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Breathe: For The Reunion | PJM

For the @bangtanscenery​ - April Showers Bring May Flowers Project in celebration of the Spring Season!

Plot: Jimin’s curse is broken, allowing him to return to his own time. But there is a sense of emptiness that lingers inside of him as he readjusts to his former life. Just as things start to make sense again, he’s greeted by a face he’s longed to see once more.

Rating: PG-13 // SFW

Genre: time-slip!au | modern fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | fluff

Pairing: Park Jimin x Female OC (Brianna Larkins)

Warnings: Mild language, mental health issues, implication of curses/magic

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 8.2K

AN: Well, we finally made it here guys. We made it and now I'm sad that it's over. But I'm also happy I made it this far. I never imagined I would write a story like this and now that I have, I want to incorporate time-slip themes every chance I get. LOL. Thank you all for who has followed and loved this story. And thank you to those who will stumble across this in the future. You're awesome and you are loved.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“Yo, Jimin! Stop spacing out and come on!”

Rolling his eyes, Jimin followed behind the others as they made their way up a large, grassy hill. Spring was in full force and his allergies were acting up. He didn’t want to come out there in the first place. The countryside was nice, but only when he had the time to spare to enjoy it. Assignments were piling up now that he was about to finish Grad School. His friends were insistent that he take a break before he burnt himself out. Jimin didn’t mind the burn out. It meant he was putting his whole heart into something.

Trekking up the mountain, however, felt like a colossal waste of his time.

“Jimin Hyung, you’re too slow!” yelled Taehyung as he motioned for him to hurry up.

Jimin scoffed as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, clambering up the hill. Out of the seven of them, he was lagging behind. Mostly because he was in no real hurry to get to their destination. He wasn’t the superstitious type, but he indulged his friends every once in a while.

Hence why they were making this trip up the mountain in the first place.

“The house isn’t going anywhere, Taehyung-ah,” he called back, adjusting his sunglasses, “and neither is the old woman, I’m sure.”

He finally made it to the top of the hill where the others were taking a break to hydrate themselves. Even though they started their journey up the mountain in the morning, it was already nearing midday. The heat was slowly intensifying and Jimin could only wipe at the sweat on his neck and brow with his handkerchief.

Jungkook tossed a bottle of water over to him as he made his to the others. Yoongi and Namjoon were busy looking at a map while Hoseok fussed over Taehyung for not putting on enough sunscreen. Seokjin rifled through his pack to hand out granola bars for everyone. Jimin sighed, admiring the image while worrying about his mid-term assignments in the back of his mind.

“How much further, Hyung?” Jimin asked as he sipped from the bottle.

“Honestly? I’d say another mile.” Yoongi scratched at the back of his neck as he pushed the map off to a confused Namjoon. “If we follow Namjoon’s directions, we’ll stumble across the gateway to the Underworld.”

Namjoon scoffed as he clicked his tongue behind his teeth. “Not true, but okay, Hyung.”

Seokjin waved his hands back and forth in an attempt to chase away the tension. “Now, now,” he said, handing off the granola bars, “stop being so uptight. You guys clearly need an energy boost.”

Jungkook crushed the wrapper and shoved it into his pocket after having devoured his snack in two bites. He was still chewing. “Not that I have anything against it, but I can’t believe we’re going to a witch’s house.”

“Hey,” Taehyung said, sucking air through his teeth, “she’s not a witch! She’s a powerful shaman.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “Oh geez…”

“I can’t believe I was dragged out of bed to hike up a mountain for half the day,” muttered Yoongi as he bit into the granola bar, “I’m already behind on my work.”

“You can work anytime,” said Namjoon as he bumped shoulders with him, “you need some sun.”

Hoseok smirked as he handed Yoongi a water bottle. “It’s true, Hyung. You can’t stay trapped in your basement all day.”

Yoongi frowned. “It’s my studio, guys.” 

Suddenly, Jungkook threw himself onto Yoongi’s back in a playful hug. “Aw, c’mon, Hyung! You’re starting to sound like Jimin Hyung, obsessed with work all the time!”

“I’m still in school, you dummy,” Jimin snapped as he reached out to poke Jungkook’s cheek, “and so are you. You should take it more seriously.”

He watched his friend pout, still clinging to Yoongi. “After college, that’s it. I’m never going back to school again!”

Jimin smirked as he shook his head. Jungkook had a plan, albeit a simple one, and if his parents hadn’t forced him to go to college in the first place, he’d already be joining the workforce like an adult. Having a college education didn’t make things better, but it would be nice if the world didn’t treat him like the simpleton he always portrayed himself to be. Thankfully, Hoseok and Seokjin helped him with his studies. Taehyung worked full-time and only gave himself time off to poke at Jimin since, out of the two of them, Jimin was the one who decided to attend Grad School.

Taehyung peered over Namjoon’s shoulder at the map, then looked over where another hill crested off just to the North. “Uh, shouldn’t it be just over that hill up there?”

Jimin watched Yoongi’s chest swell with pride. “You mean the one a mile off?”

“Yeah.”

A low groan came from Namjoon. Without saying a word, Yoongi held his hand out and Namjoon placed some bills into his palm. When had a wager been made?

“Well, let’s go,” said Seokjin, readjusting his pack into a more comfortable position, “the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get our fortunes read and head back down the mountain.”

“Agreed,” mused Jimin, already starting off toward the hill, “I have a paper due next week and I need to get started on it.”

Taehyung sidled up next to him and nudged his side with his elbow, causing Jimin to side-step to the left. “You’re telling me it’s not the first draft? I find that hard to believe.”

Jimin shrugged as they all started off toward the hill. “I had to help Grandma with her rice cake shop while she was going through treatment.”

He watched Taehyung’s playful demeanor deflate immediately. “Oh, I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell me? I could have swung by.”

“It’s fine,” he said, reaching out to pat Taehyung’s head like he was a child. Jimin laughed at the way his friend pouted, his cheeks puffing out in defiance. “She’s a lot better now. Just routine stuff and to get her prescription. You know how Granny likes to overwork herself.”

“Even so,” muttered Taehyung, “next time, just freakin’ call me, dude.”

“I will. I will.”

The trek up the hill wasn’t bad. In fact, it didn’t even feel like it was a mile at all. Everyone was talking all at once about different things. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Jimin really had missed his friends. They all grew up together in the roughneck parts of Seoul, but they’d grown up to be pretty decent human beings.

Maybe it was because they had each other. Or maybe because they feared getting beat into the next century by their families. Either way, they all managed to walk the path they felt was best suited for them.

Namjoon reached the top of the hill first, determined to salvage some of his dignity from having lost his bet with Yoongi. He pointed to the house just further up the hill, surrounded by wildflowers and canvassed by a small cluster of trees near the back of the house. They all stopped, blinking slightly at the stark contrast of the house’s architectural design. Last they checked, they were definitely still in South Korea and while it wasn’t uncommon for structures to have a western look to it, it seemed a little farfetched to have one this far out in the countryside.

On the outside, it looked like a Tudor cottage with natural brick and molding. Everything else was white or a soft yellow color for the trimming, the roof tiles a rich cobalt blue. No one said anything, but it was clear that all they could do was silently marvel at the house’s appearance. Jimin had to wonder if the person residing in this house was, in fact, a witch, and not a shaman like Taehyung claimed.

“See? I told you it was a witch’s house!” exclaimed Jungkook, giving voice to what all of them were clearly thinking.

Taehyung cleared his throat. “Who said that the shaman was Korean?”

“Give it a rest, you two,” said Hoseok in mid-sigh. He peered at Yoongi who was visibly battling with something internally. “Everything alright, Hyung?”

Yoongi bit his thumbnail, a telltale sign that he was uncomfortable. “...I think we should leave.”

Seokjin blinked as he managed to grunt out a noise in confusion. “Huh? Wha-already?”

Again, Jimin wasn’t the superstitious sort. But he learned to trust Yoongi’s hunches over the years. If their friend said they needed to leave, then they should have been hightailing it down the mountain. But even he couldn’t hide his own curiosity. Nothing was even happening yet. Why was he already wanting to leave?

“I feel like something is going to happen.”

“Like what?” Jungkook tilted his head slightly. “Something bad?”

“No,” Yoongi replied slowly, his line of sight shifting to look back at the house, “just...something different than what we’re probably expecting.”

Taehyung raspberried and then laughed. “Oh, come on, Hyung. You make it sound so ominous. We came up here to get our fortunes read, so let’s just do that and then we can leave.”

In that sense, Jimin couldn’t really argue with him there. They came all this way. Superstitious or not, he didn’t want to leave without having something to show for it.

Suddenly, the door to the house opened and out stepped a woman. She looked to be in her mid to late thirties. Her dark auburn hair fell across her shoulders and back in thick ringlets. She wore a garland of flowers on her head like a crown and her clothing made her appear to have stepped out of the Victorian Era - a long and flowing black gown with a white corset cinched tightly around her waist. The sleeves belled out at the elbows, covering her hands, and there was a golden sash draped across her chest - a black crest of a one-winged dragon emblazoned along it.

She took measured steps from the front porch of the house, her dress a point of reference against all the natural colors surrounding her. Her eyes were closed, but it was clear that she had no problem seeing if anyone were to assume she was blind. Turning her face slowly to look in the direction of the sun, Jimin couldn’t help wondering if the woman had seen them at all.

“I just finished making a pot of tea,” she said, and Jimin could feel everyone’s shoulders stiffen from the tension, including his own. The woman turned her head to face them, but her eyes were still closed. She smiled. “Would you all care to join me?”

They all began crowding Yoongi and speaking at once.

“What are we gonna do?”

“Do we go in? Yes? No?”

“She looks really pretty. I bet she is a witch!”

“I mean, we came all this way, right?”

“Dammit, I told you she was a shaman!”

“Since when are Westerners considered shamans?”

Yoongi angrily huffed air from his nostrils. “Shut-up!” he snapped, glaring at all of them, “I can’t fuckin’ think!”

“You came to have your fortunes read, did you not?” They all looked back up at the woman who gestured with one of her bell sleeves to the door. “Then please, come inside and make yourselves comfortable.”

There was a bit of reticence sparking inside of Jimin. But he resigned himself to do whatever his friends wanted, since that was the reason he allowed himself to be dragged out there in the first place. He couldn’t deny his curiosity, but he was just as much a skeptic as any other.

