The Seven Wonders of My Life (BTS) ✔

Chapter 12

"Please, let me in!"

The butler shook his head in apology and locked the door with the key in his hand. "I'm sorry, Miss. The King's health is unstable and he just lost his footing for a moment. He must rest."

"But I must speak to him..." I pleaded for the old man to let me see Jin but the butler was firm on his word. He asked me to leave, but I had so many questions to ask Jin.

Satisfied that he had the door to the King's chamber locked and safe from my entrance, the butler excused himself and left me in the hallway. King Jin must not have completely recovered, I thought to myself as my shoulders dropped in defeat and I turned to leave.

"Lara." The door to the King's chamber opened a crack and a hand slipped out. "Over here."

"Jin!"

"Hush. Hurry and get in."

The King's face had fallen shades paler than it had been in the morning and I noticed a slight stagger in his steps as we walked towards the sofas to the corner of the vast room.

"Should you be overexerting your energy like this?" I asked after we sat down.

"It's alright, I've had these episodes every couple of years. But my health is improving," he said. "Gradually."

"Since when have you been like this?"

He smiled and knocked on his chest near his heart. "It's this weak thing. It lost it the day that letter fell into my hands.

"I was told to avoid getting emotionally worked up. Now that I think about it, I feel like I'm on my way to complete recovery since I have taken a break from my troublesome brother."

He said that with a smile so weak his face barely held it for a second.

"You regret banishing your brother away, don't you?"

I didn't miss the hard expression that flashed across his face but quickly changed into one of sheepishness. "Aren't you going to ask about the letter?"

The letter. Taehyung must know what had happened in the past, I thought. "You must speak to Taehyung."

"I really wish I could."

"You can come home with me and try. We'll make him hear you out."

Jin's eyes met mine. They were hopeless. Sad. "For weeks I've tried, Lara. But all my requests returned unanswered. I—"

"Hold on. So you've tried talking to him?" I asked.

"I'm not innocent of the crime. I have stood idle while I watched the flames eat up Taehyung's home and I watched as it crumbled into ashes along with his family within," he explained. "I never expected him to agree to see me."

"Jin..." I couldn't deny any of what he'd said, but the way his nails dug into the flesh of his palms and distress shadowed his features, I really wished his father was alive so I could twist his neck myself. A malicious king's action had left scars years after his demise. Scars so deep I was beginning to wonder if they would ever heal.

This was wrong. I needed to solve this even if I had to drag both men into one room. "Come home with me." I stood up and held out a hand to him.

"H-home?" His lids fluttered in confusion.

"To see Taehyung." I took his hand and pulled urgently. "Let's go."

He stood up, but ill or not, his build was tougher than it looked for me to pull him out of the room. "Lara, let's not be—"