Jungkook held a toddler in his arms, watching the three other kids play with the castle dogs. The girl he was holding was too tired to play, instead falling asleep on Jungkook's shoulder.
He looked to Taehyung, who watched the animals with fondness.
"How's Jimin?"
Taehyung flushed, shooting Jungkook a look.
"Hey, everyone knows about it, even the king."
"He's great, but he's been busy lately." Taehyung tutted.
"Yes, well the king likes to have parties."
Jungkook looked back to the children, who were screaming in happiness, throwing sticks for the dogs.
"Jungkook! Taehyung!"
Both spun around, and saw the prince and heir to the throne of Ocevia. They both bowed, Jungkook's not as deep as usual as he was holding a child.
"Prince Hoseok."
Hoseok waved his hand, "I've grown up with you, Gguk! Please call me by my name and not my title. You too, Taehyung!"
Taehyung stiffened, not quite knowing how to react to the friendly prince. He had too much respect for the royal family.
Jungkook just nodded, "I know, but it's a habit."
The prince smiled at them, and cooed at the toddler asleep on Jungkook's shoulder. Then, he walked to the other, playing children, and they all squealed when they saw him.
There wasn't a soul in the world who didn't like Hoseok. It just came about him naturally.
While he was playing with the children, Jungkook's heart clenched, almost to the point of pain. The two looked over the group, and seemingly out of nowhere, a voice started to speak, shocking the two.
"Hoseok should not be out here."
Taehyung smiled when he saw Yoongi, in his glory, long hair and hanbok. "Hi!"
Yoongi pursed his lips, nodding at Taehyung.
"Can you say no to him though?" Jungkook asked, watching Hoseok.
"Ugh.. yes but it's hard. The king wants him to continue his studies and sent me to watch him for the day."
"Rough. I'm watching half of the kids today, and my mom has the other half. He just decided to come out here, I'm guessing."
Yoongi smiled at the prince, then stepped forward to get Hoseok's attention. He had let him wander and stray from his studies too long. The prince was just about completed with it all, and his father was just pushing him to finish. The prince had strung out his studies a few years longer than they usually would take to finish.
"Prince Hoseok."
Said man looked over to Yoongi, the smile on his face faltering for a moment, before a pout set in.
He then spoke, looking back to the kids. "I have to get going, but I will visit again!" He stood up, laughing as the children hugged his legs and arms.
Before they were even done smothering him in love, a scream sounded through the garden.
"Jungkook!"
Every head whipped to the noise, eyes wide. It was Jimin, and he was running, something you never saw from the collected man.
He looked terrified, whiter in the face than he should be. The toddler Jungkook was holding had now woken up, but stayed quiet.
When Jimin reached them, he panted, struggling to get words out.
"Jung-Jungk-Kook! Your mom! Your.... Your mom.. she's sick!"
Jungkook nearly dropped the child he was holding. He looked to Yoongi, and handed her to him, "Please... please bring the children to the nursery..." he said, his voice growing panicked. When Yoongi nodded, he took off, Hoseok with him as well.
He was worried. Jungkook's mother was his second mother, as she basically raised him.
They reached the castle, and didn't stop running until they reached the infirmary.
She laid on a bed, her face pale but drenched in sweat. She looked sickly, a very different look to what she had this morning. Earlier, she had a healthy glow to her skin.
Jungkook kneeled at the side of her bed, grabbing her hand. His eyes shone with tears, and the temperature of her skin was freezing cold. Hoseok was on the other side, clutching her other hand.
She spoke, her voice shaky.
"My boys... my two favorite boys... please keep going, for my sake."
"Mother you aren't going to die!"
"Jungkook... I love you. I've worked in the castle long enough to know when something cannot be fixed."
Jungkook felt tears pouring down his face, and his heart ached. He couldn't lose his mother. She was too important.
"Hoseok, I love you too, just like my own boy. Please, keep Jungkook in line for me. I want you both to keep going, for me. That's what I want for you."
The prince was crying as well, and he kissed the back of her hand, "I love you, mama." He hadn't called her that for years. It was an old nickname, as a child he didn't understand why Jungkook called her mom and he couldn't.
"You're so brave, mama." He spoke again.
Even on her deathbed, her eyes shone with spirit. She wasn't afraid. Sad, of course, but it was almost as if she was prepared for this.
"Boys... please leave. I don't want you to be in here."
Jungkook shook his head, "No, mother. I want to be by your side."
Hoseok had already gotten up. His own mother had already passed, and this is not something you want to be in the room for. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then walked around the bed, to help Jungkook out of the room.
He struggled the whole way, but in the end, he let Hoseok take him out of the room.
What would he do without his mother?
