Desert • Flower | TaeJin || BOOK 3#

XLIV. Speaking of the past he did not see

They arrived on the same day of the coronation and it was impressive for Jin to see how people bowed down to Yoongi. A significant change for someone who lived on the street and went through who knows what. In that respect, Jin realized that more than half of them agree on the same thing: having had a rough and horrible start until ending up, who knows how, in royalty or related to royalty by extension.

Yoongi as a sold child of brothels, kisaeng houses and a mercenary.

Namjoon as the son of a lower middle class family.

Jimin as an orphan because his parents were kidnapped by Japanese.

Hoseok as an orphan because his parents, Japanese royal family, were killed and he was brought here.

Taehyung does not even know his origin and ended up adopted by that noble couple.

His person, who was sold and picked up later by Hosung to be a court kisaeng.

Ironic that they are the ones in front of all these kneeling people. It gives him a hint of satisfaction. It makes that, somehow, the suffering has had a reward. However small it may be. He glances at Yoongi, his hair almost entirely blond like Agust. He exhales, thinking how Eunji would have so loved to see them together.

~ * * * ~

"Prince Yoongi Can we talk for a moment?"

Yoongi raises an eyebrow, quizzical that Jin is talking to him. They usually ignore each other. He thought the pink kisaeng hated him or something. He nods and walks beside him through the imperial palace until they reach the garden where there is a huge tree in the middle. Jin invites him to sit next to it. He takes a deep sigh.

"The first few times I talked to Empress Eunji, we used to sit here and talk for hours. It looked very strange that I wanted to talk to her in a room" he elates with a distracted leave. Yoongi brings one leg up and rests his chin on his knee. "We didn't even know if we could get close. I'm still a man and it could be frowned upon. It didn't stop us in the end."

"You knew her?"

"Yes. Quite a bit. She helped me all the time. I was just... Sixteen years old. The happiest times I had, were thanks to her" He gives a sigh closing his eyes. "We used to talk every day, even if I didn't come over. We sent letters to each other. Sometimes I couldn't explain to myself how such a beautiful and sweet woman could be so sad."

Yoongi looks somewhat uncomfortable. No one talks about his mother. Not even Agust, although on his part he wanted to understand. The more he thought about whom he might ask, the fewer options he was left with. It never crossed his mind that Jin would be the answer. That it would be a scenario painted with such a loving voice.

"She taught me everything she knew to live in this cruel and twisted world. We laughed together, we cried together, and in the end... I don't think anyone else suffered it like I did" Jin smiles sadly with watery eyes. "However, one of the things I remember most was when she talked to me about standing firm in the face of any hardship. She told me I needed a support. Something to be my support... We were sitting back here, Agust was playing here with a dog and... Well, I found what she said so tender that I know the exact words."

Eunji lays down next to Migurim, the green dragoness snorts, somewhere between amused and curious about the petal dragoness. She's never approached this calmly before.

"I take refuge in my son. In how much I love him. I know it's my safe place. Where I can smile even though I won't be able to even vary my gesture afterwards" Yoongi purses his lips, his eyes watery and gesture contrite. "Only when you have radiant happiness, you know you live in misery. I have faith that, despite everything, you'll get your sun flower too. As I have mine."

"Well, she loved Agust very much, that-"

"She knew Honjoon killed you. Or well, that was his goal... She said: He took one of my little stars from me" He repeats swinging his legs back and forth. "My beautiful empress left without knowing you were still there. She vanished thinking that she could never be happy, that suffering would only grow day by day... My beautiful empress faded away without knowing much about reality."

Jin looks at Yoongi, finding that the prince is sobbing, hugging his two legs. He strokes his back affectionately.

"I wanted to tell you this because you must know that your mother loved you very much. More than anyone else in the world. More than herself... I would be so happy to know that you were reunited with your brother and now you are here" Jin assures. Yoongi sobs and shakes his head a little from where he hides. "Unfortunately everyone remembers Honjoon, they remember the emperor he was and they will tell you that you are great for being his son... Think of yourself as the son of Empress Eunji. Help me to keep her alive. Please."

Yoongi nods tearfully and stays as Jin gets up and rummages through the floor. Having removed a wooden board and just as he imagined, they are still there - Eunji's other journals. Only he knew they were there and he never mentioned it so no one would touch them. Having them all he approaches Yoongi and hands them to him.

"A lot of what wouldn't be considered well-liked she wrote down here. From her anger, to how much she thought about you. I think you must have them." opines Jin and Yoongi feels, taking it in a trembling hand. The fingers healthy, but full of clear scars.

"Were you and her a thing?"

"No, not at all. We just had the same love as flowers to the sun and vice versa." Jin replies with a faint smile.

Some fireworks begin to explode in the sky. Kurimjanie rests his head on Yoongi's legs and Jungkook arrives, noticeably worried that his older half-brother. Jin smiles wider and watches the fireworks, Seok emerging a short distance away, Taehyung sitting next to him so he can lean on his shoulder.

For the first time in a long time, he feels the palace is a little brighter and less quiet. It feels so good to be here. He squints with a smile. He's glad he could be there to see it.

Jin grows a big yellow flower. It may not be at all like what was lost, but it will mark that there once was one and it would grow, multiply and remain as evidence of its light once filling the rooms in the imperial palace.