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Author's POV

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"What? A 'Special Royal Dinner'?" You asks repeating what Sunny has told you the moment you came to your room. Earning a confirming nod from her, you felt a sudden nervous creeping into you. Why does it make you nervous though? your mind shrugs it off not wanting to feel weak in front of the wicked mother of Jimin.

"I'll pick your dress now." Sunny says heading to the walk in closet but you raised a hand to stop her, causing her to furrow her eyebrows due to confusion. "Huh--what's wrong?"

You shook your head, "No. It's a Royal Dinner and i'm not part of the royal family. I'm not going." You stated and Sunny frowns at your words as she walk back to you.

"But Y/n, the King loves you and he would be more glad if he see you there with Prince Jin. You're already part of the royal family." she says holding both of your hands as she assures you that there's nothing to worry about. One of things you envy in her, she's always positive and would always choose to see the brighter side. She's right though, if you will choose to look at the positive side of you being part of the royal family there's nothing you should be worried about because they love you and accept you who you are. Well, except Lady Hellina. You appreciate her words but you're still not convinced on joining in their dinner.

"Thanks for the encouraging words, Sunny but my decision is final." you give her a lip tight smile secretly adoring the cute pout from her before she wave a hand, giving up.

"ugh, fine. I'll just bring your food here I guess."

"No, we are going to eat with halmoni." A smile made its way up to your lips earning a quick nod of agreement from Sunny. She loves your halmoni just as you do.

"I like that idea. I'll be going now to get us foods--oh wait! I almost forgot, what do you want?"

"Nah, you pick. I'm fine with anything as long as it will fill my stomach." you say heading to your closet and chose to wear simple and comfortable clothes. "I'm up for a hoodie tonight, which one do you think is good?" you turn around showing two pieces of hoodie, one is pink and the other one is yellow.

She scan them well while tapping her finger on her chin as an habit, "The yellow one." she grin at you. As usual, she would always choose the yellow one.

"The yellow one, it is." you nod smiling at her and with that she turn around and left the room.

Meanwhile at the east wing of the palace, the royal family sat on their respective seat with the emperor at the center. Soon, the maids came with the special and elegant styled foods ordered by Lady Hellina as for their special dinner. The maids carefully serves the mouthwatering foods in an elegant arrangement too together with the bottles of the most expensive Italian red wine.

"Oh, I didn't expect this dinner night would be this special." the emperor chuckles as he scan the foods that's too fancy in the eyes but just respect his sister's taste of food anyway as this was her request for tonight's dinner. Lady Hellina soon join in as she also chuckles, of course it's a fake one but not noticeable to the emperor and the prince who is just sitting humbly on his chair while glancing at the door obviously waiting for someone which is you while Prince Jimin who's sitting beside his wicked mother mentally scoffing at his mother's fakeness. Acting like she's the most respective lady of all the royal family.

"Of course it should be special, your majesty. We rarely eat together like this so I thought I shouldn't miss the chance to do this." Words soft as a baby feather rolling out from her mouth as she respond to the emperor with her most fake smile that Jimin wishes to wash it away from her face. He couldn't even bare to look at it even just for a few seconds.

"Ah, you're right." The emperor nod understandingly at her before his eyes goes to his son noticing that something's bothering his mind and it quickly clicks to him.

Y/N.

"I almost forgot," he uttered calling over a maid "tell Y/N to join us here. Shouldn't miss this too." the emperor commands with a proud smile on his face. Looking at Jin, his happy to see the smile that his son gave him while Lady Hellina on the other hand mentally cursing and scoffing, totally disappointed. What is so special about her?! She thought fighting back the urge to yell out her anger because an evil plan instantly crawls into her head.

With an innocent smile, she place a hand on her heart to show that she was touched at her brother's idea. "Oh yes, Y/N. It would be more fun if she join us." She says getting the attention of the emperor who slightly felt surprised.

"Hearing your words, I guess you already met her."

"She did, your majesty." said his son Jin and Lady Hellina nods a 'yes'.

"Your son is so lucky to have her. I never met such a sweet and kind girl like her." a well made praising words came out from her mouth as she keep on pretending but interrupted by the sudden sound of a broken glass that was made by her son Jimin, startling them. Their eyes goes to the shattered glass on the floor.

Jimin stood up from his chair with an apologetic face as he bows at the emperor, "Please forgive me for being clumsy, your majesty." Jimin apologize earning a glare from his mother.

"Always ruining the mood--" Lady Hellina started to scold but the emperor interrupts.

"It's totally fine Prince Jimin. You don't have to apologize. Not all people were born perfectly, so being clumsy is normal. We understand that, just be careful next time." The emperor gave him an assuring smile "Are you hurt?" he asks with full concern and Jimin quickly responded 'no, your majesty. I'm completely fine, thank you so much for the concern.'. "You may take your seat back." the emperor added and Jimin thankfully obeyed ignoring his mother's glare.

