•Chapter fifty four•

There are no worries anymore. 

"This?" Taehyung raised his eyebrows, looking carefully at this rich red cloth that was hung on a hanger before him, a few maids trying to quickly remove all creases from the cloth. 

Taehyung couldn't even tell what it was yet. It was the deepest yet shiniest red-colored cloth he had seen until now. There were layers of white thin netted cloth and other such layered robs within the red one. 

"I left the decision of choosing my clothes to you, Jimin hyung. But I don't know what in the world this thing is." 

Jimin seemed so excited that he grabbed Taehyung's arms and pulled him to his feet. Though it was his wedding today, Taehyung was all lazy and unwilling to get up because, in his mind, he had already married Jungkook a hundred times by now. 

Taehyung was also salty because he had seen neither Jungkook nor Chaewon since the morning. Hoseok, Yoongi, and Namjoon had gone away with both of them, and Yoongi had taken the responsibility of taking care of Chaewon's dressing up. 

If Chaewon had been awake, she would never go with them. She loves Jungkook a lot, but she throws a huge tantrum if they tried to take her away from Taehyung. That's why Taehyung kept wondering whether she was crying at the moment. 

But he kept it away for now--believing that Jungkook will manage--and focused on the way Jimin struggled to bring the red cloth out of the hanger. 

"It's that heavy?" Taehyung's eyes widened. "How am I supposed to wear that?" 

"You need to end up pregnant within about two weeks," Jimin reminded, shrugging. "Is that not enough of a reason to wear something heavy? Let me tell you, once Jungkook removes it from you in the night, you will--" 

"Though I'd love you making me feel butterflies by talking about our night, I'd wish you'd first explain this dress or whatever it is to me. If it's that heavy how will I wear this gold under it? It'll cut off my blood circulation." 

"You don't have to wear all the gold," Jimin started, thinking about how things will work. "Remove the gold around your shoulder and right around the elastic of the cloth. The cloth won't be tight around any other part other than the shoulder and waist so you can wear all the rest of the things." 

Taehyung nodded, humming. 

"Put it on then." 

"Now?" Jimin's eyes shone. "Sure!" 

And after a lot of effort, Taehyung did get into those clothes. 

Taehyung looked at himself in his reflection in the clear water in shock. He was just plain shocked at how he looked at that moment, neither that happy nor that upset. 

He looked absolutely gorgeous, but it was so against the things he would enjoy wearing. Yet again, just like how Jimin says, he couldn't really go to his own wedding with a plain silk top and casual shorts. A suit would be too boring. 

"Trust me, it looks really good," Jimin whined when Taehyung didn't give him a good reaction. "You haven't ever looked this pretty! Come on, don't tell me you don't want to wear this--" 

"Are you sure Jungkook will like it?" No doubt, he fucking would. Taehyung thought, lips pressing together. However amazingly beautiful he looked, he felt like he was slowly turning into a statue, unable to move because of the weight on him. 

After having him bathed with various good-smelling oils, there were three white inner linings put on him. They were light and soft so even though the robe pressed onto his shoulders, it didn't feel rough or itchy but just heavy. 

The robe was the only proper thing he was wearing though. Below that, it was just almost transparent clothes with the gold peeking through the thin white layer. He didn't wear a bra; there was no point in wearing those anymore. His breasts weren't huge like they were anymore, and he was a little upset about that too. 

It had been a strong desire to be fucked by Jungkook during his pregnancy and even after it when his body looked fresh out of a pregnant state. The fact that Jungkook hadn't even seen him fully naked after his pregnancy makes Taehyung slightly salty. 

Just as much as Jungkook wanted to know everything about him, Taehyung wanted to show Jungkook everything about him. 

But he knew it wasn't impossible. They had already planned to have another baby, so Taehyung was sure that Jungkook will experience whatever he missed the first time. 

It was all set to be perfect. 

"Trust me, you'll see him lose himself slowly and painfully because of the way you are looking right now." 

"He would lose himself like that even if I don't look good," Taehyung said with quite a lot of confidence. It wasn't like he didn't understand how Jungkook's heartbeat gets faster even by just seeing him lay down peacefully on the bed. 

But these traditional wedding clothes would surely make sure Jungkook entirely loses himself. 

"You know what?" Jimin started. "You insisted not wanting a normal white gown and stuff, right? What you're wearing right now is the same as all those princesses and queens wore when they had to go out to fight. In other words, the warrior females. Mother Atlas wore stuff like this too after she was enthroned as the queen."

Taehyung nodded at the information, taking it in. "It's still a girl's clothes, right?"

"There's nothing like girls' clothes and boys' clothes. The royal warrior wears the same thing every time they need to fight, may it be a girl or boy. That's why I chose this. It isn't the same as the warrior clothes and is much brighter and better than them, but they make you seem like a lover of Atlas and its history." 

"Sounds boring," Taehyung said honestly, shrugging.  

"You'll love this entire idea only after today's night passes," Jimin said back, rolling his eyes. He slowly patted the towel on Taehyung's almost dry hair which had grown slightly longer. 

His fringes came up to his cheekbone, and he even had a mullet. It all complimented his look at the moment, and Jimin just couldn't wait to see both of them getting married. 

"What is Jungkook wearing?" Taehyung was way too curious to not ask about his soon-to-be husband. 

"Not sure," Jimin said. "I haven't really seen what Yoongi and Hoseok chose for him so I cannot tell." 

Jimin made Taehyung sit down on the chair before the mirror and asked the maids to go bring him the small little gold accessories that he would put on Taehyung's hair after combing and styling them. To not go overboard with things, he would keep all the outer accessories simple. The heavily beautiful things would only be seen by Jungkook once he unravels Taehyung. 

