Jungkook wanted to follow, but Jimin was adamant about not letting him get involved. The two had a quick argument over it even and the guard left only after Jungkook agreed to go straight home. 

But of course, Jungkook had other plans. 

He was currently waiting for the last person of the group, the newcomer who looked like he belonged to a higher social standing than the rest of the group. 

Jungkook didn't have to wait for long. The newcomer stayed at the Inn for only a few minutes more, before leaving. Jungkook followed from a safe distance. He had his face covered, as he didn't want to get caught by the other guy. There was a slight chance that this person might know how the prince looked.

Jungkook wasn't used to stalking someone like this, so it wasn't a surprise when the man noticed him. It would have been better if Jungkook didn't have his face covered, for then he wouldn't have looked different from any other passer-by.

The man stopped at a few shops along the way, sometimes to buy things but mostly to just talk with the vendors. Everyone called him Master Lee. As the man walked into the shady parts of the market, Jungkoo thought about whether it was wise to follow him. But the need to know about him was higher than the notion of safety for Jungkook, so he followed. 

But Jungkook couldn't go more than a few steps, when a hand grabbed him by the collar of his hanbok and pulled him inside a covered shop. 

“What the-”

“Shh..” a hand covered Jungkook's mouth as well. “Keep quiet.”

Right then, Jungkook saw a few men running past the shop they were hiding, clearly in search of something. Or someone. They did glance into the shop but Jungkook was hidden behind a thick curtain separating the two parts of the shop so he wasn't visible to someone outside.

As soon as those people were out of sight, the hand covering Jungkook's mouth was gone too.

“Are you out of your freaking mind? What the hell do you think you're doing?!”

Jungkook pushed the man in front of him. “I could ask the same thing, what the hell do you think you're doing, Yoongi hyung?!”

Yoongi turned around and grabbed the edge of the table there. This is not the way he hoped this confrontation would go. If anything, he would rather avoid it altogether.

“It wasn't wise to get noticed by people like that, Do Hwan. You might think you're being discreet, but in reality, you stuck out like a sore thumb.”

Jungkook quickly walked around and stood in front of Yoongi. “Do you know who it is?”

After a few seconds of silent staring, Yoongi sighed. “Where's Jimin? You shouldn't be walking around on your own like this.”

Jungkook's breath hitched in his throat. “You know who I am.”

Yoongi didn't answer. Instead, he moved the curtain which they were hiding behind to peek into the market. “Come on, I think we are clear. I'll walk you home but please remove that cloth, you look more suspicious like that.”

Jungkook didn't move. He couldn't. After noticing the frozen state of him, Yoongi grabbed him by his forearm and pushed him forward.

“Let's go home, your highness. You're not safe here.”
  
  
  
  
  
 
_______________________________
  
  
  
  
  
  
The house Jimin ended up, turned out to be a close relative of a junior minister of the palace. Not someone important, but definitely someone who had a possibility of listening to a rumor from the palace. After roaming around the house and talking with the servants, Jimin understood the man of the house to be an idiot. A brainless fool, but not someone who would betray the crown. The dainty looking maid that Jimin managed to befriend, told him that the master has very loose lips when he's drunk. And that he spills utter bullshit at such times. 

Unfortunately for the man who came here looking for information, the master of the house was not drunk right then. So not only he denied ever saying anything about the  2nd prince before kicking the man out of his house, he also ordered 10 lashes to his own servant, for not keeping his mouth shut in public.

By the time Jimin came out of the house, it was already evening. He quickly decided to go to Taehyung's place, because he wanted to talk with Jungkook and let him know about his findings. He wanted to assure the prince that it was a false alarm and that there seemed to be no threat. 

But when he reached Taehyung's home, he had a surprise of his own waiting for him.

“Yoongi hyung?” Jimin asked in a surprised voice when he saw the elder sitting outside. “What are you doing here?”

For a second, Jimin had this thought that Yoongi came here for him. That Yoongi had incorrectly interpreted Jimin's lateness in coming home today as an attempt to avoid the conversation they left halfway in the morning. And that he might be here to get the answers. 

But one look at Taehyung's nervous and Jungkook's worried face was enough to let him know that whatever this was, it was definitely something much worse.

And the next time when he spoke, his voice was much sharper. “What's going on?” 

Yoongi sighed, before getting up. He gestured to Jimin towards a path leading up to the small hill next to Taehyung's house. It's the best place to have some privacy. Jimin of course followed, noticing Taehyung and Jungkook doing the same. 

Once they all reached the top, Yoongi turned around to face Jimin. “I'm an acquaintance of Jung Hoseok. And at his request, I've been keeping an eye on the prince since the day he came to this village.”

Jimin's hand instantly went to his waist, where he had his dagger hidden. “What?!”

“I've been asked to ensure prince Jungkook's safety, as well as keeping a watch over the people around him, without his knowledge.”

Jimin glanced at Jungkook before looking back at Yoongi. “You're a spy?!”

Yoongi shrugged his shoulders, as if to say he doesn't mind being called that. “I'm more like an observer. I'm to discreetly follow the prince and report his doings to Hobi once a month, unless something urgent happens.”

Jimin thought back on his interactions with Yoongi from the first day. How the ender approached him at that Inn, offering - almost forcing him lodging, the half rent, offering him work… and how Jimin attributed all those to the ender being interested in him. 

And then all the times he and Jungkook met Yoongi outside the village, how he seems to turn up exactly where Jungkook is, but not so much that it would look nothing out of a coincidence. Jimin thought of instances where Yoongi inquired about Jungkook. But he always worded it in a way that felt like he was looking for a little bit of Jimin's time alone. Jimin hadn't even noticed how he was giving out basically Jungkook's entire schedule, every day. 

“You were spying on him the whole time?l?” Jimin took a few steps to the side subconsciously, covering Jungkook with his body. “Nothing else?” 

“No, Jimin that's not-”

“Why now? Why are you telling us this now?”

“Because I had to reveal my identity to Jungkook.” 

Yoongi then proceeded to tell everything that happened at the market. He was waiting outside the food stall, and when he saw Jimin leaving, he stayed back to make sure Jungkook gets home safely. 

He then told about Jungkook's reckless actions, making both Jimin and Taehyung make sounds of displeasure, and how had to save him. The man who had been following Jungkook had easily made Jungkook and was leading him towards something trap. 

Yoongi then asked about what happened with the guy he followed. After asking and getting permission from Jungkook, Jimin narrated his story as well. He told about his finding and both Jungkook and Yoongi agreed that there was no real threat, although Yoongi explained that he definitely has to report this to Hoseok first thing in the morning. 

All four of them agreed that the real threat was the man Jungkook followed. 

“You said you knew him.” Jungkook addressed the elder for the first time after coming home, and his voice had a little bit of power. “Who is it?”

Yoongi looked conflicted. “I told you, you don't have to worry-”

“You know who I am.” Jungkook took a step forward, radiating a rare power that is his birthright. “I demand you answer my question right now!!”

Yoongi's answer was only a second late. “It's Lee Yeosung, first born son of minister Lee Sungcheol and the elder brother of Lee Dahyun, Seolhee's best friend.”