It was when Beatrice Jacobs leant forwards to kiss Merrick that he realised he was in love with Ji-Yu.

Beatrice was a beautiful girl. On the balcony of his room at sunset, the gleam of orange coalesced on her blonde hair, kissed her cheeks with pale peach tones, and rosied her lips with cherry and scarlet. She was Illéa's favourite to win. She was kind, she was sweet, and Merrick adored her very much.

But he wasn't in love with her like he was Ji-Yu.

Eyes closed, Beatrice hovered just inches away, wisps of her breath tickling against his skin, but Merrick stayed frozen. The sudden adrenaline rush of the near-kiss strayed his thoughts to Ji-Yu. To her beauty, her grace, her otherworldly personality. It was all he could see, all he could think.

Beatrice opened her eyes, breaking Merrick's reverie. She must have read her expression, as worry lit beneath the blue irises.

"Merrick? What's wrong?"

Every sense of his seemed to sharpen as his thoughts muddled with his feelings. The cotton beneath his folded legs, on the picnic blanket. The scent of fresh butter spread lavishly over whole-wheat loaves. He could smell the distant trees, mere speckles of green and brown and earth and soil, and taste the wind on the balcony, overlooking the gardens and sky.

It reminded him of Ji-Yu. Everything. The first time they met when Ji-Yu had thrown him to the ground in demonstration, in turn throwing his life into a blissful tail-spin. Their first date, eating a picnic in the hallway. Ji-Yu was heinously allergic to pollen, so they moved indoors, gazing out of the hall-to-ceiling windows, chewing on the freshly baked bread and rich butter. Merrick had tried to learn some Korean then, but it hadn't worked so well.

Then there was their horse-riding excursion through the gardens. So besot with his riding partner, Merrick bonked his head on a low tree branch and fell off his horse, and Ji-Yu had laughed all the way to the infirmary. That was the first time he'd heard her laugh. It was harmony.

And the balcony. They had shared many moments on this balcony – moments that made his heart flutter and his legs weak.

Yes, Beatrice was beautiful, but not as beautiful as Ji-Yu's imperfections, as Ji-Yu's laugh and smile, as Ji-Yu's kind words of wisdom. As her hidden passions, determination, and serene aura. Even now, his heart thundered at the idea that if Ji-Yu were in Beatrice's current position, he would probably be so eager to kiss her back that he'd push them both over.

He met Beatrice's gaze. "I'm sorry. I can't do this."

"Oh, no, I'm the one who is sorry," she said as a flush blossomed on her cheeks. "I'm being too forward."

Merrick had yet to kiss any of the girls in his Selection, despite being down to just seven. He'd wanted to wait until he really got to know them before sharing such an intimate moment. But here, now, with the tip of Beatrice's nose brushing against his own, he wanted nothing more than to kiss Ji-Yu instead.

It wouldn't do to lie. He was in love with Ji-Yu. He wanted to marry her. So why drag the rest of the Selected along for a pointless ride? Merrick stood to his feet, brushing crumbs of bread from his suit.

"No, Beatrice, it's not that." He paused. "I'm really sorry, but…"

Beatrice shot to stand. She was nearly a head shorter than Merrick, with the same shade of blonde hair, but whilst his was neat and combed, hers was windswept and wonderful. There was youth in both of them, and there was youth in the dread now on fire in Beatrice's eyes.

"What is it?" she whispered.

Guilt choked him, but even as he felt the air leave his lungs, he mumbled the words, "I'm really sorry, but… I-I'm not in love with you."

It was like he stabbed her in the heart. Her chest bounced in a rapid motion, her gasp sharpened and hiccupped. Tears developed.

"B-But Merrick, I-I thought… I thought all those moments we share…"

"I do love you, Bea. I do. But… not in the romantic sense. In the friendly sense. And that's wonderful, too."

She looked him in the eyes. "But I love you, Merrick. In the romantic sense."

The worst part of the Selection was breaking the hearts of those that fell in love with him. It was expected, even, though Merrick at first hadn't thought it possible. He hadn't thought much of himself until this process had started.

But he'd been proven wrong. And it hurt. How Beatrice must have felt right then…

"I-I'm sorry," he said again. Even his pathetic apologies did nothing.

She bowed her head, and her hair hung down her face, hiding the glistening tears on her cheeks.

"You're a beautiful person, Bea. Inside and out," Merrick added quickly. Anything to lessen the blow. "I know you'll find love. You will. You're welcome to stay as long as you like in the palace."

"No. No… I… I need to get over this." Beatrice didn't look up. "Please just… send me home."

"Okay," he mumbled. "I hope we can still be friends after this."

She took time to respond, wiping at her moist cheeks, before she met Merrick's gaze. The romance was gone, and she smiled. Her make-up had blurred.

"Of course we can. I'm so honoured to be given this experience. I'd rather have met you and be broken-hearted than never have met you at all."

