"Everyone, at attention!" Jungkook shouted. Everyone stood straight. Sunwoo followed along lazily, hands by his side.
Not surprisingly, the gumihos did not follow immediately. Jungkook narrowed his eyes at them.
"When I say 'at attention', then you stay at attention." He said, voice dangerously low. Chanhee looked at him bored but did as told. The rest followed.
"From now onwards, I want everyone to obey my orders. Why? Because my orders are all related to your training. Every word that comes out of my mouth is to improve and prepare you for a better fight. Listen to me when I am explaining." Jungkook said.
Hyunnjae glanced at Chanhee on his right. Chanhee seemed to be ignoring him.
"And when I say listen, you listen." Jungkook stood right in front of Hyunjae, the latter oblivious. Hyunjae grinned when Chanhee turned to him. He quirked a brow when Chanhee's eyes flickered to the front.
"Ouch!" Hyunjae rubbed his head where Jungkook had hit him. He looked at him sheepishly.
"Your training starts, now." Jungkook said as he stood in the middle in front of the twelve boys.
"Your Majesty, there are state matters waiting to be solved. I advice you to check in on-"
"It's gonna get revised by you anyways, so what's the point?" The emperor was splayed on his throne and playing with his beads, absentmindedly.
Minister Lee Byunghyun stayed silent.
"By the way, how was your daily meetings? Anything I should look out for?" The emperor continued fiddling.
"Of course not, Your Majesty. It is all taken care of. By the way, there has been rumours going around the palace."
"Hmm. And that is?"
"That Your Majesty has been trying to build a secret army." The emperor laughed out.
"Is that so? Well, do you think it's true?"
"I believe Your Majesty has all the protection he needs."
"You mean being watched under your eyes?"
"Your Majesty."
"I apologize for taking your sons. But I have to admit, they are a brighter bunch than you are. Must be the younger generation stuff."
"Your Majesty, this may cause complications. It may give rise to suspicion from the Mings."
"Only if they know. And they aren't gonna know if no one rats out to them, right? Minister Lee?" The emperor arched a brow.
"I am merely addressing my concerns, Your Majesty. You already gained plenty of oppositions and you need to build trust with the people."
"Your concerns? I think you are concerned most of my scar, aren't you?" The emperor took of his face mask, revealing the long scar across his right eye. He smirked when Minister Lee stayed silent.
"You are dismissed." He waved him off. Minister Lee bowed and left.
The emperor was left alone in the throne room. He traced his scar and thought for a while.
"Youngho-yah, how's the project coming along?" He called his personal bodyguard who's been with him long before he ascended the throne.
"They have just begun, Your Majesty." Suh Youngho replied. The emperor nodded, then got up and stretched his arms.
"Now, since Sangyeon isn't here. Come along with me to the capital. I need some fresh air away from this stuffy palace." He said as Youngho bowed his head.
"Oh, and remember not to be formal outside." The emperor reminded him with a cheeky smile, revealing his gums. Youngho bowed again.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Now, what should you call me?" The emperor crossed his arms and looked at him expectantly. Youngho kept his head down as he replied.
"Yoongi."
"Are you sure it will work?" Hoseok asked Namjoon. They were back in Namjoon's study room, drinking tea. Namjoon smiled mysteriously at him.
"Why? Don't you trust the judgement of his?" Namjoon said.
"It's not that but...."
"But?"
"Those gumihos may seem calm and harmless but they are a tricky bunch to control."
"Why do you think I asked for your assistance?" Namjoon smiled wider, taking a sip from his cup.
"You trust me too much." Hoseok chuckled.
"It's not only me. He trusts you as well." Hoseok sighed.
"Yoongi believes me alright, just because I saved his life once."
"Yoongi?"
"Oh, come on! I'm not calling him His Majesty between us. I never called him that anyway." Hoseok shrugged, leaning back into his chair.
"True, but mind not to call him that in front of the kids."
"Kids? Namjoon, it hasn't even been one day."
"They are our kids, our responsibility."
"I know, I know. Anyway, Don't tell me it's only us three controlling that wild bunch."
"Wild bunch? Three of those kids are sons of a sacred bone, though one of them is a half."
"So? You think I'm talking about their status in society? You think I care about that bone rank system?" Hoseok lazily drank his tea. Namjoon smiled contently.
"No. No, I don't."
"Just what are we doing?" Hyungseo asked, struggling to keep the two pails of water on each side of him stable. Haknyeon snickered at him. He was used to lifting heavy stuff during delivery.
The twelve boys were instructed to lift a bamboo pole on their shoulders. Only it wasn't just a pole. Two full wooden pails of water were attached on either side of the pole. Another thing, they had to stay in a squat position.
"How long do we have to do this?" Sunwoo asked, letting out a huff.
"Until... he.... comes back." Hwall replied with difficulty. Juyeon looked at him worriedly form beside. Juyeon had no problem in this position, though it seemed to be different for the others.
"This hurts..." Changmin said quietly only Younghoon beside him could hear.
"Changmin-ah" he called. Changmin turned to him and Younghoon blew him a kiss. Changmin giggled. Youngjae who was behind them rolled his eyes.
"Ahhh, seriously when he's gonna get back? My thighs are gonna explode!" Hyunjae complained.