Taehyung, not waiting for them to decide, strode up the hill. Jungkook quickly followed suit until the others were left with no choice but to do the same. The fragrant smell of tea and something sweet seemed to linger from the doorway and the aroma eased whatever trepidation they may have had. Maybe this wouldn’t have been as bad as they were imagining it to be.

Upon entering the house, they were all stunned near the entrance. Everything inside the interior of the house was white. The walls. The ceiling. The floor. There wasn’t a single pigment adorning anything on the surface level. However, everything was decorated with flowers of various shades and sizes. The smell nearly overwhelmed Jimin and he quickly covered his mouth to keep an oncoming migraine at bay.

A small calico cat meowed at the appearance of guests intruding on its home. Jungkook and Taehyung immediately attempted to pet the cat, but it danced just out of reach. Instead, it strode to the far corner of the main living room area, sitting down to observe them from afar. It may have been a trick of the light, but Jimin swore the cat was looking directly at him more than the others.

“Don’t mind her,” said the woman as she closed the door, “she’s always been finicky around strangers.”

The woman gestured for them to have a seat wherever they liked just as the kettle whistled with life. The sound of dishes clinking showed that she was busying herself with preparations. The sweet smell of something freshly baked was even more powerful now that they were inside. Jungkook made a comment about it, to which the woman laughed but said nothing more.

It went without saying that the house, itself, was strange. The woman in question was even stranger. No one said anything about it. At least not yet. Jimin could see Yoongi across the room, rifling with what to speak out about in regards to their current situation.

“How did you even find out about this place, Namjoon?” Seokjin asked suddenly. Yoongi looked at him as if he’d read his mind.

Namjoon shrugged as he peered at a large fern hanging from the wall. “I read about it in some magazine article.”

Hoseok blinked. “A magazine article? Really?” He craned his neck to look at the woman as she started pouring tea. “Did you have an interview, Miss?”

“No,” she replied simply, “I haven’t been interviewed by anyone. I rarely get visitors as it is.”

“I see,” Jimin said slowly as he shot Namjoon a dubious look, “makes me wonder what magazine you were nosing through.”

He watched Namjoon’s expression change to one clearly offended. “You make it sound like I was reading porn.” He folded his arms across his chest. “It was just some magazine a friend gave to me while we were hanging out. Figured it would be a cool place to go check out.”

“So you dragged us out here on a whim?” Yoongi arched a brow. “Because of a magazine article, Namjoon-ah?”

“Come now. There’s no need for such hostility.” The woman approached them, carrying a large tray with tea and small butter cookies. “As I said, I rarely get visitors and your energy really livens up the place.”

Jungkook took the tray from her and bowed his head, even though she still had her eyes closed. “We’re sorry to intrude.”

She gestured to the large table off to the right. While the others sat in the chairs, he shook his head some. He didn’t remember the table being there earlier. Or had his mind been playing tricks on him while he was focused on something else?

The woman waited for them all to take a seat before slowly sitting down at the head of the table. With a wide flourish, she lifted her right arm up. As the bell of her sleeve slid down, revealing her pale skin, there was a large deck of cards clasped between her fingers. Some of his friends gasped in delightful surprise and even Taehyung clapped. Seokjin flashed an open-mouthed grin as he lifted the cup to his lips. Hoseok blinked curiously, his eyes full of wonder as to what would happen next. Jimin merely folded his arms across his chest, not really impressed but not dismissive either.

“I do not read fortunes so much as I read futures.” She placed the deck on the table, spreading the large cards out in a semi-circle in front of her. “Are any of you familiar with Tarot?”

As far as Jimin knew, none of them were really into the occult. Things regarding fortunes were often told through talismans and rice or even bowls of water. Cards weren’t really used and talismans were only brought out for exorcisms. These were all things that Jimin didn’t believe in to begin with. Superstitious practices were coupled with customs that all Koreans performed out of habit and from being raised in certain household environments that kept true to the old ways.

Again, Jimin just didn’t buy into that sort of nonsense.

The woman smiled warmly when a few replied that they did not, in fact, know about Tarot. “Wonderful,” she said as she gently clapped her hands together, “then you’re all in for a treat. Can I ask that you all please choose a card from the pile?”

Each of them looked to the other, before shrugging. Jungkook was the first to grab a card, followed by Taehyung. One by one, they all picked a card, with Jimin being the last to pull from the deck.

“Now, I want you all to place your card face up on the table.”

They each did as they were asked. The woman waited, her eyes closed, but it seemed like she was able to see regardless. She made little noises, nodding her head a few times, and then paused when she looked in Jimin’s direction. He didn’t know what card he was looking at, but it must have been something interesting enough to cause the woman to not say anything. Instead, she placed a finger on her chin and tapped it a few times. Her full lips formed into a small ‘O’ before shifting into a smirk.

“Well, well,” she finally said, folding her hands in her lap, “it seems that all of you have pretty good luck.” She turned her head to face Jimin, her elegant smile still present. “All except you. You have the worst luck of them all.”

His friends all turned to face him and his cheeks instantly grew hot, both from embarrassment and outrage. How could she determine something like that from a simple card draw?!

Not willing to accept her words at face value, Jimin scoffed loudly. “What makes you say that?”

She picked up his card and held it up so he could see it. “This is The Tower. It signifies a sudden change that is to occur, one that is completely outside of your control.”

He arched a single brow. “So?”

Again, the woman’s smile remained. “It means that you, a man who takes pride in your level of control, is about to have that control stolen from you.” Her smile widened a small measure. “And that pride of yours will be shattered as well.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “That’s insane.”

“Is it?” She gave a slight tilt of her head. “As someone as practical and rational as yourself, are you certain that you would not break if such a thing were to occur?” The woman placed the card among the pile, grabbing for the others, and then shuffled them in a wide circle. She gestured to Jimin, then to the pile. “Draw again, please.”

“Whatever,” he said, reaching for the pile and picking up a card. When he looked at it, his eyes widened. “What the hell is this?” Jimin stared at the woman, watching her smile grow a fraction more. It was like she already knew what he’d drawn.

He drew The Tower once more.

“See? I told you that you have the worst luck of them all.” Jimin was too flabbergasted to come up with a decent rebuttal. Instead, he could only watch the woman take the card back and place it back into the pile. Her hands shuffled the cards once more. She picked up a card and turned it face up on the table. “The Wheel of Fortune is what you fear. You fear change because change means having to adjust your current way of thinking; your current outlook on life. You also take many things for granted, but most people do.” She turned to face him again. “You fool yourself into believing that you don’t, smothering your selfish desires down in the hopes of keeping them hidden from those closest to you.”

Jimin balked, unable to process everything this woman was saying. Who did she think she was? She didn’t know him! She didn’t know how he thought or of the struggles he had to endure in order to get this far in his life. He was young and still had more things to experience; to learn. But that didn’t mean he was some bump on a log. He knew that due diligence and perseverance mattered when achieving a goal. Focusing on those goals was what led to dreams being reality.

Nothing came from simply sitting around idly and doing nothing. And in that case, Jimin didn’t believe in luck either.

He didn’t even bother stifling the laugh that burst out of him. It startled his friends, because they knew that laugh. It wasn’t a joyous sound. No.

It was an angry one.

“You’ve got some nerve, Lady,” he said, narrowing his eyes, “you don’t even know me. And what? You think flipping over a few cards means you can tell me all about my life? Like you’ve been there to see any of it? Don’t fucking kid yourself!”

“J-Jimin-ah,” called Hoseok gently, trying to get Jimin to calm down a little.

But it was too late. Jimin was furious.

Because what right did this woman have to expose him like that in front of his friends? His struggles were his own. His merits were his own. No one had a right to them because Jimin worked hard to get where he was. He was still working hard to maintain it. Winding up purposeless and with no drive was a nightmare he wouldn’t even dream of suffering through.

At the end of the day, who gave a damn about smelling the roses? Enjoying the little things in life didn’t erase the reality that he had to face. Small indulgences like being with his friends was more for them than for him. Because, in the end, he would have to deal with his problems by himself. No one else would be able to help him and, as such, he ultimately couldn’t rely on anyone but himself.

For the first time since they arrived, the woman’s smile fell. She even looked a little disappointed. “It truly is a shame you feel that way.” Shaking her head, she picked up another card and held it up to show Jimin. “And because of that, because of your lack of trust in others, as well as your own guarded selfishness, this is your fate.”

He glared at the words on the card, only to realize that she was holding it upside down. He quickly deciphered the backwards writing, then blinked in confusion.

It was The Hermit.

“You have lost your way, Jimin Park. You have deluded yourself into believing you have a purpose when, in fact, you do not understand your true purpose at all.”

Jimin’s gaze met the woman’s, causing him to shift back harshly in the chair. The legs scraped loudly on the floor, the noise sending an unpleasant chill to spread throughout his entire body. It wasn’t the fact that she knew his name, even though it wasn’t given in its entirety. That wasn’t what startled him.

It was her eyes.

Her eyes were finally open, revealing swirls of purple and blue the likes of which he’d never seen before. The house began to shake violently, causing the tea cups to rattle off the table and crash to the floor. When he looked around, he realized that his friends were gone. Only he was alone with the woman and he stood up quickly, forcing the chair to fall to the floor. The woman, however, remained seated. She seemed unaffected by what was happening and all Jimin could do was look around helplessly as he yelled for his friends who, for all intents and purposes, vanished into thin air.

“And until you are able to truly understand who you are, you will never be able to become who you are meant to be.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” he snarled at her. “And what did you do with my friends?!”

“You will be alone. Isolated. For as long as it takes.” Her eyes narrowed. “Until you recognize your mistakes. Until you can see beyond your own desires. The world that you’ve never bothered to give a second glance will now ignore you in return.”

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He didn’t fully understand what that meant, but Jimin had an idea and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bit.

“And the day that it finally looks back at you, that will be the moment when you will have to make a choice. You will have to choose between the world...or yourself.”

And before Jimin could question what she meant by those ominous words, an array of colors burst forth from around her, nearly blinding him. He shielded his eyes, crying out into the void, before being swallowed up into a swirling galaxy of stars and nebulas. A place where he knew, in his heart of hearts, that he would be alone.

That he would be alone for a very long time.

Pain.

Hurt.

Everything hurt.

