The King's Swan | Jikook |

Chapter 5: A Fine Suitor

     At the same time, Jimin raced home. The omega began to sweat after running so fast and his weak attempt to grasp air gave out heavy pants right at the entry. The omega then stepped in and held the painting before he noticed the main room was filled with servants and his family, sitting by the guest who happened to arrive too early! The omega panicked and hid his painting before fixing his posture and tucking a strand behind his red ear.

     Silence fell across the room as Jimin finally stepped into the main room to meet with his family. Servants stood against the walls with straight postures and eyes locked up at the ceiling above them to avoid eye contact as the family gathered with the guest, sitting on the cushions to the low table while they still had yet to be served.

     "Forgive me for being late," Jimin apologized. "I didn't know when our gue-"

     "Sit," demanded the father as Jimin obeyed the elder. "I'll speak with you later, your actions are not excusable."

     "It's fine," spoke the anonymous suitor as Jimin took a seat right across the alpha. "His tardiness is excused by me."

     Within seconds that seemed to brush past Jimin like wind, he looked up at the alpha he was to marry. The suitor had a deep smile that was able to light up a dark room, and his eyes were brown with a small hint of cherry red along the iris that all the alphas seemed to have in just the gleam of their eyes. Jimin was automatically nervous; he couldn't even bear to keep eye contact with the man for more than five seconds. Something in this alpha felt wrong and Jimin could tell by the way this man smiled, he wasn't going to like his future husband.

     "Park Jimin, meet your fiancé, Jung Hoseok: of the Jung household and a very well known noble. We still have yet to arrange the wedding, but first, we need to wait on your heat to decide if you are worthy of marriage. We can't have him marry you if you are infertile," the Minister spoke as Jimin only seemed to look at the table and nod his head.

     The room was filled with conversations between Hoseok and Jimin's father. The omega's mother and brother conversed with Hoseok and everyone seemed charmed by the alpha's smile; everyone except Jimin. The young boy didn't feel like smiling nor engaging in conversation with the alpha, not even once. The only person Jimin thought about was his friend 'Yeong-Hwa'.

     Throughout the afternoon, Jimin was silent and glued to his seat; hearing out every plan to the wedding and the many answers Hoseok seemed to give out and please the parents. Jung Hoseok was a very persistent and daring man who was determined to be married to the Minister's son. Of course, Jimin's family were already won over by his wise words and rich background. This made everything seem so bitter in Jimin's point of view, there was no escape from this engagement now.

     "Jimin," Hoseok spoke up with the soft growl to the deep tone to his voice. "Are you not feeling well?" Hoseok wondered and kept his piercing and uneasy stare at the silent omega with a smile. "I can come back another day, if you wish to talk to me."

     "N-No.. No I'm fine," Jimin lied and as soon as he looked up, he quickly looked down onto the table once more. Hoseok was a charming noble, but Jimin didn't admire the act he was putting on as if he was the perfect man Jimin needed. The omega was too independent to even think of Hoseok as his future husband.

     "Oh, do not mind him, he's just nervous! Hoseok, I promise you, my son is the perfect omega. He's been trained since he was ten!" Mr. Park went on and on, as the mother jumped in as well.

     "If anything, Jimin just needs to warm up to you, that's all. Please, feel free to visit anytime to spend hours with him and maybe then, he'll talk to you, we promise," spoke the mother with a smile.

      Suddenly, Jimin felt his father gripping onto his hand. Tightly wrapping his grip around the omega's soft and gentle hand as a way of forcing the young boy to speak. Jimin's small hand was being squeezed; his fingers pressed against each other while the blood raced to the tips of his fingers abruptly. The young boy closed his eyes tightly from how hard his father held his hand until it was released once he dared to open his mouth.

     "I... I look forward to our wedding!" Jimin squeaked. That comment alone made Hoseok smile. The man leaned forward to tilt his head and gaze at his future omega who piqued his interest already. With that, the servants began to serve the family their meal happily with the announcement. On the other hand, Jimin felt as if his world was crumbling around him. He longed to cry and run far away, but he was frozen to his cushion and nothing but the cold fractals seemed to cut deep into his skin with every stare he was given by his future husband.

    After a while, the king paced around in his throne room, refusing to sit as his guard's gaze followed his every move. Jungkook thought of many things; many things about the beautiful omega, Park Jimin. Jungkook couldn't help but to smile at the thought of meeting him every morning and the feeling of it all consumed him in euphoria. The king smiled and raised his hand against his pouty lips for a slight chuckle that escaped his mouth here and there; exposing his sharp fangs with each laugh. Within seconds, Yoongi was bound to ask about the king's day.

     "Alright, tell me... How was your morning, my King?" Yoongi asked and finally faced the king within the silent halls to the throne room. "Was it the Minister's son again?"

     "His name is Jimin, Yoongi." Jungkook corrected the guard and suddenly stopped pacing around like a lunatic. "I don't know what I feel... He seems to wander my mind every now and then, yet, I allow it. Ah, he's an amazing omega, very independent and free," the king whispered until he walked to his throne and finally sat down. "Every little detail, every little whisper, I anticipate. Is it because I haven't had a friend this exciting before?"

     "My King, it seems to me that you have been very lonely and seem to think of Jimin more than usual compared to thinking of a friend... Whether you like it or not, that is how an infatuation feels," Yoongi mentioned. But, Jungkook took a moment to ponder it more.

     "No, this isn't an infatuation. This is more of an interest I'm excited about. Besides, I can not have him if I want him, he will be arranged to marry an alpha," Jungkook confessed, and with that, his feelings grew dull within seconds as he slouched on his throne from the thought. "An alpha to marry," Jungkook repeated. That phrase seemed to poison his thoughts on Jimin; every little detail and whisper seemed unhinged by the loud thought of Jimin's arranged marriage until the king ran his tongue along his inner cheek and grew silent. "Of course, Jimin will be married soon after his heat... he will no longer have time to see me and be my friend."

     "My King, haven't you told him who you are?"

     "No, it's too soon... I need to be precise with this, I just met him."

     "Too soon?" Yoongi thought. "Eventually, that omega could be married off any day! His heat could come to him and you'll miss out on someone that could have been yours."

     "Min Yoongi," Jungkook called out. "I've only known the omega for two days, how could I ever take him from his marriage, confess and have his as mine by the next day? I've.. I've been desperate... I'm growing desperate," Jungkook spoke up and pressed his trembling hand against his head. "I am desperate and that's the last thing I want, tainting my friendship with that boy. I am frightened of what my levels of desperation could do to me," the king whispered and ran his hand up the nape of his neck to rub it softly. "I'm trying to get rid of it like this and having you shove him and marriage in my face, isn't helping me at all."

     "Well, whenever you feel that he is the one, It's better to tell him who you truly are before it gets out of hand. Would you really long for a friendship based on lies?" Yoongi shot back, crossing his arms in the presence of the king. The two were very close for many years, so this granted Yoongi a better advantage to speak to the king improperly at times.

     "If I told him, he would treat me differently... I would never get those irresistible, rapturous, moments that leave me wondering about the next. Please, Yoongi! Oh please, let me have this!" Jungkook begged and peered into the older alpha's eyes. "I don't want to rush this. I could rush anything in the world, but this? Not a chance..."

     The guard and the king both knew that deep down, hiding his identity would only cause chaos to be inflicted. Yet, Jungkook dared to keep at it, it was like the king was enchanted by the feeling Jimin gave him; a pure trouvaille energy the young king couldn't seem to forget.