THE COMBATANT||KTH

CHAPTER 18

Taehyung watches as she walks out into the clearing. He saw a lone drop of tear escaping Hoseok's eye. He wipes it away quickly and sighs, not looking in the direction his sister walked.

"Please go ahead according to her wishes." He looks at Alana and she bobs her head. Everyone bows to him as he walks away in the other direction. Taehyung gazes at the empty hallways on his sides and walks down, with his entire senses in huge chaos.

.....

"Hyung," Jimin says firmly, calling out for him.

"Not now, Jimin." He tiredly falls flat onto the chair with his head hanging back on the headrest. He brings his hands to his face and rubs it trying to sink in all the occurrences. A habit that he cultivated from his late father when he feels stressed.

"Hyung. Look at me." Jimin speaks with his eyes hooded. He takes a step toward him and raises his head. Hoseok looks at him lazily and raises his eyebrows. "What?"

"Why did you do that?" He asks and Hoseok stands up from his chair to walk towards the closet.

"What did I do?" He opens the cupboard and rummages through the clothes. Jimin scoffs and looks at his back which was faced at him.

"You know what I am enunciating about." Hoseok sighs and looks at him again.

" I made my reasons clear. What else do you need?" He puts up an annoyed expression and continues picking clothes for himself.

"Why didn't you ask her before making your decision?"

"Do you think she would agree?"

"But it's her life and she has the right to choose who she can marry. You can't push her into something like this, especially when she already loves someone." He rants out, pushing the chair in his way to another direction.

"Are you trying to teach me about rules and consent now?" Hoseok untied his robes as he spoke. It fuelled more anger in Jimin that he was not bothered by anything and he let out a breath angrily.

"Yes", he speaks out with his gritted teeth.

" Yes, I am trying to give you lessons because you don't seem to know them very well." He points his index into Hoseok's direction and continues his words.

"Did you forget your promise to our parents that you would protect her and keep her happy? Are you perhaps trying to gain something from this marriage?" Hoseok frowns as he listens to the younger man's words.

"What can I possibly gain from this?" He asks with confusion etched on his features.

"Then why are you doing this? Don't you care about what she feels anymore? Is she nothing to you? Don't you consider her your sister anymore?" He bombards him with question after question. Hoseok grunts in anger and pulls him by his collar.

"Don't you dare say that. She's always on top of my priorities." He grits his teeth as he speaks. He felt like the synapses in his brain were disconnected and miswired as he heard words about him not caring about his sister anymore.

"Then why are you doing this?" It's Jimin's turn to grab the elder's collar. They stare into each other's eyes as they throw ice-cold daggers into one another. Jimin's grip almost shreds the cloth enclosing Hoseok's body.

"Answer me, Why.did.you.do.this.?"

......

"Why did you do this?" She talks to herself as she walks. She walks through the hallways mindlessly towards the doors of her room.

"Your highness." The voice of the maid startles her. She looks up to see her smiling warmly at her. She smiles back and greets before speaking again.

"Do you want me to draw a bath for you? You look tired." Naaila nods her head to her words and follows her. She undresses and changes into soft cotton robes to get herself ready for a bath. She walks into the bathroom and a hot tub of water welcomes her.