The Choi family was stunned when they heard of the news of the disappearing Sooyeon. General Choi, however, was pleased with the news, because it simply meant no marriage between the Choi and the Jung. Yet his delightful mood did not last long, for the King’s servant came to their residence with another sacred degree.

“Now I have to marry the younger one in the Jung family?” Minho scratched his head in frustration. What is he? A puppet that could be ordered around to marry anyone the King wishes for? He thought to himself. Then again, he knew that he did not have to right to choose, the right to reject. He could only abide to and go along.

Meanwhile, Soojung was entirely freaked out by the change in plans. “Waeyo?” She protested, to no avail, of course.

“My darling Soojung, it’s the sacred degree. There is no way that we could defy it.” Her omma Princess Taesun explained.

“But omma, you’re the Princess. Can’t you do something about it?” The first time Soojung wanted to make use of their royalty identity.

“Soojung, omma is already married. The reign lies with King Taein.” Princess Taesun explained further. Soojung knew that nothing could help her. She couldn’t run away either, as much as she wanted. She did not have a guy, like her unnie, to help her flee; neither did she have a sibling to entrust her parents to. Her only choice was to resign to fate. She sighed.

Meanwhile, Jinki became kind of restless after hearing about Sooyeon’s disappearance. The blond girl with the icy cold attitude came into his mind. He didn’t like that feeling of not knowing where she was, although he would admit that they weren’t really close friends to begin with. However, he always had images of them together, especially when he becomes the King. She would be the one by his side, his one and only Queen. He didn’t know when did such affection turned into a yearning, to the extent that he was pretty much willing to do anything to get her. That was also the main reason why he wanted the throne as well. It wasn’t hugely for his appa, it was for himself.

As the time ticked closer to his and Jinri’s wedding, Jinki felt even more uncomfortable. Here he is, unaware of Sooyeon’s whereabouts, and at the other side he’s getting wed to some unknown girl, though he know she was the daughter of General Choi, he still didn’t know her personally. Whereas for Jinri, it was mentioned earlier that she was pleased with Jinki. He had the charms that she saw and liked and thus she was pretty much looking forward to the day of marriage, which finally came, only to traumatize her…

Jinki stared at his male hanbok, slightly unwilling to put on it. His mind and heart had always been inclined towards Sooyeon, especially today. Then he thought about the benefits of marrying Jinri. He took in a deep breath and proceeded to change into his hanbok, only with a gloomy face. Just then Taemin entered the room hurriedly. He swiftly closed and locked the door behind him.

“Taemin? Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry Hyung, but I cannot let this happen.” Taemin replied.

…

He got out of the room. The guard nodded when he saw him and blew off the candle in his lamp. The other guards then followed so. So it was a state of darkness in the Lee residence.

“What happened? Fetch Jinki here now!” Lee Teuk exclaimed in fear, believing that this was one of the King’s conspiracy to kidnap Jinki in the darkness. Just then the figure appeared in the common hall. Lee Teuk heaved a sigh of relief seeing him in his hanbok.

“Thank god Jinki you’re here. But it’s such darkness how do we proceed with the ceremony?” Lee Teuk thought to himself.

“It’s okay. It’s better off than missing the auspicious time.” Princess Kim Taeyeon replied.

And so, the ceremony proceeded, while the guards scrambled to find the matchsticks to light up the area. When the ceremony finally ended, the lights were back again.

“Taemin? Why are you wearing the hanbok?” Lee Teuk exclaimed in shock as he saw the man in hanbok look up at him.

“What do you mean?” Jinki stared at Taemin.

“I cannot let you marry the girl.” Taemin replied simply. Within seconds Jinki was already subdued by him.

“How did you?” Jinki was amazed at Taemin’s swift hand movements that caused his hands to be tied to his back.

“There’s a lot more that you don’t know about me, hyung.” Taemin curtly replied with an unobvious smile. Jinki was stunned. “Just like how I don’t know about you.” Taemin continued his words. He then put on the hanbok that Jinki was staring at moments ago. He had already instructed the guards to blow out the candle when he sees him, and that the other guards could follow suit.

