Chapter Text
In the quiet of the sun-dappled morning, Taehyung ventures into the village. The hustle and bustle of the village market has never made him feel this alone until now. The scent of the fresh buns mingling with the fragrance of wildflowers doesn"t lure him in today. He liked it better when Minsu was with him. They could try more buns between the two of them and talk about anything they want. He curses his brother for sending him alone to purchase the herbs and more paper.
He has never liked being all by himself. He absolutely abhors the idea of being left to his own thoughts that sometimes claw at him, tearing him up, and leaving him mangled. His thoughts scare him and he has always, since his childhood, tried to suppress them. He has tried everything, being a strong omega, and fighting off alphas who would try to mock him and his brother but nothing has worked. By the end of the day, it"s him and his self-deprecating thoughts that he is just not good enough. No one will ever mate him.
The market, a swirl of dull colors lacks luster and Taehyung can"t help but sigh missing his best friend. He buries his thoughts by busying himself into buying the supplies and getting back sooner. He makes a note to grab buns to surprise Minsu with.
The clinking of coins at the vendors" shops blends with the chattering of the people way too well. Any other time Taehyung would love to stop by and observe people and their gossip but not today. He"s heading to the bakery with a pout perching on his lips when a small trembling figure catches his attention.
A child, no more than five or six, is standing alone at the edge of a sitting bench outside the bakery. Her tiny frame is dwarfed by the towering adults. Her wide eyes are brimming with confusion, and her small hands are clutching the hem of her deep purple hanbok. She is looking around, but her eyes keep going back to the fresh buns, Her tiny mouth slightly open with the two wide front teeth peeping out. Taehyung chuckles, she reminds him of a small bunny.
He has never seen this child around, as he teaches almost all the village children. His heart stirs with tenderness and he approaches her.
“Hello princess,” Taehyung kneels down to her height and she looks at him, “you hungry?” He asks.
She nods her head and points at the red bean bun, “want that.”
Taehyung greets the bakery owner and purchases a few different buns. The child keeps her face pressed at the glass window watching the baker pick the fresh buns and put them into the paperbag. Her face lights up when the red bean bun is picked up and she claps excitedly.
Taehyung pays for the order and makes her sit on the bench at the side, “Sit princess.” And she plops down immediately on the bench. Taehyung giggles watching her listen so ardently.
“So I"ll give you the delicious red bean bun but you need to promise to tell me your name and where you live.” He asks, clutching the paper bag in his hand.
She ponders over it and makes a face, “Appa said not to tell that to strangers.”
Smart girl, Taehyung thinks, laughing at the answer.
“Fair, I"m Taehyung but all my friends call me taetae.”
“Taetae,” she covers her mouth to chuckle, "it"s a pretty name.”
“Thank you, princess, now I"ll give you this bun but you have to tell me what you"re doing here, okay?” he tries poking for some Information.
He watches her eyes widen as a sudden thought strikes her, “Oh no.” She looks around and then at Taehyung, “I was following Appa. He didn’t kiss me good night last night.” She huffs.
“Bad appa. All appa"s should kiss their babies good night.”
“I"m not a baby,” she pouts, crossing her arms.
“my apologies, I mean all appa"s should kiss their big kids Good night. Not fair,”
“Exactly.” She beams, “Now give me the bun.” she demands, bringing her hand forward.
He pulls the bun from the bag and hands it to her.
“Seonsaengnim!!!” Chaeyong"s loud shrill voice reaches them before her. She runs towards him, her arms wide to hug but she stops seeing another child with him.
“Who is she?” She asks, her brows furrowed deeper.
The child sitting beside Taehyung immediately gets up to stand. She clutches the bun in one hand and smiles brightly, “Hi, I"m Seoah.”
Oh that"s her name
Chaeyong looks at her suspiciously, “Why are you with my Seonsaengnim?”
Seoah looks Taehyung up and down with full concentration, “Taetaw doesn"t look like a Seonsaengnim though. My Seonsaengnim is dressed in silk.”
