While Taehyung and Jungkook waited for Hoseok to return from the washroom, they took to the gardens outside of the sunroom. Dried leaves crunched under their boots as they came upon two evenly matched rows of trees.

"Do you smell that?"

Jungkook shook his head.

"Here. Take this and press it to your nose," Taehyung said as he handed Jungkook a small, brown twig clamped around a honey-gold bud. A spicy sweet smell caressed his sense of smell as the twig knocked against the underside of his nose.

"Clove is used in a lot of festive dishes around here." Taehyung turned to face Jungkook with a smile. "The smell reminds me of you." A pause as Taehyung reached for Jungkook's torso. "Headstrong and quick to assault..." Jungkook froze. "But pickled with sweetness." Taehyung took ahold of his hand.

Grateful that he hadn't grabbed his left, Jungkook let his shoulders drop back down to his side. His frantic heartbeat decelerated.

"Remember. You have to keep your coat on at all times. Or else..." Taehyung choked back a swallow. His eyes dropped to the floor. "Or else you'll wake up one day lost to the cold." He looked back up, tears rolling down over his cheeks. "I... M-my cousin. I never told you about my cousin."

Jungkook handed Taehyung his handkerchief. He refrained from wrapping his arms around Taehyung's supple body. He didn't know if he'd be able to pull away at all.

"He was four years older than me. Fourteen when he joined the war against Cserx's father. I begged him not to go; not to follow in my father's blind, irrational footsteps. But, there was a certain allure to my father's words. There must have been because when it came time for the Kingdom's ragtag caravan to depart, I awoke to find his bed empty. He was too headstrong. Too rash." Taehyung paused. The last remnants of light were whisked away from his skin as the darkness finished engulfing the surrounding area. "He reasoned that he'd find Cserx's father, collect the bounty a rogue company had promised for his head and return to us with, not only the tales of many adventures but, with the knowledge and expertise needed to run the school we both hoped to built in the future. I thought he was being selfish and unfair for choosing to leave us. But, I realized several years later that it wasn't so much himself that was being selfish. I was being too demanding. You see, he was afraid of dying the way his mother had lived. Without skills. Without money. Without a way to make the future a present." Taehyung rolled the beaded necklace wrapped around his neck in between his fingers.

Jungkook grabbed ahold of Taehyung's hand. The navy silk sleeve slipped down his arm, revealing a patch of smooth, tan skin. Taehyung tried to pull his hand away but Jungkook held on firm. "Jungkook, what are you- You're pressing down too hard." There was fear to Taehyung's movements. But, the fear could not overpower his doe-like inquisitiveness.

Jungkook's grip slackened but the intensity in his eyes did not dissipate. He leaned in, the edges of his black bangs brushing against his eyelashes. He pulled ink and pen from his shirt pocket. His knee knocked against the inside of Taehyung's thigh.

Taehyung remained silent as Jungkook dipped pen to ink before meticulously sliding the tip against his forearm.

Jungkook slipped his bottom lip into his mouth. He had been waiting for this. Hopefully, his feelings would run true to Taehyung even if they weren't reciprocated.

"Dun reed yet," Jungkook mumbled as he pulled away from Taehyung. Taehyung obliged.

Jungkook hurriedly sealed the pot of ink before standing and pointing to the moon. "U cun reed now."

Taehyung started to skim over the letters.