"Shut up." Sangyeon gritted his teeth. Hyunjae had been complaining nonstop since Jungkook left and Sangyeon was, honestly, fed up. Joonyoung scoffed besides him which earned him a side glare from Sangyeon.
"Not talking to you. Chanhee, how are you holding up? You okay? You just got better yesterday, too." Hyunjae talked to Chanhee. Chanhee gave him a death glare that made Hyunjae flinch.
"Do I look like I'm okay? Your yapping is making me even more tired, so stop." He hissed. Hyunjae pouted and craned his neck to look for Sunwoo.
Sunwoo was staring at the two, then whipped his head away when Hyunjae looked back.
"Sunwoo, come on, talk with me. That might make you forget the weight on your shoulders a bit." Hyunjae said.
"For you, maybe."
"Ouch, you wound me."
"Stop that."
"Stop what?"
"Pretending to be cute."
"Oh, I'm cute now?" Hyunjae grinned. Before Sunwoo could reply, Hyunjae turned to Chanhee again and batted his eyelashes at him.
"Do I look cute, Chanhee?"
Chanhee looked at him with strong disapproval on his face. Hyunjae continued to smile at him innocently.
"Get your face out of my sight." Chanhee grumbled out. Hyunjae found great joy in Chanhee's reaction and continued to pester him with a nasally voice.
"Hyung, seriously. Stop it." Sunwoo said. He just couldn't stand Hyunjae's cutesy acts. Yes, that's it. It's not because Hyunjae gets to talk with Chanhee while he doesn't. Nope.
"I'm not stopping. This training is boring and this is the only fun thing right now." Hyunjae said, then continued his stupid grin at Chanhee. Sunwoo rolled his eyes.
Hyunjae moved closer to Chanhee.
"Say, why did you decide to stay?" He asked.
"Do we have a choice?" Chanhee grumbled, not liking the close distance between them
"But you could have escaped or whatever. Tell me the truth."
"..."
"You stayed because of me, right?"
"What!?" Chanhee looked at him, feeling wrongly accused. Hyunjae smirked at him cheekily.
"Aww, come on. I know you have a soft spot for me." Hyunjae wriggled his brows. Chanhee took a deep breath in.
"I did not stay here for you. I do not have a soft spot for you."
"Then, why did you keep appearing in front of me?"
"Coincidence."
"A couple of times is coincidence, but more than that? It's intentional." Chanhee furrowed his brows and looked at Hyunjae who had a neutral expression.
"What do you mean? We only met once."
"No. You appeared in front of me in different forms. at first I didn't know. But after I found out about your identity, it made sense."
"How?" Chanhee looked at him, higly confused.
"How would an old sweet seller grandpa whom I've never bought sweets from know my favorite type of sweet? And a beautiful young lady came to talk to him right at the time the snobs from my academy were gonna pester me? And don't forget the numerous times, different boys came to play with me. Come on, that's ridiculous." Hyunjae tilted his head.
"Oh, I guess so." Chanhee lowered his head a bit and pouted unconsciously. Hyunjae smiled at that.
"So why?"
"I guess I was just curious? And you seemed harmless."
Hyunjae nodded his head, understanding.
"So, only one question left unanswered."
"What's that?"
"Do you think I'm cute?"
Chanhee closed his eyes and took a deep breath in.
"No." He replied. Hyunjae frowned and scooted closer.
"Aww, not even a little bit?" He started his cutesy voice again.
"Nope." Chanhee shook his head. By now, Hyunjae was so close, their pails were bumping against each other's poles. Hyunjae lowered his head down to meet Chanhee's eyes and didn't notice his pail tipping over.
*splash*
Hyunjae gasped. He slowly covered his mouth.
"I'm really sorry." He spoke out in a small voice. Hyunjae had tipped both his pail and Chanhee's onto Chanhee directly. So now, Chanhee was glaring at him fiercely, fists clenched.
"Hyung, what the hell are you doing?" Hyunjae turned around and gasped again. The other pail on the other end of his pail had somehow managed to drench Sunwoo who was right behind him.
Hyunjae gulped at the two deathly glares he was receiving form both sides.
"It.....it was an accident?" He said guiltily.
Sangyeon, Juyeon, and Hwall shook their heads. Changmin and Younghoon were secretly cackling at their wet friend. The rest stared at the three in surprise.
"Oh, it was an accident, alright. Then, this is also an accident." Chanhee gritted his teeth and picked up his remaining pail of water and poured it on top of Hyunjae.
Hyunjae squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden rush of water. Just when he thought it was over, another rush came in. This time it was from Sunwoo, only it wasn't only one pail but two.
Sunwoo grinned in delight as Hyunjae spluttered and tumbled under the sudden weight of water rushing down on him. Chanhee also tilted his head at Hyunjae and laughed triumphantly. Sunwoo looked up at Chanhee and also joined in the laughter.
"Just what are you doing!" A loud angry voice interrupted them.
"Busted." Hyungseo and Haknyeon said simultaneously.
A/N: my laptop's being an asshole. It won't work properly and I can't write my work or anything. Fingers crossed it'll be fine after a few updates or whatever it needs.
Just in case you didn't know,
Suh Youngho = Johnny of NCT
Yoongi = Suga of BTS
I really missed updating this book though it's only been like a few days? Hope you guys haven't forgotten yet😓