Chapter Text
"Is there something wrong, Tae? You have not eaten anything in a while," Mrs. Park inquired, her face concerned.
"There is nothing wrong; I am fine."
Beside her, Jimin looked at him inquisitively, unable to understand the reason for his sudden personality. Taehyung was a quiet young man who did not play around much, but there was something wrong with him that day. There was no doubt about it.
Something must have happened to cause him to become so distant. In the long two years he had known him, he knew that his best friend did it to avoid worrying other people.
"Something is wrong," Jimin said to his mother, setting his chopsticks aside, having lost his appetite. He draped an arm around the shaman's shoulder in a friendly manner and looked at him. “Tae? You can tell us.”
“It's nothing, really," he assured, faking a smile. “I'm just tired.”
Mrs. Park gently said, "I am sure you have been overworked. Have the rituals depleted your energy?"
Shaman Kim nodded, but the vengeful spirit was the main reason he had only been feeling bad for the past few days. Despite the fact that his interactions with the entity were few in comparison to his interactions with the God and the angels of death, the consumed energy was difficult to replace from one day to the next.
He could feel it taking its toll on his body from time to time. Especially when he was not in the presence of Kim Seok Jin. The presence of the God acted as a balm, and he knew that the spirit would not rebound against him as long as he was with Jin.
As a result, even if the angels of death took turns being by his side in the evenings, Taehyung could feel the spirit wandering nearby. As if it were waiting for the right moment to strike.
"The rituals have become more complicated than usual; perhaps I should limit my work days," he said. Jimin's mother found that convincing, but her friend could not quite put the puzzle pieces together.
“That will be extremely beneficial. In situations like this, it is good to take a break," Mrs. Park reassured him, smiling warmly.
"I do not think it is because of the rituals," Jimin insisted.
“It's nothing, Jimin.”
"Is it love sickness?" Mrs. Park joked. Taehyung, who had been encouraged to try a bite of the food, choked and coughed loudly.
Both Jimin and his mother looked at him with interest. Taehyung had never mentioned anything about it in his two years with them. He did not even tell them about any previous affairs he may have had while working at the palace. As a result, seeing him act so nervously gnawed at both of them.
"Do you have a crush on someone? Who is she? Is she from this province? What is her name? Do we know that person?” Jimin immediately asked, leaning over to look at his friend.
Taehyung was having trouble getting Yeomra out of his head these days. It did not help that Jin had admitted to him that he was attracted to him. He was speechless at the time, as he always was. Yeomra told him he did not have to respond and accompanied him to the lake house without bringing up the subject again.
Being in the presence of God was difficult for him, so he avoided him and stayed close to the angels of death. Jin, too, appeared to have more important matters to attend to in the Otherworld and spent more time there than on the earthly plane.
"And you do not even answer, that is an affirmative answer for me," Jimin mocked, leaning in closer. “So, are you going to tell us the details?”
"I do not like anyone, Jimin," he explained, "and I do not have time for that."
"Of course, Mr. Busy. Do you think you will get away with it? It is the first time we have noticed you getting nervous about something like that. Speak up."
"I have arrived!" exclaimed Riwoo, interrupting the brief conversation. She sat down beside the shaman, happy to see the delicious food in front of her. "I am starving."
"And your father?" Mrs. Park inquired, cocking her head to one side.
"He went straight to his office, he had some unfinished business or something."
Jimin's lips curled into a smile. “You've come at just the right time, sister.”
“Oh yeah? Why?”
“Taehyung is in love.”
Taehyung opened his mouth to speak but was abruptly silenced by the girl.
"And you only recently realized that?"
"I am not in love," Taehyung insisted, embarrassed that their mother was listening in and lightly giggling about it.
Mrs. Park interjected, "Stop bothering him. Riwoo, how about you? Why did not you bring Namjoon with you?”
"I do not like Kim Namjoon; why does everyone think that? Can't a woman and a man be friends now?” she countered as calmly as possible.
“Kim Namjoon is a wonderful man who would captivate anyone. Even I would like him," Jimin replied, pointing to himself.
Taehyung gave him a puzzled look, Riwoo opened his mouth in surprise, and his mother stood up and laughed, amused. The woman told them she was going to check on some State Agency business with her husband and asked them to finish their meal quietly.
"I see you are in love with Namjoon now," his sister observed. "Do you want me to set you up with him?"
"Park Riwoo," he mumbled, his eyes accusingly fixed on her. “Can't I appreciate a man's beauty?”
"It sounded to me like you were saying you would fall in love with him," Taehyung said.
"You have no right to speak, shaman. Which girl is it that has you in the clouds?”
Riwoo leaned over to tap him on the shoulder, which caused her brother to grumble. “Do not change the subject so quickly, Jimin. We are discussing your revelation.”
Taehyung started to feel better as the tension in the room dissipated. His friends had a way of making him laugh so hard that he forgot about the things that were bothering him.
Footsteps were heard behind them, and everyone was surprised to see Mr. Park looking at them. Taehyung ducked his head and rose to bow to him.
Mr. Park asked in his monotone voice, "Can I talk to you, Kim Taehyung?"
There was no sternness in his tone, nor did he appear angry with him. So he walked to his office, telling Jimin that everything was fine and not to worry.
Jimin's father rarely asked him to speak with him; in fact, he could easily count the number of times they had a conversation lasting more than a minute. He recognized the man's concern. Having a fugitive in the house was dangerous, especially when it was a matter directly related to the palace.
The palace showed no mercy.
