THE CONCUBINE || TAEKOOK ||

EIGHTEEN

It's been a week since they visited the village, and Taehyung felt very sad. He couldn't stop crying and often had nightmares about his grandma. He couldn't sleep at all and spent a lot of time staring at the wall, thinking about his grandma and the memories they shared. To keep himself from feeling so sad, he tried to stay busy with his chores, working hard every day to keep his mind off things.

Jungkook and Jimin noticed how quiet and withdrawn Taehyung had become. They worried about him but didn't know how to help. Jungkook often found Taehyung in the garden, silently tending to the flowers. He wanted to comfort him, but Taehyung always smiled and said he was fine, even though it was clear he wasn't.

One evening, as Taehyung was cleaning the hallway, Jungkook approached him. "Taehyung, let's go for a walk," Jungkook suggested softly. Taehyung hesitated but finally nodded, knowing he couldn't keep hiding his feelings forever.

As they walked through the palace gardens, Jungkook tried to get Taehyung to talk. "You know you can tell me anything, right? I'm here for you," Jungkook said gently. Taehyung stopped walking and looked down, tears filling his eyes again.

"It's just... I miss my grandma so much. And seeing Bogum... it hurt. He moved on without me," Taehyung admitted, his voice trembling. Jungkook pulled him into a comforting hug, holding him close.

"Hey, it's alright. Your grandma is in a safe place now," Jungkook said gently, looking into Taehyung's eyes. "How would she feel if she saw you like this every day? And... you'll find someone better than him."

Jungkook perked his brows up, trying to coax Taehyung out of his sadness. It worked. Taehyung wiped his tears and let out a cute little smile, which made Jungkook's heart flutter.

"Thank you, Jungkook," Taehyung whispered, feeling a bit lighter. He knew it would take time to heal, but having Jungkook by his side made it a little easier.

The next day, Taehyung made some rice cakes and was heading towards Jungkook's room to let him taste them. As he stood in front of the door, the guards stationed outside said, "His Highness is not here. You may go."

"Where is His Highness?" Taehyung asked, but the guards didn't answer. Taking their silence as a sign, he turned to leave. As he made his way back, he bumped into Jimin, who was coming downstairs.

"Hey, Taehyung! What are you doing here?" Jimin asked, noticing the rice cakes in Taehyung's hands.

Jimin looked at the plate in Taehyung's hand and asked curiously, as it was covered with a silk cloth, "What is this?"

"Oh, rice cakes! Do you want some?" Taehyung replied, removing the cloth. The sweet fragrance filled the air, making Jimin's mouth water. He took one cake and popped it into his mouth, savoring the taste.

"Wow! This is so delicious. Who made it?" Jimin asked, already reaching for another piece.

Hearing the compliment, Taehyung blushed and replied shyly, "I made it."

Jungkook smiled, watching Taehyung's reaction. "You're really talented, Taehyung. These are amazing."

"I didn't know you could cook," Jimin remarked, but Taehyung didn't say anything further and began walking toward the kitchen, with Jimin following him.