Jimin could feel himself fighting with it, struggling to climb to the surface of his consciousness. He was at the precipice of it. He knew he was so close to reaching that moment where he would be able to process everything. Most likely it would hit him all at once, but it was better than drowning in the darkness. So deeply submerged that there was little chance of him escaping.

There was warmth. And sound. A steady, rhythmic beat that seemed to rest along his skin. It was muffled at first, until it became clearer with each passing second.

It was a beeping sound.

His brows furrowed and a low groan escaped his throat. Rustling noises came from both sides and he finally managed to open his eyes. Everything came into focus all at once, including the bright light that nearly blinded him. Jimin squinted and lifted one arm to shield his face from the intruding brightness. 

“Jimin!”

“Jimin-ah!”

“Hyung!”

As he continued to shield his face, Jimin wrestled with the familiar voices. He was in pain, but it wasn’t in the way that he could remember it. Shouldn’t his shoulder have been hurting more than it was? And he remembered drifting off somewhere. Was he sleeping? Had it all been a dream?

“Don’t go!” shouted Bree as she tried to jump and reach for him, but he was too far away.

Was this really the end?

“I love you!” Jimin yelled suddenly, causing Bree to stop her attempts to pull him back.

She blinked up at him. “J-Jimin…”

A sad smile formed on his lips. This was inevitable. There was nothing they could do to stop this. He was going back to his own time now; to his own world.

“I love you so much…”

Bree gasped, covering her mouth. But when it seemed he would pass through the ceiling, she lowered her hands and flashed the same sad smile back up to him.

“…I love you too.”

Gasping, Jimin bolted upright and clawed at the air. His eyes, wide and full of tears, burned as colors flooded his vision. “BREE!”

Hands gripped at his shoulders, attempting to push him back down onto the plush surface he was resting on. Jimin struggled against them, his shoulders jerking in either direction as he yelled and bucked his hips off the mattress. Everyone called his name, trying to get him to calm down, but this made him rage against them further. He could feel the vein bulging near his neck as his eyes strained from the pressure building up behind them.

His eyes focused on those around him; familiar faces. His friends. They were all clearly worried about him, some even a little apprehensive about his response after just waking up. But the image of Bree wouldn’t leave the forefront of his mind. 

“L-Let go of me!” he shouted, lunging his upper body forward. “LET ME GO!”

A nurse swiftly pushed through his friends, pulling out a needle and injecting it into his IV. It didn’t take long for the sedative to work, Jimin’s vision growing cloudy. But he could tell it wasn’t meant to knock him out. His thundering heartbeat settled slowly and a heavy weight forced him to push his body back into the plush cushions. After the nurse whispered something to Seokjin, the others quickly surrounded him but made sure not to crowd him too much.

Jungkook sat on the edge of the bed slowly, his shoulders tense as he wrangled with what to say. “...Hyung?”

He blinked slowly as he rolled his neck to look at him. “J-Jungkook-ah?” Jimin shifted his gaze to Taehyung. “What’s going on?”

“You passed out,” Taehyung murmured, draping a hand along the back of his neck, “so we took you to the hospital.”

Jimin licked his lips as he rubbed at one of his eyes. “How long have I been out?”

“A couple of hours,” Namjoon answered, causing Jimin to jump slightly, “not too long.”

He’d only been out for a few hours? That couldn’t have been right. Years went by as he traveled through all those different places! It didn’t seem feasible that he’d only been knocked out for mere hours.

Again, he tried to sit up. This time, Hoseok helped him so he could get more comfortable. “What about that woman?” His gaze met Hoseok’s and he noted the confusion etched on his friend’s face. “What happened?”

Hoseok tilted his head slightly. “What woman?” Jimin frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“That witch-shaman-fortune teller lady!” Jimin looked between all of his friends and they looked just as puzzled as Hoseok. What was going on?! “We went to the mountains to get our fortunes read, and--”

“No,” stressed Yoongi as he folded his arms across his chest, “we were about to board the train for Gwangju and you passed out at the terminal.”

Jimin’s heart skipped, a bead of sweat forming on his temple. “W-What?” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “The train?”

Jungkook’s brows furrowed as he nodded. “Yeah. We were going to Gwangju for a few days to start off Summer Break, remember?”

Pain hummed behind Jimin’s eyes. He pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead in an attempt to settle his nerves. They hadn’t gone to the mountains. They hadn’t met that woman who cursed him, trapping him in that house and sending him into an unexpected journey. They never even left Seoul!

So, it’s really broken, he thought, his hand moving to cover his mouth while staring at the bed sheets, I’m really back.

Bree’s smiling face flashed in his mind as she held Juno in her arms. What happened to them? Were they stuck in the house in his place? Had he condemned them to his fate once his curse was lifted?

An overwhelming sense of guilt exploded across his chest, causing Jimin to cover his face with his hands as he openly sobbed into them. He felt his brothers’ comforting embraces holding him as he cried. He knew they were probably thinking that Jimin was just confused and disoriented and, in truth, he was. 

But the true pain that seeped throughout his entire body was the thought of leaving Bree to suffer what was once his fate...alone.

Days bled into weeks. It was one giant blur for Jimin. After getting over his disorientation, he was able to regain some functionality in his daily life. His friends insisted they cancel their trip to Gwangju and just stay in Seoul, but Jimin said there wasn’t a need. He didn’t want to ruin their holiday because of his dysfunctionalism and he probably needed the break himself. After so many years of not working, studying, and even doing anything remotely productive during his travels, Jimin wasn’t sure if he was ready to get back into the swing of things.

After they returned from their trip, he contacted his advisors and professors to let them know he would be taking the semester off after he turned in his assignments. He was barely able to struggle through his paper and he couldn’t even remember what his term paper was initially about anymore. Sure, he’d left himself notes and even written an outline, but his head was jumbled with too many other concerns to focus on school.

His parents were extremely disappointed with his decision to withdraw from school, but Jimin couldn’t bring himself to change his mind. If it was still taking him over a month to remember what year it was, he knew he would just stress himself out in the middle of his classes. He needed a break. He needed something else to focus his attention on while also allowing himself to feel productive in the meantime. Jimin wasn’t giving up on school completely, but he knew that it just wasn’t for him right now.

He moved back to Busan to be closer to his family and to also help his grandmother with her rice cake shop. She was beyond ecstatic for the company and this allowed her time to pay more attention to her own health. Kneading dough and the smell of rice powder brought a sense of calm to Jimin’s routine. Meeting and interacting with customers, as well as doing research to help bolster sales, allowed him to momentarily forget the loneliness he felt.

But at night, everything always came back full circle. Jimin often had night terrors filled with visions of Bree blaming him for abandoning her; for leaving her behind in that perpetually never ending cycle. Jimin may have gotten used to it, but the inability to escape his prison, a prison he’d brought upon himself, was a concept he was sure would drive anyone mad.

If I left her there like that…

He could never finish the thought that followed swiftly after waking up from a nightmare. Jimin was too afraid to finish it. Because giving it a voice, even a silent one, would mean that there was a chance it would come true.

Every day and every night, Jimin thought about looking for Bree. But he honestly didn’t know where to start his search. Looking for her by name was one thing, but he couldn’t imagine how many “Brianna Larkins” would turn up. He didn’t have much money so hiring a private investigator was almost out of the question. It wasn’t like he lived in the new millennium where the internet and smartphones were regular things. This was the only thing that granted him a bit of solace, knowing he returned to only a decade after her time.

But who was to say that Bree was actually a person of the 80s? Just because her friends happened to have an 80's radio? For all he knew, they could have just been a bunch of trendy hipsters who wanted to seem eclectic by having an old-fashioned portable radio. Jimin traveled enough through the past and future to know that a person couldn’t always judge everything at face value.

What if she wasn’t even born yet?

These, and many other anxieties, haunted Jimin at almost every turn. Taehyung often visited him when he had the chance, as did the others, but nothing could chase away the panic-induced terror that threatened to suffocate him each and every single night.

His grandmother finally suggested that he see a therapist. Mental health wasn’t a strongly advocated subject at the time, but anything was better than falling into a tailspin of depression he wouldn’t be able to escape from. There were specialists in Busan, but the best psychiatrists were in Seoul. Taehyung supported his need for some kind of medical attention, even if it meant just sitting down and talking to someone unrelated to him. 

Jimin set his first appointment for the following week.

He didn’t think he’d be this nervous. 

After filling out all the paperwork, Jimin found himself wringing his hands together as he waited for someone to call him to the back. Taehyung and Yoongi both recommended this particular clinic because of the well-known specialists who hailed from different parts of the world and practiced medicine internationally. He wasn’t one to knock something until he tried it. Or at least that was how he felt he was now . Jimin was pretty confident his old self would never have entertained the idea of seeing a psychiatrist.

There was a first time for everything. Even this.

He fiddled with some magazines until he was called. Something to keep his hands busy. Part of him wanted to bolt out of the door and never look back. There was an old part of him that lingered in the deep recesses of his mind. About how this was just all in his head and he would just need some time to get over it. 

But he’d spent years in isolation. Regardless of whether it was in his own head or not wasn’t the point. Those moments were real to him and the mind was a powerful thing. The pain he felt was real to him. The feelings he experienced were real to him.

In essence, that was all that mattered.

I can’t keep running from this, he thought as he clenched his fists together, running is what got me into trouble in the first place.

“Park Jimin-ssi?” He lifted his head to see the receptionist waving at him. “The doctor will see you now.”

Standing, Jimin moved to the door as it opened and the receptionist smiled as she held a clipboard to her chest. She gestured for him to follow behind her and they walked down a small corridor. She opened the door before he could see the name on the outside, ushering him to go inside.

“The doctor will be with you shortly,” she said, bowing her head slightly, “would you like some tea?”

Jimin bowed his head awkwardly in return. “Uh, yes, please. Thank you.”

She bowed again. “Of course. I’ll be right back. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

She closed the door gently behind her and Jimin slowly sat down on the couch in front of a large glass and metal desk. It was littered with various books, mostly fairy tales and some self-help books. Others were reference materials and even subjects alluding to science fiction. Jimin couldn’t help the smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth. It reminded him of the months he spent with Bree, studying various texts to get even a vague idea of what his circumstances entailed. 

She’d been so selfless in wanting to help him. There was nothing to gain from doing so. All she wanted was for him to be able to return to his family; to his own world.

