Chapter Text
The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet,
Though to itself it only live and die,
But if that flower with base infection meet,
The basest weed outbraves his dignity:
For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.
– Shakespeare,
Sonnet 94
1458 - Hanyang
Hoseok wakes with a pit in his stomach and crumbs of hope sticking to his skin. He's not nervous about what’s going to happen but he can’t help but feel uneasy about the possibility of not being chosen. He has trained for this for more than a year, every hour of that past year has gone into careful planning and lots of effort, not just on his side but on everyone’s side. Their plan is fragile and fickle like a dream until the moment of choice comes and he is either accepted or denied by the king. They can’t guarantee that he’ll be chosen but they all have worked hard so that Hoseok could look his best.
He puts on his deep brown jeogori and baji, tying the strings around his ankles, and pins his long hair up on the top of his head. Hoseok needed training but the main reason why they waited for more than a year to initiate this was because his hair needed to grow to an acceptable length. A length that would easily hide the fact that his hair is not nearly as long as it should be under normal circumstances.
When he steps out of the room that he shares with Seokjin, he sees that the others are already gathered around the low table, sitting on the floor as they lean above their steaming soups. The only one who isn’t sitting there is Namjoon who is leaning outside through the window, quietly muttering something to someone. Hoseok takes a seat in the open spot next to Seokjin.
“Good morning,” he greets them in a low voice, realizing how tired he sounds. His training with Jungkook went into late at night and it was relentless. The evidence of that is in the ache in his muscles as he shifts in his seat. He’s thankful to Jungkook. He gained real muscles and strength during their training, though Jimin’s cooking certainly helped him strengthen his body as well.
Everyone greets him almost at the same time, and Hoseok looks down at the food. Soup with meat, barley, kimchi, and some vegetable side dishes. No rice, as per usual. He knows it’s too expensive but Jimin had stolen one or two cups of rice from his home when it was one of their birthdays to celebrate it before. He hoped he would do it again since this is the last time they are enjoying a breakfast together like this for a while.
Jimin has certainly done enough. More than enough. An omega secretly conspiring with humans is punishable by the law of the King. Hoseok eyes Jungkook and Jimin as they share a smile. Risking punishments and one’s life is worth it sometimes.
Namjoon sits down on the other side of Jungkook with a heavy sigh but his expression is bright. He is their leader. The one who planned all this. It started with Namjoon and Jungkook, and then it spread like a most secretive wildfire under the nose of wolves until eventually Seokjin and Hoseok heard of it too. They joined the rebellion to take down the King and end the slavery of humans but when they decided to run away, Hoseok didn’t expect to have such an important role in it until Jimin pointed at him, whispering ‘he’s perfect’.
“The concubine assessment will be held tomorrow before noon, and Hoseok-ah, you passed the first screening,” Namjoon says. He almost sounds proud. He passes a scroll of paper to Hoseok, and he unrolls it, reading the elegant stroke of ‘Acceptable’ next to his name.
He’s listed as an omega of noble birth from the Kim family. His medical records are full of lies of perfectly, unmarked skin and a healthy body aside from the minor detail of his inability to produce slick. That was a heated debate between Namjoon and Jimin – whether they should include something like that or not. They successfully made a perfume that can mimic a sweet, vanilla-like omega scent, but the slick issue was hard to get around. If Hoseok is to become the King’s omega concubine, he must be prepared for the possibility that one day, maybe even the first day, the King will want to take him to bed. They tried a lot of things but slick is more complex than a scent. It has a taste, a smell, it leaks in reaction to another person’s actions. They only came up with weak imitations, so as risky as it was to include it in the medical records, they had no other choice. Jimin was worried that Hoseok’s papers would be thrown out before the second round of screening because he didn’t think a king would want an omega who could not leak for him, who needed to be prepared like a human. Seemingly, Jimin was wrong. The King reviewed the papers and invited him to an in-person meeting.
“I knew he would,” Seokjin says, patting his shoulder. Hoseok rolls up the paper and smiles at Seokjin as he gives it back to Namjoon. “You’re only one round away from clearing the test and stepping inside the palace.”
“Only one round, yes, but it might not be easy,” Hoseok comments, leaning back, not wanting to start his breakfast until they talk this out. “He doesn’t ever leave the palace. He doesn’t do anything. We don’t know what he likes.”
“We know what alphas like,” Jimin interrupts and sends him a serious look. He seems confident in his knowledge of alphas, which Hoseok doesn’t doubt too much. Jimin is part of a wolf family, grew up around other wolves and only has wolf friends aside from them but Hoseok doesn’t forget how Jimin got involved in this.
