Y/N POV

...

Three days.

It's been three days since we had an argument. He didn't give me a chance to speak after telling the truth about his father's Condition. He ran out of the room that day. He left me alone crying so hard that I couldn't move, can't make even a single step. I really broke down. I wanted to go after him but the argument made my knees weak.

Three days, I keep on going back to his room with tray of foods. He locked himself up. He never open up his door nor respond me and I was so worried about him. Damn, I don't know what's he doing inside. How was he? I tried to call his phone but he wasn't answering and here I am, crying all over again with that thought repeating in my head. I really hate myself right now. God knows how I badly wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to, but the emperor asked me to keep it. What can I do?

"Jin?" I almost didn't recognize my voice when I call him. I sound so wary and hesitant. Well, I should be. After what I've done to him.

"His highness just left this morning." One of the maids tell me.

Left to where?

"Where did he go?" I asked and she just gave me a clueless face.

"I'm sorry." She apologized and I tell her that it's fine before she goes back to her work, leaving me wondering Jin's whereabouts. This is the first time he didn't inform me about it and it just proved how much I disappoint him. Anxiety rises in me again and I want cry my eyes out.

No...please.

But I still fail. The tears already running down again.

Shit.

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Author's POV:

It was past midnight and still no sight of him. The amount of sleepiness you have in you was almost unmanageable and waiting outside the main door doesn't help either. Your head keep falling from the palm of your hand as you prop them up. When you heard the familiar sound of the car and got the headlight of it flashing in your eyes, you immediately stand up with one name in your head.

JIN!

It was him!

You ran towards the black van as soon as Mr Choi parks it in front of the palace. "Jin?" The door opens and it surprise you when the sight of a drunk prince appears the moment Mr Choi help him out. "JIN!" You hurry to his side, helping him up.

And when you get inside the palace reaching the hallway, "Jin, what happened--" He suddenly get off from you in a messy way. Your mouth fell ajar from his refusal.

"Leave me alone..." He slurred, tone sound cold.

You shake your head, reaching out for his arm again. Ignoring the fact that he just coldly dismissed you. "Jin, I can't leave you like this. You need me--" then he fucking push your arms away with an enough force that made you lose your balance, falling down to the floor and you winched as you got your elbow bumped.

"Aw..." You silently cry, holding where it aches. You're sure you felt something cracked a bit on your elbow.

"I don't want your help!" He yells, not even sparing you a glance. The tone of his voice tells he's totally wasted. Mr Choi looked around the hallway in hope to see some maid to help you up but none was there. He wanted to help you but he's holding up the drunk prince.

Jin groans as he felt the headache growing in his head. He touched his head as he close his eyes. "Ah, damn." He muttered before forcing his eyes open when he heard your quiet sob. His head then jerk towards your direction.

There you are, crying in pain on the floor while holding your elbow. His eyes widens in terror upon seeing your state. Fuck, what did he do?

His drunk self rushes to your side, "Y/N, I..." He reach out his hand to you but before he could touch you, you hung your head down, moving away from him as if he will harm you in any moment. He paused, frowning. You can't even look at him. You feel so stupid and useless. You heard him. He doesn't need your help. Yes, you made a mistake. But do you deserve to be treated like this? "Y/N, I'm--" he didn't manage to finish his word as you stood up, distancing yourself.

"I'm sorry, your highness. I'll go now." You manage to keep a straight voice and before he could speak again, you turned around ran away.

"Y/N!" The prince called but you keep running away to the other side of the palace.

*Bumped*

"Y/N?" You bumped into Captain Namjoon while you're on your way and he catches you right away. "Are you alright?" His face alerts the moment he saw you crying.

You broke down in his arms."He doesn't need me anymore." You cried out and he frowns, hugging you right away.

There's no need to question who is 'He'. He knows who you are referring to. The prince. And damn he hurt his sister like this.

He wraps his arms comfortingly at you."No, no, no. He doesn't mean that. He's drunk. He doesn't know what he's saying." What the hell is he saying? That jerk made her cry and he's defending him? Well, cursing out the prince won't help at your emotional state right now.

"Can you..." You gently pull away, eyes pleading. "Can you take me out of here?" It almost took him a moment processing your request in his head. What you mean out of here? You're not going to leave the prince, aren't you? Maybe he just overthink a bit.

"Where to?" He asks, handing you a clean handkerchief that he get inside his pocket. You accept it.

"Just take me out of here please. Anywhere." You don't know where. You just want to distant yourself from the palace for today. Jin barely gets out of his room probably because of you.

