With only those demands echoing within the guard's mind, he nodded his head and took a look at the king once more. Something in him seemed different now. Before, he was a weeping mess over his wounds and his omega, but now, he carried a bland expression that told a story of how he became determined.

      The king was aware of the long wait he had to face and only now, he couldn't dare to hold off marrying his omega. Jimin played off the waiting game for so long, the king almost died waiting for something that was so far away. Jimin had his moments, taking his time to say when in order to adjust before it happens, but Jungkook couldn't bear the pain anymore. He knew if he reached the river once more to spend another day waiting, it would be his last.

       "Sneaking Jimin in would be a bit more difficult, Jungkook. Ever since your incident, the guards have been patrolling every part of the palace walls. Jimin will be seen."

        "That doesn't matter. You will bring him to me, there will be no need to sneak him in. After today, he will rule beside me, the guards will not hurt him," Jungkook assured and tucked his hands behind his back before looking over to his Phoenix throne once more. "Jimin will have no other choice but to decide today... I can't wait anymore, I've waited for so long and all it did was cause me more pain. I can't live with this anymore... I'm dying and I need him to answer me now."

       Yoongi knew Jungkook had a reason to hold this against Jimin. Jungkook was expected to recover, return to the river in his disguise once again, and wait an eternity for Jimin's response. But with the pain, desperation, and constant overthinking thoughts, it was bound to cause him more harm compared to before. Jeon Jungkook was emotionally exhausted now and could only hope that Jimin would understand. The omega was a very fierce and stubborn little swan; when he was given such a choice, he held onto it no matter what and enjoyed the idea of controlling his own life, to the point where he didn't even take a moment to actually plan his future with the king. He seemed to be stalling in the king's eyes and that left Jungkook with no other choice but to demand to see his omega and set things straight.

      At the same time, the Minister stood at his residence. Staring out through the window as he kept his hands locked behind his back. He contemplated many things in his crowded mind and couldn't dare to stay on one thought for much longer. However, there were moments where he dared to dwell onto a thought when he truly felt as if it was eating him up. He stood silently and hid his emotions as his gaze was only locked to the outside of the window.

       The calm breeze roared through and greeted his skin; even the wrinkles to them as well. As he kept his stare, he let out a sigh and looked onto the ground. Thinking back to the very moment Jimin used a dagger to cut his lovely hair. Even at times the father didn't seem to care, it was moments like these where it seemed to linger on in his head for a while longer. The minister then raised his hand up to rub the center between his closed eyes, feeling his fingers curve up to where the beginning of his nose bridge remained.

        Just as he took a moment to drown in the constant guilt that haunted him, Park Jihyun stepped into the main room. Instantly, the young alpha's eyes locked onto his father's figure standing silently by the window. Jimin's younger brother knew how the father felt; he knew the pain that weighed him down every time he went too rough on Jimin, but he could never understand why.

        "Father," Jihyun spoke softly and tugged onto his dark blue sleeves instantly. "Namjoon is with Jimin at the moment, I don't know where they've gone.."

       "That's fine..." Whispered the father as he continued to contemplate further. He did notice that Jimin didn't seem to be fazed after Hoseok supposedly 'killed' the commoner, so that was enough to leave the old minister thinking to himself. Since Hoseok no longer wanted to marry Jimin like this, it left the father with time to ponder on who to arrange his son with now. The word commoner didn't seem to wander around in his restless mind anymore.

       "What... were you going to call Namjoon for?" Questioned the young boy as the minister only turned his face back to gaze out the window once more.

       "I was going to offer him Jimin's hand in marriage. Hoseok wasn't able to pull through, but that doesn't mean Jimin can't get a perfect lifestyle. Kim Namjoon has always been close to the family... I must have been blind to not ask him much sooner!" The minister spoke.

      "Father..."

      "This will be Jimin's last fiancé for sure! I-"

      "Father, have you lost your mind?!" Jihyun shouted instantly and tightened his grip over the sleeves to his fabric hanbok. "Father... listen to me... you can't keep pairing him off to many others hoping he will change! Jimin will always be a stubborn boy, why do you waste so much time on him?"

       "Jihyun, must you speak to me in such a tone?"

        "I-I'm fed up with it! Father, Jimin won't ever comply, why do you label him as the golden boy? Jimin was always set on being alone, why do you try to get him out of it? Do you feel better after hurting him? Shaping him into this perfect figure scares me... because it's all you can ever think of! Doesn't it hurt...?" Jihyun argued and looked his father in his tired eyes. "Doesn't it hurt to harm the one you call your son?"

      "Jihyun, you of all people should know that I do this with love! I-"

       "Is it truly love, father? The tears you've caused him to shed alone, the fear he gets when he sees you, the strands of his hair cut off from his head! I've always known not to bother him because he has been through a lot. He's stubborn for a reason and you know it's your doing!"

