The 7 Princes - His POV - Hoseok

Chapter 34 - Remorse

I tapped the keys, one by one. Stale, hollow notes dripped out of the piano. Yoongi was the one who could make these notes sing. That's why I hired him in the first place.

I had a second chance. He deserved one too.

But maybe I wasn't the best person to be in charge of second chances.

I heard her footsteps. I knew it was her. I knew the way she stepped on the ball of her foot first, and the way she tapped her heel at the end of her step.

I knew more about her than I wanted to.

"I'm afraid I don't have a pianist for our lesson today." I said, not looking up. "A new hire should be coming in tomorrow. Maybe he won't -"

I stopped.

Maybe he won't hurt you.

Why didn't I see the signs? Why was I so blind to trust him. I couldn't even look up to look at the bruises across her neck. If I had only paid more attention...

I told myself I wouldn't care. But as it turned out, I cared more than I wanted to.

Y/N's hand came to my shoulder. "It's not your fault, Hoseok."

I looked at her long, rough fingers. "Four years. We've worked together four years. I knew that he made some bad decisions in the past, but I didn't think..."

I traced my fingers over the piano keys, wishing I could comfort her. I knew I couldn't offer anything. I was just a dance instructor.

"I should have protected you," I whispered.

She shook my shoulder. "I'm okay. I wish it wasn't Yoongi either, but he made his own choices."

I sighed. "There are too many people ready to turn their backs on you. I just can't get it right, can I?"

"Hoseok?"

My insides turned to flames, and I couldn't bear to sit any longer. I stood and left, not turning back as Y/N called for me.

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Is that stone heart of yours starting to bleed?

I played with Yoongi's words as I poured another drink.

Pills were off limits, but there weren't any rules about wine.

I could feel my heart twist in my chest.

I was bad with people. I knew that. I was always bad with people...

"Hobi, what are you trying to say? You're confused. You're my dance teacher. I've never seen you as anything more than that."

"Really? Do you drunk dial all your dance instructors? Do you meet them in cafes at night, and ask them to clubs on the weekends? I didn't realize it was all business. Maybe I should start paying you like all the other women conducting business after midnight."

I still remembered the sound of her palm hitting me across the face.

I still remembered the look my boss gave me when he fired me.

I still remembered the smell of the recovery center.

And I still felt the pain of loving someone only to realize they never loved you back.

I couldn't risk my reputation again. Y/N had an arranged marriage. To Jin. They were sure to be very happy together.

My stomach curled. So I fed it more alcohol.

"Need company?"

I looked up to Jungkook's snide grin. Then I looked at his hands.

You knew Y/N was your brother's fiancee, but you still held her that close? Is that allowed?

I poured myself another drink. "I don't drink with children."

He glared at me, pulling out a chair and banging it against the ground. He sat and poured himself a glass, and drank it down in one shot. I did the same.

"Is there a reason you're getting drunk alone in the dark?" he asked.

"None of your business."

"It's my castle too, you know."

"It's Jin's castle. You're just the backup prince."

He grunted as he took another drink.

"You're that upset about it?" he asked. "You hired an ex-gangster. What did you expect?"

I looked down in my glass and chuckled to myself. "Change."

"People don't really change. Not that much. Not on the inside. They just act different. Like you."

My head shot up. "Say again?"

He sipped his wine before responding. "You changed a lot. But just on the outside. You're still the Hoseok I knew in the beginning. You just refuse to show it. But you've been slipping, Hobi. I've seen you slip. Around her."

Slipping? What kind of slipping?

"What's with this nonsense all of a sudden?" I asked.

"Namjoon agrees with me," he continued. "You even took her to the game room? That's Hobi. That's the old you." He looked down into his glass. "We miss the old you."

I picked up the bottle. It was empty. I stood from the table, opening the cabinet to grab another one.

"Hobi is dead," I replied. "He died when he overdosed."

"You're still standing," he said. "If anyone has the best second chance, it's you."

He looked up at me, a serious expression on his young face. I couldn't even open the damn bottle with him staring at me like that.

"If she brings you back to life, Hobi, allow it." he said.

As if he knew. This child couldn't tell the difference between second chances and repeated mistakes.

And honestly, maybe I didn't either.

"You're out of your damn mind." I grumbled, leaving him behind me and walking out the door with the bottle. "No one can wake the dead."