Chapter Ten

[WARNING: MATURE CONTENT]

10•••

   Quick! She's catching up!

Bigger steps, bigger breaths, bigger swings, you sprint down the forrest.

"I'm gonna get you!" the tiniest voice of your best friend is booming in the rustle of the trees. Her footsteps are just as loud, coming closer and closer as you run down the shaded path.

"Loser owes a favor!" you're nearly there!

Over puddles, over fallen leaves, over tree trunks, you slam your feet against the damp earth. Wet soil stain your legs and your dress- but don't stop now!

The stubby tree is just up ahead— you glance back to watch Lisa lose—

"Rosie watch out!"

   Your eyes pop open. You collect your jolted mind, awaking from slumber, staring up at what isn't the angels of your ceiling, but ocean waves instead.

"Did I press too hard?"

You turn to your left, where Jennie sits on the edge of the bed, tending to your wounded palm from yesterday. The sun seeps through the thin curtains, projecting her in a faint silhouette.

But you can well admire her crown braided hair, body in the beige sundress, and natural facial features that are now imprinted in your mind to remember whenever you want.

A sight to see the first thing in the morning.

"You know," she says, applying ointment to the dried raw flesh, "You really should have had this cleaned up last night."

You wince at a particular burn. She retracts immediately, squeezing your hand for comfort.

"Well," you pull back your palm, propping yourself up to lean over where she sits. You place a kiss on her arm, "I was a little busy last night.", and trail up, and up, and meet her plump lips. It awakes your body completely, filling you with contentment that she is right here with you.

When you pull away, she catches her lip in the smile she tries to conceal. You can't stop the stupid grin that spreads on your face either because thinking about last night is making your stomach flip cartwheels.

You can't quite believe it. You couldn't really think too much of it last night as she held you close, in silence as your minds drifted to dream. Now, you're awake in Jennie's bed trying to wrap your head around what happened.

How strong your emotions took charge, diminishing any sign of doubt and hesitancy between you and Jennie. How strong, yet vulnerable you laid out for her, letting her touch you in your most sacred part.

You can't believe it was Jennie. Who held you like glass, who whispered into your skin- beautiful she said, who saved you from drowning in the dead sea of your thoughts and rested you on cloud nine where nothing scary could reach you, who kissed you like she was sealing a promise, who loved—

Does Jennie love—

"Too busy to dress before bed?" she cocks a brow, her soft hands taking your palm back to place a bandage big enough for the wound.

You crane your head at the remark.

Jennie glances at—

"O-Oh" you scram to the headboard, tugging on the sheets to cover your bare chest. You close your legs realizing how naked you actually are.

She giggles adorably. "Don't worry, it's nothing I haven't seen before." she winks, walking to her closet to put away the first aid kit.

The clock reads fifteen past eight in the morning. Jisoo will come knocking on your door any minute to discuss the agenda for the day. And you doubt you will go unnoticed walking down the hall peak morning hour.

But it shouldn't even matter if you are seen coming out of Jennie's room. It is nothing more than casual. You could easily make up a reason- a good morning, a friendly conversation, anything royalty. No one would question it.

Secrets are only known to you and Jennie.

"Did you sleep well?" she picks up the clothes that were sprawled on the floor and hand them to you, sitting down on the bed again but much closer now. 

"Best sleep I've had in ages, I reckon." you say truthfully, but keep your eyes on the gown to avoid blushing at Jennie. "And you?"

"Like a baby."

It's true. You couldn't stop adoring how innocent she looked.

"We have quite a day ahead of us." she says, taking your hand once more and kissing the top of it. She looks at you kindly and you're afraid you know what she's thinking.

Thoughts of facing your father now fall on you too. You didn't give much thought on what you will say to him come the time. It might even be best to never speak a word off your tongue again.

"You should get dressed," she kisses your hand two more times, "Your father might be waiting at the table." because she loves to do it in threes.

