~•×•~
The youngest prince smile in approval after finishing his table setting. After shoving you and Jungkook out the kitchen, he rushly finished everything. Sihyuk chuckles in entertainment at how Heesung ia acting. Just a dew days ago, he's running around the palace pranking his former teachers that soon gave up on him. And now, he's here setting the table and cooking food for you.
"What do you think?" Heesung ask the head cook.
"It's perfect your highness," Sihyuk reassures the prince.
You walk in smiling at the sight and graced towards Heesung who's standing beside the table already set up. Sihyuk bows to Heesung and nods at you before disappearing into the back.
"I apologize about that a while ago, that was so ungentleman of me," he apologizes to you.
You smile and shake your head gently. "That's okay. Besides, that walk with prince Jungkook was infuriating yet enchanting at the same time," you answer remembering the fireflies and the gorgeous sunset.
Heesung gestures you to sit on the opposite booth infront of him. As soon as you settle in the small yet cozy space, he settles himself as well.
"Shall we?" The youngest prince encourages you to start.
You nod and smile. The whole dinner experience was fun and filling.
"I didn't know you could cook," you tell him.
Heesung smiles slightly and scratches the back of his head.
"Sihyuk helped me out and taught me if I were to be honest," he bashfully admitted.
The amount of effort he put into this dinner just warms you. No one ever did this to you let alone a royal. It feels like you were in a fairytale. Only this time, the prince just adores you in a sisterly way. Atleast that's what you thought.
Heesung just listens to you fondly talking about Sunoo. You reminded yourself to keep your past in the dark to avoid confusion and probable war or any of that matter. Not that you're a royal or something but you knew your past before you were sold as slaves was nasty and undesirable.
The way you talk about Sunoo makes Heesung realize that he is indeed very, very dear to you. He wanted to ask about your parents or why you were sold as slaves but he stopped himself. He figured it would spoil the moment so he just shares some of his childhood memories with you. Stating that he and Jungkook would always fight before but when their mother, the former queen died, Jungkook started to take care of not only Heesung but also his majesty.
"His majesty was crowned at a very young age, say 17," Heesung shared.
You were shocked to learn that. You always heard about the young king of the Southern Kingdom but never in your wildest dream thought that he was that young when he was crowned.
"Me and prince Jungkook were viewed as a threat to the throne but his majesty never treated us like that," Heesung added.
"In other kingdom, they would've killed you both," you stated morbidly.
"Exactly. But the king protected us instead. He trusted us and for that, we are so greatful. When he was nearly assassinated before, Jungkook did his best to protect his majesty. Although the council viewed him as the culprit of the poisoning, Taehyung never really viewed as that. Instead, he enstate him to be the kingdom's general,"
"And you?" You ask him.
Heesung looks away.
"The black sheep," he smiles faintly. "The one who people in the palace has to look after at all costs,"
You smile.
"No really, I have to uphold the royal family's image. That's what our mother always told me to do. I never really wanted the throne,"
You feel so proud hearing that. You could only smile at him fondly. Listening to his stories were something you never dreamt of. You only wanted to live at this point but here you are feeling the need to protect these royal brothers. It might be true that that king has spared you, you only find yourself being more interested in them now than ever before.
"Is prince Jungkook always like that?" You ask Heesung.
"Rude? Uptight? Blunt? Yes," he answered.
"No, I mean closed off," you chuckle.
Heesung nods and wipes the side of his mouth with a table napkin.
"Yeah. I mean who wouldn't? After being labeled as someone who's after the throne, being sent almost everyday for battles. My brother needs a strong front, aggressive one. But I know him, he loves us dearly. You'll get used to him. He's just gets on my nerves sometimes. But all is good,"
"I see,'' you curtly answered the prince.
He's right, who are you to even assume and judge who he is. He's just be like Heesung who needed to uphold their status. Jungkook might just be over protective.
"No lessons tomorrow. I believe you'll be out to train with prince Jungkook," you brought it up while continue to eat.
Heesung's eyes light up at the mention of it. A wide smile appears on his face.
"Ahh, yes! Has Eli mentioned that we'll ve training with his majesty too? And a couple of our cousins will from the different kingdoms will come,"
You can hear the excitement in his tone.
"That's great!" You match his enthusiasm.
"I heard one of our cousin is going to announce a wedding when he comes only for us family to hear first," he adds. "I hope Sunoo and Namjoon arrives tomorrow. He'll be thrilled to see them again,"
"I sure they will," you nod.
The night ended greatly. The dinner was delicious, the chat was hearty and perosnal. You love that Heesung opens up to you more comfortably now. You slowly see the kid who he's hiding beyond all his troublemaking. He's just misunderstood. Eli and Sihyuk probably was the one who assisted their mother in bringing them up and nursing the royals.
You still are one of the luckiest to this day that even you get to meet their cousins from the other kingdom.
The other kingdom.
•••