II

"Mother, do you need anything else?" Jungkook asked the old woman after preparing a modest breakfast for her.

"No, my dear." She smiled softly to her son. "I have gotten everything I wanted, thanks to you darling." She patted the brown haired's head.

"How are you feeling? Does your head still hurt you a lot?" The younger asked.

"Not badly." The woman shook her head slowly. "It still hurts but less than before."

"I see."

Loud knocks could be heard on the door. "MR.JEON!"

Jungkook and his mother looked at each other with confusion. "I will open the door." The younger said before heading to the entrance.

"Mr.Jeon." A royal guard bowed to the young man. "My sincere salutations, I came here from the castle."

"The castle?" Mrs.Jeon got up from her bed. "Is there anything we can help you with?" She asked.

"No, madam. Your son was summoned to the castle by his royal highness, prince Taehyung. He was elected among hundreds of young men and women to be his companion." The guard said.

"Oh god!" Mrs.Jeon widened her eyes. "You presented yourself to the selection?!" She asked her son who simply nodded. "Why?"

"I want us to be a happy mother." The younger smiled.

"Mr.Jeon, will you please follow me?" The guard asked.

"I will come back very soon mother," Jungkook said.

"Do not worry Mr.Jeon, his highness sent her a personal nurse. Mrs.Park, please enter."

A woman in her forties entered shyly to the small house. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail. Mrs.Jeon felt at ease when the nurse smiled widely to her. "It is really nice to meet you Mrs.Jeon." she bowed to her. "I am Park Chinhye and I will be in charge of taking care of you from now on."

"Oh, it is really nice to meet you Chinhye."

"You do not have to worry about your son." Chinhye smiled. "Mine is also in the castle, he is the prince's knight and also his best friend. His highness is friendly and a very kind gentleman." She smiled.

"I see." Mrs.Jeon stared at her son. "You will come to see me, right?" She asked.

"Of course mother, how can I not?" Jungkook kissed her head before leaving with the guards.

"Jungkook seems like a very kind young man." Chinhye said. "His highness surely have seen something special in your son because he was never interested in anyone before."

"My son sure has a lot of qualities." Mrs.Jeon sighed heavily. "I am proud of him."

????

"Welcome to the castle." A tall, peach haired young man smiled widely to Jungkook. "I am Namjoon, his highness's butler."

"Nice to meet you sir Namjoon." Jungkook bowed shyly.

"Oh please, let us drop the formalites." The older chuckled. "You can call me Namjoon." He smiled. "The maids will be in charge of bringing your things in your chambers, will you please follow me? I will show you around."

Jungkook nodded and followed the tall man.

Jungkook's eyes did not know where to focus anymore. The interior of the castle was incredibly gorgeous.

The walls were painted in a very light beige color which highlighted the paintings depicting each member of the royal family; previous kings and queens and the actual ones.

Jungkook stopped in front of the prince's painting, admiring the beauty of the colors along with Taehyung's.

"The prince is handsome, isn't he?" Namjoon said behind him making him jump by surprise

"The prince is handsome, isn't he?" Namjoon said behind him making him jump by surprise.

"Y-yes, he is." Jungkook mumbled with a shy voice.

"He is even more handsome when he smiles a lot, you will see." The butler said before guiding him to the large stairs.

"Here is the kitchen." He leaded him to a big room, full of large ovens, several fridges and a large storage cupboard.

"Let me introduce you to the chef." He said before tapping a tall black haired male's shoulder.

"Oh, is he the one?!" The chef asked Namjoon who simply nodded with a smile.

"You are so handsome!" Jin widened his eyes.

"Thank you sir." Jungkook blushed.

"Sir?" Jin chuckled. "You just made me feel so old, call me Jin."

"Alright Jin, are you the main cook?" the young man asked.

"Yes, he is." Namjoon nodded. "You will see, he prepares the best food in the world."