Again, the phantom ache of guilt pounded against his chest, causing Jimin to absentmindedly rub at it. He was here so he could put a voice to the remorse that ripped through him. Letting it eat away and fester inside wasn’t going to help things. There was no way to get back to Bree, but he wanted to believe that she hadn’t met the same fate.

Wanting to find something to distract his thoughts, he peered at the walls of the room and admired some of the paintings that decorated the doctor’s office. Some were simple ones - replicas of Monet’s work and some of Dali. But what gave Jimin pause was the silver-framed picture sitting on the doctor’s desk. 

It was a picture of a calico cat playing around in the flowers. The letters monogrammed on the lower half of the frame had Jimin’s jaw dropping.

JUNO

Suddenly, the door opened and Jimin jumped to his feet. His eyes focused on the person now in the room, but their back was to him. Her attire was simple, comfortable, but she still carried an air of professionalism. Her thick auburn curls were pulled into a low ponytail and silver hoops dangled from her ears. The door latch catching sounded like muffled cannon fire in his ears. 

“Sorry for the wait, Mr. Jimin Park,” she said, her voice laced with amusement; a voice he could never forget, “I like your name. I’m Doctor Brianna Larkins.” She turned around, a smile still on her face, but it fell instantly when her eyes locked with his.

Jimin could hardly believe what he was seeing. Even the loud clatter of her clipboard hitting the ground wasn’t enough to rattle his thoughts. Bree continued to stand by the door as Jimin remained where he was near the couch. 

For a while, neither of them moved. Jimin was too scared. He was afraid of what would happen the very moment he took a step forward. Would everything fizzle into smoke before his eyes? Would he lose her again?

And just like the last time, Bree was the one to speak first. 

“J-Jimin…”

Her eyes were full of unshed tears and Jimin’s own vision began to wobble. “B-Bree?”

He watched her tears fall and he felt like the universe was being created at that moment, her smile so radiant that he couldn’t believe that he was the reason for it. Not even for a second. 

Jimin soaked in her presence. She was older now. Of course she was. Even though he was the older one when they’d first met, it was clear that time hadn’t frozen for her. She was there with him, in his own time. Bree wasn’t trapped in his prison, made to suffer for his own transgressions.

He didn’t care about the why or the how. Jimin only cared that she was there with him and not traveling through space and time alone. She was free. They were free.

Rushing forward, Jimin closed the distance between them. His chest slammed up against hers and he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to him. They both let out a sob at the same time and he could feel her fingers digging into the meat of his shoulder blades. Their bodies shook from the emotions overwhelming them until their legs could no longer hold them up. Sinking to the floor, Jimin cradled the back of her head in his hand as they cried their hearts out in each other’s arms.

“27. And you?”

“32.” She laughed while shaking her head. “Goddamn, I’m old.”

“You’re not old.” He brushed a stray curl back and tucked it behind her ear. “You still look the same, even now.”

Bree rolled her eyes. “Whatever, you’re crazy.” She was still smiling.

Jimin squeezed her hand as they sat on the couch together. He was too afraid of letting her hand go, worried that she might disappear when he did. She must have felt the same, because she didn’t try to pull away from him. Not even once.

After they’d calmed down a bit, Bree suggested that they at least look like they were having a session. The last thing she wanted was for the receptionist to come in and see them both hysterical messes on the floor. When she collected the clipboard and placed it on her desk, the receptionist brought Jimin his tea and swiftly left the room. 

He cupped her cheek with his palm, turning her face toward him. It was true. To him, she hadn’t aged a single bit. She still had the same healthy brown tint to her skin, her former dark curls were dyed a deep shade of red that he liked, and her eyes held a hint of the hazel glow he remembered. Her cheeks were tinted a soft pink, probably because he was staring so intently at her but he couldn’t help himself. Jimin pinched his forearm to make sure he wasn’t actually dreaming and Bree smacked his hand, forcing him to pout.

“Hey!”

She frowned. “Stop that. You’re going to give yourself bruises.”

He huffed. “It doesn’t matter.” Jimin twirled his fingers through the lower half of her curls. “...I still can’t believe it.”

“Neither can I,” Bree whispered, wrapping her fingers around his wrist, “I was beginning to think I’d dreamed the whole thing.”

“I don’t blame you.” Jimin’s brows furrowed as he leaned in a little closer. “For me, it’s only been a few months. But for you, it’s been years.”

She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Fourteen, to be exact.”

Jimin pressed his forehead against hers, cradling her face in his hands as he closed his eyes. “God, I am so sorry, Bree…”

Bree lightly patted his cheek, pulling back a bit to look at him. “Sorry for what? In what way was any of that your fault?” She shook her head before flashing him a reassuring smile. “I’m just glad that you were able to get back to your own time.”

He nodded in agreement, albeit reluctantly. “So, why psychiatry?’ 

“Truthfully? I did it for myself. After everything that happened, I was a little worried I’d gone mental or something.” Bree laughed, as if she’d just flubbed up the colors in a coloring book. “But as time went on, I wanted to believe that I’d see you again. And if you were half as messed up as I was, then you were going to need someone to help you through it.”

It felt like a lead weight collapsed into his stomach. Even after everything, she was still looking out for him. Bree hadn’t given up on the idea that they would reunite. Whatever her dreams and goals were prior to their meeting, she shifted gears and changed her life, hoping that chance would bring them just a little bit closer.

Jimin laughed, covering his face with his hand. “You don’t know the half of it,” he said, his shoulders trembling, “it’s been absolute hell trying to readjust.” He lowered his hand and looked at her. “Though, I guess a good portion of my nightmares will stop now that I’ve seen you again.”

Bree nodded, brushing some of the fringe from his forehead. “The other half will just take some time.” She grinned cheekily at him. “And now that I’m a licensed professional, you’re guaranteed to get better.”

Rolling his eyes, he pulled Bree a little closer until their noses were barely touching. “I can’t wait for you to tell me everything that’s happened. Fourteen years is a long time.” 

“It is. And Juno is going to give you a stern talking to.” 

He raised his brows. “I can’t believe she’s still around.”

Bree shrugged. “She’s stubborn. That and I think it took some time for her body to get back in sync with the whole aging process.” She smirked. “That’s just my best educated guess though. I’m no scientist.”

Leaning forward, Jimin gently pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her full lips. He heard her gasp, felt her taking in a sharp breath, and then moved his mouth to brush over her cheeks and nose. Her hand grasped for his wrist, giving it a gentle squeeze. He paused at her forehead, his lips barely touching her skin there. Even after all this time, she still smelled the same. Her lips tasted the same.

Like cherries. 

“I missed you,” Jimin whispered, his voice shaking a measure, “I missed you so much.”

“Me too.” She leaned her head back to peer at his face, his vision of her blurring slightly from the tears collecting in his eyes. “I missed you too, Jimin.”

“I live in Busan now.” His smile fell a bit. “But...but I can come to Seoul any time.”

She grinned. “And I’m a therapist, Jimin. I can move my practice anywhere.”

Jimin sighed, shaking his head but his smile returned. “I run a rice cake shop with my grandmother. I kinda like it. I think you might like it too.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

Taking a breath, Jimin sealed his lips over hers and pressed his body across her own. She fell back against the couch and he wrapped one arm around her waist, practically pulling her into his lap. Her hands fell along his shoulders as he took every single moment given to him to nip, pull, and lavish his affections on her lips. They would be swollen from his attention, but he didn’t care. No matter how many years would pass by after that moment, he would never get tired of the taste of her mouth; of cherry lip balm.

Breaking the kiss, he quickly wiped at the tears on Bree’s face. She laughed, using the sleeve of her coat to do the same for him. He gave her little pecks to the mouth before pulling her into his arms once more - the steady cadence of her beating heart matching his own.

Craning his neck, he buried his face into her hair as she held him just as tightly against her. “...now that we have the time.”

Time that would never be taken advantage of ever again.

Breathe: For The Reunion | PJM

For the @bangtanscenery​ - April Showers Bring May Flowers Project in celebration of the Spring Season!

Plot: Jimin’s curse is broken, allowing him to return to his own time. But there is a sense of emptiness that lingers inside of him as he readjusts to his former life. Just as things start to make sense again, he’s greeted by a face he’s longed to see once more.

Rating: PG-13 // SFW

Genre: time-slip!au | modern fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | fluff

Pairing: Park Jimin x Female OC (Brianna Larkins)

Warnings: Mild language, mental health issues, implication of curses/magic

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 8.2K

AN: Well, we finally made it here guys. We made it and now I’m sad that it’s over. But I’m also happy I made it this far. I never imagined I would write a story like this and now that I have, I want to incorporate time-slip themes every chance I get. LOL. Thank you all for who has followed and loved this story. And thank you to those who will stumble across this in the future. You’re awesome and you are loved.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

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Shadow’s Birthright | MYG

Chapter 07: Oblivion

Plot: Riding in on thunder and lightning, two princes are born. But a crown cannot be shared. It can only be worn by one and one alone. The hands of man have separated the brothers, allowing one to live in wealth and comfort inside the palace while the other grows up among commoners. But Fate cannot be destroyed by the hands of man. A shared destiny reunites the brothers; one to become a king who descends into madness and the other will rise as a dragon whose journey has only just begun in order to claim a crown he does not desire to have.

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: series | historical!au | fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | tragedy

Pairing: Min Yoongi (Lee Yoon) x Female OC (Kalina Shuri)

Warnings: Historical setting, caste system, magic/sorcery, graphic violence, disturbing graphic images, religious tones, angst, slow burn, smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 01 02 03 04 05 06

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,414

Tag List: @luxekook, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @stillcopingxx, @taevkimchi, @aroseforyoongi, @vivpurple7, @happilystrongthroughthedark, @sw33tnight, @nikkitane, @mini-coop25, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​ @hobigif-ficrecs​​

AN: Hmmm...the plot thickens... Yeah, I have nothing else haha. Enjoy? Love me? All of the above? 

P.S. Please bear in mind that while the historical accuracy will be mostly correct, I am setting this in a time period in Joseon history where there was no such thing as a king who had a twin brother. Obviously that’s where the fiction/creative freedom is going to come in. Everything else will be period accurate, trust and believe.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” - Oscar Wilde

“Cheers!”

