“H-hyung, what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?” Crown prince gently held his brother by his shoulders. “I came to see you, of course.”

“Oh.”

Jungkook was surprised to hear that. Weren't they the ones who decided there would be no contact with Jungkook, for his own safety? Jungkook would have loved to keep in touch with his brother, and even if he would never admit it aloud, he misses his father as well. But one of the conditions of his exile was that no one from the palace or his family would contact him ever again.

Jungkook looked at his brother properly. Even though prince Junghyun is somewhat dressed down, anyone can still see he belongs to the highest tier of society. And with the graceful way he carries himself further enhances that. Not surprising really, for Junghyun had never been one for secret travels. So no matter how hard he would try to blend in, he would stick out like a shining beacon. Whereas Jungkook, who had been sneaking out of the palace since he was a teenager, is well-versed in the art of being discreet.

“Yes. Hyung is sorry for letting you suffer like this for so long. But I didn't have a choice. Father forbade it.”

“Hyung, you needn't have to worry about me. I wasn't suffering. I'm happy here.”

Junghyun looked at his younger brother carefully. Yes, Jungkook's cheeks were fuller, with a hint of a rosy dust. His eyes were sparkling and he did seem physically and mentally well. For a second, Junghyun wondered whether he made a mistake by coming here, but then he remembered what he heard.

“I'm happy to know that, Jungkook, I really am. But I think it's time for you to come home now.”

“W-what?”

“Let's go back, hmm? Let's just forget all this and go back to the palace, where you belong. No one would dare to even think about harming you there.”

“Hyung, I don't-”

“Your life might be in danger!” Junghyun's voice was rather loud and both of them looked around to see whether it attracted any attention.

“Hyung?”

“There are people looking into your whereabouts and I don't know what their motives are. I don't know whether they are friend or foe even. How can I just stay in the palace, when your life might be in danger?”

With that, Jungkook understood what had happened. Yoongi said that he will visit the palace first thing in the morning today and Jungkook assumed the information delivered by the blacksmith might be the trigger for his brother reacting like this. He gave a soft smile to Junghyun and held his hand gently.

“I'm fine, hyung. No one is coming after me. And besides, I can protect myself. I have Jimin hyung as well. You don't have to worry.

“Jimin? Yes, I needed to speak with him too. Where is he?”

“Uhhh.. at the smithy, I think. It's a day of work for him.”

“What?” Junghyun looked angry. “What is he doing working at a smithy?? His only work should be protecting you!”

“Hyung, he can't follow me around all the time. It'll look ridiculous, not to mention suspicious. And he needs to earn a living. So do I.”

“You work? Why? Where?”

Jungkook couldn't stop smiling at his brother's dumbfounded look. His brother might be one of the smartest people Jungkook had ever seen. But he has very little knowledge of how the daily life of a commoner works. Or maybe he does, but he's refusing to accept that it's the life his brother is living as well.

“I work with the local doctor. It's a good place, I learn a lot and earn a decent living as well.”

“But-”

“It's okay, hyung. I know what you're thinking, but I'm really okay. And as for returning to the palace, well, it stopped being ‘where I belong’ the moment I was exiled. This is my home now. Taehyung is my family. And I'll never go somewhere he's not welcomed.”

It took a little more convincing for prince Junghyun to return. It would be a lie if Jungkook says he doesn't miss the palace and his family. But he will stand by what he said. Taehyung is his family now. And now that he knows what exactly it means to share a life with the person he loves, Jungkook knows that he can never survive being separated from Taehyung.

It will kill him for sure.
 
   
      
  
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A few days passed after the crown prince's visit. When Jungkook told Taehyung about it, the latter was rather worried. Of course they knew about the threat but hearing it from the crown prince himself, made it seem more real. Taehyung only had to start expressing his worries, Jungkook shut them down brutally. The young prince was angry for several days, until Taehyung had to beg on his knees for forgiveness and swear on his life to never speak about Jungkook's return to the palace.

They had been saving some money and looking at lands to buy, planning their future, and Jungkook was in tears asking whether the elder was having second thoughts about it. Taehyung assures him that he's not, and he was ever only worried about Jungkook's safety and would never speak about it. Ever again.

And that was all there was to it.

Jimin and Yoongi also had a talk that night, and are somewhat having a truce. They are on friendly terms but Jimin doesn't trust the elder enough to move to something more. For him, it would take a while to get past the fact that he was deceived, even though Yoongi's intentions were good.

Everything was calm and peaceful. None of them realized it was the calm before a storm.

Jungkook was coming back from work, when a group of 6 men on horses intercepted his path. Some of them had weapons like cudgels and knives in their hands, but what worried Jungkook was the coil of rope and the big black cloth. It didn't take a genius to understand that he was meant to be captured alive, not harmed.

The group didn't offer any warnings, and Jungkook didn't expect any either. Clearly, they were not here for any money or valuables Jungkook might have. A few stepped forward, but quickly retracted their steps when Jungkook sent one of them head first into a nearby bush. That shifted the mindset of the attackers into a more cautious one, making it a little more difficult for Jungkook to defend.

He could, of course, but not without taking some considerable hits himself. It would have been a real close call 6 against 1, if not for Jimin, who coincidentally had the thought of taking an evening walk with Jungkook today.

The blood-curdling growl of ‘Take your filthy hands off of him!’, as well as the sound of a sword being drawn, was enough for the attackers to instantly mount on their horses and scramble.

“Are you okay?” Jimin dropped his sword and quickly ran to Jungkook, who was bent towards the ground and clutching his side. “Dear God, are you bleeding?”

“Not my blood hyung.” Jungkook assured the elder. “They were trying so hard not to wound me.”

Jimin pulled one of Jungkook's arms around his shoulders, gritting his teeth when the prince made a hissing noise as they both straightened up.

“Did they say what they wanted?”

“Nope. But I guess it's easy to guess, with the coil of rope they had.”

Jimin could only nod. Yes, it wasn't hard at all. You don't need to tie up someone you're robbing or killing. Only someone you want to take back with you.