Royal Lesson |KTH x JJK|✓

~35~

Jungkook slipped out of the castle during the day, thinking nobody would expect it. He had to run, and he felt so guilty and so selfish because he didn't want to marry Princess Song. But he had a kingdom to take care of, and he had his parents to watch over, and he had Jimin, the one who was there for him through everything.

Jungkook made a promise to himself that he'd go back for Jimin, and maybe Yoongi because he knew how special love was. He couldn't break them apart after knowing what it felt like.

The young royal ran for hours, sticking to the outskirts of the town so he wouldn't get caught. He didn't know where to go, who to trust- besides one person. He waited until dawn set in and walked into the back door of Joon's Bar and caught the older's attention as he finished washing out glass beer mugs.

"Namjoon?" He whispered. He seemed to have startled the blonde, earning a glare in return.

"Scare me like that again Jeon and I'll throw this glass at you, I don't care if you're a prince."

"I need help."

Namjoon's face fell, turning completely serious at the plea from the younger.

"With what? What's wrong?" He set down the cup with a gentle tap on the counter and tossed the rag into the sink, turning his full attention to Jungkook.

"I-I uhm... I left." Jungkook muttered quietly.

"What do you mean you left?"

"I left the castle. I can't stay there anymore Namjoon, I need your help I don't know where to go."

Namjoon's features softened when he saw the single tear that glided down Jungkook's cheek and brought the brunette into his arms. "Why did you leave? What happened?"

"They told me I was to marry Princess Song. I c-can't do that. I can't bear a Kingdom- they're so disappointed in me Namjoon." Jungkook squeezed the front of Namjoon's apron, his knuckles turning white as his chest expanded with a deep inhale. "I'm so sick of hurting and crying."

Namjoon shushed Jungkook and held him tightly for some time until his sobs turned into sniffles and his body had stopped trembling and then he let go and closed the bar for the night, even though Jungkook knew it stayed open until early morning, and they made their way up stairs to the house above. The wooden stairs creaked and it smelled of dust but Jungkook didn't mind, he actually liked the small dark room as opposed to the tall castle walls and big bright windows.

"Thank you Namjoon." Jungkook said as he sat down on the bed.

"Of course." Namjoon replied. He fluffed out the pillow and motioned for Jungkook to lay down then tucked him in gently, a small smile on his lips. "Anything for you okay?"

"Anything?"

"Yeah."

"So you'll lay down with me? I don't want to be alone." Namjoon was already climbing into the bed next to the younger, pulling him to his solid chest and tucking his head under his chin. He knew it was a combination of staying somewhere unfamiliar and everything else weighing on his shoulders that had Jungkook afraid.

"Goodnight Kook."

-

Taehyung woke up with a kink in his neck after sleeping against a large tree stump near the edge of the lake, noting that it was night time. He must have fallen asleep and he shrugged, getting up and dusting off his hands on his knees before starting his journey around the lake. It wasn't a rough one but a long one and the lake had a shore line around it that left shoe prints as Taehyung walked. He thought to himself quietly, occasionally voicing his thoughts out loud.