•66•

                                    

                                          
"The hell is going on?" Jackson asks out loud as the candidates all meet up at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. Each one had been told by a palace staff member to meet up here. Now all remaining candidates were gathered, confused and slightly impatient. No one, however, answers Jackson's question.
                          
Jimin glances around. It's early morning and everyone is still in their pajamas minus General Min at the front, although he might as well have been in pjs too with the dark circles he had under his eyes. 
                          
The sun hasn't even risen, yet here they were sitting at the banquet table, no food present. Just the general himself and a few members of the palace staff. 
                          
Across the table, Taehyung's eyes flicker towards Jimin's and they meet for a few seconds. Jimin turns away but he can still feel the other's gaze on him. He does his best to ignore it.
                          
Hoseok finally walks in, appearance just as messy as the rest of them. Yawning, he walks over to the table, sitting right next to Jimin. As soon as his butt is on the seat, General Min speaks up.
                          
"Now that everyone is here," he begins, "I'll be discussing the rest of the competition with you all."
                          
"Kim Seokjin isn't here,"  Donghyuk comments, not seeming too pleased over the matter.
                          
"He has a justified excuse," Yoongi says dryly, leaning back in his chair. "Lee Jaehwan too, seeing as he's bedridden. As for the rest of you though. Today, all of you will be sent home."
                          
It takes a few moments for these words to properly register among them. Jackson is the first to ask. "What?"
                          
Yoongi dully states, "The competition is over."
                          
"What do you mean it's over?" Kim Junmyeon asks, "there's still ten of us. Five of us are supposed to go to the next round."
                          
"Change of plans."
                          
"Fuck," Donghyuk hisses, "this is because of Kim Seokjin isn't it?" Yoongi doesn't answer. "You're fucking kicking us out and making Kim Seokjin the winner."
                          
The general lets out a breath. "Kim Seokjin's future is uncertain and none of your business."
                          
"Uncertain?" Taehyung asks, sitting up, a sudden worried look to him. "Why is it uncertain?"
                          
Glancing next to him, Yoongi meets eyes with one of the court officials. Minister Moon Jaein clears his throat, getting the attention of the candidates. "Princess Geongmin," the minister says slowly, "was murdered yesterday."
                          
Silence enters the room. Eyes widen and mouths drop. "Murdered?" Hoseok asks, believing he heard the guy wrong. 
                          
A nod replies to him. "Due to this," the minister continues, "it has been decided to cancel the competition. Of course, as an apology, we will gift you with the wardrobe you have been using here as well as products from our stylists and provide you with the weekly money we promised for your participation." 
                          
Jimin glances around to see if anyone was going to make some sort of protest but he could see how most of the candidates were already doing numbers in their heads. Those clothes and products were worth millions. Naturally, they wouldn't turn them down.
                          
The value of it didn't matter to him though. What he wanted was to avoid going home.
                          
"Since there doesn't seem to be any protests," Yoongi states, "then I suggest you all start packing." Chair squeaking as he pushes it back, the general stands. "That'll be all."
                          
As the general and the staff leave, the candidates gather around, whispering to each other. Jimin remains in his seat though, dazed. So lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice his name being called.