Jungkook's hand fell from my cheek as his expression shifted, the easy smile that had been on his lips replaced by a sharp focus. The sudden intrusion pulled us back into the realm of reality, and I blinked in confusion, my eyes flickering between Jungkook and the person standing in the doorway.

It was Jasmine.

The very same woman who was once to be his bride—who still carried herself as if the title was hers by right, even though Jungkook had made his feelings clear. Behind her, the soldiers hesitated, caught between duty and the unmistakable tension in the air. They had been told not to enter, and yet Jasmine had pushed past them without a second glance, her presence more commanding than any order.

I saw Jungkook's jaw tighten, his posture stiffening. He didn't move toward her, didn't greet her as he would have before. His face, however, betrayed the conflict raging within him—a storm of emotions that he had kept buried until now.

Jasmine's eyes sought out Jungkook's, and when she spotted him, standing there with me, a flicker of something unrecognizable passed through her expression—hurt, anger, maybe both. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. Jasmine's presence was like a stone thrown into the calm waters, creating ripples that reached all the way into my chest.

"Jungkook," Jasmine said, her voice calm but sharp, like the edge of a blade. She stepped forward, her movements purposeful, ignoring the soldiers who finally stepped aside, unsure whether they should intervene. "You said no one would disturb you."

Jungkook's eyes met mine briefly, and I saw the silent apology in his gaze. He'd never wanted this, never wanted to hurt Jasmine, but the truth of what was between us—what had been growing between us—could no longer be hidden. It was clear in every way.

He stood taller, his voice steady but filled with an unmistakable weight. "I did," he replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "But this is different."

Jasmine's gaze flickered toward me. She had always known there was something between Jungkook and me, though she'd never spoken of it outright. But now, in the quiet intensity of the throne room, it felt like the whole truth was laid bare.

"Jungkook," Jasmine began again, her voice softer now but with an undercurrent of pain. "You cannot possibly expect me to just... accept this." Her eyes flashed toward me, a sharp edge behind the carefully constructed mask she wore. "You're going to choose her over me, over the marriage that was already promised?"

I could see her heart breaking, even if she tried to hide it. She had been in love with Jungkook, even if their marriage was born of political necessity. And now, seeing the woman who had taken his heart, Jasmine was left standing at the edges of a life she had once believed was hers.

Jungkook's hand tightened into a fist at his side, his face steely, as if fighting the urge to look away. "Jasmine, it's not about what was promised or what was expected. It's about what I feel."

His voice was low but unyielding. "And my feelings have changed. They've always been clear to me. I never wanted to hurt you, but the truth is... I cannot marry you. Not when my heart belongs to someone else."

The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating even. It felt like time itself had stopped. I could hear the faint sound of the rain outside, a gentle reminder that the world continued to move forward, even as everything else in the room stood still.

Jasmine's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening as her hand curled into a fist. She looked from Jungkook to me, and then back to Jungkook. "You truly expect me to believe that?" Her voice had a bitter edge now, her pride wounded by the truth she had just heard. "Do you really think she—" She gestured sharply toward me, her voice cutting through the air like a whip. "—is worth everything you've given up?"

Her words stung, but they held no weight over me. I could feel Jungkook's hand tense beside me as he stepped closer, his gaze never wavering from Jasmine's. But his voice was calm, unwavering.

"I do," he said simply. "Because she's not just 'someone.' She's the one who has my heart. I trust her, Jasmine. I don't expect you to understand. But this is how it is."

And just like that, the world inside the throne room shifted again—more fragile than ever.

Jasmine's hands trembled slightly as she stood before him, the rawness of her emotions surfacing in the heat of the moment. Her eyes searched his face, pleading for some sign that he might feel something for her, anything at all. "I loved you, Jungkook," she whispered, her voice breaking with the weight of her heartbreak. "And I thought... I thought that maybe, just maybe, after all this time, you could learn to love me too. But now... now I see it's not me. It's never been me, has it?"

