Loyal • Muse | NamMin || BOOK 2#

XXII. The yearning to try to change

You see? Nothing bad happened.

"Don't talk to me. I can't believe you were doing that to Soo."

Namjoon wanted to have a normal morning. He came out of Jimin's room so he wouldn't bother him by grooming himself and the first thing he found, was Ji curled up with Soo: he was biting her on the neck and he's sure they were mating. He didn't know they could do that. He didn't even think they had sex organs.

Anyway...

"Isn't she small for you?"

You're really asking me that?

"Six years is not the same as centuries apart," Namjoon reminds him. "Not to say that your claiming ability is just gone."

Making you notice how lost you are by having him next to you is not something that is invalidated because he has sex with a dragon. You need to be more attentive and not get gawked at by a pretty boy.

"Sure, sure, you shameless hypocrite."

Namjoon makes him come inside him. Let him stay there for a while so his thoughts can be at peace. He takes a seat in the study. It's still early, Jimin can sleep a while longer. He will ask for breakfast to be brought to his room. He starts scribbling on the sheet of paper. He should make lists of other nobles who should be invited to come and talk to Agust...

And he starts wasting time.

Ji would be very upset when he comes out.

~ * * * ~

"My lo- Ay Where is he?" wonders Jimin out loud.

Breakfast came to his room and now that Jimin wants to talk to him, he's nowhere to be found. Talk about being inconvenient. He allows himself to see what's on the table. He finds a couple of blueprints with names of nobles and where their dwellings are in relation to the imperial palace. He supposes to make sure where everyone is, who to trust, who not to trust, that sort of thing that just gives him the creeps.

His attention is drawn to an extra piece of paper that is completely unrelated to everything else. Obvious because of the little smudges and patterns made with ink. Typical of a decoration. He picks up the paper and begins to read it. He puts a hand to his lips.

Don't let it go, it's the hand that will always want to hold you.
Unfinished maturity, unparalleled beauty, stunning and unknown like the ocean infinity.
Adulthood that has not just arrived, childhood spoiled without mercy
Pleasure unfound, willing to seek and perpetuate it
A river untraveled, as far as it may lead, it may have no end
Hair of silk and like water, lips of coral and skin of sand without wetness
All in red and pink will turn when tenderness will caress them
Oceans that will overflow, I hope it will be of happiness
And that they never go away for the desert leaving me to wander
Sadness could kill me
At what time will it be that I can start to fly
It may never be, it will be my fault
For not doing anything to save that what which made me sigh.

Jimin opens and closes his mouth, leaves it where it was and leaves in a hurry. Lest he come back. His face red and his hair loose due to his nerves.

~ * * * ~

"What are you doing?"

"I'm changing the registration."

Jungkook raises an eyebrow. Namjoon doing devilish things in writing? Now that's a new one. He doesn't usually do anything that can be documented and if so, it's toeing the fine line of total law. Jungkook gets to see what the record is changing from and can't resist letting out a long, pretentious laugh.

"Really, what happened that you would do something like that?"

Namjoon doesn't answer Jungkook, blows a little to let the ink finish drying and put everything back in place. Tomorrow it would be taken to the city hall. That small space where they take care of the smallest problems and that the emperor delegates to the mayor. In this case, what just changed was the registration of the kisaeng.

Moving Jimin from Samsu to Haengsu. Should Namjoon have talked it over with Agust first? Yes, he should have, but he doesn't care. With this there will be no excuse to take him out of his house, the value they will have to pay to have him around is much higher and possibly no one will dare to pay it. They won't even be allowed to touch him anymore. Namjoon bites his cheeks and Jungkook continues with his laughter. Sometimes Namjoon is so childish. These are very one-off moments.

This one is going to come off as the greatest: doing something against the law so they won't push away the kisaeng he's deeply in love with. Charming to say the least, you must admit.

~ * * * ~

As soon as he gets home, Jimin runs away from him. He looked quite funny. Not to say that it strikes him that he did something like that. Doubt he feels bad Embarrassment maybe? Ji goes off to investigate as Namjoon tidies up his study. Always chaotic and messy when he doesn't focus on anything.

Ji enters the room where Jimin is, he gets him trying to comb his hair and I won't be able to make it because of his excessively liquid hair. He looks with a pout at Ji who approaches. The kisaeng hugs the dragon and gives him a couple of kisses on the muzzle.

"Why should I be so embarrassed?" questions Jimin petting the dragon. Soo stretches and sways in front of Ji. A clear provocation from the dragoness. "It's like something I've dreamed of for a long time" Jimin exhales leaning back and eyes closed. "A beautiful fantasy, but how long is it going to last, how long is it going to take to get rid of me when I get everything I want?"

I would be unable to throw you away.

Jimin laughs somewhat distantly.

"You always sound so funny." Jimin comments with a chuckle. Ji gives a snort. How annoying that he doesn't get it. Though he does more than many others who can't even do that.

~ * * * ~

"I have decided to decline Lord Rhee's proposal" Jimin announces to Namjoon who disguises the sly smile that comes to him at the news. "However, I would like to make a request..."

"Tell me?" Namjoon asks interested.

"Can I stay with you until my twenty-fourth birthday?"

Namjoon cocks his head. what a strange request.

"I don't want to have any other lord. All those who seek me, pay or offer me a place in their houses, it is for aspiring what the emperor had... If you allow me to remain here, I will be able to flee from them. It is the only alternative I have."

Rather, he does not dare to take any more alternatives.

Jimin is still a child. The thought of walking away from what little he knows must be terrifying. Not to mention more unsafe. Better hell known than hell to be known. One of the problems with Hanyang is that it lends itself to business and propositions like that: being from the borderline and asking kisaengs to accompany them.

In the worst case, they are even kidnapped.

"I have no problem at all. Stay as long as you want."

Ji gives a grunt, Jimin with his high hairstyle uncovering his neck and the way he tilts his head, that sort of unconscious provocation making Namjoon turn red at the kisaeng's smile and posture. Soo hisses from the outside with grace. It's more than clear to Ji that Soo and Jimin are the same. Look at them going around being so cheeky.

"You want to touch me today too?"

"Only if you let me."

Jimin laughs lowering his head, shy and embarrassed. Soo leaves, glides through the air until he reaches a pond and gives little howls. When it's time, Ji is going to come with her.

She's sure of it.