Jungkook and Namjoon were working on imitating alphas to fit into society, to learn how to get close to the King in the easiest way possible. They can fool anyone, even Jimin, who wholly believed that Jungkook was an alpha when they first met, but maybe that’s a praise for Jungkook for being so good at embodying an alpha and not an insult to Jimin’s ability to recognize and know alphas. After all, humans don’t typically pretend to be wolves. They don’t have the right to. Or any right.
“I would like you to have one more session with Jimin, Hoseok-ah,” Namjoon tells him. “Review as many omega behaviors as you can, but skip the training with Jungkook tonight. You need to be well-rested.”
Jungkook almost drops his spoon as the corner of his lips slightly curl down but he doesn’t say anything.
“That’s a good idea,” Hoseok agrees. It could never hurt to spend more time with Jimin. “Should we review the plan one last time?”
“Might as well,” Namjoon shrugs. “After you’re chosen, you’re going to enter the palace without a weapon.”
“I still think he could bring in a small knife, at least,” Jungkook quips, and Namjoon pauses to look at him from the corner of his eyes. Planning hasn’t been easy. They poured over details and argued so many times. Jungkook and Namjoon. Then Namjoon and Jimin. Sometimes even Hoseok argued with Seokjin. When the fate of many people rests on one plan, the pressure is high and it gets to them easily.
“And yet, it is better if he goes in without anything suspicious,” Namjoon says in a gentle voice, seemingly putting in effort to prevent another fight before it could happen. “We don’t know much about the life inside and even less about the life of the concubines, but I don’t think it’s a good look if Hoseok enters with what could potentially be seen as a weapon. They might search his bag.”
“But we know from a dismissed concubine’s story that they’ll teach you how everything works around there,” Jimin assures. He knows that because he attempted to befriend an omega who was once a concubine. Not of the current king’s, but the one before him. They had no such luck finding any recently kicked-out concubine. Not that there was evidence that any even existed.
“You’ll meet me after everyone goes to sleep to hand you your weapon,” Seokjin joins in, and Hoseok nods.
“The gates will be closed and guards will most likely patrol the perimeter,” Hoseok continues, turning his attention back to Namjoon. “I’ll look around and see if I can get out somewhere in case we need to meet later and I know the rest.”
Namjoon nods. “You have to find him and make sure that he’s sane. Once we know what state he’s in, we’ll meet here and come up with the best course of action. Don’t take unnecessary risks, though. You have time, okay?”
“The longer you’re inside, the higher the risk of getting caught gets,” Jimin says, voice laced with a twinge of concern. “A couple of months should be enough.”
“Hopefully. But there is no shame in calling it quits… if it gets too much for you,” Jungkook says, his eyes round with genuine care for him. It warms Hoseok’s heart a little. He wants to tell Jungkook that it won’t get too much but neither of them knows what the king will be like.
They know the king already has three concubines, all omegas, one man and two women. That can be helpful if the King divides his attention between them. That means Hoseok would spend less time with him, more time exploring. The King is also unmarried, which is troubling since he must not have a favorite among his concubines, or he might but not enough to marry either of them. No central person that the King spends his time with is what it means. Though they all hope that he spends most of his time with business and not gazing at his concubines.
“Let’s not discuss that possibility. This needs to work.” Namjoon’s voice has a slicing edge to it and Hoseok feels his shoulders grow heavy with expectations. Their hard work can’t be for nothing. He has to endure whatever the king throws his way.
“It’s funny because the king might take one look at Hoseok’s face tomorrow and ruin our whole plan by not finding him attractive enough,” Seokjin comments, and Hoseok glares at him, rolling his shoulders.
Jimin has a similar fire in his eyes. “He won’t.”
“I’ll do my best to appeal to him,” Hoseok says, even though nobody knows what he’ll need to do tomorrow. Hoseok would walk on fire or eat glass to get inside the trusting walls of the palace. He doesn’t lack motivation. “There will be other but–”
“No sane king would accept an omega who can’t produce slick,” Jimin interrupts him. “Powerful man wants you to leak for them just for lifting their pinky finger. He sees something in Hoseok. I know he does.”
“I can’t argue with you, I’m not an omega. Nobody has ever wanted me to leak,” Seokjin jokes, to lighten the mood a little. “I mean I can from my nose when I’m sick but that’s gross.”
Hoseok drops his gaze, shaking his head and smiling to himself, and Jungkook snorts, stifling his laugh. It’s a stupid thing to laugh about but he’s glad that they have something to smile about. Four humans hiding in an abandoned property with an omega is a nightmare-ish situation for most, but this is the birthplace of their hopes and dreams. Laughing tastes like medicine, a bit sour but he knows it will heal him.