Her voice wavered, but she held his gaze, refusing to let her tears fall. "I've stood by you through everything, supported you, waited for this moment. And yet, you chose her. I gave you everything, and you still walked away. What about us? What about all we've built together?"

Jasmine's breath hitched as her hands clenched into fists, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to consume her. She wasn't just heartbroken—she was shattered, and there was no hiding the devastation in her eyes. "What about my love?" she whispered one last time, her voice barely audible, as if the very question was tearing her apart.

I felt a rush of uncertainty flood my chest as Jasmine's words echoed in the room. I stared at Jungkook, my heart pounding, the warmth of his touch still fresh in my memory, yet now overshadowed by a deep ache. Jasmine's confession was like a cold gust of wind cutting through the warmth of the moment we shared.

I tried to steady my breath, but the anxiety rose in me. What would he say? Would he deny it, as I hoped? Or would he hesitate, caught between his duty and the feelings that had been growing between us? The tension was unbearable, and I couldn't help but glance between the two of them, my eyes searching Jungkook's face for a sign, any sign, that would confirm what I already wanted to believe.

But deep down, a gnawing doubt lingered. What if he was still tied to the past, to the plans that had been laid out before? And worse, what if I was wrong in believing that he had truly chosen me? My fingers clenched into fists, my heart thudding in my ears as I waited for an answer.

Jungkook's gaze shifted from Jasmine to me, and then back to her. His shoulders straightened, and I could see the resolve building in his eyes. The tension in the room felt suffocating, and for a moment, I wasn't sure how this was going to play out. But then, in a voice that was steady and firm, he finally spoke.

"Jasmine," he began, his tone gentle but unyielding. "I can't marry you."

Her face faltered, eyes widening as the weight of his words sank in. I could see her breathing quicken, disbelief flickering across her features. But Jungkook didn't stop there. He took a deep breath and continued, his voice full of the emotion I had come to know so well.

"I've thought about this for a long time," he confessed, his eyes softening. "I respect you, and I know what this alliance meant for our kingdoms. But... I can't bring myself to marry someone I don't love. I can't marry you when my heart belongs to someone else." He paused for a moment, the air thick with unspoken words, before he added softly, "I love Y/N."

The room felt like it had shrunk, the tension between us all palpable. Jasmine's expression shifted from disbelief to pain, but Jungkook's words had a kind of finality to them—there was no turning back from this moment. He had chosen. And it wasn't her.

"I can't pretend anymore," Jungkook continued, his voice growing stronger, as if saying the words gave him the conviction he needed. "I love her. She's the one who's made me feel alive, who's made me understand what love truly is. And I just... can't marry someone else. Not when every part of me belongs to her."

Jasmine stood frozen, her lips slightly parted as if searching for words, but none came. The silence stretched painfully, her once determined gaze now clouded with disbelief and heartbreak. I watched her carefully, feeling the weight of her pain. A part of me wanted to shrink back, to disappear, but I couldn't look away from the scene unfolding in front of me. Jungkook had spoken the truth, a truth I had felt in the quiet moments between us, but hearing it out loud—especially in front of her—made everything feel more real, more intense.

Jasmine's chest rose and fell rapidly, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as if trying to contain the surge of emotions threatening to spill out. When she finally found her voice, it was barely a whisper, shaky and fragile, "But... what about everything we've built? What about the promise between our families? Our kingdoms...?"

Her voice cracked, and I could see tears welling in her eyes. The fragile strength she had mustered was slowly crumbling, and it twisted something inside me. It was a raw reminder that love, no matter how beautiful, often leaves scars in its wake.

Jungkook's face softened, but there was no hesitation in his expression. He took a step toward her, though not too close, maintaining the space between them. "I understand what's at stake," he said quietly, his voice steady and unwavering. "But what would be the point of a marriage built on something that isn't real? I can't lie to you, Jasmine. I can't give you a love that I don't have to give."

