Jade • Princes | Yoonseok/YoonKook || BOOK 1#

XXXI. Equally corrupted

The palace is so quiet since his mother is gone. Since he doesn't want to leave his room. He does it to eat barely, but even with the passage of time, he has remained locked up here by his own choice; Jimin sometimes comes to accompany him, manages to make him feel better even for a short period of time. He wanted to avoid remembering the figure in the corridors. Agust looks at the ceiling and wonders why his mother left him here alone? Why did she leave him in silence? In this silence. He turns his head to the right, where the small painting Jungkook brought for him today is. His little brother making an almost desperate attempt to help him feel better.

It's cute. Very cute. He turns his eyes to the ceiling and purses his lips. He hates this silence. It won't break anymore. He won't hear the melodies in kayagum anymore, nor the hidden giggles or the laughter that came out unintentionally. The thought that he will never see his mother again makes him feel... off.

Like he lost something he should still have.

Someone who should still be here.

So much laughter and happiness has been lost in this palace.

"Prince Agust."

He turns his head, finds Jin carefully passing into the room. The still dressed kisaeng approaches in a hurry. The young man takes his hand tightly, pulling him from the bed.

"You have to get up, come on- Please hurry! You have to hide!" insists Jin in a low voice. Get him to get up and move forward with him." You have to... you have to hide him somewhere and..." Agust notices him nervous.

He feels scared. That he's about to cry and that he's holding back the urge. Jin is older than him, taller too, but not stronger. He's a delicate man, enough to become a full-fledged Haengsu. He tries to keep up with him, without success. Agust notices that his hanbok isn't right and several of his hair strands are sticking out of the bun. As they cross through a lighted area, he notices that her neck is purple and part of her face is swollen.

"Oh no" He stops abruptly, looks around. "O-oh no... where-"

Jin turns to Agust carrying him in his arms. He struggles a bit, but makes the effort. In a hurry to get away from that area of the palace. Agust doesn't ask, he assumes that at some point he will explain it to him. Jin soils his socks by walking on the ground without shoes, reaches the door and enters instantly. He sets Agust down on the floor.

"I need you to... hide under the floor, there's a-"

"Seokjin."

Jin gives a shriek of fright. Agust bites his lips, backing up a few steps. Hojoon advances into the room, drags Jimin by the arm, the boy with his hair in his face, making it impossible to see what he has, however, drops of blood fall to the floor. Hojoon slaps Jin, the boy brings his hands to his face.

"I told you to take it to me, not to hide it" he scolds in a soft voice. Jin trembles in his seat. "Beat it, Jimin needs you to heal him. Hurry up."

"M-my lord-"

"Do you want a mugunghwa with roots on your back too? Go away" He orders pushing the younger one towards him. Jin keeps him from falling. Despite the threat, he insists:

"I-it's the prin- It's... little... he doesn't" he sobs brokenly. "Please n-"

Agust is unable to understand what he did to him: why Jin faints when Hojoon's dragon grabs him by the head with its paws. Both now fainted. Agust steps back, frightened.

"Why are you running away?" he asks and Agust doesn't answer. "You look at me like I've ever done anything to you."

"I just... it's just that I-"