“Mr. Park," Taehyung said as he bowed and took a seat across from him. The man's desk was piled high with books and materials for the Agency's rituals.
“You know it has never been a problem for you to be here," he said, taking the shaman by surprise.
“Yes.”
"You are a good friend to my children, and... Even my wife sees you as another son," he continued, clasping his hands together and carefully considering his words. "I am hoping you understand what I am about to ask of you."
Taehyung did not even have to listen to him to figure out what was going on. It wasn't like Taehyung felt the most comfortable in this place, yet the very idea of being away from his friends left him with an emotional void.
"I will not stand here again, sir," he said, interrupting the other man. Jimin's father shook his head.
"The Gongju agency will be the main venue for the summer celebrations," he explained, "so expect a larger presence of shamans and court people. I am telling you this so you will be cautious."
“Court people? Your majesty and your highness...?”
"They will be staying at the temporary palace in a few days."
Taehyung took a deep breath and swallowed. Trying to flee the capital and avoid the guards had been futile all that time. How was he going to stay calm during the summer? How could he do that when he would not be safe anywhere?
"Do you have somewhere to go? I do not think you should stay in your store," he explained, pausing to think of something. “I could find you a temporary house in another province and…”
"I have somewhere to go," Taehyung said quickly, not letting him finish his sentence. "I appreciate you informing me about this, Mr. Park."
The man nodded, and the shaman bowed before leaving the office without saying anything else. His friends' fathers held important positions within the Agency, so their ties to the palace were invaluable.
And the thought of leaving the province occurred to Taehyung.
He had escaped once, so what did it matter if he did it again? The few friendships he kept on Gongju, on the other hand, bound him. He did not want to be separated from them. To have to go through such a separation was a pain he did not want to go through again.
Did he have anywhere to go? The only option he had was to stay at the lake house. And spending all of his time cooped up with those guys was not his ideal scenario. He had to stick it out.
"What kind of trouble are you getting yourself into?" Riwoo asked, intercepting him in one of the corridors of the house so that he couldn't walk any further.
The girl was still dressed in her State Agency uniform and appeared to be in a bad mood. Her brow furrowed and her arms crossed. Seeing his friend in that state was not a good sign, and Taehyung was already too stressed to explain himself further.
"What now?" he asked, beginning to walk but being stopped by a grip on his arm.
“There are two young men out there waiting for you," she replied, causing Taehyung's eyes to widen.
Two young men? The angels of death?
“What... what did they say?”
Riwoo narrowed his eyes. "Do not try to avoid my questions, Kim. What are you getting yourself into? First, you appear out of nowhere with that mysterious man and claim to have been staying with him."
"He is an... acquaintance," he replied, the first thing that came to mind. The young lady burst out laughing.
"So they are acquaintances?" she said, Taehyung nodded confidently. "Kim Taehyung, tell me the truth, are you dating...?"
"How did you come to such a hasty conclusion?"
"You told him about Hoseok," she said, as if she had mentioned a sensitive subject. Taehyung sighed and rolled his eyes. "It is a sensitive matter for you; you would not tell the first person who stood in front of you. He must be special to you.”
In fact, he did not even do that. He did not have to reveal such personal information because the God was somehow connected to his past. Taehyung couldn't remember him, he didn't think he'd ever seen him around once. Yeomra was one of those people who would be hard to forget. So why didn't he remember him?
“It's not a sensitive matter. Look, Riwoo, we have talked about this before, and I thought you would leave it alone."
“That boy, the one from a few days ago, do you like him? I know how much what happened hurts you and..."
"I do not want to talk about it any longer."
"Do not deny your feelings because of what happened in the past," she said sympathetically, watching the changing features on his friend's face. "That mysterious man appears to be interested in you. That is a fact. And if he dares to hurt you, he will face the consequences."
"Seok Jin confuses me a lot, but that is all. I am not going to let it go any further. I do not have time for this, and I do not want to be tied to anyone. Not anymore."
Riwoo looked at him with sadness.
"Don't go to Hanyang," she asked him. Taehyung looked at her as soon as she mentioned it. How did she know? "It's been two years, but they're still looking for you. Are you going to hand yourself over on a golden platter?"
"I have a job there.”
"Is it that important?"
"I've always wanted to do this. You know how important this is to me. Nothing will happen to me."
"The guys outside, where do you know them from?"
Taehyung arched an eyebrow. "Are you going to interrogate me? I don't have to explain myself to you."
"I'm just worried," she defended herself, watching as the shaman seemed to regret his hostile attitude. "Your going there may be traumatic for you."
"It doesn't matter."
"It does matter, Tae. It matters to us too. We don't want anything bad to happen to you. Being sentenced to death is horrible, but the punishment for escaping from one is even more horrible. What if you get caught?"
"I won't get caught."
She snorted tiredly, surrendering to the other's attitude. Taehyung built walls between them that were difficult to tear down. In cases like these, leaving him in his personal space was the only thing they could do.
Taehyung exited the house, bidding a brief farewell to Jimin, who frowned and hurriedly stood up to follow him. As soon as he stepped outside, the shaman recognized the angels of death chattering among themselves, as they always did.
The younger angel raised his head, relieved that he had finally appeared, unable to stand Yoongi any longer.
"Shall we go?" Jungkook inquired, looking at Taehyung and ignoring the two friends who were curiously watching him from behind.
"Leaving? Where to?” Jimin interjected, tensing his face.
Taehyung turned to face him. "I have a ritual in Hanyang, so I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Hanyang? No way! Have you lost your mind? You can't go near that province."
