★★★★★

NEXT MORNING**

Jimin opened his eyes and let out a sleepy groan, the first thing he did was turn to his side to check on the emperor and as expected, he was gone.

Jimin moved tiredly on the bed and yawned loudly.

He turned again when the door opened, a servant walked in and Jimin's eyes widened, he immediately covered himself well with the duvet. The servant actually came with food tray in his hand which was confusing to Jimin.

"What's going on?" He managed to ask when the servant set the table in the bedroom.

"Oh...his majesty told me to bring the food here...for you" he said and Jimin bashed his lashes.

He watched as the servant walked out of the room and that was when his eyes caught with a paper on the small stool beside the bed, it's the emperor's hand writing for sure.

💬DON'T LEAVE THE ROOM, I MIGHT BE LATE SO EAT AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

"Where did he go to?" Jimin took his lips in and dropped the note back.

He stepped down from the bed and walked to the table where the food was kept, he inhaled and moaned.

"His food smells different, seriously" he chuckled and turned to the bathroom, it's his first time in there.

"Oh" he chuckled and entered the wooden bathtub, the water was already in there.

"Wow refreshing" He smiled and closed his eyes.

★

ROYAL COURT HALL**

A meeting was on going in the court, the emperor was sitting in front, just at the center of where the ministers, elders and eunuchs were standing.

"Here your majesty, all the officials that would be invited to the moon festival if you approve them" one of the ministers said, handing over to Namjoon who immediately went up to give to the emperor.

He opened it at once and went through it

"Invite whoever you want to" He said.

"Yes your majesty" they bowed.

"About Young master Duri......"

"Take him back" Emperor Jungkook cut in and everyone exchanged glances.

"I don't have any interest in him no matter how I try, don't waste his time too much, I'm letting hy go" He added.

"Okay your majesty, would you like us to get someone else and......"

"No, I will do that myself. Don't bother" The emperor said and they bowed.

The meeting continued but the emperor's mind was with Jimin all through, he just couldn't stop thinking about him. He has never been this whipped but he can't even deny that he's a goner at this point, Jimin wouldn't leave his head.

He just want to end everything at once and go to him.

"Your majesty, you haven't approved the letters we sent to you. We were expecting Namjoon all through the week for your reply your majesty"

"I will do that this week" The emperor muttered, going through all the reports in front of him one after the other.

He took one and started reading, he looked up with a blank look on his face.

"What happened to the ship coming from the East?" He asked and immediately one of the ministers stepped forward, he bowed before he started talking.

"It was last night your majesty, the sailors coming from the East suddenly experienced a wild gale your majesty, the ship got totally destroyed and the sailors had to swim all the way to a safe place, loosing all their goods and belongings. But fortunately nobody died, according to them the gale doesn't seem natural" He explained.

"Doesn't seem.....Natural?" The emperor asked again while creasing his brows.

"Yes your majesty" the ministers all chorused.

The emperor said nothing and dropped that, he took another one and read. He raised his head again with a more shocking look on his face.

"What's going on in the woods?" He asked.

Immediately one of the elders stepped forward.

"Just last night......"

"Last...night?" The emperor asked, cutting him off.

"Yes your majesty" He said.

"Go on"

"Three hunters died while hunting, according to the hunters who escaped, it was a beast. The three hunters had a lot of bruises all over their bodies which can never be done by a human, their bodies turned black like their souls were sucked from them" the minister reported and the emperor adjusted on his seat.

He quickly dropped that one and opened another one.

"What........the market square? What happened again?" He asked.

"This one happened in the night before midnight your majesty.....it was said that a strange man in black suddenly passed through the market and some stores were set on fire......"

"That's enough" the emperor mumbled and fold his fist before dropping the report in his hand.

"All these....happened yesterday?! And you are just reporting to me?! Just why?" He asked angrily and immediately they all bowed.

"Forgive us your majesty, we had to go around to confirm the rumors ourselves before reporting to you"

"And besides, I think like it was reported, none of these are natural"

"It's like a sudden curse and spiritual plaque...."

"Enough...." The emperor ordered and there was silence.

The emperor stood up and they kept bowing.

"End of meeting, let's meet again tomorrow" He said and walked out. Namjoon immediately followed. 

"Your majesty, how about I go into the woods with the warriors......" Namjoon wanted to suggest.

"That won't work" The emperor said immediately.

"Then, do you have any other idea? I'm ready to help your majesty......."

"I want to be alone Namjoon, you can go" The emperor said

Namjoon bowed and shifted back, he walked behind him till he entered his chamber then Namjoon went back.

★

ROYAL CHAMBER**

Emperor Jungkook entered the room and the first thing he saw was the meal on the table untouchable. No sight of Jimin, but he could smell him, he walked into the bathroom and there was Jimin, he slept off in the bathtub.

Immediately he saw his face, all the anger and rage he was feeling went down and a smile escaped his lips.

"So cute" He chuckled, staring at his sleepy face.

He bent down and carried him not minding if he was wet, he took him into the room and dropped him on the bed.

He wanted to leave but then Jimin grabbed his robe and the emperor looked at his hand.

"You're not sleeping?" He asked.

"Your sweet scent woke me up my Lord" Jimin said and he bent closer to kiss his lips.

"You don't look good, did something happened?" He asked.

"You noticed perfectly" The emperor mumbled.

Jimin immediately sat up.

