SeokJin and Namjoon stood in front of the King's chambers, along with the Yoongi. His hands were in his pockets as he demandingly stood a few steps behind the Kim brothers.

Jin gently knocked on the door before he spoke, "Your Majesty, the esteemed King of the Min clan is here, waiting for your presence."

Kim Jeong Ho's eyes widened slightly, even though he was expecting his presence but the chances were still very low. He wasted no second and replied, "Yes, please send him inside."

The double door creaked open, and Yoongi walked inside the room leaving Namjoon and Jin in their bowing positions.

"Your Majesty, how have you been?" Yoongi bowed in front of the elderly man sitting on an armed, plush chair. The door got completely closed and both the brothers finally adjusted their posture.

"He's a bit off," Namjoon added under his breath and Jin nudged his elbow, gesturing the younger to stay silent.

"Let's get back. Others might be waiting for us," Jin commented and both the brothers moved towards the ballroom.

They soon reached the spot where they left Taehyung but found him nowhere. Jin's eyes searched for any signs of Y/n and Hoseok while Namjoon perplexingly turned over his shoulder and searched for similar silhouettes.

"Namjoon? Where's Y/n?"

Hoseok appeared abruptly in front of them, as he nervously spoke. His hands were sweating and his forehead was adorned with sweat beads as he was already searching for Y/n in the room full of unknowns.

"What the fuck did you just say?!" Namjoon growled.

"What'd you mean, where's Y/n!? I told you to never leave her side, didn't I?" Jin angrily exclaimed but kept his voice low. Hoseok's eyes were filled with guilt as he peered through his gaze.

"Even Taehyung is missing," SeokJin whispered in agitation as if he sensed that somehow this was all connected and well-plotted.

The three of them glanced at each other with horror written on their features. The worst-case scenario they were trying to avoid was coming to life in front of their eyes.

"Namjoon, go to Taehyung's room, see if he's there. Hoseok and I will join you in a few minutes, after looking around the castle. There are chances that Y/n might have been lost!" Jin exchanged hurried glances with both of them before the two gumihos and a hybrid parted their ways. One rushed towards Taehyung's room, in a mere hope that he might have been in his room while the other two used their mystical rapid reflexes to look around the ballroom and the maze of hallways attaching it.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Inside King's chambers

"Yes. Actually." Kim Jeong Ho chuckled before he paused for a moment and spoke again. "It's been so long since I last you as a child. And now you're a grown man with the responsibilities of your whole clan."

The King of the Kim clan stated, as he closely watched the son of his former companion. His small inclined eyes reminded him of his friend, a person whom he'll always feel remorse for, a person whose presence will always be missed within his soul, a person whom he lost, only to further lose many aspects of himself.

"I'll take my leave now, Your Majesty," the young King of the Min clan declared.

Kim Jeong Ho hummed as he saw Yoongi standing up from his position before he bowed, "You're still a young man, I'm sure a new responsibility shows up every day."

Yoongi nodded before he added, "I hope we'll meet again, Your Majesty."

Kim Jeong Ho smiled at the young man's invitation as he hummed and nodded,  but what he failed to notice was Yoongi's hidden lewd smile as he spoke with venom swirling around his tongue, in the bowing position.

He then took his steps towards the exit and a smirk began to creep up onto his lips.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Inside Prince's quarters

Namjoon cautiously approached the prince's room, an eerie silence hunged in the air, thick with anticipation. With each step, his heart pounded in his chest as a rhythmic reminder of the gravity of the situation that was going to unfold before him.

As he turned the corner, his eyes widened in disbelief. Before him lay two royal guards, sprawled upon the ground. Their muscular frame is now limp and lifeless. Their faces bore the marks of a fierce struggle, telling a tale of resistance against an unknown assailant.

Namjoon rushed towards Taehyung's room and opened it with a thud. Upon finding the room empty his heart sank and his mind got filled with a scent of danger. He called out Taehyung's name as he moved forward to open the door of the attached bathroom.

"FUCK! We're doomed."

Upon hearing a voice, Namjoon turned around and saw Jin and Hoseok standing at the entrance, with disbelief and terror written on their faces.

"Hyung! What do we do now?" Namjoon said as he moved closer towards the two males.

SeokJin remained silent as he proceeded to run a hand in his hair. Namjoon's gaze shifted onto Hoseok and before he knew it he was standing inches away from him, tightly grabbing his collar as he snarled at him.

"It's all your fault! What the fuck were you doing? Huh!?"

Anger and frustration bubbled inside the hybrid as he groaned and retaliated by grabbing Namjoon's collar. "You have an equal share in this, don't forget that!"

"IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HER, I'll KILL YOU! IMPURE BLOOD!" Namjoon yelled in defeat and frustration as they both glared at each other. Hoseok gritted his teeth at the mention of the word.

"THE SAME GOES FOR YOU! YOU SON OF BITCHY PURE BLOOD!"

