•Chapter five•

Why does it look like I matter a lot to you? 

"Where are you going, Taehyung?" Taehyung eyes snapped around when he heard Youngmi's voice. His eyes instantly landed on a bigger, bulkier form beside the queen.

Jungkook's gaze was soft and almost hesitant. He looked away when Taehyung's eyes met his and it made Taehyung awkward too.

Why? Why is there always a need for him to look away when I'm looking at him? He doesn't ever run behind me like a creepy stalker, but after I heard of this rumour, I realise that he does get affected a lot by me.

"Jungkook should marry someone he loves," Yoongi said with a smile as he felt a lot of adoration over the soft alpha. "I wonder what his tiny babies will look like when he himself looks so good."

"I'll not marry," Jungkook whispered, eyebrows bunched together. His voice held something more than just the childish feelings of not wanting to marry or being too shy to admit that he wanted a life partner.

Right then, Taehyung saw the playful glint in Hoseok's eyes as he smirked and glanced at Jungkook before looking at him.

They know something. There was something that was related to him, but he didn't know.

And, well, Taehyung could read faces quite well. He wasn't ever a person in denial.

If it's there, it's there.

"What do you desire to own, kook?" Taehyung's ears perked up when he heard the crown princes' name.

"Own?" Taehyung could hear his knowing yet gleefulness. "Not all want to own. Desire is just... Just something that will turn into carelessness towards the thing after they own it. But my heart has learnt to silently want and need for a thing more than just a thing. What I own is not in my possession, and what I need is a gem too far from me."

"I don't get what you mean." Chuckles from the prince followed.

However, Taehyung understood what those words meant.

Jungkook desired for a thing more than a thing, which means he desires for a person. This gem he is speaking about, who is far from his hold, could be anyone. It doesn't necessarily need to be Taehyung.

That's why he decided to do what he's going to do.

Taehyung decided to speak to Jungkook about a month later of hearing rumors of his feelings for him. 

He has had enough of his endless thoughts which troubled him all night. He has had enough of wondering whether Jungkook has feelings for him or not. 

He knew it was like a beautiful distraction from Yoongi Hoseok and Jimin. It was beautiful because Jungkook was beautiful and his thoughts were also beautiful.

But this was about the dignity of the alpha.

These rumours and these feelings were like a black mark of shame to his prideful character and personality. People thought of him like a perverted person who has been holding feelings for a lowlife omega.

How right is it to tell something like this?

Taehyung think that he is a lowlife or whatever, and he had more respect and love for himself than anyone else. Just... For a crown prince to be put into such a shameful blame was just plain wrong.

He would think and think, ponder about how right or how wrong these accusations were.

But enough of this now.

He had to speak to him to know what is it because otherwise, he wouldn't be able to get him out of his head.

Jeon Jungkook. Crown prince Jungkook. Future king Jungkook. A beautiful, handsome and soft-spoken alpha, Jungkook.

Jungkook's feelings.  

He could swear that Jungkook hadn't ever liked him. 

Yoongi had once told Taehyung that he and Jungkook were friends when they were tiny little kids, but he doesn't remember any of that. 

When he thought deeply about the few interactions he ever had with Jungkook, he recollected how these memories were all those moments which they had to face, like speaking to each other to convey messages of Youngmi or either of their brothers and when they crossed paths while walking in the corridors. 

What else? There was nothing more or nothing less than that. 

How could people assume that Jungkook liked him? Do they even hear themselves? 

It was a blame of sin, of Jungkook sinning by falling for a servant's son. That's how it will be considered here as it was strictly not allowed to love people of other classes. 

Hoseok and Yoongi and Jimin were sinners, and they was proud of it.

Also, now thinking about these three people, Taehyung wondered how disgusting he would feel to love a higher class. Hoseok was pathetic in his eyes. Jungkook held high respect to him, but if he turned out like his brother to try and trap a lower class and then at him by marrying another royal omega...

There was no need to think of that now.

All he had to think about was how to tell these things to Jungkook and ask him if they're true.

Jungkook was too pure and sweet for that type of treatment from the society.