Chaeyoung steps in front of Taehyung, protecting him, “Doesn"t matter, he"s the best in the world.”
“Here now,” Taehyung steps between them, “We don"t need to fight over it. I"m sure everyone"s teacher is the best for them. It is very very..” he says while lifting them one by one and seating them on the bench, “important job. Teaching princes and princesses like you both.” He pulls out another bun from the paper bag and hands one to chaeyoung, “Here"s one for you darling.”
Both girls are now focusing on eating the buns deliciously and Taehyung is concerned. It"s been quite a while since he"s with Seoah but there is no sign of anyone looking for her. If what she says is true her appa hasn"t probably noticed by now that she"s lost.
He asks the bakery owner if he saw Seoah following anyone but the owner shrugs. He"s worried and he possibly can not leave her all alone here.
“Chaeyoungie,” Chaeyoung"s mother comes running toward them with a stuffed fabric doll in her hands. She smiles at Taehyung and bows with respect, “she keeps running away to play. I"ve told her many times to stay in my vicinity. What if she gets lost and I can"t find her.”
“My apologies, it"s my fault for sure. She came running when she saw me.” Taehyung apologizes.
Chaeyoung’s mother picks her up and holds her in one arm while still holding the doll in the other. And that"s when her eyes fall on the other girl, “Hey baby, I haven"t seen you around here.”
Seoah is now pouting, her eyes sad, looking at Chaeyoung and her mother, “ I"m Seoah. I live far from here. And I"m lost. I sneaked out without telling my appa. He must be sad. I"m a bad daughter. He will hate me” her pouty lips wobble as tears start dwelling in her eyes.
Taehyung"s heart breaks on hearing this. He immediately keeps his paperbag down and picks her up, gently swaying to soothe her, holding her close to his chest, “No Seoah, You"re so lovely. I"m sure he must be looking for you.” she hides her face in the fabric of his hanbok, whimpering. “No Appa hates their children, honey. They love you very much even if you’re naughty.” he continues.
“You sure?” She looks up with big doe eyes.
“Yes, very sure,”
Chaeyong"s mother looks at her sympathetically and so is Chaeyoung. Her eyes filled with unreadable emotions, her brows knitted together, just like when she"s thinking hard over a question. She whispers in her mother"s ear and her eyes first widen and then immediately soften with so much love and pride. She hands her the doll and Chaeyoung reluctantly offers it to Seoah, “Seoah, this is my best friend Chaewonie. She makes me happy whenever I"m sad. She will make you happy too.”
Seoah peeks from where she"s hiding her face, looking at Chaeyoung and the doll in her hand with one open eye and then slowly lifts her face, “Is this for me?”
Chaeyoung nods her head. Seoah smiles widely and grabs the doll, hugging it tightly.
“Seoah, you should thank Chaeyoungie for the gift,” Taehyung says gently.
“Thank you,” Seoah says, still hugging the doll and petting its head.
“Taehyung-ssi are you going to look for her parents?” Chaeyoung"s mother asks, her free hand now lovingly caressing her daughter"s hair.
“I think I"ll wait here if her parents notice she"s missing. They"ll definitely retrace their pathway and will come here. If no one comes by evening. Then I can go looking for them.”
She agrees and the mother and daughter duo bid Taehyung and Seoah farewell before heading home.
“It"s only us now, princess. Let"s hope your appa comes by soon.” Taehyung says smiling, but his voice is laced with concern and worry. Seoah isn"t complaining and she stays in Taehyung"s arms as he sits on the bench, shifting her to his lap.
Seoah is asleep by the time the sun is high up in the sky. Thankfully the shed from the bakery saves them from the bright scorching sunlight but the gap between the shade and the walls lets a sliver of heat cascade down to Taehyung’s back drenching him in sweat.
He is exhausted and worried but still waits for someone to show up. The sun is at its peak and Taehyung feels drowsy, his eyelids are heavy and he tries to keep them open. The battle against sleep is lost on him only for a couple of moments until he feels a thrum in the ground. He thinks he is dreaming but it only gets louder. He half opens his eyes only to see a horse galloping towards him at lightning speed.