Turning to his sister who immediately hides her scowling face behind her innocent act. "It's just a glass, sister. Unintentionally breaking things like that glass due to clumsiness is not a big deal. I noticed the way you talk to your son seem so strict. I suggest you should loosen up a bit, go easy on your son just like what I am to my son." The emperor advised before looking back to Prince Seokjin who's now proudly smiling and feeling thankful at him while Lady Hellina on the other hand secretly sending her son thousands of dagger with her eyes, but Jimin only look at her blankly.

With a force smile, "Yes, your majesty." Lady Hellina doesn't have a choice but to agree with the emperor's suggestion. A kind of suggestion that eats all the words in her mind, she admit she was taken aback by the emperor's interruption. If only her brother was not here, she would probably beat her son. She knows he did it on purpose to annoy her.

"Miss Han is now here, your majesty!" the butler's announcement from the other side of the door cuts off the tension between Jimin and his mother and catches all their attention.

"Let her in!" the emperor orders and soon the door opens, revealing a young lady that holds the innocent yet powerful beauty wearing a simple knee-length white dress with little purple daisies printed at the end. Your natural wavy brown loose-braided hair was beautifully resting at your left shoulder, exposing the side of the neck and collarbone on the right side. The silver necklace with the purple heart pendant and the bracelet which Jin gave to you matches with the silver hairpin with a little purple lotus flower at the middle adds more beauty to you.

Simple yet beautiful.

Fixing your posture, you walk confidently with a genuine smile on your face that could never be compared to anyone especially Lady Hellina's fake one. Your presence brought a smile their faces except the wicked witch who's glaring at your way that the three failed to notice.

"You call for me, your majesty?" you softly asks after you stop from walking and stand one meter away from the table giving a 90° bow to everyone as a respect before your eyes goes to them. Seeing the amused smile on the emperor's face, you smile back.

"First of all, you look beautiful tonight, my child." the emperor compliments and your cheeks turns into rosy ones as you shyly muttered 'Thank you, your majesty' causing the emperor to chuckle at your cuteness. "and yes I called you to join us for the special dinner." he confirmed.

"If it makes you happy your majesty then I'm glad to join."

"It will. You may take your seat beside this young handsome man here." the emperor playfully wiggles his eyebrows as he pointed to the vacant chair next to no other than his son, the love of your life, Prince Seokjin.

"Your majesty..." you can't help yourself not to chuckle at the emperor's playful behavior towards you and Jin. Obeying the emperor, you took the seat next to Jin. Soon, you felt a warm hand holds yours that was nervously resting on your lap. Seokjin's hand.

You finally look at him who always look at you with full of adoration and love. There's a short pause when Mr Chung came to the emperor and whispered something to him that gets the attention of Lady Hellina and Jimin. Jin took that moment to lean closer and whisper something in your ear that made you instantly blush two times redder.

"You look gorgeous, my princess. But should I blame you for stealing my heart? because I can't take my eyes off of you." he softly whispered and you smirked a little as you look at him straight in the eyes. Where did you get your confidence though? Well, all thanks to your Halmoni who convinced you after Sunny to get yourself prepared knowing how much the emperor enjoys your presence. With the final touch for your natural make-up and dress, she gave you a beautiful ring that has a two little purple heart gems inside the circles of the infinity loop sign. She told you that it will give you strength and confidence if you'll wear it, so you did. Surprisingly, it works.

"I'm just playing fair, your highness. You stole mind too." you whispered back and not even three seconds you two burst out into a silent laugh at your words, finding it cheesy.

"Okay, where were we?" the emperor asks turning back his attention after Mr Chung left. "Ah, right. About the handsomeness. It's true. My son is really handsome...just like me." He continues to joke causing you more to chuckle "I like your formality my child but I prefer the normal one. I love to hear you more calling me 'Appa' than 'Your Majesty'." he added acting freely like an ordinary person and Lady Hellina was shocked mixed with anger seeing how you're not just close to her son and Prince Seokjin but also to the emperor.

"Okay...Appa." you nodded respectively and the emperor sigh, smiling in contentment.

"That's my child." he gives you a thumb's up before the wicked woman herself starts to croak--I mean speak, interrupting your sweet father and daughter be like moments with the kind emperor.

"Seeing the emperor this happy with Y/n is so pleasant to my eyes. You really are an angel who had fallen from the sky and fortunately...the Royal Kim Family's so lucky to found you. I'm so happy." Words that really sounds great to hear. Well, for the other people who doesn't know the real meaning behind it. But for you, it's like giving you a poison poured into the delicate and innocent flower that reminds you of some Disney movies you had watched back then when you're just kid, where a witch or an evil queen gives a cursed gift to an innocent princess.

