❝THE FUTURE PRINCESS HOLDS HER HEAD UP HIGH AS SHE DESCENDS THE STAIRS AT LAST NIGHT'S ENGAGEMENT PARTY,❞

❝HWANG HYUNJIN AND YANG JARIM'S SWEET LOVER'S TALE,❞

❝YANG JARIM : AN ENGINEERING STUDENT AND DAUGHTER OF THE MARSHAL OF KOREA'S ROYAL AIR FORCE,❞

❝WHO IS THIS BEAUTY?❞

Jarim snorted at the last headline that sat forefront on the newspaper, it's bold heading catching anyone's eye. If they saw what she looked like at home, then they would reiterate their words!

"You know," Her older brother, Jinhyuck, joined the girl in the living room, peering at the bold print. "I wonder how that headline would change if they saw you looking like this,"

"Oppa!" Jarim rolled up the paper before lightly smacking it on the older's arms. "I can't help it. Besides, this is comfortable, comfort over all,"

She spoke the truth. Jarim was dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and an old t-shirt, tucked in at the front. Her hair was set loose, and the waves that had been blown in the previous day had already disappeared. A pair of glasses was perched above her head and the younger pouted, her face bare of any make-up apart from some lip-balm to soothe her dry lips.

"Has your future husband called you?" Jinhyuck asked as Jarim put the newspaper away. "What did he think of yesterday?"

"H-he," Jarim hesitated as she struggled to think of the right words. "He said I looked - good,"

"Good?" Jinhyuck frowned. "Just 'good'? Jarim, you looked ethreal last night and all he could come up with was 'good'?"

"He was probably a bit nervous, oppa," Jarim tried to divert the topic as she stood up. "I have to finish my assignments, see you later,"

...

Papers and building sketches were strewn everywhere over Jarim's desk as she tried to concentrate on her assignment. It wasn't particularly difficult, but the girl lacked focus. What her brother said continued to linger in her mind, and for some reason, it was bothering her.

Jinhyuck was right, she had looked very pretty last night, and all the Prince had managed to come up with was 'good'.

Shaking her head in frustration, Jarim stared at the paper in front of her, the numbers, symbols and equations swirling in her mind. She'd already spent an hour trying to do the work in front of her, but instead of continuing, the student slid her papers in another file before stomping downstairs towards her mother in the kitchen.

Taehee was on a call with the Queen and as she hung up, she sent a bright smile towards her daughter. 

"The dress has arrived! Gowoon unnie is sending a car right now, and we're going to the palace for your fitting. We've also sorted out the floral decorations, cakes and everything else in between!"

"Then, I'm coming too!" Jeongin had appeared from his own room as he slung an arm around Jarim, the latter of whom shrugged it off. How Jeongin had been growing taller than her, Jarim had no clue.

"I want to see the hyungs," He added.

"Then I'll get ready," Jarim beamed, slightly happier to know that her wedding dress had arrived.

Even though it was for a wedding which was to last for less than a year.

...

"And spin!" 

Jarim followed her future mother-in-law's instructions as she twirled, the dress gently spinning with her.

"Darling, can you walk okay?" Taehee asked as she fiddled with the hem of the gown. "Your heels aren't stepping on the dress, are they?"

"No, I can walk fine," Jarim informed and all three's attention was suddenly diverted to the door where a young woman had come in.

She had blonde hair, that of Hyunjin's and it hung elegantly as it swayed behind her back. She had sharp, cat-like eyes that scrutinized Jarim's wedding dress, and the corner of her lips twitched into a big smile. She was fitted in a black dress that reached just a little before her knees and black boots graced her feet.

She was gorgeous.

"Yeji!" Gowoon greeted her niece who smiled happily at her aunt. "I thought you were going to Paris,"

"I couldn't possibly miss dear Hyunjin's wedding, could I?" Yeji teased, and that was when Jarim suddenly realised who she was.

Hwang Yeji, cousin to Hwang Hyunjin. A princess.

Her eyes turned towards the girl in the wedding dress and she beamed, pulling Jarim into an unexpected hug.

"Hwang Yeji!" She introduced. "I'm sorry that I couldn't come to your engagement last night, but I was flying in from New York,"

"Yang Jarim, and that's alright," Jarim beamed, pleased that she had found someone of the same age as her in the palace other than Hyunjin. "But, if you've just come from New York, then aren't you tired?"

