Memory

"Some memories never leave your bones, like salt in the sea. They become a part of you and you carry them." Unknown.

"Good morning." Jimin joined Hoseok in the garden.

"Oh, good morning Jimin." the Wizard turned and furrowed when he saw his puffy eyes. "What happened to you? Have you been crying?"

"N-no." the younger lied. "I just slept a little late."

"My dear, you can not lie to a Wizard, don't you know this?" the black-haired crossed his arms. "Did something happen? Did someone say something to you?"

Jimin didn't answer.

"Was it the king?" Hoseok asked, making the younger lift his head.

"Can you read minds too?"

"No." the older chuckled. "But I remember you stayed alone with him after his piano show, so I must guess he said something."

"H-he's so scary." the diamond-haired mumbled. "I don't know what to do to make him nicer."

"Do not even dream about it." Hoseok sighed. "If you met him a few years ago, he would have been nicer and more polite toward you but after the princess's death, he completely changed. He became rude to everyone, even us who are supposed to be his friends."

"You were close to him?"

The older nodded. "The four of us used to be inseparable; me, Namjoon, the King and the princess. We had all meals together, we would listen to him playing the piano in the garden, we would organize small parties..we had the best times.." he sighed. "But everything is gone now."

"You said the King's brother was the cause of this chaos..but why?" Jimin asked.

"Let us have breakfast first, alright?" the Wizard put his arm around his shoulders. "You need to drink some tea to reduce fatigue."

They headed inside the castle to go to the dining room. Jimin couldn't stop admiring the elegant interior. Portraits and paintings of natures were hanging all along the walls, bronze benches were in the corridors with a small table on the side to read or drink a cup of tea. The floor was made of antique marble and limestone tiles and the ceiling was decorated with big glass chandeliers.

They arrived to the room where a large and rectangular wooden table furnished with a at least twelve dining chairs was standing in the middle. A huge bouquet of white roses was placed on the center with a dozen silver plates and glasses.

The King was sitting in his chair at the end of the table, drinking his hot tea while reading a big book.

Jimin gulped, he wasn't ready to face him again after their discussion the day before, he was afraid to be screamed on and see his scary red eyes.

"Do not be afraid." Hoseok whispered to him. "Just do not say a word."

The younger followed the Wizard as he approached the table. "Good morning, your majesty."

"Good morning." Yoongi mumbled coldly.

"G-good morning." Jimin said with a small voice before sitting next to Hoseok.

"What is this doing here in my dining table?" the King groaned, pointing to Jimin.

"I.. I'm.." Jimin's heart skipped a beat and his cheeks got redder.

"Your majesty, you can not prohibit him from eating his breakfast, can you?" Hoseok asked.

"I just do not like his presence."

Jimin smiled sadly and lowered his head. What the King said made him feel exactly how people in his world used to make him feel. Rejected.

"He will be quiet, do not mind him." the Wizard said. "Just keep on reading your book."

Yoongi just cleared his throat and took a sip of the tea.

Hoseok looked at Jimin and smiled. "Eat." he whispered.

The younger nodded shyly as he looked at the Wizard's shiny purple eyes that had the power to make you feel happy during a moment.

He lifted his head to see what was on the table.

"Woah." he mumbled quietly to himself when he saw all the different dishes prepared only for breakfast. The table was filled with colours and luxurious pastry; Caramel apple cinnamon rolls, stuffed toasts, cranberry orange pancakes..

He licked his lower lip, wondering what to start with.

He took an empty plate and took a cinnamon roll.

"You can have some tea or orange juice." Hoseok mumbled.

Jimin nodded with a smile and took the juice jar to fill his cup but the unlucky he was, he had to drop it on the table, making a loud sound and the juice poured on the plates.

"Oh, no.." his eyes grew wider as the King violently threw his book on the floor and stood up.

"WHAT HAVE I SAID!" he shouted, making the diamond-haired shake with fear.

"I.. I'm sorry.."

"You interrupted my reading!" Yoongi's eyes shifted to red.

"Your majesty, it was not on purpose." Hoseok said.

"I do not care! This is the last time I want to see him in my dining table! He can eat in the kitchen."

"I'm sorry.." Jimin was trying not to cry in front of them, he clenched his fists and took a breath.

"No more words!" Yoongi said. "Just go."

Hoseok stared at his new friend sadly and patted his back. "Let's have breakfast in my room."

Jimin nodded and quickly left.

The Wizard gave the King a death stare before taking out his magic wand to clean the table and return it as it was.

"I hope you'll have a peaceful breakfast." he mumbled coldly. "Your majesty." he rolled his eyes and left the grumpy man alone.

????

"I got you cinnamon rolls and waffles!" Hoseok returned to his room with a tray.

"Thank you." Jimin said and quickly wiped a tear.

"Oh, not again.." the black haired frowned and sat next to him on the edge of the bed. "You were crying.."

"It's just.. I.. I don't know why he hates me so much.."

"He does not hate you." Hoseok caressed his back. "It is just that he can not trust anyone."

"B-but I did nothing wrong.."

"I know, but he became this way after his brother betrayed him."

