Taehyung and Taeil were more than just best friends now. They were like brothers. If one of them got himself in difficulties, you knew that the other one was involved too. They supported and defended each other and knew all dreams and each other's dearest wishes. They were not ashamed in front of each other when they had to bathe together, they joked a lot and rarely argued over something. But when an argument broke out, they would not just fight with fists and swords. No, they would use their abilities to the maximum. Ice versus Fire.

Taehyung became a very talkative sixteen-year-old boy. He grew a lot and was the tallest among his friends. He was impatient and always top motivated for nearly everything. Taehyung was not a bit shy and spoke to strangers directly as if he had known them all his life. He had a bright aura and a big smile all the time, as if he had never endured pain in his life. Unfortunately, as mentioned before he was motivated nearly for everything, except studies… During their lessons in their school, he often had to go to detention because he was lazy and daydreaming. He seldom paid attention to the lectures of the teachers of the royal family because he preferred to watch the outdoors through the windows and scribbled on his scrolls. Sometimes he would hum along to it. Because of this Taehyung failed many exams. Sometimes he managed to cheat his way but that did not happen very often. Unfortunately, Suzy and Lee Seung-gi were no longer the only ones to teach them about the history of Gongju, martial arts and the Bujeoks. The other teachers though still let him pass classes, because no one wanted to endure the troublesome boy another year. None of them wanted to teach the boy who carried the soul of the dreaded half-breed on his wrist. They feared him.

Taeil, on the other hand, was loved by all the teachers. He was very hardworking, capable of learning, good and positive. Some of the teachers of the royal family even asked king Shim Changmin to treat the boy special, since he was capable of more than the rest of the students. Taeil’s carillon-like voice was enough for the teachers to love the boy. He only had to endure detention once in the eight years he was taught at the palace grounds. It was only because of his best friend. Taeil was downright a role model.

“Park V! Shut up! Detention!”, the scholar Kim Heechul scolded him once again.

They were taught about the royal family and the history of the great kingdom. The scholar was a beautiful man in his mid-thirties. A man that loved his occupation. He was strict yet flirtatious. He was a close friend of Lee Seung-gi. The lessons of today kept going for several hours.

Taehyung dropped his brush and sighed. It always happened to him. He always got scolded because he hummed while he painted. He should not paint anyway but humming in addition made it only worse. Taeil glanced at the scroll of his friend and then smiled at him. Taehyung was talented. His sketches were beautiful. They had a calming effect.

“Serves you right, you fool!”, Seokjin whispered from the back.

Taehyung turned and showed his fist. Seokjin just grinned back sarcastically and Taeil calmed down his best friend. They took notes as the scholar kept telling them about the war.

After a while someone knocked on the door. Kim Heechul was annoyed and asked the person to come in. He hated it when he got interrupted in the most interesting part of his lectures. Suzy entered the room and bowed politely. The students immediately got up and bowed at her. Over the last four years she had become a higher-ranked officer. She was the right hand of king Shim Changmin now. The scholar also bowed and nodded.

“I need two of your students, please. Park V and Lau Taeil.”, demanded Suzy.

The two friends immediately looked at each other. Kim Heechul raised his hand and allowed them to leave class with the female officer.

“Have you done something stupid again? Is this another punishment?”, Hoseok whispered from the back.

He sat right next to Seokjin. Taehyung and Taeil ignored his remarks and got up to bow to the scholar. Taehyung often quarreled with Hoseok but wanted to avoid it this time. They got along well, but still fought a lot. He was the most annoying boy he knew. Hoseok looked handsome and was just as intelligent as Taeil, but his character was just not fine. He always challenged Taehyung for the most absurd tests of courage. It was different with Seokjin and Tzuyu, they got on very well with him. Seokjin was his best friend and Tzuyu like a sister to him. As Taehyung and Taeil went for the door, they passed Tzuyu’s desk. She instantly lowered her face and looked at her scroll. Her writings were beautiful, just like herself. Taeil briefly looked at her, but then walked away. Taehyung smiled at her and then left the room. Seokjin and Hoseok laughed at her. The only one who stayed quiet all the time was Jungkook. The boy had become very silent, absent, and seemed even more introverted than before.

