Unknown location:
A telephonic conversation:
"You set me up, didn't you? Just like last time."
"What nonsense are you talking about, Lee?"
"You told me the house was empty. I can get in and out without any issue. Thanks to the key, I somehow entered the house from the backyard. But when I got upstairs, I saw the prince and his nerd in the bedroom, getting all frisky. I had to jump out of the window before they saw me. It alerted the people around. And for your kind information, the house is surrounded by undercover agents. Thank God I have been a Pap for the past 10 years, I could at least sneak out looking like a junkie. But I swear to God, if they had taken me in, I would have taken both you and your boss with me."
"Mind your language, Lee. The king would have your tongue if he was to hear you speaking."
"I won't call him a shit. He is no king. If he was, why would he need a pap like me to do his dirty work? Most importantly, why would he trust a schmuck like you to be his right hand. Anyway you better transfer me the money you promised, else I am going to the knight myself and spilling all your secrets."
The call ended abruptly.
"I am going to end this fcker… How dare he…" he shouted.
"No you can't. Stop giving empty threats to people when you know that you can't do a shit. You don't have enough money or power." A voice roared in the room, making Hiroshi flinch
"My King… I am sorry…" Hiroshi stuttered.
"Sorry for what? For making my life difficult or for unleashing that pap into a frenzy?"
"I didn't know he would act out…"
"You didn’t know?" The 'king' chuckled darkly. "I told you he was not fit for the job. He is too confident and too full of himself. I explicitly told you not to let him go this far. This was a careless move. You thought that he was so dumb and so under your control that when you set him into a trap, he won't understand and he won't spread out all your dirty laundry for the world to see?"
"He won't dare… we are much more powerful…" Hiroshi stuttered out, but his face was much paler than his voice.
"Powerful? You know I don't rule the country yet, right? And I can't buy people because of the way the queen rules. She wouldn't spare me just because we share the same bloodline, just like I won't spare you just because I am allowing you to marry in my family. Get your shit together or be ready to say goodbye to your love! Anyway Kyungmi has better suitors lined up for her."
"No, please! I love her…"
"And I love the throne. So if I see you messing with my dream to sit on it, I for sure will end you!"
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After being alerted by the crashing sound the couple had rushed to the back-door only to find a person in a waiter's costume and another one in his casual gym clothes, inspecting the backyard.
"Your majesty, apologies for the disturbance. I am agent A67 and this is my colleague agent K54. We are here to inspect the possible intrusion that might have caused the sound." The one with the waiter's costume said.
"It's… it's fine. But what do you mean by intrusion? Is the place not safe for us?" The prince who was shaken by the incident managed to speak.
"We don't know for sure. On the surface it looks like a junkie broke in while trying to steal from an abandoned house, but a thorough enquiry is still recommended. Our agents are on the CCTV footage of the surroundings, as we speak. And Sir Park is on his way here. He might relocate you both to a safer place. Meanwhile, please stay inside, away from any window or direct exit." The agent with the gym clothes informed them.
The prince thanked them and pulled the scientist inside the house. Making both of them sit at the foot of the couch to make sure no one can spot them from windows or doors.
"Why are we sitting here?" Taehyung asked.
"So that no one can take a clear shot at us."
"There is someone out there who might shoot us?"
"No. Nobody is shooting anybody. It's just a standard practice, just in case." The prince assured.
It made the scientist huff, annoyed, "Just in case! Just in case?"
"You don't need to be scared. I'll not let anything happen to you, okay?" The prince assured.
"What are you gonna do, take a bullet for me?" Taehyung asked sarcastically.
But without a second thought the prince replied, "If I have to, yes…."
"What?? You are joking right? You can't just…"
"But that's the right thing to do."
"How is sacrificing your life for your 'fake' fiancé, the right thing? Did you forget we both aren't actually in love?" Tae whispered the questions in order not to spill their secrets to the security. The prince scooted even closer to reply back.
"You are going to have a baby in the next few months. Your kid is going to need their real parent, Tae. Not their uncle cum forced co-parent. So of course if the time comes, I'll save you first." He stated with surety.
"Are you insane? You are ready to give your life for the baby who's not even born yet?"
"Of course I am. That's Jo's child we are talking about. A niece or a nephew that would be known as my own. So this is nothing big. I would do this for my loved ones, in a heartbeat."
"That's just… "
"Dumb, right? That's what you want to say? I already know that. I have been told plenty of times. And that's exactly why the baby needs its smart parent. Not a dumb, makeshift dad." Jungkook whispered bitterly, with his eyes fixed on the floor.
"Nooooo, that's not… that's not what I was saying. I wanted to say that's very kind and brave of you. And that it reminded me of my hyung." The scientist had a cute pout on his lips when he said that. And when the shocked prince looked up, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.
"Like your hyung? Jin hyung?"
