𝑾𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑶𝑾 (Taejin)

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 Seven

Jin

"Boy in the back! Your stop has arrived". The bus conductor shouts, shaking me from my thoughts.

Ever since I had left home, I had kept thinking of whether Jungkook and mother will be able to manage. What if something happens to them? I wouldn't even be there.

Mother and Jungkook had done their best to comfort me but they had no idea how much they meant to me. I had never been apart from them for long. The longest was one night when I had taken an overnight shift in the chicken processing factory. I had to quit that job, I couldn't work properly there as I had constantly kept thinking about mom and Kook.

But now knowing that I was only five minutes away from a new chapter in my life, one that perhaps will be better, I put away the negative thoughts and worries and step out of the bus- bowing to the conductor first.

It's quite a hassle to also lift out my suitcase along with me but thankfully a kind man in the front seat helps me. I only had to pack one suitcase- I barely had much clothes anyways and it was better to pack lightly. I am pretty sure I would be getting uniforms there.

Mr Jung- or as he had asked me to call him Hoseok, had sent me a letter to meet him in front of the public castle so that he could take me to the actual private royal palace. I hope everyone else in the palace was as kind as Hoseok.

Dragging my suitcase over the gray road, I think about the major turn my life has taken. The same person I used to look up to, wanted to know everything about- is also the same person I will apparently be taking care of now.

The only question was- why did he need taking care of?

Was he perhaps..... specially enabled? Did he have challenges doing normal, daily things?

Hoseok would probably clear this up when I meet him.

I again go through the (purely unnecessary) security check and inside the grounds, towards the public castle. I can't see Hoseok anywhere- only a bunch of royal office workers and some tourists. But I also spot the boy I had met that day- Soobin, standing in front of the steps and looking at his phone.

When I walk towards him, he looks up from the screen and grins at me. "Seokjin hyung! You have come. How are you?"

The way he is talking to me, seems like he has known me for years. "I am doing fine, Soobin. How about you?"

"Ah, same old. Nothing much really happens in this part of the kingdom, you know? It's all peaceful".

I want to tell him that yes, it's all peaceful in this part of the city- where people have stable jobs and go for fancy dinners and have expensive cars. But there are people dying of hunger and doing crimes like theft just to make a living in the other parts.

"Anyways, Hoseok hyung is about to arrive. Oh- he has come!" Soobin says, pointing with his head, towards the back of me.

Sure enough there is Hoseok, so unlike the person I had first seen inside the office- straight faced and no smiles. But right now, he is beaming at me. His orange hair is now parted and he is wearing a white shirt and red trousers with a red short coat.

"Seokjin! Finally the day has come. Are you excited to go to the royal palace? Hardly any people have the privilege to go there and you, will be living there. You are a lucky one". Hoseok says with a wink and I smile.

"I am excited. I have only heard stories about the palace and no one I know has actually seen it. I have always dreamt of visiting the place". I tell him.

"Yes, that's because we like to keep it private. For security reasons. The palace isn't as fancy- it's just like this public castle- except, it's larger, has more security and many valuable things inside- which includes part of the royal family. And treasures". Hoseok then checks his watch. "Now, come along. I believe Tae- Prince Taehyung would have woken up by now... hopefully. We should make our way. It's a 15 minute journey".