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Jungkook arrived with a pot of tea a half hour later. He found many delicious dishes awaiting him.  His eyes grew wide.  

“You must have some kind of amazing favor with the queen!  I’ve never seen so much food in my whole life!”

Jina smiled at him.  “And it all tastes as delicious as it looks.  Every single bite.”

“You tried it all, did you?”  His lips curved into a pleased smile.

She nodded.  “And I feel so much better now.  Maybe I just needed food.”

“And tea?”  He lifted the pot in his hand.

“Definitely tea.”  She reached for the pot.

He pulled it close to his chest.  “Let me pour it for you.  I need to add your medicine.”

“My medicine?”  She furrowed her brow.

He nodded.  “I got you some medicine.  You’ve been steadily improving since you finally began drinking this special tea.”

Her heart softened as she gazed at him.  “You’ve been taking care of me,” she whispered in awe.

He nodded as a sweet smile spread across his face.  “Of course.”

“There’s nothing usual about it at all,” she mumbled.  “No man has ever taken care of me.”

He looked at her curiously.  “Not even your appa?”

She shuddered.  “No.  Most definitely not my appa.”

Why did her emphatic answer hurt his heart?

He poured the medicine into her cup, added the tea, and stirred it before handing her the cup.  The corners of her lips quirked upward for a moment.

“Thank you,” she breathed before taking a sip.

“Jina, can I ask you something?” Jungkook began hesitantly. 

She nodded over the rim of her cup.  He looked so adorable right now.  She tried not to notice.  But she couldn’t help it. 

“Can we…can we agree to be friends?  And not enemies?”

She swallowed as her eyes grew wide.  She nodded.

“Will you promise me something?”

Her eyes narrowed.  “What?”

“That you won’t leave our bedchamber in the middle of the night.  I don’t want you walking unprotected through the palace at night.  I don’t want Chanyeol to find you again.”

She stared at him in surprise.  “You’re worried about me?” she queried.

He nodded.  “A woman alone…wandering the dark hallways at night when only the lonely guards are awake…it’s asking for trouble.”  He spoke very gently.

Still, his words sparked her anger.  “Are you saying I was asking to get raped?”

He shook his head.  “No.  I’m just saying that not every soldier is honorable, and you did place yourself in danger.  Danger I wish for you to avoid.”

“Because I’m yours?”  She bit the words off crisply.  “You don’t want another man touching your property?”

He frowned as a valley appeared between his dark eyebrows.

“Are you mine?” he whispered.  “I can’t tell.”  His eyes probed hers.  “You are definitely not my property.”  He paused then breathed, “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

He turned away from her then, so he missed the tear that invaded her eye.  Could it be that Jungkook was beginning to care for her a little?