“You haven’t changed a bit in the past year.” Jimin sounds both annoyed and slightly endeared.
“Why would I change when I’m perfect?” Seokjin asks, and this time a silly laugh bursts out of Jungkook like stars exploding across the sky. Hoseok looks at the faces of his friends around the table, a childish attachment whispering in his ears that he’s going to miss them. Even if he can afford to meet Seokjin at the gates once a week, it won’t be the same. Even if he can sneak out to meet them, he’ll be alone in the palace. More alone than he’s ever been in his whole life. Even as a slave, he had his parents near him, had Seokjin by his side most of the time. As a concubine, he’ll have his mission and his secrets.
He loves them.
He loves every single one of them. He would die for them and endure a hundred years of solitude if it meant that they would be all free again. He’s not planning on sacrificing himself, though. He wants to taste freedom alongside his friends.
“Enough, you two,” Namjoon’s voice interrupts Hoseok’s thoughts. His eyes find Hoseok’s again. “You’ll do great. Review your backstory one last time too.”
Hoseok nods and with that the discussion of their plan ends and he starts eating. The soup is nice. Jimin cooks well for them. He doesn’t need to. They have their own designated cook in the form of Jungkook but maybe it’s just Jimin’s ploy to get into the kitchen with the object of his desire. So far, it worked well for him, and Hoseok enjoys the fruits of Jimin’s efforts.
“What should we start with today?” Jimin hums quietly, then after a second, his eyes spark with an idea. “Okay, I know! Let’s play the question-answer game.”
It isn’t a game. Hoseok wouldn’t call it as such but he gets into his role and sinks down to the floor while Jimin sits on a wooden chair. They are in his bedroom and Hoseok slowly lifts his gaze up at his friend, pretending like he’s gazing at the king. His palms press against the floor, the loose sleeve of his jeogori hiding his hand.
Jimin's facial expression shifts into a more serious one that shines with superiority, and he leans back on the chair. For a second, he studies Hoseok.
“Tell me, Omega, why haven’t you been mated before?” Jimin asks in a bored tone, a brow lifted. “You’re thirty-two. Was there no one who courted you before?”
“Nobody who could compete with you, my king, I assure you,” Hoseok drawls, lowering his voice into a soft purr, blinking slowly. In the beginning, he was embarrassed about acting like a seductive omega but he’s grown used to it. The shame of licking the king’s shoes is nothing compared to what he had to endure before. “And I’m not easily impressed by most people. I’ve been courted before and I forgot all those alphas’ faces.”
Jimin’s lips twitch. “Is that so? You must be hard to satisfy then.”
“Hard to satisfy? By some, yes.” Hoseok crawls closer slowly without breaking eye contact. Even with Jimin, there is a tension lingering between them. It’s electrifying when Hoseok presses his palm against Jimin’s knee. “I doubt you would be amongst that some. There’s a trick to every omega. I bet you know what it is.”
“Do I? I wonder if all the tricks work on you since you won’t even leak for me.” Jimin looks at him doubtfully but is not put off. It encourages Hoseok to get bolder, to lean closer.
“You don’t need to worry about that, my king,” Hoseok whispers. “I can take care of everything.”
Jimin leans closer too, his fingers lifting Hoseok’s chin higher. “A very confident omega. What if I don’t want you?”
“Then you’ll want me later. Maybe tomorrow,” Hoseok guesses coyly, then smiles, flashing his teeth. “The sooner, the better, if you ask me.”
The mask falls when Jimin smiles at him in a way no king would. Warm and proud. He draws his hand back and Hoseok also lets himself sit back down on his knees. Their conversation changes each time they do this, but it’s always flirty and tension-filled.
“It’s a relief how much better you got at flirting,” Jimin says as he joins him on the floor. “If he’s interested in you, your tongue would be the end of him.”
“I would prefer to use my dagger,” Hoseok winks at him, and Jimin giggles, pushing at his shoulder as though Hoseok’s mission, amongst other things, isn’t to assassinate the king.
“I’m sure that’s true, but don’t let him know that. Men love mystery,” Jimin tells him, interlacing his fingers in his lap. He looks impeccable as he usually does. Coming from a middle-class family, Jimin is too well off to be messing with the likes of them. His hair is twisted up in a perfect knot and he’s wearing a light pink outfit today. He looks as innocent as a sheep and yet he’s far from it.
“I’ll try.”
