strange addiction {y.guk}

prologue

the toddler's bare feet stomped over soft grass in the garden as he ran across it towards his mother, giggles spilling past his lips. "mama!"

"oh, you're getting so big, my sweet baby boy!" the queen wrapped the little boy into her arms and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. "let's go find, papa, shall we?" she let him wrap his limps around her as she stood from her crouching position, running her fingers through his soft brown locks.

he made a noise of disapproval, shaking his head. "no! no, papa!"

"jeongguk," his mother spoke sternly, "this is the only time you get to see papa."

-

jeongguk layed flat on his back in the garden staring up at the clouds. it was his eighth birthday, but there was no way to celebrate. his mother and father were gone on a trip to another town. they left weeks ago and were supposed to be back in time, but that obviously didn't happen.

suddenly, he heard movement. he lifted his head and saw a boy about his age that looked like he was caught doing something that he shouldn't have been doing. and that was exactly what was happening.

"who are you?" jeongguk jumped up, moving towards the shorter boy.

"uh- i'm sorry! i- i was looking around, and i saw all this and thought it was super pretty! i'm really sorry!"

"i said who are you?"

"o-oh.." the boy's face flushed as stared down at his feet. "i'm park jimin. my father started working here recently, and i didn't have anywhere else to go. i'm staying in the servant's quarters with him."

"and you think you can just wander around wherever you want?" jeongguk crossed his arms.

"i just- wait." jimin finally realized he was getting bossed around by someone his age, possibly younger. "who are you."

"i am prince jeon." he tilted his head up sassily, a satisfied look on his face.

"hm. well, how old are you, your highness?"

suddenly, jeongguk's head fell. he shoved his hands in his pockets. "it's my birthday. i turn eight today. how old are you?"

jimin's eyes widened. "i'm nine, but that doesn't matter. it's your birthday! why aren't you doing anything special?"

"my parents have been gone for the past two weeks," jeongguk mumbled.

it was then official decided that jeongguk and jimin were friends, and they threw the best birthday party of all time in the garden. there were flower crowns, dancing, and plenty of laughter fill the sadness at the pit of jeongguk's stomach.

-

"you look way to young to be teaching me." jeongguk sat at the table in the castle's library with a book open in front of him, and a teenager sitting across from him.

"i'm pretty far ahead of everyone else my age." the man pushed up his round glasses, flipping the pages in the identical copy of his book.

"namjoon, right? and how old are you? sixteen?" the twelve year-old crossed his arms, blowing his long bangs out of his face. he really needed a hair-cut.

namjoon laughed, shaking his head. "no, sir. i'm eighteen." it felt odd, to the older male, calling jeongguk sir, but he had to considering his rank in society.

"well," jeongguk sighed dramatically, "let's get started then, shall we?"

-

jeongguk sat on his bed with his knees pulled to his chest. he had been lost in his thoughts all day when he was interrupted by a knock at the door. he already knew who it was, so he told them to come in."

the door slowly creaked open, and jimin's head popped through the opening. "hey- wait. jeonggukie, what's wrong?" jimin was the only person in the castle jeongguk allowed to call him by name, considering they were best friends. yes, the boy was his servant, but he was also the only one to keep him company in the hollow castle.

"nothing." jeongguk shook his head, letting his head rest on his knees.

jimin knew better. he shut the door as he stepped in and walked over to the depressed boy. "i can tell when you're upset. you should know this by now."

jeongguk sighed and moved over so there was room for his friend. jimin took the offer and plopped down next to him. "you know what today is. and they said they'd be back in time, but you know how it usually goes." his voice cracked at the end. it was jeongguk's sixteenth birthday, and his parents left a month ago, saying they'd be back. of course, they weren't.

wrapping his arm around the younger  boy, jimin pulled him to his chest. "i know, i'm sorry. but we're throwing a little party for you, so don't be too sad, okay?"

"who is we?" jeongguk looked up at jimin.

"well, seokjin-hyung convinced everyone else in the kitcen to make dinner for just us tonight, hoseok-hyung will be there for entertainment, taehyung-hyung is going to style an outfit for you, and namjoon-hyung will also be there. he won't be doing much since he's just your teacher. but i know deep down you like him."

jeongguk teared up a bit and hugged his friend. "thank you, jimin-hyung."

-

"you're lying!" tears streamed down jeongguk's face.

jeongguk's father stood in front of him, a somber look on his face. "i wish it wasn't true either, son, but i can't help it. she was already ill before we left. there was no saving her. at least she's at peace now."

"it's all your fault! why didn't you leave her here! you knew she would die. there was no one to help along the way. she would've had it here." jeongguk continued to yell at his father, accusing him of his mother's death. he finally stopped, his chest rising and falling quickly. storming away, he shoved past his father while muttering, "you shelfish bastard."

-