"Yeah. Jin hyung is just like that. Kind and brave. That's how he saved a boy he had nothing to do with and gave him a new life. He wasn't scared that the bullies might hurt him. He was just a few years older than me, still a kid himself. But he didn't think twice before punching Minhyuk right in his face." Taehyung tried to remember the face his bully had after being punched square with Jin's fist.
"His name was Minhyuk? Is that why you call uncle Minhyuk Mike?"
"Yeah. He is not a person that I would like to remember. Just like Mr Park, our English teacher. He was very mean, too."
"But I am not like any of them, am I?" The Knight walked in suddenly, startling the couple ducked near the couch. He had an apoplectic smile on his face.
"Uncle, you are here. Do we have an update on the situation? Do we know who that person was for sure?" Jungkook jumped to his feet with a lot of bubbling questions.
"I am afraid we don't know much yet. But that's not something you need to worry about, your majesty. I will handle it all. Meanwhile I apologise for the disruption in your plans, but I'll have to escort you both back to the palace. It's not safe here anymore."
"You don't have to apologise, uncle. We understand. Right, Tae?" The prince said, understanding the knight's concerns.
"Yeah. Absolutely. Anyway, I won't be able to sleep here thinking about the extreme possibilities. We can do the talking back at home." Taehyung said, hurriedly walking towards the door. But then he remembered what the agent had warned them about, so he ran quickly back towards the prince and clutching his arm with his dear life.
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When they rode back home they were welcomed by a visibly worried queen. She rushed towards them as soon as they walked in, engulfing both of them tightly in her arms.
"My babies!" She had cried, foregoing any queensley obligations. Knight Park was to the rescue. He had ordered all the staff to leave the peripherals to avail the family some privacy.
"Pardon my crying self. My old age makes me sentimental." She said pulling away. But she was shaking with overwhelming anxiousness.
"Old age also makes you brave enough to accept those sentimental, Mother. Do not blame yourself for that." Knight Park stepped closer to her. Wrapping his arm around her back to soothe her.
"We were in the middle of a meeting with the cultural ministry, when we got the news. She was terrified with the thought that someone tried to pose a threat to your safety. She has been through a lot that even a mere thought is enough to cause her restlessness. I don't want to invalidate her worry, at all. I was scared too. So, you both need to be extra cautious now and on." He informed the youngsters, care laced in his tone.
"Taehyung, I am going to arrange for you to work from home for the next few days. I will ask my team to set up an office and all the other necessaries for you. So please, no reckless sneaking-out, or stepping out without the security. Do you understand me?" I'll take her to her chambers now. You both do the same. Dinner will be served there."
Both the youngest nodded and walked into their own shared space. As soon as they reached there Jungkook plopped down the recliner near the sitout leading to their magnificent garden. And Taehyung followed automatically, sitting close to him. As if in that humongous room that was the only spot to sit. He saw Jungkook gazing out in the garden which was now lit with different lamps.
"What are you thinking?" He asked Jungkook, tentatively.
"Nothing particularly." Jungkook said, turning his eyesight towards the man sitting beside him. His eyes crinkled a little seeing Taehyung look at with utmost concern.
"Don't worry, Tae. It's nothing. I'll tell you if anything. But the scientist's pout deepened.
And Jungkook was beyond endeared. With a gentle sigh, he lay down, with head in the other's lap. And pulled his hand towards his head. A silent demand for Taehyung to thread his fingers through the hair.
It surprised Taehyung because this was the first time someone seeked comfort in him. From him. Asked him to pamper them. And he had no complaints. He in fact, felt happy being able to do it. His heart felt woozy, seeing Jungkook close his eyes with content when he got what he wanted.
Soon after there was a knock on the door, signalling the arrival of their dinner. Without getting up from his place or letting Taehyung move, he called in the staff. The staff, who was a middle aged woman, and a young man showed utmost professionalism by trying not to look at the snuggly couple, but the author can vouch that there was a subtle smile on both their faces when they walked out of the door.
"Don't you sleep. Get up. You are yet to have your dinner." Taehyung feigned annoyance 10 minutes after, when the prince seemed to be drifting into the slumber.
"Ugh… let a man lay in peace, Taehyung-ssi. It's not everyday I get my highly busy fiancé to myself." The prince said, lazily. Turning around to snuggle his face into the other's tummy. Taehyung laughed it off but his insides sure turned into mush. Although, he somehow managed to get out a sassy response,
"Well, now on, he will be working from home. You sure, you won't get tired seeing him here all the time?"
"Not if I get to have his sassy mouth on mine more often." The naughty prince peeked out from the tummy he had tucked his head in. He was almost expecting a playful slap by the scientist, but he got tugged upwards by the same hand that was caressing his head gently earlier. And before he could even make sense, he was pulled into Taehyung's lap, who was very eager to continue their makeout session that got interrupted.