At the Kim's mansion

LATER THAT NIGHT

The moon was full and radiant, illuminating the world below with a gentle silver glow. Countless stars twinkled above, forming constellations that told stories of heroes and mythical creatures.

Wandering to the guest hall didn't take him long. SeokJin purposefully ambled to collect his thoughts together.

His mind was filled with various thoughts as his eyes momentarily followed the moon's light that fell on the path. On reaching his parent's quarters, he swiftly slided the door open.

"Mom, you asked for me?"

The middle-aged woman sitting in the centre perked up and glanced at her son. Her attire was sophisticated, reflecting her confident and authoritative demeanor. The hanbok she wore was a beautiful combination of pink with delicate embroidery in gold and blue hues, showcasing her refined taste. The sleeves were gracefully draped, adding a touch of femininity to her ensemble.

Her hair was styled in an elegant updo, adorned with traditional hair accessories like hairpins and decorative combs, enhancing her natural silky hair. Anyone could tell from the similarities between SeokJin and her features that he was definitely her son.

She hummed and gestured for her son to sit across the table. Jin sat down and folded his legs together.

"I'll keep it short, why is another unknown person in our house? Is he also your friend?" She inquired without hesitation.

Jin nodded, his head was low as his gaze was focused on his thighs. The lady scoffed as a response before her eyes narrowed slightly, revealing her disappointment at his actions.

"Is my house a guesthouse?"

"No."

"Then why do you both keep on taking in the strangers ?" She asked, her voice was calm but tinged with a hint of sternness as she questioned him about the situation.

"Sorry, mom. "

"You should've at least approached me first, didn't you?" The mother questioned her son. To know why her sons decided not to consult her first, as she emphasized the importance of communication and respect within the family.

SeokJin decided to remain silent because he probably didn't have an answer to the question; taking his silence as the answer she huffed a sigh.

"I've already instructed Y/n to sleep with Ajumma, from now onwards. I still couldn't believe, I permitted her to sleep in your room."

"That was because she's our friend."

A moment of silence ensued. Jin's mother glared directly in his eyes, while he drifted his gaze away from her. Despite her firm demeanor, there was a sense of maternal concern in her tone, as she wanted to understand his motivations and ensure that he understood the consequences of his actions.

"Now that we're talking about Y/n, let me ask you something... You like her, right?"

Jin's gaze pierced in his mother's direction as he gulped at her confrontation. He shook his head, denying the allegations while again focusing on his thighs.

"You think I'm not aware of the dynamics of this house? I know exactly who is leaning towards whom. And currently, both of my sons are under her spell."

Jin's mind was now in chaos. He couldn't think of a single thought, from the unexpected interrogation, as he was in the dilemma of releasing his feelings for Y/n.

"I sincerely hope that you're not going to act on your feelings."

As soon as these words rang inside Jin's mind, his insides curled with nostalgia for his past. How every time, since childhood he was told to give up. Give up on a toy, to let his brother have it. Till adulthood, how he was told to give up on his dream job, to let his brother have it. Anger coarse through his veins, as his eyes got filled with tears.

"Again, huh! Do I lack the right to make my own decisions?" His voice was shakingly velvety yet collected, but on the inside, he was burning with rage, as if someone just seasoned salt on his old wounds.

"Jin-ah, it's for your best."

He scoffed, his hands now curled into tight fists, as his brows furrowed together in exasperation.

"Did you even care to ask how my days went while being at royal court?! Do you even know what the ministers call me?... Mr Kim's ERRAND CUB! And what's worst is... according to f-father, that's how y-you get promoted."

SeokJin's neck veins popped from the sudden rush of blood as he yelled at his mother. He never wanted to do this, just like any other time, wanted to silently do what he was being told, both at the royal court and his home. There were always times, when he felt like somebody else, as if he was being scrabbled to reach nothingness, far from his happiness.

This time, it was different, he was tired of being ordered around and walking on a path that he never wanted to pursue.

He slammed the wooden table and stood up in fury. His mother remained silent as she realised that she failed to emotionally support her son at his worst.

"The royal court suffocates me! It's as if I am trapped in a turmoil of lies, betrayal and hypocrisy," Jin wailed out in frustration before he slam-slide the door open and rushed out of his parents' quarters.

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NEXT DAY

"Hyung, we know this place, we know the brothers, so why are we still roaming around Kim's mansion?" Jeongguk asked, his brows crinkled from the harsh rays of the sun.

"Shhh. We cannot miss a detail," Jimin whispered while putting his finger on his full lips. Jeongguk heaved an exhausted sigh as they watched Y/n going back and forth from one room to the other, through the front yard.

They stood at a perfect distance, camouflaging themselves from Y/n's gaze. The youngest yawned from the weariness, but soon his eyes traced the direction of Jimin's gaze, which was stuck on a lady gumiho passing by.

Jimin smiled in her direction and the lady, unable to resist, smiled back at the gumiho with an enchanting eye smile. She took her steps forward while Jimin continued to peek in her direction.

Jeongguk crossed his arms, as he watched his eldest's actions, "Girls of the Kim clan are more beautiful than ours, right?"

"Yea-, what?!"

"We cannot miss a detail," Jeongguk whined while sulking as he teased his brother.

"What's your problem?"

"I'm hungry."

