"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST HIM AGAIN?" Ryejin yelled. The soldiers had their head hung low, none daring to face their fuming princess, Kim Ryejin.

"We swear on our lives, that we had him right before us, princess" A soldier pointed, following moments of unanswered silence. "But then. . . but then, uh. . we. . uh-" he trailed off, all the courage he mustered dissipating.

"Call me Ryejin for hell's sake. . You can follow your king's orders when in his presence!" She roared back, " And now tell me where the fuck did you lose him?"

"He ran off into the forest, pri- sorry, R-Ry-Ryejin," the soldier squeaked out, head still hung low.

"And what exactly were you doing when he ran off, Beom Seok?" She folded her arms and raised a brow to the soldier shifting around.

" Well. . .you see. . prin- uh- we. . .uh," The man struggled.

"Am not gonna bite," Ryejin said rolling her eyes, despite toning down, "Two of you just tag along, rest can wait here if the king returns," she ordered softly before leading their way into the forest.

A silent hunt into the forest later, she found him huddled against a tree bark. "Here you are, onyx!" She deserted the horse to run towards her pet little chipmunk. "Think you need a few more lessons on behaving better, huh?" She glared, soon giving up to his doe eyes.

She got up, scouring the area before farewell, when a hunched fingure carrying something on it's back caught her eyes. Her hands flew to the sword secured around her waist. The guards followed suite.

It was quite early in the dawn, first lights of light kissing down on them and blotches of clouds bubbling up the sky. It was a clear day, except for Ryejin who was yet to find her brother. Last night, a patrol into the forest went futile and everywhere around left them with dead end about Taehyung's whereabouts. She hadn't yet given up on hope though.

It was windy, the weather. Not too warm or too cold. An ideal weather, Taehyung preferred, she sighed heavily. The figure was too slow on it's steps, almost losing a few before catching itself. The someone (she discerned) on his back must probably be heavy.

"Princess, shall we head back?" one of the soldiers inquired.

"No. . Wait. . There seems to be someone approaching. . ." She pointed at the figured direction. Hand loosening around the sword tied to her torso. Onyx scrambled up her shoulder and made a few sounds and when she turned around, unable to tame him-

"TAEHYUNGIE!!" she hailed, recognising her brother. She ran towards him, tears collecting in her eyes, signalling the guards to follow.

"Rye- ngh," Taehyung grunted, a stranger passed out cold on his back.

"Who is that? Is he the rogue? Have you gone insane, Taehyung? I swear to god-" She babbled.

"Rye, Just- just take him-take him," Taehyung croaked out, his knees almost giving up. Ryejin turned to the guards, "Take him to the healers and drag him back to the courtroom, once he wakes up. Be careful"

But Taehyung, catching his breath, after handing over the stranger with a black robe mumbled a weak "stop" The guards complied. "Don't- Don't take him to the healer, take him to my chamber," he paused to glance at both of them, "Nowhere else"

"Taehyung?! Are you insane?! Why would you-" Ryejin yelled, furious at Taehyung. She couldn't believe her ears but Taehyung confirmed it again.

"Just do as I say," Taehyung ordered the guards, stilled to ground in disbelief. But soon complied, nonetheless.

The faint clip-clop of horse hoof hitting the sod soon faded off, now leaving her with her brother. She began, more tears collecting in her eyes.

"He has wooed you, right? I must have known not to leave you alone with a rogue from-" she sniffeld "well, it's my mistake. . all my fault. . now how can I have my brother back!? Just-"

"Rae," Taehyung softly murmured, making her pause and look up to him, "I'm here, and no, no one wooed me," Taehyung wiped her cheeks with his thumbs and a small smile, "About what I did? It was for the best."

"What is?" Ryejin glared back, furious all over again, "You get lost in search of some bastard, return after two fucking days and let that bitch in your chamber where I was allowed only after a year? Is that's for the best, huh?"

"Rae, It's not the way you think it is," But she was deaf to his pleas today.

"You think all of this is a joke Taehyung? I searched for you all around the forest. . and when I couldn't find you. . I- I just- I was so scared Taehyung!" She cried, hating herself for breaking down when she was meant to be standing to her ground.

Taehyung sighed, embracing her. And she rambled on.

