Jimin was stirring the rice and beef soup, but all he could think about was the news of Jungkook's marriage three months ago. He was angry at the prince. Although they owed each other nothing, Jimin expected the younger to choose the right path for himself. Bolting under pressure and agreeing to marry whoever this woman was, was like cheating oneself.

Today marked three months since he visited the castle. When he returned home, he expected to hear from Jungkook. How naive of him to think that Jungkook thought of him more than a mere stranger.

As weeks passed, his uneasiness grew stronger, as opposed to what he thought. Time was supposed to heal pain and fade memories, but it was as if against Jimin's healing. Every night, he would get on the bed to twist and turn until he was in tears of frustration about not finding sleep. He played flute outside his humble cabin in the evenings to calm his heart, but it only worked for a while. Sleeplessness guaranteed him an erratic mind, aggravated pulse, and sprinting heart, which welcomed him each morning.

It was the first month since his visit to the castle when he first received an invitation to Jungkook's marriage. The royal messenger was standing in his yard with an orange envelope. The color was supposed to bring good news, but it really wasn't for him.

Last week, he received another invitation to a masquerade ball from Beomsan. How could he get himself to attend any of the events? So he didn't attempt to even open it.

The rice soup turned thicker and thicker and when the stirring started deriving a certain amount of force, which was noticeable, Jimin's trance broke and he turned off the stove with a sigh. "Another meal ruined."

Jimin knew he couldn't get through by cooking again for the evening, so he got around the kitchen island and picked up his wallet from the small dining table where he and Jungkook once had dinner. He was leaving the house soon after to eat at a nearby diner, a place that came to his rescue on multiple evenings when he burned the pan down or simply couldn't get himself to do anything.

He knew he was being depressive, the symptoms were there. Sleeplessness, loss of concentration, and the constant gloomy feeling that didn't allow him to want to laugh or talk to anyone, all indicated he needed to give himself therapy.

It was just hard.

He tried to find calmness in the fact that he lived alone where no one could hinder his deteriorating thoughts, and he was thankful that he didn't have to talk to anyone about it. 

Paying the waiter, he stepped out, fixing his hat on his head. The rain had stopped a long time ago and autumn was closer than it appeared. It was usual in August to see some occasional drizzle that didn't require an umbrella. A hat was sufficient in Jimin's view for non- torrential rains. He preferred to feel the coldness of the water mixed with the air on his skin.

While walking back home, the thought of night made him scowl, knowing he'd have no success at sleep again. But he had to deal with it. As he entered the small yard outside the cabin where a few roses and jasmine plants swayed, he spotted movement and felt a rustle. "Is someone there?" He asked in a loud voice.

"Park Jimin!" He heard a voice reply in panic. "Help me."

Knowing that the voice belonged to the crown prince of Beomsam, a severe kink of happiness zapped through Jimin's heart when he lurked towards the rose plant, but as his heart and legs picked speed, he realized one more thing, the prince was now supposed to be a married man. 

The realization had Jimin stop and stare down at Jungkook's silk shirt's sleeves tangled in the thorns. "What are you looking at?" Jungkook asked in frustration when Jimin didn't take another step. "Free me!" The younger yelled.

Jimin's eyes remained stuck on a small diamond shining on Jungkook's face, albeit it was dark, the rock still beamed. 

"PARK JIMIN!"

The silvery ash-haired man now stepped forward and immediately knelt down, carefully untucking the thorns from the fabric and discovering that a new thorn kept sticking to Jungkook as the prince wouldn't stop stirring. "If you stopped moving, you could do us both a favor or we could sit here all night among the fellow insects to treat them with our blood."

The tone was not what Jungkook expected, it was raw, impolite, and rude, enough to render Jungkook's movement frozen.

Jimin sighed, working delicately to pick the fabric out of thorns and then finally making Jungkook free. Standing up, he offered his hand, which Jungkook accepted without question and they both stalked away from the pleasant yet cruel plants.

A ray of yellow light was passing through the open window from inside the cabin that illuminated Jungkook's face.

Jimin's hand reached up over his chest as he squeezed his heart underneath his palm when he spotted the nose pin on the left side of Jungkook's face, a diamond that had shone a few moments before. It made the prince look androgynous. Jungkook seemed to have taken notice of the maneuver so he smiled audaciously, twiddling with a long, permed streak of his hair.

"What are you doing here?" Jimin recovered sooner than he could have imagined as he asked the question.

"Where are your manners?" The younger scoffed, his hand that was playing with the hair fell to his waist. "I don't remember your callous disregard towards royalty? Since when did it start?" Jungkook asked, gripping his waist and slanting a little so his behind poked out.

Jimin kept his blank stare at the younger for a few more moments before turning around and walking away from him.

"YAH!" Jungkook roared gladly, stomping his feet with the weight that was more than necessary as he followed the trail.

"I am tired and sleepy, my prince," Jimin now turned to look at the younger with a concerned face, but his voice turned low and respectful. Although Jungkook could feel a clear distinction in his behavior from last time, the tone was back to formal. Jimin's eyes weren't on the floor but locked into the prince's gaze gallantly. "So if you'll please be on your way, I would appreciate it."