You feel like you being in the palace took away his freedom to step outside of his room, so you decided. Maybe removing your presence here for a day will help him breathe.

"Alright, but you know we have to tell this to the prince." He's right about that. Jin strictly ordered his men to report everything that you're envolved in order to protect you. But does it matter now?

"No need. He doesn't care anymore. Just take me out of this place. I need to breathe." You need too. People here might see you living fine in the palace, but they don't know the hidden discomfort you feel everytime you meet Lady Hellina on your way.

"But Y/N--"

"Captain Kim." You plead, hoping he will agree. Namjoon contemplate whether to agree or not. But when it comes to you, he finds it difficult to refuse.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." He exhaled deeply, running his hand on his hair. He shake his head. The prince gonna cut his head for this. But he sees you smiling a bit. "Let's go." Whatever, his sister matters the most anyway. Fuck him.

"I want to see the kids." You tell him, referring to the kids at the orphanage and he nods at you.

You follow him outside, and get into his car. You heard the guards and other staff whispering as they see you.

"Are they going out just the two of them?"

"Not with the prince?"

"Does he know about it?"

"Of course he is. His highness strictly ordered to let him know everything she does."

The voices shut together with the door of Namjoon's car. You didn't make it a big deal, you know they're just curious. You don't want to get it inside your head. You already have a problem and you don't want to add it on the list.

"Eonnie!"

Yumi was the first one who saw you the as soon as you arrived at the place. She was there playing with the other kids the same as her age.

"Eonnie!" they screamed, running towards you and your face lit up once your eyes landed on them. The heavy feeling in your heart lessens as you look at their bright smiles. These children are one of your happy pill. You gave them one by one a tight hug. Their little hands wrapped around your legs and you giggle.

"Where's Dino?" you asks, noticing he's not around and Yumi tug you on your sleeve and you follow her. She takes you inside the church, going upstairs and you chuckle. She was babbling things about her playmates always teasing her while heading towards a small room and you assumed it could be Dino's room.

She opens it without paying a knock on the door.

"Dino! Y/N Eonnie is here!" her voice booms as soon as she gets inside with you.

And there he is, sitting at the carpeted floor with toys scattered around together with his drawings.

"Noona!" He exclaimed in pure happiness as soon as your eyes met and you raised your arms to the side waiting for him to run to you and he did. His little feet paddling all the way to you.

He literally jumped on you and you catched him. "Hey, How's my little Dino?!" You cooed pinching his soft and chubby cheek. His eyes turning into crescent shape as he laugh, hugging you again. He's such a sweet angel.

"I missed you, Noona." He mumble against your leg and you looked at him in awe.

"Aww. Did you keep the leaves?" You cooed, adoring the doe eyes set on you.

"Uncle Jackson kept it for me." He tells you while doing a little jump and you paused for a moment as you heard the name mentioned. Jackson? You frown a little and before you could ask him the bathroom door attached in the room clicks open. "There he is!" He points at its direction and your gaze follows. There you saw, a familiar man whom you have never seen ever since the last time you saw him.

He was wearing only a white towel wrapped well on his lower body. The droplets of water from his hair obviously tells that the half-naked man in front of you just finished his shower. He was rubbing his head dry with a small towel. His muscles flex in every movement he makes with the little black rose tattoo on his left chest. The droplets of excess water on his hair runs down from his chest down to his chiseled abs before to his V-Line. You almost didn't recognize him because of his new hair color. It was dark brown now.

Hearing Dino's voice, his eyes landed on the little boy before it goes to you.

"Dino--" he paused, both of you has the same reaction. Eyes wide in disbelief and mouth slight agape.

Did Dino just pointed him as his uncle? She thought.

What is she doing here? He thought.

And the bitter past between the two of you flashes in your head. You're both done and then fate decided to let you two meet again? His eyes never leave yours. When realization finally hits that the fact that you just stare at a half-naked man for too long as you thought and the dying awkward silence made you look away anywhere but him with your cheeks red in embarrassment.

He doesn't seem to mind getting seen in that state. He's a guy anyway.

Dino being oblivious, his giggle interrupts the moment as he goes to his uncle's side, grabbing his big veiny hands as he tugs him towards you. "This is my uncle, Jackson. Uncle, this is Y/N noona. She's pretty, right?" Your cheeks redden more at the fact that Dino have just proudly introduced you to him.

What should you do? The situation is getting more awkward with the two of you still not having a single word out.

