Seokjin heard  Yoongi gasping in awe as they entered the famous Duke Kim's palace.

It wasn't as huge or luxurious as the royal castle;but what made both of them so amazed, was the beauty and warmth of the small palace.It felt like a real home.

-"Its a pleasure to have you here, My Queen."

Seokjin looked up at the deep voice. There was a man infront of them, bowing at his mother as he smiled at the three of them.

Seokjin smiled at the handsome alpha.

'So this is the famous Wizard Duke Kim!' , he thought to himself, his face full of wonder.

The duke guided them towards a cozy living room, where a gorgeous woman with sharp brown eyes was waiting for them.

She smiled as soon as they came into her sight and bowed.

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace....", she said in her soft voice as her eyes gradually went down and fixed at little Seokjin.

Noticing the duchess's gaze, the Queen smiled heartily.

-"This is Prince Seokjin, my eldest son."

The duchess beamed at those words. She once again turned her attention towards the ten years old and bowed at him.

"Its a pleasure to meet you too, Your Highness.", she chided and the boy couldn't help but greet her back with a heartfelt smile.

"It would've been an honor if His Highness could d come too...", Duke Kim trailed.

Seokjin's mother chuckled as all of them sat on the sofa.

-"Trust me, he really wanted to come. But, he is too busy with his works, who would know that better than you, Duke Kim?"

Duke Kim smiled and nodded.

"What about our Princess and Younger Prince, Your Grace? I wish I could see them!", his wife said genuinely.

"Well you see, Duchess Kim, Princess Jisoo is feeling a bit unwell since last week so we couldn't bring her with us. And... Well, Jeongguk... he is still so young! He can not even spend a single hour without his nurse!", the female alpha laughed.

A little girl entered the room as the elders were having small talks with each other, mostly about the political matters.

"Aah.... Come here,dear...", The duchess gestured the girl to come nearer and she complied.

"Your Grace, this is... my only daughter.", Duke Kim stated and the girl immediately bowed.

"Its... a pleasure to... meet you... Your Grace...", she said just the way she was taught.

The Queen chuckled at her innocence and effort.

-"She is a smart young lady, Duke Kim! Mark my words, she will become a sharp alpha in the future just like you..."

"Well to be very honest, it...doesn't really matter what she'd be presented as in the future. I want to give her every opportunity to blossom, no matter what.", The alpha stated.

Seokjin's mother smirked as she glanced at her son. Placing her hand over his shoulder, she said with pride in her voice,-

"My son is going to make a brilliant alpha for sure. My King often says that Seokjin has all of the qualities in him to become a Ruler."

Seokjin blushed at his mother's remarks and the way both the duke and the duchess seemed to agree with her.

"Honey, aren't you going to show Elder Prince your garden?", Duke Kim's wife encouraged her daughter.

Seokjin looked at his mother and the later gave him the permission without a second thought, making him sigh in relief internally.

The political discussions were suffocating the little boy. He needed some fresh air, literally.

-------

It was a rooftop garden. A large roof with greenery and flora at its every corner.

Seokjin and Yoongi loved the surrounding so much, Yoongi even whispered to the older to make their own garden on the roof of the royal castle!

Seokjin rolled his eyes and giggled at his caretaker. His attention, however went towards the quiet little girl infront of them,who was brushing her small hands over a potted plant of lilies.

"Do you look after these on your own?!",he wondered; his tone amazed.

The girl shook her head unconsciously while still looking at the plant but flinched as if she was going to say something that she was not supposed to.

"Y-yes....I look after them...m-myself...",she muttered quietly.

The olders exchanged a look of confusion with each other and that's when he caught the sight of a silhouette at the door of the roof.

Seokjin's eyes squinted.

"What?!",Yoongi inquired; following the older's gaze and looking back at the doorway.

"N-nothing! You....you stay here,Yoongi.... I'm just...coming...",Seokjin mumbled as he walked towards the door.

-"Wait,hyung!"

"I said stay here! I'm not going to get lost,alright?!",the older snapped.