The shaman knew how worried his friends were, but the longer he stood there, the more time passed. He tried to reassure Jimin, as he had with Riwoo but Jimin was more insistent than usual. Hanyang was a topic they avoided discussing, and Taehyung's sudden mention of it set off a chain reaction that was difficult to control.
"I'll be back soon, alright? I will not go alone; Riwoo will explain everything to you."
"Explain it to me? What would she need to explain?"
Riwoo snorted in annoyance and grabbed his brother by the arm and pulled him inside the house. She quickly said goodbye to Taehyung, and Jimin struggled a few times before giving up, knowing he could never beat his older sister.
"Those two friends of yours are fantastic," Yoongi said with a laugh. "It must be nice to have someone concerned about your safety."
Jungkook looked at him, stunned, unable to believe that the angel of death would say such a thing. “Are you implying that Jin and I don't care about you?”
"When you are dead, there is little danger around you. Actually, nothing can happen to us; we are not going to die again."
"But you can become a vengeful spirit, or even worse, be cast out of your faculties as a reaper in the Otherworld."
Jungkook appeared to be an experienced and dedicated angel of death. Most of the time, the shaman perceived him as a respectful and polite man. Subtracting the times when he was enthralled by Yoongi's jokes and appeared childish.
"When did it become worse to stop being a reaper than to die? Jungkook, sometimes you surprise me.”
"Don't you think our work is amazing?"
"If only we could get rid of the vengeful spirit soon and concentrate on simple tasks," Yoongi said, casually raising and lowering his shoulders.
"We have a difficult task ahead of us. The truth is, it's far more intricate than that."
When Taehyung felt a grip on both arms as they quickly arrived in the forest, he was taken aback and scowled at the sight of Yoongi and Jungkook holding him without drawing attention to it. They simultaneously freed him without saying anything after a short while.
Unexpectedly, Taehyung questioned, "What about Jin? Won't he be joining us?"
"It's a delicate matter," Jungkook replied, causing the shaman to snort in annoyance. Yoongi clicked his tongue.
"Yeomra can't be in Hanyang, we don't know the reason, but whenever he was around here he always started to feel like..." Without even the tiniest bit of consideration or tact, Jungkook stopped Yoongi from explaining what was happening by grabbing his arm.
"What part of this is a delicate matter don't you understand, Min Yoongi?"
Yoongi gave him a defiant look. "Shaman Kim is one of us now, he must know about it."
"Yeomra makes the final decision in this instance. Are you comfortable with people going about telling everyone who stands in their way about your personal life? Just... Put yourself in Seokjin's place."
"It wouldn't bother me," he challenged.
"All right, Min Yoongi, aristocrat from Goryeo."
With surprise, Taehyung turned to face him. "Were you a member of the aristocracy?"
Yoongi regretfully nodded.
The shaman wondered what had happened to cause him to lose his life at such a young age.
Min Yoongi, in fact, had a friendly personality about him that made people trust him quickly. It took him aback to learn that Yoongi belonged to the aristocracy because he did not exhibit the typical behaviors associated with that social level.
"Why does bringing it up bother you?” Taehyung ventured to inquire. Yoongi chuckled.
"Due to the injustices that exist there. My father had a close connection to the emperor and the princes, and he owned one of the villas," he said, glancing at Jungkook in amusement. Do you recall what I told you? When we visited the..."
"Shut up," a terrified Jungkook cut him off. With a quick glance at the shaman, he realized that the other person was completely lost in translation, and he smiled uncomfortably. "Min, give up being so obstinate."
"It's okay, merchant Jeon Jungkook," he remarked, drawing a cold glance from the man.
"You pitiful yangban, don't you dare make fun of me," he demanded, threatening to wield his sword. Yoongi looked at him with amusement and shook his hands.
"You did pass away lately, didn't you?" Shaman Kim questioned, understanding how personal this could be for the other. " I'm sorry. I'm just curious... Don't you often visit the place where you grew up?"
But instead of shying away, Jungkook shook his head.
"It was difficult at first. I refused to believe that I had separated from my parents. My father was rendered disabled by an accident, so my mother and I were the only ones who could support our family," he said, holding fast to the sword he wore around his waist and remaining aware of his surroundings at all times. "After I got to the Otherworld, I used to come back whenever I could. I even pleaded with the judges to revive me, but they would not."
"Why did they refuse?"
"That privilege isn't bestowed onto just everyone. The death's cause needs to be significant. Me? I had an accident and died by drowning."
"However, since you passed away without finishing something in this life, why didn't you become a wandering ghost?"
"I was about to become one, if it wasn't for this fool here. I'm thankful to him just for that."
The shaman looked to where he pointed, Yoongi shrugged and nodded.
"Are you familiar with the story of the reapers' choice?" Yoongi inquired.
"Yes... One will be chosen to be a reaper in their next life if they see one before they die," Taehyung answered, and both of the death angels nodded. "So, you knew each other before?"
"Jungkook was nosing around while I was doing my work," Yoongi told him, grimacing with annoyance. "If he hadn't gone out late at night that day, we wouldn't have had to meet and become partners for eternity."
"Are you implying that you find my presence irritating?"
"You're a pain in the neck, but I still like you," Yoongi said, and Jungkook blushed and pushed his lips together. "What? Are you still upset with me?"
"It's annoying to hear you talk. Please stop."
"You ought to express gratitude to me for sparing your life that evening," he stated, crossing his arms. Jungkook scowled; were they really getting into a fight already?
