Once Upon A December || VKook || HYBEPride 2022

The After Party

From there, it was almost a simplistic process.

The Musihan family were arrested for trespassing and released back to their country. Paris police could certainly keep the Musihans out of France, but their legislation ended at the borders. Luckily, the League of Nations stepped in and held an immediate press conference. Within the next two weeks, the actions of the Musihans were condemned from Canada to the Naeil Kingdom to beyond. It was a near universal order that, while it could not force the Musihans out of the government, it meant that the rest of the world could cut the Musihans off from aid and trade.

And cut off they did. Before long, the people of Boring were back in the streets, protesting as seniors and children died from starvation. Protests took to the streets to demand the Musihans step down, that the rightful Prince Taehyung take the throne once more and restore Borahae rule. There were protestors that were killed as well. It was the worst time in the old Borahae Empire since the Musihans themselves had overthrown, but the Musihans were not listening. They were still in the old castle, fine with letting the people of their country rot at long as they were comfortable.

It happened, slowly and gradually. The number of protestors outnumbered the guards that could protect the castle. They left everything intact in the castle and went straight for the Musihans themselves, sacrificing themselves for the glory of their country and for the freedom their actions would bring. All of the Musihans, David included, were eventually taken into custody by the protestors, and without a government, things were chaotic for a couple of days until one of the ringleaders of the protest took the helm at the castle.

"We should act civilized," this Choi Seungcheol said. "The entire world is watching us, and how we will act after the Musihans are removed. They have senselessly murdered our families, but we are not that cruel. They shall be sent to the north, to live out the rest of their miserable lives in seclusion." And that is where they were sent.

The Prince Taehyung and his entourage stayed in Paris for the time being, as it was much too dangerous to be in Boring -- or was it Nunkkoch now? Nobody truly knew. And when news reached the Dowager that the Musihans were gone and there was a temporary solution, everybody breathed a sigh of relief.

"I remember Seungcheol," Seokjin said, "though he was younger than me. He could never join us on the front lines protesting before. Now I'm happy to see him at the front leading! We'll be able to transition over this government any way we want to."

They were quietly staying at the Dowager's place in Paris, but the time would soon come where those who lived permanently in the east would have to return. Taehyung took to himself mostly, learning about his past and how to rule a country from the Dowager but also talking with the Third Republic of France. There was more than one way to run a country, after all, and the Musihans had proven that with their failure. Taehyung had some decisions to make. If he wanted, this was his country now, and he could rule it as his father and his father's fathers had done so before him. But there had been discord with them as well. What was the best way to lead? Was it to turn down the crown period? To lead with a strong hand as his father had? Or something in the middle? Could he do what the Musihans had, but successful, and have several people making the decisions? If that were the case, then Jungkook and Seokjin could help him rule the nation, even though they were not members of the royal family. But even that would have its problems. There was no easy answer.

"You've been locked in here for two days," Jungkook said the day before they were set to leave for Nunkkoch.

"It's been puzzling me," Taehyung said, sitting on his bed with several journals and books open and strewn about. "What can I do? How can I --"

"Nobody expects you to have the answers," Jungkook said, clearing away a couple of the books and sitting next to Taehyung. At this point, despite the fact that Taehyung was a prince, he felt comfortable enough to. They had been friends forever, after all. "We will get back to Boring -- to Nunkkoch, sorry, people are already calling it that -- we will get back, and we will get adjusted, and then the Dowager will join us in a month or two once we've spoken with Seungcheol and decided."

Taehyung paused. "Jungkook, do you think I could still be king if others rule the country?"

"I don't think that's how being king works. But you know how England has their king, and while he is still in charge, he has a legislature below him? And they help pass laws that benefit the people? Do you think Seungcheol would agree with that?"

"Taehyung, Seungcheol literally staged a coup d'etat against the Musihans, and wouldn't have been able to do so if he didn't have the entire population with him. Seungchol is not the star of that story. The people are."

"I want to listen to the people," Taehyung said, "and I want to do what's best by them."

Jungkook nodded, holding onto Taehyung's hands. "I think that's best as well."

"And I think --" Taehyung suddenly found his voice get uneasy, though he had no idea why. "I think I want you there. No matter what. In the castle, sure, I want Seokjin and even Hoseok can be there, but I don't want servants. I want employees, and to possibly live in a smaller section of the castle, and to leave the rest open for the people to use as they see fit, like the center here in Paris. I think that's a proper use of the space."

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Jungkook said with a laugh. "We've literally been friends forever. You just don't remember it." At this point, Jungkook had told Taehyung everything he remembered about their childhood and the memories they had made, so while Taehyung knew, it didn't mean he remembered.

"And we can run through the tunnels under the castle if you want to again," Taehyung teased. "Those are our tunnels. They are how I escaped from the castle the night of the ball. And they are where I stayed in seclusion while learning how to be me. I wouldn't trade either one of those things for the world."

"I would love that." And they both laughed, and they felt comfortable with each other. It was true that Jungkook and Taehyung were once more inseparable.

Then, "So if I'm going to be king, can you pick out a queen for me?"

Jungkook stopped cold. "Excuse me -- what?"

"I figure we'll just be best friends forever, and I'd rather have you, but I don't think you can be a queen. Unless there's something I don't know. So I could use your help to find someone of royal heritage --"

It was now or never. Jungkook leaned forward, quickly, just barely brushing his lips against Taehyung's in a kiss. He pulled back. "Do you think for one second I would let you marry a girl you don't know?"

"I'd rather marry you." A side effect of having memory loss meant that Taehyung sometimes had no filter.

"We don't have to get married, if the law doesn't allow for that. I just want to be with you, in whatever capacity that is. Is that okay?"

Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Of course it is. But next time, if you're going to go about kissing me, you should probably ask first. I am the Prince, after all."

"I will ask for no such things," Jungkook scoffed, then was interrupted when the Prince leaned forward this time and kissed him back.