Control • J.jk [DISCONTINUED]

Seventeen.

The feeling of sadness was just bottling up inside of her, she to leave the room and never look back but of course, once again, she couldn't do what her heart wants to do. And with that thought, she put on her fake smile, the mask that she used 24/7 to cover up her misery, the usual fake smile she always has plastered on her pretty face to hide the pain, because when does she ever get a chance for it to be genuine?

She looked back and forth in the room, trying to search for those dark eyes of his, of the man she missed the most.

But she found complete emptiness both in her heart and in the room even though it was crowded by hundreds of people.

A silent sigh left her lips in disappointment as she walked up to the king and the queen and bowed down to them even though the problems that they had with each other.

She could never ever disrespect them and show them her discomfort, and so her smile got bigger, and looked more realistic as she had already mastered the art of faking her happiness in a crowd of people who just want all the good for her. But do they really want the good for her, or the good for themselves?

She looked at her father, the man who held her as a child, the man who sang sweet lullabies to her so that her restless soul would be put to sleep, the same man who is now trading his daughters happiness, the nonexistent happiness, and the nonexistent freedom that he couldn't even give her to a man she barely knew. And for what? Gold and power? That's all he cared about? Is that really all he wanted?

And then there was her mother, she was always sweet but she was always under the King's command, the kind of way that she had no place to speak up. In the kind of position where she was put down by men but not just by some man, by her own husband and because of that, they were never a couple, they were never mother and father, they were could never be husband-and-wife. They were king and woman and it hurt her to know she that the love and happiness that she always imagined was there as a child, was never even there.

Taking in a deep breath, she sat down on her throne and put her hands in her lap looking down at her feet as she just couldn't face the people looking at her with excitement and happiness, but why were they looking at her with happiness? There was nothing to be happy about as her world was crumbling down but the hammer that her family held, but people didn't even know it.

Maybe that's why they say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. They always say to get to know the person, to get to know their story but nobody could ever get familiar with her. That's how bad the freedom that she wanted was, she wasn't even able to walk out of her kingdom to look at the people, to study their lives, to get ready to take the throne...!

Oh wait, she couldn't take the throne. Who would ever let a woman take control and rule a kingdom but let's be honest, I think she would have done it way better than her father has been doing.

"Attention everyone." The King shouted out, making everyone turn their heads to the Royals.

"Today, we have the Jung family joining us for a special announcement." He smiled, the crowd started mumbling, whispering things to one another, exchanging opinions.

"With all of our happiness and excitement, we're very... let's say... pleased, to finally let you all know, the citizens of this kingdom, that Jung Hoseok has asked my dear daughter, Jieun's hand in marriage, and we happily gave them our blessings!"

They immediately cheered, clapped and congratulated the two young adults that would be starting a family soon.

The two both stood up and went to the front, hand in hand, but Jieun couldn't keep that smile on her lips any longer as her gaze met his.

After a week of disappearance, he finally showed himself and those red lips of his that wore his usual smirk, as if he wasn't affected by the shocking announcement, but well, he already knew. Isn't that why he had to leave?

She gulped and started breathing abnormally fast, wanting to run and jump in his arms, but of course, there were a thousand things holding her hostage.

As if sending a message that delivered to her just through his facial expressions, he sent one last mischievous grin and starting moving through the crowd, on his way out of the ballroom.

The princess couldn't help but follow his moving figure with her eyes but then....

"And now, for the newly engaged couples dance!" The king shouted to inform the people attending about would be happening so they would all make some space for the prince and princess to take over.

But, not for Jieun. She tore her eyes from Jungkook's body and looked into her fathers eyes and then Hoseok's.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go." She mumbled and picked up her dress from the floor, chasing after the man who had just exited the room.

They called after her but she didn't care, her only concern was him.

•••

Next chapter will be very.... chaotic. And the one following that even more dramatic. Hehe.

The story is ending soon, tell me how you think it's gonna go doooown.