“I wish I knew how the final selection round will go.” Jimin looks slightly distraught at that. “I’m sure he’ll ask you about yourself or your family. Just remember to seem as docile as you can. A king doesn’t want a challenge or someone they need to tame.”
Hoseok bites his tongue before he can wonder out loud if that would be true for a king like the one that’s currently sitting on the throne. A false king who wasn’t born to rule but took it for himself by force and shedding blood. There is no point in discussing possibilities. They are endless, after all.
“Don’t worry, I won’t flinch even if he spits in my face,” Hoseok says drily, hoping that won’t happen. He’s been learning about a plethora of omega behaviors and quirks and how to appear like one, and while some of those came with having to swallow down his shame, being spitted on would enrage him.
“You would flinch,” Jimin says, a soft glow shining from his eyes. “You’re not there to be an emotionless figure, hyung. You’re an omega and you’re allowed to react to what he says or does to you. You shouldn’t seem too rebellious, however.”
Hoseok gazes into his eyes insistently. “Tell me what you want to say.”
“I just–” Jimin shakes his head, a prominent vein popping out on the side of his jaw. His body seems less like a fluid gold and more like rigid rocks at the bank of a river. “I didn’t want to say it in front of Namjoon but I agree with what Jungkook said. If the king is asking too much of you, leave and come back here. We’ll figure it out. Namjoon seems confident because he knows you’re capable but if you showed any sign of hesitation, I know he would ease up immediately. He would never force you to do this if you didn’t agree to it on your own.”
Jimin and Jungkook are both worried about the aspects of Hoseok being forced to have sex with the King. Being a concubine is not just about looking pretty next to him every once in a while and that is a sacrifice that Hoseok thinks he can make. His skin crawls at the thought, but he knew from the beginning that he might need to let the King use him if he so pleased, so that won’t deter him now.
“I appreciate it, Jimin-ah,” Hoseok says. “Just like I appreciate everything that you have taught me so far, but you don’t need to worry about me. I’m not a stranger to pain and punishment.”
“The thought of sending you off to the dragon’s den was easier to bear when I didn’t know you,” Jimin admits and it seems like a thought that has weighed on his mind for a long time.
The rebellion that Namjoon has been quietly cultivating with Jungkook is not small. Many runaway humans have joined them and they are living scattered across the capital or outside of it. Some have perfected their alpha role in society and they are free to walk the streets.
Getting an alpha guard in was their first plan. Though it succeeded just a couple of months ago, they quickly realised that it was simply not good enough. The guards have strict schedule with barely any free time which left their insider almost completely useless. They wanted to try with an omega but finding someone who looked acceptable to Jimin was a difficult task. He said that everyone looked either plain human or alphas up until the point Seokjin and Hoseok joined them.
“You aren’t sending me off. I chose to accept this and I could have quit anytime but I didn’t want to,” Hoseok tells him reassuringly. “You don’t need to feel guilt over my choices.”
“I wish that made it easier,” Jimin says quietly, the corner of his lips turning down slightly.
“How about we practice scruffing?” Hoseok suggests, desperate for a topic change.
“I know I told you before but it’s highly unlikely that you will be scruffed, hyung,” Jimin says. “It’s one of the more intimate things and even if the king develops some sort of fond fascination with you, he won’t scruff you.”
“Then call me an overachiever for wanting to perfect all my omega reactions and grab the back of my neck.” Hoseok turns to face away from Jimin and waits for his friend to give in. When he feels a gentle hand touch the back of his neck, slight pressure applied on both sides, he hitches his breath on purpose before letting his body fall backward as though he lost control and he’s not more than a congee version of himself. Jimin catches him with an umf, the pressure disappearing and Hoseok glances up at him.
“That’s good, just don’t react too quickly once you are let go,” Jimin says, giving him the feedback that Hoseok was looking for. “When I let you go, it should– it would feel like you are suddenly woken up from a deep dream and you feel disoriented. If you’re a wolf, that is.”
“Let’s try again.”
Hoseok isn’t ignorant of what he would classify as general wolf behavior, like scenting, marking, or mating, after all, he has spent time around them when they were all equals. However it is a whole different thing to be able to mimic these things, especially those that are more niche. He doesn’t want any gaps in his knowledge now that he has Jimin as his omega teacher. Even if his friend thinks this will be useless to him, it’s better to know than be surprised.
After executing the reaction perfectly, they switch roles and Hoseok scruffs Jimin a couple of times. Jimin quickly becomes a puddle against him each time and Hoseok feels pride swelling in his chest when Jimin praises him for being good at it. Hoseok watches his reactions closely, trying to get his brain to remember every detail of Jimin’s reaction so he could become even better at it.
