Heimat

CHAPTER 32

The King would kill him if something were to ever happen to the prince and this, was told to all the Hwarangs on their selection. They were simply the prince's protectors and the alpha should not have even a single scratch on his body which was caused by them.

He could feel the rest of them who stood on one side of the ring glance nervously at each other. They weren't allowed to hurt the prince so they always had to be mindful of not going too hard. The heir on the other hand did not anything hold him back. This had resulted in Taehyung being more worn out with numerous cuts all over his arms and legs.

The Hwarang winced as the sharp blade cut his cheek and he stepped back, almost losing his balance in the process. Thankfully, the prince seemed to have mercy on him and stopped for the day. 

Huffing he plopped down on the bench as another Hwarang passed him a glass of water and a towel to wipe his face. He lazily wiped the sweat of his hands and chest and guzzled the water, heaving breaths in the middle. 

"Looks like the handsome Kim Taehyung has weakened at his game huh", the heir mocked him. Taehyung could only bow his head in response as he tried to steady his heart and hide the annoyed expression on his face.

Changing his attire quickly he stepped out to join the others in a line. As he walked, Taehyung felt black spots dancing in front of his eyes and he had to steady himself by leaning on the wall. "Woah woah Taehyung, you okay?", Jaehyun said, placing a hand on his shoulder and worriedly looking at him. 

"I'm- I'm fine" he managed to mutter as he tried to stand upright. "You clearly look spent you idiot", the prince shouted from a distance. "Go to a medic and get yourself treated, only then show me your face. What use do I have of you if you cannot even stand properly", he said with a huff before walking away, the other Hwarangs trailing behind. 

Jaehyun hesitantly looked between them. "Go", Taehyung whispered with a smile. "I'll be fine". When he was gone, Taehyung sat on the bench weakly, closing his eyes in exhaustion.

He should have listened to Jimin.

When he Jimin saw his best friend after a long time, he did not expect Taehyung to show up looking like an undead person at his door step. The moment his eyes fell on the alpha, Jimin ran to him and pulled him inside the hut. 

"What happened to you?", he fretted, getting the young man to sit. "It's nothing Jimin-ah, I'm just a little tired", Taehyung tried to reason. The omega ignored how his heart fluttered at the nicknamed and focused on the alpha's condition.

He looked leaner than he last saw him, eyes droopy with bags underneath and hands trembling slightly. He looked exhausted. "Tae have you been sleeping and eating well?", the smaller asked. The taller gave him a lopsided grin, or at least tried to, "I did those when I got time". "You've overworked yourself to the limit Tae, you need rest", Jimin muttered. 

"And how did this happen?" he questioned, inspecting the other's cheek noting that there were similar ones on his chest when Jimin 'accidently' looked at the alpha while he was changing before. The taller ignored the urge to kiss the hell out of the pout now formed on his lips.

Jimin wanted to smack the alpha for being so careless with health but at the same couldn't bring himself to do that to him in his current state. "Stay with me?", the Hwarang asked, not answering his question as he made himself comfortable on Jimin's bed. When the other seemed a little hesitant, he yanked him closer by the arm, pouting at him. As always, the omega was not able to resist those puppy eyes and sat down next to him, running his hair through the long locks.

"Lay down"

"What?"

"I said lay down with me Minnie". Jimin swallowed harshly as he stretched his legs and lied down next to the alpha. Sure it wasn't the first time he was sleeping beside Taehyung, they did often as kids. Unfortunately, Jimin had refrained from that since he realized that he had feelings for the alpha (blame those damn butterflies that fluttered in his stomach whenever he was closer than an arm's distance from the omega and Jimin felt that if he were to be anymore closer then he would combust) and their kiss a long time ago did not help.