_________________________

Where is the Heroine?

The King was absolutely drunk. He was all smiles and laughs - the complete opposite of when he was sober.
Taehyung couldn't help but smile at this cheery person before him.

"So, even the King can get drunk, huh?" Taehyung teased.

"Yes."

Taehyung chuckled. "Your Majesty, are you aware that when people get drunk they do stupid things like...where are you going?!"

The King was up on his feet and heading towards the door. "I am going to steal gayageum from my brother."

"At this hour?! Why?!"

"....Sing song for you."

Taehyung smiled warmly. "No one has ever sung for me. You want to sing for me?" He teased, sweetly.

"Mn." The King's ears turned red.

Taehyung giggled. He stopped the King before he could leave in his drunken state, thinking it would be best to save the King's reputation.

"You can sing for me some other time. For now, let's stay here."

"Mn."

Then, an idea struck Taehyung and a mischievous smile crept up on his face. "My friend, I want to know more about you. Will you tell me what I want?"

Jungkook nodded.

"Hmm. Where do I start?" Taehyung murmured. "Oh! Do you think I am handsome?"

"Yes."

A wide grin appeared on Taehyung's face. "Alright then. Do you think I am annoying?"

"No."

"Eh. But you kept ignoring me before." He faked a gasp. "Could it be...do you love me?"

Jungkook remained silent.

Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Fine. Don't answer. Hmm. Let me ask something else. Why did you choose to spare my life?"

"Because the thought of you dead upsets me."

Taehyung couldn't believe how honest the King got when he was drunk! "Moving on. Will you ever let me leave the palace?"

Jungkook's pretty smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "Never."

"Aee." Taehyung whined. "Why do you even want to keep me here? You should've just killed me when we had met!"

"Taehyung!" Jungkook scolded.

Realizing he may have sounded a tiny bit insensitive, Taehyung apologized.
"Fine. Last question." Taehyung grinned. "Is there someone you love?"

When he heard no reply, he shifted his gaze to the King, only to find him dozing off sitting upright.

A chuckle escaped Taehyung's mouth. "Okay. Time for bed."

Taehyung stood up and walked over to the King. Leaning down he wrapped one arm around the person and tried to lift the King up.

"Come on now." Taehyung murmured.

Finally, with strong effort, he is able to lift the drunken King on his feet. With Jungkook clinging onto him, he walks towards the bed.

Oof! He is so heavy! Ahhh -

Taehyung trips on their garments and falls down with a loud thud. The King lands safely on top of him.

"Aiyah. Get off." Taehyung ordered.

The King who had his face buried deep within Taehyung's clothes, shook his head as a no.

"Your Majesty -"

"I want to answer your question." He heard the King speak.

"..."

"There is a person I've loved for a long time."

"..."

Taehyung blinked. His heart pounded so loud, he was afraid the King would hear it.

"But, I do not know what this person feels about me." The King continued. His voice throaty.

"Your Majesty, I -"

Before he could say more, Taehyung felt Jungkook's lips rub against his clothes as he said, "If I use my entire lifetime to wait, will he look at me in a different way?"

"..."

The room went peacefully quiet. The King's body went limp, and all Taehyung heard were soft snores. The hero had fallen asleep on his chest.

Taehyung let out a deep breath.

He was not going to lie to himself. He did feel a sharp, piercing ache in his heart when he heard the King loved someone.

And that someone could only be the heroine.

***

Morning came. Kim Taehyung was up and running about in the kitchen because Kim Seokjin had finally decided to forgive him. As he waited patiently by the firewood stove while the Royal Chef prepared the King's breakfast, Taehyung began wondering.

He let out a deep - intentional - sigh, and waited for Seokjin's reaction.

Seokjin didn't move a muscle.

Taehyung sighed again.

"Is something bothering you?" Seokjin frowned.

"Yes...no...to be honest, I don't know."

"Is it because of the King?"

"Wh-What makes you think that?"

Seokjin let out a laugh. "It's funny how you don't know a thing. Namjoon was right. You can be so dense sometimes."

Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"You should try making breakfast for the King sometimes. I'm sure he'll be more than happy." Seokjin suggested.

"Me, cook?" Taehyung scoffed. "He'll die if he eats what I cook."

He heard other servants gasp after what he had just said. He snapped right at them, "Oh, please, people! I did not mean it that way. I sleep with the King, you know! Why would I want to kill him?"

Although there was this one time when he was all ready to murder the King.

People gasped.

Kim Seokjin cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"Are you done?" Taehyung asked, getting tired of waiting for the food.

"Almost." Seokjin answered. "You know, you haven't noticed it but the King has always been by your side."

Taehyung blinked. "Really?"

Seokjin nodded. "Yes. When you laid unconscious, His Majesty refused to leave your side, even refusing to eat until you woke up. I was surprised to see him behave in such a way."

"I...don't know what to say."

"Taehyung-ah, you don't always need words to convey yourself." Seokjin said gently. "Sometimes, it's okay to let the eyes do the talking."

Is he drunk? What is he talking about?

Taehyung forced a smile.

Seokjin frowned. "You didn't understand what I said, right."

Taehyung hesitated. "You're right, I did not get a word you said. But I know why the King stayed with me."

"You do?"

"Yes. He considers me his friend."

"Friend?"

"Yes. He said I was his mate."

"You are a fool, that's what you are!" Seokjin who was annoyed now, hit Taehyung on the head with a wooden spoon. "Ugh! It's done. The meal is all cooked. You can leave now."

"That's great! Just a tiny request, can you also make a hangover soup?"

"Kim Taehyung, what did you do?" Seokjin narrowed his eyes at him.

"I do nothing! It was the King's own fault to drink wine and get drunk."

Seokjin frowned and got to making the hangover soup per requested.

***

With breakfast hot and ready for the King, Taehyung picked up the table and headed out.

On his way to the palace, he was stopped short by a servant.

"Are you going to the King?" The servant asked.

"Yes, I am."

"That's great! I have a letter to the King from Minister Bae."

Taehyung scowled. "Tsk. That old man."

The servant nodded. "I know right. I dislike that man as well. Anyways, he's going to hold more power now that its said his daughter will marry the King."

Taehyung choked on his saliva. "What! Marriage?"

"Yes. Don't tell anyone I told you. It has not been official yet!"

Taehyung nodded.

With the letter placed on the bedtable he carried, he went on to the palace.

Wah~ Marriage! I knew it! This means the heroine will be appearing soon.

Then that time when I barged in on the King's and that old man's conversation...they were talking about marriage.

Ignoring the slight ache in his heart, he chose to feel excited for the King. After all, what's an extra like him to do?

***

Taehyung walked into the room only to find the King sitting upright on the bed looking dazed and aloof. His hair was messed up and so was his clothes.

"You're up! That's good." Taehyung said, placing down the bedside table.

The King blinked. He looked around the room, at the knocked over empty jars of wine and his outer garments on the floor.

"What happened last night?" He asked. His voice husky. "Did you take off my clothes?"

"Oh. You don't remember?"

"No."

"You got drunk and you said a lot of things." Taehyung teased.

The King looked horrified. "What did I say?"

Taehyung held back a laughter. Acting pitiful, he said, "I'm sad you don't remember. How can you forget the pleasure you gave me last night."

"What?!" The King gasped.

Seeing such a reaction on the King's face, Taehyung bursted into laughter. "I am kidding. No such thing happened between us. And yeah, I took off your clothes because you kept complaining of the heat."

The King relaxed.

Taehyung felt a bit annoyed. "Why do you seem so relieved? Do you really hate the idea of something happening between us so much?"

The King opened his mouth to speak, but Taehyung interrupted, "I have some work to do so I need to go! By the way, a letter came from Minister Bae. It's there on the table. Bye."

Taehyung hurriedly left the room. He hated how suffocated he felt to be in the same room as the King.

***

Since the King got drunk way too easily last night, Taehyung couldn't have a good talk about the perpetrator, and who it might be.

"Just who are you?" Taehyung muttered to himself as he laid under the shade of a tree, eating peanuts he had got from a pretty maid-servant.