"You know? You are a baby Taehyung. . A baby," Ryejin let out, words all muffled in the hug, "You act all brave, yet I know you are clumsy, so fucking soft from heart and really cry over injured puppies. . "

"I know Rae, I know," He heard him sigh "Let's get back home, courtroom awaits me, so does your training grounds for you"

"Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?" She asked, roving his features for any signs of injury. He looked fine and assured so.

"No Rae," he gave a small smile "He didn't. It was quite the opposite. Remember? Am not weak?"

"That's true, but you are still my dumb baby brother," She argued, done hugging the life out of him.

"Dumb?" Taehyung raised a brow, disbelief all over his features.

"Why else would you let that bitch in your chamber? Is he that important for you? Am sure he has you wooed! Two days and he is in your chamber! What has gotten into you?" Ryejin almost screamed, maybe literally, "Wait- you aren't my brother!" She scrambled away from him, suspicious, "You have been jinxed by that bastard!"

"Rae- wait! No-"

"No," She shrieked, "Don't you dare to call me wrong! I know am right! It took me a whole ass year Taehyung! A YEAR! For you to let me in your chamber! And that bitch has the audacity to woo you and welcome himself in there in just two fucking days?!" She was heaving, breathless, but continued regardless, "In conclusion, he has jinxed you into being wooed to let himself in your chamber!"

"RAE! STOP IT YOU DUM-DUM!" The other boomed, "Let me fucking talk!"

"What the fuck is your jinxed ass gonna spew out right now, huh?!" She turned away from Taehyung with a glare, arms folded to her chest.

"NO! He hasn't jinxed or wooed me into welcoming himself into my chamber. It was the best decision I could take," Taehyung paused, "He wears the dark robe, Rae. You know what that means. But somehow he is extremely powerful too and also heals himself. "

Ryejin broke from her am-mad-at-my-brother stance, "Taehyung, doesn't that mean. . " she trailed off, not wanting to complete.

" Yes he's either of the two extremes of good or bad" But Taehyung completed for the both of them, "We don't know yet"

"And my dear sister Ryejinnie, would you wanna put all your subjects under risk knowing not what entity has entered our clan by sending him to the healers? Hmm?" Taehyung softly questioned his sister.

"But what about you, Tae? What if-?" Ryejin questioned back, and Taehyung being Taehyung interrupted-

"Am the king of Kaatru, Rae. My people's well being is mine" He reassured,"so don't you worry, I will be fine"

"You are so precious to Kaatru that you don't realise your own worth, Taehyung," she murmured, eyes moist, "But trust me, there can be no better King for this clan other than you."

"And I just heard someone calling me dumb," Taehyung narrowed his eyes at her.

"I still stand by that though, " She wiped her tears.

"Whatever you say, princess," Taehyung playfully bowed, to which she rewarded him with a smack.

"You are getting late for the courtroom dum- dum, hurry up!" She cried out, ignoring his pout as he rubbed his arm.

"Sometimes, I wonder who the king is really," She smacked him harder, "Ouch, that hurt!"

"Well, wasn't that the purpose to give one?" She teased back, mounting the horse.

"Where is your horse, Taehyung?" She asked, scouring the area. "You were on your strolls the night before chasing him, right?"

Taehyung nodded, almost apologetic,"But since I heard that, our palace decorator, Lee Jong-il wasn't at his best health the past week, I had gone up to enquire him, leaving her tied up to a tree beside. That's when I heard the 'rogue' calls, and ran after him, leaving her there," he shrugged.

"Does mounting a horse take an eon, Tae?" Ryejin shook her head.

"It does when you have to act fast," Taehyung defended.

"Act fast, my ass. Just accept that it's cause you are dumb," She tittered, unable to hold back a smile.

"Am not," Taehyung retorted, dramatically folding his arms and turning away.

"I didn't ask you, your highness. I know so," She stifled her laughter.

"It takes one to know one," He smirked, triumphant.

"Finally accepting what you are, your highness?," Ryejin smirked, met with a glaring Taehyung.

Climbing after and making up a seat for himself behind her he mumbled a "Whatever," And she giggled to that.

Following a long silent ride, "Home sweet home!" Ryejin announced, pulling the horse to a halt.

A stupendous hexagon pavilion adorned in an intricately architected ancient Hanok roof, stood proud before them. Nestled among gardens of roses, lillies, daisies, and now people for it was festive time. The pond afresh with swarms of swarns and waterlillies, caught her eyes. It was her favorite place to be.

"Taehyung, mother is waiting for you, " She announced from her seat on the horse, readying to reach the training grounds.

