Truth (Minjoon) ✅

Twenty Nine

“Hey.” Jimin startled awake, sitting up quickly, but quickly falling back down to hush the whine of the younger prince as he was disturbed. Jimin looked up to see Namjoon, standing at the end of their bed. “Is he okay?” Was the first thing that the king asked. Jimin nodded slowly, sitting up a bit more carefully this time and making sure Jungkook was comfortable and asleep.

“He came in a few hours ago, really upset. He’s taken your spot on the bed, sorry.”

“It’s fine. Do you know what upset him?”

“Our family.” Jimin replied, shrugging. Namjoon furrowed his eyebrows, tilting his head in confusion.

Jimin sighed and began to lightly stroke his younger brother’s hair. “Jungkook was heir, he had a lot of expectations that he had to uphold. He was...well a lot of things were pounded into him at a very young age, and even though... they're...w-well they're dead...he can’t just forget. He’s been traumatized, hurt. And even with all of these changes with Hoseok and Yoongi—and I know they’re trying to get involved with my brother don’t try to tell me otherwise—I don’t think he quite knows how to let go yet. I think he’s still….he’s still cautious about the things he says and does, and he’s still feeling oppressed, and he’s aware of it, and trying to fight the instinct but he just...months don’t erase years of abuse and trauma.”

“Is there anything you need me to do? Anything I can do?”

“I don’t think so...I think we'll just have to leave him be...to figure everything out. I think that he just needs to figure everything out himself, you know? I just...I hate seeing him like this. In pain. Suffering. He doesn’t deserve it, Joonie, he really doesn’t. He’s just…he’s just a boy Joonie, he’s not even eighteen yet. I think...it’s a really easy thing for us to forget about in the grand scope of things...but he’s just a boy.”

Jimin looked down, feeling tears sting his eyes. He felt lost and he didn’t know what to do to help his brother. He wanted to help Jungkook so much, but he couldn’t, he knew he couldn’t, he knew he wasn’t the one that would be able to help him.

Jimin just hoped that those who could help him...would. That they wouldn’t hurt him more.

-

Jungkook awoke slowly, feeling a pair of arms around him.

He turned slowly, finding Jimin wrapped around him, sleeping. He offered his older brother a small smile, feeling content in his brother’s arms, but he knew he’d overstayed his welcome...judging by the sleeping king on the couch across from the bed.

He should get back to his own room, just spend some time alone for now.

He slipped from Jimin’s arms carefully so as not to wake him and then slowly walked towards the door. “Leaving so soon?” Jungkook froze, turning to find Namjoon awake, looking at him. The king sat up from his position and stood, walking towards the young prince.

“I’m sorry, I’ve stolen your bed for the evening.” Jungkook said sheepishly, averting his eyes to the ground. He wasn’t close to Namjoon, he hadn’t spent more than a few minutes alone with his brother in law ever since he came to the castle.

“No need to be so formal. You’re my brother after all.” Namjoon said, cracking a smile.

“I...Okay.” Jungkook finally said, sounding rather awkward. His eyes were no longer on the floor, but he still wasn’t looking at Namjoon.

“You know...you and I are pretty similar.”

“We...are?”

“Yeah. I used to be the heir of a kingdom, too. I know how hard it can be, trying to be perfect for everyone, trying to be the perfect son, the perfect heir. But after awhile...you realize that all of its just superficial. In the end, you’ll still be king, you’ll still rule and it doesn’t matter what people will think of you then, because you’ll still be in power...well, not in your case, you won’t be king since I’m king, but you get what I mean? We spend our whole lives trying to please everyone but ourselves, trying to mold ourselves into what others want us to be...and we lose our true selves in the process. Sometimes it’s good to just...sit back and do something you want to do, be someone who you want to be, not what everyone else wants.”

Jungkook stood speechless at those words. But he found himself nodding slowly. “T-thanks...h-Hyung.”

“Go on, now. Go find Yoongi or Hoseok I’m sure they’ll want to have your company. They’re very fond of you Jungkook, don’t think otherwise.”

The young prince nodded once, before slipping out of the room.