"We are kindred spirits, forged in different fires but kindred."

                                                                                       -Aaron Polson

A soft yawn escaped your lips as you walked through the deserted courtyard, your hand moving to cover your mouth as you closed your eyes briefly.

After your conversation with Jungkook the previous night, the young Emperor practically begged you to allow him to sleep in your room.

You, of course, were going to decline him. After all, you still had no idea about his true personality. He was a mystery to you and the last thing you wanted to do was put Grace in any kind of danger.

But, as Jungkook stared at you with wide, fearful eyes, you knew that he meant it. For whatever reason..Jungkook was scared for his life and you could tell...

Not wanting to push him, you allowed him to stay with you for the night. He slept in a pallet on the floor while you and Grace shared your bed.

You couldn't sleep.

Even after staying awake most of the night, consoling and counseling the young royal...you just couldn't seem to close your eyes. You guessed that your body was just too active and awake for you to fall asleep properly....but you couldn't help but feel like something was...wrong..

It was probably just the effect of not sleeping and you were more than likely overthinking your own emotions....but a small amount of doubt blossomed within you.

Something wasn't right about Jungkook...that much you knew for sure. The man was heartless. arrogant and cruel. He only thought of himself and he was constantly trying to force you into an unhappy marriage with him, claiming that it was for "the good of the country".

But yesterday..It was as if he was a completely different person....He acted different, spoke different, he even smelled different!

Everything about him had changed...but the one thing that caught your attention was his eyes.

When you had first met him, they were a shade of hazel, numerous shades of greens and browns..They were light in color, but yesterday they were a deep shade of brown... Now, you had seen eyes that changed color before, but never that drastically. Why were his eyes a lighter color one day and then darker the next?

Maybe your imagination had just been playing tricks on you... But you didn't think so...Yesterday..his dark brown eyes looked natural. They shone with happiness and joy as he played with Grace...but when you had first met him..they didn't look natural...they looked..off. They were always filled with rage and annoyance almost all the time..

Strange.

"Y/n?"

You footsteps halted at the familiar sound of your name, blue eyes raising to find the source.

Jin sat on the edge of the lily pond, his robes splayed out on the stone ground and his face covered in a cheerful expression as he waved at you.

Your face lit up instantly, body moving to approached the white-haired spirit.

"Jin." You greeted. "What are you doing here this late?"

The spirit pecked your cheek fondly, his hand ruffling your hair .

"Can't sleep." He stated.

You tilted your head cutely.

"Ghosts can't sleep anyway." You deadpanned.

He frown in disapproval, rolling his eyes as he sank his bare feet into the clear water of the lily pond.

"Ghosts can't sleep anyway." He mocked in a high-pitched tone.

You chuckled, slipping off the black slippers that covered your feet before placing them in the water, next to Jin's.

"You sure do come here a lot." You stated absentmindedly, your eyes watched as the water rippled under your feet.

Seokjin nodded slowly, a small smile playing at his lips.

"I like it here." He stated. "Something about the water clears my mind."

You raise your eyes to meet his.

"How?" You asked.

Jin shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. "I can't explain it...but whenever I'm here....I always feel closer to life...I feel like I'm not just some lonely spirit that's forced into an eternity of loneliness."

You nodded slowly, trying your best to understand what he was saying.

"Is that why you were here the first day I met you? To clear your mind?"

He chuckled softly, nodding his head in response.

"Yes." He stated, blue eyes falling to his hands that now rested in his lap. "Being here....It makes everything a little more bearable."

You smiled at him, placing your hand over his in reassurance.

"You don't have to worry anymore." You started in a soft tone. "You've got me now...and you and me, we're thick as thieves."

Jin's heart plummeted at your words. 

"You won't always be around." He reasoned out loud, his eyes falling to the clear water in front of him. "You won't have these powers forever and eventually...I'll be alone again..."

You frowned.

"Don't talk like that, Jin." You said. "I won't leave you...I promise that as long as I can help it...You'll never have to be alone."

The white-haired ghost slowly raised his gaze to look at you.