It"ll pass by, he thinks. But when it doesn"t and only gets closer, Taehyung is jolted out of his sleep with a shiny sword pointing at him.
“Give me one good reason why I Shouldn’t behead you for stealing my child,”
Taehyung doesn"t dare move but lifts his eyes to look at the belligerent man pointing the sword at him. His eyes blazing red with anger, ready to release the wrath.
“Coming rich from a father who doesn"t pay attention to their own child.”
“Hold your tongue or I will chop it into pieces,” the man growls.
/Typical alpha/ Taehyung thinks and it fills him with rage. The thoughts he has buried in his mind in the morning, come rushing to him charging as a storm of fury. One thing his father taught him that Taehyung never forgets is to never back down from alphas.
Of course,” Taehyung scoffs, his hold on Seoah tightens into a more protective hold. “Now I see why Seoah sneaked out. You"re a violent man, with no love to offer to his child.”
His words cut into the Alpha"s skin like sharp blades, wounding him. His scent grows unpleasant, filling the air around with its thickness. It hangs so heavy in the air that it makes it hard to breathe for Taehyung.
The whole commotion stirs Seoah awake, She rubs her eyes and looks at the sword and then the angry Alpha. Her eyes grow big and she yells, “Appa,”
She wriggles out of Taehyung"s hold and makes a run toward the alpha. The sword drops on the ground with a loud clunk and the alpha is kneeling on the ground with open arms welcoming his daughter. His expensive silk Hanbok is littered with mud but he couldn"t care less.
“My baby, my princess,” there"s a crack in his voice as he hugs her tight, kissing her face, “where were you.”
Seoah is wailing loudly, “I"m sorry Appa. I sneaked out to follow you. I"m bad. I"m sorry don"t hate me.”
“Oh, my sweet baby. I can never hate you. I love you so much.” Alpha cradles her in her arms, his tears running down his face. And that"s when Taehyung actually takes a long look at the alpha. He looks disheveled, probably from searching for his daughter and Taehyung feels a pang of guilt rising in his throat. Taehyung notices the muscles bulging in his arms as he wraps them around his daughter. His chiselled face, sharp jawline fits perfectly with his taut muscled body.
He shakes his head, clearing off the stray thought.
The alpha notices when Taehyung tries to get up. With flashing speed he tucks Seoah in his arm and grabs his sword before pointing it at Taehyung again.
“Appa Wait.” Seoah shouts. Her tiny hands grasp his wrist, “taetae helped me.”
The man stops and Seoah tries her best to explain why she is stranded so far from home. The man looks at Taehyung to confirm what he heard and Taehyung nods. Murmurs of people around them grow louder and that is when they notice a circle of people around them, staring at them curiously as if waiting for something to happen.
“Go home folks,” the alpha yells in his commanding voice that it shakes every onlooker to their core and forces them to disassemble. Taehyung only stares, his inner omega refusing to bow down to anyone. The alpha now turns towards Taehyung, his facial features much softened, giving him an almost boyish look. He walks a few steps closer with Seoah"s hand wrapped around his little finger.
“Please accept my apology. I thought…”
“You’re forgiven. I’d have done the same if I found a stranger with my child.” Taehyung shrugs, his eyes never wavering.
Seoah pulls on the Alpha"s finger, gaining his attention and he crouches as she giggles and whispers in his ear. The alpha’s face is bright red, not sure if it"s from rage or embarrassment but he clears his throat, “Mind if we walk a few steps with you?”
Taehyung agrees against his better judgment.
“Where are my manners? My, my..looks like I"m doing several things out of my norms today.” Alpha grins only making Taehyung roll his eyes. “I"m Jeon Jungkook. Seoah"s father, and..” the cheeky smile on his face disappears and is replaced with caution, “...and I didn"t mean to neglect her. I have been out for..for my duties. I didn"t realise my duties had been keeping me away from my child.”