"Actually, I'm not that hungry." you lean in- her lips just so irresistible- and kiss her again. She moves with you, not tearing away until you both need to catch a breath.

"You need to eat," she says, a demand in the most thoughtful of ways. But thinking about sitting through a meal with your father has stolen your appetite, filling your stomach with stones to pin you down on the bed because you just don't want to get up and see him. "Hey," Jennie cranes her head to look at you, lifting your chin up, "I'll be there with you." she says, having read what is on your mind.

And that eases it.

"Okay," You sigh in defeat, slip on the gown, then wrap the robe around you. You both stand from the bed and walk to the door.

"Forgetting something?"

You look behind you and nearly lose your eyeballs— "Right" you snatch your silky white underwear from her and hide it in your robe.

She lets out the sweetest laugh.

"Meet you down in fifteen minutes?" you turn the knob, then Jennie grabs your face in surprise to kiss you one more time. Confused, but smiling widely, you question the gesture.

"I don't know how long I'll have to wait before I can do that again today." she giggles, and oh how lucky you are to hear that. "I'll be down after I phone my parents."

"Tell them I say hello." You slip between the door with one last look at her and separate the two of you with it.

You huff out a heavy breath, one you didn't realize you were holding out of giddiness. You're bouncing on your feet as you head for your room, having trouble concealing the smile on your face because good lord you slept with Jennie last night and she was with you when you woke up, aided you, and you two kissed three times— three times too little!

Perhaps one more would get you through the day- before you're taken off any alone time together. Or maybe bring the count up to six so you can kiss her three more times the way she—

"What are you doing?"

You jump in surprise— "Chu!" coming to a halt a few feet before her, and Suho, who stands by his post at your door, he averts his gaze to the ceiling as you are in (significantly) revealing clothes.

Jisoo let's go of your door handle and walks toward you with an amused expression, "What were you smiling about?"

"N-Nothing" You back away, closing your robe and crossing your arms as if she'll know all your secrets. If she comes close enough, she might know all the places Jennie touched—your underwear for christ's sake!

"What's got you on your toes?" she stops right in front of you, tucking your uncombed hair behind your ears.

"Excited for today, that's all." you reply casually.

"As you should. Sir Joo-Young has been dying to show you the dress for the ball. Say, why are you still in your pajamas?" she asks.

Your mind scurries for any of those reasonable excuses but you're tongue tied trying to speak—

"Anyhow, it doesn't matter," she holds you by the shoulders and pushes you to your door- Suho is still looking up at the ceiling. "Just hurry ready because the dress designers will be here soon.". She swings the door open and inside you go. Jisoo looks up at Suho, snickering at his chivalry. "Make sure she's down in ten minutes time?"

He clears his throat and nods fervently, "Yes, Ms. Kim." he says formally, and closes the door.

•••

   Pull yourself together.

"I think we need to adjust this area, it appears you've lost some weight, Your Highness." Sir Joo-young titters obnoxiously, but you could careless.

"Measuring tape, please." 

Stop squirming.

She is only staring.

"Pin, please."

And biting her lip.

"One more"

And licking them.

"Very nice"

Good grief she's teasing you.

"How do you like it, Your Highness?"

You snap your gaze to the mirror, eyes pinned on Sir Joo-young's reflection beside you. "L-Lovely" you utter, clearing your dry throat.

Jennie's eyes are still burning holes in you, staring at your reflection in front of her own mirror adjacent to you from behind as her designers work around her. You have the perfect view of her smooth, flawless back, exposed by the stunning black ball gown she has on. It's fitted from the waist up, but waterfalls beautifully at the bottom.

You've seen how ravishing Jennie looks in black, but this is already an image incomparable. You can't even fathom how breathtaking she would look on the night of the pre-coronation ball.

Suddenly, you can't wait for next Saturday.