♛┈┈✦┈┈♛

"Taehyung, Mother is waiting for you"

"Hmm..." He hummed before-

"WAIT- WHAT?! WHAT THE Fff. . ." Taehyung yelled, turning around to his sister, "Ryejin, who the fuck told you to inform mother about this?!" Taehyung whisper yelled to a giggling Ryejin. No wonder she thought it was funny.

Stifling back a peal of laughter, she whisper yelled back," What do you ask me to, if not?! LIE?! TO SUCH A SWEETHEART OF A MOTHER?!"

Onyx had the audacity to squeak right then from her shoulder, that little imp. "See! My darling onyx agrees too!" she pointed out.

"Damn you, onyx," He mumbled more to himself, "Dare not to see me again for one of your chestnut rewards!"

"My mother? A sweetheart?" he turned back to ryejin, chuckling sardonically, "Indeed, Rae, Indeed!"

"Of fucking course Taehyung!" Ryejin retorted, "You may have adopted me," she stabbed an accusing finger to his chest, "But she was the one who raised me!" And pointed at the palace, signifying their mother.

"Whatever you say, princess," He mumbled, dejected, turning around towards the palace. It's indeed gonna be a blast, Taehyung.

He was halfway into knocking at his mother's chamber before a commanding voice boomed, "Come in, Taehyung" She was facing out of the window, hands held behind, her voice sending him shivers.

"Where have you been?" She coldly inquired, not sparing him a single glance. Things were scarier this way, and Taehyung knew that. But he managed to hold his head high, because his mother despised it any other way.

Right, where had he been?

'Out of your damn mind, ' his rationality sourly replied.

"Taehyung, I asked you something," his mother repeated snapping him out of his self-admonition session. Her voice was overly calm, and it was so uncanny that it irked Taehyung furthermore.

"I- you see- m-mother, I was," Taehyung stumbled over words for a rational reply over his booming thoughts.

"Did I stutter, Taehyung?" She asked, eerily calm.

"No, mother," He quickly replied, managing it without a stutter.

"Then why are you, Taehyung? Now mind telling me where have you been for two days without a care or concern in the world to inform me, son?" She gritted out, deftly turning around on her heels.

"I had run into the forest to catch a rogue, following panicked rogue calls mother," He replied, patting himself for not a single stutter.

"And does that take two days, son?" she solicited, eyes still scrutinizing him.

"Y-you see, mother, I followed him all the way into the forest only to end up knocking him out after quite long, considering he was too powerful. Then I kept an eye on him all the while long, with not a wink of sleep to ensure he didn't escape. Yet, since he didn't give any valid answers to my investigation, I had to knock him out and carry him all the way until Ryejin found me outside the forest borders-" Taehyung explained.

"Have you mustered enough security at the healer's to ensure he doesn't escape?" his mother asked, stern and loud.

"Well . . ." He trailed off, " Mother, he has been brought to my chamber to he-" Taehyung replied, having anticipated the outcome.

Here goes nothing~

"DO YOU THINK THIS IS A FUCKING JOKE, TAEHYUNG? A MERE JOKE?!" She yelled, voice echoing off the walls of her chamber. "YOU GET LOST FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS! GIVE ME A MEANINGLESS EXPLANATION! END UP BRINGING A ROGUE TO THE PALACE! INTO YOUR VERY OWN CHAMBER?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, TAEHYUNG?!" she bellowed, his ears ringing.

"But mother-" Taehyung squeaked out, before being interrupted again.

"IT'S UVAGAI, TAEHYUNG! UVAGAI," she hollered " YOUR KINGDOM NEEDS YOU IN EVERY MOMENT OF THIS FESTIVE! AND YOU KNOW IT BETTER THAN ME! BE A KING TAEHYUNG! A KING! NOT A CHILD!"

Not a child. Right, he's been that for way too long.

He could've argued back, but something about the truth being rubbed off on his face again and again, made him retreat and mumble a defeated, "am sorry, mother" And he left the chamber.

♛┈┈✦┈┈♛　

Rustling of sheets followed by a groan, made Taehyung look up to a half-waken Jung hyuk ceaselessly torturing his eyes, trying his best not get back to the sweet sweet slumber he had woken from. From his messy hair sticking up hilariously to the puffed cheeks adorned by a small pout, Taehyung had a hard time taking his eyes off.

"You're heavy," He finally remarked, managing to tear his eyes away and get back to the scroll in hand.

