I wrapped another layer of duct tape around the horn.
This would scare the hell out of her.
It was only appropriate that the daughter of a king be greeted by a welcoming trumpet. Except, we didn't have trumpets. Just air horns. That nicely fitted behind her door. When she opened the door, it would sound off and she would scream. Her heart would pound. She would be frustrated and upset. She would find out I did it, and probably yell at me.
And that's how I would start my relationship with my future sister-in-law.
Was my brother really going to marry a complete stranger? Why did kings have arranged marriages anyways? They didn't derive any pleasure from it. Neither did their wives. It was just a lifetime of misery and pain for both sides.
They could have just refused. That's all they had to do.
I put my hands in my pockets, looking over my handiwork. It was good. The perfect amount of tape, the perfect location.
I opened the door to test it.
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Yep. Perfect. Of course it was. I did it.
I left her room and whistled as I walked down the castle stairs.
"What trouble are you making now?" a voice said below.
My cousin, Jimin, leaned against the rail at the bottom of the staircase. His eyes wandered between me and the guest room.
I rolled my eyes. "Is this your castle? Do I have to answer to you?"
I tried to walk past him, but he pulled me back by my sleeve. "It's not me you should be worried about. Jin won't be too happy with you."
I shrugged. "My brother and his new clueless fiancee aren't my issue. There's no reason for him to be engaged anyways. It's dumb for a king to follow marriage traditions at a woman's expense. Especially if he doesn't love her."
Jimin let out a long exhale, glaring at me. He knew what I meant. I wasn't going to feel bad about it, either.
"Lucky for you," he said, "you won't have to experience betrothal. That's only for future kings."
He meant to cut me, but I laughed. I had no desire to be king. It was a stuffy job for men that had to say all the right things and keep a straight face while doing it. He and Jin could keep that nonsense for themselves.
"Says the guy who's never in his own kingdom." I replied. "Go home, Jimin. There's only one king here. It isn't you."
"Nor is it you," he replied. "So quit making trouble for everyone."
I was the one causing trouble? He practically lived here, lounging around, eating our food, flirting with the workers, not even thinking about his responsibilities back in his own kingdom.
"I'm not the one mooching off my family," I said. "I actually belong here, unlike some people."
"You're the most useless body in this castle."
"We have empty suits of armor that do more in this castle than you do."
Jimin threw his head back, half groaning, and half laughing. "You really need a lesson in respect, Jungkook."
"I only respect people better than me." I said, shrugging. "It's not my fault you don't meet those requirements."
He lifted an eyebrow. "Care to back that up?"
I stepped into his space. "Any time, any place. What do you want? Taekwondo?"
He rolled his eyes. "That's your expertise. This time, we do mine."
"You're cheating!" he said, swinging his sword.
Clang.
"I'm not cheating." I replied. "You just suck."
Clang. Clang. Clang.
"You won't beat me at this."
"Why not? I beat you at everything else." I said.
"Ha! I was the one who was awarded the gold medal for fencing at the last international competition."
"And I won it the year after that."
"That's not beating. That's copying. How many times do I have to tell you to quit copying me?"
Clang. Clang.
"It's not copying when you're better than the original."
Clang.
Suddenly, I felt something in my chest. I looked down, seeing Jimin's sword stabbing me right in the heart.
Appropriate.
"Ha!" he cried. "That's what you get for sassing me. You should respect your elders, Jungkook."
In triumph, he dropped his sword and took off his headgear. I did the same.
You've won one round... But don't get cocky, Jimin. Soon, I'll take the most important thing you have.
He turned his head away from me, smiling.
"Is this my prize?" he asked.
I looked over to where he was smiling.
Jin, Taehyung, and...
...her.
"Easy, Jimin." Jin said. "This is our guest."
Guest? Was that Princess Y/N?
She... looked nothing like a princess.
"I'm nothing if I'm not hospitable to a lady." Jimin said.
I ripped off my chest plate. Hospitable to every woman... Except the one that matters.
Jin raised an eyebrow. "And that's where half our problems lie."
I dropped the armor, walking towards them.
"This," Jin said, motioning to me, "is our youngest brother, Jungkook."
I nodded, looking her over. She wasn't striking in terms of looks. Pretty, sure. But anyone could be pretty. After traveling the world and meeting various celebrities, models, and businessmen with their daughters, pretty wasn't that interesting to me.
She was going to be my sister-in-law? And a queen? She didn't stand straight. Her shoulders kind of slanted sideways. Her weight was unevenly distributed on her feet. She was going to stand next to my brother and help him rule the country? What a joke.
Jimin walked up to her.
"I'm Jimin, their cousin," he said, taking her hand. He brought it to his lips."My castle is a couple hours by private jet to the north. I would be happy to show you –"
Jin smacked him away before he could finish. "You keep a ten foot radius at all times, got it?"
Was Jimin really flirting right now? This bastard...
Jimin shrugged. "Fine by me. I can steal hearts from across the room."
Jin turned to her. "Don't trust him, got it?"
She nodded, not blinking. Was she that easily swayed by my poor excuse for a cousin? Typical. Women were all the same. I rolled my eyes.
"And that one," Jin added, pointing to me, "is just as bad."
"What did I do!" I asked.
"Well, for starters, you put soy sauce in my soda the other day, you turd!"
I smiled. Oh, right. That.
"And the week before that, you replaced my toothpaste with mayonnaise."
I held back a laugh. Remembering Jin run out of the bathroom with a mouth of mayo, yelling and gagging was a new favorite memory for me.
"I'm sure, Your Majesty, that both princes will be more than accommodating," Taehyung interjected. "After all, Y/N is new to the royal status and none of us would want her father to hear of any poor hospitality on our part."
I dropped my smile. Taehyung had a point. Y/N's father wouldn't take well to us to treating her badly. I almost felt bad for the surprise waiting for her in her room.
Almost.
"Taehyung," Jin said. "Please show Y/N around the grounds. I want her to feel as at home as possible." He then touched her shoulder. Since when was he so forward with a woman? He always kept his distance. "Dinner is normally at five, but I'll have a tray sent up to your room. Please join us tomorrow night. I look forward to seeing you again."
She left with Taehyung, looking over her shoulder one last time. They disappeared out the door.
"That's your future wife?" Jimin asked Jin.
Jin threw a hand over his mouth. "Keep it shut. She doesn't know yet."
"Huhh? Wahn yoo gunna dell ur?" Jimin asked behind Jin's hand.
Jin pulled his hand back. "Did you just lick me?"
Idiots.
"So these are our great kings?" I asked out loud to myself, ripping away the rest of my gear and walking out of the room.
In the hallway, I heard Taehyung as he explained the different rooms in the castle. I looked up, spotting them walking on the balcony on the second floor.
I glanced over my shoulder back at Jimin.
It was that easy for him, was it? To go from one girl to the next?
I stared at Y/N as she disappeared around the corner.
Hmmm. Maybe for Jimin it was just that easy.
You might be of some use to me, Y/N.