The King Likes Men

•65•

"How are you feeling?" Seokjin asks as he steps inside Jaehwan's room, the latter sprawled out on the bed.

Previously staring at the ceiling, Jaehwan looks absolutely delighted to see Seokjin, face lighting up when the other steps inside. "Hey. I'm in one piece so I guess I should say I feel great, right?" he sits up, pushing with his good arm. "Truth is I've been bored as hell and the wound stings every once in a while. Think you can use your influences to tell the doctors to up the doses of anesthesia?"

Seokjin rolls his eyes. "What influences?"

Jaehwan wiggles his eyebrows. "You know what influences. Your man. So what, did you do him before the marriage papers were signed?"

An eye roll escapes Seokjin. "Wouldn't you like to know," he scoffs.

"I would," Jaehwan says with a mischevious grin.

"Worry about your own sex life, Lee Jaehwan. Mine is for me and my partner only."

Jaehwan hums to himself. "So you're still a virgi—" Seokjin smothers him with a pillow.

Pulling up a chair next to the bed and taking a seat, Seokjin crosses his arms and huffs. "There are other things to tend to at the moment," he says, "more important things."

His friend's face falls a bit. "Right. My father." Leaning his head back against the pillow, Jaehwan sighs. "He might not make it out of there alive."

"Does that bother you?"

"It bothers me that that man is my father. That the blood of a treacherous, power-hungry politician runs through my veins."

A sad smile makes his way to Jin's lips. "Who your father is doesn't define who you are."

"Still bothers me. I can't even imagine how my family is going to get through this. I can already imagine the paparazzi showing up at my door and the neighbors telling their sons to stay away from me." He sighs. "Yah, Jinnie, marry me instead. I don't think I'm ever going to get a spouse after this."

Jin grins at him. "I'm taken."

"Lucky bastard," he grumbles.

Laughing and teasing one another some more, they continue their chat. It's the first time they sit like this and not think up of some scheme to ruin or Seokjin questioning all of Jaehwan's stupid ideas that somehow manage to work.

It's nice. It's relaxing. It doesn't last long though.

Door slamming open, Seokjin jumps at the sudden noise and turns in his chair. Soobin is there, scanning the room till his eyes fall on Jin. Seokjin blinks in surprise. He hasn't seen the younger male since he came to the palace. "Hey there Soo—"

Soobin doesn't let him finish his greeting. He grabs Seokjin by the arm and pulls him up from his chair. "I need you to come with me," is all he states.

Confused, Seokjin tries pulling his arm away as the younger carries him out of the room, leaving Jaehwan all alone inside. Soobin's got a good grip on him though and Jin can't seem to pull away. "Yah," he says as he feels his arm about to be pulled out of his socket, "what is going on?"

"I'll explain once we get there," the other replies.

Wanting to push on but also noticing the curt tone Soobin is using, Seokjin decides to just let himself be dragged. It's not till they're approaching the courtyard that he sees it, sees the chaos, the mob of court officials bickering among themselves, sees staff pulling a stretcher and physicians running beside it.

A hand falls and dangles from the passing stretcher. It's skinny and stained red and it's all Seokjin can see due to a white sheet covering the rest, but it's enough to stop him in his tracks.