"Saving my life? Yeah right. Then let's tally all the times I've saved you during the last five years of work," he said, crossing his arms in the same way. Yoongi smirked slyly, "If it hadn't been for me, Yeomra would have killed you the day of the accident in the Otherworld.”
"It wasn't my fault. Besides, Yeomra gets enraged about trivial matters; what did I do to deserve his rage?"
"You broke the mirror of karma."
"So what?"
"You stopped the flow of souls for several months and Yeomra was severely punished by the other Gods for the low rate of rebirths."
The shaman, who remained silent, listened intently to all that they said. Even though he had only known Yeomra for a few months and found his presence unsettling, he could not see him in the way he was portrayed. Angry? Seok Jin?
"It will be your fault if Seok Jin is not eligible for his life back on Earth," Jungkook warned.
“Seok Jin doesn't even want to be reborn," Yoongi countered. "Thus, it wouldn't really matter."
“Shut your mouth," Jungkook mumbled, signalling that the shaman was listening.
"What? "I don't understand why Shaman Kim can't know," Yoongi said, growing more perplexed when Jungkook squeezed his arm and made him stop talking.
"Don't spread false information like that; it's still up for debate whether Yeomra will be eligible for reborn."
“Look, we already know that the judges plan to give him a chance because of the way he died, but Seok Jin doesn't want to take it, he told both of us. And it's just that living through a traumatic experience like that…”
"That was back then," said Jungkook, anxious that the shaman was paying attention. “Seok Jin can change his mind at any time. So do something good and shut your mouth.”
It was impossible for Taehyung not to become increasingly curious about it. For the Otherworldly judges to have taken the time to grant him this chance to be revived, the cause of his death had to have been extremely severe. Jungkook also took great care to keep it a secret.
“What about Yeomra? Who did he used to be before he died?" In an attempt to ease the tension between them, Taehyung inquired out of the blue, but it ended up making it worse.
“We don't like to mention it," Jungkook replied, clearing his throat. “The time will come, eventually, when Yeomra is ready to tell you.”
“You didn't know right away?”
"I did, Jungkook had to wait a long year for it," Yoongi laughed.
“You knew right away because you knew him in your past life, not because he has more confidence in you," Jungkook defended himself, Yoongi mimicked him with amusement, and they fell back into silence.
Taehyung was desperate to know about Yeomra's past, but the grim reapers didn't appear to want to share any information with him. It was hard to avoid the topic because he was interacting with them more and more.
The fact that Yoongi had known him from before showed that Seok Jin belonged to the aristocratic class of the Goryeo dynasty. How could he not have thought of it earlier? Only a member of the upper class could have possessed his refined demeanor, modest conceit, and extravagant tastes.
"We have reached Hanyang," stated Jungkook while extending his arms.
"So fast?" Taehyung scowled. "How is that even possible?"
"Were you expecting us to walk all the way to Hanyang?" Yoongi laughed. "We've shortened the trip."
"How did you do that?"
Happily, Yoongi informed him, "An angel of death doesn't reveal his tricks."
"We passed through the portal in the middle of the forest without you noticing," Jungkook said. “We even grabbed your arm.”
Taehyung was amazed to see that the reaper was opening up more and more, providing more details about the magnificent place they had come from.
"There is a small house in Hanyang's center where we used to stay," Jungkook continued. “It's Yeomra's property, that's for sure, but it will be useful for you to organise things for the ritual before you leave.”
Taehyung stopped asking as he knew it would be in vain. Walking through the streets together, Taehyung lowered his hat so no one would know he was there, until Yoongi motioned for them to seek cover in an alley.
“Hold my arm," Yoongi asked the shaman, Jungkook raised an eyebrow. "No one will be able to see you that way. Just hold on tight."
Without even having to ask twice, Taehyung seized hold of Yoongi's hanbok and they set off once more. In broad daylight, a plethora of high-ranking individuals were strolling about the center. Even though Taehyung did not recognise any of them, he could identify their clothes.
In one way or another, all those yangban were all linked to the palace. The shaman was struggling to remain calm because the fear would not go away. To be experiencing this kind of emotion in the place he had spent his entire life growing up was awful.
They came to an abrupt stop, and he watched the grim reapers easily unlock the gate of the house. Just as indicated, it was a small house, but modesty had nothing to do with it. It appeared to be the home of a renowned yangban. With a furrowed brow, Taehyung wondered if they were really otherworldly creatures. They seemed human.
“What a surprise!" After opening the front entrance and allowing the shaman to enter first, Jungkook angrily said, "The great King Yeomra going against the rules."
Yeomra? Yeomra was there? Immediately, Taehyung looked over to where the man was. And though the shaman was annoyed by him, he couldn't help but feel a little relieved that he was there.
What made him feel pleased to see him all of a sudden?
As they came in one by one, Seok Jin stood and observed. He kept staring at the shaman, as though he wanted to know if the shaman was alright. Hanyang was a traumatic place, and that he had not refused to go only made Yeomra more alert.
“I couldn’t let you come alone.”
"Are you questioning our abilities to protect Taehyung?" Yoongi pretended to take offense as he set up the desk for the shaman, who was just standing with the materials he had brought with him.
“I do, yes.”
“You can't be here, Yeomra," Jungkook told him, pointing unashamedly at him. "Have you felt sick yet?"
"I'm alright."
"Are you serious?"
"I am, Kook," he assured him, slanting a sidelong glance at Taehyung, who observed him with interest before averting his gaze to concentrate on something else in the room. Seok Jin grinned.
"All set," Yoongi declared, allowing the shaman time to get ready for the ceremony. "We'll take you there when you're done."
