Hoseok wakes up at 11 am. His deep slumber a result of the pain medicines he has to take for his hand. He still feels drowsy almost like all the exhaustion hasn’t worn off of him yet.

Hoseok forces himself out of the bed. He can still feel his hand hurting although quite less than it did yesterday.

Hoseok’s stomach is grumbling with hunger but a shower is much more imminent at this moment.

When he is done Hoseok heads downstairs to see all the Princes have gathered for their afternoon lunch sitting in the shades around what looks like a picnic table.

“Good Afternoon Prince Hoseok,” Prince Seokjin smiles. “Would you like to join us for lunch?”

“Yes, of course,” Hoseok smiles.

Prince Taehyung stands up immediately pulling out a chair next to him. Hoseok sits down next to him while Prince Jungkook is sitting on the other side.

“How's your hand?” Prince Taehyung asks.

“It’s fine,” Hoseok answers. “Doesn’t even hurt that much”

“May I?” Prince Taehyung asks to see Hoseok’s hand.

Hoseok nods letting Prince Taehyung hold his touch so gentle like a feather.

“It still requires healing,” he says his voice low.

Hoseok can feel his heartbeat increasing as the tip of Taehyung’s thumb liners over his own hand. He can also feel the Princes staring at them as well.

“How are all you young gentlemen doing?” Hoseok hears his mother voice. He immediately takes away his hand but his mother notices perhaps because how unusually quick Hoseok moved his hand away. Her gaze lingers on Hoseok for far too long before she looks at everyone, a wide smile on her face.

“Mind if I join you all for lunch?” she asks.

“Of course not,” Prince Namjoon says. “Please do join us”

“It will be an honour your majesty,” Prince Seokjin says as he stands up and pulls out a chair for her.

“Thank you, all of you are very kind,” she says.

The maids bring out the food and serve everyone.

“So,” Hoseok’s mother begins. “How is the training going for all of you?”

“Very well, your majesty,” Prince Jimin says. “Thank you for asking”

“I'm glad,” she smiles. “I wish all of you luck”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Prince Taehyung says with a smile.

“So what are we waiting for let's dig in,” Hoseok'd mother says.

The Princes all laugh as they begin eating and Prince Seokjin is talking about the garden with his mother.

“I've never seen a garden so glorious your majesty,” Prince Seokjin says.

“Thank you, my dear,” she smiles. “I personally look over it”

“My mother has quite a green thumb herself,” Prince Seokjin says.

“Actually it was my husband the King,” Hoseok's mother corrects him. “He loved gardening”

“Whenever he has the time he would be always in the garden in between his plants,” she continues a fond voice. “It pained him a great deal that he couldn’t take care of it all by himself”

“That’s why I look over it...it's all in his memory”

“That’s beautiful your majesty,” Prince Jimin says.

“Ah, we should lighten up now,” Hoseok's mother chuckles. “How’s the creme brulee?”

“Delicious as usual,” Prince Namjoon says.

Hoseok's mother smiles at them before everyone continues eating.

Hoseok, however, is barely hungry anymore as he keeps turning over a piece of sausage with his fork.

“Prince Hoseok,” Hoseok years Prince Taehyung’s soft voice. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“I uh I'm not really hungry,” Hoseok answers.

Prince Taehyung frowns a little as he takes the fork from Hoseok’s hand and holds up the piece of sausage pierced by the fork.

“Will you have a bite for my sake?” he asks.

Everyone is looking at them. Hoseok can feel their gazes burning on him including that of his mother and Prince Taehyung who doesn’t look like he would take no for answer.

Hoseok bites the sausage slowly chewing on it as Prince Taehyung smiles.

He holds up another piece on the fork.

“Another one won’t hurt,” he says.

Hoseok eats the sausage and as Prince Taehyung tries to get another piece of sausage Hoseok stops him.

“It’s fine...I can manage,” Hoseok says as he quickly eats another piece of the sausage.

Prince Taehyung smiles at him.

“Our Hoseok has always been a fussy eater,” Hoseok’s mother says.

“Ah, that explains it then,” Prince buTaehyung says.

“He went through a whole phase where he would eat nothing but breaded chicken,”

“Mother...,” Hoseok begins hoping that his mother would stop the embarrassing tales from his childhood that no one needs to hear especially not all the Princes.

“Okay your old mother won’t embarrass you any further,” his mother says.

Hoseok breathes a sigh of relief as the rest of the breakfast progresses without anything unusual happening

Except towards the end when they are all finished with their breakfast.

“Prince Hoseok,” Prince Taehyung says. “You have something on your face”

Before Hoseok could reach the spot on his face Prince Taehyung is already gently holding his face wiping away at his lips and Hoseok is positive that not only Prince Taehyung but everyone else on the table can hear his thumping heart.

“There you go,” Prince Taehyung says with a smile.

“Thank you,” Hoseok says.

“Princes, I have to excuse myself now,” Hoseok’s mother says. “It was lovely seeing all of you today”

The Princes all bow as the Queen leaves.

The servants begin to collect the plates. Hoseok decides not to stick around to see the training.

“I think I'll take my leave as well,” he says to the Princes.

“Shame,” Prince Taehyung says with a frown. “Your presence will be missed”

Hoseok just smiles as Prince Taehyung takes his hand and presses a kiss on top of it.

“See you later,”

All Hoseok does is not making sure not to meet the other Princes' eyes and see the venom in them.

“Goodbye Prince Hoseok,” the rest of them say in a monotone voice.

Hoseok smiles at the Princes as he leaves. His eyes meet Prince Taehyung’s eyes who winks at him. Hoseok looks down immediately and scurries off inside the palace his heart still a mess.

Hoseok unsurprisingly doesn’t have much to do after lunch except for lounge in his room and leafing through some pages of a book but it doesn’t interest him so Hoseok just lies on the bed looking at the royal blue ceiling. He wishes he could at least fall asleep but sleep doesn’t come to him.

Hoseok sits up frustrated, the room feels suffocating in the room. He decides to step out maybe he might even manage to slip past the guards.

He opens the door and sure enough, they aren’t circling his room. Hoseok heads down the stairs immediately to the garden. It’s now almost evening and he is sure The Princes must not be around which means he can truly have his peace.

Pleasant wind is blowing when Hoseok finally reaches the garden. He smiles inhaling the air. It feels fresh and he instantly feels much better as he sits down on the wet grass. He doesn’t mind the grass stains that he surely will get on his pants.

Hoseok sits with his legs stretched out looking around. He doesn’t get to come to the garden a lot. There’s usually always someone taking care of it and Hoseok doesn’t like to bother them as they instantly stiffen when he is around. They are much more eased around his mother and even the late King as he remembers his father striking up conversations with them for long ho