"Short fellow...short fellow..." He began chanting. And then, as if it hit him, he realized there was a short person he knew.

A scowl appeared on his face.

That two-faced musician...

Kim Taehyung stood up, dusting off the dirt on his clothes. He had made up his mind to confront the musician.

As he went searching around for Yoongi, he ran into Namjoon.

"Namjoon, I have to talk to you."

"About what?"

"It's Yoongi." Taehyung said. "He's the one who poisoned the wine!"

"What?" Namjoon said. He checked the area to make sure no one was there.

"It's Yoongi. Let's catch him!" Taehyung said.

"What makes you so sure it's Yoongi?"

"Because...we saw him go into the store, and he's short! And, he also purposely told me the wrong way when I tried to escape."

"You tried to escape?" Namjoon uttered in disbelief. "And what - because he is short. I know another person who's short - the Prince. What proof do you have that it isn't the Prince but Yoongi?"

Taehyung eyes widened in anger.

"You don't believe me! I mean, geez, we have our share of differences but I thought we were past that." Taehyung shrugged. "I thought we were friends now."

"We are!" Namjoon assured. "We are."

"But you don't trust me."

"Taehyung, listen -"

In the distance, Taehyung spotted Min Yoongi walking to the Prince's palace, with a smile plastered on his face.

"Fine." Taehyung muttered. "I'll go ask him myself."

He ran towards the musician.

"Oh, crap!" Namjoon muttered as he followed behind.

***

Min Yoongi came to a stop when he saw Taehyung and Namjoon running towards him.

"Taehyung-sshi, I heard about what happened." Yoongi said worriedly. He examined Taehyung from top to bottom, then smiled. "I am glad to see you are okay."

"Yeah!" Taehyung flexed his arms. "I am healthy as a horse."

Min Yoongi chuckled.

Taehyung glared fixedly at the little musician standing before him. He forced a smile. "Wah. The poison was really strong, you know. It knocked me out for a day."

"Really?" Min Yoongi blinked. "Nevertheless, you seem strong."

Taehyung clicked his tongue in anger.

"Don't do this..." He heard Namjoon whisper.

"I'll cut right to the chase, Min Yoongi. I know who poisoned the wine." He said confidently with his arms crossed across his chest.

"...Who?" Yoongi hesitated.

"Ohh-ho. Playing dumb now aren't you." Taehyung smirked. All of a sudden, he grabbed the musician by his clothes. "It was you, right."

"What?!" Yoongi monolid eyes came big with shock. "No!"

"Taehyung, what are you doing?! Let go of him!" Namjoon panicked, trying to free Yoongi from Taehyung's tight grasp.

"I know you exchanged the wine when you approached the drunken Minister Hyun!" Taehyung shouted.

"No, no. I would never do such a thing. Trust me!" Yoongi cried with pleading eyes, struggling to be free.

"You bastard!" Taehyung cursed.

"Kim Taehyung!" Namjoon yelled. Successfully, he pushed Taehyung away and brought Yoongi to close to him. The musician cried against his chest.

Taehyung scoffed, rolling his eyes with disgust. "Oho! Crying now!"

Kim Seokjin, the Royal Chef, who had been passing by, noticed the ruckus going on.

"What's going on here?!" The Royal Chef asked curiously as he approached the group. His eyes instantly fell on Yoongi wrapped in Namjoon's arms.

"Namjoon, you-"

Taehyung quickly said, "Control your man, Kim Seokjin."

"Seokjin, it's not how it looks like!" Namjoon pleaded.

"Then, why are you trying to save this guy?" Taehyung muttered, ready to attack again.

Seokjin bit the inside of his cheek. "Get away from him!" He shouted furiously as he pulled Yoongi away.

What was once a simple confrontation became a havoc. With Namjoon and Seokjin aruging, Yoongi crying out at the top of his lungs, and Taehyung screeching to make sure he was heard.

Sanity has left the building.

"Oh! I can't take this anymore." Yoongi bursted into a scream. "I was the one who gave you that note!"

Everyone became quiet.

