You were too stunned for words. Kai came around to the front of the bench and sat down next to you. Your eyes followed him as he did so and when he went to put his hand around your shoulder, you didn’t make a move to stop him.

“Really, Unnie?” Min Jung asked, seeing Kai’s arm around you. “You look good together, but I like Sehunnie-oppa better.” Kai smiled at Min Jung, not bothered by her favoritism.

“That’s okay,” he told the little girl. “I like little Min Jung, even though she likes my dongsaeng.” The two laughed, while you sat, tense, watching. Your thoughts were screaming at you to do something, anything, but your body wouldn’t move.

“N-Noona?” You looked up to see Ji Hwan standing there, red in the face. “Sorry to interrupt, but um… lunch.” He was growing redder by the second. You nodded dumbly, but made no effort to move. It was Kai who stood first.

“Come on,” he said, holding in his delight at his current effect on you. “Don’t want to keep everyone waiting.” Again, you nodded, and he grabbed your hand and pulled you up. You stumbled and he steadied you, giving you a smile.

You followed Ji Hwan and Kai to the kitchen. The cook, Lim Moo won had already started cooking and it was the aroma of the stew that snapped you out of your stupor. Suddenly, you could feel the warmth of Kai’s hand in yours, and you looked at him, a blush rising to your cheeks. Feeling your eyes on him, he turned to you, smiling.

“Yes, Kaemi-ah?” the sound of your name in his voice sent a chill down your spine.

“Let go of my hand please,” you asked, trying to keep your voice from shaking. “You obviously want to die.” He simply laughed at your threat and gave your hand one last squeeze before letting it go and helping Ji Hwan get bowls from the cupboard.

“That your boyfriend?” Moo Won asked, nodding his head towards Kai. You shook your head vigorously.

“No, he’s just playing around. He’s strange like that,” you said, organizing chopsticks and spoons for everyone. “We’re really not even-”

“Kaemi-ah,” Kai said, coming back into the kitchen. “Should I get the kids?” You glared at him but nodded yes. Soon after you could hear hungry voices gather in the dining room. You came around and dished out stew, and handed out utensils. After everyone else was served, you made yourself a bowl and sat at a table away from everyone else. Kai came a few minutes later and sat across from you. You started to get up, but he grabbed your hand and pulled you back down.

“Don’t leave,” he said, not letting you go. “Eat with me.” You wrenched your hand away from his grip and walked away, tossing a glare back over your shoulder. You weren’t mad, per say, but your feelings were all over the place and you didn’t want to be around him at that moment. Appetite lost, you brought your bowl back to the kitchen and made your way back outside to the bench.

Why had Kai said he was your boyfriend, and did all those things? You knew he liked to make you uncomfortable, but this… And why hadn’t you done anything? Did you actually li-

“Yah! Shin Kaemi!” you froze in you thoughts, and glanced up to see Kai walking towards you. It was obvious that he was angry.

“What do you want?” you spat.

“I asked you to eat with me, and it’s bad enough that you say no. But then I find you out here, and you haven’t even eaten at all! Are you trying to make yourself sick?” He made a grab for your hand, intending to bring you back inside. You avoided him easily and gave him a glare.

“You know, I don’t appreciate your games,” you said. “I know you “like” me and I know you want to make my life a living hell, but you went to far.” Suddenly, you felt really tired. You closed your eyes and rubbed your temples gingerly.

“Look, Kai,” you aid with a sigh. “I just want to get through the rest of the day without arguing with you, or glaring at you, or worrying about when your going to mess with me next. Is that too much of a request?” You opened your eyes to find him with an odd expression. It was a mixture of guilt, anger… and hurt?

“Sure, Kaemi,” he said after a moment. “Let’s go back inside and I’ll stop playing around, okay?” You felt a sense of relief at his hassle free compliance. Standing, you gave him a small smile.

“Okay, good,” you said. “I’ll eat with you, okay?” Kai didn’t say anything, but followed you inside.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

“Noona, can you and Hyung tell us a story?” Woo Hyun asked as you tucked him in for nap time.

“What would you like to hear?” you asked, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room.

“Tell us the one about the King and Queen of Aogenki and how they fell in love!” Min Jung said excitedly. He suggestion seemed to go over well with the other little ones, and you slipped out of the door to go find Kai.

You found him down the hall in the common room. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, helping a little boy with his maths homework. You couldn’t help but notice how naturally the kids seemed to attach to him, and how flawlessly he played and moved among them. It was a side of him you much preferred over his bad boy image.

“Kai,” you called. He looked from the work spread out in front of him and found your gaze. “The little kids want us to tell them a story before the have naptime.” He nodded, gave the boy he was helping a pat on the head, and followed you back to the room. The kids were eagerly awaiting your arrival; some had even gotten their stuffed animals and were cuddle up with them, excited for the story.

“Okay, Kai doesn’t know this story well, so he is just going to be acting it out with me, okay?” Everyone nodded, and you began.

“Once upon a time, in an ancient land known as Aogenki, there was a King, and there was a Queen. The only problem was, the king and the queen didn’t like each other very much…”

“Yah Kae Jong!” The Queen glared at the retreating back of the King, fanning herself in annoyance. “You better et back here, In Jong, or so help me goddess, I will-”

“You will what, my sweetest Min?” The voice was right next to the Queen’s ear and she smacked at the owner.

“It’s unfair that you use your powers, especially when you use them to annoy me!” Queen Min scoffed. “If I didn’t know that I would burn this place down, I would have scorched you to ash.” King Kae Jong just laughed, and disappeared. He reappeared at the next pillar ahead, and leaned against it casually.