With a nod, the shaman started easing the materials out, looking weary. After returning to his friends' location, Yoongi leant his back against the closest wall and peered at them with interest. Especially Yeomra.
"What is the reason behind your sudden distance from Taehyung?" he inquired.
“I confessed a few days ago.”
Both Jungkook and Yoongi looked at him in surprise.
While Jungkook was certain that the God was deeply attracted to Shaman Kim, he was yet uneasy to learn that Yeomra had made such a significant move. Yoongi, however, started to feel suspicious yet worried that he was drawing hasty judgments.
He never thought Jin would fall in love again, but here he was, saying he'd confessed to the person who was now working with them.
"When did you start liking him?" Yoongi asked, staring at him with skepticism. Seok Jin laughed aloud.
“A few years ago, why?”
“You didn't tell us about it!”
“Jungkook knew about it," he said with amusement.
Yoongi looked at him with frustration. "You intend to trade our two hundred years of friendship for a five-year friendship? Really?
"Quality over quantity," Jungkook retorted, finding Min Yoongi's abrupt outburst amusing.
“You are conspiring against me. I'm done," he murmured angrily, turning to face Yeomra. "You surprised me; I thought you would never fall in love again."
“I'm not in love, I like him.”
Yoongi laughed aloud. “It's the same thing.”
“It’s definitely not,” Jungkook replied.
And they started fighting again.
Slipping past them without a sound, Seok Jin approached the shaman and sat down next to him, forcing him to pause his activities for a little while.
"What are you doing?"
"I get ready for the ritual."
“And how do you do that?” Yeomra asked, but received no response. He leaned closer as soon as something in his field of vision caught his eye. “Is that an amulet?”
Taehyung nodded. "Much like the one you last saw in my store. Bujeok," he reminded him, the God gazed at him in awe, impressed with the ease with which the young man decorated the yellowish parchment.
"Did you draw that yourself?" Jin asked, Taehyung mouthed an affirmative sound with his mouth. “You're very good at it.”
The shaman raised his head to look at him, feeling embarrassed by his last comment. He spent long years trying to perfect his drawing technique, for he was not good at it at all, the quest to make the perfect amulet was his main motivation. For the first time in his life, he was immediately showered with praise, and he was unsure of how to respond or express his gratitude.
"You know that the tiger symbolizes protection?" Taehyung inquired, clearing his throat to shift the subject. Upon realizing how anxious the other was, Yeomra grinned. “It is a symbol used at funerals and graves to guard the spirit in the Otherworld.”
“My father used to tell me about it," said Jin. Upon hearing him share a little about his background, Taehyung became inquisitive and chose to remain silent, focusing on his task. “Baekho works alongside us, in the Otherworld. "Not only does he work as a forest guardian and messenger, but he is a celestial spirit and has great power over all the other Gods.”
“So you have seen him?”
“Only once in my long life.”
“What was it like?” he asked with obvious excitement. Despite being enticed, Yeomra chose to ignore and downplay the matter.
Taehyung was suddenly moody again, but it felt strange. Rarely did he have a totally composed conversation with the God, free from the shaman's continual mood swings and Yeomra's subtle insinuations.
And it was pleasant.
In an attempt to get the conversation back on track, Taehyung began to devise some common ground that might help him, but their communication was a failure each time.
Feeling Yeomra's presence drawing nearer, his pulse grew erratic and he worried about damaging the amulet. The minimal space between them, due to the God's inexorable curiosity about what he was doing, was slowly and painfully killing him. His senses were racing with haste and that Jin was paying so much attention to what Taehyung loved to do was making him more nervous.
After witnessing Jin confess in front of him that day, how could he not be nervous about his presence?
"Do you feel anxious?"
Taehyung let out a sarcastic laugh. “Why would I be nervous about you? Nonsense."
“I didn't mean about me," Yeomra said, the shaman closed his eyes in embarrassment. "I was referring to Hanyang. I know it's hard to be in this place, but we won't leave you alone at any time.”
“I can't concentrate," he replied without looking at him. "Would you please keep quiet?"
Yeomra arched an eyebrow at the suddenness of it, but ended up agreeing shortly.
He realized right away why he was acting the way he was. That day, the day of the confession, Seok Jin was unable to resist.
He was not the type to act on impulse; rather, he made an effort to be patient. That day, he had lost his mind making what little trust they had gained over the months of working together vanish without a single trace, not a single piece remaining.
“Tae..." he murmured, resting his head on the palm of his hand, the man looked at him sideways and felt his heart suddenly race.
Did he refer to him as Tae?
"What?"
“Nothing is going to happen to you, if that's what's flooding your mind. We promised we would protect you and we don't break our promises. We know how important a ritual of this magnitude is to you, so act as you normally would.”
“I know.”
"When we get there, I promise not to leave you for even a second."
"I'm not sure I understand," the shaman said, lifting his head to face him. "Why? Why protect me? Because of the vengeful spirit?”
"Not only for that," he emphasized. “You are part of us now.”
“What's the real reason? I'm not going to keep pretending to believe what you say," he said, putting aside the amulets he carried with him. “There seems to be something else, why me? Of all the shamans in the world, why me?"
“Because you are the best shaman I have ever seen.”
Taehyung blushed and blinked a couple of times to keep away the embarrassment he felt at such flattery. “What do you want me to do?”
“It's a long story.”
“We have all the time in the world now. Speak.”
"You need to get ready for the ritual."
It felt pointless to insist, but he didn't want to give up so easily. “Yeomra, you have to promise to tell me everything after this, do you understand?”
