The corridors of the fourth floor of the castle were strangely silent that night. The moon had waned considerably and the little light that it provided, reached the castle windows and corridors diffused through a thick curtain of clouds. There was a wind and the clouds moved continuously, their motion creating a strange illusion of movement amongst the shadows on the corridor walls. In spite of the wind, Yoongi felt strangely suffocated as he loosened his shirt around his neck by opening a button. The pain in his neck had worsened over the last night and it pulsed in unbearable jolts at times. As he walked towards his room of invocation, one such pain rose in his neck and he stopped in his tracks, his face contracting in pain. In a second, he was on his knees, putting both hands over his neck and breathing hard. This time, it was worse than it had been all evening. It felt like there was invisible acid burning his skin. He frantically tried every quick healing spell he remembered, like he had done, in vain, several times before. It didn’t work this time either. A low cry of pain escaped his lips. 
He felt the top of his head buzz and a sudden dizziness made him swerve forward. He would have fallen face forward on the floor, if a pair of cool hands hadn’t caught him. Yoongi let his muscles go loose, letting his forehead fall against the familiar shoulder, breathing in the scent he loved. He grasped Jimin’s arms for balance and felt the latter’s hands on his back.
Yoongi rested his head on Jimin’s shoulder and breathed hard for some time, trying to regain his senses. He felt Jimin’s arm around his waist pull him closer to him. Jimin didn’t say anything.
“Thanks…Ji- …” Yoongi said, recovering some of his strength. The dizziness had subsided slowly and he raised his head from Jimin’s shoulder and withdrew himself, sitting down on his knees and rubbing his eyes. As he opened his eyes and looked at Jimin, his heart skipped a beat to see the emotion in his face. It wasn’t the cold picture of hatred he had seen at the court room. Jimin’s face was red and his eyes gave away his anxiety clearly as he looked at Yoongi. 
But Yoongi didn’t dare to smile, even as he thought…So you do still care for this monster.
Yoongi drew in a breath and his lips parted, as if to say something but he stopped. There were several times since the night of Seokjin’s going missing, that his tongue had stopped at the beginning of the words “Jimin ah”, just like they did now. But as he looked at Jimin now, the latter’s face contorted in a miserable look, he wished desperately to use those words. And to reach over and touch his cheeks, his lips…pull him closer and kiss him again. But he didn’t dare. Yoongi gritted his teeth and stopped any words that might have escaped his lips.
“Don’t tell me you are going to the invocation room. Don’t tell me you’re going to use magic in this condition.” Jimin said. His lips quivered and he looked strangely like a child who wanted to cry but had been forbidden to do so.
“Jim-…I-…Yes, I’m going to the invocation hall. I have work.” Yoongi said, looking down.
“Work?!...” Jimin’s voice cracked and Yoongi looked up at him. Jimin’s eyes were red and his face was furious. Yoongi got the familiar urge to laugh like he always did when Jimin looked like this. But he didn’t know if he had the right to do that anymore. He stayed silent and lowered his eyes instead.
“What. Work.” Jimin asked, through gritted teeth.
Yoongi sighed.
“It’s for Seokjin! Isn’t it?” Jimin hissed.
“Jimin ah!” Yoongi sighed and looked up at Jimin. “Yes. It’s for Seokjin. I need to find him. And I need to use magic for it.”
As Jimin heard Yoongi’s reply, the anger gave way to something else. It was hurt. He grabbed Yoongi’s arms and pulled him up in an instant, standing up himself.
“When will you stop destroying yourself for Seokjin?!” Jimin shook Yoongi. “When will you understand that this friendship is going to take everything from you? When will you open your eyes Yoongi?”
Yoongi stared at Jimin, stunned.
“When will you stop putting Seokjin before the world?...Before yourself!...Before…before me!” 
Yoongi looked at Jimin, at a loss for words.
“Ji-…Jimin ah…I don’t put anyone before you. I never have.” Yoongi said.
“You would gladly choose Seokjin. If you had to. It would always be Seokjin. Not me. Who the am I to you anyway?” Jimin said, shaking Yoongi again.
“Jimin ah-…”
“Your love for me is the biggest lie. If you were given a choice…if you had to give up my life to save Seokjin’s…just like he chose to let Jungkook die…you would gladly kill me with your own hands if-…” 
Jimin’s voice disappeared abruptly, and he looked shell shocked. He looked up at Yoongi, whose hand had just struck his face hard. Jimin stared at Yoongi, his mouth wide in shock and his face absolutely stunned. He blinked several times, unable to process what had just happened. Being hit. He had been hit. 
There was a first time for everything.