Jimin glanced at Jeongguk for a moment before he grabbed his upper arm and started walking towards the marketplace.

Whilst walking through the cobblestone street, they glanced at various delicacies until Jeongguk's gaze noticed a known figure.

The royal pin of the Kim clan hung onto the cloth beneath his shoulder. His tousled hair covered his forehead. Glasses sat on his flat nose bridge as he moved with quick steps.

"Hyung, isn't he In gyeop?"

Jimin's gaze darted in the direction, "Yes. He is."

"Let's go. We haven't met him in a while, he might have some more information to reveal," Jeongguk replied before he started walking forward to meet the man who'd been providing them with every information they needed.

Their gazes were fixed on the elusive man ahead. But Jimin was quick enough to hold the younger in his place when he realized that the path they were walking on, neither goes to the palace nor to In Gyeop's home.

The man in question weaved through the maze of market stalls, his eyes darting nervously from side to side as if sensing the looming threat of his pursuers.

Jimin and Jeongguk quickened their pace, their determination unyielding as they closed in on their target. But just as they reached out to apprehend him, In Gyeop vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a lingering sense of intrigue and unanswered questions.

Jimin exchanged knowing glances with Jeongguk, as they stood amidst the crowd.

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LATER THAT EVENING

SeokJin sat peacefully on the wooden staircase which led to his room. His eyes traced the dusky sky, his features obscured by the dimming twilight.

His thoughts drifted to distant places. With a furrowed brow and a distant expression, he seemed lost in introspection, his mind wandered to every emotion he wanted to decipher.

He felt the presence of a petite silhouette beside him. By the unexpected presence, his bewildered gaze shifted in her direction. A small smile lined across Y/n's thin lips as she glanced at him.

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Y/n asked, with a subtle voice. SeokJin shifted his gaze away from her and fixed it on the fading light of the sky.

Y/n sighed internally before she shifted closer in his direction and whispered, "Wanna talk? I promise I'll keep it a secret."

SeokJin's gaze darted in her direction as he stared at her appealing features. He wanted to scold her for being this nice to him so that he could convince his heart to stop falling for her even more.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You're being rude. Do I need to knock some senses in you as well? I thought you weren't as dumb as Namjoon."

A small chuckle escaped from SeokJin's lips as he replied, "You're always ready to throw hands, aren't you?"

"I wasn't always like this, but two certain morons just won't stop testing my patience."

SeokJin shook his head in disbelief as he smiled with dropped lids. Y/n chuckled at his reaction, but suddenly Jin spoke in his melodious voice gaining her attention.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead. "

With hesitation and quandary, SeokJin spoke, "Have you ever given up on something?"

Y/n shifted her gaze away from him, towards the stars that were starting to twinkle as the last traces of daylight were fading into night. Her brows crinkled as she thought for a few moments.

"Yeah. Even though it was hard, I had to."

SeokJin hummed while Y/n observed his change in features.

"Giving up or not giving up, both are hard decisions to take. Especially when someone finds themselves in the middle. But you know what matters the most is?"

"What?"

"What your heart wants," Y/n conveyed as she pointed her finger towards Jin's chest. He took a moment to take in her words inside his brain as he nodded and fidgeted with his fingers.

"Maybe I should not give up just yet."

"If that's what your heart wants," Y/n spoke and grasped Jin's palm. He felt something small resting on his palm as he glanced over.

"Candy?"

"Candy from the human world."

"Little human, what am I? A kid?"

Y/n chuckled and SeokJin watched her hair strands swiftly flowing from the gentle breeze. But they were soon interrupted by Hoseok as he burped and made his way out of Jin's room.

"Y/n, I thought we'd eat together."

"Hoseok, I have a favor to ask," Jin blurted out of nowhere. The air between the three of them got filled with intrigue as both Y/n and Hoseok crinkled their brows.

Hoseok nodded and sat in between Jin and Y/n making them abruptly shift to their sides.

"I want you to attend the grand ball, which is happening the day after tomorrow. All you gotta do is never leave Y/n's side."

"But can't we stay at the mansion instead?" Y/n questioned.

"We cannot risk that. Because that's probably the easiest way to let two pure gumihos harm you even in the presence of your hybrid friend. "

"What do they want from Y/n?" Hoseok asked.

"We're not certain about that. But as they're aware of Y/n being a human, their intentions are indeed evil."

Y/n was frightened by the thought of being caught as human in this realm, she wiped the sweat off her palms by her trousers and looked elsewhere.

Both Hoseok and SeokJin noticed her worried and anxious trance. Jin exhaled a long breath before he stood up and patted Hoseok's shoulder, gesturing him to comfort her, and left the pair in silence.

Hoseok took the silence between them as an opportunity to start the conversation.

"Y/n, everything's gonna be fine."

Y/n glanced at Hoseok for a few seconds before she averted her gaze away from him.

"Are you still upset?"

"Yeah."

Hoseok sighed, "I told you that I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Don't irritate me by apologising again and again."

"Oh. Take your time to forgive me, but let me tell you this before it's too late."

Hoseok's eyes were filled with hope and longing as he swiftly took her one hand in his. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced towards him.

"I want you to continue our friendship, I want you to stay by my side. I want you to take our friendship to the next stage, I want you to like me back because I like you."

✧