Chapter Five: There is a reason for all this frustration

The title is from Lost.

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

Jungkook and Jisoo have… He doesn't want to say "gotten closer" because he isn't sure if that's true, but they have certainly been spending more and more time together. And because of that, it meant he spent less and less time with Taehyung.

It's been around five days since they'd shared that… kiss in the kitchens. It's been around five days since he'd even seen more than the longing gazes he and Taehyung shared in fleeting moments.

But, it was also very important to keep his distance while they dealt with the Kims. It was to protect Taehyung, he assured himself for the nth time as he watched the baker from afar.

Once the kims leave, I can have Taehyung all to myself again. I just need to be patient.

He repeated it like a mantra in his head as the days sluggishly moved by.

Jisoo and he sat by the ponds today, the water has just begun to thaw out, and the koi fish beneath the surface were happy about it. They kept swirling around each other and coming up to greet the two royals before swimming away.

Jungkook idly tossed bits of bread in the water and watched as the fish ate them. Jisoo had huffed the first time he did it, nibbling on her own roll with her head held high. He'd resisted the urge to roll his eyes and tossed another piece in.

Taehyung was across the way, airing out the kitchens from the window. He looked hot from what the prince could gather, his honey skin glistening as he began to pluck at his shirt, airing out the fabric as well. It must be hot inside there with all the ovens.

"You and that servant boy must be close," Jisoo's melodic voice cut through his stalking (it wasn't stalking, Jungkook argued, just admiring someone from afar who don't even know their being 'admired' and ohmygod I am stalking him-) and it was like cold water had been dumped on him.

He tensed up but forced his damn muscles to behave and relax again. Raised one shoulder in what he hoped looked like a casual shrug. "Taehyung? Yeah, he's nice. He makes great desserts, too."

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Jisoo muttered, trailing a finger along the surface of the pound, smiling slightly when koi fish came up to it and watched with rapt attention.

"I don't know what you mean, then," Jungkook said a bit curt, and he pursed his lips before apologizing quietly.

"Nevermind." Is all Jisoo said, very quietly, might Jungkook add (it seemed like a bad habit she'd been fighting before, but as days went on he noticed himself straining to hear her more often than not), before standing up and abruptly announcing she's going to visit her brother.

Jungkook just watches as she makes her way across the grounds and back into the castle, two of her handmaidens she brought along from home trailing after her.

He never knows what to say, or how to act around the princess. And she seems to know everything. He felt as if there was a very uneven advantage between the two of them.

-8-8-8

Seokjin was in the library, snooping around to see if he could find anything similar to that of the erotic story he'd found earlier (those loose pages- which had been crudely glued together at the top left corner with melted wax-had made his evenings here at the Jeon castle… very interesting). He was coming up with nothing and was about to leave and just re-read the one story he found again later on when a familiar figure popped into his peripheral.

Kim Namjoon stood with his back to Seokjin as he browsed through the books to the right, clearly looking for something in particular.

"Nam- Advisor Kim. Good afternoon," Seokjin said, biting back the name he so wanted to speak. Namjoon jumped and swiveled to face the prince, expression one of pure shock.

His eyes appeared even darker than the last time the elder had seen him, but his hair was washed and brushed and his robes appeared in better shape. Seokjin would count that as some sign of improvement.

"S-Seokjin- Your Highness, hello. Good day, er- afternoon, I mean." Namjoon cuts himself off and purses his lips. Seokjin swallows, his palms suddenly feeling clammy for some reason, and he tries to discreetly dry them by messing with his robes nervously.

Namjoon watches the movement, brows furrowed-which seem to be a constant feature on him when around the prince- before he finally seems to spring to life.

"Yes. Well, if you'll excuse me," He mutters, moving to scurry out of the, oddly stuffy, library. He's just managed to get to the end of the row when Seokjin lets out a squawk and almost trips over himself in his haste to catch the advisor's wrist.

