Daechwita

1

Whole of Gangyang is in mourning. Everyone is wearing white and paying their respects to the late king. He died with no heirs. The people are gossiping in the shadows about who could be the new king. For now, Prime minister Kim is keeping the country in check. As a cousin of the late king, he thinks of his family as the first in line. The king however, decreed that the throne would be for the one who fits the seat the best. And who better than the people to decide about it. After the week of burning the king's corps, a decree is called into action. Any valid heirs to the throne should make their appearance at court. They will be taken in for training and eventually the people will decide.

"But father, all due respect, I live for the arts, I don't want to become a king... It's such a burden." A young man with almond shaped eyes and a box smile is having a serious face. "Taehyung ah, You are the closest with royal blood that is a candidate for the throne. You should at least participate in it, and make a chance." The man is very adamant in his decision. "Father..." "End of discussion. I have sended your nameplaque to the palace already." The father looks away at his papers and coughs. Hearing that cough, Taehyung knows that is the end of it. He drips off and goes to his room.

"You will participate in the selection for the royal heir. You are a man of the people, trained in finances, and a smooth talker. If there is anyone who can get on the throne, it is you. And maybe for the first time start a royal lineage in our family, the Jeon family." The colorful dressed man smiles proudly. He is looking exotic and very warm. He pats the back of a very young man, with doe eyes and a bunny smile. "Father, I am too young to do that. I am not confident." The guy laughs. "You? Not confident? Son, you are my son. You have this. I can charm a Chinese person in buying his own knock offs, you can become a king too. I have faith in you." Jungkook smiles awkwardly and is still doubting.

A young, handsome man dodges a sword. And another one, and a fist. Skillfully he moves between his attackers. He slashes in a clean cut and one of the wooden attackers is cut in 2. He is panting and catches an arrow flying towards him. "Good to see your skills are on point, son." He lowers the bow. "Father, you trained me well, of course they are on point. I got trained by the best fighter in whole of Goryeo." "Son... I need you to do something." He nears the guy. "My best friend died and I want you to take his place. You are a great warlord and fighter. You are wise and composed. The perfect leader. I want you to participate in the selection for the royal heir." The guy smiles a dimple smile and looks up at his father while falling on his knee. "I, Kim Namjoon, Son of the great general Kim Shin Yung, will do as I am commanded. I will win the throne and this way protect my beloved Goryeo." The general smiles and lays his hand on the head of his son. "Stay safe and always protect the rights of the weak. And remember: The strong-" "-are only strong to protect the weak, and the weak are only weak to be protected by the strong." Namjoon can finish his father's motto as a prayer.

"Hoseok, you will fight for the throne and bring honor to our family." "But father, you are only an esteemed professor at our country's biggest university. I am just your son, I have in no way right to the throne..." The long faced, handsome young man looks down. "Yet you will take this chance. I command it of you. I already sended in your nameplaque so you are in. You better win or else..." The father looks at Hoseok's little sister. Hoseok sees it and kneels. "Forgive me father, I shall do as you command..." He says soulless...

"When will you stop dreaming and singing all the time, and make yourself useful!" The man shouts at the dreamy boy in the tree in his garden. His facial structure is refined and feminine. He doesn't look down at all. He stretches his hand and has a songbird on it. He smiles a heavenly being's smile. "You can be finally useful! I have entered you in the selection of heir to the throne." The man puts his arms in his sleeves. The bird flies off at the young man's trembling arm, sensing stress. The young man coughs. "Me? Father, I can't possibly..." But the man is already walking in the house again. He coughs sickly again. His mom comes out of the house. "Honey, please come inside. We need you to be in a top condition for the selection. You are so sensitive to cold. Come inside and let me take care of you." Jimin slides smoothly out the tree and walks towards his mother, kindhearted as he is, he can't disobey his parents, who have placed him on this earth and are suffering at his weak constitution.

A old man takes off his white clothes. A handsome young man helps him in his normal attire. "Father, what will happen now?" The older man coughs. "Seokjin, I was there with minister Park when the late King made his will. I am ruling the country now, with him, but we are soon starting the selection for the heir." "Can I join in too?" "I guess so, if you want to, that bastard of a Park is high likely sending his own son too, even though his son is weak... We need you there, so you can keep an eye on everyone. Even if you don't get the  throne, I don't care about that. Just play the game right, and become at least a right hand or best friend of the future king. Of course if you win... " The father stops. "What if I win, father?" "I really wish you didn't. A king's life is a lonely life. I want you to be happy. And make your own choices. But I need you in the selection for the reason of making friends and being on the good side of the next king. Okay?" Seokjin nods. "Very well father. Take a rest. I'll enter the competition." The older man lays his weary bones down, proud to have such a well raised and filial son.

Far outside the capital, a tramp like figure climbs out of the tree with some bread. He hides before entering the house. There are men bothering his mother and sister. His mother is holding onto his baby brother tightly. "Please, we have nothing left. We will have money at the end of the month." The men all laugh and spit right in front of her feet. The tramp his fire inside is lighting up and he clenches his jaw. "What is a low fallen, disgrace of a woman going to do to get that money? Ever since the king dishonored you, you have stooped this low." Another guy comes closer. "How about you hand that heap of shit to your precious daughter and come with me to the back?" He grins a greasy smile and grabs the mother's wrist while checking her up and down. "At least something you can offer. Although it is a used item. This bastard is probably from one of your money sources, am I right?" the other guys laugh. The tramp has had enough. No longer able to contain his anger he leaves the bread and jumps over the low wall. The men all are startled but soon they start laughing. "What? Another bastard of yours? What are you going to do little one?" "Yoongi, no! Don't..." The woman desperately begs. "Or maybe, maybe the little one is more mature than I think?" Another guy grabs his little sister, who seems to be only around 11 years old. "Yoongi!" His mom shouts in despair while he grabs a wooden branch. "Don't! You'll make things worse." The men are laughing. "He got a stick, we better watch out." They are hooning him. "I will participate in the heir selection. If I win, I'll pay you handsomely." "And if you loose, little twig?" The guy is intrigued by Yoongi's offer. "I guess there will be betting done by the people about who is going to win. You can either then bet on the other guy you think that will win. Or I could steal for you in the palace during my training. But!" "But?" "Leave my family alone. They don't need to pay you shit! Got it?" The man laughs at his wager... "Very well, little one. Show us what you got. Your majesty" And they sarcastically bow down to him. The men disappear after at least one of them groped the breast of his mother. She gets thrown on the floor. The baby is crying and his sister is trying to shush it. Yoongi runs to his mom and helps her up. "Yoongi, you didn't have to do that..." "Mom, I am a bastard son of the late king, he banished you for it. I have just as much right on the throne as any other guy." "You'll never be able to become a king, all the boys will have proper education and upbringing... and you have just me dragging you down... Just a simple whore of a mother..." She is on the point of crying. "Mom, you had no choice... You wanted to take care of us... I'm sorry I wasn't a better son to you to take care of our family." She cups his face. "I am so proud to have you as my son... Be careful, okay?" And tears stream down her face. Yoongi helps her up and takes his baby brother in his arm, and holds his sister in the other. They go inside.