried to fix the neck of the shirt he wore for the nth time.

"Majesty, we must wear regular clothes to fit in with the citizens. They'll treat the situation differently if they know you're the king." The advisor spoke with a hushed voice near Jungkook's ear to prevent other people around them from listening. They both walked down a crowded market wearing wornout clothes and shabby scarfs cocooning their faces.

A very few people have witnessed the king's face and that worked to their advantage. Except the workers in the royal palace, the soldiers in his armed forces and his ministers only a few common people knew what he looked like. Those people were usually culprits brought to the court when they commited some sort of crime. They weren't out here in the open to testify that he was the king. They were either rotting in the underground dungeons or already beheaded.

Jungkook's father died when he was 25 and he had to take over without any protest. All his life he had been preparing to be the best and the most worthy of the throne. Now that he was king, his goal- was it really fulfilled? He took over cause of the urgency of the situation not because his father himself prompted him to.
He always wanted to hear those words from his father, the words that could have made him feel like he won in life.
"You're worthy."

"Your Highness, many people here still work according to the bartar system, mostly a strata of people belonging to the most poor class." Ji ho kept on briefing him on the situation as they walked past various stalls. He did not have to tell the man everything as he knew some of those details already.

"Do you think the system is fair?" Jungkook said, his eyes lingering on a woman who passed a real gold chain to the vendor in exchange of a handful of rice.

"It prevents them from starving to death." Ji ho whispered in sympathy when he saw the happiness on the woman's face as she pocketed the rice.

"I'll have to talk to the ruler of Gyeongnam then. They are big on rice export. We are here to provide people's right to them, not the bare minimum that prevents their deaths." His words were firm and held dedication.

"Are you on good terms with the King of Gyeongnam Majesty?" Ji ho asked politely.

"I'm not on bad terms with him."

"Majesty, if you don't mind me asking, why do you not wish to get married to the princess of Yangsan?" Curiousity got the best of the advisor and he asked the question that had been bugging him for a while. Jungkook wasn't one of those who married for love. He more or less never even lusted over a woman and had zero concubines. He had always been dedicated to his role.

A thought had crossed Ji ho's mind - if it were his father who asked him to get married, he would have said yes in a heartbeat. Why was it a problem when his mother asked the same?

Jungkook was silent for a while making Ji ho question his confidence." Princess Eun Ae is mother's friend's daughter." He did not elaborate further and walked ahead of him.

***

Back at the Palace:

Soobin skipped happily through the corridors of the palace after completing his study session with his tutor and scoring well in a theoretical test concerning combat traning. He had spent an entire day skimming through the thick books to learn things that are simply meant for practical use.

But who would argue with his elder brother? He had to get a perfect score in his exam to prevent getting scolding and that is why he was on cloud nine.