Everyone knocked their wooden bowls together, causing some of the rice wine to spill from the brim. Hearty laughter and the overall bustle of the market served as the ambient backdrop to celebration. Yoongi waited for the other troupe members to drink before pressing his own lips against his bowl. The wine was sweet and went down smoothe, filling his chest and stomach with a warm feeling. 

Bowls of food were passed around and chatter quickly filled the absence of words in the middle of slurping down alcohol. A small measure of pride filled Yoongi’s heart as he watched his friends wrap their arms around each other, singing songs as they continued to fill their empty bowls. It was the first time he’d felt a sense of true accomplishment in his life. In terms of work, he contributed little. But the success was shared by all; the true feeling permeating throughout the group. 

When morning came, he hoped this feeling would remain with him.

But even amid all the celebration, Yoongi couldn’t shake the confusion that nestled itself deep within his heart. He hadn’t made any mistakes, but he almost did. That very moment when he faced the Royal Banquet table. The image shocked him to his core and he could only stand there frozen. How could he not?

Who would be able to think properly after seeing their own face staring back at them?

Yoongi wasn’t mistaken. Except for the lack of a scar on his face, the Crown Prince looked identical to him! But how was that possible? His father never mentioned that he had a brother. He assumed that he was the only child of his mother after she passed away. He’d heard tales of doppelgangers existing in the world, but those were just myths. None of it was real.

Unless there was something his father failed to mention to him, he had no other choice but to believe in said myths. Yet an even more disturbing question plagued the back of Yoongi’s mind. One he didn’t want to give voice to. But it was the only query that made sense.

After all, it was impossible for a doppelganger to be attached to the Royal Family.

He narrowed his eyes as he stared down into the empty bowl in his hand. ...does that make me the imposter?

He felt his body tip over slightly as Jungkook all but threw himself against Yoongi. He blinked, watching as his friend grabbed the wine jug to pour him another drink. “Hyung-nim, let me pour you a drink in your honor!”

Yoongi scoffed as his bowl was taken from him. Jungkook nearly reeked of wine. It was a miracle he could hold the wine jug and bowl in his hands as steady as he was. “The honor isn’t mine alone, you know?”

“Nonsense!” Hoseok sputtered a laugh, waving a cooked chicken leg in his hand. “We would’ve been in real trouble if you hadn’t stepped in for us when you did, Hyung-nim!”

Jimin drained his bowl of wine as the tavern owner reappeared with another jug of wine. “He’s right. The performance went as well as it did because you practiced so hard.”

A slight warmth touched Yoongi’s cheeks and he scratched at the back of his neck, feeling a little embarrassed. He didn’t think what he did was all that great. He just rehearsed the lines given to him and practiced the choreography that Hoseok taught him. All the credit belonged to the troupe. He was just happy to be able to fulfil his end of the skit to the best of his ability. 

“Though I must admit…” Taehyung lifted his wine bowl up to his face. “...something’s been bothering me.”

Everyone turned to look at Taehyung. He took a sip of wine, his eyes zeroing in on Yoongi’s face. The straw hat Jimin gave him was draped along his back, the string beads pressing against his throat. Yoongi shifted his gaze between each of his friends. Clearly there was something weighing on their minds. Only a blind man wouldn’t have been curious. 

Namjoon spoke first. 

“Hyung-nim?” He scratched at the hair beneath his headband. “Did you see it too?”

Yoongi remained silent. There were a lot of things he’d seen. That didn’t mean they all saw the same thing. He refused to speak on the matter that was currently plaguing his mind.

Suddenly, Seokjin was in his line of sight - practically touching nose to nose with him. Yoongi leaned back as far as he could, feeling uncomfortable at how abrupt his friend’s actions were. But instead of giving him space, Seokjin leaned closer - clasping his cheeks between his palms. Blinking wildly, Yoongi sputtered and tried to break free of Seokjin’s hold.

“W-What do you think you’re doing?”

“You both have the same face.” His friend’s eyes narrowed. “Except for the lack of a scar, your faces are exactly the same.”

It was like ice cold water from a well was dropped on top of him. Yoongi’s lips parted and, again, he tried to break away from Seokjin. Feeling his friend’s fingers digging into his cheeks, he knew there was no chance of escape. Instead, he lifted his gaze to the others and saw they were all thinking the same thing. Peering at him curiously, Yoongi felt a sense of dismay circulating inside of his chest. He was hoping that he was only imagining things. He prayed that it was just a trick of the light, or the last dregs of wine in his system from their pre-performance celebrations.

After what felt like a small lifetime, Seokjin let Yoongi go and the table was unusually quiet. Normally this was the time for Jungkook to chime in with some stupid joke. Or he’d perform some silly act to get everyone to laugh. But as he stared into his friends’ eyes, Yoongi realized just how heavy the atmosphere was.

Pressing his fingers into his forehead, he sighed. “I...I know.” It was the only answer Yoongi could give. 

Taehyung reached across the table to grasp his wrist. “Hey, we know you might be feeling a bit strange.” He chuckled. “It’s a little weird for us and it’s not even our problem.”

Hoseok hummed to himself, folding his arms across his chest. “I would say it’s a wonder that you went this long without realizing it. But considering where you live and whose face you share, I’m not all that surprised.”

“What do you mean?” Jimin asked the question before Yoongi could. 

Everyone peered at Hoseok, waiting for his reply. Had he managed to put one of the pieces of the puzzle down?

“Think about it.” He clasped his hand against the side of his neck. “Hyung-nim spent most of his life in the mountains. Away from the Crown City.” They all nodded. “And commoners don’t really get a chance to see the Royal family’s faces all that often. Even if they did, they wouldn’t know it.”

“Hoseok’s right,” chimed Namjoon, his brows furrowing, “and Yoongi Hyung-nim was just as surprised as the rest of us were.” He met Yoongi’s eyes. “Your father never mentioned anything to you? Not once?”

Yoongi’s immediate urge was to scoff, but even that action was lodged in his throat. He shook his head. “No. Nothing.”

He recalled Kali’s words and everything was horrifyingly clear. And now he understood why his father kept him from venturing out to the Crown City. Feeling a cold sweat form on his brow, Yoongi reached for the wine jug and began pouring more into his bowl. In that moment, he felt like the only thing he could do to chase this knowledge from his mind was to drown it completely in alcohol. Trembling hands lifted the bowl to his face and he swallowed the wine in three gulps. 

Jimin grasped for his hands, pulling the bowl and jug away from him. “Slow down, Hyung-nim!” He frowned. “You’ll make yourself sick!”

“Leave me alone! Let me get drunk, would you?!” Yoongi slammed his fists down on the table, forcing all the clayware to bounce up. Wooden spoons and chopsticks clattered to the ground, causing a few of the patrons to hush their conversations to determine where the ruckus was coming from. “I don’t know what the hell is going on! If I did, don’t you think I’d tell you guys?” He buried his face into his hands, feeling his fringe tickling the backs of his knuckles. “I don’t know how I’d even begin asking my father about this.”

Getting caned over traveling to the Crown City was the least of his concerns. 

“Then why don’t we get the answers ourselves?”

All eyes were on Taehyung as he flashed his boxy smile at them. Yoongi sputtered a laugh and he wasn’t sure if he was drunk or not. There was no way he heard him right.

“Come again?” Hoseok settled his hands onto his hips. “You want to do what?”

Scoffing, Taehyung canted his head slightly. “We’re actors, guys. Getting into the palace is a simple thing.”

“Simple in what way, Taehyung-ah?” Jimin gave an erratic gesture. “Don’t you know how heavy security is at the palace?”

“We don’t even have our passes anymore.” Namjoon tossed a bit of mackerel into his mouth. “We can’t just come and go as we please.”

The sly look that painted Taehyung’s features gave everyone pause. He reached into his tunic, fished around, and pulled out the item within. Dangling from a silk cord was a rectangular block carved from jade. Etched and inked on one side were characters in a language Yoongi knew most at the table couldn’t read. But he could. He recognized it for what it was. Yoongi nearly jumped from his seat, the table stopping him as his knees crashed into it. Everyone slapped their hands on the surface to keep it from toppling over.

“Have you gone insane, Taehyung-ah?!” Yoongi hissed as he rubbed his knees. “Where did you even get that?!”

Taehyung twirled the jade pass on his index finger, catching the block in his palm as he leaned forward. “Would you believe me if I told you I found it?”

“Yeah, right.” Seokjin smirked. “And I’m King Jumong of Goguryeo's reincarnated spirit.”

“Well, I did,” Taehyung said, ignoring Seokjin’s sarcasm, “and since I know we have a replica of a similar pass in our props, it won’t be difficult to get back into the palace.” He smirked. “But we’ll only have one chance to do this. Whatever information we can get, we have to do it all tonight.”

Yoongi’s chest hurt with how hard his heart was thundering against it. This was crazy. If any of them got caught, they’d be thrown in prison. Or worse: executed. But it would be a lie if he didn’t yearn for answers to the hundreds of thousands of questions circulating inside of his head. Why did the Crown Prince look exactly like him? Had his father known the reason behind it? And if so, who was the Crown Prince to him? Was Yoongi living the life he was always meant to, or was the Crown Prince?

Where, exactly, was Yoongi supposed to be?

“I’m going.”

Namjoon shook his head roughly. “No. That’s out of the question, Hyung-nim.”

He cut his eyes at him. “Why not?”

Hoseok hung his head. “Come on, Hyung-nim. Isn’t it obvious?” He gave a small smile. “Your face kinda sticks out a bit, don’t you think?”

Yoongi was aggravated. He didn’t want to be stuck depending on his friends to find the answers for him. They were going to willingly throw themselves into the flames just to sate his curiosities? He couldn’t very well ask them to do that. Not for him.

Jimn must have read his expression because he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright, Hyung-nim. We’re happy to do it.” He smiled, closing his eyes as he laughed. “We’re friends, right?”

Biting down on his lower lip, Yoongi felt his shoulders sag a bit. “Of course we are, but that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with putting you all in danger.” 

“Look, I know we’re all a little drunk, but let’s go ahead and map this out.” Namjoon reached into his satchel and pulled out a bit of paper and a small ink brush. He spread the paper out across the table so everyone could look at it. “Nobody ask me how I got my hands on this. I’m taking it to my grave.” 

“How much did this even cost you?” Hoseok looked down at the map and then back up at Namjoon. Yoongi was just as curious. 

