Chapter Text
[Moodboard credit to the absolutely wonderful and so talented cappuccinokkyu]
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"Oh my stars, is that the Alpha Prince? Jeon Jungkook? The heir to the throne and the most eligible bachelor this side of the Atlantic? Lord have mercy, I can't believe I'm in the presence of such esteemed royalty!"
Grabbing one of the millions of throw pillows placed decadently across the chaise just beside his oversized mirror, Jungkook turns and hurls the thing as hard as he can at the doorway, glaring when his best friend Kim Seokjin dances out of its way easily, anticipating Jungkook's movements with all the practice of a lifelong friend and cackling as he makes a beeline for the comically large bed.
He dives into yet another massive pile of pillows and flops around until he's on his back, hands laced behind his head and feet crossed at the ankle, apparently not caring at all about wrinkling his deep plum tuxedo jacket he's sporting.
"Can't believe you just tried to murder me after I gave you a whole compliment. What is wrong with you?"
Snorting, Jungkook turns back to his mirror and gathers the sides of his bow tie he'd abandoned in his haste to attack his dumb friend who is currently absolutely delighting in his misery. "You're a dick," he says, beginning to fold the pieces of fabric together again.
"Aw, quit sweet-talking me," Seokjin coos, tugging his phone out of his pocket and holding it above his head in front of his face. "Why are you so grumpy? You're fulfilling your royal duties and making your family oh so proud, Jungkookie darling."
He says the last sentence in that high-pitched tone that seems to wander up and down from octaves on each word, the way Jungkook's grandmother speaks but especially when talking about tradition and all the great things coming to the lives of the royal Jeon children and grandchildren. It's actually spot on and Jungkook can't help the smile that curls his lips.
"You know, being sulky about how spoiled and rich and famous you are is such a tired trope, isn't it?" Seokjin continues, still staring at his phone. "You really need to turn your attitude around if you don't want to go down in history as the brattiest alpha that ever graced the monarchy."
"I'm not being a brat," Jungkook muttered, rolling his eyes even as his stomach swoops with a bit of guilt. "I just think this whole thing is ridiculous."
That's only part of it and not nearly as nasty of a description as he'd like to use but Jungkook doesn't have much interest in talking about it all right now.
As a matter of fact, he doesn't have much interest in talking about it at all.
"Ah but think of tradition, Jungkookie!" Seokjin trills just like the Queen Mother loves to do, swinging his finger around above his head as if to imitate some sort of formal gesture.
Jungkook shakes his head. "I love her but if my grandmother really wanted to keep the relevance she's so desperately holding on to, it would be helpful to update our laws and traditions to at least the twentieth century."
Seokjin peers around his phone with a frown. "It's the twenty-first century, bro."
"I know," Jungkook smirks. "But if we could get this family to at least the twentieth century, then I wouldn't be in this position now, would I?"
Seokjin stares at him before coughing out a terribly fake laugh and then staring Jungkook down with a serious face. "Leave the jokes to me. You're not funny."
"I'm hysterical."
"I don't even get why you're so sulky," Seokjin rolls up to a sitting position and swings his feet over the edge of the bed. "It's awfully dramatic considering all that's happening is you get to marry some hot omega who's literal job is worship you. Cry me a fucking river."
Jungkook turns to stare at his friend. "Okay first of all, would you like me to tell Taehyung that's what you think of omegas? I'm sure he'd love to hear all about that shitty comment you just made."
Chuckling, Seokjin shrugs. "Go ahead. He will also tell you you're being a baby. And besides that, I'm not talking about all omegas, I'm talking about the one that has to marry you."
With a deeply put-upon sigh, Jungkook grabs his boring black tuxedo jacket from the back of his chair and slides his arms through. "You talk about this mysterious omega that I'm betrothed to like you don't know who he is."
"I don't really," Seokjin says, swinging his feet like a child. "Only in passing. But I know he's handsome. And he's marrying your stupid ass. Also never use the word 'betrothed' again. You sound like an elitist twat."
