The Prince's Stableman | Taejin

Chapter 28 - Ropes

A few days have passed and Taehyung has steadily grown antsy. Namjoon always seemed to be present wherever Jin was. He was getting irritated and close to snapping. He can't seem to get Seokjin alone to himself. He missed the days he could pull Seokjin behind the stable to make out a little or at least share a chaste kiss between the stalls. Now, with how things were getting hectic in preparation for his birthday, it seemed like he couldn't even get a decent conversation with Seokjin.

He would feel alive again when he felt Seokjin hold his hand under the table during lunch, that was, if he could even have lunch with him.

Seokjin had been helping Jackson as well with the construction of the enormous indoor arena as he was always asking Seokjin of his opinion because he was more in touch with the horses and where things were best placed according to the sports to be held in the arena. Namjoon was always present acting as support to Seokjin even though Seokjin didn't need him there, it seemed as if Namjoon's input was also heard because he was an alpha.

Taehyung had even started coming in earlier just so he could spend more time with Seokjin but whenever he arrives at the stable, Seokjin and Namjoon would always arrive together and were always talking about subjects they have spoken about with Jackson, even laughing about inside jokes they knew of. Why was Namjoon even showing up earlier these days? Was it just because of the preparation for his stupid birthday?

What's irritating Taehyung more was that Seokjin didn't seem to be bothered with spending less and less time with him. It was eating him alive. He wanted Seokjin's attention on him and it was killing him seeing Seokjin laugh at Namjoon's stupid jokes.

He understands that Namjoon is Seokjin's roommate but why was he around Seokjin all of the fucking time? He doesn't recall Namjoon being present at work everyday when he started being there but now he was like crap you can't get off from underneath your fucking boot. He didn't really want to ask Hobi about it because wouldn't that be weird to tell your friend to get his boyfriend away from yours? It would just insinuate that Namjoon was cheating on Hobi and that would have meant that he felt that Seokjin was cheating on him? .. Was he?

But then.. He also thought about the future. If he was soon to be crowned King alongside his wedded King then maybe it was just right for Seokjin to find love in someone else. Someone who was not him. Was he being selfish wanting Seokjin all to himself and then leave him? Was he even in the right place to feel this way?

Taehyung was having an existential crisis staring at the carrots he was filling on to the horse's feeders when he heard the voices of Seokjin and Namjoon nearing the stable. They came back from the blacksmith since his father, the King, wanted to have all the horse's horseshoes to be changed into golden metal plates instead of just the metal ones. He wanted them to be elegant looking stallions with braided mane and golden saddles for the prince's birthday.

The blacksmith's helper was walking behind them pushing a wheelbarrow with two wooden boxes on top filled with the golden metal plates. They stopped in front of the stable and the helper left the boxes on the ground as Seokjin expressed his gratitude from the free delivery. Again he heard Namjoon start up a joke with the blacksmith's helper.

"What does it mean when you find a horseshoe?" He asks the helper and Seokjin charmingly, dimples popping out from his cheeks.

"Uhm.. it means good luck?" Seokjin answers looking at Namjoon to see if he got it right.

"It means a stableman got fired!" The teen helper says too enthusiastically. "Because he didn't install it well? Hehe.." He scratches his head at the bewildered looks Seokjin and Namjoon gave him.

"Naah.. it just means some poor horse is walking around in his socks." Namjoon says. Both the helper and Seokjin burst out laughing. Seokjin lightly punches Namjoon's chest as Namjoon giggles at his own joke.