Little Yoongi turned around and muttered something about Seokjin always using the hyung-card on him and how much the elder prince needed  a personal guard as soon as possible because he was not able to control him anymore.

Seokjin giggled quietly before proceeding towards the door with measured and conscious steps.

He looked back at the others to find both of the silent kids awkwardly shuffling around the garden.

Gulping a little,he turned his head forward only to flinch and step back as he noticed a small face peeking from behind the doorframe.

And the face disappeared behind the frame once again as soon as Seokjin caught its sight.

The boy fisted his hands and took a long breath.After composing himself, Seokjin braved a few steps forward and grabbed the doorframe with both of his hands.

With a trembling heart,he peeked at the corner behind the doorframe and his eyes softened at what he saw over there.

A little boy;almost as young as the duke's daughter,was curled up into a ball at the farthest corner with his eyes shut and both of his chubby hands clasped upon his ears.

Seokjin felt like laughing at himself.He was frightened by this little boy?!

"Who are you?",he asked softly; feeling bad at the way the boy was almost trembling in fear of something.

"Excuse me?.....What are you doing here?",he asked once again and this time,the boy opened his eyes slowly.

Seokjin tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Why were you keeping an eye on us?!",he demanded; not so harshly.

The boy vigorously shook his head.

"I-I was.... making sure....that....nobody touches my....my jasmines...",he muttered timidly.

"If anybody...messes with the buds....then the...Jasmines won't be able...to b-bloom....at night...",he explained.

"You too look after this garden?",Seokjin questioned automatically.

The boy nodded.

-"Who are you?"

Seokjin couldn't help it.He felt as if he needed to know who he was....He felt the urge to know the boy more.

"Kim T-taehyung...",he got the answer.

"Why were you hiding here,anyways?",He asked further;feeling drowsy because of a lulling smell of greenery and soft,morning sunlight.

"Eomonie asked me to...not come infront of....strangers...",Taehyung answered like an obedient student.

-"Really? But,why?!"

"Because they would get scared of me....",the younger ducked his head.

Seokjin kneeled infront of the younger.

"Why would anyone be scared of you? You're not at all scary!",he stated the fact with a honey voice.

"B-but....I'm different... I'm not like Jen and Abeoji.... People would be scared of someone like me and Eomonie!",Taehyung pouted; unaware of the fact that the older's innocent heart was melting because of his adorableness.

Seokjin smiled and brought his right hand upon the younger's head.

"But,I'm not at all afraid of you....",he chided while ruffling Taehyung's hair endearingly.

And then it happened.It was just a slight touch; he was just softly caressing the boy's blonde locks when a foreign yet comforting warmth invaded his whole being.

Seokjin couldn't understand what was happening to him;but he was sure about the fact that he felt a tug at his heart the very moment Taehyung closed his own eyes while leaning at the warm touch of his crooked fingers and his soothing pup-scent.

Both of them smiled unconsciously as they finally looked at each other after the brief moment.

Only then Seokjin realized what he had just done.He just imprinted on the boy infront of him!

His lips parted at the realization. He knew it wasn't in his hands;but he couldn't stop blaming himself for what just happened.

What if his mother gets to know?!

Sighing, he got up on his feet and stared at Taehyung who seemed to be in a daze at that moment.

"Taehyungah...",he called out softly.

"I....have to go....It was a pleasure to meet you...",he smiled but frowned instantly.

Taehyung stood up too.Blinking his soft eyelids, he complained,-

"But you didn't tell me your name!"

Seokjin giggled.

"I'm Seokjin... Kim Seokjin...",he mumbled.

Taehyung gasped.

"You're the Elder Prince, aren't you?!",he asked, his eyese widened in surprise and wonder.

Seokjin nodded quietly, giggling once again as the younger bowed like a perfect nobleman and greeted him with a,- "Its an honor to meet you, Your Highness!"

"Its My Prince for you....",Seokjin corrected without even knowing why he did so.

"My Prince....",Taehyung whispered with a small nod and an adorabale boxy grin.

And Seokjin's heart melted once again.

