A week. They have a week to study. Study for what? Hoseok didn't quite understand.
The next event was a Question and Answer segment. They'd have a week to study for it, having access to request books from the king's personal library and to the internet.
It was great to have internet again.
Technically, the palace has had wifi this entire time, but the candidates weren't allowed to have access to it. Something about them taking pictures of secret things and uploading them to social media and whatnot.
Cellphones had been confiscated since the very beginning. Even now the only way they could use the internet was under supervision.
One wrong click and you're out.
Hoseok didn't exactly know what to start studying on. The Royal Queen dowager was going to be the one asking questions and it could literally be about anything and that frightened the heck out of Hoseok.
He still wasn't interested in winning, but he had to keep Taehyung in the competition because of the condition he was in. It was best to keep him here and have the best medics in the country to tend to him because he was a possible spouse for the king than to have him at a regular hospital where he was just another patient.
And if Hoseok gets disqualified, he'd be worried as hell over the kid.
Or at least, that's how he works everything out in his brain.
"What are you going to focus on?" Choi Junhong asks him in the lounge. Most of them are already on computers, a soldier watching over their shoulder as they Navered information regarding various subjects.
"I don't know," Hoseok says honestly. "There's so much."
"Yeah, I get you," he says. "Politics, religion, wars, personal experiences. They're really not giving us a lot of information, it's completely unfair."
Hoseok can't help but agree. If they weren't going to narrow down the subjects then they might as well just base this stuff off of common sense and leave it at that.
But he couldn't risk it. "What are you studying?"
"The effects of global warming."
"Interesting," he says. Not really. He glances around the room. Nope, not asking Jackson. "Suwoong-ssi, what are you studying on?"
Suwoong gives him a sheepish smile from across the room, a laptop on his lap and a soldier right behind him with his eyes glued to the screen. "Suicide. We got quite a high percentage of people committing suicide within our country. Ages range from like eighteen to thirty. I think it could be something that might pop up."
That was impressive, he didn't know that. "Jaehwan-ssi? You?"
"Other forms of governmental structure," Jaehwan replies, not looking up from his book.
Hoseok scrunches his nose at that. "Really? Why?"
"You never know if a question like that could come up," he shrugs. "Are you not going to study anything?"
A good question, really. "I just don't know what to study. I might just end up winging it or something."
They all look at him like he's crazy. Maybe he was.
"What are your friends studying?"
Were Jimin and Tae even studying? He couldn't help but wonder about that. Jimin did come early to request some books, then left with like five of them in hand. "I don't know."
"Well just pick something," Junhong suggests, "better to know a lot about something than just go and wing it."
He had a point.
Hoseok's been in the lounge all day though, and although there's a computer in front of him (even with the creepy guard behind him) he doesn't have one topic pop into his head. He had the worldwide web before him and nothing came to mind.
Then it comes to him, and he sits up in his chair and begins typing into Naver.
Eating disorders.
The courtyard is empty. It's late. Really late. Like, fucking midnight late, but Yoongi just can't seem to be able to fall asleep right now.
He tried, really, he always tries. Usually around this time he'd be out like a light, but something is bothering him and he just can't quite put his finger on it.
Usually, when he's like this, his anxiety kicks in. And that was the last thing he needed so he heads out for a long walk to the palace's kitchen to steal some alcohol from it.
Well, it's not really stealing. Namjoon always says he's welcome to anything in there so...yeah.
Of course, the last thing he's suspecting is seeing the light in the kitchen turned on. He braces himself, expecting the worst.
So when Jungkook suddenly pokes his head out the door just as Yoongi was about to storm inside, Yoongi almost peed in his pants. "Holy shit you scared me," he gasps, hand on his chest. "Kid, I was about to punch you."
"Sorry," Jungkook mumbles, head down, spoon in his hand. "I didn't mean to. I just heard a noise outside and came out to see what it was."
Yoongi eyes him. "Why do you have on a fucking pink apron?"
Kook blinks, glancing down at it then blushing. "I'm trying to get into character," he replies softly.
The general dares to ask. "Character?"
"Yeah, Seokjin-hyung always wore a pink apron when he cooked. So I'm wearing one to get into character to cook for Taehyung."
Yoongi really doesn't want to judge but, "That's ridiculous." He notices the boy's smile fade a bit and adds, "but carry on. It might actually help."
That makes Jungkook beam and pull on the knot of the apron to tighten it. "Yeah?" he preens, "I'm really hoping it does."
