THE CONCUBINE || TAEKOOK ||

TEN

When Taehyung opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the concerned face of Mr. Song, the palace physician. Mr. Song immediately began to scold him gently about his actions.

"Boy, what were you thinking?" Mr. Song's voice was stern but kind. "If you ever feel this way again, you must come to my office. I promise I'll help you."

Taehyung, feeling a mix of shame and gratitude, whispered, "Thank you."

The physician's expression softened. "You should really be thanking the prince," he said. "If he hadn't brought you here in time, we might have lost you." Mr. Song patted Taehyung on the head reassuringly. "Remember, you don't have to go through this alone."

With a gentle smile, Mr. Song escorted Taehyung out of the room, making sure he felt supported and not alone in his struggle. "Take care, and don't hesitate to seek help whenever you need it," he added as Taehyung left.

Taehyung walked down the corridor, feeling the weight of Mr. Song’s words. He couldn't shake the image of the prince from his mind—the one who had saved him. He wondered why the prince would care about someone like him.

As he made his way back to the servant quarters, Taehyung felt a mix of emotions. There was a small spark of hope amidst the overwhelming sadness. Maybe, just maybe, things could get better.

The next few days were different for Taehyung. Every time he passed by the physician’s office, Mr. Song would give him a reassuring nod. It made Taehyung feel less invisible, less alone.

One afternoon, as Taehyung was tending to the garden, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw a man standing there, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"How are you feeling?" the man asked, his voice gentle.

Taehyung bowed deeply. "Better, thanks to you, Your Highness. I don’t know how to repay you."

The man chuckled. "You don't need to repay me. I wasn't the one who saved you. I'm a chef seokjin. You need to be grateful to Prince jungkook." Jin said,
" I just wanted to make sure you're alright. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to find me."

Taehyung felt a warmth spread through him at the jin's words. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

Seokjin nodded. "Take care of yourself, Taehyung." With that, he turned and walked away.

When the king heard about his concubine's suicide attempt, he was taken aback. He had not realized the extent of the suffering he had inflicted on the boy. Feeling a rare pang of guilt, he decided to stop summoning Taehyung to his chamber. The king understood that he had pushed the boy too far.

He called for one of the maids and instructed her to take special care of Taehyung.

The boy’s name had only been revealed to him on the second night, amidst Taehyung's uncontrollable sobbing. The memory of that night lingered in the king's mind, filling him with an unusual sense of remorse.

To ensure Taehyung's well-being and adjustment to his new life, the king assigned a guard to give him a tour of the castle. He knew Taehyung would be staying here for the rest of his life, as he had no intention of setting him free.

That afternoon, the guard approached Taehyung with a gentle demeanor. "Taehyung, I'm here to show you around the castle," he said kindly.