Seokjin refused to let Hoseok out of his sight.

Usually, Hoseok would have no problem with being around Seokjin. Still, there was just something about the way Seokjin would appear at every waking moment, going to the point of barging in if Hoseok was gone for seconds too long, that had Hoseok on edge. This type of behavior didn't feel normal. It was as if Hoseok was an endangered species that could disappear forever if left alone for too long.

At night, the time where Hoseok thought he'd have space for himself proved to be more challenging. He'd have incomprehensible, undecipherable dreams and wake up in the morning with his pillow and face completely soaked with tears and a pounding headache that would last most of the morning. Seokjin and Hoseok's father had caught on very quickly, and after a couple of days, they began administering medicine to Hoseok, who had to take it, no matter the circumstance.

Even with Hoseok willfully listening to his father, security on him did not become relaxed. To Hoseok's surprise, the amount of security had nearly doubled, to the point where Hoseok felt like he couldn't breathe. He would see Seokjin everywhere, even in places Seokjin wouldn't normally be at. Seeing your husband every day was nice, but Seokjin was stuck to him like a fly, and he was invading Hoseok's personal space.

If it wasn't Seokjin, then Hoseok always had a guard by his side, a strange feeling. The only time Hoseok had any guard protecting him was when his father and he would host public events, and even then, the guards would be behind them— at a distance. Here, it felt like the guards were stuck to him, and Hoseok couldn't shake them off. It had gotten to the point where Hoseok would be checked on every couple of minutes while in his room to ensure that he wasn't in any immediate danger.

Hoseok was getting sick of it.

Nobody would tell him why they were going to such lengths to ensure Hoseok was kept 'safe.' For someone well surveilled, they did a terrible job in letting Hoseok know why they needed to take such measures. Hoseok could stand it the first couple of days, but now, with nothing to do and always feeling like a spectacle meant for everyone's eyes, Hoseok had begun planning ways to avoid the constant watch over himself.

"I need social interaction," Hoseok complained, crossing his arms. Seokjin turned to him; eyebrow arched, expression almost in confusion. "You don't count as social interaction. I want to talk to other people, walk around the city for a bit, do something. At the very least, find something entertaining to keep me busy."

"You have me. What else could you need?" Seokjin asked nonchalantly. Hoseok frowned.

"You have your responsibilities outside of babysitting me. I want to have something to keep me busy." Hoseok grumbled, looking up at Seokjin. "Is that too much to ask for?"

Seokjin sighed. "The palace keeps you safe. If I take you outside, who knows what would happen to you?"

"If you're at my side, nothing will happen," Hoseok argued. "And if there's a guard by my side, then I'll be even more protected. Come on, Seokjin. I'm tired of always staying here. I want to go see my city."

"You've been having headaches," Seokjin said. "You could be sick. I can't risk you out there."

"Yeah, and my father's been giving me medicine for it," Hosoek responded, exasperated. "I'm fine. I've been taking the meds every day. I'm telling you, I'm fine."

"Are you sure been drinking what your father has been giving you?" Seokjin asked, pressing his palm on Hoseok's forehead. "Have you had dreams? Nightmares?"

"What?" Hoseok swatted Seokjin's hand away. "Why would I be lying to you about something like that?"

Seokjin shrugged. "I'm just asking. You're becoming more hostile. It's worrying me."

"I've been sleeping just fine," Hoseok remarked, irritated. "Knocked out and wake up feeling refreshed. You've been the one acting weird. You're all treating me like some child. I promise I won't die from sun exposure. I'm getting tired of always seeing the same hallways. I'm the Prince! I should be outside, not stuck here."

"You being Prince is exactly why we have to keep you inside," Seokjin said gently. "I know you're upset at how things are being handled. Believe me, if it was safe for you, I'd take you everywhere with me. But it's not safe for you. I don't want to put you in harm's way. Not when your coronation's going to happen soon."

Hoseok swallowed the lump in his throat. "So I'm on house arrest? Until after coronation. I didn't even agree to go through with the coronation. I'm not ready."

"You are ready," Seokjin reassured. "You've been preparing for this your whole life. We've been preparing for this. There's nothing to worry about, sweetheart. Once you're King, we can go out anywhere you'd like."

Seokjin's message was clear. Hoseok wouldn't be going out anytime soon.

At Hoseok's crestfallen face, Seokjin sighed. "What if I get you some books from the library? Will that help you? I'll even have the guards remain outside your room. If you're reading, then you're not moving anywhere. How does that sound?"

Something was better than nothing, Hoseok thought to himself. At least he'd be left alone for a couple of hours. That was a start.