Namjoon dipped the brush into a small ink block. “You don’t want to know. Every time I think about it, my eyes get watery.”

“Leave it to you to have this, Hyung-nim.” Jungkook’s expression was mischievous. “Don’t tell me you were planning on doing something criminal, hm?”

“Just having it is a crime!” Seokjin laughed as he covered his eyes. “I cannot believe this is happening.”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Taehyung leaned forward, the excitement clear in his eyes. “So who’s going with me?”

“I am.” Jimin narrowed his eyes. “Mostly because I don’t trust you to stay out of trouble.”

He puffed one side of his cheek out and Yoongi smiled. “That’s harsh, even for you.”

Closing his eyes, Jimin turned his face away in defiance. “And because it was your idea to indulge in this madness, you’re wearing the dress.”

Taehyung balked, his jaw nearly hitting the table. “W-What?! That’s nonsense!” He pointed at Jimin. “I’ve already worn a dress once today! I’m not doing it again.” He put on a devilish smile. “Besides, you look more girly than I do. You should wear the dress!”

Jimin grabbed him by the wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. Yoongi reached out to stop him, but Namjoon prevented him from doing so. When he looked back at him, he smiled and shook his head while Taehyung continued to whine and gripe about the pain he was in. Once Taehyung gave in to Jimin’s “methods of persuasion”, everyone quickly crowded around the map. The hardest thing wasn’t getting into the palace. That would be easy.

Yoongi was more worried about how they were going to manage to get out. And do so in one piece.

Shadow’s Birthright | MYG

Chapter 8: Another Today

Plot: Riding in on thunder and lightning, two princes are born. But a crown cannot be shared. It can only be worn by one and one alone. The hands of man have separated the brothers, allowing one to live in wealth and comfort inside the palace while the other grows up among commoners. But Fate cannot be destroyed by the hands of man. A shared destiny reunites the brothers; one to become a king who descends into madness and the other will rise as a dragon whose journey has only just begun in order to claim a crown he does not desire to have.

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: series | historical!au | fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | tragedy

Pairing: Min Yoongi (Lee Yoon) x Female OC (Kalina Shuri)

Warnings: Historical setting, caste system, magic/sorcery, graphic violence, disturbing graphic images, religious tones, angst, slow burn, smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 01 02 03 04 05 06 07

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3.271

Tag List: @luxekook, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @stillcopingxx, @taevkimchi, @aroseforyoongi, @vivpurple7, @happilystrongthroughthedark, @sw33tnight, @nikkitane, @mini-coop25, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​ @hobigif-ficrecs​​

AN: I really don’t know what else to say in these notes anymore lol. So just enjoy the ride!

P.S. Please bear in mind that while the historical accuracy will be mostly correct, I am setting this in a time period in Joseon history where there was no such thing as a king who had a twin brother. Obviously that’s where the fiction/creative freedom is going to come in. Everything else will be period accurate, trust and believe.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“On today’s long road, even if I fall, I will walk again.” - Jung Jaeil

Few words were spoken between the Crown Princess and himself. Yoon didn’t mind. He preferred the quiet. It gave him time to mull over thoughts that circulated inside of his head. The expedition to Ming would not be a short one. He anticipated that he would be gone for a month. Maybe longer, depending on how things panned out as he fulfilled his duties as Joseon’s liaison. He wasn’t expecting anything problematic, but he wasn’t planning for everything to go smoothly either. Anyone could make an attempt on his life at any time. Worse, he could wind up as a hostage in Ming in order to twist his father’s arm to obtain whatever they wished and on their terms.

Yoon certainly wasn’t about to let that transpire. Not while he was still breathing.

“I’m happy you enjoyed the banquet, Cheo-ha.” The Crown Princess’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to look at her, seeing the gentle smile on her face. 

He reached out to take her hand in his and he watched a soft flush crown her cheeks. “I think it’s more important that you enjoyed yourself, Ping-goon.”

She nodded, making sure to match his pace as they walked through the palace. Their attendants followed closely, but were far enough away to give them some semblance of privacy. They continued to walk in companionable silence until they reached a bridge. Pausing for a moment, they peered over the edge to view the lake as it showcased the moon’s pale reflection. 

Thoughts of Kalina lingered in the back of Yoon’s mind. He wanted to be able to see her before he made his long journey. There was a greedy and gluttonous part of him that yearned to be able to feel her soft skin beneath his palms once more. But he knew what kind of person the sorceress was. She’d indulged him once and wished him a safe journey. That would be all she would spare; even for him. 

He hated that he couldn’t tether her to his person at all times.

“Forgive me for asking...” Chae-Ok lifted her face as he looked at her. “...will Your Highness stay with me in Magnolia Pavilion tonight?”

There was an unmistakable look of pining etched on her features. Yoon’s brows furrowed and he felt the Crown Princess’s hand gripping his own just a little harder. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he waited for her to continue.

She averted her gaze. “Please allow me to serve you.”

Again, silence. Yoon heard his heart slightly thumping in his ears. It was rare for Chae-Ok to be so forward. But there was also the duty that she had as a Crown Princess. She had to produce an heir in order to bring security to the royal household. As many times as they tried, they were unsuccessful. The royal physicians said she was healthy so there was no issue with her being able to bear children. The problem was most likely due to stress and timing. 

Yoon’s own heart was an issue as well. It wasn’t that his wife lacked the ability to satisfy him. Basic male urges were something that could easily be sated. It wasn’t like with women who, more often than not, needed to have an emotional connection with the person they shared a bed with. But even Yoon secretly held himself back when he laid with his wife. 

Was it because he wasn’t ready to be a father yet? Or to have the responsibilities that came with being a parent? He still felt so out of touch with the world and there was much that he needed to learn. He felt so inferior to his father and while the ministers in the court respected Yoon, he knew it was simply because of his title. That type of loyalty had a weak foundation and would crumble under his feet if he wasn’t careful.

Smiling, he reached out to pull Chae-Ok into his arms. She gasped, pressing her palms against his chest. Yoon rested his cheek along the side of her temple, breathing in the fragrant scent of rose petals. 

“Of course, Ping-goon,” he whispered, feeling her fingers curling into the front of his robes. Yoon chuckled when he thought he heard her smothering a sob. Patting her back, he pulled her even closer to him. “Forgive me, Crown Princess. I haven’t been very attentive to you, have I?”

She rapidly shook her head back and forth and he chuckled. “That’s not true, Crown Prince! I know how busy you have been with your studies and duties within the palace. What right do I have to complain?”

Pulling back, he cupped her cheeks in his palms and lifted her face up so he could see the pink tinting her cheeks. When two tears leaked from her eyes, Yoon used his thumbs to sweep them away. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, sighing softly against her skin.

“You have every right to complain. And you should.” He clasped the back of her neck, tilting her face upward again. “Tell me your worries and share your burdens with me.”

Yoon felt her trembling beneath his hands. “C-Cheo-ha…”

He smiled again, his shoulders relaxing a measure. “And when I return, you can continue to do so.”

Chae-Ok smiled, her lower lip quivering slightly as she nodded. They grasped hands once more, their destination within the palace set. While he knew that he could not give her his entire heart, he wanted to be fair. Yoon wouldn’t deny her what little of himself he could give. 

He owed her that much at least.

Jimin pressed his body against the wall, his spine tense as his muscles seemed to coil - ready to spring into action should the need arise. Internally, he was hating every second of this. If one thing went wrong, they were going to be thrown into the palace jail immediately. And that was if they were lucky. If fortune decided not to favor the brave this evening, they would be tortured and killed before the rooster crowed.

But as much as he hated to admit it, Taehyung’s little ruse seemed to have worked. 

Much to his chagrin, Taehyung opted to dress as one of the palace maidservants. Jimin donned the robes and role of a palace eunuch. As long as they didn’t draw too much attention to themselves, they would be able to move in and out of the palace without much constraint. The number of servants within the palace walls was almost too much for any person to truly fathom. Hence why passes and records were kept. But at night, there were fewer servants wandering since most hated the night watch schedule.

That didn’t make Jimin’s anxieties any less, however.

The sudden sound of hurried footsteps brought Jimin to full alert. His eyes narrowed when he saw Taehyung running with his skirts hiked up all the way to his waist. They both huddled down behind the bushes where they wouldn’t be seen. 

“I’m glad you were smart enough not to run around with a lamp.” 

Taehyung rolled his eyes as he bunched up the skirts around his thighs so he could squat more comfortably. “I’m not an idiot, Hyung-nim.” He smirked, then pointed at the sky. “Besides, the moon is really bright tonight. I don’t need one. The gods are blessing our little excursion.”

“Or cursing it.” Jimin frowned as he pulled the map Namjoon gave him out from the confines of his robes. “Were you able to find out anything?”

“No, not too much.” He leaned forward a bit. “Though there’s a rumor going around that the king’s special guest is here.”

“Special guest?” Jimin lofted a brow. “What kind of special guest?”

Taehyung folded his arms across his chest. “Apparently he’s an old friend of the king.” He shifted his gaze down at the map, but Jimin knew he wasn’t actually looking at it. “I also heard that he was His Majesty’s former bodyguard.”

“How far up in rank was he?”

“He wasn’t just a bodyguard.” Taehyung met Jimin’s gaze. “He was the bodyguard. Like, his former Commander.”

Jimin hummed to himself as he rested his elbows on his knees. “Any reason why he would be here?”

Taehyung shook his head. “No. But I heard from some of the servants that he comes to visit every few years. He doesn’t stay for very long, but their chats are usually pretty private.” He frowned. “The king even dismisses most of his staff when he comes by. That’s pretty suspicious, don’t you agree?”

Nodding, Jimin quickly glanced over the map to gauge their current surroundings. He pointed to one spot. “Well, we’re not too far from the King’s palace. The problem is blending in well enough to not get noticed by the other servants.”

“I figured you would want to get closer.” He saw the triumphant smirk spreading over Taehyung’s features. “I already paid off a eunuch and maidservant to let us take their shift for a few hours. They also serve at the king’s palace.”

Narrowing his eyes, he sucked in air through his teeth. “...I’m not even going to ask you how you managed to get away with that.” Jimin cuffed the side of his head. “We’re not going to be staying around that long, you fool!”

