Flowerpath: Taejin Oneshots

Lily of the valley: Sensitiveness

This is the first spring following Seokjin's marriage to the son of the head alpha of the violet pack. Seated beneath the cherry blossom tree in their yard, he observed as the delicate petals gracefully descended to the ground, forming a carpet. This place was unfamiliar to him, and nobody made an effort to know him, resulting in him spending most of his time alone or in the children's nursery, where he had been assigned as a caretaker for the young ones.

His role as a caretaker was not particularly demanding. He adored children and took great care of them. However, there was a noticeable drawback - he frequently fell ill. It had been five months since his marriage to Taehyung, and within this short period, he had already fallen sick multiple times. He acknowledged that his weak immune system was partly to blame, he knows it wasn't solely due to his job. He understood that the logical course of action would be to address this issue and seek a different position, but he was preoccupied with the fear of burdening others. He was partially aware that he was not welcomed by either the pack or the alpha he had married.

The spring air was not excessively chilly, allowing him to spend his afternoons basking in the sun while engrossed in one of the novels he had started nearly a month ago. Occasionally, he would pause to sneeze or cough. It had been over a week since he caught a cold. Typically, his homemade herbal remedies would alleviate his symptoms within two days, but this time, his concoction seemed to have failed him.

He let out a weary sigh, rising from his seat and gently wiping away the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes. "I suppose I should get some medicine for myself," he whispered to himself, though the thought of doing so seemed overwhelming. The idea of stepping outside and engaging in conversation with someone was daunting, not to mention the potential financial strain if he were to seek the assistance of a healer. If he did, he wouldn't have enough money left to purchase the books he had asked the bookstore owner to set aside for him. However, if he continued to remain ill, he wouldn't be able to fulfill his work obligations and would lose his monthly allowance. Lost in contemplation, he eventually rose to his feet and brushed off the dirt from his gown.

After much consideration, he made the decision to go ahead and purchase the medicine. He wrapped his usual silk scarf around his neck and left the house. He and Taehyung lived separately from their parents, having been gifted their own place after their wedding. There was no one to question his whereabouts, and as for Taehyung, he rarely saw the alpha around anyway.

As he made his way down the path towards the healer's hut, he couldn't help but feel the weight of judgment from those around him, particularly due to the scarf he always wore around his neck. He knew that as summer approached, it would become suffocating to have it draped there, and he dreaded the inevitable shame of baring his neck with no claim mark despite having been mated for two seasons.

He lightly tapped on the healer's door, which swung open to allow him in shortly after. "What brings joy to my dear visitor, the future head omega of the violet pack," the healer greeted with a warm smile that calmed Seokjin's nerves somewhat. Seokjin respectfully bowed, "I've been battling a cold for an entire week now," he confided in the older beta.

"Well, it seems like the cold has taken a liking to you, judging by the details you've shared with me," he chuckled, although Jin didn't find the joke amusing he still smiled shyly. The healer moved closer, placing a hand on his chest, causing Seokjin to flinch at the unexpected touch, "You don't need to force a laugh if you don't find the joke funny," he reassured Jin, who was now resembling a beetroot.

"Alright, take slow breaths for me," the healer instructed, and Jin complied. After checking Seokjin's pulse and examining his mouth, he diagnosed him with a severe cold - an infection accompanied by fever, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing, which matched Seokjin's symptoms.