*Taehyung*

While I had not lost any game during the last episode of Rookie King, this time I received punishment after punishment. The worst so far had been when Jin hyung had to hit the rice grains that were sticking to my cheek with a wooden spatula. He did not hit me too hard, nevertheless I felt the blow on my cheek.

Jungkook had not looked too amused after my punishment but he had kept quiet.

We continued playing some more games, when suddenly Namjoon blushed hard while reading the next task silently. « What is it? », Hoseok hyung asked after noticing Namjoon's cheeks turn red. Our leader cleared his throat and announced in a flustered voice what the next punishment would be like.

« You will have to imitate one special scene from the movie A Frozen Flower ».

Instantly the elder hyungs started laughing awkwardly. Jimin hyung too moved in his seat and rubbed his sweaty hands on his pants. I side eyed Jungkook. The mention of the A Frozen Flower had left him indifferent. He was looking around, taking in the hyungs' weird reactions. He clearly had no clue what the movie was about. Meanwhile, I caught Jin glaring secretly at Namjoon, who was eyeing myself and Jungkook, trying to analyse our reaction.

I had never watched the movie before but I knew what it was about. The movie had been released in 2008 and had caused a huge scandal in Korea because it broke one of the korean society's biggest taboos: gay love.

The historical movie, which was staring Jo In-sung and Joo Jin-mo, was set during Goryeo Dynasty. The controversial story is about the characters' violation of royal family protocol and their pursuit of love. It is a tragic love triangle between the King, played by Joo Jin-mo, the Queen, and the military commander Hong-rim, who does not just fall in love with the Queen but who is also the King's lover. Many people had refused to go see it in the theatres. Nevertheless, everyone had heard of it.

Of course, the scene that we had to reincarnate was no other than the kissing scene between the King and his lover. No wonder that everyone seemed uneasy. Not only did some of us not necessarily like to kiss boys but some, like Namjoon, Jin, Jungkook and I, did not like to kiss some other man than our loved one.

My hands were all sweaty when we had to pick the punishment cards. Jungkook all innocent and ignorant, was the only one who seemed unbothered by the task. I rubbed the sweat from my hands off on my pants, closed my eyes, said a silent prayer and flipped the card. I looked at my own card, then Jungkook's and let out a sigh of relief. Neither of us had picked the death card. The member that got unlucky was no other than Hobi hyung.

He did take it well but he seemed confused about the punishment. « Who do I have to kiss? ».

Indeed, there was no other person assigned to the task until now. « I think this should become a double punishment », Yoongi hyung added mischievously. Namjoon looked at Jin and at the manager, then he nodded in agreement. « Let's make it a double punishment ! », he proclaimed and distributed the cards for another round.

As my hand reached for the card once more, I felt my heart hammering in my chest.
3
Please don't let it be me.
2
Please don't let it be Jungkook.
1
Please...

I turned my card at the same time than the other boys. On Jungkook's card was marked in big black gothic letters : SAFE. At the corner of my eye, I saw Jimin pointing at me, holding his stomach and laughing out loud. Hoseok was touching my shoulder, trying to give me some comfort. Jin and Namjoon were scrutinising me, trying to read my emotions. Because with my bad luck I had picked the death card, putting me up for the punishment.

My hands were sweating a lot now and my heartbeat had not slowed down. I shot a glance at Jungkook but he still seemed unbothered. The kid truly had no idea about what was going on.

Suga hyung was the one who got up first and put some cherry red lipstick on Hoseok hyung's lips. He was careful not to smudge it but he put a thicker layer on it than necessary. Next to me, Jungkook was trying to get a good look at what was happening. He was kneading his fingers in his lap and he was smiling brightly. Was he really happy about this? I felt worried as a hundred questions popped up simultaneously in my head. I did not want this. I did not want to kiss my hyung. But I had to do it.

Meanwhile, I felt Namjoon's eyes on me. It was like he was telling me not to make it seem obvious that I had already been kissing boys. On boy, to be exact. I should act like I had never kissed anyone before. Per se... I should look disgusted and embarrassed. He did not have to tell me twice. I loved Hobi. But I loved him like my hyung. Not like I loved Jungkook.

It would be embarrassing, I did not have to act.

Suga hyung who seemed over excited, pulled us up, making us stand face to face. For Hoseok hyung it was merely fun. Suga hyung too was kinda absorbed in the moment. He was aligning us and doing the countdown. Since he did not want us - especially me - to flee, he grabbed both of our necks and brought our heads together. Nevertheless, he had to start counting down twice. The first time, Hobi hyung and himself could not stop laughing and the second time, out of a reflex, I had swallowed and wetted my lips before the kiss, which made Hobi hyung back away, feeling all embarrassed. All this time, Jungkook was standing behind me, all excited and overwhelmed by what was happening. He did not know what to do with his hands. All of this was happening too fast for him to truly understand his feelings.

The kiss happened fast. After Suga pushed our heads together, our lips joined and we stayed like this for 5 seconds before falling apart. I felt weird. Never had I kissed another boy than Jungkook. Never had I felt something so awkward. Kissing someone without feeling attraction for them felt weird and wrong. I let myself drop to the floor after the kiss, brushing with my knuckles over my lips to get the lipstick stain off. Hobi hyung was still standind, laughing at what had happened.

Immediately Jungkook was sitting next to me again, patting my back. He did not seem shocked or angry at that moment. For him it had only been a game, a stupid game, but nevertheless a harmless game between two hyungs. And this was exactly what it had been for me, a punishment and a game. All the while, I was still worried about Jungkook. Because I knew that he could be jealous.

From that moment on, I got lost in my thoughts. I did not wake up until, Jungkook was chosen again for the last punishment of the day. Once more he had to disguise himself as the princess and charm the audience with his dancing skills. I could not take my eyes off him and when he started to do some naughty dance moves he had learned in the States, I felt the tiger awake.

Jungkook pulled me up, urging me to dance with him. I tried to hide my excitement by turning my back to the camera. In the end, the other hyungs joined in, taking the focus from me and Jungkook.

****

On our way back to the dorm, the members were all chatty. They laughed and talked about today's punishments. First Jungkook, who was sitting in the seat next to me, his hand resting on my left knee, was laughing with the members but eventually he noticed that I was staying all quiet. My thoughts still hunted me. Jungkook did not seem jealous but the kiss still had not felt right.

Jungkook turned around to look at me. He tapped my chin, asking me with his gesture to look at him. When our eyes met, he saw the fear that was eating at me. But he just shook his head, smiled at me and mouthed I love you. He took my hands in his and caressed them gently. As I smiled back at him, I felt the fear leave my body and the light returned into my eyes and heart.

Jungkook tapped my chin once more. Then, unexpectedly, while he still held my chin with his hand, his eyes fixed upon me, his thumb brushed away the last remains of the lipstick stain on my lips. His gesture was no gesture of a brother. By holding me and putting more pressure on his thumb than necessary as he brushed over my soft pink lips, he was claiming them as his. And there was nothing more I wished for than him claiming me. From the look on his face and his touch on my lips, I could understand that this was exactly what he was planning to do once we got home and back into our room.

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Thank you for your patience !

I purple you 💜 Stay safe and healthy !