"Allow me to make a few more adjustments." Sir Joo-young says, stepping around you to tend to your champagne colored, long and laced sleeved gown that drapes seamlessly. You're too distracted by Jennie's tender looks at you and the occasional slick of her tongue over her mouth. The holes are piercing heat through your skin, igniting your insides and going all the way down—  you just have to press your legs together under the flared clothing.

She seems to take notice in your reaction to the lip bite as she finally looks away with a hindered grin. You know for certain that she's doing this on purpose.

And it's working. You can feel a damp patch staining your new pair of satin lingerie.

It's taking a ton of will power to keep yourself from lunging at her- to keep yourself from devouring those pink lips- taking off that godly dress- you're already stripping her naked in your lewd imagination for a brain and it sends a gush of wetness thinking about all the things you would do to make her drip for you too.

"Our work is finished, Your Highness." Jennie's designer states and behind a changing board the brunette goes to fit back into her dress of earlier.

You take a deep breath to compose yourself.

"The King requests your presence within the hour, Princess Roseanne." Yeri says once she enters the room.

You sigh all the air out of you, naturally in dread to hear this. You thought you had escaped from him when he didn't show for breakfast. "Thank you, Yeri." you say and in the next minute, you're finished with the last adjustments to your gown, going behind the changing board to change yourself.

After putting on your day dress, you meet Jennie's eyes again as she says her thanks to her designers. She looks at you from top to bottom, smug and rived, and she catches her lip between her teeth again— You turn your back to her because you don't know how much self-control you have left.

You say your farewells to Sir Joo-young, not in for the ample time it takes for them to leave the room. You're glancing at Jennie and she's glancing at you.

"Until next week, Your Highness!" your designer waves outside the door, being escorted by your royal guard. 

"Goodbye, Sir Lee" hurry along, will you.

"It was a pleasure, Your Highness." Jennie shakes hands with the Northern visitors and inches away from the door, back to you in the middle of the room-

"Travel safely, Madame Song." she says, and "Enjoyed the view?" she whispers to you- seduction at her fullest intent— the door closes—

"Like eye candy" and you're losing it— striding forward, she's forced to back up. She gasps when her back hits the display table and she clasps on to the back of your neck immediately. Her breathing changes and you can almost hear her rapid heartbeat above yours. "I wanted to unwrap you myself" She clenches her jaw at your words, eyes narrowing in her arouse and you love having this effect on her.

Your flaring needs take control as you hook an arm around her waist and press yourself against her, nearly moaning at the contact.

Jennie widens her stance, leaning against the table for support. You flatten your palms on the wood and you kiss her hotly. She groans at the way you suck on her lip, the one she couldn't stop biting and neither can you resist yourself— "Ah" Jennie whimpers at the nip, parting her mouth for the opportunity to slide your tongue in and enjoy her flavor. "Mhm" she moans, tangling her fingers in your hair, letting you take control of the moment.

Your hand slides down her thigh, gliding up and down her dress before crawling underneath to touch her hot skin. Your desires heighten when your fingers graze the line of her underwear. You trail your kisses to her nape, letting her breathy moans hit your ear- it makes your eyes roll back.

"Rosie"

"I won't until you tell me to" your breath to her nape makes her shudder.

"I-I want but— Rosie the door"

"No one comes in without my permission" you won't allow it.

Jennie takes your hand and guides it higher, hooking your fingers to her undergarment, "Then do it already"

You yank it down and she gasps when you cup her center, "christ— Jennie" you watch your hand move under her dress, feeling just how wet she is for you, "oh you're dripping for me" you tease, letting her squirm in the uncomfortable need for pleasure. You rub on the slit of her folds, very, very slowly, just smearing her wetness all over.

"R-Rosie just— please" she bucks her hips, asking you to plunge right in. You adore the way she creases her brows and parts her lips. The sexual frustration on her face is evoking- "Just put it—" that you can't hold out any longer— "Uh!" she claws at your back once you thrust in. She's tight around your fingers but so wet that you have no trouble thrusting in a steady pace.

