At the Kim's Mansion

"I... I-I think... I... love you, Y/n. It feels like I’ve loved you for so long but I just realised it now," Namjoon stammered while speaking. Unsure of how will Y/n take his confession.

The confession hung in the air, making Y/n's eyes wide, her mind raced back through the countless moments and encounters they had shared. She blinked rapidly, trying to grasp the enormity of his words.

"You... love me? I thought you b-barely liked me," she whispered, her voice just audible, laced with disbelief and wonder.

"It was unbelievable for me to realise this as well, but when I saw you flying high in the air and falling on the ground, with blood all over your face," he paused and took a long breath as anger gushed all over his body, "If something would've happened to you I would've destroyed Min Yoongi by now," with a more calm tone, he finished while gazing directly in Y/n's eyes.

Y/n saw vulnerability and sincerity in his loving gaze which faded away her defences and underlying doubts as she felt a warmth spread through her chest.

A small smile broke free from her lips, radiant and uncontainable. It was as if the weight of the world had lifted from her shoulders, leaving only pure joy in its wake. Y/n's heart danced wildly within her ribcage as she leaned closer, lifted her ankles and proceeded to wrap her arms across his neck, taking him in her embrace.

Namjoon's hands tightly snaked across her tiny waist. The hair strands of her ponytail blurred his view as he snuggled his face in the crook of her neck, mesmerized by the natural human fragrance of her skin.

The gumiho and his human were suspended in their world. Nothing else mattered behind the four walls of the room except themselves. Over time, they surely crossed a barrier for the love they shared for each other but will their love be enough for the future?

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At the castle of the Kim clan

NEXT DAY

With a palette in one hand, Taehyung dipped his brush into a mix of rich greens and golden yellows, capturing the essence of the sunlit grasslands that glimmered like jewels.

With his thin brush, each stroke was deliberate yet fluid, his mind struggled as his fingertips shook onto the canvas. The sound of the brush against the textured surface was a soothing rhythm, but somehow it managed to irritate him and make him lose focus.

Dropping the brush from his grasp he brutally threw away the palette across his room, a darker shade of green splashing everywhere on the floor.

He sat on the small low-backed chair, which was sitting near the incomplete canvas. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a deep breath, his mind drifting towards the conversation he had with the King of the Min clan.

Mother was never the first choice for him, we were just replacements for the inevitable loss.

Taehyung thought and a tear rolled down his cheek. For a few minutes, he obliviously stared at his canvas until a knock on the door distracted his mind.

"Yes?"

"Taehyung-ah."

Upon hearing Kim Jeong Ho's voice Taehyung whipped his fallen tears and cleared his watery eyes before he stepped towards the door.

"Father."

Kim Jeong Ho smiled, "Son, how are you now?" Taehyung replied with a hum and a simultaneous nod.

The King entered the chamber and the Prince followed. Tracing the disoriented details of his son's room, Jeong Ho's eyes landed on the scattered paint and the palette thrown on the floor. He sighed and proceeded to sit on the couch.

"Dad, you should've called me instead."

"Look at my clothes, I'm off duty right now. And I wanted to spend some time with you."

"Is your wound healed now?"

"It will eventually," the King paused for a moment and spoke again, "I see you were painting again," he said while examining the painting and the palette on the floor.

Silence ensued among them, Taehyung sat on the edge of his bed, facing the King. His eyes were set on his thighs as he fidgeted his fingers before he collected his lost will to speak in front of his father.

"Father, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead, I know you've been holding yourself for a long time."

Taehyung's gaze darted in his father's direction before he asked, "Why did you marry Mom?"

From looking at Jeong Ho's eyes, it was sure he saw this coming. He knew he'd soon come across this question. After a moment of silence, Jeong Ho spoke, "Because she was the best option at the moment."

Taehyung's heart shattered as his father answered the opposite of what he expected. It didn't take minutes when his disappointment turned to rage. With his teary eyes, he glared in the King's direction and carefully listened to the King as he continued.

"But she was also one of the most elegant and powerful women I've ever met."

"But not the woman you love," Taehyung finally uttered with ignorance.

"What?" Kim Jeong Ho asked in disbelief.

The Prince grunted before he spoke again, "You only married her to save your honour!"

"What did you just say?!" The King said as he stood up and came closer towards his son. Taehyung stood up as well and intensely gazed with eyes full of anger, in his father's direction.