Yeji waved a dismissive hand. "I fly around all the time, I've gotten used to the jet-lag, besides, I couldn't miss your fitting,"

"Yeji was the one who recommended this dress," Taehee informed her daughter with a soft smile towards the blonde who waved the compliment off. "A perfect choice, might I add,"

"Well, Jarim looks perfect," Jarim's eyes sparkled at the flattering remark. "Now, how about you change into something more comfortable, and we have a talk, get to know each other?"

"Why not?"

...

The two girls walked under the moonlight, the pillars of the palace providing shelter as they chatted. Gowoon and Taehee were in the Queen's loungeroom, discussing God knows what, and both Jarim and Yeji highly suspected that it was wedding preparations.

"I was born in Seoul, but my parents raised me at the Royal Residence in Jeonju," Yeji explained as the two passed the Royal Gardens. "They sent me to the US for studies from age 9-15, but I came back after that, I didn't like it there,"

"What was your English name?" Jarim asked curiously. "Or did you not have one?"

"Oh, I had one," Yeji snorted. "Lucy Hwang,"

"That's a pretty name, but I think I prefer Yeji,"

"So do I, Jarim, but tell me about you!"

Jarim hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I was born and raised mostly in Busan, but we moved to Seoul after Jeongin turned five because Dad found it easier to travel to work from there. I'm an engineering student, and the boys have chosen to follow Dad's career in the Royal Air Force,"

"And how did you meet my cousin?" Yeji questioned as Jarim fell silent.

Yeji's cat-like eyes inspected the girl besides her, who fidgeted with the sleeve of her blouse, unsure at how to respond to the question.

"Hyunjin's not marrying you for love, is he?" Yeji asked softly and Jarim felt her own eyes begin to water slightly, as she shook her head, hating how she felt inside.

"Yeji!" Jarim took the girl's hands in her own. "I'm begging you not to tell anyone, not even Jeongin! Hyunjin wanted this and I-I agreed,"

"What exactly did my cousin say?"

"T-that he's only marrying me so that the crown can be officially passed to him,. I don't think he even likes me," Jarim hastily wiped a tear that rolled off her cheeks, as Yeji muttered a curse word.

"Jarim-ah," The Jeonju girl cupped the other girl's cheeks. "Hyunjin loves himself more than he loves anyone else, but when I saw the newspaper regarding your engagement last night, he looked at you in another way,"

"Jarim-ah, do you care for Hyunjin?"

Jarim snorted lightly, rubbing her eyes. "I haven't even had a full conversation with him, but I want the best for him, yeah,"

"Then my cousin will fall for you, Jarim-ah," Yeji said firmly, without a doubt. "He's guaranteed to,"

...

"Jarim looked incredible last night!" Chan, Changbin, Hyunjin and Jeongin were in the Prince's room as they made conversation, admiring the moon that shone over the palace walls.

"I know," Jeongin smiled smugly. "She was turning heads everywhere,"

"If I were you," Changbin pointed accusingly at Hyunjin who looked slightly alarmed. "I would've fallen at her feet!"

"She was quite the beauty, wasn't she?" Hyunjin hummed as he scanned yet another report on the engagement. The picture showed him and Jarim arm-in-arm as they posed for the photographers.

"Is our stone-cold Hyunjin finally admitting that he's 'not the prettiest of them all' ?" Chan teased as the three boys laughed.

Despite being a handsome Prince as well as the most eligible bachelor in South Korea, it had tightened Hyunjin's insecurities over the years as some had believed that his visuals were the only good thing about him. 

That was not true.

 The Prince excelled in various sports, dance as well as a knack of rapping. He shared his father's love for motorsports, and happily raced both cars as well as horses. He had called himself 'the prettiest of them all' as an inside joke between him and his best friends.

"She was very pretty last night," Was all Hyunjin said as he zoomed into the picture, a thumping feeling in his chest rising.

He couldn't feel anything for her, after all, Yang Jarim was just a chess piece to get the crown.

Right?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

hi there, i hope you're doing well :)

so, hyunjin might possibly start feeling something for jarim. what do y'all think?

is our boy a good choice for jarim?

stay safe and take care.

xx