Big mistake.

The second his bright blue eyes clashed with yours, he could feel his resolve crumble.

He was so determined to go through with his planned. He was sick of the cold and the dark, he wanted-needed to be set free from whatever prison he was trapped in.

But, as he stared into your wide, innocent eyes...He couldn't stop his heart from pounding and his eyes from watering.

You were so honest...so innocent and pure. The way you spoke to him so softly..Telling him that everything would be okay. The way you genuinely cared about him like no one else had. You were kind and caring...You were a small amount of warmth and light in his cold world...

And he was going to kill you.

"Why do you care about me?" He breathed out.

You tilted your head at his question.

To you, the answer was obvious....He was the first person to show you any kindness when you arrived... He was friendly and funny... And even though he was trapped for so long..He wasn't bitter...

"Why are you asking me that?" You questioned.

Seokjin's hand slowly reached out and grabbed your own, his fingers intertwining with your slowly.

He took a deep breath, eyes boring into your own as he swallowed hard.

"Just-" He paused. "I need to hear the reason...I need to know."

You frowned in confusion at his sudden change in behavior.

"Alright..." You said. "I guess I care about you because you're honest with me.."

The young spirit bit his lip, fighting back his emotions as you quietly continued.

"You've never once lied to me." You stated. "You've always been your real self. You've never cheated or tried to deceive me...while everyone else is always asking something of me-expecting me to do something great...You've never pressured me into being anything I'm not...You've allowed me to be myself... Which is something that I don't have very often."

You were unaware of how your words hurt him.

He felt weak. Pathetic.

He felt like a monster...maybe because he was one..

Here you were, praising him for his honesty and telling him how you valued his friendship..all the while he was planning your demise. It was clear by your words that you cherished him- that you would do anything for him....but he couldn't do the same for you.

He was selfish and stupid.

He only thought of himself.

He always needed more.

Perhaps that's why he was stuck here in this realm...Maybe he was just as selfish in life as he is in death...He probably deserved to be trapped in limbo forever. Wandering around lost and alone without anyone to talk to... The perfect punishment.

"Jin," Your gentle hand on his cheek pulled him from his thoughts. "Why are you crying?"

Crying?

Jin raised a hand to touch his cheek and sure enough...tears had begun to roll down his pale cheeks without his consent.

Huh.

This was the first time he had ever cried....

He didn't even know that ghosts could cry.

Seokjin looked at you with widened eyes, his mind struggling with an excuse to present to you.

"I-I don't know." He blurted.

You offered him a sad smile, wiping his tears with the pad of your thumb.

"I know that being like this is hard," You whispered to him, your hot breath sending chills down his spine. "But, maybe it's not supposed to be easy for you. Maybe you're one of the rare few who can handle tough times and still choose to be a loving person. Maybe it's going how it's going because you're built for it."

Jin's breath hitched in his throat at your words, his unbeating heart flipping at your proximity.

His eyes slowly trailed over your entire face, memorizing every single detail about you. Drinking in every aspect of your beauty.

You enchanted him.

You bewitched him.

At least, that's the only logical thing he could think of. It's the only explainable reason as to why he was suddenly yearning to feel you against him. To hold you close and never allow anyone to hurt you. To feel his lips against yours in a soft, tender, passionate kiss.

You began to feel nervous under his heavy gaze, your mind taking notice of how his blue eyes darkened underneath the pale light of the setting moon.

"I-"

"Y/n,"

Jin's deep voice cut you off, his hand squeezing yours gently.

You swallowed hard, face heating up.

"Y-Yeah?"

Jin moved closer, his eyes never once leaving yours.

"Kiss me."

A/N,

CLIFFHANGERRRRRRRRRRRRR

But, seriously...Happy Fourth everyone!!!!!

I hope you all had lots of fun and made bunches of memories!

I'm gonna try and update "The Keeper's Tale" tonight..but I make no promises...

I love you. ❤

I adore you. 💋

I purple you. 💜

I'm out!!!!🐱‍🏍

-Max