It was very un-princely, to be so clumsy and to act so emotionally, but Seokjin couldn't find it in himself to care. Namjoon had never judged him for being as such, never judged him for anything.

"Seokjin?" Namjoon stammers out, forgetting to be respectful and distant at the moment, looking over his shoulder. Seokjin's eyes are wide and pleading, his cheeks dusting with the faintest hint of pink. They blink owlishly at one another, neither speaking for a second.

"Please don't go! Namjoon-please, it's been killing me this whole time. Can we please just talk? Just for today, even? Just a moment where we can talk like normal, like Namjoon and Seokjin. Then we can go back to being cold and distant, but still pleasant, crown prince Seokjin and Advisor Kim." The elder's voice wobbling just slightly as he pleads. Namjoon sucks in a breath and then, despite his better judgment, nods.

Seokjin's shoulders positively sag in relief, and a sparkle shines in his eyes, visibly perkier now that Namjoon's agreed.

"Good. Great, thank you, Namjoon."

They find a seat at a table near the back, the library is generally always empty anyway, but the added assurance is welcomed.

"So…" Seokjin prompts, not too sure what to say. Namjoon nibbles on his lip absently, looking anywhere but at the prince before him. "Ahem, right."

"Yes…"

"I don't really know what to say," Seokjin admits, shoulders hunching up insecurely. Namjoon peeks at him from beneath his bangs but turns his gaze to the shelves over the elder's shoulders when he catches Seokjin's eyes.

"You were the one who suggested this," He mutters.

"Well, yes, but I just meant that I'm not sure where to start." A huff from the advisor has him feeling a little silly for even attempting conversation with him.

"Why don't we start somewhere light? Like, how about we speak of how we used to play in the fields or something." Namjoon finally suggested hesitantly, but it was more than enough for Seokjin, who took it and ran with it enthusiastically.

"Yes! We would play hide and seek, or tag as we ran between rows of grapevines," He reminisced, and both their expressions seem to soften at the memory.

Namjoon skidded to a stop, shoes sliding in the gravelly dirt so slick he nearly toppled over from his momentum, as he looked around himself. Head whipping this way and that, all he saw were the rows upon rows of grapevines, taller than he, that seemed to go on for miles. No Seokjin, no corgis, either. Just himself and the smell of grape juice and putrid wine.

The sky was a bright blue with the occasional fluffy cloud, a hot summer breeze blew occasionally and Namjoon felt himself closing his eyes to enjoy it.

"What are you doing!" He jumped out of his skin at the sound of someone speaking, and his eyes fly open to see Seokjin standing there hands on his hips, and a disappointed pout gracing his features.

"W-what do you mean?" Namjoon stutters out awkwardly, scratching at his neck and peeking up from his fringe. "What do you mean 'what do I mean'?!"

The prince rounded on him, head held high as he sniffed dramatically. "You were meant to be looking for me! And here I find you standing there like a buffoon, eyes closed and not even attempting to find me!"

The twelve-year-old boy blinked up at him, mouth agape. Seokjin's face was slightly flushed, and his eyes were bright and sparkling. His lips were pursed in a pout but that did nothing to hide the soft plush of them, the pretty pink.

His usual robes had been discarded earlier by a tree when they'd begun the game, so that left him in his white billowing shirt and a very tight pair of pants. His shirt had two buttons opened to help fight against the heat, coincidentally leaving his collarbones out in the open.

Apparently, twelve-year-old Namjoon found those collarbones very alluring. He doesn't even have a thing for collarbone! And yet, here he is...

Twelve-year-old Namjoon found himself in an epiphany of sorts, one he'd had many times over the past year and a half. Because, twelve-year-old Namjoon had an undeniable, fat, ugly crush on fourteen-year-old prince Seokjin.

Namjoon looked down and away from Seokjin, the memory leading to more pleasant ones which lead to even more unpleasant ones. His chest rose and fell in a deep sigh.