To a limit, Jungkook's sweetness was alright, but the alpha should know that a kingdom couldn't run with that sweetness of his. If something is wrong, Jungkook should speak up about it.

He needs to be more strict and stern. If there was no one to tell him all this, Taehyung would himself tell it to Jungkook because he didn't want his caretaker's son to suffer in any way.

If people say something wrong, they should get their mouth shut.

That's how it works.

Doesn't matter what you do to shut them up, they just need to be bound to not tell something wrong about them in the future.

That was why he was going to talk to Jungkook and ask him his feelings. If it turned out that he didn't feel anything, Taehyung would ask him to clear it out to the people in the palace that he doesn't feel anything. 

Rather than believing those stupid rumors or struggling to prove them wrong, he decided to just speak about it to Jungkook.

It would be really awkward because Jungkook and him are barely anything more than strangers, but his heart wants him to do this so he will do so. 

What if Jungkook got mad at him for asking him such a stupid question and took it as an offense to his pride for being seen as a mere admirer of a commoner? 

Well, Taehyung will yell back at Jungkook if he dares to yell at him. He will throw his hands and feet at Jungkook if the alpha tried to hit him. He's brought a sword along too, just in case. 

But it was ridiculous to think that the alpha may hurt him.

Fuck that. He doesn't care.

And no, he wasn't going to Jungkook's room to speak to him. He can't wait for an eternity until he opens the door and showed him his pretty, blushing face.

He was at a place in the forest which was meant only for the crown prince. There weren't warriors guarding this place, but it still wasn't good for someone to just come here.

But Taehyung didn't care, did he? He wanted to talk to him at this place so he will be here even if it isn't appreciated.

Taehyung will keep it to the point. No beating around the bush job; he doesn't do stuff like that. 

What he is scared of at the moment is...

What if it was true? What if Jungkook did like him? 

He considered the chances of that happening to be really low.  But if it was true, it would make everything really difficult. 

He hated making people sad. He hated making them feel worthless, but he wasn't someone who would fake his feelings up and put on a facade to make others happy. 

Even when a few alphas who had slept with him on his heat had told him that they like him and want to court him.

He rejected them, and the alphas of Atlas take rejection pretty well.

He'll let Jungkook know that there were no chances of them coming together too.

It may hurt Jungkook, but doing this was better than letting Jungkook have hopes of making him his mate or whatever.

That just couldn't happen. A servant's son cannot be the queen, and he wasn't interested in a secret relationship. 

He walked to the place in the forest grounds of the palace where the crown prince would be coming to. It was a calm and quiet place, most suitable for studying or calming oneself down. There was a pond of clean water along with bushes here and there. 

He sat down on the grass, licking his dry lips and repeating in his mind about the things he would have to tell Jungkook. 

 He's seen Jungkook here many times so he knows that the alpha will be here. He was ready to wait whole day as he didn't have much to do that day.

A bug flew to his head and settled there, making him frown. He waved his hand over his head to make it leave, saying, "Go rest on a tree or something, idiot. My head isn't a place where you should rest." 

It flew for a while and rested on his head again after he stopped waving his hand. He whines, pushing it away. "I smell and look as beautiful as a flower, but I'm not a flower!" 

He slaps it away once more, realizing that there are more than just one of them there. 

It was basically a war after a minute. He didn't know how these dumb bugs have so much guts to come back to him repeatedly even after being slapped away. 

He grabbed his sword, placing it before himself protectively. "I'm going to kill you if you don't go the hell away!" 

Only then did he realize that there was someone standing at a distance from him. He caught the figure of the person from the corners of his eyes and flinched, almost screaming in shock. 

He jerked to his feet and glared at Jungkook who looked back at him with wide eyes, heart stopping as soon as he saw Taehyung in his place of the forest. 

What was he doing here? 

More importantly, how does a person breathe? Jungkook had lost his ability to think.

All he wanted to do was come to this place and peacefully sit down to learn for a while; why the hell does this ethereal person have to be here? 

His cheeks dusted red again as he instantly looked away and cursed under his breath.

What kind of alpha was he? Rather than being dominant and strong, he was blushing because Taehyung was boring holes into his head, eyes not fluttering close to even blink.  