"Hmm. ." Jungkook groggily hummed from a mess of blankets before-

"Wait- How the fuck do you know-? No- where the hell am I? Have you kidnapped me?!" The alpha yelled, eyes comically wide and a dramatic hand flying to his chest.

"You're in my chamber, and no I didn't kidnap you," Taehyung replied, contrastingly calm, "more like carried you here"

"And why the fuck am I in your chamber?!" The other roared, narrowing his eyes at him, " And why would you carry me?"

"Someone's lazy ass wouldn't wake up," Taehyung replied, shrugging his shoulders before returning back to work. "Not my fault"

"You could have woken me up!" Jungkook defended, back to screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Am not dumb, you were knocked out cold," Taehyung argued back, calm and unbothered.

"Or maybe you just wanted to carry me," Jung hyuk spoke, pitch dropping in seconds. "Just agree, you asshole"

"WANTED TO CARRY YOU?! YOU'RE AS FAT AS A SACK OF POTATOES AND YOU THINK I WOULD LIKE TO CARRY YOU AROUND LIKE A FUCKING PRINCESS, YOU DUMBASS?!" It was Taehyung who lost his calm this time, and now that he noticed, he did that a lot around the alpha.

He pretended not to notice the decreased space between them, busy sending daggers to the other. After all, he won't sig back and get intimidated by a stranger.

"AS FAT AS A SACK OF POTATOES?! BITCH! WHAT DO YOU THINK, YOU ARE AS LIGHT AS A FEATHER THEN?!" He fumed, ears turning red. Taehyung didn't know why he noticed that, but pushed aside the topic for later.

"No feather can beat your ass into pulp," He chose to retort instead, smoothing a smirk, "Already forgot, alpha?"

"Not so soon, omega," Jung hyuk smirked before stooping down, and the next Taehyung knew was the world around him spinning fast and his feet flying up in the air. Caught in reflex, his arms flew up to Jung hyuk's robe, bunching them up tight within tight fists.

Opening his previously shut eyes, Taehyung once again was met with a familiar pair of black pools with floating stars. Imprisoned within the dark night orbs, Taehyung loosened his hold, eyes never leaving the galaxies that had him wrapped around their fingers no, --stars.

"Your highness, lunch awaits-" a voice snapped them out of their trance. Turning away from little galaxies, he faced the door where stood a perplexed palace cook. Taehyung's eyes widened before she shut the door shrieking out a sorry as she did so.

Before the echo of door shutting could fade out-

"FUCK!" Taehyung yelled, as a stinging pain shot up from his back, travelling up his spine before he could open his eyes. The warmth that had tightly secured around his waist, suddenly absent.

"FUCK!" Jung hyuk followed, kneeling down to examine him. Taehyung slowly brought up an arm to his waist, flinching when he tried to shift around. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! " Jung hyuk chanted, running a hand through his locks.

"DOES IT HURT TOO MUCH?! FUCK! WHAT DO I DO NOW! IS THERE A NURSE?! WHERE DOES IT HURT! JUST TELL!" He cried out, visibly panicking. Taehyung smiled to it, shaking his head, trying again to heave himself up. He ended up groaning and panicking the alpha more.

Jung hyuk who didn't think twice before lifting him up in the air looked confused to what to do right then. He couldn't help but break a grin, immediately biting it back. He was just reading his features, the worry in his eyes, when Jung hyuk broke the silence-

"Am so sorry, does it hurt too much?" He met eyes with Taehyung.

He shook his head, swallowing a groan. "But- I," he trailed off, "I think- I" he gulped, abashed, "I can't- I-get up-" he gulped again, "A-actually, it's nothing" He slumped, giving up on asking help.

"Do you think you can get on your feet alone?" Taehyung traced his features for any smirk, sarcasm or malice, only to be met with worried galaxies. He immediately turned away, afraid, he would lose control and get lost in them again, going to grab the bed post instead.

Taking the wrong decision of trying to get up, he squeezed his eyes and bit his lips enough to draw blood as he tried holding back the groans. Just as he was about to realise his loosened hold around the bed post, a familiar warm hand, snaked around his waist and other pulled his arm to wrap around the other's shoulder. He glanced at the alpha, breath hitching at their proximity.

"I asked you," Jung hyuk shook his head, "you need not have to prove"

Something about the concern, furrowed brows and the frown on the alpha's lips irked him to the point where he held back all the pain behind his lips to ask, "Now, tell me, am I as light as a feather?"