Jeon.. Silver sword with a flaming dragon crest, silk hanboks, mighty horses. Taehyung has never come across royals but he"d be foolish to not recognize one. He didn"t want to give away how surprised he was. If anything, he wants to hold his own ground and not give the other the satisfaction of him bowing to them.
“Well good thing princess is smart,” Taehyung pats Seoah"s cheeks, smiling brightly at her. His expressions turn serious when he levels his gaze with Jungkook, “but you should try to be a better parent. You"re lucky it was me who found her.”
Jungkook presses his lips together, resisting to say another word. He knows he is at fault. Taehyung can see the hurt in the alpha"s eyes and he immediately regrets saying anything.
“I"m sorry I shouldn"t have said that and..” he scratches his jaw, “and other things I said earlier. I"m sure you are a good parent,” Taehyung is looking ahead, his eyes focused at the far away point where the village houses disappear into a muddy path and thick trees. He breathes in and his nostrils are immediately filled with a deep hearthy amber scent of the alpha. And he finds himself inhaling more of it.
“You didn"t tell me your name, Taetae is it?” jungkook says, winking at him. Taehyung stumbles in his steps and Jungkook catches him by his waist, steadying him, “careful..”
Seoah giggles standing by Jungkook"s side, “Kisss kiss,”
Taehyung"s eyes widens and he immediately pulls away, his hand still in Jungkook"s, “Heaven"s sake,” he gasps, "that would be a crime, kissing a mated alpha.”
Jungkook stiffens, his hand drops by his side. The air around them thickens with the heaviness of silence.
“My mommy is in a faraway land, silly.” seoah answers instead of Jungkook.
“oh,” Taehyung is at a loss of words, “I"m sorry to hear that.”
Jungkook smiles but it is a tensed smile, one that doesn"t really reach his eyes, “ You’re good. It was a long time ago. It"s only us now.” He says pulling Seoah closer.
Taehyung is quiet, he doesn"t know how to respond. He has never fared well with alphas, Especially Kind hearted ones. He has only ever known two kind alphas, Yoongi and his father. Other than these two, all alphas have only tried to court him, showing their dominance.
But Jungkook seems kind and he hopes he"s never proven wrong.
The sun is setting far away. The once clear blue sky has turned into a hazy magenta. The flowers are done for the day and are furling back to sleep. There is no breeze at all. Every leaf is as still as a rock. And once they reach the boundary of the village Taehyung stops.
“I"m afraid I have to bid you farewell here. Thankyou for walking me here,” Taehyung bows.
Jungkook raises his brows, clearly not expecting this. “You sure?” he asks.
“But we want to see your home Taetae,” Seoah pouts. Taehyung pats her head and promises to see her again.
“I don’t want to bother. And I would really like to walk back home alone.”
Something inside the omega doesn"t want Jungkook to walk him home. Something inside him is hoping they don’t cross paths ever again. This alpha, as sweet as he talks and as kind as he looks, seems dangerous enough.
Taehyung can deal with the haughty alphas but he cannot when it comes to alphas like Jungkook.
Not that he cannot, he doesn"t know what to do with them.
Jungkook pulls out something from the sleeves of his hanbok and grabs Taehyung"s hand to place it on his palm, “Just a small token of gratitude for saving my Seoah. Anytime you need any help with anything
Come to the palace and just show this to the guards.”
Taehyung peeps at his palm and sees a thick badge with a royal crest depicting a blazing dragon on it. It is neither too heavy nor too big in size but the sheer weight of it feels too heavy on his palm. It burns his skin and makes him feel too vulnerable and he wants to hide it away. Taehyung has a million questions running in his head but he doesn’t want to indulge more. He"ll probably never need it.
He just smiles and nods, placing the badge in his bag, “Thankyou, I shall take my leave now.”
He bows and leaves. He is only a few steps ahead when something comes up in his mind and he turns around to yell at the father-daughter duo, "My name is Taehyung.”
“Omega?” An evil laugh reverberates the air surrounding. A dark figure looms over him, spitting on his face, “How dare you.” he tries to run but his hands are tied, no, held tightly. There"s a silhouette of arms holding him down. The grasp on his hands is so tight that it might cut off his blood supply, turning his hands into purple.
