Safe With You | Yoonmin

Chapter 17: The Truth

| Jimin |

JIMIN GLARED FROM TAEHYUNG TO JUNGKOOK, then back again. Today, Jimin and his fellow apprentice were in the process of draining clay. Or at least they were supposed to be.

The raw clay harvested from the riverbanks was unusable in its natural form. First, the clay had to be placed into a wide wooden tub. They would add water, then use wooden paddles to stir and mix the clay until it fully combined with the water, forming a viscous grey-green mud.

After every lump disappeared, the heavy mud was poured through a sieve to remove any gravel or small pebbles. This part took patience and usually had to be repeated many times.

The silky, filtered mud was then left in a different, less water-tight tub and covered with a cloth. Over the course of several days the excess water would drain away or rise to the top where it could be poured off, leaving only the dense, purified clay behind, ready for moulding.

Currently, Jimin and Taehyung were still in the first mixing stage.

They were out in the yard behind the shop, kneeling before the tub and stirring the heavy paddles back and forth. Only, Taehyung's paddle kept faltering as he grew distracted because there, less than a dozen paces away, was Jungkook, chopping wood for the kiln.

The young alpha was shirtless, tan, and sweaty. Muscles rippling and flexing as he effortlessly wielded the axe. And the beta was a goner, something that irritated Jimin beyond reason this afternoon.

"Taehyung," Jimin scolded as his paddle collided with the beta's yet again. "Tae," he reached out and waved a hand in front of his friend's face, then finally he snapped, "Kim Taehyung!"

The beta startled, his dreamy expression vanishing. "Oh? What."

"Stop drooling and get back to work," Jimin grumbled, nudging Taehyung's paddle with his own.

The beta had the grace to look embarrassed, squeaking out a mild, "Sorry..."

They continued to work in diligent silence, stirring until their arms ached.

"Jimin," the beta piped up, "I walked by the carpentry shop this morning, but I didn't see Yoongi. Do you know where he is today?"

"I wouldn't know," Jimin said bitterly, earning a surprised look.

"I think he's fishing with Jin," Jungkook called over to them, "I saw them heading out early this morning."

"Oh! Maybe they'll bring the fish to Hobi's for dinner," said Taehyung, stirring with more enthusiasm now that food had been mentioned.

But just a moment later the beta's paddle faltered again. Jimin shot him another sharp look, only, Taehyung wasn't distracted by the alpha this time. A male beta had just appeared from around the side of the shop. His robes were those of a royal servant.

"Hello," Jungkook said politely, setting the axe aside. "Can we help you?"

The servant's eyes landed on Jimin, "I'm here for the omega."

"You mean Jimin," Taehyung corrected.

Jimin stood up and brushed the dust from his knees, "What is it?"