Taehyung whined as he rubbed his scalp. “C’mon, it’s all I could manage, alright?” He quickly craned his neck back and forth. “But we need to go now. I told them we’d relieve them in the next half hour.”

“Dammit, Taehyung-ah! We’re not that close to the King’s palace right now!”

Jimin quickly folded the map and stuffed it back into his robes. They both stood up, making haste across the stone pathways. They had to be swift and careful. If any palace guards thought they looked suspicious, they would have to make a hasty exit and run for their very lives.

Dojin smirked as he watched the King puzzle over what move to make next in their game of Go. There were times when he would let the King win, simply in the name of their old friendship. Other times, he would opt to wipe the board with his pieces - trapping his friend and giving him no room to escape. The King claimed he was a ruthless strategist, to which Dojin often took it as a compliment. He was able to keep the King safe within the palace walls thanks to his strategies. He was offered the position of Grand General once, but Dojin promptly turned it down. If there ever came a time for war, he wanted to be at the King’s side - not on the battlefield.

As much as he missed his duties, Dojin enjoyed the quiet mountain life he currently lived. He did hard manual labor at the docks to help bring in a decent income and to keep his body hardened. The King and Queen both sent him monthly stipends to get by, enabling him to amass a small fortune. It was something he wasn’t really used to having and, personally, he could do without it. 

But the hard truth was that raising an infant wasn’t easy. Raising an infant without a wet nurse or any motherly figure in the picture was an absolutely daunting task. The first few years were, of course, difficult. When he knew weaning Yoongi on rice water wasn’t going to cut it, he had a woman in a small village help him since she’d just given birth and had milk to spare. He spun some story about his wife dying in childbirth.

That was when Dojin discovered that the village was remote, but self-sustainable. The mountain was his to claim and he built his current house at the highest he would dare without hurting the infant’s lungs from the high altitude. It was the beginning of a very long but fruitful relationship between himself and the young prince.

“You are terrible, Dojin-ah.”

The King’s voice cut through his inner musings. He smirked as he watched him mulling over which move to make next. Dojin knew if he was able to predict his strategy, he would be able to get out of the pit he was currently in. But if he didn’t, then it was game over. Again.

Dojin chuckled as he folded his arms across his chest. “Didn’t you always tell me to be relentless in these sorts of games, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, but this is unnecessary.” He watched the King snort, scratching at his beard. “I should be thankful that we’re friends. I shudder to think what would happen if we were enemies.”

“If we were enemies, Your Majesty, I would never have left your side.”

The King’s eyes lifted from the board to meet his own. “Why do you say that?”

Reaching for the teacup, he took a small sip. “Because the smartest strategy is to keep one’s enemies closer, is it not?”

“You jest far too much, my old friend.” The King lifted up one of the white pieces, slapping it down onto the board as he flashed a victorious smile. “Take that!”

Dojin hummed as he surveyed the board, approving the King’s move. He managed to wiggle out of his pincer hold. But it wouldn’t last. Sadly, he’d managed to leave his flank unprotected. 

Instead of attacking mercilessly, Dojin continued to drink his tea. It was getting later into the evening and he needed to set off for home at first light. Well, after acquiring a few provisions. He’d left Yoongi alone and while he knew the young prince could more than take care of himself, the parent in him wanted to be able to provide a decent meal and some new clothes. Kali would take care of keeping his hair trimmed short and if he needed entertainment, his friends in the village would amply provide. 

“Are you faring well financially, Dojin-ah?” 

Humming, he set his cup down. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

“And Yoongi? Does the prince need anything?”

A lump formed in his throat. He wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Did he need anything? There were plenty of things he knew Yoongi needed. He needed to be able to live a life where he could walk freely in the streets of Joseon without worrying about someone noticing him. He needed to take comfort in knowing that he had a family, one outside of Dojin, that loved him and missed him greatly. He needed a mother’s comforting embrace. 

There were plenty of things that Yoongi needed and wanted. But that didn’t mean that he would be able to receive these said needs. It all stemmed from his birth, his origins, and the curse that currently branded his face. 

The very scar that his own father, the King, gave him.

Dojin lowered his head respectfully. “There are many things he needs, Your Majesty. Things that I cannot provide him.” He sighed, lifting his head. “I may have raised him and I do consider him my own son. But the truth, Your Majesty, is that I cannot give him everything he needs. That is out of my hands.”

He saw the pained expression forming on the King’s face. He hadn’t meant to reopen a wound that he knew wasn’t properly healed. Dojin knew that throwing Yoongi aside was the most torturous thing the King could have done. Anyone could see it. But for the sake of maintaining peace in the royal household, the King did what he felt he must to secure the hearts and minds of those inside the palace. Twin births equated to possible bloodshed. It would not be the princes’ faults. Blame would be placed at the Noble Factions who attempted to control the princes - pulling one in a direction and dragging the other into another.

“You know that I would want nothing more than to bring him back into the palace.” The King pressed his fingers into his temple. “He is my son. Nothing will change that. But I can’t have the Royal Court in an uproar over it.” He sighed, a tired look painting over his features. “His very existence is problematic. I have faith in the Crown Prince’s abilities and I admire his ambition. But the minute any of the other Noble Factions discover there is another prince with the right to the throne…” The King’s brows furrowed as he curled his hand into a fist at his knee. “Dojin-ah, you’ve seen it for yourself. You’ve seen what this palace looks like when there is turmoil in the Royal Household. I don’t wish that for my children.”

Dojin sighed, giving a solemn nod. “I know, Your Majesty. I know. I just hope that he’ll learn the truth one day...and figure out a way to cope with it.” His lips formed into what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “You know, you could always come and see him yourself. It wouldn’t be your first time traveling incognito.”

The King chuckled. “I dare not without the Queen.”

“Bring her along, Your Majesty.” Dojin saw the surprise reflected in the King’s eyes. “I think he at least deserves to see the woman who brought him into this world, don’t you?”

It was hard to gauge the King’s thoughts at that moment. And there wasn’t a lot of time for him to process it. Because there was a slight disturbance in the hall. Nothing noticeable by any normal person’s ears. But for Dojin, a man who trained in martial arts since he was a child, who spent years honing his senses to peak conditions, could sense the air shifting behind the sliding doors of the King’s chambers. 

They were supposed to be alone. It was the only way for these sorts of conversations to even take place without prying ears. It was the safest way for His Majesty to indulge in the conversations he longed to have with an old friend.

Having that safety net tainted in any way angered Dojin.

Reaching into his robes, he gripped a pair of throwing knives between his fingers. He pressed a finger to his lips as he silently signaled to the King. The King nodded, sticking his hand into the bowl where his white Go pieces were. It would mask Dojin’s next move.

With a whip of his arm, he threw the knives out toward the hallway. They tore through the rice paper on the door - embedding into the floorboards. One set of feet shuffled away and another all but disappeared from hearing range. Dojin’s eyes narrowed as he quickly raced to the door, flinging the doors open and glaring into a now empty hallway. His gaze shifted to the floor where the knives were. There were a few droplets of blood on the polished wood.

He heard the King rise from his seat. “Assassins?”

“No. I didn’t sense any bloodlust from them. Probably a pair of curious servants.” Dojin slid the door closed. “Though it is getting late, Your Majesty. I need to be heading back home.”

“Should I notify the Palace Guards?” 

He knew the King was decent with a sword. Causing a panic in the middle of the night over non-combatants would be pointless. But loose lips would sink the fleet. Dojin couldn’t let that happen. It seemed his old ways of thinking were starting to breach the surface.

Pivoting on his heel, Dojin moved to pick up his sword and satchel. “That isn’t necessary.” He smirked. “In about two hours, it won’t matter.”

Shadow’s Birthright | MYG

Chapter 9: Angel's Breath

Plot: Riding in on thunder and lightning, two princes are born. But a crown cannot be shared. It can only be worn by one and one alone. The hands of man have separated the brothers, allowing one to live in wealth and comfort inside the palace while the other grows up among commoners. But Fate cannot be destroyed by the hands of man. A shared destiny reunites the brothers; one to become a king who descends into madness and the other will rise as a dragon whose journey has only just begun in order to claim a crown he does not desire to have.

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: series | historical!au | fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | tragedy

Pairing: Min Yoongi (Lee Yoon) x Female OC (Kalina Shuri)

Warnings: Historical setting, caste system, magic/sorcery, graphic violence, disturbing graphic images, religious tones, angst, slow burn, smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,543

Tag List: @luxekook, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @stillcopingxx, @taevkimchi, @aroseforyoongi, @vivpurple7, @happilystrongthroughthedark, @sw33tnight, @nikkitane, @mini-coop25, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​ @hobigif-ficrecs​​

AN: So, was anyone worried? Because I was...kinda sorta...maybe...

P.S. Please bear in mind that while the historical accuracy will be mostly correct, I am setting this in a time period in Joseon history where there was no such thing as a king who had a twin brother. Obviously that’s where the fiction/creative freedom is going to come in. Everything else will be period accurate, trust and believe.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“Every moment hesitated is a moment gone from life.” - Nicholas D. Wolfwood

Yoongi bit his thumbnail as he waited with the others in one of the many backstreets of the Crown City. Despite his protests, they all agreed that it was best to hide themselves and meet in secret versus rendezvousing back at the tavern. He was pacing back and forth, his nerves completely frayed from having to anticipate the arrival of his friends. It shouldn’t have taken them this long. Yet the night continued to creep on steadily and before long, the lights from most of the lanterns were doused and vendors were closing their shops for the night.

“You’re going to create a trench if you keep it up.”

Seokjin’s voice interrupted Yoongi’s pacing, causing him to lift his gaze to meet his friend’s. Everyone else huddled around him, but thankfully not enough for him to feel crowded. He was keenly aware of their concern and as much as he appreciated it, there was a lingering ache of doubt pulsing around his chest. Regardless of how desperate he was for answers, it didn’t need to result in anything untoward happening to his comrades. 

A hand clapped his shoulder roughly, shaking him just a bit. Craning his neck, he peered back into Hoseok’s face as he gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m sure everything is fine.”

Seconds after the words spilled from his mouth, they all heard scuffling footsteps rushing in their direction. Everyone was immediately on alert, their bodies tensing as they waited for whoever was approaching them. But instead of relief washing over them upon seeing Taehyung, dread snatched at Yoongi’s heart when it was clear that Jimin was being all but dragged alongside him. His friend’s complexion looked unusually fair and the sweat shone on his brow from the light of the moon.