"Uh...Hi." you awkwardly started, clearing a throat before putting into your best act, smiling at him as you extend your hand for handshake. His eyes momentarily look down on your hand before it goes up to you. It's pretty obvious you don't want the kid to know that you both knew each other.

He gets it. You don't want to open up your past chapters again. So getting into an act, he accepts, grabbing your hand and the odd feeling of it made you gulp.

"Hello." He simply greets you and you are surprised at how kind he looks like as he give you warm smile instead of a sinister one that you get used to everytime he bullies you. This one seem like a different day person especially with his dark brown hair down. He kinda look at bit innocent in those.

"Uncle is handsome, right?" Both of your attention goes to Dino whose beaming up at the two of you and you both give a glance before pulling your hands away.

"Dino." You heard Jackson quitely scold his nephew but the kid just giggle. He then looks at you. "I'm sorry for that." Even the way he talk sound different too. He sound sincere.

"It's alright." You shrug, gaze shifting to the mischievous little boy in between you. "So, Dino is your nephew?"

"His mother's my sister." He shortly explained.

"I..." you paused, nibbling on you bottom lip as you contemplate of something. He was patiently for your next word but your tongue still won't work. What will you say? You feel like this is getting more awkward. Why the hell you just pretend you don't know him? "Can we talk."

That's it. You can't stand pretending. Those words made him looked at you in serious.

You both know you can't just do it like this. There is still one thing you both have to fix properly.

"Dino, you play with Sammy here, okay? Me and Y/N have something to talk about." He tells him, and Dino nodded.

"Yes, uncle!"

"Good boy." He smile, ruffling his hair and the little kid giggles.

You went out first, of course giving him the time to dress himself up.
You wait for him at the back of the church. You patiently wait there, telling Namjoon to give yourself a moment alone he allows you after checking the surrounding.

While waiting for him, you busy yourself by looking at the river near the place. Few minutes, you then hear quite footsteps behind you. You didn't turn around as you already know who it was.

"I'm sorry."

Hearing that from him personally made you sigh and turn around with your hands tucked inside you jacket's pocket.

Your eyes simply observe him. Unlike those days you seen him outside the school always wearing a sleeveless shirt and a ripped jeans with his blonde hair gelled back, he's now wearing a different style of outfit. He is wearing a loose white long button up long sleeves that's rolled up to his elbow, a way that flexes his manly veiny arms. His shirt was tucked under his denim pants. His white sneaker matches his style and with those dark hair flows smoothly down to his eyebrow level, no one can't lie the fact that this guy glow-up is something on another level.

Funny as it may sound to you but he seem like a heartrob who came out straight from a manga.

"What happens back then was long over. I already forgive you." You tell him. It's true. You already forgive this man in front of you and you could see how relief appears on his face hearing that come from you. "Namjoon have told me everything." His feature softens. That day he disappear, Namjoon told you everything about what he did against his members. He betrayed them in order to help you out. You're glad he finally decided to change his life. "Good for you." You gave him a small smile which he immediately return back and you notice the sincerity in his eyes.

"Thanks." He admit, he's amused at how you gave forgive him. "I'm trying to start a new life, with my nephew. I didn't expect I would see you again, honestly." He explained, he doesn't want you to think that he might be still stalking you or something.

He didn't lie when he said he's starting a new life with Dino. The kid was the only one that's left for him. His family was long gone and having Dino with him after the incident gave him a lot of motivation to change his life. The amount of love the kid has for him was incomparable.

"Me either." You tell him, there was a brief moment of awkwardness again when you two share a look. "Listen, I don't want us getting awkward like this..." You shake your head, mind still processing what you going to say. You don't need to tell him though. He already know it.

"This is my fault." He admit. If he didn't chose to bully you from the start it will never end up like this.

You just quitely laugh it out, turning around as you rub your palms on your face. What to do? "I think, we can start over." You turn to him again and he innocently raised an eyebrow, you almost question life how is it possible a guy whose a bad boy before to look so innocent like this? "Um, Friends?" You hesitantly extend a hand and you see the corner of his lips slowly curving up into a smile.

He took a step forward, eyes still settled on yours.

"Friends." He nods, shaking your hand and once again, you two share a look again.

"I have to go now." You mutter and he nods as he let your hand go. Distancing himself enough from you.

"Sure."

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"You sure about your decision?" Namjoon asked as he park his car in front of the main door. You looked at him, you're sure about it. You know he was referring to Jackson. This is one thing you kinda hard to accept in you. Your too kind give those people who harmed you a chance once you feel there sincerity towards you.

God forgives, so why can't I?

That was the best quote for you.

