_______________________

A Night with the King.

How beautiful the word 'soulmate' is. Just as beautiful as finding one in your lifetime. And, it also makes a great pick-up line - especially in the Joseon era. Taehyung couldn't agree more.
But still, this was not the time or the kind of situation for fluff.

Minister Bae looked flabbergasted. His eyes shifted back and forth from the King and Taehyung, trying his best to comprehend the word that had just been spoken.

Quickly, Taehyung let out a chuckle. "See. I am his mate. His best friend."

Minister Bae remained silent.

"Well, here's a thought, why don't you go and let the King and his friend be, hmm?" Taehyung said.

Minister Bae glanced at the King, hoping for his approval to let him stay.

"Leave." The King said coldly.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Minister Bae uttered reluctantly through gritted teeth. With fists clenched tight, he bowed to the King and turned to leave. Before going away, he shot a disgusted look at Taehyung.

The door closed behind them.

"What do you want?" The King asked.

"I brought you your meal." He smiled, setting down the bed table in front of the King. He started taking the lids off the dishes and waited eagerly for the King to eat.

The King let out a faint breath of air, picked up his chopsticks and ate some rice and vegetables.

"Is it good?" Taehyung asked smiling.

"Did you make this?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Then, it's good."

Taehyung rolled his eyes at the King in annoyance. He watched the King take a bite of the chicken piece and couldn't help but say, "That is the chicken that I caught. Is it yummy?"

The King didn't answer.

"Ah. Your Majesty, you are such a bore. I come all the way here by pulling tricks to meet you, and you don't even want to talk to me."

No reaction.

"Look at me, hmm, Your Majesty."

The King remained indifferent.

"Are you sad?" Taehyung asked bluntly with arms crossed across his chest. His patience declining.

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know, maybe because of how you're treating me." He said sarcastically. "Look. I am sorry, okay. I will not try to leave, ever again."

"You are not sincere."

"Ugh! So, I tried to escape, what's the big deal? You'll have one less servant to worry about. But you...You are acting as if I stole your heart and was going to run away with it!"

This time, the King glanced up at him. Taehyung's heart started throbbing as he stared into those liquid dark eyes.

"How do you know?" The King said. His voice as cold as ice.

"What?"

The King frowned. "Are you unhappy here...in the palace...with me?"

"Yes."

The King shifted his gaze away. His face showing his immense hatred for the reply he had just received.

Taehyung clenched his fists. He bit his lower lip in anger as he glared at the King.

What sort of situation is this? It is like trying to make your wife happy who is grouchy for no reason.

"Your Majesty, are you really going to be like this?" Taehyung scolded.

"Mn."

"Oh! How's this?" Taehyung grinned schemingly. "I will help you win the heart of the girl you like. There are so many pretty girls here, surely you must have one you like."

The King raised his eyebrows in anger. His jaw tightened. "Which girl do you find pretty? Is it the one with whom you were flirting with earlier this morning?"

"Um..." For some reason, Taehyung felt the need to think twice before answering that question. It was quite surprising knowing that the King had been watching him flirt.

What is with that reaction? He looks...like he is jealous?

"Could it be...you like Nayeon?" Taehyung gasped.

The King glared at him.

"Ugh!" Taehyung groaned, admitting defeat. "Fine! Fine! I will stay here. With you. For the rest of my life!"

The King looked at him. His face remained emotionless. "Mark your words."

"I will ruin your life." Taehyung warned.

"It is fine." The King answered.

The King went back to eating his meal. Taehyung wanted to ask what he meant when he had said 'soulmate', but figured the word might have come out as a mistake, and he definitely didn't want to embarrass the King who currently seemed pleased.

The King turned to him. "Why do you look at me like that?"

Taehyung smirked teasingly. "Why? Can I not admire that handsome face?"

The King didn't reply.

Taehyung asked, "Is the food good?"

The King's ears turned bright red. And, surprisingly, this time the King replied, "Yes...especially the chicken."

Taehyung laughed heartily. Seeing the sincerity in those eyes, he decided he wouldn't tease the King, at least not this time.

"Oh, and that book - I need it back."

The King immediately glared at him for mentioning that indecent book. "You are not getting that vulgar book back."

"Why not? Oh~ Could it be that you want to keep it? Tell me. Is it good?"

The King shot him an angry look before saying, "Such books pollutes ones mind, but yours seems to be polluted already."

"So what? A man is a man, after all." Taehyung shrugged. "You read it, didn't you? Stop pretending."

The King shot him a fierce glare.

Choosing not to anger the King more, the latter gave in. "Okay, okay. I get it." He said, raising both his hands up in defense. "Just tell me, do you have it or not?"