Since pain wasn't new, the task was accomplished quite easily too.

"No! You weigh as heavy as a sack of potatoes!" Jung hyuk chimed, a smile that Taehyung secretly craved adorning his lips.

"Dramatic," Taehyung mumbled before turning away from the smiling alpha, trying his best to hide his own. And so it didn't take long enough to realise, something was so wrong with him and haywire heartbeat.

Helping him take a seat on the bed, Jung hyuk slowly queried, "Are you really the omega king of Kaatru, Kim Taehyung?"

Taehyung's eyes drifted back to Jung hyuk's black ones, searching for anything that he could recognise within them. A hundred shooting stars and galaxies, with something flourishing amongst them. They shone and twinkled, but he couldn't decipher what any of that conveyed.

'Can't blame the palace cook for using those honorifics now? Huh, Taehyung?'

He was used to these voices now.

'Wasn't planning to keep up with the imposter for long either!' He casually replied it back, shutting it up.

"Are you?" Jung hyuk repeated, this time barely a whisper.

"What if I am?" Taehyung questioned back, stalling, knowing not why.

A longer pause. More silence.

"Your highness," Jung hyuk breathed out, again just an arm's length away from him. His heart pulsed. "Don't get hurt"

Something was sure wrong with his heart, to beat this hard at his ears.

"And how exactly did I?" Taehyung raised a brow. He had lost control, and was now stuck in the stars the other's eyes held.

"Am sorry, " The alpha backed away from him, and as much as it made his heart misbehave, he missed the proximity. All of this was wrong. So wrong. Maybe it was because of his mother dismissing him off as a disappointment having it's after effects. But he doubted that.

"Well, I'll think about it, " He replied, playing along with the alpha.

"ARE YOU GOING TO KILL ME?!" Jungkook yelled out of nowhere, eyes as wide as saucers before going back to stare at the floor, mumbling a "your highness?"

"And why do you think I would do that?" Taehyung questioned him back, holding back a smile.

"B-because, I- b-be- you- I th-"

"Because?" Taehyung chided, a lopsided grin making it's second grand entry to adorn his lips, enjoying how it felt to have the alpha under his spell, rather than the other way round. And gauging how much he was enjoying it, this was getting out of hand.

"I-I have r-reasons!" Jungkook hastily replied, louder than necessary. His bed hair making it funnier. Taehyung had to use up all of his will power to not laugh.

"And what would they be now?" Taehyung inquired shifting in his seat, catching his lip between his teeth on time, before he could yelp in pain. He had already forgotten that, see? Pain wasn't new to Taehyung.

Where are your senses Taehyung? Collect yourself, and better put your fucking guards up! It's time you behave like a king and not a fucking teen in crush!

He didn't doubt it was because of his mother's dismissal of him anymore. It has been irking him ever since 18, so 26 wasn't a new age to question that again.

So brushing it off, he continued, staring. Big nose, big eyes, pink lips-

"Reasons. . reasons. .reasons. .rea- Ahh!" He narrowed his eyed at the alpha. "I'M A PEASANT!" Jungkook blurted out, kneeling down further and bowing to him. All of it was.... suspicious, to say the least. But all he did was laugh, fucking laugh, not holding back again.

"What?!" He exclaimed, catching Jung hyuk staring at him again.

"Think you owe me a better explanation rather than mindlessly running that pretty mouth of yours, Mr.Peasant, huh?" He raised a brow, smirking.

"Still pretty mouth? Huh?" Taehyung's heart was pulsing again. Maybe his mother's words were affecting him more than necessary lately.

♛┈┈✦┈┈♛　

A/n: 3 things rn!!!!

Guys.... Just please try to remember these things... Coz they r really important!

Kaatru : air 🌬 (leader: Kim Taehyung)
Neer: water 💧(leader: Park Jimin)
Nilam: land 🌍 (leader: Kim Namjoon)
Aagayam :sky ☁ (leader: Kim Seokjin)
Neruppu: fire🔥 (leader: Min Yoongi)

Am fricking excited for BE.... Like the tracklist got me wheezing!

Get well soon Min Yoongi, I just hope he recovers soon and jumps into our arms 🥺

+1... Thanks a lot dandies for the love and support! It means so damn much to me that am always left with scarce words that convey my gratitude enough... I hope y'all enjoyed this read too! 💜
Take care guys!