Taehyung was blushing in embarrassment too. He would've seemed like an idiot for drawing his sword against the fucking bugs. 

"You're not supposed to stare at a person when they don't know you are doing it!" Taehyung yelled, more than just upset and mad. He removed every other thought in his mind which opposed the anger he felt and asked him to calm down before he smacks the alpha for making him embarassed.

Taehyung was just too embarassed to think about his own actions anymore.  

Who gave this alpha the right to see him when he was in such a embarrassing situation?

Jungkook panics on realizing that Taehyung was mad at him. He gulped, looking up hesitantly with the most apologetic eyes, ignoring the fact that this place belonged to him and Taehyung wasn't supposed to be here if he didn't want to be seen by him.

Taehyung shouldn't be here if he had a problem with him looking at him. 

But how could Jungkook say that this place doesn't belong to Taehyung when he had already given his entire soul and life to Taehyung? 

The corners of his lips dipped down, and he looked so close to desperately pouting and apologizing to Taehyung.

"I-I'm sorry," he says, voice as soft as a whisper. "I didn't know you were going to be here." 

"Your apology can't make it less embarrassing, can it?" Taehyung grumbles, crossing his hands before his chest and rolling his eyes.  "You better not do this again." 

Jungkook's heart sinks wondering what Taehyung would feel when he finds out that he has been observing him whole life whenever he was somewhere around him, seeing the way he behaves, remembering the things he likes and the things he doesn't. 

Lord, he couldn't think about the anger Taehyung would feel then. 

Taehyung huffs out, calming down and realizing that he had scolded Jungkook for something he he hadn't done. 

What the fuck was the Jungkook's fault if he was making a fool out of himself while sitting on Jungkook's place?.He had even been yelling at Jungkook for making things embarrassing.

God, where had he put his mind?

His heart melted when he noticed the dejected face of Jungkook's as the elder kept his eyes fixed on the ground. 

Yoongi hyung says that I never grew up and am as immature as I was when I was a child. Taehyung thinks, looking closely at the alpha who stood in a safe distance from him. Did he grow up then? Why doesn't he yell at me and tell me that he hadn't done anything right now? 

He shakes his head, smile playing on his lips. Jungkook was just too pure. 

There was no need for him to worry about the rumors being right. He was sure that this sweet and soft alpha would never break such big rules. 

Also, as an alpha, there was no chance that Jungkook didn't try to claim him if he liked him. If Jungkook did feel for him, he'd come forward and say it like every other alpha and present a offer to court.

An alpha couldn't be a coward.

All Taehyung didn't know was that a man or woman, no matter what rank, in love was more of a coward than any other soft and submissive omega.  

"I'm really sorry," Jungkook says again, having enough of this awkward silence. "I'll leave now. You can stay as long as you want to." 

"Why should you leave when this place belongs to?" Taehyung frowns, remembering the words Jungkook had told about not claiming anything. "Have you never learnt to claim your things? How are you going to be a good king in this way?"  

Jungkook looks up with curious eyes. Claim things? He definitely didn't know how to do that. He would let go off everything to make others happy as their happiness makes him happy.

He would ask for things or request for it, not claim it.

But how was such a thing important for being a king? 

Was he making a mistake somewhere? He wanted to be the best king, so he wanted to know how this is important for being a king.

"What do you mean?" Jungkook asks, surprised that he didn't stutter. He felt confidence stir deep in him. He wanted to make a proper conversation with Taehyung now. 

There was sudden urge. He had many such urges before but it always died down before he could think of doing it because he didn't have a chance to do it.

But he had a chance now.

It seemed like such a dream to be having a normal conversation with him and not just exchanging a few words. 

But he wished to do it now.

Just to get a bit closer... A tiny bit closer.

"You need to be a little selfish," Taehyung explains, forgetting about everything else as he concentrates on the topic they were talking about. "You need to learn to be protective of your things so some useless people don't snatch it from you." 

What on earth are you doing? Taehyung asks himself but shrugs it off.

What is the big deal in speaking to Jungkook anyway?  

Where is all this heading to, you dumb omega? 

