❝ First rule of business; you stay out of mine. ❞

 running for power 
chapter IX

“Byun ing Baekhyun!” Someone screeched and the only one in the room groaned at the ear-piercing scream.

“Kyungsoo, I know that he is an annoying but don’t ing scream!” The eldest shouted back, irritated.

“Minseok-hyung, you do not understand my pain,” Kyungsoo wailed from his kitchen, “Baekhyun ate everything I baked! I was planning to present it to the grandmother living down the street.”

“I’ll freeze Baekhyun’s for you when he walks through that door,” Minseok sighed.

“Thank you hyung.” Kyungsoo sat next to him on the couch limply, defeated.

“Jongin’s back.” Minseok said as he sensed another presence, “Finally, I’m starving for dinner.”

“You were? You could have asked me to cook-”

“You take one hour to cook a meal, Kyungsoo, we would have eaten dinner by then.” Kyungsoo sent his hyung a saddened pout as they made their way to the dining hall.

They made their way to the dining hall, and saw Sehun walking ahead of them.

“Sehun-ah, you okay?” As usual, a cold look was plastered on his face, but he nodded and said he was fine after recuperating his magic.

“That’s good to know, seeing you bloody and lethargic at 3a.m as I walked to the toilet really gave me a shock.”

“The whole building heard you scream, Kyungsoo.” Minseok drawled. The doe-eyed one shushed him as he continued fussing over Sehun’s health.

The trio met another, and their mood immediately turned sour. Without much of a greeting, they went to their individual tables, not bothering to acknowledge any existences.

“Jungkook!” The maknae finally broke into a boyish smile and took his seat beside his favourite hyung enthusiastically. “Where’s Taehyung, wasn’t he with you?” He shrugged his shoulders; “Taehyung said he was going to make something, so I didn’t disturb him.”

“I see.”

“Anyways, Seokjin, do you think it’s possible for me to leave the palace tomorrow?” He turned his head and surveyed the younger up and down, seemingly asking ‘Why?’

“I got new blueprints for a new weapon, and I need to go downtown and buy the materials.”

“Mmhmm, okay, the following day’s paperwork is yours.” Jungkook rolled his eyes but agreed on the deal.

A few other prince candidates made their way to the dining hall, and dinner finally started. Most prince candidates usually attended dinner, and typically, small talk occurred in their personal circles. Though the dining room was grand and brightly lit, perfect for a majestic occasion, it didn’t do any justice to the gloomy and quiet atmosphere encasing the boys.

In the midst of cutting his medium-rare steak, Sehun hissed as someone jumped on his back. Jongin got shoved to the ground with a loud thud as Sehun stood up, and everyone went back to eating, not noticing that Jongin had indeed flew a few inches too far back then he should have.

“I see having your magic restored makes you a little cocky, Sehun.” Jongin smirked and casually took a seat next to him.

“You are late,” He replied plainly.

“Fashionably late, may I add?” Jongin suddenly looked as though he was very excited about life and leaned towards the guys seating around the table, “You want to know why?”

The boy who had been sitting and listening attentively finally opened his mouth. When he did, the others cracked up in laughter. “You finally found a girl you want to bang?” The one beside him pounded the table as he erupted into howls of joy. Ah, Yixing-hyung is making my stomach hurt.

“Chanyeol, shut up! Lay-hyung! Please don’t use your powers to read my mind! And, I definitely do not want to do her!” He whined, the group getting louder and catching the attention of everyone in the room.

Seokjin found his pale teammate’s gaze bursting with bloodlust as he stared at the other table as though they were incompetent fools.

“So. ing. noisy.”

“Care to repeat that?” Baekhyun ceased grinning, and a stiff, stoic face was found in exchange. He turned his chair and made a point to sit cockily.

“Talking to me? I’ll be glad to repeat it if that could make you shut your ing traps.” Yoongi sighed as he switched his scrutiny from the fork in his hand to Baekhyun’s squinty hard glare.

“I’ll kill you someday, you better watch your back when you-”

“The king has arrived.” A guard shouted, and moments later, a king, looking the entire bit too confident and as if he had all the respect in the world, strolled in.

Yoongi smirked at Baekhyun before totally ignoring his existence. The later just bit his lower lip disgruntledly. Oh, he would get his revenge. Baekhyun was just lying low for a while.

“Hello! My fellow prince candidates! Hope you had a great dinner so far!” He smiled, “I’m just here to inform you that the date that you may get to become king isn’t far off. It’s in a year’s time, and also the day of the blue moon. It will be special for all of you. You may not become king, but you will have an important role to play as an asset to this kingdom. There’s a grand ball coming soon, and use that time wisely to garner the citizen’s support. I’ll be going.” He chuckled lowly as they bowed and greeted him as he left.

“Thank you King Youngmin, please be safe.” The words echoed and the king thought to himself, what a popular and good king he was. Likewise with Yixing, Jongin also had the ability to read minds. The tanned male let out a snort, popular all right, in an infamous way. Why else would we aim for your throat?

“What is it Jongin? Are you undressing that girl in your head?” Minseok drawled cheekily, and his cheeks tinted red even though he did nothing wrong. Chanyeol just laughed, and laughed, until dinner ended. Safely.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
hello guys! im so grateful for your comments. xoxo people. and exo, lotto! i can't move on from this era yet. gdi.

◯ darkmoon