The Brothers Kim

Chapter 28- Two Unsuspecting Souls

An upbeat and cheerful tune filled the imperial office as Zeren whistled a trot song. Jimin frowned at him from his desk.

"Are you ready yet, Your Majesty?" he asked as he fixed his robes in front of the full-length mirror. He turned to face Jimin and arched a brow when he spotted him still crouched over his desk. "What are you doing? Aren't we going to the village today?"

Jimin glanced up at him briefly and then back down at the book he was reading. "No, I am not."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I do not want to."

Zeren folded his arms across his chest. "Your Majesty, we agreed that you at least take a break once a week."

"Yes, but I feel like these breaks are meant for someone else other than me."

"Huh?"

"Zeren," he said, pushing his book away. "I feel like you are enjoying these excursions much more than I am."

"Wha—?" Zeren was flabbergasted. "I-I am not!"

Jimin raised his brow dubiously.

"Okay. Fine" Zeren surrendered with his hands raised. "So, I do enjoy our weekly visits. But that doesn't mean you can't."

"It is not that I do not enjoy them" Jimin replied, "but rather I am sceptical about how you enjoy them."

Zeren looked at Jimin confusedly. "What's wrong with the way I—? Oh!" Zeren's eyes widened with enlightenment. "I see." With a devious smile, he continued, "Don't tell me you're still unhappy about me getting close to Gyuri."

Jimin's lips thinned. Dismissively, he spoke, "If you really want to go, you can go. I am not going to stop you." With renewed energy, Jimin buried his nose under the book he was reading to disguise his irritation.

Zeren sighed. "I cannot go if you aren't, Your Majesty."

Jimin peeked up at him from the rim of his book. With a covert gaze, he observed his gloomy expression hidden by his platonic countenance. Jimin knew that while Zeren was practised at concealing his emotions, the one emotion he couldn't hide very well was disappointment. And seeing his friend shelter his upper lip with his bottom lip—a habit he only exhibited when he was attempting to contain his sadness— hinted that Zeren was indeed very disappointed.

Jimin let out a long sigh. I cannot win with him. "Fine," he conceded as he propped his book down. "I will go."

Immediately, Zeren's mood lifted. "Really?"

"Yes," Jimin replied with a slight smile. "But only for a short while. As you can see, I have so much work to do," he gestured at the pile of books he had on either side of his desk, "so I must really complete them before I meet with the Waekugin ambassador..."

Zeren's eyes hardened at the mention of the Waekugin. He lowered his voice, "Are you really going to meet with them?"

"Yes," Jimin affirmed. "I must."

"But, Your Majesty—"

"I know what you are going to say, Zeren" Jimin interrupted, "but what is done is done. I have already agreed."

Zeren looked at him sceptically.

"It is important that I try to mend the relations between our people and the Waekugin" Jimin explained. "While Saim prospered without their help in the past, the same cannot be said about now." He lowered his eyes while propping his chin on top of his interlocked fingers. With a pensive expression, he resumed, "Trade with the Waekugin is something we must consider. Especially when reports from our vanguards have confirmed that the New World has advanced technology which will prove beneficial to Saim." He gazed up. "Zeren, we must not let Saim fall behind."