The Perfect Trap // jeon twins

11. jungkook

"Australia?!" Three voices shrieked in his earphones. He put them on to face-time his friends while packing. Jiji was asleep behind him.

"This old ass wizard has crazy ideas," he said. "I'll spend almost a week with Jungwon only, and I will miss out on graduation." Faking a sniffle, he glanced back. "And I have to leave my little dragon here."

"Call us whenever you can," Hyewon said. "I'll take care of her."

"I'll try to take a picture with a unicorn, but no promises."

Jungkook wasn't happy about this task at all, but with a newfound determination to win, he wasn't stepping down. Still claiming it was for the money, but when he thought more about it, getting the crown wasn't so ridiculous anymore.

Once crowned to be the next king of Silvia, he'd snatch it from Jungwon, who thought he had no competition. That was when Jungkook would feel fulfilled. He was going to prove everyone he was more than having the same face as Jungwon.

His family always believed Jungkook was worse. Jungkook saw it again and again. When he dressed up in feminine clothes and his father gave him the strangest looks. His mother rarely paying attention to him. The sighs and shaking heads when he appeared for the last three minutes of the family gatherings. All the grimaces and hushed comments when Jungkook told everyone he wasn't planning on getting married, because he wasn't interested in women. He was ten when he announced, at the family gathering he went to only to do it, that he had a boyfriend. They broke up the next day, but Jungkook was out and proud ever since.

Now, he was going to show them all. With everything that differed him from Jungwon, he was able to become the next king of Silvia. For a day, maybe, but it still counted.

~~

They met again in their father's office. Jungwon was acting weirder than usually. Every look and word was more hostile than Jungkook was used to. Not that he didn't have a comeback for everything Jungwon could ever say, but if they were going to spend a week together, saving this goddamn crystal ball, Jungwon might have as well pretended he was tolerating this situation.

They didn't speak when Kwan opened the portal for them. Jungkook was about to complain, but before he could get a word out, the portal was gone, and they were on a beach. Water like ink, the sky milky white. The sand looked normal, but for all Jungkook knew, it didn't have to be sand at all.

"This is not how I imagined it," Jungkook said, his boots slowly drowning in the thick sand.

"You wanted a five star hotel or what?" Jungwon mumbled, not sparing Jungkook a glance. "I wanna be done with this today. Let's go."

Jungkook crossed his arms over his chest. "What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing. Isn't our situation enough for me to be pissed off?"

"Look, I'm not happy, either, but there is no point in making this even more difficult."

"Then stay here. I'll find the ball. We'll go back faster."

"Why would it be easier for you without me?"

"You're a human in a magical land."

Jungkook closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was used to the belittlement, to never fitting in, and if it was anyone else reminding him, he'd just wave his hand and move on. It bothered him the most coming from his brother.

He stepped closer. "Let's part, then. Whoever finds the ball first, wins."

Jungwon glared at him. Whatever he was mad about, Jungkook could feel it in his bones. And he wanted to win that round even more. Kwan wanted them to work together, but at the core of everything, it was a competition. One of them had to be better.