Jimin closed the door after stepping inside, and this caused Jungkook's eyes to water so suddenly. For a moment, he couldn't comprehend that a door was banged on his face, which was an insult of the highest order towards any royalty. He also didn't understand the reason behind the rude behavior of the counselor. Sniffling suddenly, his face contorted in pain, and swiftly turning around to sit on the porch, he covered it with both his palms and began to sob softly.

Jimin didn't know how to amicably make peace with his emotions. He was exceptionally happy, but also angry and gloomy that Jungkook didn't care about whatever they had, left without a mere goodbye, didn't seem interested in talking to him when he visited the castle, perhaps accepted Lee Geon again, and then agreed to get married with a girl, deceiving his own self.

The last reason hurt Jimin the most as he couldn't help but take it personally. He sat on the diwan and just breathed for a few minutes before realizing what he had just done. Slapping himself instantly, he dashed outside to see the younger curled into himself as his body shook slightly. "Prince?" Jimin crouched down in front of him slowly. "I- I apologize. Please forgive me."His heart felt as though it was coming apart with the weight of the guilt that he had made the man sit outside for all he knew who had come to see him. It knocked his mind now when he spotted three big bags kept in the corner in the small yard.

"Prince, please look at me," Jimin begged, daring to hold the delicate fingers covering the beautiful face. Jungkook let it happen as Jimin pulled his hands down and spotted a face even more beautiful with red surrounding the nose pin. Deftly stroking his fingers across his cheeks, Jimin wiped the prince's tears. "Did you come here to stay with me or were you passing by?"

Jungkook didn't look and nodded his head in response. "The first one."

Jimin's lips stretched a little and he knew he could ask everything else later. The priority was to calm the prince down.

"Get up, please" Jimin stood up, bringing the younger's hefty body along with him. "Please don't cry. Are you hungry?" He asked, unable to look anywhere else when the almighty suddenly decided to present the most beautiful panorama in front of his eyes like that.

"I already ate," Jungkook mumbled, softly wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

"I will arrange the warm water for you to clean up." Jimin made Jungkook sit on the diwan as they walked inside and immediately rushed into the bathroom.

Jungkook looked around as he waited for Jimin to return. The walls seemed like he could touch them if he extended his hands with how small the house was as compared to his castle, but he didn't feel more comfortable in months than right now.

"Water is ready," Jimin informed, looking at Jungkook with a careful scrutinizing gaze that the younger could tell.

The man with the nose pin nodded.

Jimin went to the bedroom to change the sheets and light some candles he had made with eucalyptus oil to calm the man who had traveled this far. Once he was satisfied that everything was clean and cozy enough for the prince, he exited the room and found the younger in a bathrobe, standing in the middle of the living room.

Jungkook's hair was dripping wet and he was shaking a bit, closing his fists and blowing on them softly to conjure up some warmth. "Let me," the gentleman filed ahead and grabbed the palms, blowing and rubbing them. Soon realizing that the cold wouldn't go away until Jungkook's hair was dried, Jimin picked up the towel wrapped loosely around the prince's neck and began to dab it over his head when he noticed soapy foam. "You missed a spot, prince."

Jungkook pouted indignantly at Jimin. "I don't know how to wash my head when I can't see at the back."

"Let me help you," Jimin smiled softly and held Jungkook's palm to take him back into the bathroom.

Making the prince settle on a stool, Jimin filled a mug with warm water and stood behind the former. He delicately hooked his palm under the prince's chin to tilt his face up, so that water wouldn't get into his eyes or ears. And to support the head, he placed his thigh under it while fixating his foot on the bar of the stool.

"Your clothes," Jungkook protested, but it was too late by then when Jimin's one hand began to gently pour the water and the other started massaging Jungkook's scalp softly, letting the water drench his own pants over his thighs.

Jungkook closed his eyes and moaned at the touch. He never trusted anyone to be this gentle with his skin. The staff in his bathroom was on rotational shifts, so he had to remind the men to go easy on his scalp or guide them throughout the washing on the pressure and technique, but with Jimin, he could only reverie in the delicateness.

The downside was that it didn't last long enough for Jugkook to be able to enjoy it to the fullest when Jimin caused his head to straighten unhurriedly. "All done."

Jungkook wanted to whine like a child or pour some more shampoo on his head just so Jimin could wash it off all over again, but on the bright side, Jimin's pants were wet and sticking to his muscles — a sight for his battered eyes. Jungkook looked at him shamelessly when the latter realized what was going on and so he cleared his throat and walked towards the sink to stand in front of the mirror.

Raising his shirt up and holding the edge of it between his teeth, Jimin's hands began to undo the button on his pants when Jungkook gasped and turned around. The older smirked playfully and undressed the lower half of his body. He had no intention to earlier, but now that he gauged the prince's reaction, he had to tease a little bit. "Don't look, prince. I am completely naked."

"What is wrong with you, Park Jimin? Did something bite you while I was away? How can you stand butt-naked in the presence of a royal?" Jungkook asked, putting up his hands on top of his closed eyes.

"I have no business being with a prince in the bathroom either," Jungkook heard Jimin say and heard the footsteps nearing him. His body stiffened and his eyes flinched tighter. "Yet here we are."