"I said, all you wanted was an heir for the thrown," The King's eyes widened while hearing his son, and Taehyung again exclaimed with a raised voice than before, "You chose a noblewoman older than you, despite her being a widow, why?! So that you can happily stay in the memories of your past lover!"

"TAEHYUNG!"

A voice of hand meeting the cheek echoed inside Taehyung's room when a slap landed on his right cheek, making him jolt towards his side.

"What do you even know about me?! About your mother?! Collect yourself and we'll talk about this tomorrow."

The door closed with a loud bang, and Taehyung cocooned in his sorrow as he shed tears. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, smudging the remnants of his despair as if trying to erase the very essence of his grief.

His shoulders trembled slightly from the weight of memories that pressed down upon him. He laid himself on his bed, another tear escaped, and he let it fall freely, surrendering to the moment and letting the bedsheet soak his tears away.

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At the Kim's Mansion

FEW HOURS LATER

"Y/n, can you please look after the kimchi soup? Add some seasonings accordingly, as well."

Ajumma instructed Y/n who was busy cleaning SeokJin's room, while Y/n stood inclined to the door frame.

"Yeah, sure."

Y/n took her steps out of the sons' quarters, crossed the front yard and entered the pantry. Exchanging a smile with Mrs Jo, who was busy washing a cauldron, she added the required seasonings after a quick taste check, "Y/n, keep an eye on the soup, I'm heading towards Mr and Mrs Kim's room."

Mrs Jo added while walking out of the pantry, carrying a tray full of various delicacies, making Y/n nod in response.

Y/n carefully stirred the simmering kimchi soup when a pair of strong arms got wrapped around her small waist. Namjoon stood behind Y/n, enveloping her in a warm embrace. A yelp escaped from her mouth as she tried to figure out the leaning silhouette on her body.

"You startled me, Namjoon!"

"How are you?" Namjoon's eyes sparkled with mischief as he whispered from the back of her ear and he shoved his head in her neck.

Y/n's cheeks blushed a shade of pink when she felt Namjoon's warm breath on her neck, she responded to his question with a hum.

The scent of his cologne mingled with the faint aroma of the kimchi soup, creating an atmosphere that felt like home to her.

His fingers danced lightly over her arms, tracing invisible patterns that sent shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes, savouring the moment, the way his warmth seeped into her skin, wrapping around her like a soft blanket.

"Did I tell you that you were on my mind the whole day?" He murmured, his voice low and playful, breaking the comfortable silence.

Y/n felt her stomach doing a flip. She turned slightly in his embrace, enough to catch his gaze. His eyes sparkled with mischief and affection, a combination that made her heart flutter.

"Where are we heading to, Namjoon? What if--"

His grip on her tightened. Namjoon pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, a silent promise whispered in the quiet, making Y/n silent.

"I'll protect you no matter what."

Y/n turned around and lovingly searched his features, a look of adoration making its way onto her face. "Are you the same person who wanted to kick me out of the house?" She playfully added.

Namjoon chuckled softly, the sound resonating through her, "It's not like that."

"Stop defending yourself."

"I'm not. I was just frustrated at how you were doing things to me and I couldn't even manage to get a... touch of your sultry lips," the last few words that escaped from Namjoon's full lips were dripping with seduction as he added in a low husky voice.

His grip tightened ever so slightly as if sealing a pact between them. His fingertips played with her chin as his eyes shifted from her eyes to her thin tinted lips, sending a shiver down her spine. Y/n's breath hitched when he leaned in, closing the distance with deliberate slowness.

His lips hovered just above hers, teasingly close yet achingly far. Y/n could feel the warmth radiating from him, a magnetic pull that drew her in, making her urge for his touch grow even stronger.

"Tell me, do you want me to kiss you?" Namjoon whispered and a playful smirk lined across his lips.

"Y-yes," with a subtle hesitation, Y/n stuttered after nodding slowly.

Then, with a tenderness that made her heart race, he pressed his lips against hers. It was soft at first but deepened gradually. He tilted his head slightly, allowing their lips to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.

Y/n melted into him, her hands finding their way to his hair, fingers tangling in the soft strands as she pulled him closer. She could taste the hint of caffeine mixed with the intoxicating essence of him, familiar and utterly captivating.

Finally, they pulled away just enough to gaze into each other's eyes, breathless and smiling. The world outside faded into a distant hum, leaving only the sweet intimacy of their shared space.

✧

A/N: A filler chapter everyone, cuz the author ran out of energy to write further. Hope the moments between our leads gave you butterflies 🦋
See you in next chapter!
With love
Your jobless AutHOr