"So happy and grateful to have your support tonight, my closest and longest friend," Jungkook sneers, checking again that his cumber bun is centered where it should be.
The palace staff usually takes care of his dressing and styling but after they'd finished his hair and makeup earlier, Jungkook had decided he could complete the rest on his own today. He just wanted a few more minutes to himself before he had to put on a whole show. A choreographed dance of showmanship and romance, none of which he felt, none of which was real. He's well-practiced in faking joy so at least it shouldn't be difficult.
Just kind of pathetic. And irritating.
And actually quite tragically sad but he's not going to go down that road right now. Anger is his friend and he's going to stick with that until the end.
"Always here to help," Seokjin salutes, standing and walking over to peer over Jungkook's shoulder. "You look very nice. All of Daekrahm is going to be in shambles to find out that their one true love Alpha Prince Jungkook is announcing his engagement tonight and still you're going to be showing up looking like this. I can already hear hearts shattering all over the world."
Jungkook shakes his head. "Thanks for the ego boost but let's not pretend like this hasn't been leaked to the press already. I'm pretty sure everyone knows what's going down tonight."
"Still," Seokjin says, his tone softening from his usual sarcasm to something gentler. "You look great. And I know this isn't what you wanted. But at least not everything is going to change. You'll still be here. I'll still get to see you all the time and we can still do our work the way we've done for ages. The staff will handle your future husband, provide you the information you need for interviews and general conversation. All you have to do is smile for the cameras for public outings and the rest of the time, you can pretend he doesn't even exist if you don't want to. Seriously, nothing will change."
"That's a nice sentiment," Jungkook tries to smile, though he knows it doesn't reach his eyes. "But I think we both know that's not quite true."
"Well what about the perks?" Seokjin brightens, eyes wide. "Think about all the good things that will come with this, right? So many doors will be open to you. It will really start to be like you're actually going to be king and not just that kid who was born into royalty you know? You'll get your own private plane even! And an island!"
Jungkook doesn't want his own plane. Or an island. In fact, it's just making him feel worse, like this entire thing is just one big transaction.
Which. It is. He'd had to learn that the hard way, being fully deluded into thinking a marriage for someone of his status could ever be for love. The stupid dreams of his youth. He's still mad at himself for ever thinking otherwise.
Though this whole thing has just gotten so twisted, he isn't even sure what he's more upset about.
Seokjin gives him a pained smile, seeing clearly that he's missed the mark on cheering Jungkook up. He swipes his hands along the tops of Jungkook's shoulders to smooth out the fabric and then gives each of them a gentle squeeze. "It'll be okay, Jungkookie. I know it doesn't feel like it but it will be. I promise."
There is a loud triple knock on the thick wooden doorframe, the signal that it's time to get going.
"Thanks hyung," Jungkook says, taking a deep breath and blowing it out swiftly, rotating his neck one way and then the other, the multiple cracks in each turn feeling far less satisfying than they usually do. "Okay then. Should we do this?"
"We should," Seokjin nods, stepping back and letting Jungkook lead the way out. "Ooh but what about that cute little cottage you'll get to move into out behind this place? What's it called? Jeku Cottage? That place is darling."
"You're right. That makes this marriage totally worth it," Jungkook grumbles just before he opens the door, nodding to the five people waiting outside his quarters who immediately fall into step several paces behind him as protocol dictates.
"I'm just saying, at least you don't have to move away from home or anything," Seokjin continues. "I mean, I'm one hundred percent on your side but imagine how your fiancé must feel having to relocate for a marriage he clearly also didn't get much of a say in either."
"Oh I don't have to imagine," Jungkook laughs humorlessly. "I already know exactly how he feels."
It's hard to talk to Seokjin about all of this because he doesn't actually know the half of it.
Jungkook hasn't told him.
He hasn't told anyone.