"No. I destroyed it." The King answered nonchalantly before taking a sip of the soup.

What a jackass.

Taehyung frowned. Now, he had completely given up on the book. Goodbye, erotic book of Taehyun. Just know, your Senior tried his best to get it back safely in the loving arms of his and his juniors.

"Have you had your meal?" The King asked all of a sudden, that the spaced out Taehyung had no time to think for a reply.

"Nope." He blurted out.

"I am done." The King said placing his chopsticks down on the table.

Taehyung blinked. "Huh?" He gawked at all the food lying there in the plates. At least the chicken was gone. "You barely touched your food."

"I am done." The King repeated.

"Then, what about this food?"

"Throw it away."

Taehyung got annoyed. Raising both his eyebrows in irritation, he scowled, "Ouu, you really! You shouldn't be wasting food, Your Majesty."

"Then, you eat it."

"Am I a pig? Why would I?" Taehyung nagged. His gaze fell on the extravagant dishes - at that delicious kimchi and the nicely diced vegetables. Surely, the King's meal would taste far more better than a servants.

Taehyung gulped. "Fine! Just this once! I don't want to make the Royal Chef sad." He picked up those chopsticks that the King had been using earlier and started trying out the dishes.

Aee. Wait a moment! If I use this...it would be an indirect kiss...Meh! Who cares! I just want to take a bite of the food~

Taehyung smiled. The dishes were a hundred times better than he had expected. Only they weren't spicy enough.

"You like it?" The King asked.

"I like it." He smiled brightly. His mouth stuffed with rice. He was so focused on his meal that he didn't notice the little smile that appeared on the King's lips.

"It's a little bland though."

***

Once his stomach was full, he lied down on the wooden floor. As he stretched, he let out a moan. "Mnnn. Ahh. I feel like a stuffed turkey."

"Don't make that sound." The King ordered.

"Why not? It is to tell I feel good."

The King turned a deaf ear as he read his book.

"So, I'll get going now." Taehyung said. He about to stand up on his feet, when the King said, "You are not going anywhere."

"Who's going to take this then?" He pointed to the empty plates.

The King called out for a servant who entered and took away the bed table with the empty plates on it.

Taehyung sat back down and watched the King flip a page of the book. "You'll read the book, but what about me? What am I to do here?"

"What will you do out?"

"Plenty of things! I'll go bother Namjoon and chat with Nayeon." He said grinning wildly. "I can tell she likes me by the way she looks at me. Ah. She is cute."

"So, you're saying you'll go bother people who actually have work to do unlike you."

"Hmm. Maybe?"

"You are a menace."

"Fine." Taehyung scoffed. "I'll take a nap then."

Lying down flat on his back, Taehyung shut his eyes. Everything was silent. He could hear his breathing and the King's. He could hear the sound of pages being flipped. His heart fluttered.

There is nothing romantic about this. He thought. Calm down.

Slowly, he drifted off to dreamland.

***

It was past noon when Taehyung woke up alone in the room. The sky was a pink afterglow. He noticed there was a blanket put atop him.

Did the King put this here?

He could also remember a touch, ever so gentle, delicately caressing his face. Thinking it must've only been a dream, he didn't ponder upon it much.

Taehyung stood up and left the room.

As he took a walk outside, he ran into Min Yoongi who was returning to his room after his lesson with the Prince.

"Oh." The musician appeared surprised to see Taehyung. "You're still here."

"I am." Taehyung forced a bitter smile. "You see, the King caught me trying to run away."

Min Yoongi nodded.

"Maybe if you had told me about the gate behind the kitchen area, I would have been gone." Taehyung said sarcastically.

"Oh." Having sensed the accusing tone in Taehyung's voice, the musician said, "I'm sorry. I haven't been here long."

"It's okay."

"You seem suspicious of me?" Min Yoongi hesitated.

"Why? Have you done something wrong?"

The musician stuttered for words.

Taehyung laughed. "I'm kidding."

Min Yoongi smiled nervously. "Well, I'll be going now."

"Sure. See ya."

Taehyung watched the musician walk away carrying that instrument of his behind on his back.

His eyes narrowed.

There is something fishy about this guy.

***

It was night and the servant quarters was silent. People were alseep until a long wail from a certain someone's room woke them up.

Taehyung was locked out his room by his juniors for a reason that made no sense at all; mostly because the kids were terrible at explaining.

"How can you do this to me? Open the door. Let me in!" Taehyung shouted, trying his best to pull open the door which was kept closed on the other by his five juniors.

"Yah! Yeonjun, let me in. LET ME IN!"

"We are very sorry, Senior. But, we have no choice!" He heard Yeonjun speak.