Then they go onto bunting — specifically the one that they use before bedding ceremonies. On their hands and knees, they circle each other, drawing closer and closer until their faces are rubbing against each other’s coyly. Bunting is similar to scenting except they are only touching each other 's faces. Like cats do. Scenting comes easily to Hoseok, so Jimin doesn’t have any complaints about his bunting techniques either.
“Remember that this is one of the most complex things that you can do,” Jimin tells him after leaning away. “This can mean a lot of things depending on the context. Some could use it for greeting. It’s less intimate than scruffing but more intimate than a simple scenting. It can be used as a way to apologize if you did something wrong, or it can be a way to try to seek attention from the other. Simply comforting the other and showing that you are there for them is an option as well.”
“Can I use it for flirting?” Hoseok questions.
“I think that could fall under the umbrella of seeking attention, sure,” Jimin replies thoughtfully. “You would need to be at least a bit close, otherwise it might be seen as disrespectful or too pushy.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind,” Hoseok nods, then tilts his head to the side. “Should we go over the scenting as well?”
“Not unless you really want to. You mastered scenting ages ago,” Jimin says, waving away the question. “I care about you a lot, hyung, but I’m looking forward to not having to teach you anymore. I smell a lot like you.”
Hoseok can’t help but flash him a teasing grin. “Oh, really? Whose scent do you want on yourself?”
“Nobody.” Jimin’s voice comes out sharp, but then he grimaces and adds, “Nobody until that king sits on the throne. After you’re successful, I might have someone in mind.”
“I hope you taught me well enough then,” Hoseok notes, acutely aware of how everything hinges on him. He hasn’t been even chosen as the concubine and yet it feels as though everyone already expects him to get in.
“Oh, hyung, it takes a lot more to overthrow a king than just acting like the perfect omega.”
Filling the bathtub took a long time each time Hoseok and Seokjin did it. It was also tiresome. They had to do it several times a week anyway, to give Hoseok the opportunity to use this cruel luxury. Based on the progress he made, he knows it has been more than worth it. He has come so far due to both of their efforts. Though the whole thing is more effort on Hoseok’s side, he doesn’t think he could’ve done it without Seokjin by his side.
“One last time,” Seokjin says, and it is impossible to tell if he’s excited about that or not.
“One last time,” Hoseok echoes, suppressing a loud sigh that wishes to escape him. He starts undressing himself in silence, his clothing falling down to the floor and his dark fear starts rearing its head in his chest. There’s always that initial rush of fear, adrenalin, and a vast amount of discomfort. He has been doing this long enough to know that he can overcome his fear, that he’s stronger than he thinks he is, that in a few minutes, he will be out of the tub and back in his safe clothing.
Like always, he dips a finger in the water, examining its temperature and preparing himself to get into the tub. The water is just below lukewarm but the weather has been hot, so he doesn’t mind it. Pulling back his hand, Hoseok draws a vertical line on his chest, above his nipples.
“The water is only allowed to come up to here,” he declares. It's his mantra and crutch. He draws the water’s limit every time he gets in because it makes the process easier. He feels more in control.
He steps in with one leg and then the other before he slowly lowers himself into a sitting position. His panic spikes and he wraps his arms around himself, tapping a finger against his biceps. In his mind, he repeats: it’s just water, water gives life, it keeps me alive. His body starts letting go of the tension and he moves his jaw up and down to stop himself from clenching it too hard. Then he looks down to see if the water obeyed him and didn’t go over the line that he drew. He shifts in his seat until it's perfectly in line.
“You’ve come so far,” Seokjin says, his tone matching the softness of his gaze. There is pride there too and Hoseok feels almost embarrassed. “How do you feel?”
“I feel like if I had to, I could act like water doesn’t phase me,” Hoseok says, still tapping his arm. “It’s nowhere near as scary as it once was.”
“Good because it is just water.”
“And water gives life.”
“And it keeps you alive.”
“Thank you for coming up with that. It felt silly at first but it’s very useful,” Hoseok tells him honestly. “My body and mind both need to be reminded that I'm not in danger and then they ease up.”
“It’s interesting that because you were in danger of drowning, now your body always associates it with that danger,” Seokjin muses. “Your efforts made you better at dealing with your fear. You worked hard, Hoseok-ah.”
Hoseok lets out a flustered half-laugh and looks away. His drawn-up knees seem more interesting suddenly. He doesn’t disagree with Seokjin but he never knew how to discuss his fear of water. Not even to Seokjin who was there to witness him almost getting drowned in the ocean by Him. He was there to see Hoseok being reassigned to a new task as his aversion to the ocean arose, and he watched it getting worse and worse until he feared any type of water touching his body.