Merrick didn't know how to respond, so he just nodded, unable to sustain eye contact.

"Will you tell me her name?" Beatrice spoke again.

"Pardon?"

"If not me, which one of the Selected is it? That you have fallen in love with?" A sad smile overcame her. "I will root for her, no matter what."

Merrick wrung his hands together, managed to meet her gaze.

"It's… it's Ji."

For a moment, Beatrice didn't do anything. Then she let out a single, high-pitched giggle, and placed a hand to her cheek. "Ji-Yu. I should have known. She's a wonderful choice, Merrick."

That comment had him beaming. He knew that already.

Beatrice nodded, and gave a short curtsy. "Then I wish you all the best, you and Ji-Yu." She sniffled. "I'm going to go pack, if that's all right."

Merrick scrambled into a short bow. "Oh, of course."

He rose, but wasn't prepared for the hug. Beatrice held tightly, warmly, like she never wanted to let him go. Merrick hugged her back too, but loosened as cue to part. They exchanged no further words, and soon, Merrick was alone on the balcony with only the dying sunset as company.

He was in love with Ji-Yu.

He'd known for a while, but he'd wanted to see – to really see if his heart would twist at the thought of her leaving, or if his breath would escape at the idea of an embrace. A near-kiss, of all things, was what rushed the thought to the forefront of his mind, forced him to confront his feelings.

He softened, and Ji-Yu's laughing face popped into his mind. A warmth curled through his body, and a fuzzy feeling crackled underneath his skin. He didn't think a twenty-year-old prince could understand love, but five months later, now it ran through his veins.

He had to go tell her. He had to propose.

No, but surely it was too soon? Perhaps he was advancing too fast, acting too fast?

And what if she didn't feel the same way…?

Merrick gulped. Ji-Yu was hard to read. Even as they'd become friends, he'd struggled to sense her feelings, so good as she was at covering things up. In Merrick's heart there was riot, but in Ji-Yu's heart perhaps there was silence.

He had to find out. And to find out, he had to tell her.

Mustering some resolve, Merrick left his balcony and marched through the palace hallways to Ji-Yu's quarters. Her window was on the furthest left of the Selected wing, and it gave her skewed view, arguably the worst view, of the gardens. Yet, she'd never complained – always soaking in the sun that set by the edge of the sky.

The guards posted outside stood to attention when Merrick neared. Merrick summoned his commanding voice.

"Would you, erm, leave us? Please?"

Well, he tried.

"Of course, Your Highness." They began down the hall.

Merrick waited until they turned the corner before he knocked. It rang out loud against the quiet. It was just past dinnertime, so Ji-Yu was probably preparing for bed right about now.

A maid cracked opened the door, and she squeaked and curtsied. "Oh, Your Highness, sir."

It was obvious she was alerting everyone else inside the room that he was there. He smiled. "Is Ji-Yu here?"

"She is, Your Highness. She has just… erm… bathed."

An inappropriate thought rammed itself into Merrick's head so quickly, he couldn't fight the blinding blush that washed over him. His heart nearly broke free from his ribcage.

"O-oh, erm…" He tried to fight the stutter. "I-Is she decent?"

"She will be in a few moments!" the girl squeaked. There was undoubtedly something mischievous in her eye as she shut the door again.

Merrick wrung his hands together, waiting in painful silence. The door opened moments later and new light filtered into the room. Ji-Yu waited at the threshold of the bathroom, hands clasped together in front of her, wrapped only in a silk bathrobe.

And she looked radiant.

Merrick couldn't tear his eyes away. Her hair clung to her neck, somehow even more jet-black when wet. Her cheeks, soft and sun kissed, were shiny and tanned and smooth. And her eyes – nearly black, like a night sky or onyx stone, were only eyes for him. Even out of the bath, she was beautiful.

Don't buckle, he inwardly demanded his legs. Oh, they were wobbling now.

"G-Good evening," he managed.

Ji-Yu smiled, as if the sun had risen around her. "Hello there, Merrick. What can I do for you?"

"I, er, wanted to talk to you. Alone." He knit his hands together, trying hard to keep eye contact. "But you're…"

She smirked. "Almost naked."

He nearly choked, and his laugh came out as a strange gurgle. "Yes! Yes. I'm sorry. I have awful timing, don't I?"

She laughed with him. "Give me a few minutes. I'll be right with you."

She gently shut the door. Merrick rocked on his heels for a few minutes precisely, before her maid opened the door again.

"She can see you now, Your Highness."

He nodded, and another two revealed themselves, scuttling behind the first maid down the corridor. Merrick held firmly onto a hitched breath that threatened to squeal free and entered. Instead of the bathrobe, Ji-Yu was dressed in a simple, summery white dress, sweeping the floor. Her hair was tied into a simple bun, and her maids had somehow accomplished a simple make-up effect in the seconds to spare.

She smiled. "Come in. Sit down, if you like."