Namjoon and Yoongi were at their side in an instant as the others moved around, creating a small storm of chaos in the backstreets. Whatever adrenaline was pushing Taehyung at that moment gave out as he collapsed to his knees, taking Jimin right along with him.

“Jimin-ah! Hey!” Hoseok shook him, trying to get his friend to respond. 

Jimin opened one lid slowly, the white of his eye completely bloodshot. “H-Hyung...nim…” 

Yoongi cupped his face in both of his hands, lifting his head up gently. “What happened to you?!”

He watched his friend opening his mouth to speak. But before he could get the words out, he harshly coughed a spray of red mist. Flecks of blood stained Yoongi’s cheeks and he saw Jimin’s eyes roll to the back of his head. He passed out instantly. Jungkook made a croaking sound behind them, but he barely heard it. Before any of them could stop him, Yoongi was shoving Taehyung out of the way so he could heft Jimin onto his back. 

“H-Hyung-nim!” Namjoon called out to him, but Yoongi was already moving.

“We need to go,” he said, his legs carrying him down the backstreet, “he’s been poisoned.”

There wasn’t time for conversation. Yoongi had no way of determining how long the poison was in Jimin’s system. If he was beginning to cough up blood, however, that meant that it was already reaching his lungs and managed to rupture something. If they couldn’t find an antidote in time, Jimin would not be long for this world. 

Kali! It was the first solution he could come up with. I have to take him to Kali-ssi!

Thankfully, she didn’t live far from the Crown City. They needed to get to their horses and do so in haste. If Yoongi pushed his steed hard enough, they could get to Kali’s home within the hour.

He barely heard his friends yelling after him. With what strength he could muster in his frantic state, Yoongi deposited Jimin onto the horse. Before his friend could fall forward and off the horse, he jumped up and settled himself onto the saddle. He wrapped Jimin’s arms around his waist, gripping the reins tightly in his hands and kicking the horse’s flank with his heels. The horse neighed in response, lunging forward on command as Yoongi began praying that his friend would hold on long enough to reach their destination.

With poison, it was always a race against time.

The cauldron bubbled loudly as Kali stirred the large wooden spoon dipped within. The medicinal aroma filled the open space of her workshop, causing beads of sweat to break out along her forehead. She swiped at her skin with a linen handkerchief, taking a breath as she dropped a few more ingredients into the mixture. Releasing her hold on the spoon, she picked up the two thick wooden sticks and lifted them up from within the depths of the cauldron. Attached to them was a sheet of sheer linen, the center dipping from the weight of some dark substance. 

She quickly shifted the item over a large ceramic bowl, twisting the sticks and tightening the linen so that the juices were squeezed from the makeshift sack she created from it. The dark brown liquid dripped steadily into the bowl and once she was satisfied, she set the sticks and linen to the side. With a wave of her hand, Kali extinguished the flames cooking inside the furnace, the cauldron bubbling a little more quietly now.

Picking up a fan, she waved it over the bowl to cool the mixture. A somber expression painted her features as she fanned, not liking the purpose of the tonic she’d just created. But Kali knew that the quicker she worked, the more prepared she would be when the time came. 

Her vision from the previous night disturbed her.

Just as the tonic began to cool, thundering knocks of desperation boomed from the large wooden gate of her estate. Sighing, she set the fan aside and gathered up her skirts, running to the door. Kali rarely rued the day she refused to have attendants in her home. This was one of those moments. 

She quickly lifted the wooden bracer from the metal supports, pushing the gate open. As she expected, Yoongi was on the other side. His expression was desperate and wild and she wasted no time gesturing for him to come inside. His other companions were hot on his heels. They looked at her curiously, but she ignored them and waited for the last one to enter before shutting the gate closed and replacing the bracer. 

Yoongi whirled around to look at her, the burden on his back barely hanging on to him. “K-Kali-ssi!”

Kali did her best to appear calm as she so often did. The young man was in near tears, but it was clear he was doing everything in his own power to keep himself from breaking down. She reached out to stroke his cheek with one hand while pointing up to the stairs leading into the main house of her estate. 

“Take the first door on the right, Young Master.” She turned to look at the others. “Feel free to accompany him, but do not crowd your friend. I will need space to work.”

Without waiting for their answers, Kali retreated back to her workshop to retrieve the ceramic bowl that was finally cooled down to the desired temperature. It took several hours to prepare the brew and she was thankful for the time to herself to make it. 

Unfortunately, antidotes didn’t just make themselves.

Securing the bowl between her hands, Kali made her way into the manor. There was a rush of voices coming from the guest room and she could sense the apprehension and fear soaking through the walls. Pressing a hand to her forehead to drown out the emotions, she slid the door open. The boys grew silent as she approached, separating themselves from the huddle they were in to allow Kali to pass between them. Yoongi vacated the small stool that was beside the bed and Kali took the seat, her hand reaching out to help the young man who was breathing rapidly. His complexion was growing more ashen with each passing second, but she knew he would be fine. She’d made all the necessary preparations after all.

“Someone please gently rub his throat while I pour this into his mouth.” A hand reached out to help her and as the dark liquid passed his lips, she saw his throat relaxing enough to allow for the medicine to go down easily. When the bowl was empty, Kali smiled and eased the young man back down onto the bed, pulling the blanket up just below his chin. “He’ll be alright. He just needs to rest.”

Collective sighs filled the room as she turned to face Yoongi. He immediately grasped her hand in his, giving it a hard squeeze. She felt him trembling and she forced the smile to remain on her features to help ease whatever anxieties were left inside of him.

“Thank you so much, Kali-ssi,” he said, collapsing to his knees, “I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

Kali reached out to stroke his dark hair through her fingers. “There’s nothing to repay, Young Master.” She looked at the others in the room, their eyes moving from her face and down to the floor. Chuckling, she shook her head and stood, bringing Yoongi up with her. “You boys look a little fatigued yourselves. If one of you could fetch your horses and put them in the stables, I will prepare a meal for you.”

The young man with the short beard stepped forward, his brows furrowing. “No, we can’t impose. You’ve already done enough by helping our friend.”

“Nonsense.” Reaching into the sleeve of her robe, she pulled out a strip of satin and began tying her sleeves back so they were out of her way. “Your friend will need to rest for a couple of days. Moving him from this bed is ill advised. You may as well stay until he’s fully recovered.” 

And before she could hear anymore protests, she exited the room and began heading toward the kitchen. Kali was barely inside the expansive space when she felt arms encircling her waist, forcing her to a halt. Without having to turn around, she already knew who it was. She gave his hand a gentle pat. 

“There, there,” she cooed, feeling Yoongi’s arms tighten around her waist, “none of that, understand?”

“K-Kali-ssi…” The sob he uttered was muffled into her robes. “...it’s my fault. It’s all my fault!”

She frowned, turning slowly in his arms. Yoongi’s head was lowered, as if he was ashamed to look into her eyes. Dissatisfied with this, she gently grasped his chin and lifted his face so that he was forced to look at her. Tears brimmed his dark eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks. She quickly swiped at them, stroking her thumbs along his cheeks.

“None of this was your fault, Young Master.”

“Yes it is!” He shut his eyes tight, his brows furrowing and creating harsh lines on his forehead. “This happened because of me!”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why? Because you saw someone else with your face and had questions?” She watched his eyes open, wide with shock presumably at how unsurprised her voice sounded. “You simply wanted to ascertain the truth, did you not? So how is that any fault of yours?”

Yoongi’s lower lip trembled. He visibly appeared to be struggling with what to say and she patiently waited for him to gather his thoughts to the best of his ability. It hurt her to see him in this state, but she knew that this was also part of his destiny. This moment in his life was unavoidable. The hands of man could only intervene so much before Fate decided it had enough. 

Today was that day. This was simply the beginning.

Kali felt Yoongi shift under her grasp, trying to avert his gaze again. She wouldn’t let him. This time she cupped his cheeks in her palms, forcing him to keep his eyes locked onto her own. Tears continued to leak from his eyes and she knew he was in pain. But he couldn’t run from this. There would be no running from any of this.

“I don’t know what’s happening.” Yoongi gripped her elbows, as though he were trying to keep himself from falling. “I don’t know what’s going on anymore!”

Smiling, Kali gathered him up into her arms and wrapped him in what she hoped was a soothing embrace. He openly sobbed into her chest, curling his fingers into her back while she, in turn, rubbed soothing circles against his. Yoongi truly was too good; too pure and innocent. Even in the middle of his own muddled thoughts, he was berating himself for involving his friends in helping him to seek answers to questions he didn’t realize he had. There was no shame in that. It wasn’t a crime to ask for help. Kali knew he would need to continue to do just that for as long as he walked this road Fate placed him on.

“I cannot tell you what is happening, Young Master. It is not my place to do so.” She felt him hiccup against the crook of her neck, causing her to close her eyes while carding her fingers through his hair. “You must continue to seek the answers for yourself. You’ve reached your first crossroad and it is time for you to decide which direction you will go from here on out.”

Pulling away from her, he peered down into her face. His expression was torn between two different emotions. Kali had an idea of what those two feelings were, but she remained silent. 

Yoongi’s lips formed into a thin line before parting to speak. “What if I make the wrong choice?”

“It doesn’t matter which choice you make.”

His eyes flashed with anger. “Why doesn’t it matter? What the hell does that even mean?!”

“What I am telling you,” she replied calmly, “is that whatever choice you make is neither right nor wrong. It is simply a choice. It will help shape your future, but it will not change the end result.”

It was like gravity suddenly tugged at Yoongi’s knees, forcing him to the ground. Kali gathered herself onto the floor with him as his hands fell dejected at his sides. It was too early for him to feel defeated. He had to stand up and take his destiny by the horns. There would be much more heartache in the future and there would be nothing she could do to stop it. All the sorceress could do was help him along the way. 

She sighed, reaching out to place her hands on his shoulders. “You really are too good for this world…”

Yoongi buried his face into his hands and Kali watched as he gave a muffled groan in despair. But this would be temporary. He had to be able to overcome this small hurdle. If he couldn’t, then it would mean the end. The dragon would die before it could rise up from the muddy ditch he was reared in. Kali knew she couldn’t let that happen.

She would die before she would let it.