“Did you just-…” Jimin said in a very high pitched shocked voice but stopped again as Yoongi gave a hard shove to his shoulders. Jimin staggered backwards by a few steps and gave Yoongi a look of disbelief, raising his eyebrows. He raised up his hands in an incredulous gesture.
“Say that again! Go on, say that again!” Yoongi grabbed Jimin’s arms and yanked him towards himself. “You arrogant headstrong brat!” 
Jimin made an incredulous gasp. “Wh- what…what…”
“Yes! You’re a brat! The most terrifying nightmare of a brat that was ever born in this entire world!” Yoongi said. “No matter how many times I tell you that I love you. That I love you more than anything in this world…more than I love myself. That I would readily die for you. That you are my world, you idiot. You are everything I want…you are the reason I live.  You will still tell me I don’t love you damn well enough! You jerk!!”
“Prove it.” Jimin said, an angry pout on his face.
 Yoongi pulled him to himself, crushing his lips against Jimin’s. His hands wound themselves around Jimin’s waist and pulled him against himself. Jimin’s hands curled around his frame, one hand coming up to caress his cheek softly. As they kissed, their lips and tongue moving in perfect harmony, there was no trouble in the world. The recent events, the tension of the situation, the anger and hurt that had held them apart till this moment had evaporated – every trouble faded away at the place where their lips met.
They broke the kiss but didn’t let go of each other. 
“We’re-…someone might-…might see-…” Jimin whispered, resting his forehead against Yoongi’s.
“I don’t care.” Yoongi sighed.
Jimin pulled him closer and hugged him to his chest, touching his lips to the side of Yoongi’s neck as the latter buried his face in Jimin’s shoulder.
They stayed silent that way for a few passing moments. Jimin slowly spoke, breaking the silence.
“I can’t forgive you. I can’t forgive you, Yoongi. I can’t stop loving you and I can’t forgive you. I hate you and I love you. Why did you put me in this pain?”

Yoongi raised his head from Jimin’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to forgive me. How could I expect you to forgive me when I haven’t been able to forgive myself for twenty three years?”

Jimin relaxed his hold around Yoongi and drew back to look at him. He touched his palm to Yoongi’s cheek and said, “I wish I could hate you. I know I should…Till a few minutes back, I thought I could do it. But I’d die if something happened to you. I remembered that when I saw you in pain.” Jimin sighed as he looked at Yoongi, his eyes glistening with tears. “I bet you enjoy this control you have over me. All of this while you-…while you go and hurt yourself again for my cousin.”

Yoongi sighed, withdrawing himself from Jimin’s arms. He took a step back and raised his head to look at Jimin. “I guess I’m never gonna win at this with you. I can’t make you understand no matter how much I try that I’m loyal to both you and Jin. I can’t choose between the two of you. The one I love and the other one who is my best friend. I can’t, Jimin.” Yoongi said and sighed. “
I’m tired of this. I’m tired of having to prove my loyalty to both of you. I can’t keep doing this.”

“Then don’t.” Jimin said. 
Yoongi blinked, looking at Jimin, his face full of confusion.

“What?”

“Don’t choose. Do what’s right.” Jimin said. 
Yoongi stared his face, unable to read his expression.

“Jimin ah…what do you mean? Am I hearing right?” Yoongi said.

“Yes…you heard me. Do what’s right. That’s all I have to say. When the time comes…choose the right thing to do. Don’t be blinded by anything. By love or by friendship. By me or by Seokjin. I know I can depend on you to choose the best. Choose the right side when it’s time…take the side of the truth.” Jimin said, taking a step towards Yoongi, eliminating the distance between them and placing his hands on Yoongi’s shoulders. “I know what I have to do. I know I’m doing the right thing. I hope I’ll have you with me when the time comes.” Jimin said and smiled.

Yoongi narrowed his eyes, his face contorted in confusion. He placed his hands on Jimin’s arms and searched his face for answers. “What-…what do you mean you’re doing the right thing?...Jimin ah, what are you talking about?”

Jimin sighed and smiled at him. “You’ll find out soon maybe.” 

Yoongi shook his head and fixed Jimin with a confused and anxious look. “What do you mean? Jimin ah, what are you hiding from me?...Are you-…you’re not going to do something that might hurt you-…”

“The only way this will hurt me is if I find you standing against me. I hope I won’t have to face you as an enemy.” Jimin said.

Yoongi stared at Jimin, shocked. “Enemy?” His voice gave away his shock and hurt. “What the hell are you saying?”

Jimin didn’t say anything. He pulled Yoongi to himself, kissing him again. 
He pulled back and said, “Just remember what I said. And just remember that I love you. No matter what happens. Okay?” 

Yoongi stared at him in disbelief.

“No matter what happens…I love you. Nothing is going to change that. Even if the entire world shifts from it’s place and nothing remains the same …I’ll love you. Just remember that.” 

“Jimin!” Yoongi gasped as his arms were suddenly empty. He turned around, his face pale and his eyes wide in shock as he looked at the corridor down which Jimin had left in the blink of an eye. His hands remained outstretched in front of him, his mind unable to work, his ears repeatedly ringing with the same words.

I love you…no matter what happens…
I hope I won’t have to face you as an enemy…

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Taehyung tried for the third time to read the same paragraph in vain. He sighed in frustration, closing the book with a loud thud and sinking his head on top of the leather cover. His thin framed glasses knocked against it and he let out a small “Ow!” He raised his head, removing the reading glasses and keeping them aside on the bed, rubbing bridge of his nose, where the rim of had hurt him.
“Why am I so clumsy?” He whispered to himself, putting his chin on the book and pouting, as he looked at the window, the leaves on the highest branches of the maple tree outside shaking in the heavy breeze. “Not everyone can be poised and graceful like you, can they?...”He whispered. “Why are you always on my mind?...You won’t let me concentrate on anything…”

A knock on the door made him turn his head towards it, his heartbeat immediately picking up its pace and his cheeks going pink, just in anticipation. But as the door opened, it was Hosoek and not Jungkook, who entered. Taehyung’s face fell and he turned his head to the window again.

“Yah! How rude are you?!” Hosoek came to sit next to Taehyung and nudged his arm. “You don’t have to greet me when I come in, but don’t turn away and ignore me at least!” He said, his voice full of mock anger.
Taehyung turned to him, his eyes wide. “Oh , Hyung, I’m sorry!”

Hoseok giggled and Taehyung’s face relaxed in a smile. He poked