♔ Royal Pain ♔ → kth | jjk

XXXVI

heads up: you might get four or so notifs that I updated (aside from this) this story bc I'm dumb and f-ed up the roman numeral chapter headings a few chapters back and gotta fix it lmao 

also hi i'm officially done with the school year, next week I start working and the week after bring on the nannying oh mAn

and wow??? 100K+ reads is ACTUALLY insane!!! Thank you all so sososo much <3

(also before you read I'd just like to say:

sry)

Jeongguk's life had been close to perfect ever since he and Taehyung had officially become husbands. (He uses the term 'close' because let's be real, nothing is truly perfect). There was nothing to worry about aside from the usual stresses of being King and stupid fights over who forgot to turn the bathroom light off at night. Just dumb things like that, really.

"I feel like this is all a dream." Jeongguk had mused to Jimin, who he had gone to visit for a weekend. Taehyung urged his lover to see his best friend and relax, insisting he had the Kingdom under control. Jeongguk didn't need to be told twice. When he was given the chance to relax, he would take it. 

Jimin nodded and pinched him, earning a slight yelp from his friend. "Nope. You're awake." He teased. 

"But seriously, Jimin! You feel like that too, don't you? Did you ever expect you'd be living in a palace?!" Jeongguk exclaimed and rest both hands on the banister of the balcony that was built off the very top floor, facing out towards the ocean. "I mean... Just look at this view..."

Jimin did so, even though he saw it every day now. "You're right... I do." He smiled a little. "But I'm slowly coming to terms with this all being reality. But enough about me! How are you and Tae doing? How's your dad?"

Jeongguk couldn't help but smile as he turned to face his best friend. "You know, Jimin... I think for once I can honestly say that everything is great. Really great."

Maybe he had spoken too soon.

In fact, he had. 

It was the middle of the night before Jeongguk was due to return home when he woke up with a start, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Something had startled him awake, and when there was a crack of thunder outside he figured that it was just that- thunder. Perhaps being away from home was messing with his sleep patterns.

However a violent buzzing jolted him out of his groggy daze and he realized it hadn't been the storm outside, but his cellphone vibrating against the night stand beside his bed. Jeongguk reached over and grabbed it, and by the time he had the call had automatically been declined. He squinted to look at the painfully bright screen. 

12 Missed Calls from Namjoon

Jeongguk felt his chest tighten. It wasn't like Namjoon to call him ever, unless it was an emergency- especially at 2 in the morning. 

Without any further mental processing, he immediately called back and with every ring he swore his heart grew closer to exploding. 

"Jeongguk- Oh my god, Jeongguk, oh my god-"

That wasn't Namjoon's voice. Jeongguk's eyes widened as the broken, whimpering voice registered fully. 

"Tae- is that- What's wrong? Are you hurt? Are you okay? What is it?" He began to panic, rising from his bed to hurriedly throw his belongings together so he could leave at once. 

There was a shaky breath on the other line and Jeongguk was bracing himself for the worst, standing above his suitcase as he waited. 

"I'm fine, Ggukie, but-"