Hoseok's thoughts fell silent. His heart pounded and his eyes begged for a better way to approach this, but Mr. Park was too far into his plan. Regret struck the young alpha as the normal smile he would normally carry, fled his expression. All he could ever think of was the same scolding words he hissed to himself, believing that if he had kept his observations to himself, no one's life would be on the line now.
"I... I feel... I feel sick," whispered Hoseok and wrapped his arms around his stomach above the dark blue hanbok, over his black silk pants. "Killing, that isn't fair..."
"Commoners won't live long anyway. At the end of the day, I want the best for Jimin, it is the right thing to do. I would love to let Jimin marry for love, but let's be honest, love drove him into the arms of a commoner. Jimin wouldn't last long with a commoner, they will raise half-bred pups, they will struggle for a living and their reputation will be worse. Having my son live a life like that, is a thought I just can't bear,"
"You're... You're right..."
"You too will understand that this isn't something I want. If the boy was an upper-class alpha, I would have been more than happy to allow Jimin to love him. But, this alone has to be done. I would have to force Jimin so plans would fall into place. His heat was triggered for marriage and now we must get rid of that commoner so the painting could only capture the two of you. In time, Jimin will love you, that I am certain."
Hoseok had no other choice but to listen to the elder. He knew what the father believed in and understood his reasons, but as horrible as it made him feel, Hoseok finally had to play off the idea of not knowing the plan so it could be carried out smoothly.
Eventually, Jimin reached The Omega River after a long walk through the field. Once he arrived at the river, he spotted Jungkook sitting all alone. The familiar white hanbok was wrapped around his body and his hat was placed over the wet pebbles underneath. Jimin gazed at the king a while longer until he couldn't contain his excitement; the king was silent, perfect, charming, Jimin's heart pounded at the sight as his feet pushed forward to see the alpha.
Within seconds, Jimin jumped onto the young king and threw his arms around Jungkook's body to hold him happily. The strong scent of the alpha filled Jimin's nose as he welcomed it with open arms.
"Oh, Jungkook! You don't know how happy I am!" Jimin giggled and rubbed the side of his face against the alpha, causing a big grin to form over the king's pale face.
"Ah, you know I can't sense you from afar!" Jungkook laughed and finally cupped his swan's face. "Let me look at you..." Jungkook whispered and matched his smile with Jimin's before kissing his forehead. "I'm so glad I've made you happy..."
With that, Jimin seemed to notice the lack of sleep engraved onto Jungkook's face. Faint dark circles were stamped onto the space underneath his eyes and his voice carried a long tone that seemed to drag out his dull voice. The older omega then rose his small hands to hold Jungkook's face in return; feeling the chiseled features to his charming, yet, exhausted face.
"What's wrong?" Jungkook whispered as his smile died down into worry. "Did something happen? Please, tell me..."
"No... No, it's not that... I- ah, have you been getting enough rest?" Jimin asked and felt Jungkook's hands fall from the gentle touch of his face, and finally rest over the omega's plump shoulders.
"Oh, it doesn't matter, my swan, what matters is that you're happy and the rules have been implemented," Jungkook assured and hugged Jimin; clinging onto him as if he lacked the feeling of contact for an eternity. "I'm so happy now..."
Jimin ran his hands down from the boy's face and allowed it to sink down to feel the knobs of Jungkook's spine. One by one, Jimin slowly felt it until he stopped completely to hug the alpha gently.
"I missed you..." Jungkook whispered, not wanting to break their contact as he closed his eyes from the warm feeling he yearned every night. "I get so worried..."
"Of what?" Jimin's soft and warm voice sang to him like a feather flowing through a gentle breeze.
"Of many... many... things," answered the king as an exhale escaped his red lips.
"Do you... miss me at night?" Jimin asked into a whisper against the alpha's ears. "Do you miss me after morning?"
"Jimin... I miss you every second when we are apart, but what keeps me up all night is the many negative thoughts that fill my mind. I fear so much and the idea of losing you keeps awake."
"Losing me?" Jimin giggled and softly ran the palm of his hand against the alpha's back gently. "You will never lose me, Jungkook. Why would you think of that?"
"I... I fear that one day you won't want me..." Jungkook confessed and suddenly let out a chuckle before pulling away and covering his face. "Oh, what am I saying? I'm a mess! This is so embarrassing... we just started this relationship and here I am, thinking of the negatives!"
"Stop, you're just overthinking..." Jimin whispered and pulled Jungkook's hands away from his face. "Don't think about it too much if anything we'll get through it all, remember?"
"Of course we will..." Jungkook replied and looked at his swan; his one and only swan. The alpha still had the negative thoughts in his head, but they grew silent once Jimin assured him. Yet, those thoughts were only silenced for now.
"Sleep with me."
"P-Pardon?" Jungkook sputtered and let out a laugh. Jimin then gasped as he quickly caught onto what the King was thinking of. "Oh, Jimin... I-"
"No! Ah, you never listen!" Giggled the omega as he moved in close to cup his lover by the face. "Sleep with me here, you need rest and I want to be here for you..." Jimin assured and watched the charming smile overcome the alpha's breathtaking face once more.
"Okay," Jungkook responded, caressing the side of Jimin's face right after. The tired boy was happy to know he would get a break from the obsessive thoughts that seemed to drain out his energy. His gaze followed Jimin as he watched the omega stand up and turn away to think to himself.
"Maybe if I run home quickly, I can bring the silk blanket!" Jimin mentioned, having his back facing alpha to think of the idea longer. "Jungkook, I will be right back!"
"No, it's fine, I have a better idea," Jungkook replied, removing the white hanbok he wore. The charming king was shirtless now with nothing underneath as he called for Jimin once he spread the white coat and jacket over the ground. "I don't want you to get your hanbok dirty, it must be very expensive."
