Taehyung woke up in the morning to the sound of his phone ringing. He quickly untangled himself from Jungkook's embrace and walked to the living room. It was his brother.

"Good morning hyung.... oh-ok.... I'll be there.....no, you don't have to worry about it. I'll handle everything....thanks hyung."

Taehyung cut the line and thought for few seconds. He actually hoped to have some more time before he has to face this, but maybe it's better to get this over with sooner than later.

He went back in to the bedroom to see Jungkook still sleeping peacefully. Really, the younger can sleep through almost anything. Taehyung sat on the bed and shook the sleeping man.

"Kook, wake up!"

Jungkook got after few more times and looked at the prince with half open eyes.

"M-morning." Jungkook mumbled with a soft smile and Taehyung internally cooed at the sight.

"You need to get ready, love. Uhhh.... something came up." The prince's voice was serious enough to get Jungkook's full attention.

"What happened?" Jungkook asked in a concerned tone.

Taehyung didn't answer for few seconds but gently stroked the younger's hair. And when he spoke up, his voice was tight.

"King Hyunbin will be here shortly. He wants to discuss about the marriage."
   
   
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Jungkook was nervous as hell as he followed the prince. The prince and his guards were on their way to king Namjoon's court room to welcome king Hyunbin.

Despite Taehyung's continues assurance that everything will be ok, Jungkook can't help but feel afraid. He regrets putting the prince in this mess so much.

Taehyung himself was little nervous as this isn't only about himself. The last thing he wants is a dispute with a powerful king like that. But you gotta stay true to your heart and that's exactly what he's planning to do.

Taehyung looked back at his boyfriend, walking a step behind him, who had a worried look on his face. Taehyung stopped and everyone else stopped in surprise.

"Can you guys... uhhh.... turn around a bit?"

If the prince looked uncomfortable saying this, Hoseok and rest of the guards looked utterly mortified. But they turned back immediately. And to the prince's dismay, so did Jungkook.

Taehyung sighed before grabbing the younger by his arms and turning him back to face him.

"Not you, you fool!" Taehyung whispered in an amused voice.

"Oh-" Jungkook looked little flustered.

"Hey, when we go in there, I don't want you to say anything or do anything, basically don't do anything that will draw the attention to you, ok. Let me handle everything."

Taehyung gave the younger a soft smile but Jungkook looked back with a annoyed face, making Taehyung groan.

"Kook, I'm not letting you go inside if you don't promise me that you will behave. No matter what happens, you will not do anything, not a single word. Can you promise me that?" Taehyung asked a little sternly this time but Jungkook still looked like a stubborn brat.

"But what if-"

"Nope. I need your word. Or you stay outside."

Jungkook looked little murderous for few seconds before nodding his head.

Taehyung gave a soft kiss to Jungkook's forehead and released the younger. He cleared his throat loudly before speaking up.

"You can turn around." Taehyung looked at the captain and shared a look before pushing Jungkook behind him, making the younger huff in annoyance.

"Make sure he doesn't do anything, Hobi." Taehyung said before he turned around and walked in to the court room.
  
  
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They waited for about 15 mins before king Hyunbin came with his daughter. Jisoo shared a worried look with Taehyung and the prince gave a reassuring smile to her.

After the small talk was done, the king looked at Taehyung.

"So, prince Taehyung, what do you say about this marriage?" King Hyunbin asked in an even tone and everyone held their breath.

Taehyung took few seconds to answer but when he did, his voice was steady.

"My humble apologies, your majesty. But I can not agree to this marriage." Taehyung looked straight at the king when he said it.

"I see." King Hyunbin said in a tight voice as he looked at the prince standing in front of him. "And may I know the reason, prince Taehyung."

"I can not agree to this marriage, your majesty, because my heart belongs to someone else." Taehyung replied in a gentle voice.

"W-what??!! What's the meaning of this? Why did you ask my daughter to come here then?" King Hyunbin looked angry and everyone shifted a bit uncomfortably.

Taehyung saw Namjoon starting to get up from his seat and stopped him with a look.