"You shouldn't be here alone by the way," Yoongi adds. Where the hell did the staff move the alcohol to?
"I'm not alone, Soobin is here."
Yoongi looks back and sees that indeed the servant boy was in the corner playing some game on his phone.
"Wait, Hyung. Why are you here?" Jungkook asks suddenly, opening the fridge to pull out ingredients.
Fumbling around the cupboards, Yoongi gives him a dull look. "I needed alcohol."
"Oh. This late?"
"Kid, it's never too late for alcohol. And personally, I've been guarding your brother's room all day and he keeps moping then turning happy when he sees a nice design then starts moping again when he remembers he's planning a funeral and not a wedding."
Jungkook winces as he imagine that. "I see...second cupboard on the left."
Yoongi opens it and then gives the younger prince a very judgmental look.
Jungkook just smiles innocently at him.
"I don't know about this," Yoongi says, taking the drink. "I know nothing about this." Kook's laugh echoing in the kitchen followed by a quick "Thanks Hyung!" as Yoongi leaves.
The courtyard is silent, quiet enough that he hears his own footsteps as he walks. It's somewhat soothing. With him always unable to sleep due to insomnia, he rather enjoyed the sounds of the night.
So instead of heading straight for his residence, he decides to take his alcohol and sit in the garden behind it.
He likes the silence. It's soothing, especially with alcohol in hand, it makes his mind hazy, stops the bad thoughts.
It wouldn't be the first time he's fallen asleep in the garden. Knowing Jungkook, he'd probably sent one of his servants to check on him later on since he saw him take the bottle.
He's so focused on just taking it all in, the darkness, the sound of absolutely nothing that he doesn't hear footsteps approaching. Then he feels something touch him twice on his shoulder and Yoongi nearly jumps out of his skin.
"Sorry!" that something says. "Oh my —I am so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! You looked dead and I just wanted to make sure you weren't! Really, I did not intentionally mean to scare you!"
Yoongi's frozen on the floor like a starfish. He blinks several times and then groans when he sees the person hovering over him and looking down at him with the most worried expression.
Jung Hoseok.
"I could've killed you," Yoongi manages out. The guy was lucky he had been out of it, under any circumstance Yoongi would've knock him to the ground.
At his threat, Hoseok blinks, cocks his head to the side. "Really? Cause um, I think I almost killed you. Of a heart attack that is."
Yoongi's never been so fucking embarrassed in his life.
He doesn't move. His heart is still thumping at a hundred miles per hour and he's still recovering his breath. While he just lays there dumbly on the ground like if he was making a fucking snow angel, Hoseok is just staring at him.
"What?" Yoongi hisses.
Hoseok flinches from his tone and blushes a bit from being caught staring. Still, he awkwardly stretches his head and says, "Um, cute pajamas."
Shit. Yoongi lifts his head, praying that he was at least wearing his pink silk pajamas or something.
Nope. He was wearing his Kumamon pajamas under his robe.
That makes him sit up quickly, tugging at the sides of his black robe to hide the designs of Kumamon's face all over. He didn't have enough cloth in his robe for that. Shoot. Shoot.
"You should leave," he says as calmly as he can, keeping his voice even. "You shouldn't even be roaming around alone this late at night."
Hoseok places his hands on his hips and frowns. "Are you kicking me out just because you're embarrassed that I saw you in some cute character pajamas?"
Yes. That's exactly it. But he has too much pride to admit it. "S —Shut up," he spats. He's blushing, he can feel it. His cheeks are fucking burning.
The other guy has a complete shit eating grin on his face. Instead of turning around and leaving, he takes a seat on the floor right next to him. Then he reaches out and takes the bottle from Yoongi's hand and chugs a bit down.
"What are you doing?" Yoongi asks. It's a stupid question cause it's obvious what the other is doing. He's drinking. But Yoongi's head is filled with other thoughts as some liquor drips down from Hoseok's mouth and down his throat.
With a satisfied sigh, Hoseok pulls the bottle away from his lips. "Princer," he states calmly. "Nice."
Yoongi yanks the bottle back and takes a swing. "Leave," he says, before he takes another swing.
"Nope." Hoseok leans back to lay on the grass, crossing his arms behind his head. "I've got dirt on you, General. Make me leave and I'll tell everyone how cute and intimidating you look in your pajamas."
"Cute?" Yoongi spatters, highly offended by the comment.
Hoseok turns his head and grins at him. "Yeah, cute," he teases. "Makes you look tiny."