"Love the people of your kingdom but not so much that you forget about yourself and your needs," he rambled on, and Jungkook could only stare at him fondly and expectantly. "When it comes to you, learn to be possessive. Don't live for someone else." 

Jungkook takes a small step closer to him, immediately putting Taehyung's teachings into action.

He was being selfish. He was doing what he wishes. This was his need. Being close to Taehyung was his need.

Taehyung was advising him to be possessive and selfish so that it what he is doing now. He is daring to take steps closer to the thing he desires. 

He's listening to himself and being selfish by not thinking about his kingdom or the consequences of his actions now. He is doing this for himself.

Just a few steps. He will take a few steps closer until he reaches Taehyung's privacy and stop right there, not move any forward.

This should be allowed according to Taehyung, right? 

The omega was too lost in explaining kingly behavior to Jungkook to realize that the alpha was coming closer. 

When he did realize it, Jungkook was just a feet away from him. He frowned deeply, biting his bottom lip. 

"What are you doing?" he asks, glaring at Jungkook as he turns red, flustered. "Why are you coming closer?" 

"You told me how a king behaves," Jungkook says, smiling. "Can you tell me how alphas behave then? I wish to know from you what the main characters of a good alpha is." 

Jungkook's wolf was proud. He was the reason this was happening because there was no way in hell that Jungkook himself mans up enough to go this close to the omega. 

After all, Jungkook possessed a dominant, possessive alpha wolf who strived for the omega, his omega.

"A-an alpha?" Taehyung curses himself for stuttering. He clears his throat and speaks up again, wondering what in heaven was happening. 

How did the elder suddenly just come closer when he doesn't even look at him in the eyes usually? there's still a good space between them, but it was much unlikely of Jungkook's behaviour.

From up close, Jungkook looked so much better. He had seen him very this close before too but his face was always ducked shyly so he would miss this beautiful smile and his cute red cheeks and his tiny mole and scar. 

He looked heavenly handsome, hot and cute all at the same time. 

It wasn't fair. 

His beauty was making his mind go hazy too. The effect was so much that he even forgot that he was supposed to tell something to him. 

He focuses on what he has to say and coughs to clear his suddenly dry throat. 

"A-alphas are possessive of their loved ones and try to protect them at all times. They think just about knotting, knotting, knotting and having pups. Dumb shits don't want anything else."

"Am I also like that?" Jungkook asks, titling his head to the side, smiling minimilistically. He crosses his arms before his chest just like Taehyung had his arms crossed before his soft and cushiony chest. 

The omega unwinds his thinner arms and places them on his sides, frown deepening. 

Fuck, Jungkook's muscles...

This man will be the death of him.

"I don't know you enough to say that," Taehyung stated, shrugging casually while trying not to blush because those arms had more than just a soft effect on his horny self.

He hasn't had a good fuck in a while.

It's taking a toll on him now.

Get up, he tells himself. Get the fuck up.

Jungkook nods thoughtfully, understanding that Taehyung's words. 

"Now..." he starts, taking a tiny step forward and Taehyung instinctively goes back even though there was a huge and comfortable space between them. "What do you see in front of you right now? What do I seem like to you?" 

A hot alpha with big dick energy and beautiful face which makes me want to...

What the fuck are you thinking about? He scolds himself. You were talking about alphas being perverted, but you are definitely more perverted than any other p
alpha. 

"Y-you are..." Taehyung starts, not knowing why he was answering all his questions in the first place. "You are making it difficult for me to think by coming closer and your pheromones are killing me, so please step back." 

"Jungkook, upon realizing that he was being an ass for invading his space, took a step back and looked up apologetically.

"I was just... Trying to be selfish," he says softly.

"How are you being selfish by taking steps closer to me?" Taehyung asks, taking a big step back and exhaling a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

Jungkook hated how far the distance between them was. If there was such a huge physical distance between them, how was he ever going to come close to Taehyung?

But even if he could understand everything, his wolf would never.

His eyes flickered to darker colours and Taehyung could see that the wolf was practically trying to leap out of Jungkook. Why?

As soon as the colour settled to red, Jungkook took constant small steps towards him.

It was his wolf who had partially affected his mind and words; he was speaking like a proper alpha wolf.

