Chapter Text
The life of an aspiring writer is not at all like a fairy tale read by children or an adventure novel for a young audience. It's boring and full of psychological torment and anxiety about tomorrow. Thinking the same way, ordinary student between studies and part-time work finds himself in writing. Taking the pseudonym Jeon Segal, he completely immersed himself in the world of his own novel called Blood Wizard. The first volume passed the readership. But after completing the second volume, it finally got the desired response. Thousands of readers were eagerly awaiting the sequel. Jeon felt there was no way he could let them down. Squeezing everything out of himself, he continued to write nightly his much-anticipated third volume, which should complete the story of the brave girl.
Closed again in the dark dorm room, Jeon began to work. The creak of the old desk lamp, the smell of dust, and the unventilated room shrouded in semi-darkness. All of this had become something familiar. His fingers tapped hastily on the keyboard. His eyes squinted in pain. The story was nearing its finale, but at some point the text on the monitor screen began to float. He was tormented by self-doubt. Would he be able to write an ending that would not disappoint his readers? Would he be able to live up to their expectations? Image after image swirled in his head Dialog, events, the finale. And what would happen when it was over? The unknown terrified him.
The grinding of the lamp grew louder and louder until it filled the whole room. His hands were wrapped in a coldness that slowly traveled through his body, his lungs painfully. Jeon looked down at his trembling fingers, blood running down his lips, droplets falling onto his palms, drawing a floral pattern. His face paled to sleep. He closed his sunken eyes to get some rest. His thoughts were confused; one was more vivid than the rest.
“Jeon Segal... what a stupid pseudonym...”
He couldn't remember how he came up with it. It seemed to have happened completely by accident. As a child, he loved to go to the sea with his parents and watch the flight of white gulls. The free-shore birds screamed so loudly, attracting everyone's attention. The more of them there were, the louder they screamed, the faster people stopped noticing them. Jeon wanted to be like them—load and noticeable—but he never managed to become what he dreamed of. Having gained fans for his work, he was shackled by the chains of fear of losing everything, of fading among thousands of other authors. He shouted loudly. He was louder than anyone else; no one heard him. His voice fell silent, dissolving into darkness.
Through the shroud of silence and darkness of his consciousness, he suddenly heard someone else's screams. Loud and cutting, an endless rumble that pierced his mind. They were seagulls. As his eyelids fluttered open from a fleeting dream, a bright sky spread out in front of him.
Huge, puffy clouds floated majestically to the edge of the horizon, accompanied by seagulls like a royal retinue. The sea breeze caressing his skin, hugging his body, and playing in his hair. The smell of sea salt filled his lungs, settling on his tongue. How could he be here? He has a novel to finish and....
“Jungkook, why are you standing there?! Let's go! Our parents are waiting for us in the main hall for lunch, we're late,” the unfamiliar boy grabbed his arm and he ran after him helplessly.
“Jungkook? Is that my name? Wasn't that my name...” his thoughts were cut short by the butler who met them at the entrance to the residence.
“Your Highness,” the older man bowed his head to the strange boy and then made the same gesture, looking at Segal, “young master. Please, your robes are ready. Your parents are already waiting for you.
His body moved on its own, following the boy who was referred to as 'Your Highness'. They ran into a separate room to change. The boy was babbling madly, his smile brighter than the stars, and sand stuck in his frizzy hair that the maids had no way of getting rid of.
“This can't be,” thought Jeon,” this is simply impossible! I must be dreaming...”
“Jungkook, why are you so quiet?” the boy turned to him with concern, the mirth had disappeared from his face.
“I'm not Jungkook. Jungkook! It's not me! Jungkook is one of the three main love interests of the main character in my novel Min Yoonji never liked him, her older brother despised him, and her childhood friend and part-time crown prince Kim Taehyung hated him. Jungkook is a disgrace to his father who never got to take over his earldom title. Even the fans didn't like him. I didn't develop him for that very reason..... I must be dreaming... But if this isn't a dream?” his train of thought is suddenly cut short as servants carefully help him put on his tailcoat.
“What day is today?” Jeon asks as he faces the surprised looks of the maids.
“Young Master... Today is your tenth birthday. Have you forgotten?”
“Jungkook, what's wrong with your head?" the prince laughed, "Are you stupid? Do you remember me? Аh? I'm Taehyung! I'm your friend and brother. I'll be offended if you say you've forgotten me.”
After Taehyung's words, the maids shrieked and sent for a physician, seriously afraid that Jungkook might have sunstroke.