"Can't I go get it myself?" Hoseok asked, folding his arms across his chest. "The library is inside the palace."

"The library is off-limits to you," Seokjin reminded him. "Your father does not want you in there."

The library had always been off-limits to Hoseok unless he was in there with his father. A strange feat, considering that all a library contained were books, but Hoseok had never particularly been interested in exploring there. Now that he was essentially on palace arrest, he'd take any distraction given to him. Hoseok had to figure out something to do. He couldn't see Jungkook; he was tired of always seeing Seokjin and the rest of the guards; he needed something, even if it was just mindless words on a book.

Seokjin tilted Hoseok's head up, kissing Hoseok softly on the lips. He smiled, leaving Hoseok momentarily dazed, before standing up.

"I'll go get you some books," Seokjin said. "The guards will be outside if you need anything. I'll be back in a bit."

Hoseok watched as Seokjin left, sighing in relief as the door closed softly behind him. He relaxed onto his bed, feeling slightly at peace. At least now, he'd have a couple of minutes to himself. Time was precious, and right now, Hoseok would take anything, even if it was a couple of measly minutes.

Just as his eyes were about to flutter close in relaxation, there was a soft knock on his window.

Hoseok immediately sat upright, his eyes flitting towards the window, where a boy he did not recognize was lightly tapping with his fingers. Hoseok pointed towards himself, and the boy at the window nodded. Against his better judgment, Hoseok walked towards the window and unlocked it, letting the boy inside.

The boy smiled widely, engulfing Hoseok in a hug. Hoseok remained still, but he didn't scream out for help. There was something oddly familiar about the boy hugging him, and he wanted to preserve the moment.

"The Moon's been shining unfavorably these past couple of days, Prince," the boy said once he pulled away. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to reach you sooner."

"Who are you?" Hoseok asked, looking back at his room door. "If Seokjin walks in here, you're going to get us both into trouble."

The boy's eyes twinkled mischievously. "You may not remember me, Hoseok, but you should know better than this. Kim Seokjin will not step into this room until after I have left. We're by ourselves. You're not scared, are you?"

Hoseok shook his head. "I'm more confused. How'd you manage to get past all the security? I've been kept under surveillance."

The boy made a face. "I know. It's so annoying. I may be a sorcerer, Hoseok, but with the Goddess's blessing heavily planted on this place, it took me a few days to be able to fully make my way in without getting detected. I'm the only one that has access to this place now. Think of me as the messenger."

Hoseok found it odd how mismatched the boy looked. He'd never seen someone with two different colored eyes, much less with split hair. Still, it suited the boy— the sorcerer, perfectly, and no matter how daunting he looked, Hoseok could only sense familiarity. No matter how much Hoseok racked his brain trying to remember where he'd seen this sorcerer, all he felt was his disoriented, muddy, and cloudy mind.

"Don't force your mind to remember me so much," the sorcerer placed a hand on Hoseok's shoulder. "You're going to make yourself pass out. Then your father will come in here, and all my work will have been for nothing. For your peace of mind, you can call me YJ."

"YJ," Hoseok repeated, finding no attachment to that name. "Doesn't ring any bells."

"You're not supposed to remember me, Hoseok," YJ answered, smiling sadly. "If I were to give you my full name, there's a chance you wouldn't react well to it. You met me after your presumed wedding date, so even me being here is dangerous for you. From the looks of it, though, whatever they're giving you is doing you some good. You don't get those headaches anymore, right?"

"How do you know about that?" Hoseok asked, confused.

"To put it bluntly, Hoseok, your memories are locked away," YJ stated, quickly pressing his finger onto Hoseok's lips. "Ah ah. Me telling you this won't hurt you because I'm not telling you what you missed. Besides, you've been suspecting it. You're not wearing your ring. It didn't feel right to you, did it? That's because it's not right. Ah, that reminds me! Jungkook sends his regards. Says he misses you or something."

Hoseok's eyes widened at the amount of information that had just been given to him. A part of him wanted to deny everything YJ had just told him, but it made sense. No matter what Seokjin and his father had told him to fill in everything that had happened, Hoseok knew there were gaps in his memory. YJ had also confirmed that he and Hoseok had met before, and Hoseok knew that YJ had no reason to lie to him.

At least Hoseok knew that Jungkook was alive.

"Do you think Jungkook could ever come to see me?" Hoseok asked, somewhat hopefully. "I've missed seeing him."

YJ sighed. "I can't promise you anything. Palace wards are specifically meant to prohibit anyone from entering. Besides, Jungkook is on the Purebloods' side. Your father wouldn't let him in here now that Jungkook's alliance is clear."

"Jungkook wouldn't be in the enemy's side, though," Hoseok whispered. YJ nodded.

