Mistaken for a Melody

Chapter 7

"Hello, hello, hello, hello, tell me what you want right now," the orange haired jester sang as he walked down the hallway, "Hello, hello, hello, hello, imma give it to you girl right now". His voice silenced as he saw Ji-min leaning into the hallway wall shaking. Tae-hyung crept close to the young prince and gently tapped his shaking shoulder. Ji-min jumped and turned around to stare wide eyed at Tae-hyung. "Are you okay?" Tae-hyung asked.

As soon as the question left his lips, Ji-min broke down in tears. Tae-hyung quickly scooped the crown prince into his arms and rubbed his back soothingly. "It's ok," he whispered into the young prince's ear, "It will all be ok".

"How...can...you....know....you...don't......even, " Ji-min managed to stutter out through the tears and hiccups.

"Shhh, no talking for now," Tae-hyung whispered to the crying boy. "Come with me, I'll take you to your room". Tae-hyung helped lead Ji-min down the hallway to his room. He pushed open the large door and the boy immediately went to his bed and curled up into a ball.

Jeong-guk sat up in a daze. "What the hell?" He muttered as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. He looked over at his crying friend and then at the court jester trying to figure out what happened. His face clouded over in anger, "What the hell did you do to him?"

"Nothing," Tae-hyung threw his hands up in the air, "He was upset when I found him."

"Sure," Jeong-guk sneered at the joker and rushed over to his crying friend.

"It's not his fault," Ji-min muttered through the pillow that he had pressed his face into. Jeong-guk sat down on the bed and began to soothe his friend.

"What happened?" Jeong-guk whispered as he began to run his fingers through Ji-min's silver hair. The prince just shook his head and tried to bury deeper into the pillow. Jeong-guk's eyes softened as he continued to soothe his friend. "It's ok," he paused, "we don't have to talk about it right now". Jeong-guk looked up suddenly, remembering that Tae-hyung was still in the room, "Thank you for your help".

"It was no big deal honestly," Tae-hyung smiled.

"It is, he hates people to see him crying," Jeong-guk smiled softly back.

"Well then," Tae-hyung's eyes lit with an idea, "let's get rid of those tears shall we." The jester bounded over to the bed and knelt down beside Ji-min. The silver haired boy peaked out at Tae-hyung with confused eyes. "Let's go on a picnic".

"What?" Ji-min gawked at Tae-hyung.

"It's nearly lunch time and I can tell you don't want to deal with certain members of this auspicious court," Taehyung grinned. "I can go downstairs put together a basket and give you a short tour of the beautiful lands of this castle. No one will question it!"

Jeong-guk opened his mouth to decline when Ji-min quietly spoke, "sounds perfect".

"Alright," Tae-hyung gave the boy a thumbs up, "Now I will go downstairs and make the preparations by the time I come back here I want you changed and ready for an adventure." Tae-hyung reached out and began wiping at the prince's tear stained cheeks, "Is that a deal?"

Ji-min wiped away the rest of the tears and sat up on his bed, "You have got yourself a deal." Tae-hyung gave the boys a boxy smile and quickly disappeared out the door of the room.

---------------------------------------Downstairs--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Can you please put together a picnic lunch basket together? The young prince and his guest requested a tour of the grounds and I thought a picnic lunch would be awesome," Tae-hyung asked the chef.

"You're taking Ji-min and Jeong-guk out of a picnic?" King Seok-jin questioned as he entered the kitchen.

"Ah, your majesty," Tae-hyung bent his head slightly, "Prince Ji-min seemed to have an upsetting morning so I thought he would enjoy to see the beautiful gardens to lift his spirits."

"Upsetting morning," Seok-jin frowned.

"I found him outside of Prince Yoon-gi's room," Tae-hyung said solemly, "I had heard his music coming from there earlier".

"Oh dear," Seok-jin put his hand to his mouth, "You don't think..."

Tae-hyung cut him off, "I do think."

"Someone needs to tell him," Seok-jin muttered.

"Hence the picnic," Tae-hyung answered.

"Thank you," Seok-jin smiled and ruffled the jester's orange hair. "I am always very grateful that you chose to come and stay in our court".

"Ah, and I am grateful you invited me," he winked and accepted the basket that was being handed to him. "And now I am off, Farewell your majesty," Tae-hyung nodded his head again and exited the room.

King Seok-jin looked over at the chef with a small frown, "I would prepare a small lunch that can be stored. I have a feeling everyone is going to have a late lunch."

-----------------------------------------------Yoon-gi's Room-------------------------------------------------------

King Seok-jin stood outside of his son's door. Harsh music was blaring out into the hallway. He rapped loudly on the door and practically yelled, "Suga, it's me. Let me in. Please." The music paused and the door barely cracked open. Seok-jin pushed the door the rest of the way open and saw his son with angry red puffy eyes. The king quickly shut the door and took Yoon-gi into his arms. Yoon-gi clung to his father and began to cry.

"Why?" he stuttered in between sobs. Seok-jin rubbed his son's back and began to rub his fingers through the mint hair.

"I know," Seok-jin muttered as he rocked his son.

"I just can't," he sobbed, "I try over and over."

"Shhh," Seok-jin comforted, "I know. I know."