• Selfish Prince • || KookMin

7. Lonely place

He never wakes up late.

It is something his body does not allow itself.

Namjoon thunders the bones in his neck and looks out the window to his right. He calculates that it is eleven o'clock in the morning. A far cry from six in the morning. Time at which he thought, it would be opportune to leave the dwelling and time at which he warned all the members of the caravan that they would be leaving. He assumes that they must have taken advantage of the fact that he did not have to wake them up.

He gets out of bed, stretches and complains quietly. Good mattresses are his eternal weakness. It is more complicated to get up the better the bed is. He gets dressed and after making the bed - he doesn't want to seem rude - he leaves the room.

The house looks bigger in the daytime. Despite the clear English architecture, there are traces of half-Eastern architecture. Long, almost endless open corridors with pillars of exotic design. It's quite a complicated shape. Namjoon intended to go find Yoonji or any other occupant of the dwelling to thank them for letting him sleep inside.

No one is there. He finds no one. Just empty. He gives a gasp of fright when the door he was about to leave through, closes on its own. With one hand on his chest and his hair standing on end, he looks around. "Is anyone here? Taehyung? Taehyung!"

. . .

"I should convince Namjoon to let me rest more. I can still feel our legs." says Taehyung quietly and to himself, getting dressed. His legs are throbbing as well as his feet. He wants to lead his existence as one who doesn't want to have it to begin with. He gives a long yawn and then leaves the room.

He barely gave him a chance to make the bed. Now that he is walking through the light-filled corridors, he wonders why so little noise? Is this house so big that you can't hear the caravan? He assumes everyone is arguing and complaining that he hasn't arrived so he can leave. He stumbles awkwardly, falling over a huge, fluffy clump of yellow flowers.

He smells them deeply and they remind him of Hosook. It has a similar scent. She said she is very fond of flowers and is dedicated to filling the gardens with it. Maybe that's why she has the scent impregnated. A nice touch. Taehyung gets up and shakes out his clothes before yawning.

He wants to go back to sleep.

Taehyung walks aimlessly, assumes he'll eventually run into someone or make it to the exit. It doesn't happen in fifteen minutes of walking up and down every hallway and his feet begin to ache unbearably. Taehyung hisses under his breath and leans against a wall. "Is anyone here, where is the exit?" he asks sleepily.

. . .

"Did you have a good night?"

Jimin nods, somewhat surprised at Jungkook's arrival. He thought about going outside to... investigate? And before he went out properly, Jungkook was already standing there. About to knock to pass. Jimin is still in his pajamas. He doesn't usually dress alone and there are no clothes here for him to wear either.

"I'm glad" Jungkook smiles kindly. "Will you join me? We're going to have breakfast."

"I don't have-"

"Don't worry. There will be other participants in pajamas."

Jimin holds him by the arm and walks beside him. Jungkook doesn't say a word. He has a calm, but not smiling expression. Peace in every faction of the face so beautiful and unreal. Jimin bows his head, fine black hair sliding down his shoulder in response. There is something strange. Not only what Hosook told him, but also Jungkook's attitude.

He seems to be excited? Deep down. Without exposing it. As if that would reveal a surprise.

They enter the dining room and it's as huge a room as you'd expect. Jungkook pulls up the chair to invite him to sit and Jimin takes the place on the left, next to the end of the table. Jungkook takes that seat and crosses his arms on the wood. The silence is total. There is no one there, no food either. He bites his lower lip.

"Are your cousins coming for breakfast? My lord?" Jimin asks uneasily.

"Oh, of course. They're just looking for their guests. I think they got lost. They left their rooms early."

"Lost..."

"It's a very big house. Every day there's a new whim and it grows in a room and hallway." he clarifies without giving it much thought. Jimin can't imagine how that's possible, but at the same time, it generates fascination in him.

Several minutes pass in the pleasant and quiet company of the nobleman. Jimin assumes that he can be called a prince. So close to being emperor and yet so far away. Hosook is the first to arrive, holding Namjoon by the arm. The taller one is obviously worried, he looks for Taehyung with his eyes and his stress grows at not finding him.

"The breeze there is very strong" laughs Hosook amused. "I'm sorry if it scared you. It closes the doors when it wants to. It's a nasty little knack it has."

"My lady, that makes me think the air is alive." admits Namjoon, slightly annoyed that they wouldn't let him out and instead, he's almost forced to eat breakfast here.

And there's no Taehyung!

"Of course he is Why do you think he's all the time dragging good fortune to you? You are a spoiled child of the wind, who is bent on bringing you good fortune for your joy." assures Hosook and Namjoon exhales.

"My lady, I wish that were true. Every foolish thing happens to me."

"You have to compensate with clumsiness." jokes Hosook. Yoonji enters hand in hand with Taehyung, though the other is almost asleep. Barely conscious to say hello and relieved that he wasn't left stranded.

Namjoon breathes full of peace and tranquility.

"Looks like we're all here."

Jimin gives a shriek of fright at what point did that man enter? He knows it's true when Namjoon and Taehyung also give an exclamation of fright. This is someone infinitely beautiful. The common trait of everyone in this manor. Thick lips, mischievous and fox-like eyes. Long black hair tied in a high ponytail. Sitting next to Jimin, he smiles and leans to the side.

"For an adult, you have a very childlike essence. That's charming."

Jimin opens and closes his lips in surprise; at the same time, an almost dog-like growl is heard behind him. Namjoon furrows his eyebrows How can a human being make a sound like that? Well, it was Jungkook who came out with that angry complaint. Taehyung, Namjoon, Hosook and Yoonji take a seat. Jimin straightens up and finds it strange that those who bring the food, look like people who move like puppets.

White skin, like porcelain, various eyes, with barely a sparkle, exactly the same in each of their features. It is impressive and chilling. The table is filled with dishes: freshly baked and cut bread, butter, jams, different jugs of juice, different fruits, cheese on wooden cutting boards. Jimin is not used to breakfasts of this style, but he assumes it's okay to try it.

"So Park Ji-Min - the spoiled little prince."

He almost chokes, but disguises it well enough. Whoever is next to him watches him with a cynical, amused smile. Almost cruel. Jungkook drinks from a dark crystal goblet.

"I've heard many rumors about you" Jin savors his words. Every single one of them. "You don't seem like what I thought. I was expecting someone much more arrogant and nasty." he admits stroking her hair. Jimin notices the blackened fingers, as if they were made of coal. Long sharp claws and they only help to further resemble a fox. Jimin gently pushes it away.

"It is very disrespectful not to introduce yourself, despite demanding information from others." communicates the nobleman with displeasure. The opposite laughs.

"My name is Jin. That's all you need to know" he replies singsong. Yoonji views him with suspicion, the apparitionist's obvious interest in the nobleman. "What I wonder is, what are you doing here and not in your jade home?" he questions indiscreetly and Hosook looks at them alternately, cheek full of food. Taehyung eats ignoring the conversation.

He is hungry and sleepy.