"He's not on the enemy's side," YJ smiled. "The war's starting to get bad. Vampires are being killed by the thousands, and humans that support them are being hung for their treason. It's not safe outside. The streets are doused with blood, corpses lying around for the maggots and parasites to eat. Numerous humans have tried coming to the palace, only to be immediately killed by your guards. Artemis really gave them blessings beyond anything I ever imagined."

"Artemis?" Hoseok asked, bewildered. "Is she the one that erased my memories?"

"Not erased, per se," YJ responded. "Your memories are stored away. Erasing memories takes time and dedication. However, it won't be long until you lose those memories completely. The question is, do you want to stop from losing yourself completely?"

"What did I lose?"

"Not much," YJ shrugged. "It's entirely up to you. I can't restore your memories because it was not my doing, but I can give you things that could help you shape your perception of your life."

YJ reached into his satchel and took out a couple of books. He handed them to Hoseok, who raised his eyebrow in confusion but took them anyway, stashing them underneath his nightstand. He turned back to YJ, who had also taken out a bag of pills. Hoseok took those as well, examining the red and blue capsules laying harmlessly in the bag.

"These counteract the medicine they're giving you," YJ said. "The headaches, the pain, everything you feel when you go to sleep, it's because of memory's nature. Memories are not meant to be suppressed, which is why memory suppressing is a dangerous act only few can master. Even then, anything can trigger your memories. What you've been given is something Artemis had my mother, Hecate, make so that you would be at peace.

"The books contain history. If you read them, you might be able to regain what you've lost. Be careful not to overdo it, though. You'll immerse into that reality, and if you forget, you'll become part of the story. You don't have to read them, of course, but if you want any chance of recovering your memories, reading of the past might be your best bet."

Hoseok's lips pressed together. He shouldn't be trusting a word that was coming out of YJ's mouth, but what did he have to lose? Hoseok was miserable in his current state of living. Constantly being under surveillance, put away like some precious doll, all of it was tiring. If he could find a way to branch out from the surveillance while being under surveillance, then Hoseok would take it, no matter who it was giving him the opportunity.

He couldn't lie— everything had felt off to him. From waking up with tears on his face to his father saying that he had missed Hoseok, to Seokjin referring to them being married, and now to his father pushing a coronation while their kingdom reeked of violence and war, it made no sense. Hoseok knew something was wrong. Whoever this Artemis was, she had taken something precious from Hoseok, and he'd been unknowingly making sure that his memories would disappear.

"You're on the Purebloods' side, right?" Hoseok asked. YJ nodded. "Then why are you helping me? I'm your enemy."

"Because once upon a time, you had fought for our side," YJ answered, smiling softly. "I hadn't been too confident about you, but when you were given the choice, you chose to stay with us. You've officially won my loyalty, Jung Hoseok, and I don't give that easily. You're practically family."

Though confused, Hoseok's heart warmed at the sincerity of YJ's words.

"Take one of those before you're scheduled to get your medicine and one after," YJ instructed, pointing to the bag. "You've already been on the medicine for a couple of days. It's preferred that you don't take it at all, but I assume they watch you take it, so this will have to do. I had my mother help me make the antidote. She's furious that Artemis would use Her for Her tricks."

"Thank your mother for me then," Hoseok said, nodding slowly. "I'll take these just like you said. Thank you, YJ."

"You will be experiencing side effects from the withdrawal of the medicine," YJ warned as he neared the window. "It's meant to be addictive so that your memories can erase faster. All I can tell you is not to give up. You have our support. I promise."

"Our?" Hoseok questioned.

"The Purebloods, Jungkook, everyone on our side," YJ stated, eyes twinkling with hope. "Now that I've managed to get here, I'll work on being able to bring Jungkook and then, hopefully, one of the Purebloods. There's one that's been dying to hold you close. For now, I'll come to visit you when the coast is clear. Seokjin will come back at any moment, so I must leave now, but it was a pleasure, Your Highness."

As if on cue, Hoseok heard footsteps coming from outside, getting closer and closer to his room. Hoseok turned to YJ, somewhat frantic.  YJ stopped briefly, looking back at Hoseok.

"Take me with you," Hoseok pleaded. YJ shook his head, and he looked at Hoseok pitifully. "Please."

"You're tied to this place, Hoseok," YJ answered mournfully. "If I take you one step from the palace, you'll die. That's the last thing I want for you. You're safer in the palace for now, but I promise I will bring people to you. You're not alone, Hoseok."

"What do you mean, die?!" Hoseok's eyes widened. YJ sighed and murmured underneath his breath, his body glowing softly underneath the moonlight. He waved his hand and climbed back into the room. "You can't just tell me that I can't leave this place because I'll die without telling me why."