Jennie stares into your eyes, letting you watch her tremble and moan to the way you pleasure her. She rests on her elbow, keeping an arm around your shoulders to squeeze whenever you hit her spot, "baby" she says and you hold her tighter. The term of endearment falls off her lips again and again and you're falling deeper and deeper in the powerful need to watch her cum for you.

You swallow her moans in a kiss as you pump your fingers faster. The table rocks against the floorboards, creaking to your rhythm. "god Jennie" you breathe out, so enraptured by her.

"H-Harder" she moans and you do as she says- you'll do anything she says. "Oh!" she throws her head back when you work your thumb on her clit, just as hard as you finger her.

And when she cups your face, she holds your gaze even as she's edging— "Rosie" her walls start to tighten and her face crumples in the pleasure, "Baby" she bucks her hips and digs her nails to your back.

You know she's close and you're pumping your fingers even faster to bring her to her climax—

"Fuck— fuck" she curses against your lips, body trembling as she reaches her high. You hold her up, pushing your fingers to the deepest parts of her and just watch her fall apart for you.

You're burning up, breathing heavily as you dive in her desire. You're in awe at her- trying to understand how captivated you are with her. How she makes you feel invincible without a trace of doubt in your actions, how incredibly driven you become when she's with you and you're not just talking about sex- Jennie makes you do things- feel things that you wouldn't otherwise, not in any circumstance. It's not just the way she holds your hand anymore or the way she looks at you but it's when she makes you laugh, listens to you, assures you, talks to you, that almost convinces you that you're really in love with her.

"oh god"

You think you're in love with Jennie.

"Tired?" she giggles, kissing you all over your face as the revelation stuns you. She groans when you pull out of her. "I think I should return the favor." and she starts kissing your jaw, lingering longer by your ear, a spot you've learned you're weakened by.

Your panties are ruined at this point and your body is gravitating towards her, but "Jennie" you take her hands in yours and bring them down from your face. She looks at you in confusion. "I need to go see my father." you say, and you will tell yourself it is not just an excuse to avoid any more feelings Jennie might make you feel- this is complex enough.

"Is something wrong?" she asks, worry cascading.

"No, no, nothing's wrong." you assure, covering her womanhood with her lace panties and straightening her dress. "I just don't think I should keep him waiting, don't you agree?" you chuckle lightly, helping her stand up straight on her feet.

She doesn't seem convinced, but you peck her lips to ease her worry.

"I'll come find you afterward, okay?"

"Can't I join you?" she asks, but you do not hesitate to let her down on this. You just don't know what your father might say. She nods her head in understanding, "I'll wait for you." she says and you leave her in the room to visit your father's office.

You shut down the thoughts of earlier, silence the noise in your head voicing out all the different ways you would confess to Jennie- you don't know if you should. You don't know what it really is you could confess, and you shouldn't make a decision right now, not when you're about to speak with the person who will ultimately lead to the demise of what you make this relationship with Jennie out to be have she feel the same way—

Just stop thinking at all. 

•••

   "I hope you've taken the time to reflect." he reaps through his clamped jaw. The indignation of your father is blaring warning signs in the way he speaks, opens and closes his fists, and scowls out the window. You're sweating as you stand within range of his incense, trying not to breathe too loud because he might find that irritating enough. "I've definitely received the shame of your failure."

His words are icy, piercing through your chest and you expected this but it doesn't hurt any less because father means everything he says. He does not lie. Not even if a life depended on it.

"Well?" he booms, turning from the window to face your shaken self. You lift your head and keep your hands clasped together behind your back, puffing your chest, trying to toughen up. "Must I wait any longer for an apology?" his voice grows louder, echoing off the walls of the threshold.

You swallow through your dry throat, building up a voice to appease him- admit you messed up and accept that you're a disgrace. "I'm sorry, father." you promise you didn't mean to lose, "I should have done more."

