past

kim taehyung was back.

fluttering his eyes open, the blinding light of the sun immediately greeted his senses. it was when taehyung attempted to shield his face from brightness that he realised he was home, sleeping inside his royal bedroom as he had always been. everything was still the same, with clothes from the days before scattered all over the floor — the late king had taught his children from young ages not to depend on their servants — and handmade lanterns decorating its ceiling, except for one.

"was i dreaming the whole time?" taehyung groaned, careless enough that he didn't notice the queen and his personal eunuch entering the room.

the looks on their faces were of mixed emotions. happy, sad, worried and sympathetic, all combusted into one. it was clear that something transpersonal must have had happened beforehand, which might be related to the reason behind his accidental time-travel. but it seemed like they were trying to hide taehyung from the truth.

"my prince," his mother called, as she sat on his bed and touched his forehead. "how are you feeling, love?"

"i'm not very sure about that . . ."

"yeowool-ah, please bring some food and ask ahro to enter the room," queen jisoo continued, referring on the palace's physician, kim ahro, who was one of taehyung's only best friends along with his eunuch, or as he usually addressed when his mother wasn't around, yeowool-hyung. "we have to make sure that the prince isn't harmed."

readjusting himself to his mother's protectiveness, taehyung only laughed and shook his head. "mother, there's no need for that. i am not harmed-"

"-we have to be sure," she repeated. "you had been unconscious for more than twelve hours, and that was a long period."

"yes, my queen," yeowool obliged and left the room.

all of the memories taehyung created with jungkook last night were still fresh in his mind. they felt too right to be true, too real to be nothing but a dream, and no matter how much taehyung loved living in the palace, the future where his new friend existed didn't seem to be a bad idea either.

but, of course. at the end of the day, since when was he able to travel time? did it really happen, or was it all just a lie?

letting his fingers roam around his broad chest, taehyung almost felt relieved when he noticed the pendant still hanging around his neck . . . well, that, until his mother moved forward and prevented him from touching it.

"m-mother?" taehyung blinked a few times, not understanding what the queen meant by her action.

"give your necklace to me," she demanded, a hint of softness laying behind the strength of her gaze. "i'll keep it safe for the time being."

"why?"

"you're not f-feeling well, y-you might lost it."

"my queen," taehyung cleared his throat, suspicion arose. "you're stuttering."

slamming her hands against the locket, queen jisoo grabbed its pendant harshly as it slipped from his neck, a gasp of disbelief escaping her mouth. "i'm just trying to provide what's best for you!"

"then why are you lying to my face?!"

she immediately dropped the golden chain, which he took back in a matter of seconds.

"p-prince taehyung . . ." his mother cracked. "i-i've never lied to you. what d-do you mean by lying?"

sitting up on his bed, taehyung looked away to avoid the queen's guilt as he recalled the first time he met jungkook. tears were already brimming on his eyes. "mother, i know that this may sound a little farfetched but yesterday, i was sure i got myself transported into the future — to a whole another century. it wasn't silla, baekje nor the land of goguryeo, but it was the year of two thousand and eighteen; where our kingdom no longer existed and everything else had turned into ashes. all i could see were tall buildings, awkwardly dressed people and fast-paced vehicles,"

the door soon opened to reveal yeowool and ahro, looking incurably shocked that both parties had accidentally raised their tones.

" . . . i-i think i was time traveling."

present

"yah, jeon jungkook! why are you smiling to yourself?"

it had been at least fifteen minutes ever since jimin, namjoon and seokjin arrived, taking their respective seats in front of their friend of two years, jungkook. the evening sun of early spring casted through the campus cafeteria, but not once did jungkook blink to stop his eyes from turning blind.

because today, he wasn't being himself. the quirky, annoying yet kindhearted fine arts student who was known to live for brush strokes and van goth's theories. 

he was now showcasing a different side of jungkook — raw, blunt and in love, something that none of his friends had witnessed ever since he got thoroughly rejected by his first freshman crush, kang daniel from the choreographic dance department.  he was excited about what had happened the day before.

"jungkook?" seokjin, an acting major, waved his hands as he pretended to clutch his heart in pain, since the younger man didn't seem to notice their presence. "earth to jungkook!"

because of this, jungkook fell down from the bench he was sitting on.

"y-yes, hyung?" he stood up from the floor, hands brushing the dust off his skinny jeans. "i'm sorry, my mind was all over the place when you came here."

"what are you even thinking about?" namjoon teased, once again channeling his inner creative writing studies. jungkook could bet dollars that the older man was already thinking of at least five different scenarios from this outcome.

"this and that."

"just spill the damn beans."

"well, hyung, i would love to, but-" jungkook paused to look at his watch, doe eyes widening in shock that it was already time to meet his hanbok man again. same time, same place. "-i have to get going so i can meet the person behind this!"

the trio could see a tint of blush decorating his rosy cheeks. he is excited. it must be a man, they nodded to themselves. he better be a good man.

"yah, jeon jungkook!" seokjin yelled as the younger man fled the scene, hints of relief layered under the austereness of his voice. "we're going to have a serious conversation tonight, young man!"

jimin added, "and most importantly — have fun!"

"will do, hyung!" jungkook answered at the top of his lungs.

five hours had passed ever since jeon jungkook arrived at the bus stop. all of the shops were closed and there was no doubt that the last bus had taken off, bringing his hopes away with its motions. a bouquet of roses was already secured under his grip, 

but not once did his hanbok man appear.

taehyung is back to silla dynasty! until they meet again, the point of views will be split in two, following both timelines without disconnecting them from each other. 

please don't forget to vote & comment, because i really want to know how my writing affects you! :)