YJ crossed his arms across his chest. "I've stopped time for a bit. Your soul is tied directly to this palace. I can't tell you why— I haven't figured out that part yet, but I'm trying my best. When we figure it out, we'll happily take you away from here. For now, just sit still. Don't trust anyone. You can do that, yes?"

Hoseok nodded slowly. "Wait, YJ, do you think Seokjin might know what's going on? And my father?"

YJ grimaced.

"I don't think you want the answer to that, Your Highness," YJ said. "Deep down, you know something's wrong. I really must go now, Hoseok. If I get caught, I don't know if I'll be able to come back. Hide everything. Trust no one inside this castle."

Hoseok grabbed YJ's arm, a sudden thought hitting him. YJ raised an eyebrow, urging Hoseok to speak. Hoseok swallowed the lump in his throat, squashing the doubts before looking at YJ with determination.

"Preparations for my coronation are underway," Hoseok told YJ. A look of surprise washed across YJ's face, and he stared at Hoseok incredulously. "They told me a couple of days ago. My father's doing everything he can to make sure I'm crowned King. I-i don't know if that'll help you, and I don't know the exact date, but I want to help you."

YJ nodded gravely, expression now unreadable. "Thank you for letting me know. I hadn't expected this from Micah, but this will help us. I'll be back, Hoseok. Hide what I gave you. Erase any trace of me being here. You have a couple of seconds to do so."

"Greet Jungkook for me," Hoseok said. "Tell him I miss him."

With that, YJ brushed Hoseok's hand away and disappeared into the night. Remembering YJ's words, Hoseok quickly grabbed the books and went into the bathroom. He placed the books neatly in one of the cabinets and, once he was done, opened a compartment he kept underneath the sink. There, he stashed what YJ had given him, quickly putting them away and exiting the bathroom as he heard Seokjin call his name.

Hoseok closed the sink drawers, fixing himself in front of the mirror. The door to the bathroom opened, Seokjin's worried face immediately flooding into relief as he saw Hoseok peering over his reflection. Hoseok jumped back slightly, his heart skipping a beat at the scare.

"Don't scare me like that," Seokjin breathed, wrapping his arms around Hoseok protectively. "For a second, I thought someone had taken you."

"Why would you think that?" Hoseok mumbled, feigning confusion in his voice. "I would have called for you if that were the case."

"I know," Seokjin whispered, pulling Hoseok closer. "I saw the window open and thought the worse."

Hoseok shook his head, leading Seokjin out of the bathroom, away from everything YJ had given him. He took Seokjin to the window, pointing upwards to the Moon and the stars.

"The Moon looks pretty tonight," Hoseok murmured. "Glowing softly with shine even though it's starting to be covered by the darkness."

Seokjin ran his fingers through Hoseok's hair, smiling softly. "You hadn't seen the Moon in a long time, huh? The Moon's been rising earlier than usual now, making it dark faster."

Hoseok would take Seokjin's word for it. It wasn't like Hoseok had been outside in a while. And if YJ were right, then it would be another long while before Hoseok would see the light of day again.

"I got you what you wanted," Seokjin said softly, motioning towards the bed. "I stalled a bit because your father wanted to choose what you should read. Hopefully, this will put your mind at ease. Now come. It's dinner time."

Hoseok nodded absentmindedly, following Seokjin out of his room and into the dining hall. He succeeded in keeping a smile, pretending he hadn't had anyone visit him, and settled himself into the life of ignorant bliss.

And when it was time to sleep, Hoseok opened his compartment and took out two of YJ's pills, taking one before he was given his medicine and the other one right after he was administered it. 

That night would be his last peaceful night.

a/n: i was gon add a second part to this, but uh... we passed 3.5k, so ima just yeet that to the next chapter bc i love keeping y'all on your toes!

but yes, there is a reason only yeonjun was allowed to enter the palace walls. it will be mentioned next chapter (it was part of the second part that i was gonna add but like i said, yeeting to next chapter (:

so officially, this book will be updating once a week on tuesdays (pacific time). i'm working on a fest fic rn for ao3, so i'm putting all my energy into that, so once i have finished that fic, i'll be updating more regularly. plus, school preparations as well got me reduced to this (i start in september rip)

so this is what my schedule gon be looking like:

mondays are for a cliched affair, tuesdays for made for min, and then weekends are days i can choose to work on either or on the fic! depending on how far i get with the fic (i'm at 10.6k rn), will determine what i update, but officially i am updating on tuesdays (:

also, thank you for 9k! you guys are literally amazing <3

thank you for reading 💜