SCAR || TAEGI

-f o u r-

Cold water. He had woken up drenched in cold water and as much as he wanted to curse out loud at whoever dared to do such an atrocious thing, he couldn't. Partly because of the fact that he was better than that and partly because the man towering over his wet frame was none other than the man from the night before.

All his protests had died in his throat and he reluctantly shuffled back. Just enough to avoid the man's harsh glares at such an early hour of the morning. Why was he so pissed off at everything? It wasn't what he expected.

"Oversleeping is a sin, mister. Did you perhaps forget that all the servants must gather in the main hall this morning?"

Taehyung lowered his head, water dripping down his flushed face as the man's harsh eyes stared him down. How could he have forgotten such an important thing? He felt ashamed, to say the least. He had barely started his life as a servant and things were off to a poor start. So much for leaving a good impression.

"I'm very sorry. I'll get ready as soon as possible and join the others." His voice cracked, prey to the massive surge of nervousness that coursed through his veins.

A single glance had been sent his way, pinning him down even more, if that was possible. "Good. Hurry up." Was all he said before slamming the fancy wooden door shut, leaving Taehyung alone and drenched in water.

Looking down at his attire, the poor boy could only let out a displeased grunt once the realization had hit him. He couldn't possibly present himself in such a state. He'd make a fool of himself, not only in front of the other servants but also in front of the king. That'd be disastrous.

Luckily, he had a spare outfit he could put to use. A relieved sigh had managed to slip through his lips as he let his long fingers touch the silky fabric, golden brown eyes lighting up almost instantaneously. Such beautiful garments. Only for him. For once, he could wear something so beautiful without having second thoughts.

He then came to terms with the fact that too much time had passed by and he was still in his drenched clothes, staring like a fool instead of getting ready. Sighing, he hurried to slip out of his clothes, stumbling his way out of the chamber as soon as he was fully dressed and presentable enough to make an appearance.

Looking around, Taehyung could see a bunch of other servants coming his way, chatting happily. He wondered. How could they be so calm? They were about to face the king himself, the man who was notorious for being highly intimidating and unforgiving. Surely, they must have been accustomed to it but it was still surprising. They seemed to have no care in the world. Highly excited. Very impatient.

And there he was. Shivering like he had never done before. Nervous to the brim, Taehyung had managed to catch up with everyone else, following them close behind like a lost puppy. Truth be told, he had no idea why he was so nervous. The first time he stepped into the palace he was anything but jittery. So what changed?

The longer he walked behind the veteran servants, the more he could listen to their conversation. He hated eavesdropping on people but he'd do almost anything to get the smallest piece of information regarding their sudden gathering.

"Do you think I'll be the chosen one today? I've been doing my best lately." One of the women said, sweet voice dropped to a whisper.

Chosen one? What was that all about?

"You know that he doesn't choose based on the amount of work put into the tasks. He simply chooses the one who's most knowledgeable about the capital."

Taehyung listened intently, trying his best to seem as subtle as one could be while they all got closer to the main hall.

"That's a shame. I wish I could escort him someday. Walk around the capital's most romantic places with him--"