Appalled. Shocked. Alarmed.

Jungkook fisted his rough dirty blonde locks in his hands in utter horror as he paced around the Grandeur royal safe with eyes wider than saucers and blood pressure raising to the point he could trace it's movements in his veins.

"No no no no no no no. NO!" he whisper-yelled because even on the brink of loosing his mind Jungkook was in enough senses to know what hell it might raise if he increased his volume.

He cannot let the guards outside know that the new hireling appointed to guard the most beautiful royal was inside ripping his hair shafts out of his scalp.

"How is this possible? No no no! This cannot be." he rubbed his eyes with index and middle fingers of both his callus hands in an attempt to somehow appease his senses that this is all just an imagination.

Much to his dismay when he opened his eyes, it was still the truth. In front of his eyes was a crashed plan.
Where there should have been a seascape like view of a breathtaking crown was just a dusty shelf in the vault.

The crown was gone

But where to?

On the shelf filled with dust was a clean rectangular spot signifying that the box in which the crown must have been, was indeed taken very recently.

Jungkook's mind went haywire at the plethora of possibilities that filled it up.

There's another thief in the palace?

I'm going to get you because that crown is mine.

Looking around for one last time in expectations of maybe the crown lying around like a piece of dirt, he made his way back to the wall hole, resetting the bricks like nothing happened when he reached the abandoned storeroom.

"where is it where is it where is it?" he reiterated to himself.

During the curvy pilgrimage of his life, jungkook has always been the writer. He cannot decide what happens in his life but he always decides how the remedy will be. And he always writes the scripts he pleases.

Like his mother contracting a rare deadly disease called something he fails to recall was not in his plan. But for the treatment of which she was admitted to a special care infirmary of royals, was his. Yes, royals. Getting in was not a hardship for him considering his stealth has helped him charm anyone he wishes to. The real hardship is paying massive emoluments of the treatment.

He had been looking forward to this evening, where everybody in the palace would be engaged in the hustle and bustle of the feast. He had a plan Bs for an escape everyway he could be nabbed and accused for attempting to steal. He was the writer. He has always been.

Before he stepped into this cursed palace.

Everything has turned into everything he has never forseen. Failed plans after failed plans. His eyes burn and fists clench, clipped nails digging into the skin of his palm.
He passes the blur of bodies walking back and forth like maniacs, each of them looking the same and smearing together into a piece to forever hang in the lobby.

His mother may die. They will expel her the next week. She may die. She will die.

He did not know why, but it felt like a thin string tied itself around his waist and tugged him forward towards the chamber door he was now used to standing outside. It was a like a magnet pulling on his steel armor, and jungkook was not complaining.

He barged in, without an adomination right into the chamber he had walked out of just an hour ago excusing himself to climax the real plan.

Taehyung, not used to anyone stepping in without knocking, was startled beyond recovery, dropping the waistband he was amidst wearing on top of his dress pants and silk shirt, and stepped backwards as a stimulus reponse only to tangle his foot in the string of his gold embroidered robe tripping scornfully on the marbeled floor on his back ungracefully tipping the light bedside lamp on his knee.

"Your highness!! Oh my!" Jungkook rushed to the younger's side to lift him and the lamp up wincing at his own foolishness. "I don't even know how to apologize for this infringement, your highness. My! I'm deeply deeply sorry."

Taehyung sat on his bed holding the hand Jungkook had offered smiling the magical "It's okay just a little warning can be good next time. The apology, you can start by not calling me 'highness' then you can help me wear that kamarband. It's hard doing it alone and since I denied a personal servant you are the only one I have."

The latter part of the last sentence gave jungkook a fuzzy feeling in his tummy despite the gloomy aura he had around him. "Yes, Taehyung." he spoke up but could not help it come out wrapped in the compunctious remorseful envelope that had settled in the pit of his heart of the helplessness, inability to cure his mother now that his last hope was.. Stolen?

"Jungkook. Look at me. Something is bothering you." the hand that was held, never left, only gripped tighter

"W-why must you presume t-that? I am just fine." jungkook stammered out the sentence trying to avoid the beautiful honey orbs that he could feel peeking into his soul, also the tingling sensation in his hand that was grasped firmly in a thin elegant hand covered with velvety soft skin. He could feel his palm starting to sweat despite the windy weather.

"You know, for someone who claims to be a great liar, your eyes are very readable. And reading just happens to be my favorite hobby." Taehyung tugged the hand forward with a small force causing an unexpectant jungkook to trip forwards, seating automatically beside taehyung on his bed. "Might you interest in an embrace? One of my friends today knew when I needed it. I reckon his superpowers rubbed off on me."