"Taehyung," his wolf's voice was much tougher and stronger. "What am i supposed to do if you're like this?"

His husky voice sent shivers down Taehyung's spine. 

Where the fuck had the sweet and innocent boy gone? Who was this person standing before him? 

He was unconsciously leaning backwards from Jungkook because even though Jungkook was away, his pheromones were strong and suffocating, making cheeks and ears hot. He couldn't seem to breathe properly. 

He stumbled back and gasped when he slipped, forgetting about the pond that was behind him completely when he had been taking steps backwards earlier.

He yelped, reaching his hand out to grab onto a shocked Jungkook's shoulder but failing in his attempt. His back crashed onto the surface of the water, falling into the pond before he could even realize that he was falling. 

"Taehyung?!" Jungkook yelled worriedly, looking closely at the omega who flapped his legs and arms around to balance himself in the water.

The omega pushed his head up from the water and took a deep breath, eyes shut close and feet standing harshly on the pebbles which had sharp ends. 

He gasped for air, taking deep breaths, hands roaming around in the water to steady himself. 

"Taehyung?" Jungkook calls again, crouching down to try to reach his hand out and grab onto him to pull him back to the ground. Concern and guilt filled his body. In his useless act of teasing and being "how Taehyung wants him to", he had hurt the pretty boy.

The omega opened his eyes which had turned red because of the mud in the pond water. He growled angrily, splashing the water on Jungkook. 

"You dumb alpha!" he yelled. "Don't you know that you are supposed to hold a person who is falling?! Why did you let me fall?! I just told you a while ago to not embarrass me and you're doing that again!"  

Jungkook ignored his angry yells and attempted to hold him. "Come here," he pleaded, knowing that there are sharp stones in the floor of the pond. 

Taehyung hissed when he felt the stone pierce his skin. He whimpered in pain, looking into the slightly clear water and noticing the red tint spreading it. 

Jungkook gasped at the sight, heart breaking when he sees tears forming in Taehyung's eyes.

He gets into the water instantly and walks on the stones to go grab Taehyung and lift him off the ground of the pond, ignoring the pain that spread his feet own feet, doubling after he lift Taehyung up.

He grabbed Taehyung by his waist and held him up, hands holding him up securely.

Taehyung whimpered, holding him and burying his head on his shoulder, feeling pain course through his feet. 

Jungkook carried him out of the water and placed him on the ground delicately. He got out of the pond himself and instantly crouched beside his feet, carefully rubbing the cuts and bruises. 

"Oh no," Jungkook says, gulping. He placed Taehyung's feet on his thigh and carefully rubbed the water and the blood off of it.  "Does it hurt too bad?" 

Taehyung whined, whimpering when he slowly but suddenly pulled out a small stone from his feet. He opened his eyes, wiping the tears away and noticing the pure worry in Jungkook's face. 

It seemed so genuine. The elder looked like he was worried do damn much because of the little hurt he got. 

Jungkook was bleeding too, but it didn't seem like the elder cared. 

"Does it hurt, flower?" Jungkook asks, forgetting about everything other than the fact that Taehyung was hurt. The nickname made Taehyung's heart halt for a second.q

Why does it seem like I matter a lot to you?

What's up with the sudden nickname?  

"You're still bleeding," Jungkook said, a furrow between his pretty eyebrows. He looked crestfallen, face pale. 

"It's alright," Taehyung stated, slowly sliding his feet away from Jungkook's lap. Jungkook didn't seem to want to let it go away. 

He couldn't take Taehyung being hurt or sad. 

He stood up and walked to the omega to lift him up bridal style. Taehyung protested but his whines and requests went unheard by Jungkook.

The alpha carried him inside, ignoring ths looks of the people because all that mattered right now was Taehyung's state.

He took him to Taehyung's room and placed him there gently, staying for long and only staring at his wounds while gently wiping away the blood which oozed out with his clothes.

He left only when the doctor came in.

"T-thank you," Taehyung said, forgetting that he had wanted to ask Jungkook about his feelings for him. He watched the elder leave with a heavy heart with a soft frown as he saw the blood of his loved omega on his clothes.

What are you hiding?

There is something.

There is something.

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