ep 2
Footsteps whispered against the marble as Li Xuan, the cold-blooded yet eternally loyal Frost Phoenix, escorted the youngest child of the clan into the chamber.
Sixteen-year-old Jeon Jungkook stepped forward, his expression nervous yet respectful. Dressed in pale blue inner robes, his silver-gold yin-yang eyes blinked innocently at his fuqin and muqin.
jeon jungkook
“Fuqin, Muqin… why did you call for me?”
Min Ho studied his youngest son—his precious boy who had never once stepped outside the Phoenix Palace. Delicate. Beautiful. Untouched by the cultivation world's cruelty.
He looked too much like Jieun. Enough to deceive the world—if kept veiled.
jeon min ho
“Your jiejie… has eloped,” Min Ho said bluntly.
jeon jungkook
Jungkook froze. “What…?”
jeon yeji
Ye Ji stepped forward, grasping his soft hands. “A-Kook… we are left with no choice. The wedding must proceed. For the survival of our clan.”
jeon jungkook
Jungkook looked between them. “W-What are you saying…?”
jeon min ho
“You must take your sister’s place,” Min Ho said with quiet force. “For today… you will be the bride.”
jeon jungkook
Jungkook’s eyes widened. “I—I’m a boy! You want me to marry Kim Taehyung?!”
jeon yeji
Ye Ji’s voice cracked. “If he finds out, Phoenix Clan is finished. We’ll all perish.”
jeon jungkook
Jungkook stumbled back. “I’ve never left the clan! I don’t know how to behave like jiejie… I don’t know anything about marriage rituals!”
jeon min ho
Min Ho’s jaw was tight. “Li Xuan and Feng Qing will accompany you. They will protect you.”
jeon yeji
Ye Ji’s lips quivered. “A-Kook, please. Endure this once. We raised you in comfort… but now our clan needs your sacrifice.”
jeon jungkook
Jungkook’s lips trembled. His gaze dropped to the polished floor. “You’re sending me away… disguised as someone I’m not… to marry a man I’ve never met…”
jeon jungkook
, “I’ll be killed if he finds out,” Jungkook whispered.
jeon yeji
Ye Ji leaned in, cupping her son’s face. “You are strong. Stronger than you think. You have our blood.”
A gong rang from the ceremonial hall. The wedding procession was ready.
The fate of the Phoenix Clan now rested in the hands of a hidden son dressed as a bride.
The bridal chamber, once meant for Jeon Jieun, was now silent—save for the soft rustling of silk and trembling breaths.
Jeon Jungkook stood before the ornate mirror, eyes wide with disbelief as layers of crimson fabric draped around his slender frame.
Da-niang Ye Ji worked swiftly, but her hands trembled as she fastened the inner robes.
jeon yeji
“Tighter,” she murmured, voice thick with emotion.
jeon yeji
“He must not notice anything…”
Behind her, Feng Qing fumbled nervously with the bridal belt.
feng Qing
“Y-Yes, da-niang.”
Li xuan
“Don’t look so afraid, Qing’er,”
Li Xuan said coolly, stepping forward. Her expression was unreadable, pale brows calm, hands precise as she adjusted the sleeves.
Li xuan
“You must not show weakness before outsiders.”
feng Qing
Feng Qing flushed. “I-I just… Young Master looks… so pitiful…”
Jungkook said nothing. His lips were pale. He had always been gentle, sheltered, soft-hearted—but even he could sense the weight of the moment pressing down on the room like a winter storm.
His reflection in the bronze mirror barely looked like him.
The phoenix wedding robe flowed over his frame like fire incarnate, the hem embroidered with rising golden flames. A delicate red veil would later cover his face. But now—
His long, dark hair was brushed until it shimmered like ink. Ye Ji stood behind him, eyes glossy as she lifted the sacred Phoenix Clan hair ribbon—a crimson silk strand embroidered with silver feathers and their ancestral sigil.
Her hands trembled as she tied the ribbon securely into his half-up hairstyle, letting the ends flow down his back.
jeon yeji
“A bride of the Phoenix Clan must wear her family ribbon,” she whispered. “Only her husband may untie it during the marriage rite.”
jeon jungkook
Jungkook swallowed hard. “What if he… notices?”
jeon yeji
“He won’t.” Ye Ji forced a soft smile, though her voice quaked.
jeon yeji
“You’re our only hope now.”
feng Qing
Feng Qing gently helped arrange the final hairpin—a small phoenix of pearl and gold. “Young Master… you look…”
Li xuan
“Beautiful,” Li Xuan said bluntly, arms crossed.
Li xuan
“The Jade Dragon won’t know the difference. And if he does… I’ll kill him before he lays a finger on you.”
Ye Ji shot her a warning glance, but said nothing. Her fingers touched Jungkook’s cheek one last time.
jeon yeji
“My precious child… be brave. Even if you’re afraid, do not let it show. Not even a blink.”
Jungkook nodded faintly, though his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
jeon jungkook
“Muqin… will I be allowed to return someday?”
jeon yeji
Ye Ji’s breath hitched. “We will find a way… once this storm passes.”
Outside, the wedding bell tolled again—louder this time.
jeon min ho
“It’s time,” Min Ho’s voice came from beyond the doors.
jeon min ho
“Bring the bride.”
Li xuan
Li Xuan stepped forward, lifting the red wedding veil. “Lower your gaze. Let none see your eyes.”
feng Qing
Feng Qing bowed deeply, hands pressed together. “Heaven bless you, Young Master…”
And with a trembling breath, Jungkook stepped forward—Phoenix Clan ribbon in his hair, veil over his face, and fate bound to the hand of a man he’d never met.
author
it's my original work so don't copy it's warning
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