Namjoon landed a punch on Hoseok features and Hoseok wasted no time to do the same.

SeokJin frantically watched as the younger males were exchanging blows and assaulting each other. His eyes slowly reddened and a fierce shade of fire took over his irises. With a massive invisible force on both Namjoon's and Hoseok's bodies, they were propelled away from each other and impacted the opposite walls of a pace-wide chamber, with a thunderous clang.

"THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?! IS THIS THE TIME TO ACT ON YOUR IMPULSIVE SHITS?! FUCKING BASTARDS!" Jin yelled hysterically as his irises changed back to normal.

Namjoon caressed his head while Hoseok was caressing his jaw. While glaring at Namjoon's direction Jin's eyes landed onto something on the floor. He looked at the small torn piece of paper, lying on the floor.

His senses awakened as he drew nearer, ignoring Namjoon's reckless form lying on the floor he grasped the piece of paper and read the running writing.

"Valley of the Violas."

"What?" Hoseok stood up from his position and came closer.

"Is this from Taehyung?" Namjoon asked before he stood up with a jerk as he realised something, "Hyung, that's the biggest valley of our land! How are we gonna locate him!?"

SeokJin fidgeted with the piece of paper that was still in his hand, "We can't make a rash decision, I think--"

Before SeokJin could complete his sentence Namjoon did just what his brother was warning him not to. He teleported himself out of the prince's chambers and bent over to calm his breathless form. Bruises given by Hoseok adorned his strong jawline and the sudden urge to get his bead back resurfaced.

Standing in the hallways, Namjoon closed his eyes and attempted to make a mind map of the valley inside his head.

"Namjoon?" An old manly voice interrupted from behind. Losing focus he opened his eyes and turned around only to quickly bow down in response.

"Your Majesty."

What if he already knows that Taehyung's missing? Is he here to threaten me to death? As I failed to complete the job and protect the Prince at all costs.

Panic drove inside his mind as his heart raced upon thinking of Taehyung. Various thoughts crumpled inside his mind as he waited for the King to speak.

"Are you going somewhere? And where's Taehyung?"

Namjoon gulped hard as he glanced at him, his eyes showed eagerness as he gazed at him with soft eyes, but Namjoon didn't have anything to offer, neither his son nor his whereabouts.

"Your Majesty, I apologise for the misapprehension but I'll have to leave," Namjoon nervously announced and stomped forward. Leaving a befuddled King behind.

The King watched Namjoon's silhouette fading away as he stomped in a hurry. His impetuous actions reminded him of someone. He finally noticed the similarities between him and her.

You were always in front of my eyes, yet I  failed to recognize you.

Kim Jeong Ho thought as he stood at his place, with a heart full of penitence and remorse.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

In the Valley of Violas

With a pang in her consciousness, Y/n's eyes slowly opened with a striking pain in her head. Her limbs were tied and her mouth was covered with a gag. While lying down, she slowly peered at her surroundings and her eyes widened in bafflement.

Her heart thumped inside her chest as she panickedly witnessed the tableau in front of her. Taehyung's battered body lay sprawled on the ground, unmoving and lifeless. She fidgeted her body upwards and moved her face to loosen the grip of the gag.

"Someone's awake," a euphonious voice teasingly added from behind as the man slowly walked in front of her, taking the gag off her mouth with a jerk.

"Who are y-you?" Y/n stuttered.

He smirked, "Me? Call me Jeongguk, and I'm your... grim reaper."

Y/n gasped and a shiver ran down her spine, tears of terror made their way to her features, "Why a-are you d-doing this t-to us?"

"Shut up human! You're irritating me," Jeongguk snarled as he raised his hand but a certain pale hand reached out from behind and stopped Jeongguk to act on his evil intentions.

"Jeongguk!" A new, sharp-toned voice spoke from behind. Y/n's ears twitched in the direction of the new voice, a voice that she almost forgot but the owner remained persistent in her heart.

The new presence shifted from behind her terrorized form, and sat on his folded knee, only to further make her eyes balls pop in disbelief.

"J-Jihoon." Words escaped from Y/n's mouth as a mere whisper as she gaped through her glossy eyes, at her friend she had never not trusted once.

Even though everything seemed unclear and confusing to her, a sense of relief compulsorily washed over her upon witnessing Jihoon's presence beside her.

"Jihoon, s-save me. I-I know you're here t-to save me... r-right?" Her breath hitched in between as she stammeringly completed her sentence. She moved her shaking wrists forward, which were tied by a rope that was prickling her skin, pleading with him to loosen them and eventually open them up.

Jihoon's hands approached the jute fibre, a feeling of relief built up inside Y/n but crumbled within milli seconds when he tightened the grip of the rope even more.

"I hope you'll forgive me."

✧

Ps: so everyone! How's the story going? Are you liking it? Any thoughts on characters? Rant it in the comment box, I'll talk to them soon. Hehe
Byee ~