Chapter 13: The Hidden Battle of Souls

                                    

                                          
The days went by with the delicate balance between RM and Namjoon continuing. RM, as usual, found every opportunity to get close to Seokjin, ignoring Namjoon's attempts to distance himself from his husband. Though Namjoon's emotions urged him to be near Seokjin, his fear of RM taking control kept him away. Meanwhile, RM slowly began initiating skinship with Seokjin, hoping that physical contact might stir something deeper—Seokjin's dormant soul.
It started with small touches: RM's fingers grazing Seokjin's arm as they passed, his hand lingering a little too long on Seokjin's back during their conversations. One evening, while they sat together under the moonlight, RM took Seokjin's hand in his own.
"You don't mind, do you?" RM asked softly, his voice smooth, yet Seokjin could sense the underlying tension.
Seokjin hesitated but shook his head. "It's... fine."
But RM's intentions were far from innocent. He hoped that by initiating this physical connection, Seokjin's soul might awaken. The soul, hidden within Seokjin, was tied to RM and Namjoon's own soul in a way no one fully understood. RM had sensed this bond even before Namjoon had married Seokjin, but he kept it a secret. For reasons he couldn't explain, Seokjin's soul remained dormant, even after all the skinship.
Something was off, RM could feel it in the connection, but he couldn't place what exactly was wrong.
Yoongi had noticed RM's growing affection for Seokjin and misinterpreted it at first, thinking Namjoon had given up on his promise to keep his distance. The subtle touches, the long gazes—Yoongi's protective instincts were immediately triggered. He couldn't stand the thought of his brother being hurt by Namjoon or, worse, by RM.
One afternoon, while Yoongi was observing Seokjin and RM from across the courtyard, he saw RM gently clasp Seokjin's hand. That was the last straw.
"Namjoon!" Yoongi called sharply, striding over to them.
RM glanced up, his usual teasing smirk on his lips. "Oh, Yoongi, what's the rush?"
Yoongi narrowed his eyes, realizing immediately from RM's tone that this wasn't Namjoon. "It's you, RM," he muttered under his breath. "Come, Seokjin, we have things to do," Yoongi said abruptly, pulling Seokjin away without further explanation.
This became a routine. Whenever Yoongi caught RM lingering near Seokjin, he would find some excuse to whisk his brother away, offering vague explanations and warnings to Seokjin, who grew more confused with each passing day.
One sunny morning, Yoongi decided that Seokjin needed a break from the confusing tension at the palace. They hadn't spent much time together recently, and Yoongi thought a trip to the market would be the perfect opportunity for them to catch up.
"Let's go out," Yoongi suggested, already grabbing his coat.
"Out? Where?" Seokjin asked, surprised.
"To the market. It's been a while since you've been out in the world."
Seokjin smiled softly. "I suppose a little break wouldn't hurt."
As they walked through the busy streets of the kingdom's market, Seokjin felt a sense of freedom he hadn't realized he was missing. The colorful stalls, the laughter of children playing, and the delicious smells of street food filled the air. He glanced at Yoongi, appreciating this rare chance to spend time together like they used to.
"Do you remember when we used to sneak out to markets like this as kids?" Seokjin asked, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia.
Yoongi chuckled. "You mean when I would have to chase you around because you were always too curious for your own good?"