“You can"t even fight us.” the same laugh splits the thickness of the air, making him shiver in fear? Or anger? He cannot figure it out.
He is forced to open his eyes but it hurts, it is swollen and the only colour he sees is red, deep dark red dripping and spreading on the floor.
And he does not dare to scream, does not want to show any weakness but there is only so much pain he can handle. He sees a dark sword being unsheathed and slashing his body. He"a plunged into another darkness, and he shivers, this time out of coldness. He tries to swim But his body is giving up, the coldness surrounds him, pulling him down.
“Wake up” he hears a familiar voice reaching out. His eyes that were once too heavy, flutters open immediately and his arms grab the owner of the voice and embrace him tightly. His lips wobble and arms tightly wound around the body relishing the warmth of the one who pulled him from the cold darkness.
“You are alright Minnie, it was just a bad dream,” Yoongi pats his back, trying to soothe him. Yoongi can feel his palm getting wetter as Minsu’s sweat drench the fabric of his clothes. He knows Minsu was reliving an unpleasant memory and he detest that he couldn"t help him.
“Please lay with me tonight,” Minsu"s frail voice comes out in a whisper. He is not awake yet. He is in a delirious state and it is likely that he will not remember anything once he wakes up.
Yoongi freezes and so does his hand that was rubbing Minsu"s back. And he contemplates rushing to his room pretending he didn"t hear these words or he would do something foolish like fulfilling the wish. He knows Minsu will regret it when he wakes up.
Yoongi"s chest feels tight. He lies down, with his arms still cradling Minsu"s frame tightly in them. Minsu shifts closer, nestling his face in Yoongi"s chess. Yoongi"s erratic heartbeat lulls him back to sleep. His voice lowers to a soothing whisper, “You"re making me do things I"m not acquainted with. I"m afraid I"ll have a hard time recovering from these, once you leave.”
The soft white gold daylight looms over Minsu"s eyes. He shuts them tighter, wishing to sleep longer. The heavy cedarwood and citrusy scent fills his nostrils, comforting him. He tries to move his arms and he feels a weight propped all over him. The mellow heat radiating from the weight on him makes him want to snuggle into it and sleep his weariness away, the weariness from the long daunting dream.
And it dawns on him, Yoongi has tried to comfort him last night and he has asked him the unthinkable.
Oh no
He fathoms opening his eyes. Will it be so erroneous if he seeks to bask in the warmth of Yoongi a little longer. He shifts closer and is hit by Yoongi"s words he doesn’t remember hearing.
“You"re making me do things I"m not acquainted with. I"m afraid I"ll have a hard time recovering from these, once you leave.”
His eyes flicker open to the sharp daylight.
He can not, even if he wants to. Yoongi has been nothing but kind to him and if his past life comes storming at him, he can not take Yoongi down with him.
So he slowly wiggles out of Yoongi"s hold, without waking him up. He washes his face and heads out to keep his mind clear, leaving behind Yoongi who"s face contorts to a painful look on losing the warmth.
He wanders, mindlessly, his stomach growling with hunger but he pays no heed to it. His feet don"t stop until he finds Taehyung, sitting outside the infirmary. His shoulders are sagged in dejection and he has that look of concentration on his face, his eyes pinched together and Minsu wonders what is troubling him. As minsu draws closer, Taehyung immediately lifts his face up, his nose is in the air catching a whiff of the scent that is lingering. He looks at Minsu and his eyes widens, “you smell like hyung.”
His face turns a shade of pink and he stutters, “oh..I..I had a nightmare. He comforted me.”
“Comforted? My Heaven"s,” Taehyung dramatically places a hand on his chest, feigning a gasp.
“Stop it,” Minsu whines. He plops next to Taehyung and throws his one arm over his shoulders, pulling Taehyung closer, “you tell me why such a long face on a beautiful day like today?”
“Nothing really,”
“It doesn"t look like nothing to me. Something is bothering you. Tell your friend.”