"Ahem. Right, um… Do you remember how Jisoo used to follow us around everywhere? And we'd always get annoyed and kick her out, but then she'd throw a tantrum and Mother made us take her with us anyway?"

Namjoon did. He had hated that Jisoo interfered with his time with Seokjin, but now he kind of felt bad for being so mean around her.

A fourteen-year-old Namjoon and a sixteen-year-old Seokjin giggled breathlessly as they leaned back against the door, keeping it in place.

"Your sister is getting rather annoying." Namjoon breathed out, looking up at the prince in annoyed amusement. Seokjin blows a piece of his hair away from his face, rolling his eyes and maneuvering on the door so he's on his side. "Ugh, I know. I rather liked it when she was still too intimidated by us to try and play with us. She was so sweet all the way up until just last year she started acting up."

"I miss six-year-old Jisoo who played quietly with her dolls and tea sets, in her rooms, with her nanny." Namjoon agreed.

A noise of agreement from Seokjin. They stood there for a few moments, catching their breath. It should take Jisoo a moment to find them, they'd run all the way to a separate wing of the castle and they had much longer legs than she.

Namjoon jumps when he feels fingers carding through his shaggy hair. He turns slightly to see Seokjin peering at him with an unreadable expression as he ran his fingers gently through the strands. "It's gotten long. You should probably cut it if you don't want Jisoo pulling on it."

"Right."

"Although, it might not be Jisoo you should be worried about," Seokjin continues, his face breaking out in a sly grin. Namjoon gulps. Seokjin's acting unusual, he's never acted, never spoken like this to him before.

A sharp tug on his hair has a whimpering, needy sound come out of his mouth. They both freeze at the (not) moan (it was a moan), Seokjin staring down at him in shock and awe, and Namjoon's cheeks coloring as he avoids eye contact at all costs. A beat passed. Two, and then-

Seokjin pulls, a little harsher, with wide eyes and Namjoon tries, he really does, to stop the keening moan from slipping out, but it manages to escape all the same.

The elder's eyes dilate, Namjoon bites his lip in shame and startles for the second time when soft fingers gently pry it out. A tutting sound, the fingers trailing across the bleeding flesh gently. Goosebumps.

Namjoon holds his breath, not sure of what to do. This is the most sexual thing he's done-ever- and it's with his three-and-a-half-year-long crush! Seokjin's never even glanced in his direction before! And suddenly he's all 'let me pull your hair all hot like and-oh! Let me also trail my kind of oddly shaped, but still pretty, soft fingers along your lips and face!'

"Seokjin-hyung," Namjoon whispers in the silence of the room, his voice pulling the elder from whatever daydream he was in. Those heated eyes snap down to his, two hearts beating rapidly as their faces seem to gravitate closer. "Namjoon…"

Their noses brush, Namjoon can feel Seokjin's breath on his lips, hot and released in a whoosh. "Jinnie-hyung," he repeats, not knowing what else to do. "Namjoonie."

The ghosting of lips against his, not quite touching but touching, all the same, all he had to do was lean forward a bit and they'd be kissing, and holy shit Seokjin's leaning forward a bit and fuck, they're almost there!

Namjoon's mouth dries and he pushes his lips out like his aunt does when she kisses him, is that how you're supposed to kiss your crushes? Or is it different?

Their lips touch briefly, an appreciative hum from Seokjin and a gurgled surprise from Namjoon (Because, hello?! Seokjin. Is. Kissing. Him?!) only for them to both freeze when two very loud, very angry knocks make the door rattle a bit.

"Hello!? Seo'jin Oppa? Namjoonie-oppa? Are you guys in there? Let me in!" Jisoo, who's usually so quiet, yells through the door impatiently. "You're not being very nice! You ran away and hid! Let me in! I wanna play with you guys!" She cries out, little fists hitting the door with surprising strength.

