The Eternal Quest | NamJin

Chapter 5 : First Date

As Namjoon drove, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, barely registering the scenery flashing past the windows. The familiar streets of Seoul blurred into an indistinct haze as his thoughts fixated on one overwhelming question: how could this be happening?

Just a week ago, he had come across an old painting of the deceased King Kim Seokjin while researching at the national archives. The resemblance between the ancient king and the man he had just met was uncanny—down to the last detail. Namjoon shook his head slightly, trying to clear his mind. It had to be a coincidence, didn't it?

Glancing at Taehyung, who was sitting beside him, happily chatting about his visit, Namjoon felt a pang of guilt. He couldn't share this with his brother, not yet. Taehyung had been so excited to meet Seokjin, and Namjoon didn't want to cloud his joy with these strange, unsettling thoughts.

"I can't believe I finally met him, hyung," Taehyung was saying, his face glowing with enthusiasm. "Seokjin-ssi is even more amazing than I imagined. And his cooking! You have to try it sometime."

Namjoon forced a smile, trying to focus on Taehyung's words. "Yeah, maybe one day. I'm glad you had a good time."

But as Taehyung continued to recount his day, Namjoon's mind drifted back to the painting. He couldn't ignore the chilling similarity. And to make this more difficult both of their name is Kim Seokjin. He had to know more.

"I need to get home and continue my research," he thought, gripping the steering wheel tighter. There was no way he could reveal any of this to Taehyung until he had concrete answers. For now, he'd keep it to himself and delve deeper into the archives, the old texts, and any other resources he could find.

The car turned onto their street, and Namjoon took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease. He needed to stay focused. He needed answers. Until then, he'd keep Taehyung in the dark and protect him from any possible danger.

"You're awfully quiet, hyung," Taehyung noted, glancing at Namjoon with a hint of concern.

"Just thinking about some work stuff," Namjoon lied smoothly. "But don't worry about me. Let's get home and have that dinner I promised."

Taehyung smiled… "Hyung, how did you find the manor? Even though I shared the location, I'm pretty sure it’s hidden in the middle of nowhere."

Namjoon kept his eyes on the road, the corners of his mouth tightening slightly. "When I came home and noticed you still hadn't arrived, I called you, but you didn't pick up. I got nervous and decided to drive there myself. Halfway, I found Hobi and he got into the car. He said he knew Kim Seokjin's home and showed me the way.

"Hobi hyung came?" Taehyung asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes," Namjoon nodded. "But near the manor, he got off, saying he had some other stuff to take care of. I didn't have time to tell him to wait until I came back because I was in such a hurry to find you."

Taehyung nodded slowly, digesting this information. After a few moments of silence, he glanced sideways at Namjoon, a hint of reproach in his eyes. "Hyung…. Don't think I didn't notice how cold-shouldered you were to Jin hyung."

Namjoon sighed, gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter. "Tae, it's not that I dislike him. It’s just...complicated."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Complicated how? Jin hyung was nothing but kind and welcoming. Plus, he’s Jungkook’s brother. You know Jungkook, don't you.. The CEO?"

Namjoon took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "It’s not about trust. There are things about Seokjin-ssi that don’t quite add up. I’m just being cautious, Tae. I don’t want you to get hurt."