Hold My Hand - A Taekook Love Story.

44 - I Wish I Could Ease Your Heart...

Jungkook was standing next to the window, looking at the shining moon, when a pair of hands sneaked around his waist.

“What are you thinking?”

The gentle wind blowing through the open window was cold, especially against Taehyung's warm embrace. Jungkook turned sideways and leaned into the sturdy chest behind him some more, until he was fully engulfed in the warmth of the other man.

“I was thinking about my father.” Jungkook whispered against Taehyung's chest. “And my brother.”

“Hmm.. I know you're worried. But Yoongi hyung said they were unharmed right?”

“But.. I don't know.” Jungkook sighed. “I feel this uneasiness in my heart. Like something bad is about to happen.”

“Nothing like that will happen, Kookie. I understand your worries, I really do. I wish there's something I can do to ease your heart.”

Jungkook gently tapped Taehyung's hand which was draped over Jungkook's body. “This is enough.”

Taehyung gave a soft kiss to the side of Jungkook's head, and kept his lips there for a few additional seconds as well. “Come back to bed. I'm sure Jimin will be able to return with better news.”

Jungkook hummed in agreement and let Taehyung guide him back to the bed. It took a while for sleep to take over him fully but at least it felt much better to worry between Taehyung's arms than alone in the cold.

After Yoongi's sudden arrival, Jimin decided to leave with him. As per the arrangement Hoseok had with Yoongi, they had a specific date of the week and time to meet. They would meet at a local brothel, where Yoongi would give a rundown on Jungkook's week. If it were something urgent, Yoongi was to find a stable boy named Soobin, and he would know where to find Hoseok.

But due to the attack on the palace, the security had been tightened and no outsiders were allowed into the inner gourds of the palace. So Yoongi hadn't been able to contact Hoseok. It's not like he could ask the guards to fetch the commander for him. But Jimin had been a guard for so long and should probably be allowed inside.

They would have left in the night itself but they needed to find a horse for Jimin and should probably get a new one for Yoongi as well cause his horse would be too tired to make a round trip.

The morning started late for Taehyung and Jungkook. Mainly because it was very late at night when they finally fell asleep and also because they decided it would be best if Jungkook didn't go to work today. They didn't know who attacked the prince but the fact that it happened simultaneously with the attack on the palace, are reasons enough to deduce that they both are parts of the same master plan. With Jimin gone as well, Jungkook is pretty much unprotected so going out of the house will probably be unwise. At Taehyung's request, Jimin had been teaching the former some combat moves but it will take a long while for Taehyung to be helpfully in a fight against a crowd.

After breakfast though, Hara had some errands for Taehyung to run. He tried to get out of those but his attempts were futile. They got into an argument, a slight one because Taehyung could never raise his voice at his mother. Finally, when Hara started to blame Jungkook for making Taehyung stay at home, the latter agreed reluctantly.

After making Jungkook promises not to set a foot outside the house and assuring the younger that he will be gone for a couple of hours at most, Taehyung left the house. It was to deliver some side dishes to an elderly couple that lives on the other side of the village. Hara sends them food once in every while so Taehyung didn't think much of it at the moment.

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“Father..” The crown prince was pleading on his knees. “We have to get a guards unit to Jungkook. He might be in danger!!”

“You think I don't know that?!” The king slammed the cup he was holding to the flow. “I'm worried out of my mind here. But Hoseok is severely injured and I don't know his informant. I can't blindly send a troop of soldiers to Jungkook's house. For one, we would be compromising his security even more by revealing his identity. Not to mention he will forever hate me for disrupting his life again. Well, nothing new there, I'm sure he hates me already. Oh my dear child..”

“Father!!”

The crown prince quickly stumbled to his feet and ran towards the king when he noticed the latter falling from his seat. The prince was able to reach before the king hit the ground and was startled to see the tears in his father's eyes. This was only the second time the prince saw his father cry, the first was when the Queen died.

“F-father..”

“My child..” The King whispered through his silent tears. “My precious child.”

The crown prince couldn't help the moisture in his own eyes. They may be the king and the prince of the nation. But in front of the people they love, they are as defenseless as any other man.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, before a knock was heard from the door.

“Greetings, your majesty. The guard, Park Jimin, is humbly requesting an audience.”

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Jimin has never ridden a horse that fast. The ground shook with the impact of the hooves, and the clopping sound of it could be heard from a mile even.

As soon as the words about Jungkook's attack were out of Jimin's mouth, the king ordered two of his best guard units to protect and safely bring the younger prince back to the palace. The command of those two groups were entrusted to Jimin, because even though Jimin had never commanded a unit, the king trusted him over anyone else when it came to Jungkook's safety. Had Hoseok been well, he would have indeed been the one sent for this task.

So Jimin, along with Yoongi and two dozens of royal guards, rode the dusty roads. People were peeking out from their houses and workplaces, but the entourage passed without stopping anywhere else, until they reached the house of Kim Seonwoo.

Hara was the one who came out of the house first, closely followed by Seolhee. The moment the dust cleared and they saw the face of Jimin at the head of the royal guard troop, their faces morphed into one of pure horror.

Jimin didn't spare them a single glance. As soon as the horse screeched to a halt in front of the house, Jimin jumped down and ran inside. The house was a small one, it took maybe half a minute for him to realize that neither Jungkook nor Taehyung was in the house.

“Where's Do hwan?!” Jimin ran out of the house and stopped in front of the cowering figures of two women. “Where is he?!”

“W-we-” Hara couldn't even get the words out without stuttering. “W-we don't k-know.”

“What?!” Jimin thundered. “Where's Taehyung?”

“H-he went to old man Choi's h-house.”

Jimin turned to look at Yoongi, who gave a small nod, confirming that he knew who that was.

“And Do Hwan didn't go with him?”

“N-no.” Hara gulped down visibly. “H-he went somewhere a-after that. D-didn't say w-where.”

Jimin stared at the woman, whom he knew was clearly lying. And he knew just how to get her to speak as well. To be honest, he had been waiting to do this for a while now too.

“Seize them!” Jimin ordered the guards behind him. “And make them speak. We need to find the prince and his companion right now!”