Seokjin forcefully shoves Namjoon away from him, eyes wide, and Namjoon whimpers when his elbow hits a table. He stares up at Seokjin from the floor, confused and hurt, but the elder just looks away, cheeks red and eyes downcast.

Namjoon stays on the floor, frozen, and he recounts what just happened over the incessant knocks and cries outside.

They'd nearly (or did they actually?) kissed, and they would have (did?) kiss if it hadn't been for the interruption.

A glance at Seokjin confirmed he was still looking away, cradling his left arm limply to his side. It was a calming act, self-soothing. It was the closest thing to crossing your arms, but he wasn't meant to do that as a king usually, so he's taught himself to do that instead.

"Oppa! Let! Me! In! Pleeeeaaasssee?!" Jisoo continues, knocking as fervently as ever. "You're not being nice! You guuuyys!"

Namjoon sneaks a second peek at Seokjin, but the prince is still staring down at his feet in what appeared as shame.

Does that- Does that mean he regrets it? He regrets-Me? Namjoon thought with a sinking stomach, turning around to face the wall.

"I'm going to tell mom you were being mean to me, if! You! Don't! Let me in!" Each word followed a harsh knock.

"Goddamnit, Jisoo! Fine! Just shut the hell up!" Seokjin bellowed, shoving Namjoon aside to throw open the door. Jisoo stood there in her poofy purple dress, eyes wide with shock and shiny. Her hand was raised to knock again, and Namjoon winced. Seokjin never explodes like that, especially not towards his sister.

Jisoo's lip wobbles as Seokjin lets out a deep sigh, pinching his nose. "Well? Are you going to come in or are you going to continue throwing a fit like a baby?" He sneers and Namjoon gapes at him. "All you do is follow us around like a freaking puppy, whining and crying about how you want to play with us! Can't you give us a break?! We never get a moment alone, to do what we wish, because you're always there, Jisoo! Threatening to tattle on us to mother, crying and screaming and kicking when things don't go your way! Let me tell you something, Jisoo, you may be a princess, but the world does not revolve around you!"

With every word Jisoo's face crumples more and more, her shock giving way to hurt. Her lip wobbled dangerously and her eyes were glassy with tears just waiting to spill out. Namjoon looks between the two of them, jaw practically on the ground by this point.

Seokjin's on a roll, apparently, because he doesn't stop there, no, he adds one final, killing blow. "You're ten Jisoo, we're loads older than you are! We don't want to play with dollies or pretend tea! Grow up and play by yourself like the big girl you always claim you are!"

"Seokjin!" He hisses out, jabbing an elbow in his stomach harshly. Namjoon was shocked and angry for Jisoo. This snaps the prince out of his rant, eyes wide as he turns towards his sister again.

"Shit. No, Jisoo, I'm sorry I didn't mean it, I'm so, so, so sorry, I love you and I'd never-" his words are cut off by a loud wail from the little girl, Jisoo promptly bursting into tears. Namjoon gives Seokjin one last nasty look, hurt and confused from the kiss and shocked and disappointed by his outburst, before shoving him aside.

Namjoon gently kneels down and scoops Jisoo up into his embrace, making soothing noises as she lets out heaving cries. When he stands up, she limply wraps her arms around his neck and lets her legs dangle on either side of his waist. "I-I-I hate you!" She cries at Seokjin, who looks as though he'd been struck, and buries her head in Namjoon chest, her cries hardly muffled.

The teen gently cradles her and walks away, keeping an eye out for her mother or nanny.

Namjoon wonders why all his memories end up in sad ones, but he still remembers how hurt he'd felt, how angry and sad. Granted, that had been a very important push in the right direction for their relationship, but it had been a hard thing to encounter.

"I remember when we first kissed if you can even call it that, and I panicked and blew up at Jisoo… I think about it a lot, and I know she's forgiven me, but I still feel a lot of regret for that moment. It was a much needed eye-opening for me… Made me reflect on a lot of things, but still…" The prince looks ashamed again, reflecting on the same memory as Namjoon had.

