The Lustful Duty // Taekook FF 21+

Chapter 14

The days pass slowly for the prince. He's restless and distracted, unable to focus on his daily tasks and responsibilities. All he can think about is Taehyung, and the rejection he felt still stings painfully. 

He tries to act normally, to continue his life as if everything is fine, but it's difficult. Everywhere he goes, he's reminded of Taehyung, and the memories of their time together haunt him.

Having Taehyung so close to him, yet feeling so distant and unreachable, is like a constant thorn in the prince's side. He longs to talk to him, to explain his feelings and hope for a different outcome. 

But every time he looks at Taehyung, he's met with a cool, distant gaze. Taehyung's expression is indifferent, his body language closed off and unapproachable.

The prince tries to initiate conversation a few times, but Taehyung responds with polite but distant replies, his eyes refusing to meet the prince's. It's like trying to talk to a brick wall, and the prince feels more and more discouraged with each attempt. 

As the days pass, the prince grows more and more frustrated and desperate. He wants to talk to Taehyung, to make him understand how he feels. But no matter what he does, Taehyung remains aloof and unmoved.

The prince's frustration continues to mount, his feelings for Taehyung growing stronger and more difficult to ignore. He can't understand why Taehyung is shutting him out like this, and it's driving him crazy.

He starts to become more irritable and snappish, snapping at his servants and advisors for little things. His mind is constantly preoccupied with Taehyung, and it's affecting his ability to focus on his duties.

Whereas Taehyung is caught in whirlwind of his emotions, he has nothing more to talk to prince about that night. He knows prince is growing more and more irritable because of him but he can't do anything.  He is feeling different,  he knows there's something but he isn't ready to accept it yet.

He's also feeling guilty for the way he's treating the prince, knowing how hurt and confused he must be. But no matter how much he tries to push the feeling away, it keeps coming back, gnawing at him relentlessly.

Taehyung's guilt and confusion only seem to grow as time goes on. He's constantly reminded of the prince's presence, and no matter how much he tries to ignore it, he can't help but notice the sadness and the frustration in his eyes. 

He's also becoming more and more aware of his own feelings, the way his heart seems to race when the prince is near, the way his body responds to his touch. It's like a constant tug-of-war within him, and it's tearing him apart.

Taehyung's internal battle is taking a toll on his health and his focus. He's not sleeping well, his mind plagued with dreams of the prince and the memories of the night he rejected him.
 
He's also become more withdrawn, his usual cheerfulness replaced by a quiet and contemplative mood. His friends and coworkers notice the change in him, but he brushes off their concerns with short and blunt answers.

One day

Bogum asked "Hey, Taehyung, you seem off today. Something on your mind?"

"No, it's nothing. I'm just tired."

"You sure? You've been distracted all day. Your form is off too. You need to focus."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'll do better."

"Is it the prince? Did something happen between you two?"

What the hell? What will happen?

"Whoa, calm down. I was just asking. You two have been acting weird lately. I thought something might have happened."

"Nothing happened!"

"Are you sure? Because you're acting like someone just kicked your puppy."

Taehyung snapped "I said NOTHING HAPPENED!"

"Whoa, alright, alright. Jeez, you don't need to bite my head off.Alright, alright, I'll drop it. I was just concerned, you know. You've never been this irritated before."

"It's nothing. I'm just...going through some stuff. Personal stuff."

"Personal stuff, huh? You want to talk about it?"

"No. I don't want to talk about it. Can we just train, please?"

"Okay, fine. We'll train. But you know you can talk to me if you want."

"Thanks, but I'm good. Let's just focus on training, alright?"

"Alright, fine. Let's get to it then."

Taehyung tries to focus on his training, but his mind keeps wandering. He can't stop thinking about the prince, and it's making him even more agitated than before.

After a week

Bogum and the princess are huddled together in a secluded hallway, their voices hushed as they discuss what they just witnessed.

Bogum said "I can't believe the prince raised his voice like that. That's not like him at all."

The princess replied "I don't understand what's going on with him. He's been so on edge lately."

"Do you think it has something to do with Taehyung?"

"What do you mean? What does Taehyung have to do with it?"

"I don't know. It's just that they've been acting strange around each other. I overheard them having a heated argument the other day."

"An argument? About what?"

"I don't know exactly, it's just he came to my home that day but Taehyung left in middle of night and now they are behaving like this."

"That's definitely odd. But I have a feeling there's something we're not seeing here. Something more than just an argument."

"Like what? Do you think they had a fight?"

"Could be. But I also have a feeling it's more complex than that. Something personal, something between them."

What could even happen between them? Maybe just a friendship fight?

"Maybe. But why would they act like this for so long over a simple friendship fight?"

"You think there's more to it?"

"I'm starting to think there is. I've never seen them like this before. Something big must have happened between them."

"Let's not get more into it..."

"Yeah, you're right. It's none of our business anyway. I'm just concerned about the prince. He hasn't been himself lately."

"I know. I'm worried about him too. I just wish he would talk to us about it."

Taehyung heard all of this. His heart skipped a beat as he heard the princess and Bogum's conversation. He had been walking down the hallway, but he froze in his tracks as he heard their voices.

Suddenly he felt even more agitated and conflicted. He shouldn't have overheard their conversation, but he couldn't help it. Now he knows the princess and Bogum are concerned about the prince, and it only adds more guilt and anxiety to his already tangled up emotions.

And also he is anxious that they might find out why were they fighting.

Taehyung found himself walking towards the prince's room as if he was drawn to it. He didn't know why he was going there, but his feet were moving on their own accord.

As he approached the door, he paused for a moment, his heart beating fast and his mind racing. He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock gently on the door.