Jimin finally turned around and jumped at the sight of Jungkook revealing his perfectly sculpted chest to him so suddenly. "Jungkook! Honestly, how many rice bags do you even carry?!"
"What, you don't like it?"
"That's not what I meant!" Jimin replied and covered his mouth from the endless giggles that erupted. "You're... almost naked!"
"Oh, don't be that way, I still have my lower half covered. Here, I have this hanbok washed every time, trust me," Jungkook chuckled as he held his hand out to invite the omega to lay right by his side. "I won't ask you again, Jimin."
"Alright, but don't try anything funny!" Jimin bickered and finally laid down right by the alpha.
Jimin's face grew red as he inhaled Jungkook's strong scent that allured the omega even more. Jungkook noted how shy Jimin was at first, so the alpha took it upon himself to finally hug the smaller omega. The two cuddled over the white coat; filling each other's space with their gentle breathing that fell in sync, and their own scents mixing into one.
"Jimin..." Jungkook whispered softly against the smaller omega's ear. "What are you thinking about?"
"I... I was thinking, what if my father found me like this?" Jimin murmured and pressed his forehead against Jungkook's chest. "He would blow up! Ah, but, this feels right."
Jungkook looked down to see how the omega stuck onto him, he felt his worries slip away and his eyes close at the sound of Jimin's gentle breathing like a soothing lullaby. He pulled the beautiful omega into his arms and smiled to himself, only longing to speak to his swan without opening his eyes just so he could embrace the beautiful sounds of nature itself.
"All of those thoughts... It was all in my head," Jungkook whispered and felt Jimin move his head into a nod. "I need this... I need you... this feels right and I feel safe right here with you," the boy continued as he then felt himself slipping away into slumber as his thoughts were completely muted.
Just as Jungkook began to sleep, Jimin ran his gaze along the creases of Jungkook's slightly tanned chest and let out a sigh. "Is this how it is? Being with someone who longed for love, and hearing them doubt what they have? Oh, Jungkook... You're killing yourself over this... Why can't you focus on the brighter side of things? Are you... growing obsessed with the idea of love?" Jimin thought and slid his hand down the side of Jungkook's exposed torso. "For a man that owns everything, you're a confusing man when it comes down to things you want."
Their careful embrace remained pure within their gentle contact. Jimin ran his fingertips along the firm creases to Jungkook's ribs and closed his eyes right after. The king felt the soft and warm fingertips of his lover, dancing above his skin. Deep down, Jungkook still wondered what Jimin thought about the situation. He understood how worried his swan truly was, but of course, he couldn't help but to think if Jimin had more to say about his actions. Just as desperate and obsessive the king sadly became to be, he tended to overthink everything.
As the alpha finally began to sleep with his omega contained in his clutches, morning slipped them by like rain racing down the leaves of a tree. It wasn't until after a long rest, Jungkook woke up to see Jimin setting up another small picnic over the red silk blanket he promised to bring sooner.
"Jimin, did you... leave?"
"Only to bring a few things from home, it's midday now," Jimin replied and watched the king rub his eyes; still feeling groggy from the long rest he shared with the omega. "You're a heavy sleeper!"
"Ah, Jimin, I didn't expect you to leave me so you could bring us these things, did you forget that I have more meals in a day?"
"It doesn't matter how many meals you have in a day, I will still bring you something when you are outside of the palace. You need to eat," Jimin mentioned and began to set out porcelain bowls to serve stew once more. "I know we've had this before, but I couldn't think of any other dish to have my servants make. I was in a hurry since my Mother and Father stepped out for business reasons."
"You're very fortunate, you're never caught."
"I've been caught before, but I lie saying I've been with one of my friends. They don't dare to question me since I never stop talking in an argument. Of course, I've had my moments of silence but that was before I had my heat. Now, I don't care anymore..."
"You can't say that, having it in the wrong place at the wrong time is a scary thing for you. Please don't provoke it any further. I want to keep you safe," Jungkook whispered as he watched another beautiful smile reveal before his very eyes. "I don't want to see you hurt..."
"I can say the same thing about you too, I didn't want to see you risking every night of sleep or starving because of some negative thoughts you should ignore. I worry about you and if anything, I want to be there for you too!" Jimin said, looking up to see the young king making his way onto the red silk blanket set out for the two of them. "I know you've been hurt before and it's hard to love when you've been searching for it for so long, but you need to look at the bright side."
Jungkook sat and listened to the omega; silencing himself almost instantly, he knew he shouldn't have doubted anything between them, but he couldn't help it. Jimin was right, the king's desperate yearn for love had him paranoid especially after Yoongi's words. The matter of if or when scared Jungkook to the point where the obsessive thoughts of letting Jimin go, kept him up all night.
Jimin glanced at the king as he was engulfed in silence at the moment, the omega then let out a sigh and looked at the king in worry.
"Do you think I would hurt you? Do you think I would leave you like that other omega?" Jimin questioned the king and let out a scoff. "You know me better than that..."
"I'm sorry... I can't help but to fear the worst. I am very desperate, scared, cautious..." Jungkook added on and looked away, feeling embarrassed he had to confront Jimin like this. "I want to look at the brighter side of things... I really do, but I get so attached, I begin to wonder and it scares me."
The young and beautiful swan then stood up and approached the alpha to hug him. As he stood, Jimin pressed Jungkook's head against his body as he carefully soothed his head from the endless thoughts that slipped into his mind.
Jimin couldn't understand how difficult it was to get rid of negative thoughts so easily, but he had to understand that his king was different when he approached affection that was never given to him before. It was like love, it was a gift given by both sides, yet Jungkook was never given the same affection in return before. That was what made him desperate for true love after manipulation and it also made him fear the worst when it was all too true.