The Sky Ablaze | Park Jimin

Prologue

Jimin wandered the halls of the palace in search of a place to hide. Too many people had arrived for his eighth birthday, and none of them even noticed when he slipped away from the ballroom. He assumed when his father discovered he was missing that it wouldn't end well, but being stuffed in that room with all those moving bodies made his chest tighten painfully.

"Hello?"

He stopped wandering and glanced around. The hall was deserted as he had originally expected with the exception of extravagant art pieces to decorate it. He stayed still and waited for movement.

She came around one of the statues, and she took tentative steps towards him. He recognized her barely as the princess of the neighboring kingdom, and if he remembered correctly, she was only a year younger than himself.

"Prince Jimin," she greeted him with a slight curtsy. She didn't meet his gaze.

"Princess Eunjin," he responded with his own bow. "What are you doing out here?" He asked her when he stood.

She looked around to check for an adult, and she was satisfied when she saw no one else with him.

"I don't like crowds," she whispered to him shyly. She began fiddling with her fingers and running the toe of her shoe across the floor.

"I don't either," he said. "Come with me." He reached for her hand and dragged her through the hall while telling her to keep quiet.

He pulled her through one of the many doorways that led to a small stairwell. "They won't find us here. No one uses these stairs," he told her.

It took her some time, but she eventually started talking to him. The more she shared, the more animated she became. They spent their time hiding laughing with each other, and Jimin grew fond of the young princess so quickly.

They eventually heard shouting from the halls; their names were being called desperately. Jimin cracked the door open and peeked out. One of the guard's sons spotted him.

He didn't alert the others to the whereabouts of Jimin. He meandered his way over to the door and crouched down.

"Prince Jimin," he whispered, "what are you doing?"

"I'm hiding, Seokjin. Princess Eunjin and I didn't like it in there," he whispered back.

"Let me in," Seokjin said as he gently opened the door and slipped inside. Jimin let stood back to let him in, and when he was, Seokjin stared down at the two of them with a smile. "You're causing quite the commotion hiding in here."

"Is my father mad?" Jimin asked.

"And mine?" Eunjin added quietly.

"I'm afraid so. Princess Eunjin, there seems to be an urgency for your family to go back to your kingdom. I can take you to them." He turned to Jimin. "It's best you return to your father now, Prince Jimin."

Jimin bowed his head and gestured for Eunjin to take Seokjin's hand. "We better listen to him, Eunjin."

"Wait!" She cried as Seokjin took her hand. "We're friends now, right?" She asked. She stuck her pinky out, waiting.

Jimin smiled in a way that made his eyes crinkle shut. He wrapped his pinky around hers. "Friends," he promised.

He watched Seokjin take her down the hall where her own guards were waiting for her, and he watched sadly as her parents pushed through them to grip onto her tightly.

He walked on down the hall past them, and he saw his mother, father, and half-brother standing there waiting for him. When he faced his father, he shrank a little.

"You are an embarrassment," he berated. "Disappearing with that lowly king's daughter?"

Jimin bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, father."

King Jeonghoon was rigid in his beliefs, and he had a mean streak with his sons. His wife, Queen Mina, was the only thing that kept him from striking the young prince down in his rage. Yoongi, his half-brother, stayed off to the side out of sight from their father.

"It's still his birthday," his mom said gently. "It's been a hard night for you, maybe you should let this go and get some rest." She placed a hand on the king's arm and pulled him away from Jimin. "You as well, Jimin. Go to bed, get some sleep."

They walked away from him then, and he stood there in the hall listening to the commotion of everyone leaving. He glanced back to see Eunjin being carried off, and she too was looking back at him.

She waved goodbye, and he watched them leave until he was completely alone.