Chapter Eleven

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"Have you found yourself a spouse?" The former queen, Jiyeun asked.

They were seated in the lounge. She decided to pay a visit to her former home today to find Jungkook busy handling kingdom matters. She loved that her son was focused on his people but she wanted him to start searching for someone to rule with him and create a family. This is the main reason her husband decided to give the throne to Jungkook rather his brother, Jungkook was hard working. However, she wasn't too worried about Jungkook not having kids since her first son already had two. She just thought that marrying and having someone to trust and confide in rather than her would be good for Jungkook. Plus, it's not ideal to not have a spouse when ruling a kingdom.

"I have but not really," Jungkook responded, picking up his cup of green tea and taking a sip.

"Oh?" She frowned and watched Jungkook sit back in his chair. She tilted her head to the side, "what does that mean?"

"I've found someone but they don't feel the same way, I need to keep se—"

"What happened?"

Jungkook sighed, recalling what happened between him and Taehyung a few days ago. He had travelled across the kingdom to the coast where an old man that owned a lot of trained birds. He had bought one and had written a short letter for Taehyung and sent the dove off to the younger male's house. He thought it was romantic enough.

He never got a response and he had stopped by the next day only for Taehyung to lash out at him. Taehyung had reminded Jungkook that Dongwook also was a king and he made sure to tell Jungkook that his life with a king had been hell. He had just been reunited with his family and his son and he had told Jungkook that he felt as though Jungkook was taking advantage of his trust and kindness.

It really broke Jungkook's heart because he felt as though Taehyung were scared of him. He respected Taehyung's choice and hadn't tried searching for anyone else since. Eligible villagers have always tried wooing him but he had his eyes on only one person and that one person didn't like him back. But that's okay with him, being broken-hearted will only last for a short while anyway.

"Darling, don't feel discouraged," Jiyeun said, leaning over and placing a pedicured hand on Jungkook's bicep, "he's in a bad spot right now. You're trying too fast, you need to take things slow. Maybe find out what he likes and send things to him, don't make an appearance, you know like romantic cliches."

Jungkook looked at her before sighing and shaking his head. "He doesn't want to be with a king, mother."

"Sweetheart, Jeons are not quitters," she replied. "He had a bad life with a king and you should show him that now all kings are bad, we raised you into a fine young man with manners that would make an elder cry. You aren't anything like the Lees and you should show him that. Okay?"

"I think we're finished here now," Jungkook said to a maid who walked in to ask if they needed anything. She looked at the queen and then at Jungkook before nodding quickly and leaning down to take put the teacups onto a tray.

Jiyeun leaned over and placed a hand on the maid's arm. She smiled and said, "we aren't finished."

"No, we are finished," the king intervened looking at his mother with hard eyes. He wasn't sure why he was getting mad since his mother was trying to be nice and supportive. He can find someone else, he knows he can but he has to rid himself of the love that developed inside him for just Kim Taehyung.

The maid quickly gathered the items into the tray, bowed before walking to the door in a haste. Once she was gone, Jiyeun looked at Jungkook and shook her head.

"I'd like to talk to him," Jiyeun said, "if you're not man enough to fight for someone you lo—"

"Mother," said Jungkook with a warning tone. He narrowed his eyes and released a deep breath. Jiyeun's determined expression didn't falter.

"I'll go now, I'm sure your father is getting bored without me around," she said before adding, "promise me you will try to make things right with this boy. You did a lot for him."

"You're making it seem as though he owes me."

"No, he doesn't," she rolled her eyes as she stood up and dusted crumbs from cookies off her dress. "I'm saying that I wouldn't let something go easily that I worked so hard for."

____ ____ ____ ____

"

Mommy..." Hanseok walked into Taehyung's room and lingered in the doorway. Taehyung looked up from his book and took his glasses off.

He smiled upon seeing his five-year-old. "Yes, baby?"

"Where's Daddy?" Hanseok asked, leaning his head against the wall.

Taehyung's face dropped and he stared at the boy as if he just said a curse word. He didn't know what he expected: that Hanseok would just forget about Dongwook and go on about life? Taehyung knew the boy was five and he didn't understand everything that happened and despite Dongwook being the most terrible human being Taehyung has ever encountered, he knew Hanseok still saw the man as a father.

"Do you miss him?" Taehyung asked, gesturing for Hanseok to come to him. Hanseok complied and quickly walked towards Taehyung. He climbed onto his bed and looked at Taehyung before nodding.

"I don't know where he's at right now but I want you to know that he won't be coming back, okay? But you have me, Grammy and your aunt and uncle, right?"

"And Kookie?" Hanseok looked up at Taehyung again, "Kookie is nice, I have Kookie too, right?"

Taehyung pressed his lips together before lying down and pulling the five-year-old beside him. He didn't know how to answer Hanseok. Yeah, of course, he had Jungkook, Jungkook is the king and he cares about everyone so in general, everyone has Jungkook. But Hanseok expected Jungkook's visits and interacting with him. Instead of answering the boy's question, he said,

"Let's take a nap, yeah?"

"I don't want to," Hanseok smiled and pressed his nose against his mommy's, "but we can cuddle."

"I like cuddling. Deal," Taehyung smiled and pushed his nose against Hanseok causing the boy to giggle.

Once they got comfortable, Hanseok snuggling into Taehyung's chest and putting his hands in the pockets of Taehyung's hoodie, Taehyung began to think. He thought about he lashed out at Jungkook when Jungkook came to his house the day after he received the note. He didn't mean to get so angry but after Jungkook left, Taehyung extremely sorry. Jungkook's hurt expression killed him and Taehyung wanted to run back out and apologize. Jungkook had been nothing but kind to him and lashing out the way he did really upset him and he could tell it hurt Jungkook as well. But another part of him felt scared; he only knew Jungkook from what Jungkook showed him, his kindness could be a facade. Taehyung felt confused: one part of him wanted to try and talk to Jungkook and fix things between them but the other part was scared that he could be like Dongwook.

He pulled Hanseok closer to him and rested his chin on his baby's head. It wasn't only him that he wanted and needed to protect, it was also Hanseok. He didn't know how Dongwook treated Hanseok but he must have treated him better than he treated Taehyung for the five-year-old to miss him and ask about him. Jungkook treated Hanseok amazing; he played with him and they talked nonstop about random topics.

But Taehyung was scared — scratch that — he was terrified.

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Word Count: 1324

Sorry for the late update. I've been so focused on my book on redbuggs. But DON'T WORRY. I'm still writing this book :)

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