"Our hands are tied." Beomgyu said.

"You must go!" Soobin said.

"YAH! You are telling me to go sleep with the King! Have you gone mad?"

"Actually, it's only sleeping in one room, not like together-together with bodies." Taehyun corrected.

"Shut up! Do you want to get beaten up?" Taehyung threatened.

"Please. Just go." Huening Kai said.

"FINE!" Taehyung muttered. "I will go! Just so you know, if anything happens to me, it'll be your fault!"

Alone, in the middle of the night, Kim Taehyung journeyed to the King's room. He felt like a little lamb going directly into the lion's den.

What the fuck he wants by making me stay with him!?

Taehyung slid the door open.

"You're here." The King said flatly. "I was wondering where you had gone." He gestured to the neatly placed futon in the corner. "Your bed."

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Did the kids not explain you well? I see. You are to stay with me from now on, in one room." He explained.

"Why? Are you a baby? You can't sleep alone?" Taehyung mocked.

"This is so I can keep an eye on you."

"Is this because I tried to ran away?" Taehyung faked a gasp. "You don't trust me?! I thought I was your friend."

"I don't trust you." The King admitted. "And, you are my mate."

Taehyung made a confused look. Somehow, he felt like the King meant the word 'mate' as in a different way.

"Now -" The King said. His voice throaty. He stared at Taehyung as he unfastened his belt. His robes came loose, and he started taking off his outer wear.

He walked towards Taehyung.

Taehyung stepped back. "What are you think you're doing!?"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"Don't play coy with me. I know what you are trying to do!" Taehyung saiď. His back was now pressed against the wall. "It's not going to work on me."

The King leaned in close.

Taehyung's heart beat quickened. His lips pressed into a thin line as he closed his eyes. His mind was going insane. He couldn't think anymore. It was chaos as every little cell in him went berserk.

What is going on?!

"Phew~"

He heard the sound of forced air getting expelled. The room instantly went dark. As he opened his eyes, he saw the King slowly backing away from him.

"What's wrong?" The King asked.

Taehyung blinked. He glanced down at the tiny drawer and noticed the blown out candles. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Why are you red?" The King said.

"It's nothing!" Taehyung replied. He was shy for no reason.

"Well, then, time for bed."

***

A terrifying dream woke Taehyung up with a start. The sweat was soaking through his clothes. His eyes teared up. Fear had grasped hold of his heart.

He missed his family dearly.

In the dream, Taehyung was begging to the King not to kill him. Still, it ended with his chopped head rolling over to his murderer's foot.

Taehyung glanced at the bed where the King slept peacefully. He heard silent snores and sheets rustling. Immediately, his thoughts ran wild. Two voices began arguing inside his head.

"He is asleep. Kill him in his sleep."

"No! That is wrong."

"What is wrong and what is right. You spend one night with him and have a nightmare."

"Remember the King spared your life."

"To keep you imprisoned within these walls. Who knows when he'll decide to end you? I say, do it."

Taehyung nodded, agreeing blindly with the hateful voice. He was no longer going to live in fear of dying. If the King is dead, who can kill him, right?

Quietly, he slipped out his futon and tip-toed towards the King's bed.

He climbed on top of the sleeping figure. His legs separated and kneeling on either side of the person. His hands came up and started towards the neck.

Now, you've done it, author. I will have to kill your beloved hero. His blood will be on your hands!

Just as his hands were about to touch the skin of the King, his eyes shot open. Taehyung froze when his eyes met those dark orbs of the King.

Fuck! Think of something!

The King stayed silent for a few minutes. "What are you doing?"

"What...do you...think I'm doing?" He forced out a teasing smile. "I...am going to...touch you."

The King stared fixedly at him. His face completely blank. Then, all of a sudden, he raised his hand and wrapped it around Taehyung's waist.

"Wha-!!"

The King pulled him down beside him and held him close in a tight embrace.

"Yah! Are you insane? Let me go!" Taehyung struggled.

The King didn't move a muscle. "Is this not what you wanted? I am sad that I can only be this way with you tonight."

"What do you mean?!"

"Sleep."

The King's grip tightened around him, pulling him in close. Taehyung could feel the hardness of his chest. His soft breathing on his hair.

Taehyung's heart pounded loud. His thoughts were a jumble.

In the quiet darkness, Taehyung slowly gave in to slumber.

That night, he had another dream; it was sweeter and much better.

***

Authors Note:

I haven't mentioned this before but you know how in historical kdramas, king and prince have different palaces. The same logic goes in here.

Jungkook's palace would be the main palace. And there is a different area for the court that the King attends is also the throne room.

Also the main palace has the main hall.

That's all! Vote and comment!! Byeee.