“I went to the village market alone,” Taehyung sighs and continues to tell him about Seoah and Jungkook.
Jungkook? I can not do that to him And myself.
A voice, his voice, rings in his head and he closes his eyes.
Meanwhile Taehyung stands before Minsu, a gleam of something mysterious in his eyes as he slowly pulls a small badge from his sleeve. The metal catches the sunlight, its intricate design shimmering as it reflects the soft rays. The badge, embossed with a blazing dragon that shines brightly, seems to pulse with a strange energy. Minsu squints at it, his brows furrowing as a wave of unfamiliar familiarity washes over him. He doesn’t know where he has seen it, or why it feels like a key to the part of his life he couldn’t access.
His mind, a blank canvas, tries to latch onto the image of the badge, but no matter how hard he searches, it feels like trying to grasp smoke . His heart thuds in his chest, a deep ache taking root, as if the badge was calling to him from a place long forgotten. He stares at it, the symbols etched into its surface, and for a fleeting moment, he could almost hear voices in his head—commanding, ordering, perhaps even pleading. But the words were lost, drifting like smoke.
Taehyung is addressing him, telling him about the alpha. He sounds like he"s standing far away but that"s not possible, Taehyung is right next to him so why does his voice sound fleeting? Minsu"s lips part, and though he wants to speak, he can’t form the words. There was something about the badge—something that tugged at his soul. His life in the village is simple, grounded in the same repetitive routine, yet in the presence of the badge, the echoes of a different existence seems to stir beneath the surface. It feels like something from a dream he has long buried, a forgotten past that was trying desperately to claw its way back into his consciousness.
Minsu’s gaze flickers between Taehyung and the badge, and he couldn’t help but feel the faintest whisper of his true identity, as though the life he had lost still clung to the edges of his consciousness. The soft rustle of the wind through the trees, the quiet murmur of the village around him, all seemed to fade into the background as Minsu’s focus narrowed onto the badge. His chest tightened, the remnants of a life that once was—a life he couldn"t remember—beginning to stir within him.
“Minsu..Minnie? Are you listening?” Taehyung grabs his shoulders and jolts him awake from the haze he is lost in. His disoriented vision clears and focuses on Taehyung. His deeper voice now grounding him, “I"m alright. I just.. feel a little dizzy.” Right on cue his stomach growls loudly and he laughs, “Probably because I"m hungry.”
“My friend you are in luck,” he picks the paperbag next to him that Minsu hasn"t paid attention to so far, “I"ve got us some delicious buns.”
—
Minsu keeps himself busy at the infirmary. He doesn’t want to admit it but he"s avoiding Yoongi. He might be sitting on the floor and crushing mugwort and garlic together but his mind keeps lingering back to the morning he woke up in Yoongi"s arms. His hands falter and he almost crushed his own fingers under the heavy pestle.
Seokjin has been keeping his eyes on Minsu as he has looked distracted ever since he stepped inside the infirmary. He has dropped half a pitcher of boiling water on the dried burdock roots, wetting them. It is going to take another week to dry them again.
“Careful Minsu,” Seokjin grabs the pestle from his hand. He nudges Minsu to step aside as he sits to grind them instead, “If you don’t crush it well together, how will we ever have a good king?” he laughs.
“Good king?” Minsu glances at him in confusion.
“Ungnyeo?” Seokjin raises his brows, his hands don"t stop on the pestle, “You don"t know the bear and tiger story?”
Minsu shrugs, leaning back at the raised wooden platform that stores the dried herbs in bulk.
“It"s how the first king of Joseon was born.” Seokjin trails off, he picks up the crushed leaves and garlic and ties them in a muslin cloth. “A bear and a tiger prayed to the Gods to make them human. And they were asked to stay out of sunlight and eat only mugwort and garlic for 100 days..”His face contorts and his tongue sticks out as he tries his best to tie a tight knot on the cloth, “..The tiger couldn"t fulfil this and only the bear continued to practice it.” He stops to stare at Minsu, “...the bear transformed and went on to give birth to the first king.”
