Chapter Text
His hands rested behind his back, gaze wondering around the hall. Delicate golden lines that twirled and intertwined with themselves were painted on the tall, sea blue walls to his sides. From the ceiling hang three gorgeous lamps, each of them with hundreds of small diamonds that created beautiful patterns. Various ivory statues of people and animals rested on top of wooden pedestals, each of them lined across the walls. On the far end of the room, right in the middle there was a huge wooden door, similar to the one behind him, but this one was slightly bigger and with carvings of the same pattern as those on the walls.
His own breathing was the only source of sound in the hall, for he was the only person in the room. He dared not move, it wouldn't be right to start walking around. If someone entered and saw him standing next to the statues or looking up close at the patterns of the wall, it would not only be embarrassing, but show a lack of professionalism. He had been to the Castle several times before, but was never summoned for a specific task. Most of the time, his presence there meant guarding the doors to the hall or the dining room on a special occasion, always partnered up with someone.
But this time, he was here for a specific reason. A privilege, some would call it. And of course, after being the only candidate selected from the King's Guard, he couldn't turn down the offer, even if he wanted to. It's not every day that the King himself picked you for a certain role.
After what seemed an eternity, the doors opened. He immediately straightened up his posture, and was about to bow down when he saw that a maid was approaching him. A lone, petite maid, with a clipboard in hand. She stopped about two meters away from him, bowed slightly, and gestured to follow her. Turning around, she walked towards the door and out through the hallway, him following behind.
They walked for a while, turning left, then right, and up a staircase. As they continued to walk across the hallways, he tried to remember the way back. He'd have to memorise the different passages, both the main ones and the hidden ones. He needed to know how to quickly move around the Castle in case of an emergency, or to go wherever he was called to, not arriving a second late. After all, if he couldn't do that, he'd be dismissed, replaced, and depending on the circumstances, fired.
They finally arrived at their destination, a bold wooden door before them. The maid knocked three times, and waited.
She knocked again, louder this time. Once again, no answer. They stood there in awkward silence for a while, until the petite woman grew impatient. With a scowl, she opened the door and cleared her throat, moving to the side.
"Your Highness!" she called, masking her irritation with a sweet yet loud tone.
At the sound of her voice, the young man sitting in the fancy forest green arm chair next to the window, perked up his head. Eyes wide, he took out his earbuds out of his ears, and stood up, brushing his hands across his suit jacket, trying his best to straighten any wrinkles in the fabric. Then, he walked up to them, and smiled at the visitors.
"Your Highness," began the maid, some irritation noticeable in her voice "I present you Mr. Kang Younghyun, of the Royal Guard. From now on, according to the King's orders, he will be here to escort and protect your person."
The Prince looked shocked, eyeing the man standing at the doorway, dressing in full uniform. Navy blue jacket neatly hugging his body, black pants slightly baggy above his knees, the rest of the fabric tucked inside shiny knee-length black boots. On top of his abundant black hair, rested a round hat the same shade as the jacket, with the country's emblem right in the middle. As for his face, his features were sharp, yet gentle. Fair skin, pink lips forming a soft smile, and sharp, dark brown eyes looking at him with respect. His brow was relaxed, and his mouth slightly parted.
Taking the maid's words as his cue to speak up, the young man bowed, looking at the Prince, taking his hat off with his right hand and placing against his chest, the other arm bent behind his back.
"Your Highness, it's a pleasure to meet you. From now on, I-"
"I'm pretty sure I made clear I didn't need nor want some guard following my every step." his voice is soft, yet filled with annoyance "Mr. Kang, I have nothing against you doing your job and following the King's orders, but I'm afraid you are dismissed. I'd suggest you go back to your spot, or continue with your usual tasks. That is all."
The young Prince walked past them, and down the hallway, leaving behind a fuming maid and a shocked man standing at the door of his personal Study.
Younghyun blinked twice, mouth hanging open, trying to process what just happened.
He had been dismissed by the Prince. The Prince had stated that he didn't want nor needed him, making it look like there had been a misunderstanding. But how? He'd been told of the news two weeks ago, and summoned there this morning.
Was there a chance he got it wrong? But the maid had come to look for him, and took him to the Prince. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the spot where the Prince was sitting just now, and then at the end of the hallway, where he had disappeared.
The maid let out a tired sigh, and turned, giving him an apologetic look. Caramel eyes scanned him up and down, while mumbling to herself. Hands flew to her waist, the woman suddenly beaming and smiling at him.
"Follow me this way, Mr. Kang. I'll take you to your room"
Younghyun stared, not moving an inch. His room? Didn't the Prince just tell him to leave and go about his usual tasks? Still, there he stood, yet to excuse himself and take his leave. Whether he wanted to or not, he knew better than disobeying the King, so without questioning the maid, he followed her through the hallways.
"I'm sorry for the Prince's awful manners. But to be honest, I can't really blame him" she commented as they walked "Actually, scratch that. His manners were terrible. But it's no surprise he threw a tantrum, after all he's got people following him everywhere, making sure no one tries something against him."
They turned right, and walked down a staircase, entering through a tall, dark brown door. To each side stood two guards who at the sight of him, they nodded and saluted, Younghyun giving them a slight nod, the interaction causing the maid to raise a brow. The West Wing was where the royal family and their closest, personal servants slept. To the left, the female's rooms, to the right, the male's. The King's and Princes' rooms on the far end.
They stopped before reaching the end of the hall, the maid opening the door to their right. it was a fairly humble room—though undeniably royal, with a wide, cozy looking bed to the right. The walls were of a creamy white, and the bed covers, burgundy. A small window let you see a bit of the Western Garden, abundant in greenery. To the left, a single white door. The bathroom, Younghyun assumed. There wasn't any other furniture, but a night table to both sides of the bed, and a wooden chair by the window, a glass table next to it.
The maid cleared her throat, and smiled with a hand extended at him.
"We'll be seeing each other daily from now on, might as well introduce myself. My name is Park Jimin, a pleasure to meet you"
Younghyun shook her hand, returned her greetings, and was left to his own thoughts.
Just what on Earth did he get himself into?