He shut the door behind him and sat next her on her bed. Compared to most of the other Selected, her room was rather plain, and barren of any decoration from her home province of Midston. The only things she did keep were two photos in frames. The first was of her martial arts class, the students, the instructors and her, dressed in the jujitsu gi. The second on her bedside table was a picture of her family – parents, older sister, and her. Merrick had never met them, but he hoped to soon, especially if this went well.

His mind slid back to the present. Now that he was here, with Ji-Yu, he found himself at a loss for words. Being in her very presence did that to him.

She lifted an eyebrow, and it arched her forehead. "I know you didn't come here to stare at me in silence, Merry."

He regained a morsel of sense, and shook his head. "No, no. Erm. I just…" He met her gaze. "You look… beautiful."

She flushed and looked away, smiling at the floor. "Thank you, though I've literally just come out of the bath. I'm a bit of a mess."

Merrick chuckled. "You could wear a paper bag and still look beautiful."

She laughed again. "Flatterer."

But that was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted wake up beside her and lavish her with compliments like that every day.

"D-Do you remember our first date, Ji?"

"An indoor picnic in the East Wing? How could I forget?" The memory eased her shoulders. "Oh, and teaching you Korean words. That was fun, too."

"Oh, yes! My pronunciation was awful!"

"It still is," she said, with a smirk. "But it's the effort that counts. And I know you put in a lot of effort."

Merrick couldn't stop his chuckle. Yep, he was awful. And he still was.

"Do you remember anything you taught me?" he asked.

She placed a slender finger to her lips. "Hmm. Picnic. Butter. Sherry. Queen. Prince Merrick."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, all of those words. But… there was one phrase that I remember clearly."

She blinked, and for a moment, he was taken by the flourish of her eyelashes.

"What phrase was that?"

He gulped. Here goes.

"Haewa dal."

Her head tilted with recognition.

"You have a good memory, Merrick," she whispered. "It means sun and moon."

Truth be told, he'd searched it a few days ago out of burning curiosity, and repeated the phrase over and over until he matched the online translator. Ji-Yu had told him about it before, for fun, since everyone had often compared them to the sun and moon – polar opposites in appearance and yet at heart, not so different after all. The public, the staff, even the other Selected made the comparison easily. Now he wanted the words to mean something, to represent them going forwards.

No more stalling. Now was the time. He drank down the fear of embarrassment. Despite his nerves, despite the imminent prospect of rejection and heartbreak, he still managed a giddy smile. He grabbed her hands and pulled her up to stand with him.

"Oh!" she squealed.

He brought her close, close enough to smell the jasmine scent of her wet hair, and refused to look away. No turning back. No shying. "Ji, you are the moon to my sun." Gaining courage, he managed a laugh. "I-I love you, a thousand times over, my beautiful moon. Haewa dal! Haewa dal!"

Instead of laughing, instead of beaming that effervescent smile that made Merrick melt every time, Ji-Yu became stiff and wooden beneath his arms. Her eyes widened, her lips parted for moments before they shut again.

Seconds past. She said nothing, did nothing.

Merrick was beginning to lose faith.

"J-Ji?"

She blinked, almost back into existence. Gently, she pried his hands off him. "Oh, Merrick. I'm sorry, but… I cannot love you back."

A/N: Hello and welcome to my surprise! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and introduction to The Merry King, a little mini-series Select Few offshoot about Prince Merrick, A.K.A. King Merrick, father of Roy and Gail, and eventually Tay, from The Selection and the Spy. All I'll say is that this fic will detail how Merrick became the ruler of Illéa, and if you've read tsats, you may have an inkling as to what's in store for our lovestruck prince...

Today was an auspicious day to post the first chapter as I've heard through the storks that it is a globally popular biscuit based snack food and musical time unit's birthday. Ginger, you've been such a loyal force throughout the years, and I genuinely can never thank you enough for your inspiring reviews, reactions, theories and friendship. You've been part of the reason I ever continued tsats at all, and I appreciate you so wholeheartedly. I hope even in these odd times that you're having a wonderful birthday, my friend, and that you get all the good things you want in life because it's what you deserve tbh. :heartemoji:

So, this fic! I haven't quite finished writing the whole story yet but I think there will be nine chapters to this miniseries. I actually started writing this near the beginning of tsats' life span (so like... four years ago), getting way ahead of myself as you do, but I shelved it once I lost mojo and eventually came back to it hoping to finish it. Though I've edited the prose I didn't want to scrap all my work entirely, so apologies if the quality is a little rougher than my more modern works. Some of the wording in the original draft of this chapter was BIG CRINGE folks, but it's good to see I've improved. Yay.

Next chapter comes out whoever has a birthday next!

(Just kidding. Probably June sometime.)

Let me know what you thought of Merrick, Beatrice and Ji-Yu, and as always, thanks for reading!

~ GreenWithAwesome