Found | Nomin

Chapter 15: Not Okay

Jaemin grumbled at the soft knock at his door. He turned into the smooth fabric of his sheets and presseed his nose into the pillow. Humming in content, he let his mind slowly slip back into the cloud of his dreams. Another knock tapped against the door.

"Renjun please come back later." Jaemin begged, his words mumbled with his lips against the pillow.

When he heard the soft creak of the old door opening he pulled the blankets over his face in displeasure. Curling into himself with a groan as to tell the older that he was not ready to wake up. He felt the bed dip on the side he was not laying. A gentle hand landed upon his shoulder, the fingers massaging the sleep-stiffen muscle.

"We have to go somewhere this morning, Minnie." The king greeted quietly, his voice just above the hum of a whisper.

Jaemin frowned, rolling over in his bed to face the other. Why was his father here? Why not Renjun?

"Papa," Jaemin sat up in confusion, "Why do you wake me? Why not Renjun?"

The king smiled, "We are to see Ten this morning before breakfast. Renjun is still in bed."

Jaemin turned his head in the direction of the window. He could not see the sky of course because of the sheer curtain of bed's canopy but he could see the pure light. The kind of youthful light that the sun first sheds in the earliest hours of the morning. The pure white light of dawn.

"Why so early, Papa?" Jaemin questioned, looking back at the king.

"Ten is a busy man, Minnie. We are lucky to get to see him at such short notice." His father told him. He stood from the bed and stopped before the door. "I will meet you by the front entrance in ten minutes." With that the king left the room.

Such short notice? What short notice? Why was he seeing Ten? He huffed as he left the comfort of his bed. He despised waking up at such ungodly hours of the morning. The stone floor was cold against his feet as it bit harshly at the arches of his toes. He was quick to change into his daily royal attire in a fight to beat the spring morning cold before shuffling out the door.

It was so strange seeing the halls so empty and quiet. There was always one of the palace staff in the middle of their duties when Jaemin awoke in the morning. But today it was silent and still. Strange. Jaemin began to feel uneasy.

As he arrived at the front entrance, he saw his father waiting by the beginning of the bridge that connected the castle and the kingdom. He stood with a smile and all to Jaemin's surprise as did Jeno. The young alpha greeting him with a wave. His nose and ears kissed pink by the cold and his shoulders tensed in an effort to hide from the morning wind.

Jaemin felt the tug of his lips, his cheeks lifting at the feel of a smile. He walked over to them, nodding at them a 'good morning'.

"How did you sleep, Jaemin-ah?" Jeno asked, his hand already reaching out to Jaemin's as soon as he was close enough. Melting softly in the warmth Jaemin's hand contained.

"I slept well thank you." Jaemin answered, his other hand cupping their clasped hands and rubbing the chill surface of his alpha's hand. "Goodness, your hand is cold. How long have you been out here?"

"Jeno was the first to wake." The king said, "He's been anxious all night."

Jaemin was flattered to hear that Jeno was the first one awake but the gooey feeling was quickly replaced by that of concern when hearing the other was anxious. He frowned at both his father and Jeno, "I don't understand. Why?"

"Mark has told me of the 'cure' the human healer gave to you when you were in heat. The medicine could have effected your body negatively." The king informed as he began to walk.