Seokjin bit his lip so hard his skin broke out to release crimson into his mouth. He tasted the saltiness of his own blood as he looked up at Emperor Min, who again looked as relaxed as ever with his sword at his side.
"Kim," He spoke. The single syllable was enough to send shivers down Seokjin's spine.
"Your honour," Seokjin quaked. He clenched his sweaty palms together as he shuddered into a respectful bow.
"There's no need to be so nervous Kim, our fathers were aquaitances,"
Seokjin's eyes widened at the very sudden mentioning of his father. Emperor Min was actually a year youger than him, but for obvious reasons, the older was shaking in his boots.
"You knew my father your honour?"
Emperor Min nodded. He looked off into the sunset as if he was fishing for a farmiliar memory.
"You look strikingly like your mother, but you also remind me so much of your father Kim. My father only passed when I was young, and your father attended the burial,"
A wave of sympathy crashed over Seokjin. He knew it was hard to loose someone close to him due to death passing too early, but he never lost someone as close as his father. Emperor Min's eyes glittered in the golden sunlight, but Seokjin saw the opening to his broken heart.
"Your Mother is beautiful Kim," Emperor Min began again, "Your father was also handsome, but I was truly captivated by your mother, you and your siblings. I only knew your father as a noble man who cared for the wellbeing of his family."
The older frowned. He remembered how he was sent away when he was eighteen to marry a pretty girl in the village. He could almost hear the conversation between him and his parents as they discussed how he wouldn't return until he had a beautiful child just like himself.
Emperor Min sideglanced Seokjin. He could see the wave of sadness that crashed over him, and he could also map out how he felt about being himself.
"You wanted to protect that young man Taehyung didn't you?" The emperor suddenly asked, bringing Seokjin back into the room.
The older's eyes lit up, "Yes! I wanted to protect him since the day I met him," He eagerly replied.
With a smirk of the emperor, he took out his sword and pointed it between Seokjin's eyes.
"You are to bare a sword like this Kim. You are to become a Hwarang and protect that little brother, but you also must protect me," The emperor explained, locking eyes with the older.
Seokjin could feel the cold sweat run down his back. He was ready to sell his soul to the devil to save Taehyung.
-
"Hyung! You look so good in your uniform!" Jungkook bounced around the room as Taehyung fixed his silk robes in the mirror.
Park Jimin was leaned against the door frame with a letter in hand. Jungkook didn't know he could get any more excited to see Jimin glowing in the pale sunlight.
"Hello Tae, Hi Jungkook," Jimin greeted with a smile. Jungkook threw his arms around Jimin, not caring about the other letters in his messenger bag. Jimin laughed before prying the over excited younger off him.
"What's the letter for Hyung?" Jungkook asked with a spring of happiness in his voice. Jimin frowned and looked around- it was only Jungkook and Taehyung who were home.
"Have you seen Seokjin-Hyung? I already gave Taehyung his letter," Jimin scratched his head as he wandered into the empty kitchen. Taehyung quite grimly followed in his luxurious uniform.
"Taehyung-ah," Jimin sighed. He knew how Taehyung felt about devoting his life to the emperor, but he also knew how he felt about how he looks. Now he is a Hwarang, he's going to be seen as just a beautiful soldier who carries a sword made of fine silver.
Jimin put his hand on Taehyung's shoulder and felt the silk rub between his own soft hands.
"You're going to be okay Taehyungie," Jimin cooed, giving Taehyung a soft smile.
Warmth filled Taehyung's body. He relaxed himself as he saw the warm farmiliar smile of his best friend. He's missed it since they were little. He found it particularly sad when Jimin told him he was going to work for the emperor. Since his departure, they haven't been as close as they were when they were in school. Of course, Jimin never changed. Everything from his soft cheeks to his moon-shaped eyes when he smiled; everything about him stayed the same.
Jungkook's eyes wandered around the room until his attention turned towards the door when he heard someone's footsteps wander into the house.
With a perk in his voice he yelled like a little boy: "Seokjin Hyung is home!"
The tension in the room suddenly relieved a little as everyone awaited the eldest. Taehyung especially couldn't wait for Seokjin to see him in his new uniform. Almost subconsciously he swept the dust off the precious silk and fixed his posture as if Seokjin was a royal himself.
Everyone in the room was not expecting Seokjin to come in dressed up.
Dressed up in the same uniform as Kim Taehyung.
