The Ugly Duckling [Jinkook, Minjoon, Taegiseok]

9: Training In Secret

(A/N: Does the age update help understanding where the story is in the storyline? Do you find it helpful or would it be better if I just let you figure it out or said 'x amount of time later'? Or just update age everytime there's a huge time skip?)  

Ages at the moment:

Jin and Yoongi: 17

Hoseok: 16

Namjoon: 15

Taehyung and Jimin: 14

Jungkook: 12

~~~~~

Not long after going back to Busan, Jungkook found himself in front of his brother's room. If anyone knew where to find Hoseok, it would be Yoongi.

He knocked on the door without hesitation, but then mentally freaked out when he realized he didn't have an excuse to why he was looking for Yoongi's personal guard.

Thinking through your actions first is a very good precaution to take, and Jungkook cursed himself for not doing so himself.

Yoongi opened the door and looked at Jungkook confused.

"Kookie? What are you doing here?"

"Um..." Jungkook glanced over Yoongi's shoulder, standing on his tip toes, trying to find Hoseok without asking Yoongi out loud.

Hoseok was standing next to the window.

"Hobi!"

Hoseok turned around and Yoongi blinked.

"Me?"

"What do you need Hobi for?" Yoongi narrowed his eyes.

"Hobi, I need to ask you a favor..." Jungkook glanced at the floor nervously.

"Me?"

"He said your name, didn't he?" Yoongi sarcastically answered Hoseok.

"Sure, Kook. What do you need?"

Jungkook pushed past Yoongi and motioned for Hoseok to lean down.

"I need you to teach me how to fight." Jungkook whispered.

"You what?" Hoseok blinked.

Royalty weren't supposed to waste their time learning combat skills. In Hoseok's opinion that just made them vulnerable to being killed by their own guards, but he wasn't going to judge their rules.

It just made it all more surprising when Jungkook asked.

"Please Hobi!" Jungkook begged. "I really need your help!"

Hoseok paused. If he did this, he would be going against the law.

Oh well. He didn't like the king and queen anyway.

"Okay, buddy. I'll teach you."

"Thank you, Hobi!" Jungkook jumped up and down in excitement.

"But this has to be our little secret, okay? I don't want to get in trouble and then be removed from my position."

"I won't tell a soul," Jungkook promised.

"What?" Yoongi blinked. "What are you guys doing? What secret?"

"Can I tell Yoongi?" Jungkook asked.

"I don't see why not, since I have to be around him all the time anyway. He would probably figure it out in his own," Hoseok shrugged.

"I asked Hobi to teach me how to fight!" Jungkook explained with a big smile.

"You what?" Yoongi gasped.

"Shh!" Jungkook whispered. "Don't get Hobi in trouble. How can he teach me if he gets in trouble?"

"Why do you need to learn how to fight?" Yoongi questioned.

"I want to protect Jinnie, just like how Hobi protects you."

Yoongi and Hoseok blushed and glanced at each other.

"Um, that's his job," Yoongi said slowly.

"Of course a guard's job is to guard and protect, but when I get married I should be strong enough to protect my husband," Jungkook explained. "Jinnie doesn't have a guard."

"He doesn't?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Did you really that think the same parents who made their child wear a mask would actually hire someone to watch over him?"

"Point taken, but drop the attitude," Yoongi frowned. "I'm your older brother. Show some respect."

"And I'm the favorite."

"That better be sarcastic."

Jungkook just shrugged while smiling innocently. He turned back to Hoseok. "When can we start?"

"Tomorrow. Now go to bed," Hoseok started ushering him out.

"Hey, wait!" Jungkook turned back around just to have the door closed in his face. He huffed and walked away.

~~~~~

"Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Jungkook bounced excitedly. "I still remember what you showed me years ago!"

"Really?" Hoseok's eyes widened in surprise. "Why don't you show me then?"

Jungkook walked to the side where there was a rack of swords, and he grabbed one. It was a little heavy, but he managed.

He walked back to Hoseok and got in a fighting stance.

"This is all I remember," Jungkook admitted.

"Well, I guess it's better than nothing," Hoseok smiled encouragingly.

"Hey, think you can teach me too?" Yoongi asked.

Hoseok frowned. "But you have me to protect you?"

"I just think that it would be good to know a little self defense," Yoongi shrugged. "You might not always be with me."

"Okay, I guess so," Hoseok sighed. "Go pick out a sword."

While Yoongi was doing that, Hoseok focused on Jungkook's positioning.

"Widen your stance a little. Good. Now bring your shoulder back. Elbow up. That's it."

"Like this?"

"Yes, just like that. Now when you swing, you need it to be precise. Know where you're aiming."

"I don't have a target," Jungkook pointed out.

"I'll go get you one," Hoseok promised. "But for now, carefully swing at the air. This will help you steady your hand and get used to the weight of the sword shifting with momentum. Don't swing too hard yet, or it'll fly out of your hands and hurt someone."

"Okay," Jungkook smiled, slowly swinging the sword, frowning when his hands shook a little.

"Strength will come over time. Don't stress about it yet," Hoseok advised.

Jungkoom nodded and Hoseok shifted his focus to Yoongi as he returned with a smaller sword than the one Jungkook took. He needed to know self defense, not how to impress a prince. The size of the sword wouldn't change anything, so Yoongi went smaller for comfort.

Learn techniques now, get strong enough to hold a bigger sword later.

"Nice choice," Hoseok smiled, grabbing Yoongi's hands over the sword to help position them correctly.

Yoongi blushed a little as Hoseok carefully touched him to adjust his position, pulling his elbows up, turning his hips, pulling at his thigh to get him to stand with his feet farther apart.

Yoongi was whipped.

Which was good because it meant he was capable of feelings, but bad because he was supposed to be feeling those feelings for someone else.

"There. That's better defensive positioning," Hoseok said. "Now you two work on steadying your swing while I pull out the dummies to practice on."

"Okay, Hobi."