"Please," he scoffs, walking back to his desk, "present yourself with a greater apology in the least- you've disappointed your kingdom", roughly rummaging through the newspapers laid out. You're always their favorite headline, but these are ones you wish to burn to ashes. "You've disappointed me, the counsel, Rufus- I'm certain you've disappointed your mother for christ's sake."

"I-I didn't—" you bite your tongue. Tears sting your eyes in seconds, sitting at the brim and ready to fall in the next blink, but you stand strong.

Your father finally looks at you, appalled that you've spoken back to him, "How dare you think of yourself so highly?"

You didn't get to say what you wanted— that wasn't what you meant—

"After all of this!"

You just didn't mean to lose—

"You are a Park for heaven's sake!"

You are scum of the earth.

Treated like dirt.

"So help me god, Ellen." your father mutters, resting on his chair. He rubs his forehead to ease the temper and you can only stand small in your suppress. You stare at him in the blur of your tearful eyes as you choke back the salty waters.

You really didn't mean it.

"The Kims are coming over for Saturday brunch." he says when the silence becomes too heavy, "No word of the Cup will be spoken, understood?", not even bothering to take a glance at the daughter he has just tainted in dishonor.

And he waves his hand to dismiss you like the lowest of classes, "That will be all." and you walk away because you don't stand a chance in this patriarchy.

You close your eyes once you shut the door behind you and the heavy tears falls. Your heart sinks because no matter how many times you could apologize, you will always carry this burden- the burden that your father sees as his daughter- he's ashamed of you for god's sake.

"Hey,"

You can't even open your eyes to the gentle touch wiping your tears away. You don't mean to cry in front of anyone like this.

"I got you"

But Jennie is making it difficult to hold back. 

"I got you, Rosie, it's okay"

"I'm sorry" you say, "I'm sorry, Jennie" until it will be enough for everyone.

"Don't" she comes closer and you can feel her face only inches from yours. "don't apologize to me." she tries to keep up with your tears with the pad of her thumbs.

You're struggling to fill your lungs with air as the sadness cripples you from the inside.

"Can you open your eyes for me?" she traces your lips, "Can you look at me baby?" god the way she calls you that. 

It takes a few shortened breaths before you can look at her, and when you meet her feline eyes, you well with more tears.

She curves her lips to a thin smile and tucks the loose strands of hair behind your ear. She rubs your arms up and down before intertwining a hand with yours.

You're still struggling for a breath.

"Let's get some fresh air." she says, leading you away from your father's door and away from this  suffocation.

•••

  She doesn't say a word. Not until you're ready. She walks with you, hand in yours. You managed to calm your lungs once you stepped foot in the serenity of the trail. You wiped your eyes, straightened your back, and kept your head up to observe the fleeting nature surrounding you both.

The forest is glistening with collections of water droplets from the earlier rain pour. They drip off the leaves and even sprinkle on top of you when the birds launch off the branches to the sky. You don't say a word either, wanting Jennie to admire the beauty of it all.

It is past the white oak tree, a little more than halfway into the trail that you finally speak. "Did you hear it?" you ask, head onward, "Everything?".

"I did." she states and apologizes for eavesdropping. "I can't stand your father talking to you the way he does." she says, quiet and unforgiving.

You can only sigh, as there is nothing you can do to change this. But you are certain to apologize for every time your father upsets Jennie.

She squeezes your hand, making you turn to her. "I don't like seeing your eyes red." she says, yet doesn't break away from your gaze.

I'm sorry, you think to say, but she won't like to hear that. You just flash a meek smile to let her know you're fine.

A few more minutes down the forest, you reach the cliff, where you and Orange used to sit and relax by when you were younger. You tell Jennie this, and you cherish the way she looks out into the vast landscape- in awe at its magnificence.

