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"He refused to inform me who he's planning to kill next."

Seokjin turns around, his eyes lingering on his friend for a few seconds before he speaks.

"Do you think he suspects anything?" He asks.

Jimin tilts his head, his face seeming lost in thought for a second before he shakes his head. "I have not seen any signs of suspicions so far, Your Majesty."

"I can not just wait for him to kill someone else, can I?" Seokjin sighs. "You know what to do, Earl Park."

Jimin's eyes widen at the statement, his eyebrows coming closer together and his lips falling to a frown.

Seokjin notices his change of expression, and nods in confirmation. "You heard me right."

"Kill him."

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A massive gray cloud settles on top of The Royal Palace, trickling down a drizzling rain that seems to get harder by each second, the droplets turning from a pitter-patter to a drenching downpour. Lightning occupies the shower, soon followed by thunder and it's now a storm that leaves an unsettling feeling in the pit of Yisun's stomach as she watches the cloudburst from her bedroom's window.

The few months old baby that was once laying peacefully on the bed wails out aloud, and her mother approaches to gently pick her up and pull her in a reassuring hug, her hand running up and down her back soothingly and her voice humming a soft lullaby.

Sohye calms down at the touch and warmth of her mother, her small hands clutching Yisun's hair as she rests her head on her shoulder and flutters her lashes shut.

The double doors of the bedroom swing open silently. Seokjin walks in, and slows down his steps when his wife presses a finger to her lips, indicating him to keep quiet to not wake their daughter up.

He shuts the door and walks in further, glancing outside the windows at the heavy rain and finally locking his eyes with his wife's, but not keeping it for long as he averts his gaze somewhere else.

His heart beats fasten when a thought crosses his mind and he remembers the real reason why he's there. His hands start getting clammy and he gulps, taking in deep breaths and clenching his fists.

He licks his dry lips and finally looks at Yisun, taking in a deep breath.

"I wish to tell you something," He says in a hushed voice, "Something that has been on my mind for so long, but I have never had the courage to tell youㅡor anyone, as a matter of factㅡabout it."

Yisun hums, a small smile on her lips. "Go on."

He licks his lips again. "It is related to Namjoon."

Her smile falls for a second, but she manages to put it back on quickly.

"I'm listening," She says, and it somehow soothes Seokjin a little for it reminds him of how understanding she is, and how much he trusts her.

Yisun walks to the bed, and gently lays down the sleeping Sohye, then she untangles her small fingers from her hair and sits down beside her on the bed, admiring the little girl's soft features.

"Taehyung didn't kill him."

Yisun immediately looks up at Seokjin, her eyebrows going up as her husband's words repeat in her mind.

"Whatㅡ"

"It's true," He cuts her off, pacing around the room but keeping his steps quiet, "And I had to tell you because I feel like I can not hold it in anymore. The guilt of keeping it hidden is eating me up."

Yisun lowers her gaze, and she suddenly remembers the eerie feeling she had felt before her baby started crying, but she nods anyway and looks back up.

"Tell me," She says. "Tell me how he died."

Seokjin lets out a shaky breath.

"That day after you left Namjoon's room, I walked in."

Seokjin hums, his eyes falling on the empty flask on the floor, a drop of a colourless liquid dripping off its neck.

Namjoon's heart misses a beat when he realizes his brother has seen it, and he curses under his breath as the room falls silent.

"I was asking him about going hunting the day after with the General, and I saw an empty poison flask on the floor. It was obvious that it had been recently drunk from."

Namjoon looks up at Seokjin who has his eyes fixed on the flask, his face blank. The former stares at his brother in anticipation, who neither moves an inch nor speaks a word whatsoever.

"I... " He stops when thunder strikes, defeaning him for a few seconds. "I pretended I did not see it, and he pretended he did not notice that I did."

Seokjin tears his eyes away from the flask as if he had not seen it, and he locks them with Namjoon's teary ones.

"So I will be waiting for you tomorrow at the gates," Seokjin says, plastering a fake smile, "Now, please excuse me."

And with that, he walks out of the bedroom and shuts the doors behind him.

"I left the room and Taehyung was there. He saw me. He did not do anything. He thinks that I was the one who... the one who killed Namjoon."

Seokjin stands outside at the other side of the door, his legs too weak to make him walk away. Images of that flask flash through his mind, and his heart accelerates because he knows what it contains, because he knows it was empty.

"Why are you standing here?"

Seokjin looks up when he hears a voice, and his heart beats fasten even more when he sees Taehyung.

Taehyung waits for a reply as he tilts his head to one side, scanning the figure of his brother with a pale face and shaky hands.

"Why do you look scared?"

Seokjin shakes his head, wiping away the drop of sweat that trickled down his temple, "It's nothing. Why are you here?"

"You did not answer my question first."

"Listen," Seokjin says, "If you're here for Namjoon, do not go in. He... He needs some time alone."

Taehyung squints his eyes suspiciously, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just do not go in, alright?" Seokjin repeats, failing to make an eye contact with Taehyung before he walks away, and Taehyung stands in silence, staring at the door for a few seconds then turning around, too, and walking away.

"Namjoon committed suicide, and I did not utter a word about it."

"Why?" Yisun's voice is weak as she speaks, her eyes teary and hands shaky. "Why did you not try to help? Why did you keep it hidden when your brother was being blamed for it?"

She lets out a breath. "Why are you telling me now?"

He looks at the windows, staring at the rain for a few seconds before he replies.

"The doctors would not have been able to help himㅡ"

"Did you even tryㅡ"

"I admit I was a coward for keeping it a secret for too long, and I know that it is too late now, and I am expecting you to understand becauseㅡ"

"'Understand'?!" Yisun stands up, her eyes red and glossy. "Yes, I do understand now, Seokjin and what I understand is that as much as you were a coward for keeping it hidden, you were a coward for wanting to kill Namjoon but not having the courage to do so, and when he killed himself, you saw this as your chance and let it be because it was what you wanted."

"I had no intentions toㅡ"

"Please," She interrupts him, blinking away her tears, "Please leave me alone for now. I can not bear to look at your face."

"You're upset, I see." He scoffs. "But are you not upset at yourself? You were the one who drove him to do it, you rejected him and you broke his heart, Yisun. You are the one to blame!"

"Get out," She orders, stretching her arm and pointing at the door, "Get out this instant, please"

Seokjin nods and clenches his jaw as he walks out of the bedroom, taking long strides down the hallway.

He stops by a familiar door, and stands still for a few seconds before he opens it to walk into Namjoon's study room. His eyes widen when he sees the candles all lit and his heart beats accelerate, only to see his brother sitting on the chair, his feet raised and settled on the desk and a glass of red wine in his left hand.

Taehyung rolls his head in a circle then stares back at Seokjin, a mischevious grin forming on his face as his eyes glint.

Only then Seokjin notices the sword in his other hand, his eyes lingering on it for a while before he looks back up at the seemingly drunk Taehyung.

"What did you come here to do?" The elder asks, his voice an octave deeper and a little sharper than it usually is.

Taehyung lets out a chuckle, shaking his head.

"The same thing you want to do, dear brother."

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A/N: Unedited.

The final chapter is coming soon :3