"Can I come in?" 

Taehyung raised his eyebrows when he heard Jin's voice. "Let him in," he said without a thought of hesitation. 

"Taehyung," Jin said, voice just the same as always, face just the same as always. Looking at him, Taehyung often wondered if his hyung was telling him the truth when he said that Jin was slowly opening up to him. It sounded like a lie. Jin was just the same as always. 

But Taehyung chose to believe that Jin did soften towards Namjoon. 

It didn't matter if he remained cold to everyone else anyway. If it wasn't for Namjoon, Taehyung wouldn't even care about Jin. 

"Is there something you want, King Jin?" Taehyung asked when Jin didn't start speaking by himself. "Today is my wedding. I wouldn't wish for you to speak to me about anything related to political matters." 

Jin shook his head, placing a small box on the bed before nodding his head and leaving. 

Taehyung and Jimin just looked at the box with a dumbfounded expressions. "Is that a gift? Damn, did he just leave the gift there and not even congratulate you?" 

"MY hyung loves a very complicated man," Taehyung concluded. He could easily tell that Jin had gifted him Gardenia scented oils. It was obvious Jin put thought into what to bring just by looking at how it was related to his favorite flowers--the flowers Jungkook smelt like--but the way of giving it just sucked. 

"Let's believe he's getting better at things." Taehyung shrugged, sighing. "Get me ready, Jimin hyung. I just want to get married already." 

*-*-*-*

Taehyung sat alone on his bed now. 

Everything around was well kept and organized now. This room wouldn't be where he would stay after this night. 

He'd move out to another room, one he would share with his mate. 

Though the same palace, though he was just shifting just rooms down, it made him nervous to be left all alone with his thoughts like this. What was he thinking? He didn't even know. 

It made him scared how his entire happiness relies on just his mate and his daughter. It made him scared of how he would practically die if he was to be snatched away from them. Chaewon's small laughs and giggles as she runs around rung in his ears, and a small smile spread his face. 

He was far too deep into his love for his family. 

Bad thoughts couldn't be stopped when you're finally so happy. You couldn't stop worrying about how things could actually change. 

Jin suffered so much. 

Jimin suffered so much. 

While one of them ended up happy, the other is still constantly struggling just because his struggle is a forever thing. Taehyung had heard so many stories about how the person who lost his mate just writhes and dies, but Jin was living, surviving, fighting. 

But for what? Taehyung always thought. Wasn't giving up just the thing anyone who has lost all hope does? Give up? Didn't he think about it? He fought so long, fought so strongly while accepting his fate. 

For all Taehyung knew, he would give up. 

Taehyung knew that he loved himself more than anyone else, but that is the kind of pain he couldn't take. The pain of separation. 

He was going to become one with Jungkook today; it made him scared to think about what Jin would've felt when he got imprinted with his lover and made his other half but lost him soon enough. 

Taehyung heard footsteps. Heavy and laced with hesitation, the person slowly walked toward his room. 

When the footsteps stopped, Taehyung was met with familiar knocks. 

"King Jin?" Taehyung called softly, chest turning slightly heavy. How would he be feeling now? Would he not feel envious of me? Wouldn't he think about how I got to be with my imprinter but he was snatched away from his? 

"They're here," Jin said after clearing his throat. "Your mate is here." 

Taehyung got up and walked to the door. He opened it and looked at Jin for a few seconds before slowly raising his hands and wrapping them around Jin. 

Jin stiffened, waited for himself to be out of Taehyung's hold, and struggled to keep his breath in when Taehyung didn't break away quickly. 

"Hyung?" Jin flinched softly, unsure of how he should take this sudden affection. He noticed how Taehyung's voice cracked but didn't question it because he was just too uncomfortable. 

Taehyung turned a blind eye to Jin's discomfort. 

"I'm scared." 

Jin regained his stance a little. He remained cautious of Taehyung and his actions, knowing not to trust anyone, even if it was the brother of someone who was doing things no one else ever could for him.

"D-do you not want this marriage?" Jin managed to ask. 

"I want to marry Jungkook more than living my life, hyung. I'm scared for you." 

"You're scared of me?" 

Taehyung rolled his eyes and broke away, looking at Jin dead in his eyes. "I wouldn't hug you if I was scared of you, would I? I'm scared for you, hyung. You and my brother. I'm also scared of separation from my mate."

Jin's face fell for a split second. He dragged his eyes around Taehyung's beautiful features, his prettily decorated face. 

"Do what you can." 

That's all Jin said. 

Taehyung spent a rather long time wondering what Jin's short whisper meant. 

But when he understood the words, his heart felt warm and a small smile spread on his face. 

Jin was separated from his lover who was killed before his eyes because he couldn't do anything because he gave up on the same fate that he believed awaited him. There were a hundred people on the other side, against him, and he was powerless. 

He believed he couldn't do anything. 

He did give up. 

But after giving up once, he didn't give up again. Even when the pain of his mate dying killed him, Jin didn't give up because giving up didn't do him any good the first time. He fought for no reason, having no will and desire. 

He did what he could do that time, that is, surviving. 

And now? He was doing what he could do, something he believed he couldn't do before: moving on. 

He could do everything. He would do everything that it takes to give him happiness, and Taehyung should do that too. Isn't happiness the only thing that matters, after all? 

And Taehyung's happiness lies in staying with his mate, so he should stay happy to be with Jungkook. He can keep those bad thoughts of separation for those times it actually happens. 

What could he do now? 

Be happy to marry his imprinter, his lover, his mate. 

x-x-x-x