The golden sun shines on her, bringing to light all of Jennie's divinity. The pure dress, the braided hair, the angelic face. So, so heavenly.

"You can see the Fickle river from here." she says, forcing you to remove your eyes from her and on to the stream at the far end of the terrain. It's barely in sight, but still visible.

And you recall back to the first time Jennie came to the palace. You have 'fickle' and 'river' crossed out in bold red on your list. You remember Jennie's fallen expression at the mention of those waters. You turn to her and she holds the same desolation. You urge her to face you, "Jennie?", but she doesn't tear from the view.

"I wonder what color the stones are." she whispers, softly into the breeze.

Before, she told you that she doesn't remember much of her visit- it was a long time ago, she said, but it seems whatever memory comes with the Fickle river floods her mind to surface woeful flashbacks like she never forgot them at all.

"What is it?" you ask. Tell me what's wrong so I can make it better- you don't like seeing her upset.

"I uhm..." she pauses in deep thought for a moment, then continues, "I just remembered someone."

"Is it..." you hold your tongue. You shouldn't pry- you shouldn't ask what she wishes to forget. She doesn't owe you anything, no matter how much you care to know if it was that boy she used to love.

But "Yes" she says, even if she too, knows that she doesn't owe you any of this. And "His name was Hanbin." she says, because maybe she just wants you to know more- maybe, but whatever the reason, you stand beside Jennie with all your intent to listen to her. "He was the son of the Commander-in-chief of our Northern troops, and when I was sixteen, my father introduced him to me. It was already apparent that he wanted us to marry." she falters a weak smile, "The Commander is my dad's good friend, so he was always very fond of Hanbin, I'm sure you can imagine." her voice shakes, as she looks down at her feet a few times.

You inch closer, holding her hand firmly as she continues, "We were very good friends at first, just two kids without a care of the real world. Dad always invited him to the palace so most of my days were spent with him. We would sing songs, play on the grass, ride our horses together. He was Sehun's best friend, too. His only friend, in fact." she titters lightly, then her voice quiets down to the softest whisper as if to mask its tremble, "He was so kind... So sweet, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He loved like he had nothing to lose."

Your breath hitches in your throat when she turns to you- an expression on her face that you can't quite read, impassive, as it seems.

"I fell in love with him, Rosie." she says, "I fell in love and he died." she lets go of your hand and walks away from the cliff.

"Jennie, wait" You follow her, heading forth the trail and away from the bright sun. You don't mean to pry, but you just have to ask, "H-How did he... W-What happened to—"

"He joined the army at nineteen." she tells you before you can finish the question. She keeps her arms crossed and eyes straight as you two walk back home. "One night, there was a fire at their camp grounds. All the tents were burning, everything up in flames. A group of soldiers were trapped, and Hanbin, he..." she wanders off, and you can see the gloss of tears in the corner of her eye. She bites her lip hard.

"It's okay" you grab her hand, making her drop her arms to her sides. "Only if you're ready, Jennie." you say, not wanting to force her into reliving memories as she speaks. It always hurts the most when it is said out loud.

"I told you, Rosie, he was too kind for this world- it is unfair."

"He has a lot of honor to his name." you remark and this makes her sigh with a little more content.

"The Fickle river was the last place we visited together before he went into the army. I had my mind made up for when he would return. Only, he didn't, and fate changed its course."

You wonder how much of fate she regrets, but scold yourself for it, because this is not about you.

"A lot has changed since he died. Especially between my dad and I. To him, he felt like he lost a son." she shakes her head, her tone changing to embitterment, "He was the one who brought me into that love in the first place", like she resents her father for making her fall in love. Her tears disappear in an instant.

"I'm sorry you went through that, Jennie, truly. Hanbin is very heroic." 

She nods her head, "He is." she swings your intertwined hands and sighs again, "That's enough pessimism for today."

You place a kiss on the back of her hand for comfort. 