He's too ashamed.
Because the crazy thing is, this probably all could have been avoided if Jungkook hadn't thought for a split second that things might turn out differently.
Which really was on him. He should have known better than to have any kind of hope in this life.
Not that he's some bitter, unhappy prince. He's really not. Or, well. He hasn't been up until recently. Until now, he'd understood his position and his privilege and he actually thinks he could lead the country of Daekrahm in a way that no other Jeon king has done before when his time comes. It's far less meaningful now than it was a hundred years ago when the royals ruled and governed the land, now mostly just being figureheads and deeply respected and elite members of the society their family helped build, but it's still incredibly meaningful and important to be a member of the royal family. To become king.
It's not so much a burden as it is a major responsibility Jungkook has been expecting since birth.
The problem is, even when the office of the king was dissolved a century ago and the title of royalty became really just that, a title, most of their laws still carried over. They'd been negotiated and renegotiated and changed and updated over time, to the point where all of them didn't even exist in the same way anymore.
Well.
All except one.
One that everyone in the damn world seems to know. One that Jungkook never had a chance of glossing over and just simply not abiding by.
One that had sealed his fate from the start.
The first descended Alpha in line of succession may not take the throne unless mated and under valid marriage contract to a confirmed Omega partner.
It's a straight up offensive law, that's for damn sure, and the rules around it have since become a bit more lenient considering not only did a marriage contract use to mean omegas became the property of alphas (a law that was abolished only fifty years ago now) but in the dark ages the royal institution used to perform public exams on omega betrothals to ensure they could indeed continue the royal bloodline.
There is now an addendum regarding betas and omegas taking the throne because that's no longer outlawed, though they may also take the throne only if they are mated and married.
Which, again, is just insane that a law like this even exists.
It's fucking barbaric and Jungkook is kind of surprised more of a fuss hasn't been kicked up about it in recent years considering the history of the law and what a long way omega rights have come since.
Well. He's surprised and he's also not.
Because the general public fucking love the monarchy. They love the oversized palace that sits in the city center and all the little cottages fenced in around that the hold their favorite royal families from every lineage. They love the public outings and visuals of the wealth and status the royals holds. They love hearing about the courtships and the more often than not fabricated love stories and seeing the beautiful offspring created from noble DNA.
And by god, do they love royal weddings.
And they are chomping at the bit for another one.
The last marriage in the Jeon bloodline happened only a few years ago with Jungkook's cousin Omega Prince Yoongi marrying this absolute hunk of an alpha named Kim Namjoon. And even though Yoongi is somewhere around sixth in the line of succession for the throne currently, the country of Daekrahm still went absolutely berserk for his wedding, coming out in droves like the king himself was marrying again, lining the streets and cheering loudly as the newlyweds waved from the balcony after the ceremony.
Considering Yoongi is one of Jungkook's favorite people, he couldn't have been happier for him. But it just goes to show if there is a royal involved, the entire country will also be involved, salivating for a beautiful shot of nobility in love and demanding at least a set of regal babies to go along with this seemingly perfect union.
Jungkook's wedding has been talked about publicly and privately for decades now. The press has loved to speculate on when exactly Alpha Prince Jungkook will finally tie the knot, wildly postulating about anyone and everyone Jungkook has ever been photographed with, including several of his closest friends.
It was completely ridiculous and over the top, like everything else having to do with his damn family, but even under all the pressure both from the media and his own kin, Jungkook had still held out as long as he could from settling down. Not because he didn't want to but because he kind of always thought he'd eventually find his perfect mate. And trying to force it or make it happen somehow wasn't something he was interested in. He thought he could just kind of wait it out.
Little did he fucking know.
He'd done remarkably well staying out of the press save for things he's supposed to be in there for, his image still as squeaky clean as the day of his birth. Which is probably why he's gotten so much leniency with fulfilling his role as future king and securing himself a mate. He's pushing thirty at this point and it's only just become a point of real discussion beyond just vague mentions in passing. To his face at least.