“Come on, my dearest Min,” he cooed, smirking. “It makes your doll face look so ugly.”

“Are you calling me ugly?” Queen Min said, faking outrage. She knew he was just kidding, but it still hurt coming from him. “Why do I even bother with you sometimes?” She mumbled under her breath. The King continued to follow her down the hallway like this, disappearing then reappearing not to far ahead of her. He would throw out insults, she would throw some back, and occasionally, she would sing his hair with a tiny blue bell fire.

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t burn my head off,” King Kae Jong said, finally giving up his taunts and settling into a steady pace beside Queen Min. She held her smile behind her fan and said nothing.

“I wonder why the Council of Elders has called this meeting,” He wondered out loud. Queen Min had been wondering the same thing.

“Maybe they have finally come to their senses about the alliance between our fathers,” she mused. Yes, both kingdoms benefitted from the alliance, but really they were so close geographically that they could have just been one kingdom in the first place. Min was the ruler of her late fathers kingdom, and Kae Jong his fathers. They had known each other practically from birth. He had been an attempt to arrange their marriage, but the two resourceful youngsters had gotten out of that fairly quickly. They didn’t hate each other – hate was too strong of a word – but they didn’t like each other either. They watched out for each other, and one who knew them both well would call them friends, but they would deny that fact till the cows came home.

“Maybe they-” the King was interrupted by an councilman sticking his head out of the door to the conference hall and telling them to hurry. When they made it inside, they took their seats at the ends of a long table, the council men seated between them.

“We have called you both here to inform you of some very important news,” Councilman Jong Dae said, clasping his hands together in excitement that only he seemed to have. “We have finally decided on and completed the list of marriage prospects for you both.” The two rulers looked at each other uneasily.

“Both of you will entertain a prospect for a weeks time. When that time is up, you will write a short report of the experience and after all prospects have been tried, the council will chose for you,” Jong Dae explained.

“If I may interject for a moment,” Queen Min said, sending an icy glare around the room. “I don’t recall ever being informed of the creation or development of this list in the first place. Would someone care to inform me why not?” This time the uneasy look passed between the councilmen.

“W-well,” another council member began. “It was a part of your fathers wish to see you married before your 21^st birthday to help you rule the kingdom, and-”

“That doesn’t answer my question!” Queen Min seethed. “My fathers wish is my fathers wish and I will respect that. What I don’t understand is why I wasn’t informed of these wishes, why I wasn’t informed of anything pertaining to my marriage. I am very aware of the fact that I am an unmarried woman ruler. I am supposed to be notified of any decisions concerning the governance of this land made by the council. My good councilmen, I can assure you that just as you found it easy to keep such an important matter from me and King Kae Jong, we will find it just as easy, if not more so to remove you from your positions.” There was a deafening silence that followed her speech.

“I think what my dearest Queen Min means to say is that we appreciate the assistance but we are perfectly capable of finding spouses for ourselves,” King Kae Jong said, trying to tone down the serious atmosphere. Queen Min looked as if she wanted to disagree, but held her tongue. Another look passed between the council members.

“We apologize, your majesties,” another council member said. “We as a council thought it would be best for the kingdoms if-”

“You as the council?!” Queen Min could burst, unable to hold her rage any longer. “Last time I checked, it was King Kae Jong and I that were the rulers of these kingdoms. And the last time I checked, it was we who decided what was best for the kingdoms! In fact, I believe it was our decision to keep the council of elders around after our fathers untimely deaths and our ascensions to the throne. Do not think because we are young we know nothing of governing these lands. Rest assured that we trust you far more than our fathers did. That does not give you the authority, nor should it give you the allusion of the authority to rule in our stead.” She sent another of her icy glares around the room.

“Now, council men, from this point on, you will have no say in the matter of the my and the Kings impending marriages.” There was a rumble of protest from the members which was silenced by the Queens abrupt slam of her hand on the table. She stood, glaring, silently asking for someone to rebel against her word.

“It will be from here on out that the council will only be in charge of the arrival and departure of the prospects. You will see to it that they are made comfortable during their stay, and should Kae Jong or I request it, you will be responsible for their early departure. We will be deciding on our partners; the council will hold no power over who we choose.” Queen Min paused to compose herself further.

“And after this is done, the King and I will be reevaluating the council and its effectiveness as a tool of aid in governing these lands.” The room was silent. The councilmen looked to the King to gauge his reaction to the Queen’s words, but his face was unreadable.

“Now, if that is all, then I would like to have a word with the King. In private,” Queen Min said, turning her back on the council. “You are dismissed.” The men filed out of the room, leaving the King and Queen alone.

“Min,” the King said, making his way over to her. He stood by her side at the window.

“How could they, Kae Jong?” she whispered, her voice shaking. “My father… how could they use his memory against me? How could- how-” She broke down into tears and Kae Jong wrapped her in his arms. Rubbing soothing circles into her back.

“Shhh,” he said, feeling just as betrayed as she. “Things will be okay, I promise…”

“AWWWWWW!” a chorus of disappointed voices rang out. You smirked; you knew just how to string the story to this pausing point.

“Why’d you stop?” Kai whispered. You gave him a sidelong glance.

“Builds suspense; teaches patience,” you answered. “Nice acting, by the way.”

“Same to you,” Kai returned the compliment. “Let’s continue.” He was actually waiting for the end of the story. He could see where it was going, and he had a plan to make it even better. You nodded and continued.

“It was a few weeks later…”

__________

A/N: Yeah I know, another cliffy. The story continues in the next chapter, which will be posted sometime in the next day or so. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT, VOTE, AND SUBSCRIBE!! <3