        "I only want what's best for him. A perfect life, that's all I want him to have and I fear he won't find it on his own, I always wanted to give my children the world in their hands, not expect them to find it on their own!"

        "Your version is not as perfect as you may think," Jihyun assured and let out an exhale before loosening his grip around his sleeves. "Father, the way you treat him, haunts you... you hate having to show this side of yourself to him. He's been so isolated and I always wondered if he would ever get a break! But he can't if you don't drop this mindset... please, don't put him through another marriage arrangement. The people already see him as a lonely omega who will never marry... don't embarrass yourself further."

       "Jihyun,"  spoke the father carefully. The tone of his hollow voice echoed in the young alpha's mind until it sent a shiver down his spine. The minister was always such a nerve racking man, Jihyun couldn't seem to have a conversation with his own father without feeling nervous about the things he could say or do.

       "Father please... leave him alone, it will help his reputation and ours! Until then, please... please, allow me to be the golden boy of this family." Jihyun whispered and looked at the ground before him. Hoping to ease into his father's difficult mindset and hope for the best. "Please let me do it... Jimin can't handle this."

        However, Mr. Park stood there in silence, focusing on the leaves of a tree swaying back and forth with the wind. He stood in silence as Jihyun begged him to leave Jimin alone. It was enough that all the pain the stubborn swan went through was enough to affect the younger alpha in the family as well. As silence continued to travel along the room, Jihyun suddenly got on his knees behind his father and tugged onto the older man's hanbok. Letting out a sigh and holding onto it tightly to beg and hope that his father takes a moment to look into his stone cold heart for once.

       "Please... be someone Jimin wants to trust..." Jihyun begged once more as the minister only closed his eyes and pondered on those words alone in an eternity of stillness afterwards.

        Eventually, Yoongi walked down the palace courtyard with Jimin following behind. The omega looked around cautiously to catch the many guards giving him curious stares and constant whispers sending shivers racing down his spine. Jimin only kept his head down as they passed through many of the royal staff members, believing the rumors that Jimin was truly the king's concubine.

       "Yoongi... I thought we were going to sneak in again.." whispered the swan softly as the head guard only shook his head.

        "The king has ordered to see you. Now, he will no longer fear hiding you, Jimin," Yoongi replied and looked forward at every guard who parted from their way. "He has been waiting for you, Park Jimin."

      "I understand him anticipating my arrival, but is it okay to bring me through the front of the palace when the rumors of the king's concubine will be linked to me?" Jimin worried. However, Yoongi didn't reply and only kept rushing through the solid concrete to take the omega to his alpha.

      Jimin couldn't tell what was the weight of the situation. He believed that his alpha was only desperate to see him once again. However, he remained unaware of the truth that lied ahead. In his mind, he was going to see his alpha and spend another day only diving into another meaning of bliss; having a moment they could share for an eternity by just staring into each other's souls for a moment longer. Yet, the atmosphere seemed to thicken as he approached the throne room.

      Little by little, the steps he took weighed him down further as he watched Yoongi speed up to reach the doors. Once the guard pulled the doors apart, he stood by the entry and guided his gloved hand across, signaling Jimin to step in since this was as far as the head guard could go. As soon as the swan stepped in, Yoongi closed the doors behind him, leaving Jimin to wonder what laid ahead. As he stepped forward, he felt a knot forming in his stomach; he was nervous to see his alpha since he too felt the thick atmosphere surrounding the room instantly.

       Before the omega knew it, his eyes locked onto his alpha; there he sat over his Phoenix throne with his hands latched onto his knees and his gaze locked onto his omega as if he was his prey. Jimin noted the tense feeling Jungkook had deep down and grew curious about it as his eyes met with his.

      "Jungkook!" Jimin let out a giggle seeing his alpha sitting in place silently. "Ah, don't just sit there, you're making me nervous!"

       Just as silence continued to eat the king up, he turned his gaze towards the ground and let out a sigh. Causing Jimin to tilt his head with only curiosity filling his mind. Silence consumed the king instantly and before he knew it, Jimin was feeling the same way as well.

      "Jungkook..?" Jimin called out once more and stood at the center where his gaze only dared to lock onto the young alpha's eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

       Jimin's soft and honey like worlds were gentle enough to ease the alpha's mind for the split second until he began to fear confronting Jimin about the situation. At the end of the day, he did realize that Jimin himself was a very stubborn swan; a very beautiful, fierce and stubborn swan. Jeon Jungkook was fully aware of who he was deep down, he made sure he was mentally prepared for what came next but at the end of the day, he knew it was for the best.

         "Jimin, we have to talk."