Jisoo asked Jennie to leave her alone in her dressing room while waiting for Seulgi to bring her shoes.

She was staring blankly at the mirror, looking at her own reflection.

She was dressed prettily for the dinner with the Prime Minister and was also wearing some makeup.

“Everyone says I look quite pretty.. but why doesn’t he find me even a little attractive?” Jisoo was saying to herself.

Why is it that no matter what she does, she feels like it doesn’t have any effect on him?

“Who cares about him now? I’ve already given up anyway..”

That’s right. She has decided to forget him. She will forget that guy who always hurts her!

But it’s hard knowing he’s just nearby.. she sometimes wants to see him and she could barely hold herself back to peek at him.

She needed a strategy and so she came up with the talk about marriage. She thought she needed distraction.

She has to get distracted otherwise she’ll keep looking at him and get hurt again.

She was about to apply some lipstick when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in unnie..” 

She thought it was Seulgi whom she sent to get her shoes on the opposite part of the palace.

“Thanks for bringing me my-..”

Then she saw Taehyung from the reflection in the mirror.

He was holding the shoebox.

She put the lipstick back on its place and turned around to face him.

“What are you doing here?” asked Jisoo. “I never asked you to come here..”

Taehyung cleared his throat.

“I brought you this..” he said as he tried to look at her eyes.

Jisoo still looked mad. He isn’t used to this Jisoo. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him straight.

“Thank you..” said Jisoo. “You may go now..”

She sat down again and took two calming breaths.

She was waiting for him to go out but he didn’t.

She was going to get up when Taehyung took courage to ask her..

“Can we talk?”

Jisoo looked at him through the mirror.

“Do you any business with the Princess?” she asked coldly. “If you don’t then-..”

“I don’t have any business with the Princess but I do have something I want to talk about with Kim Jisoo..” he said.

Jisoo took another deep breath before standing up again to face him.

“What? What do you want?” asked Jisoo raising her eyebrows and lifting her chin.

She doesn’t want to seem easy in front of him anymore. She can’t stand to make a fool out of herself anymore.

Taehyung took some steps towards her closing the gap between them.

He’s now standing right before her but why can’t he find words to speak with her?

“See? You aren’t saying anything..” said Jisoo scoffing. “Let’s not waste each other’s time and-..”

“What do you want me to do?” asked Taehyung in a serious tone. “How can I prove myself to you?”

Jisoo looked perplexed. What is he saying all of a sudden?

“Why do you think I came here to work?” he asked her.

Jisoo has never thought about it either. That’s right.. what’s the reason he’s working there?

“How would I know that?” she replied clueless.

Taehyung held her by her wrist.

“Don’t touch me..” she said in a firm voice as she pulled herself from him but Taehyung didn’t let her go. “I’ll scream if you keep holding my arm..”

Taehyung released the grip on her arm right away.

He can’t even do anything to her. He can’t say anything. He can’t touch her. He can’t do what he wants to do with her.

“If you’re here to say sorry again.. you can leave now..” said Jisoo. “I’m not mad anymore.. that will be the last time you’ll see me getting mad at you..”

Taehyung was just looking at her.

“I will get married soon..” she continued. “I will forget you..”

No.. he can’t let that happen.. he hasn’t even told her yet about his feelings.

He will not lose her like this.. he needs to tell her first what he truly feels about her..

“I’m sure I’ll learn to love Jinyoung in short time because he’s goodlooking, he’s kind and nice to me and he is intelligent and treats me well..”

In order for Taehyung to confess to her, he needs to forget about her being a princess.

He must think of her as Jisoo, as a woman..

“Jinyoung is a nice catch..” she was continuing on talking about him.

And so he decided to break his promise with Jinyoung and give himself a chance instead before it’s too late..

“Jinyoung doesn’t get mad at me and never makes me mad so-..”

Taehyung put a hand around her waist and pulled her close to him before crashing his lips with hers.

As soon as Jisoo felt his lips on hers, she pulled away immediately.

“What are you doing?” she asked flustered.

Her cheeks have turned more red than ever and she could feel her heart accelerating twice.

She covered with a hand while the other one tried pushing him away a little but Taehyung didn’t budge.

“What do you think I’m doing?” asked Taehyung gazing at her seriously.

Jisoo gulped.

“You just kissed me..”

Taehyung smirked.

“Why do you think I kissed you?” he asked anticipating her answer.