There's a lot going on in your mind after her tellings, and the peaceful silence between you for the rest of the trail gives you time to process a few. But the settling weight on your chest is difficult to comprehend.

Jennie made up her mind about Hanbin.

You think you've made up your mind about Jennie.

She had a love that seemingly had no risks, but lost him to the world's injustice.

You don't know what Jennie feels with you and that itself is weighing on your uncertainty. But you count the costs and there are plenty. Whatever this is, it's dangerous- a crime. There's nothing sure about love with Jennie.

"Shall we see what Lisa and Sehun are up to?" she skips ahead of you to the stables. Following close behind, you watch her peer through the door.

"Lisa's pestering him, I suppo—" Jennie clasps her hand over your mouth, pressing your back to the wall- Your bewilderment is muffled in the palm of her hand as she leers over to look through the ajar door a second time.

She brings a finger to her lips to tell you to be quiet, then points at the door. When she releases you from the hold, you peek to see what she's so startled by—

"Jesus Chri—" you're pinned to the wall again, her hand over your mouth- you just couldn't help the slip of the tongue- Lisa and Sehun are too close!

Jennie gives you the what-part-of-be-quiet-do-you-not-understand kind of look.

"I'm gonna give you one more chance, Park." she says before freeing you again. You both hide behind the wall, trying your best to go unseen as you spy on the pair. 

Sehun stands behind Lisa with his arms around her to guide her hands in the woodwork they seem to be enjoy much, much more than they should. He's grinning widely at the way Lisa laughs- you want to know what he said that was so funny—

"Come on" Jennie pulls you away from the stables.

"W-Wait" you need to go in there— they shouldn't—

"Let them have their fun." she drags you up the hill, rather pleased with the exchange you just encountered and that is only because she doesn't know about your laws.

"Jennie," you tug on her wrist, but she heads for the palace doors, "Jennie, I need to—"

"Your Highnesses," Joy emerges from the doors and Jennie finally comes to a halt. "Princess Jennie, King Tae-oh wishes to speak with you on the telephone." she says.

"Is that so?" Jennie lets go of your hand and faces you.

"Wait, there's something—"

"I'll see you at dinner?" she flashes a wink, and she's just so quick to disappear in the palace that you don't get to tell her what you want to say. 

Perhaps, it would be better to speak with your best friend first. Let her tell you first hand what she and Sehun have really been up to these days. 

You make a mental note to return to the stables tonight.

•••

   Your talk with Lisa holds off until the next morning. She wasn't in the stables or in the shed when you went to look for her last night and when you asked Jisoo of her whereabouts she said she went to visit her brother at the Grand Stables. 

This called off for that talk with Jennie, too. You didn't want to bring up any troubles without confirmation that there is actually something troubling going on between the pair. You two had dinner and spent the rest of the evening in the library to prepare for the test Jisoo would administer on Friday. Jennie managed to memorize all counsel members by the time the both of you were dozing off between the shelves. 

You woke up earlier than her today and you leave her be to rest from yesterday's studying. This opens the opportunity for you to speak with Lisa. 

"There you are, Rosie" she rushes over in gladness to see you, and brings you into a tight embrace. "I was starting to worry when I didn't see you yesterday. How are you?" she asks, referring to the loss of the Cup. 

"I'm alright, Lis." you say, pulling away and fixing her messy bangs. "I came by last night but you were already gone to see Chanyeol." 

"Oh," she chuckles, walking back over to the table piled with the woodwork she was doing with Sehun. "dad was the one who wanted to see him. He thinks my brother's been feeling lonely over there." 

You nod, imagining how bored Chanyeol must be with his lack for company. You lean against a pillar, picking on the scrapped wood. "And your father..." you try to find the right words, but Lisa catches on anyway.

"He's been busy, hence his absence yesterday." she says, "He's not angry with you, Rosie, I hope you know that. No one is. You've made us really proud, in fact." 

You try to swallow her words with no doubt in them. Lisa wouldn't lie to you. 