His words hung in the air, final and absolute. The truth had been laid bare, and there was no room for negotiation, no room for hope on Jasmine's part. Her heartbreak was undeniable, and yet, so was his decision. He wasn't just a king now, making choices for his kingdom; he was a man in love, a man who had chosen me.

Jasmine's breath hitched, and I could feel her heartbreak echoing through the room, but all I could do was stand there, frozen, torn between the relief of Jungkook's declaration and the guilt of being the cause of her pain.

E N D  O F  Y / N'S   P O V

Jasmine's breath hitched as she wiped away the tears staining her cheeks, her fingers trembling slightly with the weight of her emotions. Her movements were slow, almost hesitant, as if she were trying to compose herself, trying to gather what little strength she had left. Once her face was clear, she took a tentative step closer to Jungkook, her eyes fixed on his with a desperate kind of hope that only deep love—or deep heartbreak—could ignite.

"Jungkook," she began, her voice soft yet threaded with a determination that belied her vulnerable state. "You don't have to choose between us." She swallowed hard, her gaze flickering between him and Y/N, the weight of her words thickening the air in the room. "You can marry both of us. I... I have no problem with it." Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the whirlwind of emotions beneath her calm exterior, but she pressed on. "We can make this work. Somehow. I'm willing to accept that."

The desperation in her tone was palpable, each word laced with a mixture of fear and hope, as though she were clinging to the last vestiges of a dream that was slipping away from her grasp. The suggestion hung in the air, echoing in the silence that followed, leaving an almost tangible tension between them.

Jasmine's words lingered in the air, heavy with emotion. She stood there, close enough to touch Jungkook, her eyes searching his for any sign of agreement, or even hesitation. The raw vulnerability etched on her face, the way her lips trembled despite her composed facade—it was impossible to miss how much she was grasping at whatever chance remained. Her suggestion wasn't just an offer, it was a plea, a desperate attempt to salvage what she thought could still be hers.

"I love you, Jungkook," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if the words were slipping away even as she spoke them. "I love you enough to share you, if that's what it takes."

The silence that followed was thick and suffocating. Y/N's heart hammered in her chest as she processed Jasmine's words. The room, which had once felt so vast, suddenly felt stifling, the walls pressing in on her. She wasn't sure what to feel—anger, fear, sadness, or all of it at once. Jasmine's offer rattled her, and the thought of sharing Jungkook—of splitting the love she had fought so hard for—was something that made her stomach churn.

Jungkook, still standing between them, his expression unreadable, hadn't moved. Y/N's eyes darted to him, wondering how he would respond, wondering if Jasmine's words could change anything.

Jasmine's breath hitched as Jungkook's rejection settled in, her face twisting with an overwhelming mix of disbelief and heartbreak. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, but her sorrow quickly transformed into rage. She marched toward Y/N, her voice erupting into a furious shout, each word echoing through the grand room like thunder.

"WHAT SPELL HAS SHE CAST ON YOU?!" she screamed, her words laced with venom, as sobs wracked her chest. "WHAT HAS SHE DONE TO TURN YOU AGAINST ME?!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice cracking as she shouted, the desperation leaking through her anger. She glared at Y/N, her face streaked with tears, her fists trembling. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MINE!" Jasmine's voice broke into a sob, and she let out a loud wail, her grief spilling over. Her steps quickened, fueled by the fury that surged within her.

In a blind rage, she stormed toward Y/N, her hand lifting, ready to strike, to deliver a blow laced with frustration and jealousy. "YOU WITCH! YOU—" She raised her hand, cursing Y/N with every ounce of hate in her.

But before her palm could connect with Y/N's cheek, a firm, unyielding grip stopped her mid-air. Jungkook's hand wrapped tightly around her wrist, halting the strike in an instant. The room fell into a tense silence as his cold gaze met Jasmine's tear-filled eyes.

"Don't you dare,"