pledge IV

clause II

Every sound and able-bodied man and woman will marry in order to partake in a domestic lifestyle together. If and when any pairing of the same is discovered to be in a communal relationship under one roof, both persons involved will be subject to defamation by the general public. 

When Jungkook came to he was laying amongst a pile of dried leaves that smelled faintly of the apple pie his neighbor liked to bake every Sunday morning.

His nostalgia was short-lived as the events from the forest consumed his conscious. He pressed his cheek to the ground. The smell of damp dirt did little to calm his racing mind.

"Such is the fate of a degenerate."

The nausea in Jungkook's stomach churned. Not only had the woman misunderstood his actions but he himself had been unable to explain. He jabbed his canine into his lower lip. The blood from the knick intermingled with his tears as they trailed into the corner of his mouth. The taste reminded him so much of home.

Jungkook took one last step forward before his legs gave way to the trembling in his muscles. He collapsed onto the ground. Streaks of sunlight poured over his being. He closed his eyes to see if a nap would conceal the worries that threatened to eat him whole but his belly had other plans. His stomach twisted around the hollow space where a meal or two would be most welcome.

Jungkook glanced up at the sky. He couldn't see past the branches and their leaves. The incessant rumbling in his stomach dragged him to his feet. Sleep would have to wait.

He drew closer to the sound of running water. Jungkook used whatever force he could pull from deep within and sprinted the rest of the way to the gap in the trees. He dashed through and kept running well after his shoes had sunk into the water. He dropped to his knees and drank as much as his stomach could hold before trudging back up the slope. He found a boulder that looked out over the clear blue stream.

Jungkook looked up. The sky was clearer than he had ever seen before. He had his reasons for never gazing up past his shoes on the off-chance that he was allowed to accompany his uncle outside and they were all because of Uncle.

Jungkook sighed. He pushed his legs out from underneath his chin; taking careful inventory of the state of his clothes. His breeches were two tones darker than the standard navy color, his white socks were dingy with the dirt from his trek through the forest and his coat sleeves had a number of slits where he had come into contact with a thorn or two.

His stomach growled. He hung his head low. He had thought he would have been able to find a fish or two to catch but now all he could do was mentally laugh at the idea. Even if he had, there was no way he was ever going to capture one. He didn't know how.

From beyond the line of trees appeared someone with a basket of apples perched on their hip. Jungkook practically toppled over in his hurry to hide behind his coat. How hadn't he heard the approaching footsteps? He pressed a finger to his ear. Was his hearing that bad?

A soft tune flowed out from within the stranger's throat. The song sounded exactly like the one Jungkook's mother used to lull him to sleep with as a baby. He sat up before he could let the sadness crawl into his being.

Jungkook's attention returned to the stranger. He felt a familiar warmth spread over his cheeks as his eyes landed on the person's well-endowed behind. Was this being a woman or a man? He recalled what Uncle had said to do when someone's appearance couldn't be verified through their appearance.

"Jungkook, boy. Take them by the and give those cheeks a good squeeze. If she makes the sweetest noise your ears will ever hear than you'll be cursed not to think she's a woman." He had chugged down another bottle of rum before relaying the rest of his theory. "If he turns around to land a blow than you best run away because that there is a full-fledged man."

Jungkook fidgeted with his lapel. He didn't doubt the truthfulness of Uncle's words. He had seen the trick work in favor of his finding a woman each and every time but the gesture see