Taehyung was stunned. "You what?"

"That day when I went into the liquor store, I saw Minister Hyun with someone."

"It's true, Taehyung. Yoongi came to me and told me everything. Aish! This was what I wanted to tell you but you don't listen!" Namjoon frowned.

"Why is Min Yoongi coming to you?" Seokjin raised an eyebrow. "Is he playing your instrument?"

"Eww." Taehyung muttered.

Min Yoongi looked puzzled.

"Seokjin, don't say such things! I promise I'll explain later." Namjoon blushed, grabbing hold of Seokjin so he doesn't start hitting again.

"Then, who was Minister Hyun talking to?" Taehyung asked in a curious tone.

"I don't know. But, I never forget a face. I can tell if that person appears in front of me again." Yoongi assured.

"Is that so?" Taehyung said.

"Yes."

Then, there was awkward silence as the four men stood there silently exchanging glances. All of them ashamed of their behavior.

Now, Taehyung felt stupid.

"Oho! Yah!" Taehyung spoke up with a shameless smile, trying to break the silence. He reached out and straightened Yoongi's clothes. "You should've said so earlier."

Yoongi stared at him. "I can leave now, right?"

"Of course!" Taehyung smiled, flashing all his teeth.

"Okay." Yoongi smiled back, showing his gums, then quickly scurried away.

For some reason, Taehyung couldn't bring himself to believe Min Yoongi.

"Errm...hmm..." Seokjin cleared his throat.

Oh, shit!

Turning to the lovers who were now put in a bad mood because of Taehyung, he sheepishly smiled. "My mistake. See ya!"

And, he fled away.

***

"Kim Taehyung." He called. His voice rough with anger.

"Hoseok!" Taehyung greeted with a smile. Putting his arms around his shoulder, he gave Hoseok a playful punch on the chest. "It's nice seeing you. Hey, why do you keep disappearing? You are never there when I need you."

Hoseok shrugged Taehyung's arm off. "I have lots of work to do unlike you."

"I know." Taehyung tsked. "Do you want me to talk to the King about it? I feel like he will listen to me."

"No! It's alright!" Hoseok quickly said.

"Fine!" Taehyung laughed.

Soon, without them realizing, they had reached the gate of the palace. A lot of servants were there, cleaning the place and decorating with flowers, even his juniors were there.

"What's going on?" Taehyung inquired.

"You don't know?"

"Nope."

"His Majesty received a letter from Minister Bae. Apparently, his daughter seems to be visiting."

"His...daughter..." The words barely left his mouth.

"Oh! Look! It's the King!" Hoseok announced.

In the distance, he saw the King, tall and charming, walking towards the gate with his followers behind.

Slowly, the gate opened.

And, she stepped in, shining bright like the sun. Her skin fair and eyes big with joy and fascination. Her smooth black hair was styled neatly with expensive accessories. Her steps were short; as if she was being careful.

"My god." Taehyung heard Hoseok gasp beside him. He was left speechless.

Taehyung couldn't believe it.

Such beauty...

Taehyung couldn't take his eyes off the words floating above this lady -

Bae Joohyun.
Daughter of Minister Bae.
Heroine.

The heroine walked right upto the King. Something sparkled in those pretty eyes and Taehyung immediately understood. This woman was instantly taken by the King.

It was love at first sight for her.

A fear crept up inside him when the King's face popped in the back of his head.

Does he feel the same as her?

Quickly, Taehyung glanced at the King. The hero. And his face was as blank as always.

Taehyung couldn't read him at all.

Oh. They're talking. She's smiling a lot. Wah! She's blushing! But, why isn't the King not showing any reaction?

Suddenly, the disinterested King shifted his eyes and glanced over at where Taehyung stood.

Their eyes met.

Something sparkled in those dark orbs and it made Taehyung feel butterflies in his tummy.

What is this? Why does he look at me that way, with such...longing in his eyes?

Don't look at me! Look at her! Smile at her, you big idiot! She's the heroine.

Stop...before I misunderstand your feelings for me.

***

Author's note:

And welcome the heroine who is none other than RV Irene ~~