The advisor hesitated before reaching out and placing a palm over Seokjin's. He looks up at him, the shock that soon morphs into gratitude as he flips his hand to properly hold Namjoon's.

"I've forgiven you, as well…" Namjoon mumbled out, suddenly shy.

"For the kiss or… for everything else?" Seokjin asks out, hopeful but unsure. Namjoon purses his lips and they drop the subject.

"You know, I've missed you. Quite a lot, too." Seokjin says switching topics easily. "It's been a long time since I've last seen you, Namjoon. You've made a wonderful living here in Jusan. I'm proud." He says honestly.

"Seokjin… Thank you. Really, that means a lot coming from you. I just-" Namjoon is cut off by the doors to the library banging open, a couple of maids on the far side of the giant room startling and hissing out "shh! Quiet!" angrily.

"Sorry, sorry, I just need to find my brother," an all too familiar voice squeaks, hurried footsteps as someone races up and down the bookcases.

The two men share a look, Namjoon mouthing "speak of the devil" just as Jisoo tumbles out from a bookcase and practically flings herself onto the table between them. Their hands had separated and slid off, falling into their laps.

"Oppa! I found you!" She shouts, eyes almost as wild as her hair.

"No need to shout, Jisoo-yah." Seokjin scolds, smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles in his suit.

"Right, sorry, I just really need to talk to you about- Oh. Hello." She stops short at the sight of Namjoon, who gives a little wave. "Sorry, I hadn't realized Seokjin had company," She apologizes before squinting at him. She lets out a gasp and leans away to point at him. "N-Namjoon-Oppa! Oh my god, you're-!"

Seokjin clamps a hand over his sister's mouth, smiling sweetly at Namjoon. "I'm sorry, but could you give my sister and me a moment alone? We could talk more over dinner if you'd like." He adds, not wanting him to think he didn't want to speak more. It was the opposite, really.

"Oh! Of course, excuse me," Namjoon stands and knocks over two chairs on his way out. Still the same old Namjoon, Seokjin thinks with a snort.

When the man was gone, Seokjin dropped his smile and turned to glare at his sister. She glared right back as she stuck her tongue out and licked across his hand.

"Ack! Do you really have to?" Seokjin asked, disgusted, as he wiped his now slimy hand off on his pants. Jisoo just smiled smugly and plopped right down in Namjoon's vacant seat.

"Yes. serves you right for silencing me anyway." She sniffed. Her voice was back to its quiet murmuring, all the gusto from earlier forgotten.

"What do you want?" At the raised eyebrow he got, Seokjin adds on, "I was clearly in the middle of something important. So, this had better be something equally or more important for you to interrupt us, or I'm going to be mad, Jisoo."

His sister huffs, slumping into her seat and pouting like a child. "It is important! Jungkook is hiding something from me, I know it!" Seokjin gave her a blank stare. This is what he excused Namjoon for? Some stupid lovers quarrel?

"Jisoo, please. I don't have time for this..." He sighed and rubbed at his temple. Jisoo is turning twenty now, she's an adult, now if only she'd act more mature and not like a teenager.

"But Oppa! You don't understand!" She groans in frustration, as much the dramatic soul as Seokjin. "He's hiding something, something big! He's always hanging out with that weird cook person, making cookies and bonding over their giant dog! He clams up around me, and I'll have you know I've been making an effort! Truly! I've kept from mumbling around him, I make an effort to speak up and talk about topics that interest him!" She's thrown herself on the table now, her arms flopping on the table beside her head. "When he's not with that servant he's with his brother, that Jackson guy, or his advisor! He's only around me when he has to be!"

"Jisoo, what you're telling me is… When he is not spending time with his new-found fiance he found out about only a couple of weeks ago, he is spending time with… Let's see.. His younger brother, his advisor, the man training him for battle, and a friend. How scandalous, indeed." He was being rude, he knew, being sarcastic but really, his sister was acting spoiled and irrational.