It was the biggest obstacle to him on his journey to play the role of a perfect omega. He needs to smell good every second of the day, his hair needs to be silky smooth even if it’s in a topknot and he needs to be able to function around water like most people do.
The notion of him sitting in a tub full of water was unimaginable just a year ago.
“I had you with me, though. You calmed me down and assisted me in every way, so even if I made the most effort, you still contributed, hyung,” Hoseok says gently, wanting to give his friend credit when it is deserved. When they started this, he could not do more than wash his hands.
“Maybe a little bit,” Seokjin smiles from his spot on the floor, leaning against the wall. It’s his usual place. It always felt like he was guarding him from a couple of steps away. Never too far away. “But you wouldn’t have gotten better if you didn’t want to improve.”
“I got a good reason.”
“You do. A pretty damn good reason,” Seokjin agrees. “I can’t stop imagining you in there. In the palace, surrounded by enemies.” He looks down, brows twitching. “Away from us.”
Hoseok can only look at him for a second before he looks away too, eyes set on the blank wall. “You heard what we discussed in the morning. It won’t take more than two months.”
“That’s a long time,” Seokjin notes, and Hoseok lets the silence fill in the space between them. He can’t look at him now, his stomach in knots from something other than his fears. “We haven’t been apart for more than a day since we first met. You know that, right?”
Hoseok presses his lips together. “I do.”
“We came here to save ourselves together,” Seokjin continues, his voice uncharacteristically solemn. “Everything about our lives has been filled with pain and grief for over a decade now. We both knew why we wanted to come here. Neither of us is naive, right? To make a change.”
“To give people hope.”
“To fight for what we deserve,” Seokjin sighs as Hoseok memorizes the stains on the wall for the last time. “It is noble and brave. Even if we knew that you were to be so involved in this, we would’ve come and you would’ve gone through this training one way or another. Yet the dangers–”
“I am ready to give my life for our cause. To damn with the dangers,” Hoseok snaps, and just like that their eyes meet again and Seokjin’s lips curl with a heavy emotion.
“I know that and I am too,” Seokjin shoots back but his tone carries no venom. “But I wish you wouldn’t say that and I wouldn’t have to hear that. I don’t want to hear it.”
Hoseok lets his arms uncurl, trying to expel the tension out of his body. In the back of his mind, he registers how getting into the water is still hard, but everything that comes after is easier, especially when he can talk to someone. His gaze travels to the ceiling then back to his friend, his chest heaving with a deep breath, heart heavy like lead.
“I love you, hyung,” Hoseok croaks awkwardly, his ears tingling with warmth. Being verbally affectionate is difficult but he has to say these words now. “You’re my brother. My only family. I would never waste my life and cause you hurt. I’ll come back to you.”
“Shit,” Seokjin murmurs, shaking his head. He’s trying to hide it but Hoseok notices that his ears are red too. “I love you too. I’ll be a good brother tomorrow and won’t make this hard for you, but you have to understand that I had to make it hard today.”
“Yes, well, it is hard, so…” Hoseok trails off and shrugs. He wants to lean his head against the rim of the tub but the water might climb up and touch his neck and that would make him tense once more.
“I suppose this is what it must feel like to send off your sibling with the person they married,” Seokjin comments, his tone eases up, and the suffocating worry is transformed into lighter emotion. “But worse, of course, because the person that they married is a madman who drinks tears instead of tea and strategizes with everything that’s evil in this world.”
“Good thing that I am not marrying the King,” Hoseok huffs. He can’t disagree with his friend though. The King must commit sins daily at the altar of evil spirits to please them. Hoseok wouldn’t even be surprised if the King had snakes up his sleeves, ready to strike at his enemies and end their lives in moments. After all, human life hardly matters anything to the King. Everyone knows that.
“I’m glad he’s just looking for a concubine,” Seokjin says. “Greedy bastard can’t stop after having just one.”
“The king before him also had concubines,” Hoseok points out. “More than one.”
“Sure but I hate this King–” Seokjin cuts himself off before he tries again. “Well, I hated the previous king too but I hate this one more. At least the other one was a legitimate king.”
Hoseok’s lips twitch in amusement. “Let’s hope the next one will be sane.”
“I will pray day and night,” Seokjin promises. “I will do it if it means that we won’t have another one like them.”
“Your prayer was needed many years ago, hyung,” Hoseok jokes light-heartedly. “Besides, we’re skipping too far ahead. I’m not the chosen omega yet.”
