𝐊 𝕺 | k.th

Broken

See if I'm pure? Fucking hell, I thought I was over people examining my private parts for their stupid games.

"Hold on," the man suddenly says with his hand up. "Have you ever had intercourse with Crown Prince Taehyung?"

Your lips part, and your cheeks turn pink with embarrassment. Not the kind of embarrassment when Taehyung kisses your nose and tells you that you're pretty—the kind of embarrassment when a man you've never met before insists on looking at your vagina for some verification of purity, and your three best friends are standing beside him with such deep frowns that you'd think someone was dying soon.

"No," you reply.

"Ok, get her on the bed. You know the procedure, legs apart." He gives a nasty smirk and turns around, ushering for someone to come in, when his focus suddenly shifts away, and he gets down for a bow. "Your Highness."

And your hopeful, teary eyes lock onto Taehyung's as he's stepping into your room. His very presence gives you comfort, and you stare at him for the validation you desperately need. "Taehyung," you cry softly in place, afraid to run into safety of his arms like you want to. "What's going on?"

He ignores you. "Don't check her. She's fine," he says to the two men standing outside your doorway.

"But, Your Highness—"

"No. That's an order."

He walks away without another word, not bothering to give you an explanation of what's going on or even sparing you a glance. The two men disperse accordingly, closing your door before the gentle thuds of their footsteps disappear completely.

You take a second to process everything, slowly blinking while staring at the door.

Ijoo's voice snaps you out of your daze. "Are you alright, my lady?"

"No," you breathe. "No, and I've asked a hundred times, but no one will tell me why the three of you are so downcast and why a group of random men were sent to test my virginity again." You choke.

"We're so sorry, Miss," Hani apologizes, voice laced with genuine concern. "We promise we don't know either; we were just sent here from the King and Queen to assist in the test and to get you dressed for today."

You laugh bitterly. "At 7 AM?"

"Yes, my lady. I'm sorry but we need to hurry. Please wash up in the bathroom while we get your dress."

They leave your room in a straight line, signaled with the soft sound of wood clashing, and you mindlessly walk to your sink to clean up.

You let out a breath of air, taking in your messed hair and dark under-eye bags in the mirror.

No one told you anything, yet you felt as if there was something much worse to come today.

Something that you wouldn't just comply with and obey like a brain dead zombie. Something that'd throw off your very moral compass and leave you with too much in your hands at once.

"Miss?"

Her voice startles you. You press your lips into a thin line as the other two reel in your dress, still covered in what looks like an expensive garbage bag. "Let's see what it is this time," you attempt to say in what turns out a humorless statement.

Yerim and Ijoo unzip the bag, and the worried feeling in your gut grows.

"Oh, it's an all-black dress," Hani says. "That's odd."