"He's hiding something! He's always sneaking around and he gets this guilty look on his face sometimes and I've seen how he and that servant interact! It's so informal, I was shocked!" Jisoo whines out, looking up at him pitifully from the table.

"Jisoo. He is preparing to rule his country one day, to fight in an awful war, and he is in his twenties! He is a man and he is allowed to have secrets. We all do! Hell, you even have a secret! A pretty big one, might I add!" Jisoo hisses at him to quiet down, sitting up rigidly now. "Leave the poor man alone."

"But-!"

"No buts, Jisoo. Leave. Him. Alone. None of this sounds life-threatening or particularly awful. I'm sure he and his little 'secret' are fine, and you will be too. Now, please, leave me be... I need to find something to read." Seokjin sighs out, waving his hand as if dismissing her. Jisoo glares at him but stands nonetheless.

"He is hiding something, Seokjin. I will find out what it is, and I'm going to say 'I told you so!' when it's something big!" She swears, dropping her honorifics just to piss him off more. With that, she snatches up her gloves from the table and leaves in a twirl of dress and curled hair.

Seokjin rolls his eyes and stands, setting off to hunt for any more erotic stories hidden between shelves.

Even if the writing was sub-par in terms of grammar, the author knew just about every dirty word in existence, and how to put them artfully together to create a pretty steamy picture in Seokjin's mind. That, plus the knowledge of how two males... fornicate, was really all you needed to write some sensual paragraphs.

When you're horny enough, you won't care if the author used the wrong 'your' or has a tendency to misspell certain words.

8-8-8

Jungkook set down the papers he was looking at with a deep sigh. Dinner had been stressful that night. Jisoo was glowering at him from across the table, refusing to make conversation with him. He doesn't even know what he's done wrong this time!

Namjoon was making pleasantries with Seokjin, cracking jokes and talking about Seokjin's castle.

He had forgotten his advisor originated from there, how he did, he isn't sure. It was a very big thing to forget.

His mother was practically fucking with his father's advisor on the table (okay, not really, they were just giggling and basically flirting without flirting which counts as infidelity when it's with his mother and not his father).

That leaves Jungkook to speak with his brother. Which wasn't too bad, he quite enjoys spending time with the little guy, but Junghyun was a bit snappy. He'd had a long day with his tutors, getting up early to take lots of tests and he's probably all worn out.

Jisoo leaves early, heading out with his posse of handmaids and disgruntled glares in his direction. Seokjin gives him a sympathetic smile before turning back to Namjoon.

He eats dinner in mostly silence, scraping his dish clean and bowing as he leaves.

He almost turns the wrong corner to see if Taehyung was still in the kitchens, but catches himself at the last minute. He's going through Taehyung-withdrawals, and he wants nothing more than to run to the other male, but he knew it was for everyone's safety that they keep a low profile right now. With that in mind, he scowls and turns right back around to march to his rooms.

The hounds were lazing around the halls, their keep still out sick so they're using the opportunity to do things they normally aren't allowed to. A couple of the dogs perk up when he walks past, scratching at their ears, but one, in particular, follows him all the way to his door.

He slams the thing in the dog's face, not in the mood to have a big, heavy, slimy dog in his bed tonight, and goes about undressing for bed.

Jeoseung scratches at his door for the entirety of his nightly routine, and he loses his resolve and lets the beast inside. He watches as the dog hops up and flops across his pillows, taking up almost all the room and leaving a sliver of pillow for Jungkook to rest on.

"I miss Taehyung, and you're not a good substitute by any means, but I suppose I'll allow it for tonight." He tells the dog with a pointed finger staring at him for a long time. His shoulders drop and his heart squeezes painfully at the reminder. He does miss Taehyung. It's so hard to be so close to him but never being able to touch him. To be with his presence. Damn Jisoo and her nosy self. She just had to come and get engaged with him and ruin everything!