"You will never get tired of my meals darling." The cook smiled proudly. "Do you want me to prepare something special for you tonight?"

"Me? I do not know much about gastronomy." Jungkook mumbled shyly.

"It is alright." Jin patted his back. "There is something Taehyung likes a lot, you will try it tonight."

"Taehyung?" Jungkook asked confusingly. He did not understand how the employees could address their prince informally.

"We are his friends, this is why we are used to call him by his first name." The butler said. "You will get used to it too Mr.Jeon."

"Call me Jungkook, please."

????

"Here is the stable. Jimin will help you choose your horse later."

"Good afternoon." An elegant blond male approached them with a large smile.

Jungkook kept staring at him, wondering if he was a hidden prince because of his elegance.

He was wearing a black hunt coat and beige breeches along with white dressage gloves covering his small hands and was walking with his long black leather boots.

He assumed that he was a horseman. A very handsome one.

"You must be sir Jungkook." He politely bowed to him.

The younger did not answer him, he just kept staring at him.

"Sir Jeon?"

"Y-you are very handsome." Jungkook said and immediately covered his mouth, realizing that he thought loudly.

The blond haired male chuckled. "Taehyung sure will hate me after this." He laughed.

"You are also the prince's friend?"

"I am his best friend, Jimin."

"Oh, you are Lady Chinhye's son?"

"Yes." Jimin nodded with a smile. "She was very enchanted to help your mother."

"She is very kind."

"Like her son." Jimin said proudly, making Jungkook smile.

Namjoon cleared his throat. "Well, now we should go meet the prince." He said and the younger nodded.

"I will see you later sir Jimin." Jungkook waved to the knight.

~~

They entered by a large gate leading to a gigantic garden, even bigger than the castle. Jungkook widened his eyes when he saw all the trees and hundreds of flowers around him. He smiled and thought he had already found his favorite place.

"The prince spends most of his time here." Namjoon said, before opening a door to reveal a sort of small office.

"This is where he does his work. He said that nature helps him concentrate more and be less stressed." He added. "I will got get him, you can sit here to wait." He pointed to one of the chairs.

Jungkook nodded and shyly sat, looking around him.

He spotted a large glass vase on the desk and smiled when he saw the bouquet of Alstroemerias he had offered him the other day.

He was touched to see that the prince took well care of them.

"Good afternoon." A deep voice woke him from his reverie.

The dark haired prince stood in front of the door and smiled to him.

"Your highness." The younger bowed to him.

"Did you like the castle?"

"Yes, your highness. It is very big and beautiful, especially the garden." Jungkook smiled shyly.

"Because you like flowers." Taehyung said. "One day, you should teach me their names and meanings."

"With all my pleasure, your highness."

"You met my friends?"

"Yes, they look very kind."

"They are." Taehyung sat in front of him. "They are the ones who are making my royal life easier." He sighed. "I hope that you will do the same." He added, staring right into his eyes.

"I will do my best, your highness." Jungkook bowed.

"Have you ever heard of archery?" The prince asked.

"I have heard of it but never had the chance to try or watch it, and I heard that your highness likes it a lot." The younger said.

"Exactly." Taehyung smiled. "It means a lot to me." He sighed.

"Maybe if I teach you about flowers you would like to teach me archery?" Jungkook asked, making the prince smile widely.

"That is a great deal!"

????

"We prepared some clothes for you Mr.Jeon." The maids handed him a large box.

He opened it to find several elegant shirts, trousers and jackets along with very classy shoes.

"We filled the bathtub for you, I hope that you like rose scent. His highness sure does." The young woman shyly smiled and left the chambers.

Jungkook took off his 'peasant clothes' and put them inside the box before going to the bathroom.

~~

"Oh, god." He widened his eyes when he saw himself through the mirror, with his new royal outfit and his clean body.

"Mother should see this

"Mother should see this." He smiled. "She would really like it."

"Jungkook, dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes!" The butler knocked on the door.