"What happened with his brother?" Jimin asked.

"Eat this first." Hoseok placed the tray between their legs.

"Adalis is a very boisterous creature, he likes to fight a lot and create problems. When his younger brother and his cousins ​​were studying and training for the royal life, he was busy partying and seducing females. He was not interested in history or anything that had a relationship with his father's work. But before dying, Fantasia needed a new King on the throne, Adalis was the oldest and the one who normally should take over his father's position but the late King refused it. He said that he can not let his son take care of the kingdom when he knows nothing about how it works. This is why Yoongi was appointed as the future King of Fantasia."

Jimin nodded. "So I guess Adalis was jealous."

"He is still jealous, I am afraid." the Wizard sighed. "His jealousy made him into his brother's worst enemy and he always attacks what he cherishes the most."

"That's why he killed the princess." the younger mumbled.

Hoseok nodded. "Poor Kythaela did not deserve it.."

"The King must have loved her a lot."

"He did, a lot more than you think." Hoseok said. "She was his everything, his ally, his friend and soulmate. I remember how he first met her during a ball he organized and how he immediately fell in love.. Since that day, he would send her flowers and letters everyday, he would secretly meet her in the forest and one day he married her."

"He sent her white roses, right?" Jimin guessed.

"Mm, you realized they were everywhere in the palace."

"Yes." Jimin whispered. "But Adalis didn't attack after?"

"Why would he when he got what he wanted? To see his brother being miserable and drowned in the sorrow. It is enough for him to be happy."

"That's horrible." Jimin frowned.

"It is indeed."

They ate their breakfast silently, only listening to the songbirds outside the window.

"Where is Namjoon?"

"In the village, once a month he volunteers to check on the creatures and heal the ill ones." Hoseok answered.

"That's very nice of him." the younger smiled.

"Oh, he is the kindest!" the Wizard smiled widely until Jimin could see sparks in his eyes. "He is always there to help anyone."

Jimin smiled. "You two seemed to be close."

"We were closer than this." the older sighed. "When others ignored me, he would sit next to me and hear about all the things that go on in my mind. Everyone came to me only when they needed something but Namjoon never expected anything from me. He was the one who always made me smile."

Jimin could feel his sadness from the way he was talking in the past and not the present.

"Why did it change then?" he asked.

"As I said before, Kythaela's death changed everything in our lives. Lots of things happened."

"But I am sure you will get closer again, like before."

"Oh, I love your optimism." the Wizard ruffled his hair and let out a heavy sigh. "Your hair is such.. a medication to the heart." he mumbled, his eyes closed. "I guess that is why you always think positively."

"I don't know." Jimin shyly rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe."

????

Two weeks have passed since Jimin's arrival at the castle. The days were all alike, Hoseok and him would have their breakfast in the Wizard's room and sometimes Namjoon would join them if he wasn't busy.

The young man spent the majority of his time in the library reading books, some about the story of Fantasia and others were novels by writers he didn't recognize. He wouldn't feel the time passing when he was reading, a maid would knock at the door to tell him that dinner is ready.

Since that little incident during breakfast, they would wait until the King finishes his meal to enter the dining room. Jimin was doing his best to avoid him and his cold stares, even though sometimes he gets curious about what he's doing and would watch him from afar.

The King would spend his mornings at his office, reading letters and responding to them. After dinner, he would sit in his private garden and keep looking at a portrait of the late princess. After five years, his heart still couldn't let go of her, Jimin would quietly cry while watching him.

Yoongi would spend his nights drinking in his room's balcony, wearing nothing but a thin silk robe, the glass on his hand, his face pressed on the other one.

After watching him, Jimin understood what he meant when he said that Adalis won against his brother.

The King today had nothing to do with what he read on the books. It said he was charismatic and powerful, a King everyone loved and respected. He and his late wife would help the poor creatures and have friends in every village.

He won two wars before, one against the Rosa and the other one against Blackmere.

Jimin was walking in the castle corridors when Hoseok and Namjoon called him, "Jimin!"

He smiled and headed towards them.

"You were in the library again?"

"Yes." he blushed.

"We finally found someone who enjoys reading as much as our King." the Elf chuckled.

"It has been a very long time since I last opened one aside from my spell books." the Wizard said.

The diamond-haired smiled, "There is a philosopher called Plato who said that books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." he said.

"Mm." both friends rubbed their chin. "Wise words."

"Yes, I read because I get the ability to live a hundred lives in a hundred places. Every story is different and that's why I never get bored."

Hoseok and Namjoon shared a smile and looked at the young boy. "We hope you'll read us a story someday."

"Sure! Anytime." Jimin smiled.

~~

After the three of them finished dinner, Hoseok and Namjoon were called by the royal secretary, he had something to tell them about a rich Centaur who got hurt in a fight.

Jimin wasn't sleepy so he decided to walk in the garden for a little while before heading to the room.

The alley was illuminated by softly flickering candles in storm lanterns but it couldn't compare with the strong light Jimin's light gave.

Everything was shone around him while the gentle breeze moved his diamond locks.

