CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Hoseok was crying his eyes out, feeling his heart twist at the sight of Seokjin's lifeless body laying on the bed in his room. A great sob escaped his throat, and covered his face with his shaky palms, releasing a soft whimper.
"Hyung..." His lips trembled, choking his sobs, barely gasping for air. Streams of hot tears flowed faster than his heart beat, heart clenching as he eyed the elder's dead facial features with long-lasting sobs
Hot torrents of grief coursed down his face followed by his fist meeting the wall, releasing a loud scream. If only he could turn back time, he would tell Seokjin about his family. He felt guilty about not telling him about his family, and he couldn't do anything but be eaten by this guilt.
The next thing happened, he was in front of Caroline who was startled by his presence. He bit his lips, closing his eyes tightly before releasing an exasperated sigh, and looked up.
"Hoseok?" Caroline scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"
"Caroline, It's about—"
"I'm sorry." Caroline interrupted, bowing slight as sign of respect towards the Duke. "I heard that one of the Dukes died."
Hoseok stared at her blankly, resisting his tears from flowing down again, heart dropped to the floor as he thought. A Duke did....and he happened to be your beloved.
"C-Can you come with me?" Stuttered the Duke making Caroline looked confused but eventually nodded.
As they arrived in the palace with Caroline's black wolf form and Hoseok's speed, they made it in just seconds. Hoseok waited for Caroline to dress up again before making their way to Seokjin's bedroom.
"Where are we going?" She asked, oblivious that she was about to see her a dead lover.
"You will see." The Duke's voice cracked.
As Hoseok opened the door, Seokjin's scent spread outside causing Caroline to flinched at the faint familiar scent. Hoseok approached Seokjin's body with Caroline following behind.
As she stood beside Hoseok, her eyes landed on the body who she realised as a supposed dead one already. A tear tickled her cheeks, her chin, and lips trembled as she immediately recognised him.
A great tremor overtook her along with an involuntary whimper escaping her lips with tears creeping out of her eyes. She couldn't hold the heart break anymore as she dropped on her knees, lips parted as she panted heavily, eyes still fixed on the body.
Hoseok just cowered down in shame, stepping back to give space between the two. His heart was tearing as he witnessed Caroline seeing Seokjin after a thousand years, and to top that, she saw him lifeless already. He chewed his lower lips, not wanting to bawl out as well, and looked away as his face turned red from suppressing the sobs.
"J-Jinnie?" Caroline stammered, grief pour out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. She swallowed thickly with a tightening of her throat, and short intake of breath.
"Duke Kim Seokjin is the same human you met a thousand years ago, and my best friend." He choked his sobs, sniffling. "He became a Duke after the attack of your family that day."
The sounds of the teeth clicking, and bones cracking resonated the room.
"W-Why didn't you tell me back then?" She cried out, jaw clenching, holding herself from turning into a wolf any minute now. "Why didn't you tell me that he was alive, and right by your side?!"
Hearing a gut-wrenching sobs from her tore his chest, Hoseok's stomach twist at the guilt that was eating him out. "I'm sorry." Was all he could muster to mutter out.
The sound of wailing and suffering echoed throughout the room.
Hoseok fumbled the envelope that was in the vault, eyes widened when he saw his name.
Hoseok-ah...
No need to hide it from me. I saw you two talking at the back of the palace before the Duke's meeting happened. I even teased you, asking you how you was your lovely time with that human when I knew she isn't a human.
I was heart broken while saying that. I was shock and confused at first. I didn't know what to react that after all this time because I never knew she was still alive.
Does she even know I'm still alive?
I was devastated, thinking that she was dead the whole time. But I didn't bother it at first because I thought my eyes was just playing with me.
Hoseok stared at the letter, remembering what happened back then. Seokjin did teased him, and he was talking about Caroline that time?
FLASHBACK
"Where were you?" Namjoon asked before gasping. "Don't tell me you already ate?!"
Hoseok bursts out laughing. "I didn't! I was just out with someone! If I did, I shouldn't have even bother picking up these."
"What? Did you have fun alone with that little human you were with last night?" Seokjin teased and winked at him. Hoseok didn't reply and just groaned at him.
END OF FLASHBACK
Hoseok's lips quiver because he never thought that Seokjin would see Caroline and him. He looked down glancing at the letter again.
But then the second time came. I saw them at the party. I was roaming around the event for the bond between two races, and I saw you.
I wanted to speak to you but you were looking at the stairs that time, and that's when I knew that someone has caught the cold hearted Jung Hoseok's affection, but what I expected didn't turn out well.
You were in love with my wife?
I don't care if you are in love, I'm more handsome than you. She chose me.
Just kidding. That's not the point. I know I'm handsome already, and you are too Hoseok-ah. I was just surprised that time, and overheard her calling the young man 'son', and I knew it. I was crying, and conflicted. It's tearing me apart.
Even knowing that she was alive the whole time, I couldn't bring myself to show in front of her or them.
I realised that destiny is playing with me. I saw her, but didn't do anything. I witnessed my own's son death yet I left him there. I didn't even feel any ounce of familiarity when I met my son at the dungeon.
I didn't even felt any guilt that the kid I witnessed his own death is the same kid I helped with overthrowing Namjoon. I never knew.
I know about everything now, and I'm glad you didn't tell me about it. Please don't tell my son about his useless father, and let him live his life without knowing his father.
Thinking about it, How devastated would he be to find out about his father? I'm such a disgrace for him that I couldn’t bring myself to face him.
Please, I ask you to take care of my family.
Duke Kim Seokjin
Signing out.
Taehyung and Hanisha were cuddling on the bed with the lady's comforting words for him. The king was devastated over Seokjin's death that he forgot to give her the most important piece yesterday.
And he will now.
With him grabbing her hands, caressing her fingertips with his thumb, he brought it near his lips and giving it a soft kiss.
"I want to give you something." He muttered, quickly slipping the ring in her fingers.
Hanisha's eyes widened, pulling her hand away in surprise. She eyed the silver ring that encircled her finger with black and red diamond at the center along with small diamonds at the side. It was the same ring that she was trying to find all along.
"What is this?" Her mouth gaped, observing how the diamond reflected, and her eyes flashed in excitement.
"I told you that this ring means that you belong to me, remember?" Taehyung raised his eyebrows.
"Of course." Hanisha laughed nervously, forgetting that she once saw it when she explored his memory.
"How is it that you lost it?"
"I'm sorry," She fake pouted and Taehyung almost melted, giving up in defeat.
"Fine. I won't ask." He growled playfully making Hanisha giggle, and her heart swells for a moment there.
Taehyung tightened his arms around her, grabbing her hands and staring at the ring. "I was supposed to give it to you yesterday, but Hyung's death distracted me and devastated me that I forgot to give it."
"You wanted to give me the ring yesterday?" She gasped, and Taehyung nodded before nuzzling back to her neck. She wrapped her hands around his body, hands glowed with brown, casting a spell for Taehyung to force himself to meditate.
"You need to rest." She smirked, eyeing the ring again. I guess I didn't have to make my job difficult. She swiftly moved her hand in the air, showing an image and replaying Seokjin's death.
"You think I wouldn't know about Taehyung's child?" She chuckled bitterly before hissing. "Don't worry. I will take care of the child that she is carrying because it will be mine and Taehyung's child soon."
She tugged the image towards her palms before going back to cuddle Taehyung. She chuckled with her sinister smile, tears falling in amusement. "You were pretty smart to remove his memory of their intimate session back then, Seokjin."
"But too bad you forgot to remove Taehyung's memory about him asking you to remove Ha Na's memory."
FALLEN
Written by Hannah (daddiehoseok)