Sapfire | ᴛᴀᴇᴊɪɴ ✔

| 30 |

Did you hear I lost my mind again?
I had tried to find it in the medicine
it's been known to kill everything else
but sometimes nothing is better than the things that I have felt

–War Paint by Chasing Jonah

Jimin followed Namjoon to the throne room and saw him pacing back and forth. He looked furious.

Knowing that Vante was powerful but still not having any idea what power he possessed made Namjoon uneasy. It never happened before. Not being able to have things easy just by using power made him really anxious.

Jimin couldn't see Namjoon anxious and stressed like that. And even though any normal person who looked at Namjoon right now would have called him crazy, Jimin found him somewhat adorable. At times, even he himself was surprised at how he never hated Namjoon; he just couldn't.

Because of the way he used to look at Namjoon and care for him, there was a rumor that The King's advisor is in love with The King. And he really loved Namjoon in some way even though he knew that it would never be reciprocated. At times, it seemed that Namjoon did have a little soft spot for him but he knew how Namjoon wouldn't think twice if he ever had to kill him. Namjoon was not someone who could keep promises or show sympathy.

Yet it was okay. Jimin knew he can still care for him in silence without expecting anything in return. He believed that Namjoon was broken inside and that caused him to be this way.

Jimin wanted to see Namjoon get back to normal. He believed that someday when Namjoon had all the power, he would stop being reckless. Or, maybe, one day he'll get tired of chasing power and realize that all he had been doing is pointless, that power doesn't solve everything. Besides, Jimin felt that he was indebted to Namjoon. He could never forget how Namjoon helped him a few years ago:

Jimin's mother got really sick. She started having seizures and her heart disease made her condition worse. It was already hard for Jimin to provide for his mother, small brother, and himself. During that time, he didn't have enough money to treat her and was in severe need of money. In order to keep his family alive, he was ready to take up any job.

Then luckily, he found one that would pay quickly and sufficiently. A person named Jae-Yong offered him money for bounty hunting. Jae-Yong asked Jimin to catch outlaws and bring them to him. It was risky and strange but he had no other option at that time.

For a long time, Jimin really believed that they were outlaws. Then one day, he came to know that they weren't the ones who had committed any serious crimes. He learned that Jae-Yong was actually capturing people before The King's men could because he wanted to get powerful like The King.

And one day Jae-Yong asked Jimin to kill a person for him. Jimin didn't want to kill anyone and he knew there was no going back if he agreed so he disagreed. But Jae-Yong didn't accept it.

He threatened Jimin that if he didn't do the task, he wouldn't just throw him out of the job but would also kill his family. Jimin was just standing there, helpless and scared for his and his family's life when The King's men barged in, just in time. They captured Jae-Yong and killed him right away. Jimin thought his death was near as well but they didn't kill him right away. Instead, they took him inside the castle, to The King.

He was afraid even more, being in front of The King. Soon after that, he found a sword held close to his neck.

"Don't worry. If you answer this question, I might spare your life. Be honest!" The King warned.

Jimin, who was scared like never before, nodded.

"Would you rather let someone take your family member's life or kill an innocent person to save your family?"