Marriage of Royal Inconvenience [Jimin x Reader]

Ch 34 - Jimin POV - Tired

Martin was threatening me from all angles. Annulment, war, whatever. It was a scare tactic and a lot of empty noise, and I wasn't in the mood for it. He couldn't take Y/N from me. Not even legally. He wanted to scare me like he scared her, and it wasn't going to work.

Y/N was mine.

The pastor came out to talk with me, chained at the wrists. It made my stomach churn. He sat down in front of me, looking weathered, but not too worse for wear. He still had that obnoxious optimistic glow around him.

"It's nice of you to visit, King Jimin." He smiled.

I rubbed my hands against my face. "How can you be so damn happy?"

He laughed. "I never said I was happy. Some days, I'm quite miserable, actually. I can't get a decent cup of Earl Gray around here."

"Stop joking, Pastor."

"Joking? You don't seem to understand the importance of a good cup of Earl Gray."

"I understand that you're locked up for a serious crime that you didn't commit." I said. "They're talking execution. Don't you get that?"

He nodded thoughtfully. "I certainly hope it doesn't come to that. Escpecially since I'm innocent."

I dropped my head down, trying to shake the insanity out of it. I felt like I was going to lose my mind. "You were the only one that knew the pregnancy was a scam. I know you wouldn't do it. I don't care about your background."

He leaned forward. "Aha. So now you understand the idea that who you used to be isn't who you are now."

He waited. I felt like collapsing right then and there.

"I'm a sham, Pastor." I said, nearly choking. "I can't do anything right. Sehun is right about me. I'll never admit it to his face, but he's right. I'm not cut out for this."

"You're just starting." he said. "Give it time."

"I don't have time."

"You don't have a choice either. Neither to do I at the moment. But I know there are good people working to free me." He nodded at me. "There are good people around you too. Lean on them. Even if you don't like them, you need them now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jungkook was on the rooftop terrace.

I wasn't really looking for him. I would have preferred Jin, but he had to return to his castle for a few days to take care of his own kingdom's issues.

I didn't have enough time to wait for him.

Jungkook turned at the sound of my footsteps.

"You look like shit." he said.

I was too tired to respond to that. "I heard you punched Martin in the face."

He shrugged with one shoulder. "He deserved it."

I nodded. "I agree."

"You're not mad about it?"

"I'm only mad that I wasn't there to beat the crap out of him with you."

I leaned over the side of the wall, looking over my kingdom. It was so large. So many people. So many faces.

But I could only think of one.

"He won't take Y/N back," I announced. "I promise you that."

Jungkook looked over the side with me. "You're positive you can protect her?"

Silence washed over us. Only the birds chirped as the sun went down.

"Remember when Mother sent me to your castle every weekend?" I said eventually.

Jungkook shrugged. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Did you ever figure out why she did it?"

"Because you're a pain in the ass?"

"No. Maybe. Probably. That wasn't the main reason, though."

He waited for me to continue.

"She knew your mom wouldn't hit you if I was there."

His clenched his jaw, dropping his eyes to his feet.

"She knew that Aunt Yunhae loved appearances." I continued. "She wouldn't chance being exposed. Not when I was there."

Jungkook laughed. "Should I thank you?"

I shook my head. "I didn't save you from anything. You had new marks every time I came."

Silence again.

"Why bring this up?" Jungkook said. "It's all in the past now."

"But it's not in the past." I said. "It's in the present."

"What do you mean?"

"It's happening all over again."

"What is?"

I stood straight and turned to look at him. "...I don't know how to protect her."

He held my gaze for a moment, then looked away.

"I can't protect her." I said, my throat starting to close shut. "Between her father, Sehun, this group working against me... I can't protect her. Just like I couldn't protect you back then."

He scoffed. "I didn't realize you cared that much about us. All you ever did was mess around and make jokes."

"I only knew how to make jokes. If I couldn't laugh, then I couldn't sleep."

Just saying the word sleep made my body feel a hundred pounds heavier. God, I was tired.

"It's not your fault, Jimin. Our mom... she wasn't right in the head. I'm not angry about it anymore. I became stronger because of it."

I smiled, even though it was difficult. "Is that why you work out so much?"

"Aish, could you not joke for one... Jimin? Jimin!"

Everything went black.

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A/N: Double update this weekend!

Mainly due to the fact that I've realized that I have feelings for a friend of mine, and I was really sure he had feelings for me too, but someone just told me that he went on a blind date yesterday. Maybe that's why he's been happier the past few days.

It's getting really difficult to live in this new place, guys.