Jisoo’s eyebrows closed in. Confusion was in her eyes.

“Were you.. perhaps.. a playboy?” she asked making him utterly bewildered.

“W-what?”

Taehyung couldn’t believe what he just heard from her. She must be really dense!

“Well.. I saw on the internet that men can also kiss women they don’t like..” she said as she bit her lower lip. 

Taehyung let go of her and stood straight.

“Jinyoung told me everything.. that you two were faking a relationship.” he said in a low voice. 

Jisoo looked surprised. She can’t believe Jinyoung told him about it when he was the one who insisted on not telling anyone before.

“Then did you have fun watching me pretend?” asked Jisoo in a sarcastic tone. “I was such a great actress, wasn’t I?”

Taehyung can’t help but feel frustrated by her. He kissed her and she said he was a playboy and now that he said he knew about her fake relationship she’s being sarcastic with him.

Does he really need to spell it out for her so she can understand him?

If that’s the case, then he will..

“I love you..” he said quick and clear. “I’ve started to love you for a while.. I’m in love with you Princess.. I love you Jisoo..”

Jisoo was holding her breath everytime he said he loves her.

She was staring at him and not saying anything. She heard him say it a few times.. it can’t be that she heard him wrong..

“Irene-..?” Jisoo was still confused.

Taehyung shook his head.

“Don’t you still-..?” Jisoo still couldn’t believe it.

Taehyung held both of her hands.

“Why are these pretty hands always cold?” he asked as he looked at them.

Jisoo put her face close to his trying to look at his eyes and see if he is just joking with her.

“You aren’t making fun of me, are you?” she asked seriously.

Taehyung smiled.

“I’m very serious right now..” he said as he let her hands go and lifted her  on the vanity table.

“Will you allow me to prove you that I’m really being serious right now?” asked Taehyung as he put his lips as close as possible to hers but without making them touch.

Jisoo was still feeling perplexed, nervous and excited at the same time.

Her eyes that were staring at his eyes slowly moved and her gaze shifted down to his nose then to his parted lips which seemed ready to touch hers.

Just when she was about to nod her head to give him permission, she heard Jennie shouting from outside the door.

“Princess.. you need to come out in three minutes.. we will be late..”

Taehyung closed his eyes in disappointment. Why does everyone want to disturb them when they are about to be intimate with each other?

He pulled himself from her and sighed.

“You should start getting ready Princess.. I wouldn’t want you to be late..” he said looking down than ever.

But Jisoo pulled his shirt close to her making him lean back on her.

“I still have three minutes left..” she whispered against his lips.

Taehyung burst into a smile.

He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her lightly. And instinctively Jisoo closed her eyes as she pulled him even closer to her.

She could feel her cheeks growing red again but she didn’t care anymore. 

This is the moment she has been waiting for all her life.. to be kissed by that person she loves..

And it is finally happening to her now.. 

His kisses were soft, delicate and tender as if he were afraid to bruise her lips.

He was moving his lips against hers continuously that Jisoo felt like she would melt at any second.

She has never felt so much sparks all over her body. Every little kiss he gave her sent her chills.

She liked it. She liked it even more because it’s him who’s kissing her.

Taehyung pulled away from her gently and watched her open her eyes slowly.

“Now that we’ve kissed.. please stop thinking about me liking anyone else.. it’s only you that I love..” he whispered as he placed his forehead against hers.

Jisoo nodded her head. 

Taehyung put her down this time.

“Make sure to eat well at dinner.. I don’t want to see you lose any weight.. you’re too light to lift..” he said smiling at her.

Jisoo took a step forward and her legs almost gave away.

If they kissed already and he told her not to get jealous of anyone else, does it mean they are dating now?

Should she ask him? Or is it stupid to ask him something like that after a kiss?

Maybe she should figure it out herself.. 

Then she felt his hand on top of her head caressing her hair.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the library.. my princess..” he said before opening the door. “Goodnight..”

———————-

“I haven’t understood yet if they have made up or fought again last night..” said Jennie to Seulgi as they stood in front of Jisoo’s room.

“That’s what I’m saying.. the Princess looked in daze last night during dinner.. she even talked informally with the Prime Minister..” said Seulgi shaking her head. “What if she’s back to her old brat self? How am I going to survive?”

They both took a deep breath before knocking.

“Princess.. may we come inside?” 

But there was