Days of Grace | vkook

°8: Behind the Scenes

     Overwhelmed.

If there was any word to describe Jungkook's current state, it was the eleven-lettered adjective that had occupied his face to the very last inch.

Since the men had left the palace, Hoseok had somehow transformed from an ordinary soldier into a full-time courier, passionately explaining every single detail about the capital and its features.

Without any pause.

Non. Stop.

It's like he ate a whole map, Jungkook thought as he listened closely to his comrade's never-ending explanations.

"During the Song Dynasty, a great earthquake destroyed most of Haehandosi, including the emperor's palace and the majority of buildings located in the south of the town. It's one of the biggest disasters that happened within the kingdom, and in honor of the victims and the deceased, the emperor decided to create this gate, also known as Gieog, as a memorial. You can still see a little bit of the inscription on the right archway, but it has faded throughout the years to the point where you can barely recognize any syllable... well, at least I can't," Hoseok said, chuckling.

With his hand shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight, Jungkook looked up and spotted some guards supervising the land outside the town. "Is it the only entrance to the capital?"

"Technically, yes. But there is a second one in the East. Didn't you pass it yesterday?"

A small flashback hit Jungkook as he recalled the last few hours, and indeed, he remembered the stony gate they had passed as soon as they had left the woods. So that's the second gate he's talking about, Jungkook realized.

"Right, we crossed through the woods and oriented ourselves towards the Han River. Somehow the arrival slipped from my mind," the soldier shared his thoughts as he rubbed his neck in slight embarrassment.

"It's okay. I'm sure you were preoccupied with observing your surroundings for any bandits. I've heard that their attacks on travelers have increased."

"Honestly, I don't know. My colleagues also warned me and recommended remaining vigilant. But apart from encountering a group of nomads, there were no abnormalities or interruptions during my ride," Jungkook said.

Even if they had been stopped by bandits or other criminals, Jungkook had nothing, absolutely nothing, valuable to offer. The bronze mark every soldier received after their entrance ceremony was the one and only item he was deeply attached to. It was his secret treasure, cherished from the moment his father had given it to him.

"God, this world is becoming more unsafe and dangerous day by day," Hoseok sighed and then signaled Jungkook to continue their tour.

Both men trotted along the streets of the town. Hoseok remained an unstoppable waterfall of words, while Jungkook tried to absorb all the information he was being bombarded with. At the same time, he made an effort to avoid colliding with the bustling citizens, as the streets grew more crowded the closer they got to the marketplace.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun had left their group a while ago, growing slightly bored with their friend's enthusiasm for showcasing his knowledge about the town and its history. Even Jungkook had lost track of the conversation at times, drifting into distant thoughts. However, he surprisingly found himself enjoying the orange-head's talkative nature. It had been far too long since he had experienced such a carefree and peaceful day. Jungkook felt a sense of peculiarity strolling through the streets without a specific task at hand.

"Hey, are you hungry? Because I am. And it's probably our last chance to eat before we head to the church," Hoseok asked as they reached the beginning of the marketplace.