Let’s hope nothing goes wrong today. He thought to himself and left Jinki’s room, leaving a Jinki still tied to the chair in his room.

Taemin smiled. “Appa, I’m sorry to ruin your plan.”

Jinri at the other side finally turned up to look at her “husband”. This is definitely a new face. He wasn’t the man that she saw that time. What…just happened? She thought to herself.

“Who are you?” Jinri demanded in a harsh tone.

“Lee Taemin. And I am your husband.” He replied with a slight smirk.

Lee Taemin? The man who is filthily loyal to the King? Does that mean that there is no point marrying him? Many questions came into Jinri’s head. She didn’t know how things ended up in this state, but one thing she knows is that her plan has definitely gone haywire.

“Taemin! You get back to your room now!” Lee Teuk screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Appa, you want me to proceed with the wedding night so soon?” Taemin replied.

“You!!!” Lee Teuk collapsed onto the couch with a painful chest. Taemin then took the hands of Jinri and led her back to his room. Jinri was too shocked with the happenings that she could only follow him.

“Why did you do this?” Jinri shouted at him when they were back at Taemin’s room.

“Simple. I know about the plan, and I have no intent to do nothing about it.” Taemin replied.

“Okay I’ll be direct as well. I want to be the Queen.” Jinri confessed.

“And I have no plans on helping you with it.” Taemin interrupted.

“You!” Jinri pointed her finger at him.

“And since you’re my wife, you should follow my lead.” Taemin folded his hands.

“Over my dead body!” Jinri rebutted and looked away.

Taemin took in a deep breath. “I don’t mind leaving you a dead body.” He stared at her with fiery eyes.

That moment Jinri knew what ‘fear’ was. He didn’t sound like he was joking or something.

“F…Fine!” Jinri shouted at him. If she couldn’t do it in the open, she would do it in the dark. Nothing can stop me from being the Queen. She concluded.

“That’s my good wife.” Taemin smirked. “And if I find you vying against me even in the dark…” Jinri waited for his next sentence. “I will make sure your life is a misery.” If his previous warning didn’t sound like a joke, then this one is definitely serious.

Jinri swallowed her saliva. This guy can get pretty scary when he gets all serious.

“Okay! So can you leave the room now? I need to sleep.” Jinri commanded, trying to pretend that she was calm and everything.

“This is my room. On what basis should I leave?” Taemin replied, inching closer to the bed that Jinri was seated at.

“Based on the fact that I’m sleeping here.” Jinri replied in an annoyed tone.

“That there’s no problem. We’re husband and wife, remember?” Taemin replied, inching closer to her.

“What…what do you want to do?” Fear struck in Jinri as she saw the figure getting closer to her, and he seemed like he had no intention of leaving the bed.

“What do you think I want to do?” he whispered into her ears. Then he got off the bed with another smirk. He was putting the bed sheets on the ground at the other end of the room.

“Yahhh! Lee…!!!” Jinri wanted to scream at him, but she still hasn’t remembered his name.

“I’m Lee Taemin!” Taemin screamed back from the other end of the room. He was pissed off. How could his own wife not know his name?

“I don’t care who you are!” Jinri shouted back. She then fell back onto the bed with a loud ‘thud’ expressing her annoyance at all the happenings today.

First I married a different guy. Now this guy is nothing but irritating. And I don’t even know how to carry on with the plan. Jinri thought to herself. DAMN IT!

Taemin lay on the ground laid with bed sheets, a mixture of feelings engulfing him as he stared at the bed and the person lying on top of it.

The night ended.

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Thanks for all the subscribing and comments! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter

Finally the beginning of Taelli interactions that seemed rather...bicker-ish...

@ewongyanie: thanks for telling that you're liking the story. the encouragement is definitely warming, and it gave me greater confidence :)