"You can tell me......"

"No, it's not something you should worry about Jimin" He said and Jimin sighed.

"It will be fine right?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it" The emperor said and pat his hair.

"You didn't eat....."

"Let's eat together" Jimin immediately cut in and the emperor chuckled.

"Fine then" He said.

★

BORAH'S SUITE**

"Not natural? You think it's a disaster or something?" Borah asked the guard giving him every updates going on in the palace.

"I really have no idea, but according to what I heard, it's the beast's work" The guard said And Borah sighed out.

"Is the emperor angry? What's his reaction?" She asked.

"Likely....angry" he replied.

Borah nodded.

"You can go now, I will call you when I need you again" She said.

The guard bowed and walked out of the suite.

Borah chuckled.

"Is this like a punishment or something?" She asked and continue laughing.

"Now I need to get rid of Jimin to get his majesty back" She mumbled.

**

Yongbok was taking a walk, his maids walking behind him also.

He suddenly stopped and faced them.

"You all should go on and rest, I want to be alone" He said.

They all bowed and walked away.

Yongbok sighed and continue his walk until he saw Hyunjin coming.

His eyes widened immediately.

"Oh no, he can't see me" He shook his head and turned around to run, he bumped his head into another guard.

"Ouch!" He screamed and touched his head.

"Your highness, are you okay?"

"You should watch where you're going" Hyunjin immediately ran over to them.

"Oh no" Yongbok bite his lips.

"Leave" Hyunjin said to the guard who walked away immediately.

"Are you okay?" Hyunjin asked and tried to touch his head.

"Don't touch me, I'm fine" Yongbok mumbled.

"But......"

"Stop it Hyunjin, I said I am fine" Yongbok snapped and Hyunjin sighed.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked.

"No I'm not" Yongbok mumbled.

"Then allow me check your head at least." Hyunjin groaned.

"You shouldn't touch me"

"Why?"

"Because your touch has effects on me!" Yongbok snapped loudly.

Hyunjin immediately looked around to make sure nobody was coming.

"What!! Everyone should hear me I don't care!!" Yongbok screamed.

Hyunjin covered his mouth and dragged him away.

"Leave me alone!!"

Hyunjin ignored his tantrums till they entered his suite, Yongbok was breathing heavily.

"That wasn't nice" Hyunjin said.

"I don't care okay?" Yongbok snapped.

Hyunjin sighed out.

"Stop being dramatic......." Yongbok grabbed his face and smashed his lips on his own.

Just when Hyunjin was about to reciprocate, he broke the kiss.

"Think about what I said last night first" He rolled his eyes and walked out of his sight.

Hyunjin licked his lips and touched his hair before going out.

★

NIGHT_IN THE WOODS**

Emperor Jungkook appeared in the middle of the woods, he was wearing just a simple robe, different from the royal ones, he had a complete cold expression on his face, in a word, he looked angry as he looked around. The breeze blowing his air.

As soon as he felt Taehyung's presence, even before he made himself visible, the emperor's eyes turned red and caught him in the air, he became visible and the emperor threw him against one of the trees aggressively.

Before he could get up, the emperor appeared in front of him again and pulled him up with a finger, strangling him.

"How....dare....you" He said in a thick husky and angry yet calm voice.

Taehyung chuckled.

"Finally, I made you angry" he said.

"How dare you!!!!!" The emperor roared and his hair turned white, his claws removed themselves and he wanted to just smash him without thinking, but then he didn't.

"Why not do it??" Taehyung asked.

Jungkook released him and exhaled, controlling his anger.

"If you want to mess with me, face me directly you weak bastard!!! Don't touch my people" he said.

Taehyung laughed out loudly that it echoed in the whole woods.

"When I'm just getting started?" He asked.

"I'm going to destroy them all, I will destroy everything!!!! In your face!!!! You better get ready for me dear brother, I'm going to destroy everyone around you then destroy you lastly, with my two hands, I'm going to end your life" Taehyung threatened.

"I told you...you can face me, but don't touch the people around me, you will be dying a second death Taehyung, don't make me mad" Jungkook said.

"I hate your confidence" Taehyung said and immediately a sword appeared in his hand.

His eyes turned black and he transferred some dark powers into the sword before he drilled it right into the ground.

A loud thunder struck and rain started, it's not ordinary rain, it's a destructive rain.

The emperor opened his palm and allowed the rain fall on it, he looked at Taehyung with shocking eyes.

"What are you gonna do now brother? All the crops and plants your people made with their sweats will get destroyed, what are you going to do? But then, this is only the beginning" Taehyung laughed out loudly as usual before he vanished.

Emperor Jungkook stood there for a minute before making the rain stop, he opened his palms and some seeds appeared on them, his eyes shone on them and the seeds started going up, it got to the air and made a loud burst.

Another rain began to fall, a productive one this time around. The dead plants would come alive.

★

MOON PALACE_ JIMIN'S ROOM**

Jimin just returned from the emperor's chamber but it was empty, he sighed out sadly.

He sat down on his bed and touched his tummy, he has been having this strange feeling since morning and seems like it got even worse.

"Did I eat something bad?" He asked himself.

He suddenly got the sudden feeling to puke.

Jimin got up immediately and rushed into the bathroom, instantly he started throwing up everything he ate.

After that, he felt weak and before he knew it, his eyes rolled tiredly and he passed out in there.

.

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TBC