"I-I should go,Taehyungah.",he heaved a sigh and turned around towards the roof only to be stopped by the younger.

"When will you come again?!",the small voice asked eagerly and Seokjin felt as if he was going to fall on his knees.

"I....don't know, Taehyungah....",he answered honestly.

Taehyung frowned. Grabbing the older's wrists with his chubby hands,he babbled,-

"Then I will go to meet you! But....Abeoji won't let me go anywhere until....I grow up like him...."

Seokjin cupped the younger's face and planted  a soft kiss on his forehead.

"We will meet then only!....I'll definitely recognize you,Taehyungah.",he assured with a smile but the younger kept clinging onto him.

"What if you won't?!",he asked;desperately trying to find a solution from Seokjin.

Seokjin chewed on his lips thoughtfully. His eyes lit up as an idea came to his mind.

Sliding up his shirt's sleeve;he took off his favorite interlocking bracelet from his wrist and secured it around the younger's petite wrist.

-"There.... This is my favorite bracelet.I bought it from the spring-fair when I went there with our songsaeng-nim.I..I promise I'll recognize it...."

Taehyung peeked at him through his long eyelashes.

"You're the first and only friend I have,my prince...You won't forget, right?",he asked meekly.

This time the elder prince kissed the younger's left eyelid tenderly.

"I will never, Taehyungah...",he muttered with his widest smile and Taehyung couldn't help but mirror him.

-"Your Highness?!"

The deep voice made Seokjin flinch on his spot and the younger only gulped at the familiar tone.

Seokjin looked down at the stairs and exclaimed,-

"Duke-nim!"

Duke Kim gave Taehyung a pointed look.

-"I asked you to not come infront of them,didn't I?"

Seokjin's wolf became alert at the tone.He stood infront of the younger; instinctively barricading the imprinted one.

"He didn't! I  came infront of him.And I....will not tell anyone about him;I.....I promise. Please don't do anything to him!",he pleaded with his doe eyes.

The alpha sighed tiredly; his eyes fixed at both of them in an apologetic way.

-"I'm sorry, Your Highness.... But,I can not risk my family's safety....."

Taehyung clutched at the older's arm in an unknown fear.

"I don't want to do this,Your Highness.... But,you shouldn't have met him....",The Duke mumbled as he walked up the stairs.

-"You have to forget him...."

Taehyung's grasp tightened on Seokjin's shirt and the elder gasped.

"No! Please! Duke-nim-",but he was cut off by the Duke's warm,large hand upon his forehead.

"I'm sorry...",he heard the duke mumbling before he started drifting off to sleep.

"Abbeoji,please!",Taehyung pleaded; little hands tugging at his father's coat-sleeve in order to stop him from whatever he was doing.

Seokjin saw Taehyung's lips trembling and teardrops falling from his chocolate brown eyes when he looked at him.

His heart shattered at the sight and he could'nt realize that his own tears were drenching his puffy cheeks when his eyelids gradually drooped down and the only thing he could hear in the darkness was a weak request of the most endearing voice he had ever heard,-

"My Prince,Please don't forget me..."
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Seokjin gasped for a huge amount of air and his already wet eyelids fluttered open.

As he sat up abruptly; still panting because of the dream,he found himself on his bed;sweating furiously.

He let out a shaky breath and rubbed his eyes to wipe off the tears but they didn't have the intention to stop flowing from his eyes.

Taehyung.... Only Taehyung could stop them.

Seokjin frowned when a number of teardrops went down his cheeks once again at the thought of his mate;his Taehyung.

He took the bracelet in his hand and whimpered in guilt,-

"Taehyungah.....I'm sorry...."

-#---#---#---#---#---#---#---#---#---#---#---#--#-

Finally the 30th chapter of this book!

Wow! I never imagined that I can write such a long story too!

All credits to y'all coz if you wouldn't have loved it the way you do....maybe I wouldn't have the energy to complete it either....

So,THANK YOU SO MUCH YALL!

*Imitates Jin's flying kiss*

Opinions on this chapter?

Purple Ya! ^_^💜