“I"ve heard the story before,” Minsu says, a sharp pain erupts in his forehead and he sits on the floor to ground himself. The world is spinning around him and he can only hold on to the ropes tying the herbs together.
He can hear a kind voice repeating the story, “Hwanung will bless you with a good alpha.” Minsu can feel the smile of the kind omega. He knows her. There is a pang of stabbing ache in his heart and all he can see is red and gold.
“Minsu..” Seokjin helps him lay down on the cot, “It"s a memory.” He is caressing his forehead, gently moving his hands in his hair.
“I keep getting these visions, more dreams like. It is like I"m awake and still dreaming.” a lone tear rolls down the corner of his eyes, “it"s not clear but it hurts my head.”
“Rest, the memories will wear you down. Share these glimpses with me when you"re ready.” Minsu keeps his eyes closed and nods. Seokjin gives a warm smile while searching for something in the drawers.
"Hey, Minsu" Seokjin"s voice is lower, to not alarm the terrible state Minsu is in, "Have you heard about the firework festival yet?” He finds a scroll and sits down with ink and brush in his hand.
Minsu"s world is starting to steady, albeit slowly, “Yoongi hyung mentioned.”
A smirk spreads on Seokjin’s lips, “Of course he did.” He continues, but his attention is undivided on the scroll and the brush in his hand. “It’s going to be huge this year. It"s at the Mujinjeong pavilion near the city. You can make your own nakhwabong and write a wish on it before twisting it." Seokjin leans back slightly, folding his arms with a thoughtful expression.
“A wish?” Minsu shifts, now laying on his side.
“Yes, a wish. It is a legend that you write a special wish on the Nakhwabong and let it burn during the full moon. The burning papers reach the Goddess in heavens and all the wishes are granted.”
Minsu raises an eyebrow, as if something is dawning on him.
“You rest,” Seokjin gets up and pats Minsu"s shoulder, “I have some urgent work to attend to.”
He carefully rolls the scroll and hides it in his sleeves before setting off to send a messenger.
The festival is only a few days away and Minsu is out of his wits. The memory flashbacks have been toying with his health. He feels a continuous buzz underneath his skin, and he wishes he can put an end to it somehow. His now longer hair flutters in the cool evening air. When he first woke up in the care of Yoongi, his hair was short, barely past the earlobe. But he has lived with them longer enough for his dark brown locks to grow. The thick locks curl beautifully just below the nape of his neck. His wounds have healed leaving a darkened reminiscence of the gashes that have mortally wounded him.
Seokjin has closed the infirmary early, leaving Minsu to his own. And he has nowhere to be.
Except
The mere thought makes him smile. There’s a jump in his steps, unbeknownst to himself. Yoongi must be at the barn, locking the animals back in their sheds. The familiar rhythm of the evening—quiet, but comforting—sets his mind at ease. It’s just the kind of routine Minsu craves.
He quickens his pace, hands falling on his either sides. The soft breeze tugs at his hanbok as he makes his way through the fading light. The trees on either side of him tower like dark sentinels, their branches reaching out as though to guide him along the way. The rustling of the wind through the branches and the distant calls of birds settling for the night creates a peaceful symphony that makes Minsu want to spread his arms and dance his heart out. It is a strange desire but he wishes there was music around.
There’s something about the steady rhythm of his steps, the quiet hum of nature surrounding him, that makes everything feel just right.
He doesn’t know exactly why it makes him feel so light, but the anticipation of seeing Yoongi again fills him with a sense of belonging, as if the world is just a little bit better when they’re together, even if only in silence.
The trees thin out, and The barn looms ahead, its silhouette dark against the dimming sky.
The soft glow of light spills from the crack in the barn door. Minsu pauses for a moment, letting the world around him fall into its peaceful cadence. The scent of grass and hay drifts on the breeze, and the barn stands ahead like a sanctuary from the world outside.
The path here is worn, but the uneven ground only adds to the charm of the place. Minsu slows as he nears, the crunch of gravel underfoot loud in the stillness.
