Broken Wings

7. Jimin

Jimin woke up with an overwhelming desire to return to his peaceful slumber. He shook his head wildly, trying to get rid of the fuzziness in his head. The events of last night hadn't yet registered as all he recalled was his shock at the mystery girl stealing his bracelet. Jimin's head ached and his body was sore. Rolling his shoulders to relieve the joints, he groaned loudly as his mind continued to thrum. After returning from the bar, he hadn't changed; the dirty shirt still stuck to his skin and his pants rode up to his ankles. Jimin stretched and walked to the full-length mirror, rubbing his eyes. His hair stuck up in different angles and his eyes were puffy. 

I am not touching alcohol again for some time.

A crash in his room made him turn abruptly, head aching even more from the sudden noise.

"Good morning, Areum." Jimin grinned, almost childish. The middle-aged woman stared in shock at the boy, her mouth agape and shoulders slack. She regained her composure and put her knuckles to her hips with a cross look. 

"Jimin! Is this how a young prince is supposed to look? Did you roll in the mud last night?" Her high-pitched voice echoed in the room, making him wince at the loud tone. She was the only one on the staff that he allowed to address him so casually.

"It's not yet time for my duties, Areum." He unbuttoned his shirt, not shy as she had cared for him since he was a child. Her cheeks huffed, turning them bright red in anger. 

"You have to present yourself properly at all times, Jimin. Whether you are the crown prince or not." Areum leaned to pick up the broken pieces of the ceramic jug. Her over-cleanliness had put her in charge of the staff. She never hesitated to speak up to him and didn't bother about the consequences. 

Jimin rolled his eyes at her, not wanting to be lectured early in the morning.

"Did you make those cookies I asked for?" He asked, changing the topic. Areum scoffed, her cheeks still blotched in annoyance. 

"And how could I refuse the request of my favorite prince?" She asked, her eyes still focused on clearing the mess. A lopsided grin split Jimin's face, washing it with an innocent look. A hiss of pain left his mouth as the scar on his back burned again. 

"Heavens, is that the work of a lanther?! You didn't bother to treat it properly, too! What if it were to get infected?" Her footsteps sounded closer and closer to him, as she threw open his closet to search for a clean rag. Cool water touched his back as she dabbed the rag on his back, cleaning it. 

"Wait here!" Her impatient voice boomed as she left the room. Jimin sat there crouching, waiting for Areum to come back. She entered the room again with a salve and bandages. Jimin hissed continuously as she rubbed the salve on his back, burning the scarred skin. She quickly wrapped him up with bandages and patted his head roughly. Areum had a weird way of aggressively showing her affection.

"Now, go wash up! Your uncl- I mean, His Majesty, is arriving in an hour." Her back was turned to him, moving out of the doors with the broken pieces. His uncle? Eyes widening as realization dawned on him, he moved to his bathing room. As he sank into the hot water in the tub, he could recall fleeting moments of last night. Jungkook and he had gotten so drunk they couldn't tell their way back to the palace. He couldn't remember when or how they got home, but Jimin was glad no one else witnessed him in that state. Jimin scrubbed himself clean, got rid of the stubble on his chin, and gave complete care not to touch the scarring wound on his back. 

Dressed up from head to toe, he adjusted his collar before exiting his room. Jimin's throat was parched, and he denied the urge to swallow. Upon reaching the hallway, he heard a strong voice speak.

"Let our soldiers prepare for the upcoming meeting. We have to be careful in case they ambush us." 

"Yes, Your Majesty." An advisor bowed to the man sitting on the throne. Unknowingly, Jimin's lips lifted into a small, genuine smile on seeing his uncle.