Without further a do Jungkook threw himself on the royal embracing him tightly, sniffing the soft hair when younger burried himself in his chest. He caressed the raven locks of the prince breathing deeply. "I have to find something before it's too late, Tae. I am her only hope." Jungkook wondered if they were in a loop when taehyung retracted himself with furrowed brows just like jungkook had in the morning. "Don't ask anything about it."

Reluctantly letting go of the younger after he nodded, Jungkook stood up with the waistband in hand gesturing the other to start.

"I will be outside the door. Guarding. You can get ready then I shall escort you to the ballroom." Jungkook walked to the door adjusting his face-cover but turned back to let out something that was gnawing his brain ever since he entered the room.
"My apologies for crossing my lines again, but you must be told this. You are breathtaking, your highness."

Taehyung stood flabbergasted as the apple of his cheeks resembled French Rose just like his lower lip between his teeth. Accustomed to always being complimented for his appearance, the prince felt as if jungkook's was not for the mere skin, but something deep dermal, for never had someone's eyes held such ocean deep sincerity while expressing their admiration.

Once his toes are snugly trapped in his poulain shoes, he staggered off to the wall mirror, pausing only to look at the little depression that was left in his bed, the dip where he held hands and embraced someone who smiles at him like he is a human being before being a prince. The only thing Taehyung could ever ask for.

*****

"Did you see the second Prince? He looks jaw dropping. If only his actions were minutely prince-like he would be the king of hearts in Arauna."

"Yeah but is it not the robe that the first prince wore on one of the horse races?"

"My, my! You think the royal was given first prince's used clothes? That is contemptuous!"

"Everyone in the palace is saying that. I do not start the talks."

Having enough of overhearing the blasphemy, Jungkook turned to give a cold gawk at the gossiping maids which did a good job in shutting them up and stomped his way out of the ballroom, only after taking one last look at the beautiful royal who had a smile so fake and eyes so helpless it physically hurt to take that in any longer.

He heel and toed to the scullery where the culinarians and servants were taking a breather having finally served for the feast.

A frantic Soekjin came sprinting in as a worried Namjoon followed. "Bad news boys. Tomorrow has been announced as an aleatory crown ceremony for prince Taehyung. New feast to prepare for. I know, you were promised relaxation ensuing the feast but I may need the assistance for another."

Whines and groans and angry yells filled the room as soekjin tried his best to gather them and jungkook took this as his queue to have a word with Namjoon. "Good evening Namjoon."

"Jungkook, my friend. I have just the thing for you. Here." jungkook's furrowed brows raised as namjoon handed him a palm sized bottle filled with an expensive looking wine saying 'only he looked like someone who could handle it'.

"Thank you for this, but this isn't remotely what I wanted to ask you about. I wanted to know if there was any servant who might relinquish the service or immediately leave the palace after this feast."

"Hmm.. the only temporary enrolled server is you. Everyone else here has been working for years and will continue so. Now Jin hyung will leave after the feat for he has been asked to train the Darata kitcheneers, but that is not what you wish to know i presume." Namjoon was now basically blabbing to himself but jungkook caught on.

"Yes, yes I do. Tell me about him. When does he leave?"

"Whenever the royals of that kingdom wish to return and, not to brag, but I am a favorite of jin hyung's so there is a possibility he may take me along. Do you wish to send something by hand? Maybe a love letter? Mm? Mm?" Namjoon's overly cheerful demeanor has always irked jungkook, but never more than now.
Does he ever shut up?

"I'll let you know, but tell me, this Seokjin? Has he been working here long?"

"Long? He has basically grown up here. His father was the leutinent general and mother, the head chef before himself. He hired me when I was 17. He knows everything about this Kingdom, palace and market area..." he scooted closer to the other cupping his mouth from one side and whispered the last part- "... I think even more than the princes."
Dingdingding... Found you !

"So.. Where does he liv-"

"Jungkook?" It was just a name. To the said boy it was just a regular name, a very shoddy one infact, he had always thought. Not until he called it out. Offhandedly spoken out in a voice so tender, so sultry, like a wine so fine that he now wanted to ask Namjoon if he thought Jungkook would be able to handle it. And yet the voice was oh so sad. Why was it sad?

Jungkook had his back to the incoming address of his name yet somehow the wavelengths of the vibration touched his eyes first, giving out the hurt in it. By this time the kitchen had morphed into pin drop silence which was not helpful for the palpitations of his breaking heart he heard in his own ears at the dejected voice.