When he reaches the barn door, it’s slightly ajar, just enough for him to peek inside. There’s Yoongi, standing a few feet away with his back to the door, half-lit by the golden glow of the lantern hanging on the wooden pillar. The animals are already settled for the night, but the peaceful atmosphere remains.
He can hear the faint sound of Yoongi"s voice, low and murmuring to one of the animals.
The soft murmur of his voice carries faintly in the cool air, accompanied by the comforting cedar scent, against the evening’s stillness.
Before Minsu can announce his presence, a loud chuckle interrupts, making Yoongi stand up straight. And Minsu immediately recognizes that voice and the faint scent of vines. He can not see him but he knows it is the beta standing next to Yoongi.
Jaehyuk.
“You still talk to them,” he laughs, his tone teasing but warm, as though the sound of Yoongi’s voice is something familiar to him too.
Yoongi grumbles something under his breath, sounding half-amused and half-annoyed, “They hear me and understand everything I say."
Jaehyuk’s laughter rings out again, light and carefree. It pans out, echoing in the barn, ringing in Minsu"s ear until it turns into a silence, “You know..” he says, a faint blush spreading on his face and neck, “Why don"t we go together to the festival this full moon. I would really appreciate your company,” he says, his voice turning more solemn but still filled with mirth. Minsu can easily picture him now, standing in the barn doorway with his usual smile. It stirs something inside Minsu"s chest as he clutches it. He doesn"t know why but he feels like his heart will leap out of his chest. A pit forms inside his stomach, churning into an unpleasant feeling.
"Festival?" Yoongi"s voice cut through the quiet.
“Nakhwanori, yes. It"ll be fun,” Jaehyuk presses, his voice light but insistent. "A little fun never hurt anyone. Plus, you never know, you might actually enjoy it," He smiles And steps closer to Yoongi, his hand now resting on Yoongi"s elbow.
Minsu feels it again, before he can even fully understand it—a tight, unfamiliar knot in his chest. The way Yoongi responds to him, so at ease, so casual, makes something stir inside Minsu, a sharp pang that he can’t quite place. It’s strange, the way the warmth he usually feels when he’s around Yoongi now feels a little colder.
He wants to brush it off, to tell himself it’s nothing, but the feeling lingers, a quiet shadow looming in the back of his mind. He’s unsure if he should turn around and head back home.
Yoongi"s home, he corrects himself. He is just a traveller, a guest Yoongi has opened his home to.
Nothing more, nothing less.He can only stand by and watch as others seamlessly fit into Yoongi’s world, while he’s left questioning whether he truly has a place in it. Minsu shifts his weight on the muddy path, feeling small in comparison, the weight of something unspoken pressing against his ribs.
He doesn’t want to interrupt. The pit in his stomach only gets deeper until it"s bottomless, urging him to retreat, to put distance between himself and the lighthearted conversation he wasn’t part of. The path ahead is blurry now, his mind too cloudy to focus on much else.
But then, a familiar voice calls out behind him, breaking through the haze of his thoughts.
“Minsu,” Yoongi’s voice is clear and steady, carrying through the cool evening air. “Please wait a minute.”
Minsu doesn’t stop immediately, but his pace slows, reluctant to turn back. When he does, he finds Yoongi, pacing after him.
“I told Jaehyuk no,” Yoongi says, his tone calm but earnest. He steps closer, his gaze steady on Minsu, “I"ve told you before, I"d go with you.”
Minsu blinks, caught off guard by the sudden declaration. The tightness in his chest loosens, but it’s replaced with something warmer, something he can’t quite name.
“because I"m feigning as your betrothed?” Minsu asks, his voice quieter than he intends, his gaze dropping to the ground for a moment, unsure.
Yoongi is stunned, a hint of that familiar softness in his eyes. “No,” he says sternly, “because you’re the one I want to go with. It’s that simple.”
For a moment, the world feels a little less heavy, the evening air a little less cold. Minsu looks up, meeting Yoongi’s gaze, and for the first time in a while, he doesn’t feel so out of place.
“It"s getting cold. Let"s go home now.”