"So, what have you been doing?" you raise a brow to the table, despite having already seen the gist of yesterday's work. 

"Sehun has been teaching me a lot about crafting. I'm halfway into making a bird house." Indeed, she points to the work in progress just under the table. It already looks like days worth of work. Days worth of spending time together. 

"You must enjoy his company a lot." 

"He's quite shy, but a great listener." 

"I've heard only good things of him from Jennie." 

"I'm certain all are true." 

"A man of chivalry?" 

"Without a doubt." she smiles at you, and it pains you to know how unfair this world actually is. You wish she would just tell you if she really fancies him or not because this guessing game is giving you more reasons to believe that she does and that is when the law will come in to destroy what is unsaid. Tell me you know your limits, you want to say. "He's a very good friend." 

Right.

"I'm glad Jennie decided to tag him along despite the Cup being over." 

A good friend. 

"Don't you have Literature and writing class with Chu?" she asks, glancing at clock. You see you're already ten minutes late. 

"Y-Yeah, uhm..." you push off the pillar and head for the door. "I'll see you later, then." 

"I'll be here" she winks. 

"Careful with uhm... Careful with those sharp things." 

"I will, Chipmunk." 

You exit the stables and walk up to the palace. You've gotten the answers you wanted- they are only good friends to each other- learning new things together- there is no need to worry about hearts being broken. 

You don't know why you are so dubious. There is no law being violated.  

Perhaps, it is the imagination of what will happen have Lisa had lied to you. You try not to think about it. 

   Entering the library you are already apologizing for your tardiness, but you come to find you are speaking to no one. Jisoo hasn't come in yet and you know this because everything is still in its place. 

You put down your writing materials on the table and sit. It's been fifteen minutes past the time class should have started. You probably wouldn't have questioned it before, but after the hour long wait for your mentor last Monday, you're wretched in annoyance that she might be repeating her mistakes. 

In the midst of your battling thoughts, choosing to believe she is just busy with the maids rather than busy with Suho, she flies through the door in rambled sorries. "I'm here, I'm here" she snatches a piece of chalk from the table and starts writing today's agenda.

You can only sit back and watch her tousle around, scribble illegible words and drop the papers in her hands. She's disheveled, to say the least. You question it, "Something wrong, Chu?". 

"No!" she spins around to you, frenzied and struggling to mask it with a forced smile. Her hair is messily tied in its bun, dress wrinkled, and face red. "Nothing is wrong, everything is fine. Peachy, in fact, where were we?" she picks up the papers and reads through them, "Right, your speech, have you finished the introduction?" she's trying hard to convince you all is well. It's a pity attempt for a cause that seems to have really shaken her. 

You have a great hunch that your royal guard is standing outside that door, but you choose to ignore it. You've had a muss of disquiet thinkings about what is right and what is wrong. You ought to deal with this when both of you get your intentions straight. 

•••

   "Knock, knock." Jennie enters the dim library, beaming as she comes over to you. "I see you're finished under the expertise of Mentor Chu." 

Only you were just about to ask Jisoo of her recent whereabouts. 

"I'll let you two be." and your mentor takes this as an opportunity to escape it. "Don't forget about tomorrow's test." 

"I've only got those one hundred and thirty-four names on my mind, Chu!" Jennie waves off your scurrying friend. Had it be anyone else to interrupt, you would have scolded them, but Jennie is an exception. "Hi, there." she leans in and kisses you sweetly. 

"Hi to you too" you say between kisses. She pulls you up from the chair by your collar and wraps her arms around your waist. "Missed me?", you tease, her needs evident in the way she controls you.

She releases your bottom lip and wraps her arms around your neck, staring at you with a naughty smirk. "I've been waiting all day, Park" and she leans in your ear to whisper, low and raspy, it shoots a heat down your body, "I never got to return that favor." and you burn between the sheets when she takes you.