Seok Jin smiled tenderly at the angry expression on the shaman's face. The situation was serious, and the other didn't seem amused by the way the God was trying to lighten things up. But Yeomra was concentrating on him, completely enticed at the sight of him with his characteristic curiosity, with fury being expressed by every muscle in his face.
The shaman's scowl and pouting mouth was, in short, Yeomra's undoing.
“If you don't tell me, I'll quit," he threatened, returning to his task of writing the red symbols on the yellow scrolls. "Neither will I aid you, nor will I complete the resentful spirit's errand."
"When did you start to become so determined?"
“I am involved with a God of the Underworld and his two angels of death. It would be incredibly foolish of me to submit to..." His words stopped coming out of his mouth as soon as Yeomra left a gentle caress on his hair and gave him a half-smile as he stood up and walked away to let him concentrate.
But in this moment, Seok Jin was the only thing on his thoughts. How did the slightest touch make him get that way? He turned his head to where Jin was chatting with Jungkook and Yoongi, and looked at his bare hands. Feeling an itch in his own hands as he longed to touch him.
He could understand what the angels warned him about. He himself understood what it meant to touch a god. But, as always, sticking with the first explanation was far from what he lived by in his life. There was always something more.
Yeomra was full of so many secrets and he feared as soon as his mind led him to conclude that, ultimately, he wanted to discover them all.
[...]
Taehyung fiddled with his hanbok while looking at the ground, he was too nervous to function properly. He knew he shouldn't have, as Yeomra and the angels were there, but the bad feelings were hard to shake off.
“You'll be fine here," Seok Jin reassured him, settling down beside him, "I'll keep an eye on the surroundings. They seem to be good people, and have no connection to the palace, so you need not fear.”
“Yes…”
"However, we still need to devise a rough plan in case things don't work out as planned. Tell me if anything makes you uncomfortable, and I'll get you out of here right away."
“All right," Taehyung muttered, his hands swaying uneasily at his sides. The worst feeling in the world was being surrounded by Hanyang individuals.
"Then, if something goes wrong, try to avoid the crowd and come to me. I will bring you to the spirit realm with me and no one will be able to see you.”
The shaman nodded, however, hoping that he would not have to carry out the plan he mentioned. The situation was already too much for him, having to endure danger during his short stay would end what little sanity he was trying to maintain.
“Shaman Kim, you'll do fine," he encouraged him, leaving a light caress on his cheek to cheer him up.
Taehyung felt the slight icy touch on his skin and shivered.
Without a doubt, danger and the God's tender touches would drive him insane. And he was determined to keep the young man from his thoughts. Because he didn't want to become overly attached, and because he didn't desire to fall any lower than he had already.
He broke away from Seok Jin and walked over to where the man who had asked for his service was standing.
The God was unable to look away from him for even a moment; the ceremony was expertly organized, and Taehyung presented himself in a way that was admirable. With all of his acts, this youngster demonstrated his love for what he performed.
The shaman muttered the spell under his breath as he placed the amulet he had so carefully constructed.
Unconsciously, Jin grinned, but it vanished the moment he felt a persistent discomfort in his abdomen. Though he made an effort to downplay it, it was too powerful to ignore for very long. It was not possible for him to simply turn around and leave the shaman. He had sworn to stick by his side through it all, and he had no plans to back down.
Nor did he want to leave him alone.
After completing the first phase of the ceremony, the family thanked Taehyung and bowed to him. He was fatigued, and his low energy prompted him to rest before proceeding with the last half hour of the ceremony.
He slid through the crowd and caught up to Yeomra, who was furrowing his eyebrows.
"Seok Jin, you look strange, is everything all right?"
"Everything's fine, you don't have to worry," he informed him, attempting to grin despite his pain. "Are you done?"
“There's a break in between. The relatives will then arrange the offerings and say their final goodbyes to the deceased. I'll continue after that."
"Are your energies well?"
Taehyung tilted his head. "They are... Why do you ask?"
"Because it's a complex ceremony, it must require more energy from you. I'm glad you're handling it well," he remarked, making Taehyung even more ashamed. "You were amazing in there, I've always wanted to see you perform one."
The ritual proceeded in the best way and any trace of nervousness was brushed away. He couldn't ignore Seok Jin, who, despite his best efforts to stand straight and rest against the wall, was suddenly breathing heavily.
"Is there something wrong with you? Are you sick? This is not normal..."
"We Gods don't get sick," Jin teased in a whisper, and Taehyung couldn't believe he could make a joke in that situation. Seeing him like that was starting to make him nervous.
"I'm being serious, Yeomra."
"It's alright."
"Jungkook said something about this. Something about you not being able to visit Hanyang or the palace."
"He told you about it. Oh my... I am going to kill him."
Taehyung nodded, frowning. "I'm not sure what this is about, but you look dreadful. Why did you come here if you were at risk of becoming like this? If something happens in this place then it's best to stay away from it.”
"Because I want to be with you, that's why I came," he replied. Taehyung opened his mouth to interrupt but quickly closed it. "I have no idea why it happens; it just appears out of nowhere. The pain I felt in the palace is nothing compared to what I'm feeling now."
“That's strange... In the palace did you feel more pain?” He inquired, and Jin nodded.
"I'll hold on until you finish the ritual and then we'll head home. As long as I don't go near the palace, I'll be able to stand.”
"Are you sure?"
"Are you worrying about me?"
Taehyung shook his head, unable to believe that in such a situation he would dare to be so shameless.
He was about to tell him that he didn't care about him at all, but familiar voices interrupted his reverie. He scowled when he realized how close they could be heard, and his eyes widened when his mind assigned a face to them.