"I am not tiny," he retorts.
"Whatever you say, General."
"Not tiny," he huffs softly to himself.
They stay quiet then. Hoseok looking up at the night sky and Yoongi trying to focus on something other than the way the moonlight is hitting the other's face and making it look so smooth and perfect and pretty.
As soon as that thought enters his head he shakes it off. Okay the Princer is hitting him fast. Damn, had he become such a lightweight by not drinking during his rounds?
"Haven't seen the king around," Hoseok comments suddenly, making Yoongi jump. "Dang. You're really jumpy."
Yoongi really wants to ignore him. He only ignores that last part of Hoseok's words. "The King is busy planning the funeral."
"Did it...look bad? The body?" he asks.
"That's classified information," the general huffs, "You already owe me enough." He points his finger to him. "Still waiting on that by the way."
"Is a simple 'thank you' not enough?" Hoseok tried.
Yoongi snorts. "No." Don't say it, don't say it. "A kiss might be though." Fuck. It's the alcohol talking.
Hoseok all but yanks his head to gape at him. "What?"
"Nothing," the general mumbles. He's drunk, oh man why'd he have to grab the strong stuff. "It's the alcohol talking."
Hoseok is still staring at him, eyes still wide and lips still parted.
"Stop staring," Yoongi slurs. "You're too cute to be staring at me."
"Okay," Hoseok drawls out, squirming away a bit. "You're drunk."
"I am not!" Yoongi whines.
"Okay, okay." Hoseok holds his hand up in surrender. "Whatever you say, General.".
"Damn right whatever I say."
Hoseok is trying really hard not to laugh as he watches the general in his robe and Kumamon pajamas, swaying a bit back and forth and blinking to remain awake. "You need to go to bed."
Yoongi lifts his head to look at him, cheeks flushes and eyes squinting. Then he raises his arms up towards him. "Carry me," he mumbles.
Oh. Well that's...different.
"What?" is all Hoseok can muster to say. It's actually so shocking that Hoseok is gaping at him again, speechless.
"Jungkook always carries me back to my room when I get drunk," Yoongi says, now making grabby hands at him. "He's not here so you carry me."
"Uh," Hoseok looks around the garden. Damn. There was really no one around right now? "I don't think I can carry you?" It's a lie. He can obviously do it. The general doesn't look heavy, but right now he's just fishing for excuses.
And it doesn't work when the general just gives him such a heartbroken look and lowers his head. "Fine," he says softly.
Okay, that's really not fair.
He gives in. Honestly, he can't just leave the guy here, also he's tired and wants to head on over to bed. He wanted to give him a piggy back ride so it wouldn't get any weirder but the general insisted he wanted to be carried.
So Hoseok carries him. Yoongi is dangling from his neck like a koala. Hoseok makes a mental note that General Min Yoongi is a cuddly drunk.
"Hey, General," he says once they reach the door, "You gotta put in your code."
"Okay," he says snuggling closer to Hoseok. God, okay, this isn't right. Like come on this guy is the dude in charge of protecting the royal family for pete's sake. He's a general and there had to be some law somewhere saying that generals cannot be this fucking adorable.
After several wrong attempts, the door clicks and Hoseok carries him inside and all but throws him on the bed. There, Hoseok says to himself as Yoongi fumbles with the covers. Now all he has to do is leave and—
"Seok-ah," Yoongi says, grabbing his wrist. Hoseok freezes in place and tries not to freak out over the cute nickname. "I never answered your sister's question."
Hoseok finds himself frowning. "What question?"
Yoongi lets go of him and snuggles into the covers. "Handsome," he mutters against the pillows, eyes shut. "You're really handsome," he adds. "Especially when you dance." He yawns. "Can't stop staring cause you're so handsome."
Oh.
Oh.
Thankful for the fact that the room is too dark for the other to see his blush and that the general is out like a light, Hoseok runs out of there. His face is hot, his ears burn and his heart is pounding against his chest so loud that it the sound amplifies in his ears.
"There you are Hobi-hyung," Jimin pouts when Hoseok opens the door to Taehyung's room. Jimin blinks at him and turns his head to the side. "Hey, are you okay?"
No. He was not. Fucking General Min Yoongi —Min Yoongi —The King's intimidating general called him Seok-ah and made him carry him while wearing his stupid adorable Kumamon pajamas and then said he was handsome.
"Yeah," he lies, "I am just out of breath from running here."
No. He was totally out of breath because of Min Yoongi.