“I know, but we’ve come too far for me to imagine you failing now,” Seokjin says, his eyes dropping to Hoseok’s naked chest. “Jimin is right. You are far too… you know, beautiful to just simply skip over.”
Hoseok presses a scandalized, wet hand to his chest to cover himself. “I don’t know how I should feel about what you are saying.”
“Don’t be dramatic. It wasn’t a compliment. I was assessing you objectively,” Seokjin rolls his eyes, and turns away again and the tips of his ears are once again pinkish in hue. Hoseok looks down at his body and hums softly.
He looks nothing like he did 17 months ago. His hair was too short for a top knot, and though he had some muscle, he was far too skinny for it to mean anything. The combination of Jimin’s cooking and Jungkook’s physical training transformed him rapidly. His thigh muscles are curving more prominently than ever before and his shoulders feel broader too. However, they can’t change everything about his body.
“Let’s hope I don’t need to be naked in front of him,” Hoseok says, eyeing the long scar that starts at in the middle of his stomach and curves over his back. He could use all the makeup that he has but his scars would never become invisible, especially not to touch. Letting the King fuck him is the easy part, keeping his clothes on, not letting him touch is much harder. Unless Hoseok gets lucky somehow.
“Run if he asks you to completely undress.”
“Or blow out every candle.”
“What’s the point of fucking if you can’t see the other person?”
“Hyung,” Hoseok sighs, disappointment lacing his voice mostly because he doesn’t want to imagine Seokjin having sex and what he likes.
“Never mind,” Seokjin dismisses the thought. “It is weird to talk to you about all this. I remember when all we discussed was our past: how and where we grew up, the friends we had, or the favorite meals that we used to eat. Now we’re only ever talking about the future and what’s to come.”
“That’s hope talking,” Hoseok smiles. Back then the only comforting thing was the past, and dreaming of a better future felt stupid and wrong. “We had no reason to look forward to our future but we can finally believe that love can persevere hate.”
“I just didn't think love persevering would come with slitting throats.”
A quiet moment passes.
“I’m getting out now,” Hoseok declares, and Seokjin stands at the same time as he does, handing him a towel to wrap himself in. When Hoseok’s feet are firmly planted against the floor, he lets out a relieved sigh and Seokjin pats his shoulder.
“Well done,” Seokjin praises with a mischievous glow in his eyes. “When you come back, I’ll teach you how to swim.”
Hoseok stiffens up at the thought of his head being underwater and submitting himself to that voluntarily. That’s much, much scarier than just sitting in a tub for a couple of minutes.
“Hyung,” Hoseok says, his voice coming out flat, but Seokjin doesn’t seem to mind.
“You already proved to us that there is nothing that you can’t do, Hoseok-ah,” Seokjin tells him, patting his shoulder once last time. “All you have to do is believe that you have the ability to succeed and you will. I will catch you if you trip and fail because I’m an amazing friend.”
“Saying all that just to compliment yourself at the end,” Hoseok shakes his head, caught between wanting to laugh and feeling annoyed with his friend. It is how Seokjin is, after all. Nothing stays too serious for too long. It’s easier to deal with life that way.
“If you’re expecting me to say that I was joking, you can give up because I meant every word,” Seokjin says, winking at him. “It’s okay, I know you’re going to miss this a lot. I would miss me too.”
Hoseok stares silently, holding the towel to his chest, and not a small part of him can deny or fight Seokjin‘s words. He will miss this. Perhaps Seokjin has no idea just how much.
Guards lead Hoseok through the garden of the palace. They go through two gates, all of them tall and intimidating, wrapping around the inner and outer court. Hoseok fans himself with a thin paper fan to cool himself from the strength of the sun beaming down at him and half hiding his face in an attempt to take a good look around. Still, it’s not easy to see from the guards surrounding him and the other possible concubines. They are taking them to the Throne Hall. That’s where the King conducts most of his business. It’s a big white building with the corner of its dark roofs pointing up to the sky, surrounded by sculptures of dragons and phoenixes, and two rows of stone stones line the courtyard in front of the hall.
They walk up the stairs leading to the entrance of the throne hall, and Hoseok tries to resist the urge to fan himself faster. Namjoon purchased a special blue hanbok for this occasion, and it fits him perfectly. He tells himself that he looks as good as possible and is wearing a hefty omega perfume.
He’s not the first one to try it. Other rebels outside of their tight group made attempts at interacting with wolves while wearing the perfume, and nobody suspected a thing. The perfume is actually several perfumes, layered masterfully so its smell changes as time passes, imitating the dynamic scent of an omega. It doesn’t last forever, but Jimin told him that he smelled perfectly omega-like today, so he has no reason to worry about it.
