Once Upon A Time | 김태형

감정 • Feelings

The young soldier, who had dutifully served as a steadfast guardian for the esteemed royal family, found himself acutely aware that the hour of his destiny had finally arrived.

While he likes to believe he's a practical person who overthinks before acting, there are times when he was not immune to the occasional surge of impulsive behavior that surged through his veins, heedless of the potential consequences.

This is one of those times.

With a sudden burst of energy, he propels himself into a swift jog, determined to bridge the ever-widening gap between him and the enigmatic Prince Jungkook.

As he relentlessly pursues the prince's retreating figure, his eyes fixate on the mesmerizing sight of Jungkook's back, gradually receding into the distance, swallowed by the labyrinthine hallway adorned with flickering fluorescent lights.

A profound sense of admiration washes over him, as he becomes acutely aware of the prince's resolute strides, each step brimming with an unwavering sense of purpose that seems to propel him forward with an unyielding determination.

Just when he's about to round the corner, the soldier's mind goes into overdrive at the prospect of missing him; and his only chance.

Summoning every ounce of strength within him, he musters a resounding call, his voice echoing through the corridor, "Prince Jungkook!"

Yet, despite his fervent plea, the soldier's heart sinks as the prince continues his relentless stride, seemingly oblivious to his presence. And for a moment, he thinks he has lost his chance.

However, just as despair begins to take hold, Prince Jungkook abruptly pivots on his heel, executing a seamless and fluid motion that leaves the soldier rooted to the spot, his body frozen in a mixture of awe and trepidation.

The soldier finds himself ensnared by the unyielding severity emanating from the feral depths of his eyes, a gaze that holds him captive in a moment of profound realization.

It dawns upon him, in that very instant, that this man before him possesses an uncanny resemblance to a lethal instrument of war, a human embodiment of destruction. The soldier comprehends, without witnessing this man's actions, that he is a being of immense cruelty and unfeeling detachment, a merciless force capable of inflicting pain and suffering with an icy indifference that chills the very marrow of one's bones.

"Do you have a habit of not greeting your superiors properly, soldier?" Jungkook's cold, deep voice shouts through the hall.

The man is caught in a trance by the subtle authoritativeness in his voice.

He straightens his posture, then salute. "Sir, no, sir."

Long silence stretches between us, until Jungkook breaks the silence. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Wooyoung, sir."

"Full name."

A shiver goes through him. He knows he could be asking for his name to report him or something, but he seals away his doubts as he answers, "Jung Wooyoung, sir."

The sound of heavy boots clings in the air and invades his ears as Jungkook steadily progresses towards him.

As Jungkook stands a mere arm's length away, a suffocating sensation engulfs him, impeding the natural rhythm of his breath.