When he finally turned to face the boy who has in a matter of days done so many new things to Jungkook's heart that he himself has lost the count, it made his heart do another new thing. Tear apart.

It was sheer pain in the eyes so beautiful. In the brief span Jungkook had made it a habit to name the kinds of smiles that the gorgeous Prince displays but now that he sees the boy not smiling for the first time he realizes that fake or not, but the prince was indeed always smiling.
Who broke you?

"I wish to go to my chambers. You must escort me."

"Yes, your highness." Jungkook gave a small bow before following the prince who started walking with a speed unshown before, but not before noticing the face of Namjoon that looked worried but not surprised contrasting his own.

****

Jungkook closed the door behind him as now entering Taehyung's chambers was a natural instinct in such a short period.

"Please guard by the door outside, Jungkook. You are not supposed to be inside."

Jungkook was taken by surprise at the coldness in the voice but recovered in a bat of the eye as the anguish and detriment hidden scratch surface below became evident.

"I will leave Taehyung. Just let me know what happened down there for you to evince this way."

"That is not a matter for you to fuss about. And I will appreciate if you go back to the honorifics. I am a prince after all." Taehyung's teeth gritted against each other as he hissed the last sentence like it was poison, tears brimming in his beautiful eyes at that.
The very moment he turned his back towards the older to hide the hurt the best he could. "Dismiss, please."

At that moment the only thought that crossed jungkook's mind was how and when did he start to read minds? And such a wisdom-full mind at that? The one that has read more books in a month than the loafs of bread he might have eaten his entire life.

Jungkook's heart and brain had stopped warning him of their next actions the very day he laid eyes on the prince so he isn't surprised when he finds himself slowly walking towards the back facing prince and elgulfs him in an embrace from behind, the stall covering his face fell in haste while he did so.

Taehyung let out a long sigh closing his eyes and pressing his quivering lips together. Jungkook rests his chin on the shoulder of the smaller boy as the boy himself leans back, weight completely on the guard.
"You did not look for me first in the crowded ballroom, then in the hallways all the way to the scullery only to have me follow you to the chambers and then get dismissed. Did you, your highness." He pressed his left cheek to the right of the prince, his verrucous burn scar rubbing against the smooth buttery skin of the other, creating a friction that sends shivers down both of their spines. Taehyung sighs again, this time slightly different.

"Your ability to read me really scares me."

"I have been dying to tell you precisely the same thing."

"How do we know each other like this? Why am I drawn to you like an ocean to the shore?"

"If I had an answer to these questions I would have been able to quieten my baffled thoughts long back." Jungkook begins to loosen his grip to let go but the other holds both his hands and tightens them around his waist. Much much tighter than before.

"Just a few more minutes. It feels- it feels- exquisite. Something i never knew I needed so bad- so so bad." voice coming out mere whisper as rubbed his cheek against the rough scar again, with eyes closed but mind more open than ever. "I fear I might forget to cry if I keep holding on."

"I'll plant a row of daisy seeds
In the space below each eye,
So they remind you of your beauty
When they bloom each time you cry."

Taehyung turned to face the guard with widened eyes and trace of a single tear escaping his eyes. "Erin Hansan. You really read the book I gave you?"

"I will be a fool to not." he smiled at the other, praying to god that his eyes convey everything his dastard lips cannot.

"Where have you been all my life?" Taehyung conveyed with soft eyes and a genuine little smile and moisture in his eyes as he held the scarred cheek in hand and only then did jungkook realize that he had never not been consious about it like he was now. And how can he not be? For the most etheral looking man looked at him like he was his dwelling place. Like the scar is invisible to his eyes.

"Trying to look for peace in the wrong places."

A moment of silence fills the room but none of them bothered by it, for their eyes were lost in a conversation of their own. Jungkook speaks first.

"Please let me know what happened. Let me have the fortune to acquaint with all your conundrums. Please, your highness."

"You promised you would take me outside tonight. Would you be able to keep it? I will tell you everything if you do."

"But the guests and your family, what if anyone comes to know?"

"The feast must be done by now. Nobody will come to check up on me. Nobody ever does. Take me outside. Show me things I've missed. I beg you."

"Don't embarrass me by begging. I will take you out, ofcourse. Put on something a regular imperial wears. Knock on the door when you are ready, I will be right outside."

Hearing Taehyung giggle right before shutting the door does more things to jungkook's poor heart than it can handle.

**********