“Halt,” a guard shouts, turning to face them as they reach the entrance door. “You will each be called in by name and make a line in front of the throne. You will be dismissed when the King tells you to.”
Hoseok observes the other concubine candidates as they are each slowly invited into the Throne Hall. They are all beautiful from head to toe. There’s another male omega aside from him and three women. Their attires are as beautiful and exquisite as Hoseok’s. That is to be expected as they all want to be chosen.
It is known that the King had no heir or wife despite turning thirty-five this spring. The other candidates might hope to get chosen and become the King’s spouse from an inside route. Though kings usually do not choose to marry their concubines, it is not entirely unheard of. Hoseok hopes that is not the case and that the King just wants a new distraction from his duties.
“Hoseok from the Kim family,” a voice calls loudly, full of authority, and Hoseok starts walking through the door and into the hall that is enveloped by tense silence. His gaze is set on the crimson Phoenix throne, elevated from the ground. Guards are lining up behind it, with three officials standing by one side. The King lounges on the throne, hand cupping his chin, his body language betraying his boredom. He wears a black gonryongpo decorated with a hungry golden dragon curling in a circle in the middle of his stomach. His long hair is pulled into a high topknot protected by a small golden crown with a headband around his forehead, two buttons on each side.
The other concubine candidates are standing in a line a couple of meters away from the throne, and Hoseok walks to the end of it with airy yet confident steps. He moves his hands behind his back, one holding the closed fan, the other curled around his wrist. His back is straight, and his face is blank when the King pushes himself into a standing position. His movements are both choppy and smooth, as though he’s a drunken cat. Each of his leathered steps makes a muted thud against the stone floor as he approaches the other end of the line. Hoseok realizes there is power in each of his movements. He walks unlike any other man because the King truly thinks of himself above all of them. He is unbound by earthly notions.
Hoseok doesn’t dare to look at him as he walks down the line, no matter how much he wants to observe the King further. Judging from his steps, he can tell that the King isn’t stopping in front of any of them, nor does he slow down for a second. Only when the King’s feline face appears before him does the King suddenly come to a halt.
Hoseok’s stomach turns with disgust as they take in each other. The king wears a long gold earring and many necklaces. Just like it was rumored, he has an old scar running down from his forehead to his cheek, and bile rises in Hoseok’s stomach. To have such an imperfect person sitting on the throne is a stain on their kingdom. A king is supposed to be free of scars and show a high level of virtue and kindness to his people. It is a disgrace that someone like him leads their entire kingdom. Despite that, Hoseok keeps his facial expression neutral, not showing a sign of inner disgust.
Then, the King’s hand closes around his throat as he pulls him closer. Hoseok makes a pathetic choking sound, the fan falling from his grasp. His instincts tell him to wrap his hand around the King’s to try to free himself, but Jimin’s words echo in his ears. Curling his hands into fists, Hoseok fights his own instinct, and the King growls, holding him tighter and flashing his teeth at him. His canines are pointy and sharp, just like every alphas’.
Hoseok winces, unable to tear his eyes away from the King’s sharp, dark eyes. They bore into his without shame or reservation, and Hoseok learns of a different version of helplessness. Though he feels the need to fight back, he must let the King do whatever he wants with him to show that he is harmless and subservient. His goal can only be achieved by letting himself be seen as less.
The King leans closer abruptly, and Hoseok freezes when he feels his wet tongue tasting his skin from his jaw to his cheek. Before he could register what happened, the King pushes him back and he stumbles a little before regaining his balance. Without a word, he retrieves the fan from the ground and resumes his previous position. The King walks behind him but doesn’t pause. Bypassing the line, he turns to walk back up to his throne.
“Leave.” The King’s voice is a harsh growl that echoes in the room. They all bow even though the King doesn’t see them, and Hoseok leads them out of the Throne Hall. His body is charged with adrenaline and newfound hatred.
He finally met the person who had taken everything from him, and he is going to repay him a hundred times. His eyes momentarily meet one of the omega women’s eyes as they are led outside the palace, and jealousy is written all over her face. Hoseok almost smiles at that confirmation: they all know who the King is going to choose.
He keeps himself calm, withstanding the desire to wipe the saliva off his cheek until he is safely outside the royal palace’s walls. The hardest part is yet to come, but Hoseok, more than ever before, feels hope stirring underneath his sternum. He won’t fail them now. He will get close to King Yoongi and find Kim Taehyung.