You waited five days, but no one came for you.
Part of you wanted Hoseok to come... but you weren't sure why he would. He wouldn't forgive you. His years of planning to take over the emperor were now wasted because of your slip of the tongue. You had only done it to secure your brother's rescue. In the end, however, you didn't have your brother or the chance to bring down the emperor.
You came in with a goal and accomplished nothing.
But, in some way, Yoongi was right. Hoseok was losing himself. If you hadn't said anything, maybe he would be lost completely. Maybe he already was. Losing Taehyung brought out a lot of pain and anger in him that you'd never seen before. You always trusted Hoseok, whether you liked it or not. But now... you didn't know if you could. He had become unstable. The flirtatious, carefree Hoseok had been replaced with a vengeful master.
Would the old Hoseok ever return?
Your hosts at the safehouse were pleasant, at least. They taught you a few basic things to help them around the inn. Daeun had made it a mission to teach you to cook, and in three days she taught you better than your own mother had. There was a slight ache every time you stepped into the kitchen, realizing that you never had enough time to learn much of anything from your mother. Her and Jungkook were always in the fields or in the city working, leaving you to figure out everything for yourself.
Except for all the things that Namjoon taught you.
You remembered the face he used to make whenever he ate your cooking, puckering slightly at the bitter flavor, but smiling as if you were the best cook in the world. That was his way... knowing how insecure you were about homemaking. It wasn't until years later that you realized he was doing that to encourage you.
That was when you fell in love with him.
You never told him. You didn't know how, and you weren't sure why it would matter to him. You tried to leave hints, waiting for him to speak his own mind.
He never said anything.
The one thing he was dishonest about, however, was your fighting skills. He didn't pretend that you were great when you weren't, and he pushed you harder and harder every day. When you thought about it, you never asked where he had learned to fight, but he was one of the most naturally talented fighters you had seen in your life.
Even now, the only person you could think of that fought on the same level as Namjoon was Hoseok.
Because, Sweetheart... Kim Namjoon is still madly in love with you.
What makes you think that?
He fought for your honor... The man who was supposed to kill you for your rebellion. He hasn't forgotten the past... same as you.
Did Namjoon really love you? Or was Hoseok playing with your mind for his own purposes?
No, it didn't matter. Whether or not Namjoon loved you, it didn't make a difference.
He was the enemy.
You continued to cook, and you helped clean the inn by sweeping and washing blankets. Hyunwoo and Daeun even mentioned in passing that you would make a great addition to the inn, but when night settled and you were alone, you couldn't imagine it. A regular job with a regular purpose seemed so... empty.
There was something in you that wanted more. No matter how reckless it was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the sixth night, you couldn't stay in the walls of your room any longer. Yoongi hadn't sent any word, and Hoseok hadn't come for you. You were anxious to know what Yoongi had decided. You wanted to know if Hoseok was getting better or worse. And most importantly, your brother was still in shackles, ready for the execution block.
How could you sit still?
With the moon full, you climbed out of the window of the inn and dropped to the ground without a sound. You couldn't ask the inn couple for permission to leave. They would surely refuse and secure you tighter to the inn.
But you weren't made for cleaning.
You slinked off towards the city, determined to find out more information on the Rebellion and their current status.
There was only one place you could think of that might have an answer.
The Red House.
The summer breeze was humid, and it stuck to the beads of sweat dripping down your back. Quietly you followed the road from the safehouse to the city, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.
After Taehyung, you couldn't be too cautious.
You really think I'm incompetent, don't you?
No... I think you're too competent and under-experienced. That's even more dangerous.
You replayed Taehyung's last words to you in your head. What did he mean?
Trying to decipher the meaning, and utilizing every stealth technique you had learned from Hoseok and Taehyung, you made it to the city. You were drenched in your own sweat, but the feeling was more comforting than disgusting. It reminded you of your training back at camp.
A camp you'd never see again.
You followed the city road to the bridge. The same bridge you had jumped to escape from Namjoon. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.
Once you reached the bridge, you could see the glowing lights of the Red House. You wished you had a veil. Not that it mattered. If Namjoon or Hoseok were there, they would be able to see right through it.
Your heart fluttered, wondering if either one of them would be there.
You approached the entrance, laughter and drunken cheering pouring into your ears before you had even made it all the way inside. A few heads turned when you walked in, but no one took notice for long. You weren't wearing the same lavish clothes you had when you were in Hoseok's company.
You scanned the room, holding your breath.
No Hoseok. Also, no Namjoon.
You exhaled as your stomach sank. What if you never saw Hoseok again? Would he care? Did he hate you that much?
You pushed through the crowds of people, heading towards the back room. You remembered the knock, and you raised your hand to give it yourself.
"Hey!" a female voice cried on the other side of the door. "What do you think you're doing?"
You stopped.
"Eye for an eye," a familiar male voice calmly replied.
There was a gasp. Then a cry.
Thud.
You knew that voice...
You swung open the door, expecting to see him. But it wasn't Hoseok.
Jin turned his head to you, flicking the dagger in his wrist that was now dripping in blood. Your eyes fell to the body next to his feet, dressed in a beautiful gown that was open in all the tempting places.
You held down the bile in your stomach. Jin's heavy boots pounded against the ground as he stepped over the body, his eyes fixed on you.
"You came at a bad time," he said, flicking the dagger again.
You didn't reply. You ran.
You ran back out the door, back over the bridge. You checked over your shoulder for Jin, but he wasn't in sight. You slowed down for a moment, legs shaking from what you had seen.
Did Yoongi...? No. Yoongi wouldn't kill a woman. Then why would Jin...
You stepped forward to sprint back to the safehouse, but your body hit the ground before you could even take a step. A boot came to the back of your knee, folding it, sending you sprawling to the ground. A pair of hands came from behind, twisting your hands behind your back.
"I told you I would drag you," a voice commanded in your ear.
That voice you could never mistake for another.
You turned your head around to see Namjoon's cold eyes burning into you.
"No running this time," he said, more of a threat than a statement.
You glared at him.
He lifted you to your feet, holding both your hands behind your back as he locked you in his arms to face him. His eyes looked down on you, pride swelling up in the corners.
"Where's your master?" he taunted.
You clenched your jaw.
Footsteps came behind you, and for a brief moment you hoped it was Hoseok himself to answer the question.
But it was Jin.
Jin looked between you and Namjoon, raising an eyebrow.
"Did you do what I asked?" Namjoon asked, still looking at you.
"It's taken care of," Jin replied.
You looked into Namjoon's heavy, dark eyes as the words settled into your brain.
You shook your head at him. "You? You ordered Jin to..."
He nodded. His hands gripped yours behind your back as he leaned closer to your ear.
"I know where you've been..." he whispered. "And you're not going back."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOUNDTRACK: Me, myself, and I (Instrumental) - G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha
Thank you for 5000 followers! As a gift, I've started a short story called AN INCONVENIENT FRIENEMY. You can find it under MARRIAGE OF ROYAL INCONVENIENCE. Hope you like it!