Royally Yours (Jikook AU📱📲)

23

Arrival at the Palace

"What a bummer! Jihyo was so excited to visit the palace again, but she started feeling sick right when we left the dorm."

Hoseok and Jimin walked down the wide footpath, the golden afternoon light glinting off the royal banners fluttering above. Hoseok was glued to the map on his phone, glancing up now and then to take in the bustling streets of Seoul—vibrant, loud, and alive in a way Ruvana never was.

"Man, Seoul really is huge, isn't it?" Hoseok laughed. "Just walking one block feels like we've walked half of Ruvana!"

His eyes sparkled with awe, his expression bright and innocent. Jimin couldn't help but giggle.
Hyung is so cute.

Jung Hoseok had always been the outgoing one—full of laughter and warmth, radiating a kind of positivity that made others feel lighter just being around him. But ever since they'd come to Seoul, that energy had only grown stronger.

Watching him, Jimin felt a quiet happiness. Seeing Hoseok this free made him wish that his hyung's joy could last forever.

But then—a sudden ache twisted in his chest.
His smile faltered.

What he and Jihyo are doing... behind his back.

We have to distance ourselves —

"JIMIN!"

He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Hoseok's loud voice.

"Wha— huh?" Jimin blinked up to see Hoseok standing in front of him, eyebrows furrowed.

"What are you thinking, Jimin-ah? I called you, like, four times! You were totally spacing out."

Hoseok's worried tone caught him off guard.

"N-no, I was just—" Jimin stumbled over his words, then steadied his breath. "I was thinking about Jihyo. She was feeling sick, remember? Maybe we should buy something for her to eat on our way back home."

Hoseok's face brightened. "Ah! That's a good idea. I saw some fried food stalls earlier. Looked tasty. Let's check them later."

Jimin smiled faintly and nodded, following as Hoseok turned toward the palace gates.

---
The Palace Gates

When they finally reached the main palace, trouble began immediately.

The guards at the entrance noticed their slave collars—thick iron chains with small padlocks gleaming under the sunlight. Each lock bore their lord's name, a code, and a tracking device engraved with the empire's seal.

"What are these slaves doing here?" One guard sneered, his eyes dripping with disgust.

Jimin met his glare with calm indifference—cold, sharp, and unbothered.

Hoseok forced a polite smile and held up his phone. "The royal musician, Lord Min Yoongi, called us here," he explained, extending the screen toward them.

One of the guards snatched it, glancing at the digital entry pass before tossing a final glare at them. "Tch. Go."

Every slave has this padlock collar/chain. They have to wear them everywhere outside of their living place and can only take them off with their lord's permission. The locks have their lord's name, a code and a tracking device to keep them on check.]

The Theatre Entrance

A second guard escorted them to the Hollyhock Theatre—an extravagant building of marble pillars and gold accents. Neither Jimin nor Hoseok spoke; the only sound was their footsteps echoing through the corridor.

"Listen," the guard barked, glancing back at them. "Behave yourselves here. You're those slaves from Ruvana, right?"

Hoseok nodded quietly.

"This isn't Ruvana. This is Seoul—aristocrats' ground. Make a mistake here, and we'll skin you alive. Got it?"

The two could only bow slightly, swallowing their words.

When they finally reached the main door of the theater, the guard blocked them again, pressing a hand to Hoseok's chest.

"Only one."

"I'm sorry?" Hoseok blinked.

"Only one of you goes in."

Jimin and Hoseok exchanged puzzled looks.

"I'm sorry, sir," Hoseok said carefully, "but the royal musician told us both to come."

The guard scoffed and shoved him back. "This place is for important entertainers. We don't need bondsmen crowding the halls. Only one."

Hoseok opened his mouth to protest again, but Jimin stopped him with a small shake of his head.

"Hyung," he said softly. "I'll stay. You go inside."

"But—we were told to come together!"

"It's fine. I'll wait for you here."

Jimin gave him a reassuring smile, one that hid everything else behind it.

---

Waiting...

Jimin sat on the bottom step of the marble staircase, the chill of the stone seeping through his clothes as time slowly passed.

I wonder if Jihyo is done on her side already...

After a while, boredom took over. He stood and began wandering quietly around the outer garden of the theater—admiring the sculptures, the intricate gold trim, and the serene stillness of the place.

Then, through the arches, something caught his eye. A small lake glimmered under the soft afternoon sun.

Is that a pond? Or a lake?

Curious, he began walking toward it—until something hard knocked against his shoe.

He looked down and saw a wallet lying on the ground.

"A wallet...?" he murmured, bending down to pick it up.

But before he could even straighten, a rough hand yanked it out of his grasp.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

The shout rang through the courtyard.

Jimin froze.

A man in a royal guard's uniform stood in front of him, fury etched across his face, the snatched wallet clenched tightly in his fist. His eyes burned with accusation—the kind that could destroy someone like Jimin with a single word.

Jimin's breath caught in his throat as realization sank in.

He was in trouble.