His… Mother?
"His Majesty has ordered preparations for the summer rituals," a familiar voice announced, and Taehyung assumed it was one of his Agency colleagues. "We have to get ready to travel soon."
"It is a relief that the Agency continues to have a positive impact on the palace," Mrs. Kim said, her voice smooth and lovely. "It will be interesting to meet an Agency in a different province from our own."
"Have you checked the auspicious dates with the Bureau of Astronomy? Everything seems to indicate that the rituals will go well.
"Gongju is a beautiful province, and I can't wait to visit," Taehyung's mother said sweetly.
The shaman swallowed his saliva with difficulty, feeling a weight pushing down on his chest as if it was about to steal his breath away. Seok Jin caught a glimpse of his horrified countenance and grasped his shoulder to draw his attention, but he refused the touch; in fact, he didn't even notice it.
"Taehyung, who are they?"
He didn't answer.
His head was flooded with so many feelings at once. He had an irremediable desire to see her and hug her, to come out of that hiding place and tell her that he was alive, that the palace hadn't managed to get rid of him.
But the dread was greater: what if she disliked him and naively believed the rumours?
"The people of Gongju will gather in a few days to greet the Royal Family, they will let us take a rest after that at the Agency," said the young shaman. "We'll be guided by Director Park, who has a strong reputation. The King intends to assign him and his sons to work in Hanyang.
"Really? Does he have children?”
Taehyung peered out slightly to observe them, being careful not to be discovered through the wall. They were just as he recalled them, to the point where he felt moved to tears. His mother and his colleague stood in the doorway of one of the houses across the street, talking.
"He's got two. A boy and a girl," said the younger one. "Although they haven't presented themselves as full-fledged shamans, they have far too much potential. Especially the girl."
"It will be good to have them in Seongsucheong then."
No, actually it wouldn't.
Taehyung scowled, realizing they were talking about Riwoo and Jimin. His best friend was being forced to join the Agency even though she didn't wanted to become a full-fledged shaman in the agency, following in Taehyung's footsteps. So, the thought of his friends having to leave for the palace made him feel depressed.
"Prince Jung is showing a great attitude these days," his mother said.
Taehyung sat up again and looked at Jin pleadingly, not wanting to hear any more. He wasn't interested in hearing what they had to say about.
Agreeing to visit Hanyang was a severe error, and he regretted making such a reckless choice. He would never accept another ritual in another province.
"I want to get out of here," Taehyung mumbled. "Seok Jin, I want to get out of here."
"Who are they?"
"It's my mother and…"
"Take my hand."
"Huh?"
"I'll get you out of here, they won't be able to see you, just hold my hand and don't let go, understand?"
Taehyung nodded quickly and took him by the hand, but he saw no difference. Seok Jin tried his utmost to get them to the other realm and hide them from human eyes, but it wasn't working, especially when his energy was low.
"I don't want to stay here, I want to go back to Gongju now."
"I'll take you home," Yeomra promised. Taehyung realized he was referring to the house they had arrived in Hanyang in and shook his head repeatedly. "Tae, listen to me; as long as you're with me, nothing will happen. I'll take you to Gongju tomorrow morning; we can't go out at night; do you understand the risks out there?"
“I know them but... What if she senses that I'm here?"
"Why isn't this working?"
Jin attempted to rise up, but his legs failed, forcing him to drop to the ground and place a hand on his abdomen. His energy was going to run out entirely. Taehyung had no idea what to do; he wanted to beg the angels of death for help, but he was scared to leave Jin there.
He refused to leave him alone.
"What... what do I do?"
"Let's go home, Jungkook and Yoongi are there," he said. "I asked them to go there earlier, they'll know what to do."
"Alright. Can you... Can you walk?”
Seok Jin tried again, but to no avail. "I can't."
"Get on my back," Taehyung said quietly, squatting down.
Yeomra looked at him doubtfully, but he couldn't refuse. It was a little tough to do as the other requested, but he eventually threw his arms over his neck and the shaman carried him without complaining.
"We have to get past them," Taehyung said quietly, his voice shaking.
"Keep your head down and don't stop, you won't be discovered," muttered the other, gasping as he felt the anguish intensify.
So he did, and began to take a few steps, unsure whether everything would be well. That did not appear to be the case, as he watched from the corner of his eye as the women regarded them with interest and attempted to approach them.
"Excuse me; has something happened? Can we help?" asked Mrs. Kim.
"No... nothing has happened," Taehyung mumbled, ducking his head to avoid detection and tightening his grip on Seok Jin, who had his face hidden in the crook of his neck. The shaman took a few steps before being halted by the two other shamans.
"Really? Is your friend sick? You can take him to a nearby healer."
"I appreciate your kindness," Taehyung said in a harsh tone, silencing his mother. "But we are fine."
And he walked away, not giving them time to react. A sour feeling rushed down his throat, but he attempted to push it away as Seok Jin nearly fainted on his back. Yeomra's grip on his neck was getting weaker and weaker, and Taehyung tried to pick up the pace to keep him from suffering more than he was now.
As soon as he entered the house, he was greeted by both angels of death, who looked at him in horror and directed to where he should lay Yeomra down. Taehyung obeyed without complaint, watching him groan in agony.
"I knew this would happen, but he never listens to me," Jungkook murmured, kneeling alongside him.
"You have to heal him right now," Yoongi pushed him, standing behind him in the same manner. Taehyung didn't grasp what was going on.
"I will do that."