Actually, 'discussion' is a bit of a strong term for what has happened and is currently happening to him. Sure, he's been talked to about it and been a part of meetings regarding it and was given the overall impression that of course he had a say in all of this.
But he didn't.
Not really.
Because you see, the royal family is currently going through a bit of a reckoning. Just a bit. Not all the way around, not so much that they've fallen out of the favor with the general public, oh no.
But things are definitely… precarious. Not so much so that drastic measures need to be taken - if you don't think of Jungkook being forced to marry as drastic, that is - but change is definitely coming. It needs to be coming if the monarchy wants to keep their status as beloved figureheads of their country.
The thing that no one really likes to talk about within the palace is how unbearably outdated the royal family is. Sure, they're no longer outlawing omega or beta kings and queens, or giving physical exams out in the open like perverts, but they still have quite the reputation of being stuffy, non-confrontational and this very strange mix of publicly private. The internal motto of the Jeon family is never complain, never explain, meaning they hardly make statements regarding anything to the press beyond official announcements, while still maintaining a very public persona. And they never, under any circumstances, take a stance. On anything. Political, social or otherwise, no member of the royal family ever makes a formal declaration. About anything.
They keep quiet, they stay regal, they water down any and all interviews and outings and fluff everything up beautifully.
They stay boring.
They've always stayed boring.
That's what's been passed down for generations, from kings to queens to princes and princesses.
No scandals and no opinions mean no criticisms. Simple.
And no one believes that more than the current king of Daekrahm, Jungkook's father. The king had followed in his father's footsteps who had followed in his mother's footsteps and on and on and it's kept the royal family wealthy and relevant and quietly more powerful than the citizens of Daekrahm probably realize.
However, what the current king has recognized is the need for relatability. The silent push to bring the family into the current times without breaking any of their values or traditions. The importance of appearing one way while remaining another.
Not that he'd ever explained this outright to Jungkook. God no, the king does not share his thoughts or views or plans with his only son. No, Jungkook's figured this out along the way. And it's so obvious now that he wishes he could turn back the clock a year and get ahead of all of this. Maybe then he wouldn't be so fucking miserable.
But nevertheless, the plan is simple. In order to appear relatable and stay relevant, the next king of Daekrahm, Jeon Jungkook, needed to have a love story. A real love story. With a commoner.
Specifically with a commoner.
It couldn't be a royal from another country, or frankly anyone with any kind of highborn status, that would be too obvious. No, Jeon Jungkook needed to marry someone "normal." Someone not in the public eye. Someone without some sort of noble entanglements.
The picture of it all is what matters. The image. That's what it's all about. And it needed to look real. Not a setup, not an arrangement but a real and true fairytale where an alpha prince met a common omega and fell madly in love.
That's the kicker. It has to be believable.
And really, the whole thing kind of fell into their laps anyway. Again, something Jungkook didn't realize until much much later, something that had been being discussed long before he'd even thought about marriage let alone who he'd be marrying since Jungkook had always assumed he'd marry the old fashion way: meet someone, fall in love, propose.
Simple.
But then?
Well, then he'd entered the picture.
Jeon Jungkook's fiancé.
Or soon to be anyway.
In a matter of hours now, really.
And in the end, this all may have ended perfectly fine. They'd found a pretty, docile, omega commoner who would fit nicely beside the future king of Daekrahm, birth beautiful children and trick the citizens that adore their royals so much into thinking the Jeons are 'just like them,' thus sealing the metaphorical deal and catapulting the monarchy into updated popularity without having to do much at all.
Besides sacrifice their future king to a marriage he doesn't want.
But.
It's become far less cut and dry and more… complicated.
Because, well.
That pretty, docile omega they'd hand-picked to be the next Omega Prince of Daekrahm is actually named Park Jimin.
He's definitely not the strict definition of a commoner.
And he is anything but docile.