tw // murder
the day was cloudless, the sky was clear blue, and it was at the time of day where both the sun and the moon appeared. as a kid, i couldn't stop staring at them, even though my parents warned me hundreds of times, so it doesn't damage my eyesight.
even with a nine year old, my parents' disciplinary methods were harsh. they used to give me three whips for any mistake—but it was effective. i rarely did the same mistakes after those sessions. and although they gave me some "tough love", they also gave me some "soft love" as well. they treated me to candy and my favourite lunch after every punishment, and then we'd watch a movie—the lion king to be exact.
anyway, today was one of the rare days that my dad had free time, and so after a lot of insisting from yours truly, he took me to the gardens to teach me horseback riding. i remember begging for this for the longest time and when it happened i was so thrilled!
seokjin was nineteen back then, and he was the only one of us tall enough to have dad's hand resting on his shoulder. i never complained; seokjin was close to me as he was close to my dad. i never knew much of seokjin's past and how he came to be my bodyguard at such a young age, but some facts were set in stone: he and my dad treated each other like family. and even though seokjin couldn't bring himself to talk informally to the king, out of everyone's eyes, my dad made him.
first, dad rode the horse himself and spat instructions i didn't bother to listen to. i just kept staring trying to get near because i wanted to ride the horse myself! but seokjin kept holding me back whenever i was too close to the horse's face, told me to get back so that i wouldn't get hurt.
after half an hour, dad came down from the horse and walked towards me. he had red hair just like mine—or is it the other way round since i'm his son? anyway, he smiled at me all throughout the walk, when he kneeled, and after he told me that if i manage to learn horseback riding after three days, ten months, or even five years, he'd be proud of me... he always would be.
i never really realized how important these words were to me...
anyway—sniff—i was helped onto the horse by seokjin, he carried me up and helped me settle on the saddle, and told me where to grip the rein. he then, after my dad's permission, climbed up behind me, saying he would hold me steady. i threatened him, saying that if he touched the rein at any time, i would banish him from my room. it was funny seeing seokjin thinking i was serious... my dad then told me to gently whip the rein. i did as gently as i could. the horse then started moving once the leather hit its skin, and in response, i gasped.
i smiled as seokjin held my waist. my legs back then were very small, i could barely hold myself up on my own. i could feel myself toppling sideways at one point, but seokjin always caught me.
"you're doing it, hoseok! keep going!" the horse was merely galloping at a slow pace, according to the power i used on the rein. but i was too excited to care. and then my dad was padding to catch up to us, and all i remember was glancing down at the horse and petting its mane with both hands, letting go of the rein.
and at that moment i didn't care when seokjin took the rein in his hands, because i just felt so alive... i managed to ride the horse on my own! however, dad said something to seokjin, and he stopped the horse. i looked sideways at him, while he looked up to me with a smile. and i remember that smile well... some people say i have the same smile, but his had more crinkles—filled with age and experience—while mine was newer, more innocent, and carefree. it was a dumb comparison and was proven wrong anyway,
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Royally Yours ✓
Fanfiction[namseok] Namjoon never thought his life would go beyond working and taking care of his chronically ill, younger brother. He hoped to raise enough money to cure him and that was really it. He didn't expect everything that came along his way: him get...