Snow White is one of the example you could think.

Those words. How ironic.

You admit, hearing those words hurts you directly in the heart.

A fallen angel from the sky.

A complimenting words for the others but an insulting words for you.

You are a woman from the poorest as mud family who dares to enter to the life of the royal family who's rank is highest as the heaven. A gold digger for short. That's what the real message behind those words.

You're used to it, right? you're used to this. Being bullied and hated by almost everyone at your school, those insulting words are just a bite of a single ant to you. The only difference of those from the indirect insult you had received tonight, was came from one of the members of the highest class family and what's worst is you received that in front of the emperor and Jin who you believe who doesn't know the real 'Lady Hellina', except the one beside her who's also suffering like you, Prince Jimin.

But you have been through so many hardships, you have come so far, and those hardships made you stronger now than who you are before. Yes, you came from the lowest rank of a family but you're not an ambitious gold digger who dares to enter into the life of the royal family. You didn't dream of it, you never expect it to happen but fate made it. God knows how much you don't want to involve yourself to them, god knows how much you don't want to worry them. But fate is fate, it was written on the palm of your hands to meet Jin which you could never change because love made it even more stronger.

You don't have any bad intention towards the royal family, you just love them and they love you too. They saved not just your life but also your halmoni's and that reason is enough for you to stay with them, to do the things to the best that you can just to repay their kindness. Of course without them knowing.

Composing yourself, you flashed her with your most brightest smile that you know it will annoy her more, "It's a pleasure to hear that from you, Lady Hellina. Being here at the palace with the kindest and loving family is the best thing that happened to me. God knows how much i'm thankful. And I promise, that I'll do everything and make sure that me being here is not a disappointment." you replied with utmost calmness and confident earning a proud smile from the emperor and Jin. But the most proudest one is Jimin's. He's glad to see that you're not letting his mother ruin your guard down.

Lady Hellina's face drops at your words as she was taken aback at your fighting spirit. Her nails digging deep into her palm as she angrily fist her hand that is resting on her lap under the table. She's not an easy one. She thought.

"How about we make it Official then?" your body and Jin's stiffs in surprise at the emperor's words while Lady Hellina's head snapped towards her brother, wide eyes filled with disbelief and terrified but she quickly blink it away before someone could notice how her eyes screams objection. Jimin on the other hand is half feeling worried and happy for the both of you. Knowing that his mother would do everything just to not let it happen.

"Your Majesty, are you s-serious about this?" She couldn't help not to stammer at her words as she asks and the emperor confirms it with a nod that made her gulp down the sudden lump forming in her throat. I should do something. she thought, starting to think about an evil plan.

It's too soon. you thought but then you remember the serious talk you had with the emperor. You made a promise that you'll do everything for the emperor and you really mean it. Relaxing yourself, you turn your head towards Jin, noticing he was surprised too at the sudden proposal of his father. It's not that he doesn't want to get engaged with you, he just think that it's too early for the both of you and maybe you're not ready for that stage of relationship with him. But those thoughts and worries quickly fade away when he felt your hand gives a soft squeeze on his own in a comforting manner. He looks at you, searching if there's a hint of uneasiness on your face but found nothing but an assuring smile instead. Your eyes tell him that you're okay with the sudden proposal for engagement.

a frown of concern decorates his face and this was failed to be noticed by the emperor as he's now busy talking with Lady Hellina. "Are you sure?" he muttered enough for the two of you to hear his voice, wanting to make sure that if you're find with it or not and you give him an assuring nod that made his frown turn into a glad smile as he mouthed 'I love you' to you.

"I love you too." you whispered audible enough for him to hear it.

As the conversation of you and the emperor starts to flow with her son and prince Seokjin joining in, the anger inside her were boiling deep down to the core. This wasn't what she plan. It wasn't what she expect to happen.

She's really stepping on my way. I need to dismiss here as soon as possible.

She thought but then her heart fell down suddenly at the sight of the familiar ring on your finger.

And the only thing that she could think right now is...

Where did she get that?!

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A/n: Hi!😅 Yeah...so there we have a new chapter for Autumn. I hope you like it. I know, I know that it took me almost forever to update this book and i'm so sorry about that, i'm so sorry for making you all wait for so long.🙏 It's not that i'm getting bored with this book, I just don't have an enough time to finish writing a chapter in one day because of my time for my study especially on my research works. College life let's say. Yeah, the struggle is real when you're in a college life.

But that won't stop me from updating this book. I hope you guys understand your author-nim's life here..huhu T_T

Kindly give a vote or comment for this chapter so that I'll know your thoughts about it. I really love to read your comments, it motivates me more to write, honestly. 😊

Take care and god bless.

Keep safe, everyone.

Borahae~ 💜