Jungkook sneers and pulls back his blankets to slip inside, craning his neck awkwardly to get that little sliver of the pillow, and stares up at his ceiling.

"I'm going to die soon if I can't even get a hug from Taehyung, I just know it." He mutters before shutting his eyes to try and fall asleep. Jeoseung snorts out a heaving sigh, falling asleep quickly and easily, and Jungkook might be just a little jealous.

That dog has it good, he doesn't have to worry about love and politics. He can hump anything, even a curtain, and no one would bat an eyelash. Jungkook can't even hold hands with someone without it being a big issue...

They snuggle up and Jungkook finds peace in the quiet crackle of his fire, drifting off to sleep with dreams of Taehyung and princesses with black locks and hateful glares.

Once or twice he wakes up to a tail in his mouth or a paw kicking at his face. He shoves the dog off and rolls over, oddly satisfied in the thump that sounds in the room.

Jeoseung retaliates by hopping back up and literally laying across his face, stomach covering his eyes and fur in his mouth.

8-8-8-8

King Jeon wipes the sweat off his brow, turning to look at his opponent. They're mostly alone, his men have died and so have the enemy's. His men won't know where to find him, and they won't know to come and save him either. It takes at least half an hour there and back to reach base camp and twenty to rally the troops. They won't be here in time.

Still, he should be able to take one man on. They seem small enough, but they are quick and a skilled fighter...

He squints at the man before him, sizing him up. This must be the enemy king. The man was hiding behind a helmet, much like his own, except theirs had a long chainmail armor obscuring their face. He can't imagine they can see very well through it.

Then, they slowly raise their hands to tug it off and the king feels as an involuntary gasp escapes him. "You-!"

"Long time no see," They drawl out, dropping the helmet to the ground.

"You're supposed to be-"

"Dead? Yeah, well, things changed."

The king opens his mouth to speak, but the enemy raises their hand and lowers it sharply, and pain erupts in his chest.

With a delayed cry, he looks down to see an arrow lodged in his heart. At first, he is numb, but then the fire hot pain flashed throughout his whole body, and he gurgles up blood.

He had been careless. His men weren't here, and he yet he'd let his guard down, assumed they were alone. Assumed he could take them, defeat them, and return home to his wife and sons.

You never let your guard down in the battlefield. His own words echo in his head as a memory of him and Jungkook floods his vision.

Nine-year-old Jungkook nearly topples over with the weight of the small sword, but he manages to hold it up a little bit above the ground. His arms were shaking from the exertion. He sees himself laughing loudly when the small, scrawny boy loses his strength and does fall over from the weight. "You will learn," he'd promised.

"I'm a little disappointed, to be honest." The enemy continues, examining their nails as if bored. "I was expecting a better fight. But old age has made you a fool, and you underestimated me which is a deadly thing to do."

Another signal, another arrow lodging into his heart. He looks over the enemy's shoulder to see an entire army marching towards them, the front lines filled with bows raised and arrows ready to fire.

Jungkook, I'm sorry. Appa failed you.

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

N/A:

please excuse any errors, my power was down for a while,

something happened at the plant or something, anyway I couldn't write which is why this update is a little later than usual.

So, when the issue was resolved I just pushed this all out like in a day. I sat down and didn't get up until I was done lol.

Serves me right for procrastinating.

(Me: Lol posting once a month is an insane amount of time

between updates. That's like, no-bueno.

Also me: So, I've decided on posting once a month as my schedule- hehe xxxoo)

Slight filler chapter... Sorry that there wasn't much (okay, any) interaction between Tae and koo..

Next chapter embarks on the much-awaited war I've been mentioning for like,

the whole fic. :) yay (?)

What do you think is Jisoo's big secret?

Speaking of Jisoo, I made her a bit younger than she really is to suit the story more.

Can I also just say;;; The boys getting a three-month break before returning to their tour is like,

music to my ear yes! They deserve it so much!

Thank you for reading! I'll see you all the next update xxx

-MC