Beauty - tk (rewriting)

03. Dinner.

Jeongguk had rotis made from wheat and rice for dinner with some fruits, and vegetables that were steamed. Dinner was the best meal of the day for Romans therefore they made sure to eat as rich as possible.

Hoseok was a little poor. Jeongguk only smiled when Hoseok apologized for the little food he had when Jeongguk was glad he was even given food.

Rome was definitely not poor people's lands with them living in areas filled with dirt and dust while the rich lived outside town with huge concrete and brick houses, accessing even pools and multiple horses of their own.

People who worked in the palace as ministers and advisors, poets and merchants who traded with other cities made money while gladiators, farmers, and small merchants with huts worked hard to even eat thrice a day.

Definitely not a period Jeongguk loved the most but he had to endure it for the sake of humans, for the, well, betterment of them and a better understanding of history. He doesn't know how many get this chance and he can't let this slip from his hands.

Everybody ate together during dinner which was why even the poor never slept with empty stomachs. If only this happened in our world though, Jeongguk could only bitterly chuckle.

Hoseok apologized for he had already eaten and only had the remains the rich left for Jeongguk and not for he only had poor food, the gladiator explained later which made Jeongguk's heart lighter as Hoseok helped him and any good that happened to Hoseok, was good that he considered happened to him.

"That's fine, brother. I suffered for food everyday when I was in my hometown. This is a feast to me," Jeongguk said, lowering his head and rubbing his nape. He felt bad for lying but it had to be done if he were to stay here till god knows when.

"I'm glad I could feed a friend. Tomorrow though, I'll take you to dinner with the others so you too can enjoy some high class food, brother." Hoseok was really friendly and for someone who doesn't even talk to other beings outside of work, Jeongguk felt blessed in the other man's presence.

"Thank you. I'm grateful, honestly. If there's anything I can do for you, do tell." Jeongguk encouraged the man with a smile. Jeongguk's smile never seemed to leave his face, in face. Romans weren't as inhumanly and beastly as the twenty-first century thought they were, perhaps. Maybe, Jeongguk just hadn't seen that side of them yet.

"Maybe you could accompany me to the bath? The more people we go with, the less they charge," Hoseok said smiling sheepishly. Jeongguk agreed.

_

Fuck. Jeongguk's body hurt again. Where was he going to wake up now? The fucking Sahara? Yes, going to ancient Rome and meeting Hoseok was nice, great even, but he wasn't ready to travel in time and wake up somewhere else again. He needed time to research a particular place for some amount of time to discover new details and travelling in time everyday isn't gonna help Jeongguk nor the world.

Jeongguk dear up suddenly, looking around, snapping his head left and right only to relax, placing a hand over his racing heart. The thought of waking up somewhere else again scared him. Might've been a dream but as much as Jeongguk didn't believe in time travel, he did believe in magic. This was magic and... him waking up at a different place in a different time space every day, he'd consider it as black magic.

He was at the comfort of his own home now, puzzled as to what in the fuck just happened. There were no chances it was a dream for it was too real. He really could feel the sculptures under his fingers if he imagined it hard enough.

Rome was real. The sculptures were real. Hoseok was real. Couldn't have been a dream. Magic, perhaps. Magic, definitely. Jeongguk needed to figure out what had happened and he knew just where to go.

_

Jeongguk finished his toast with some yellow coloured jam he had laying around, not caring about the taste in the least, leg bouncing, fingers tapping continuously as he gulped down whatever mess he had made.

He put on a formal shirt, a loose pant with a high hanging coat and head out. He needed to see her. She'd most probably have the answers. If she doesn't, Jeongguk doesn't want to imagine. She had to have the answers. She always had the answers. Jeongguk paid her for that.

_

(a/n: thoughts?)