"Yes." You replied and Namjoon could only nod at you. It was your decision and he knows he cannot change that.
You didn't forget to thank him and bid goodbye before walking inside the palace, straight away to your room. Weird thing you notice there's no maid or royal guards roaming around. But you didn't mind that.

Twisting the doorknob open, you get inside and click the light open. But the moment you did that, you're startled by the familiar figure sitting on the edge of your bed.

"Jin?" You exhaled out, taking a deep breathe as you pressed a hand on your heart. Damn, you felt your heart just did a flipback. You weren't expecting him to be here at this hour. Well, what time is it though? You thought glancing at the clock on your nightstand that shows the time.

10:20 PM

Well, it's pretty bit late.

You didn't went straight home after at the orphanage. You decided to spend your time more out with Namjoon. You two eat at a small restaurant and bought some gifts to the children. You didn't realized the time you consumed.

"Where have you been?"

Your dead. Your conscience says. His face is stoic and the tone of his voice clearly tells that he's pissed off. You notice the bottle of champagne on his left hand that was almost empty.

"The orphanage, your highness." You tell him, calming yourself down as you regain your posture and you see how his eyebrow raised up in annoyance. Maybe at the fact that you speak formally to him and calling him 'Your Highness'.

"Without informing me." He points out and you gulp down your nervous.

"I'm sor--"

"So this is how it is?"

You can't help not to frown at the fact he just dared to cut you off.

But who are you to even feel offended? You're just a commoner and he's a prince.

Besides, it's your fault anyway. You didn't told him about you going out.

But he's drunk and he still don't want to see you. Until now he's still drunk.

But still...

"What?"

"You'll just gonna go on your own without my permission." He stands up, taking steps towards you without tearing his cold gaze away from you.

"You were out." You mutter, stepping back as he's getting near to you until you felt the door against your back. He only halt his step when your feet touched, his face near to yours that you could feel his breathe fanning your face and you could smell the champagne in his breathe.

"Does phone doesn't exist anymore?" He hums, eyes boring into your soul and you almost startled when you felt his hand gently caressing your cheek with the back of his hand. Why do he look so dangerous right now? You thought. You never see this side of him.

Focus, Y/N.

"You won't answer me, your highness." You replied, gulping again. You maintain your calm as you speak. You don't want to pissed him off more. You've done enough mistake.

"You sound so confident with that." He chuckles bitterly, taking few step back as he raised the bottle to his lips and you frown in concern.

"Please, stop drinking--"

"Don't tell me what to do!" You didn't even finish your sentence as he suddenly yell at you and you admit that scares the hell out of you. But that's not going to stop you from stopping him. He had too much alcohol and you are concern about his health.

"Jin, I'm serious. Stop it. This is not right." You tried to reach the bottle but he moves it away from you.

"And what is right? Seeing your ex-bully?" He spit out, eyes glaring at you and you became speechless at that. How? How did he know? Did he ordered his men to follow you? Yes, you did but it's not what he thinks. Did he just thought that you're cheating him?

"What?" Your voice barely came out. You're hurt. You feel like you can break in any second in front of him. How could he say this things to you?

"You think I wouldn't know, don't you?"

You shake your head, you must let him know that it's not what he think it looks like. "Your highness, it's not what you thinking--"

"Then what?" He dared to cut you off again and it takes everything for you not to burst out your tears.

"We didn't plan to see each other. It just happened that he's Dino's uncle and he was there with him. It's just coincidence, I promise." You explained with your shaky voice and he went silent with that. You don't know what he have in his mind right now and since he didn't speak after that you continue explaining on. "Your highness, it's not what thi--" he shut you off by pressing his finger on lips.

"Stop calling me your highness." He warns you and you stare at him. Your eyes held many emotions and it obviously shows that you're hurt but you're just holding it. He couldn't help but frown at that. You looked away when you felt your tears slowly building up.

Shit. You're so weak.

"I'm sorry." You whispered. Head hanging down. "I'm so sorry." You shut your eyes tight, biting your lower lip in hope to stop your tears.

Seeing you like this breaks him too. It will be a lie if he say it doesn't hurt him too ignoring you and seeing you hurt like this.

Those days he ignored you was a torture to him. He hates himself for being such a jerk especially what he have done earlier to you. Is your arm alright? Does it still hurt? Damn. Yes, he's mad. He couldn't accept the fact you hid those secret from him. But he still loves you. His feelings for you never change a bit.

"Look at me."

And when you did, he dives in for a kiss. Capturing your lips with his as he kisses you deeply and needly.