"Oh." he stopped when he spotted a silhouette not far from where he stood. He approached until he realized it was the King sitting under a gazebo, staring at the colors of the fountain changing.

He hesitated for a moment, he didn't know if he goes to talk to him or just leave him alone. But then he thought that he couldn't always live like this, escaping from him and fearing him when he did nothing wrong.

He took his courage and a deep breath before approaching him.

"Good evening." he said.

Yoongi lifted his head to let the young boy drown in his deep grey eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked slowly, without taking his stare from his shiny hair.

"I thought I could maybe sit with you, the view is amazing from here." Jimin said before inviting himself to sit next to the King.

"Who gave you permission?" Yoongi frowned.

"It is said that you should surround yourself with the ones who get it." the younger said.

"Who get what?"

"Who get you." Jimin turned to face him and smiled softly. "I know how you are feeling."

"Hah!" Yoongi chuckled and shook his head. "Cut the nonsense and stay away from me."

Jimin stayed silent for a moment before talking again, "My father died three years ago."

The King gulped.

"Someone hit him with a car and ran away. A few hours after, I was running like a foul inside the hospital, looking for him, a nurse told me that the doctors were performing a surgery on him. I waited for long hours and then they announced his death." Tears were falling from the young man's eyes. "I lost him that day, I lost the only family member I ever had."

Yoongi's eyes shifted to blue as he heard him silently crying.

"I know how difficult it must have been to lose the princess, I know what it feels like to see someone you love disappear from your life. It hurts a lot." he wiped a tear with his shirt's sleeve.

"Why are you saying this to me?" Yoongi asked.

"Because I want you to be stronger, your majesty." Jimin answered. "Not everyone can feel your sadness I know, but you should be able to get over it alone. Five years have passed, you can't spend the rest of your life mourning over her death, no matter how much you loved her, you should accept the facts."

"Who are you to say this?" Yoongi clenched his fists. "You do not even have the right to sit next to me and now you are talking about how I should live my life?"

"This is your problem, your majesty." Jimin smiled sadly. "You don't let anyone approach you and help you."

"I don't need help." the older mumbled.

"You know, you are very lucky." Jimin said. "Because you have friends whom you'll find whenever you need them, friends who love you and care about you. After my father's death, I had no one, he was the only thing I had in my life."

Yoongi wanted to say something but no words came from his mouth.

"In my world, having this hair is even stranger than here." he continued. "People would say that I'm a monster, they wouldn't approach me, I had no friends, I had no one around me. That's why I am jealous of you because you have friends, you have Hoseok and Namjoon and I'm sure you have more but you prefer to be alone. I never liked being alone."

"So, what do you suggest I should do?" Yoongi raised an eyebrow.

"You should leave your cocoon and socialise with the creatures around you, talk more to your friends, go to the village and help everyone as you used to do before. If you stop thinking about the past and move on, I am sure you'll feel happier and maybe even find someone you'll love again."

The King shook his head. "You're saying that I will find someone like Kythaela? No way." he scoffed.

"I'm not saying you'll find someone like her, you don't have to. I'm just saying that one day, someone different will open your eyes."

Yoongi's eyes shifted to green as he stared at the younger who was calmly watching the moon.

Looking at him, he realized that there was finally something even more beautiful than the moonlight. How his hair shone like a thousand lights, dancing gently with the evening breeze.

"Ey Diamond." he mumbled.

Jimin turned to look at him and his eyes grew wider when he saw how the blue of his eyes was attractive. "Diamond?" he frowned when he realized he just called him this way. "My name's Jimin."

"I do not care about your real name, I will call you the way I want."

"But why Diamond?"

Yoongi shrugged. "Your hair, maybe."

"Oh." the younger blushed. "Diamond." he smiled and kept staring at the King who decided to avoid his gaze and look in front of him.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Jimin asked.

"Never mind it." Yoongi mumbled and stood up. "I am going to sleep now."

"Mm." the younger nodded. "Good night!"

????

The next morning, Jimin was helping Hoseok with reading a potion recipe while the Wizard mixed all the ingredients.

"I am sorry for disturbing you Jimin."

"Not at all! After all what you did for me it's the least I can do." Jimin smiled.

"You are so sweet." the older pinched his pink cheeks.

Someone knocked at the door. "Come in!"

"Sir Hoseok." a maid bowed. "A guest came."

"A guest?" the black-haired furrowed. "We have not received guests for so long!"

"Who is it?" Jimin asked.

"We will discover it now." the Wizard said. "We can finish the potion later, it can wait. Let's go." he grabbed his hand and they headed downstairs to the main hall.

They met Namjoon on the way, he seemed as curious as them to know who was visiting them.

When they arrived, they found the King having a serious conversation with the saying guest.

"Oh, well." Hoseok mumbled and looked at Namjoon worryingly.

Jimin furrowed as he looked at the familiar silhouette, he couldn't see his face but he would recognize his beautiful white hair and his elegant posture easily.

"Lord Taehyung?" he mumbled.

The Elf who looked like he heard him, turned around and widened his eyes when he saw him. "Oh, my! Jimin!" he shouted. "How much I have looked for you!"