“Actually, I'm more than sure I never wrote that Jungkook and Taehyung are brothers. What kind of nonsense is this kid talking? How can he contradict the author's words? Although... I didn't describe this period of time in detail. Kim Taehyung could really love Jungkook like a brother when he was a kid until some event happened after which he started to hate him. Yoonji has always wondered about the reason for this hatred. I don't think I had time to write the way Taehyung shares this event from his past with her. What am I talking about? What's more important is that I'm in Jungkook's body right now. And how do I get out of this dream?”
Jungkook, or rather the person whose body Jeon now occupied, was utterly confused. The surrounding reality was too bright and too... too... real. He's Segal, the author of the novel who suddenly appeared in the body of his fictional character in his own fictional world. And this world, despite its apparent unreality, felt frighteningly real. Sitting at the dinner table, he met Jungkook's parents. His mom carefully asked how he was feeling, gently stroking his hair. His father was still just as strict with him, so he only gave him a mildly interested look. The king and queen sat with them at the same table. Count Jeon and the king Kim had been and still were good friends since childhood. They hoped their children would carry on their work and friendship. Jeon looked at the king, whose gaze was both soft and full of strength. He had ruled wisely, the kingdom had prospered during his reign until a terrible attack overtook it. Jeon turned his head to the Taehyung sitting next to him. A boy at such a young age has perfect etiquette, confidently holding the cutlery with refined fingers. Perfect posture, clothes of the finest fabrics, hair shining even in the artificial light of the room, golden brown eyes radiated the power and majesty of royalty.
“Truly the perfect candidate to play Min Yoonji's main love interest, not like this... Jungkook. A count's son with not much to look at. I should have created someone better. Although who can compare to Kim Taehyung's beauty and perfection? Unless it's my heroine's half-brother Kim Seokjin. Why am I even complaining? I'm the one who wrote them like this.”
Jungkook sighs and rolls his eyes. Taehyun notices this and looks at him defiantly.
“What are you looking at?” he hissed so quietly that his parents and maids couldn't hear, “Do you want to fight?”
Jeon's eyes widen in surprise, as if he'd been flicked on the nose. The picture of perfection cracked at the rough, boyish tone.
“And yet a boy is a boy. There's no getting away from that...”
Jeon slowly lowered his gaze to his thigh. A strange thought flashes through his mind. If this is a dream, then you can wake up any time you want. He picks up his fork and skids it under the table. Taeyung watches his actions with interest, not taking his eyes off the meal. Their parents are discussing something about their adult things. He wasn't particularly interested. The prince puts a tight piece of meat in his mouth, chewing it thoroughly while his friend acts strangely. Jungkook struggling with the tablecloth that was getting in the way of his hands.
“One...Two...It's okay, no need to be afraid...It's only a fork and only four holes...Three!”
Jeon stabs himself in the thigh with the fork with a small swing. Pain shoots through his body with an electric shock, but the cold steel fails to pierce even the fabric of his pants. He feels the boy's hands around his wrist. Taehyung looks at him fearfully.
“What are you doing?” his voice is hoarse and so quiet he can barely make it out.
The last words weren't even voiced at all, just a faint movement of his lips. A loud inhale was followed by no exhale. Jeon was horrified. The young prince's face turned pale and the capillary in his left eye burst, the perfect face contorted in a grimace of pain. Taehyung grabbed at it with his hands and bent in half. His body shuddered in agony a few time. Then a piece of chewed meat fell out of his mouth with a terrible sound, right onto his friend's pants. Like a cat bursting out a hairball.
“Taehyung! What manners!?” the queen exclaimed, she quickly summoned the maids to her son, “Clean it up please. Count Jeon, I apologize I'm so sorry...” her voice softened, expressing all the awkwardness her soul felt.
“Holy mother, what an abomination!” Jungkook felt his stomach stiffen with gagging and barely restrained himself from join to the prince.
He picks up the meat with his fork and throws it away squeamishly, accidentally hitting Taehyung on the nose who has yet to be seated back in his chair.
“Jungkook! Are you trying to pick a fight?” Taehyung steps forward, but the maid catches him under the arm and sits him back down, wiping his face.
“Jungkook!” countess Jeon exclaimed this time, “God! Please forgive my son....”
“It's alright. Children are just playing,” King Kim smiled, laughed loudly like a peal of thunder.
Tаehyung's smile is the same as his father's. It's a good thing he doesn't laugh like he does.
“So this isn't a dream after all. I'm Jeon Jungkook now...”