"I am coming!"

????

He decided to look around the palace before dinner gets ready.

He found it strange to see maids and valets bowing to him every time he walked through the corridors.

Being a part of the royal family sure was different from leading a normal life.

He kept admiring the paintings until he walked in front of a half opened door.

His curiosity fought him and he decided to look what was inside.

He found a man lying on a large bed, surrounded by a physician and nurses.

He thought that he looked a lot like the prince. Perhaps he is the King.

His heart beat faster just by the thought of it.

"Come in." He heard him call.

He widened his eyes and pointed to himself, "M-me?"

"Yes, you." the man nodded.

He opened the door shyly and bowed to him. "Your majesty?"

"You can go rest, I will be fine." The man nodded to the nurses and everyone left.

He patted the free space next to his legs. "Come here young man."

"I-I do not want to bother you, your majesty."

The king smiled and patted the bed a second time.

Jungkook sat down carefullyand bowed once again to him.

"Jungkook, isn't it?" The king asked.

"Yes, your majesty."

"My son chose well, you seem like a very nice man." The king started. "I was always fearing who will be the next prince or princess and I honestly wished it would not be a woman." He chuckled. "I married a very wonderful one but young women from this new generation are very scary. Their motive is not helping the prince but gaining popularity and money behind his back." He sighed. "Males do it too but real men like you would never."

"H-how do you know if I am a good man?" Jungkook asked.

"I can see it in your eyes son." The king smiled. "And your hands prove it too." He added, pointing at his rough hands. "You must have worked very hard."

Jungkook nodded. "My father died during the war and left me with only my sick mother. I was the only man of the house, so I had to be in charge of everything such as working here and there and helping take care of the household."

"This is exactly what a future king needs by his side. A responsible person."

"Even if I am poor and don't know the royal protocols?"

The king chuckled and put his hand on Jungkook's.

"Poverty and richness have nothing to do with your education. There are rich people whom you cannot even stand sitting with and poor people whom you like to spend all your life with. Money does not define your personality. Experiences and responsibilities do. And for the protocols, of course you can learn them. We were not born 'royals' after all." He laughed. "I am sure you will be a great prince."

"Thank you, your majesty." Jungkook smiled. "I really hope you get better very soon. I will be very pleased to get to know you better."

"Oh, if only my dear, if only." The king sighed heavily. "You should go now, dinner must be ready."

"Won't you eat with us?"

"Maybe another time. The prince would want to get to know you better and so do you, I do not want to ruin it." He smirked.

????

"Good even-" The prince widened his eyes when he saw the future prince waiting for him in the table, looking more handsome than ever with his new clothes.

"Good evening, your highness." Jungkook stood to bow to him.

They ate silently and secretly stole glances from each other.

"Tomorrow morning, we are going to the stable together." The prince said after taking a sip of his soup. "Jimin will help you choose the best horse."

Jungkook nodded. "But I do not know how to ride a horse."

"Jimin will teach you like he did to me. He is a great rider."

"And a good teacher." Another voice surged in the hall.

"Speaking of the devil." Taehyung rolled his eyes when Jimin passed by them and bowed to him.

"Where are you going?"

"One of the horses is a little bit sick, I have to check on him." Jimin said. "How do you like the castle Jungkook?" He stared at the younger.

"I really like it." The younger smiled shyly. "I am also looking forward to you to teach me horseriding."

"My pleasure!" The horseman smiled widely before leaving.

"This man..." Taehyung chuckled. "I am sure he already charmed you, he does this to everyone."

"He sure is charming." Jungkook shyly mumbled.

"Ahh do not get me jealous already!" The prince laughed. "By the way, I have something to tell you."

"Yes, your highness?"

"The king's state is getting worse day by day and we are worried he might leave us very soon." He sighed with a sad face. "I am afraid we should rush our wedding."

Jungkook gulped.

"We have five days before the ceremony."

"F-five days?!"