"I'm really sorry, your majesty. I swear  I didn't mean any disrespect. I was... little confused of my feelings but the more I spent time with your wonderful daughter, the more I realized what's in my heart. It would be unfair if I agreed to marry Jisoo when there is someone else in my heart. Unfair for me but more importantly, unfair for her."

Taehyung lowered his head after his little speech and Jungkook felt so much pain, looking at the man he loves in such a state. He was the one with most to blame in this but Taehyung is the one facing the consequence now.

King Hyunbin looked murderous. He looked at Namjoon with a death glare before speaking up.

"Namjoon!! I won't have your brother disrespecting me and my daughter like this. Is this the way for a crown prince to behave??!!" King Hyunbin thundered and Namjoon got up from his seat too.

But before Namjoon would say a single word, Taehyung spoke up again, making king Hyunbin's and everyone else's attention turn to him again.

"If I may, your majesty, the only reason you picked me as a husband for your daughter, is it because I'm the crown prince?" Taehyung's voice had a strange emotion and Jungkook picked up on it immediately.

And by the look of it, so did Namjoon and Jin. King Hyunbin, on the other hand, looked little confused.

"What? I suppose so. I mean your personality and other factors were considered too, but mostly because you are the crown prince of this country. This is not just a marriage, it's an alliance too." King Hyunbin said with a frown.

Taehyung gave a soft smile at that. "I already made an alliance with your daughter, your majesty. Jisoo will have mine, and if my brother agrees to it, this nations alliance anytime she requires it. Please have no doubt about that."

There was a few seconds of silence after the prince's declaration. King Hyunbin looked at his daughter and Jisoo gave a smile to her father.

Taehyung looked at Namjoon and smiled a bit. He had guessed that this confrontation will go this way and had already made up his mind.

Namjoon and Taehyung have ceremonial crowns that has been passed down from generations. Those are huge, heavy and needless to say, they wear those only at traditional ceremonies.

They both have another set that they wear for official occasions. A plain gold band with a white gemstone. Namjoon's one have two gold rounds while Taehyung's have only one. Both are wearing these crowns at this very moment.

Taehyung slowly walked toward king Namjoon and stood infront of him. The entire court room watched in shock as their crown prince gently removed his crown from his head and placed it at Namjoon's feet.

"I'm sorry, hyung. I understand that the prince's duty is to his people first but I have a duty to my heart too. Since I chose my heart over my people, I don't think I'm fit to be the crown prince of this nation."

Everyone present gasped in shock. King Hyunbin looked like he forgot how to close his mouth but Namjoon and Jin didn't look that surprised. Jin even had a faint smile on his face, a proud one.

Jungkook on the other hand was shaking badly. He had been watching everything without making a sound but this seemed to have thrown him off completely. He absent mindedly tried to take a step forward but Hoseok swiftly blocked his path. No one even noticed what happened.

Jungkook focused on a spot on the floor, trying to block all the noises and calm his mind.

Jisoo was the first one to move. She walked from her father's side towards Taehyung and wrapped her hand around him. Taehyung gave a soft laugh as he returned the hug, gently stroking her head.

"Damn! I feel bad for losing you now, Taehyung. You really are something else." Jisoo said in an affectionate tone, making Taehyung laugh even more.

Taehyung looked at king Hyunbin, who were standing there with an unreadable expression at this exchange.

Taehyung gave a polite bow to the king, to Namjoon and Jin before turning around to leave. Jungkook wanted to follow him but to his shock, Hoseok didn't move. The crown prince's guard no longer can follow Taehyung.

It seemed like Taehyung already knew this cause he was not waiting for them to follow too. He almost made his way to the door when Namjoon spoke up, making Taehyung stop in his tracks.

"Hoseok!" Namjoon said in a commanding voice. "My brother may not be the crown prince but he's still my brother. I can't have him unprotected. Send one of your men with him."

Hoseok gave a bow and looked at his team but before he could even say anything, Jungkook had already started to move. He walked towards the prince and stopped two feet behind.

Taehyung didn't look back as he walked out of the court room, with his lover following him behind. Taehyung may have left his crown behind, but he felt like he had gained the whole world instead.