Jungkook placed the back of his hand on Seok Jin's forehead, and he noticed that the God's frown was gradually receding, as if all of his anguish was being relieved. Taehyung wondered why Jungkook had such power as an angel of death; was it due to his tremendous deeds as a human?
Both death angels appeared to be quite busy, as if they understood exactly what they were doing. Jungkook was still alleviating the pain as he caressed his forehead, while Yoongi untied his ribbon to see the skin on his abdomen.
Taehyung tried to pull his eyes away, but it returned when he observed the scar on the side of his stomach. The mark appeared to have been produced recently, which was impossible.
How was this possible if he had always been by his side?
"Do you think it has something to do with that?" Jungkook questioned Yoongi, who frowned.
"His scar has never looked like that before," he said in a panic. "Will the healing power be enough?"
"We must talk to Jijang."
Yoongi widened his eyes and shook his head again. "Absolutely not. We have to be careful not to involve other Gods in this."
"Jijang could help us find an answer," he continued, as if pleading with him to consider that choice. "She'll be pleased to help... You know what? I'll talk to her myself, so try to put your pride aside when she arrives tomorrow."
"Whatever."
"Jungkook... what's wrong with Jin?" asked the shaman, his voice trembling. He still felt the enormous shock of being so close to being discovered and to have a god collapse in front of his eyes was terrifying.
"The reason we had to leave Hanyang before was because of this," he stated. Yoongi nodded silently. "We don't know what it is, but Seok Jin can't be here, his energy is dropping all the time."
"But he is a God…"
"That's what worries us the most," Yoongi said, feeling guilty for seeing his friend in such situation. "For a God to suffer from something like this means that there is a greater evil force over this place, we have no idea what it could be."
"Jijang will help us with that," Jungkook said, noting how Seok Jin appeared to have calmed down and was sleeping well. Yoongi began adjusting his hanbok. "She is one of the Goddesses of the Otherworld, she is one of the best and her ability to heal and save souls is fascinating."
"Just say you wanted to be assigned to Jijang and that's all."
"Are you jealous, Min Yoongi?" He sighed as he stared at him in bewilderment.
“Not at all.”
"Kim Taehyung, we'll leave tomorrow afternoon; you should get some rest," Jungkook told him. Taehyung agreed hesitantly.
Both angels of death exited the chamber, leaving him alone with Yeomra. The man lay on the mat, his breathing slowing after a rough period, and his face occasionally deformed into grimaces.
It seemed terrible to see him like that, perhaps more so than he had anticipated. He bent over him and pressed the back of his hand on Seok Jin's bare forehead to check for fever.
"I wish I had the ability to heal him like Jungkook," he sighed.
However, after remaining in that position and feeling nothing but the cold emanating from the God, he felt a sudden burning sensation assail his palm.
He pulled it instantly, astonished, and looked down to see the wound on his flesh. He frowned; what was that all about? Taehyung had touched him before, even Seok Jin had, and nothing like that happened. Why did this happen now?
"Yeomra?" Taehyung mumbled, attempting to confirm that the other had felt the same way, but it did not appear to be the case, as he remained in a deep sleep with no knowledge of his surroundings.
His mind wandered as he sat beside him, unable to leave the room. Taehyung felt so much pain at not being able to meet his mother, being separated from her for two long years was such an ordeal. And there was simply too much going on for him to grasp all at once.
His breath was taken away when Yeomra's hand wrapped around his wrist and tugged him to lie down next him. The shaman looked at him in panic.
"Tae…"
"I... what... what are you doing?" Seeing him up close always made him nervous.
"Are you all right?"
"That's something I should ask you... You've fainted.”
Seok Jin let out a gentle laugh and raised his hand to caress the shaman's cheek, who was frozen in place. “I am fine. I'm sorry for interrupting your ritual.”
"I didn't want to stay there anyway."
"Was that your mother?"
Taehyung nodded. "My mother and one of my colleagues from Seongsucheong."
"Don't you want to see them?"
"No," he replied promptly. "They appear to be alright, and I don't want them to be in trouble because of me. It's best if I don't come back."
"Then we'll stay in Gongju with you," Jin murmured, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep.
The shaman paid him greater attention. Noticing how attentive the god was that day. As much as Taehyung tried to forget the moment Seok Jin professed his attraction to him, the memory lingered. And he was getting more and more confused.
"Are you going to stay with me?" Yeomra asked in a raspy voice.
"Actually, I was going to go to sleep now, and…"
"Sleep with me," he said, throwing his arms around him and pulling him closer. Taehyung's eyes widened; the closeness was killing him, but he felt peaceful instead of overwhelmed or horrified.
Surprisingly calm.
He wasn't being invasive as usual, nor was he being seductive as before. He was yearning for his company and nothing else. Seeing him with those weakened features, the result of his pain of a few moments ago, was complicated. Shaman Kim didn't want to get more involved with him than that, he really didn't want to.
But he couldn't help it.
"I don't think this is a good idea," he admitted ruefully.
“Just this one time, fine? I won't ask you again if that's what you want."
Taehyung swallowed saliva, remaining still and unable to stop tensing his entire body. He didn't nod, but he also didn't deny, simply allowing himself to be enveloped by Yeomra's coldness and feeling his own breathing become heavy.
"Shall I tell you a secret?" Yeomra whispered to him as he gently stroked his hair. "I'd forgotten how good a hug felt."
The shaman was petrified once more. Not because of the situation he was in, or because being near him was unpleasant, but because he could say the same thing as the other.
Because, in two years, he had never been hugged by anyone until that moment.