“Have we done something wrong?”, Taeil asked the female officer as Taehyung closed the door of the classroom behind him.

He was not sure whether he did violate the rules with his friend, but Suzy gave him a reassuring smile.

“No, do not worry, honey.”, she replied with her soft voice and winked at the nervous boy, “King Shim Changmin has a special assignment for you. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you any more about it yet.”

Again, the friends exchanged glances. It was their very first joint assignment. They had been on small assignments, but always in a group with other students. This would be their first one together. Excitement, tension, nervousness, and fear rose in them. If the king asked for them in person, it had to be an important assignment.

They did not exchange a single word on their way to the palace. Taehyung's nervousness was barely any to be overlooked. He played with his fingers non-stop and bit his thumb. Taeil looked nervous too, but he managed to stay calm. He thought about the assignment.

Suzy entered the palace first. The other two followed her. Somehow it was to be expected, that Lee Seung-gi was already there. He always got called to the palace when the two boys were involved in anything. He was responsible for both.

“There you are at last”, the guardian said impatiently.

Lee Seung-gi was even more nervous than the two boys. Taehyung and Taeil bowed immediately, and Suzy greeted him with a gentle bow. They still did not end up as a couple, even after eight years of together caring for the boys. The guardian led the three through the great entrance hall to the door of the king. The two guardians announced their arrival and opened the door for them. Another guardian invited them in. They bowed all and entered the room of the king. It was huge and furnished with expensive fabrics, gold patterns and paintings. They took place on the ground in front of the king. The king sat behind sheer satin curtains and drank a cup of Gwasilju, a wine made of fruits.

“Welcome. Thanks for coming so quickly”, he greeted his subjects.

Taehyung whispered to his friend: “As if we had another choice.”

Taeil gave him a warning glance. He really did not want to mess with the king. No, he was not ready to die yet. Taehyung could not stand king Shim Changmin. To be honest, the boy did not give the king any chance to prove himself. For him Lee Byunghun was the one and only king of Gongju, even if he was dead. The boy would consider no one other a king, than Lee Byunghun.

“So, you two... You know that I trust you both more than your comrades.”, king Shim Changmin admitted, “Since you were brought up by officer Suzy and guardian Seung-gi.”

Taehyung would like to say the opposite, but he could not go against the king. He was not allowed to oppose the king’s words.

So, the king trusted them? Good for him.

“I asked you here because there is an important assignment, which I can only entrust you with.”, king Shim Changmin told them, “You must not fail. If you screw up, the kingdom will be in danger.”

Taehyung and Taeil exchanged a quick look and nodded to the old man. Afterall, they had no other choice. There was no option to decline. Absolutely no way.

“Suzy and Seung-gi will give you the equipment”, the king added.

The female officer and the guardian nodded to his words.

“Your Highness…”, Taehyung stammered and waited for the king to allow him to speak up, “You said that the assignment must not fail... What is it about? Would it not be better to send your best fighters?”

He was curious and wondered why the king would send two inexperienced fighters. They were still considered as martial art students. Not done with their training yet.

The king paid all his attention to him and answered clearly: “I thought that you would ask this, Park V. The assignment really is important, but I cannot send off my great fighters because they are needed here in Gongju. I need you two to find the Red Rose in Daejeon.”

Taehyung tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. He was clueless.

“What do you need the... Red Rose for?”, he asked further.

King Shim Changmin gave him a stern look and finally said: “That is none of your business, my boy. You only have to find it and bring it back to Gongju.”

Taehyung lowered his gaze and had to hold back his anger. Yeah, he did not like the king at all. Something about him just did not sit right with the boy. Taeil listened attentively.

“You will leave Gongju because the Red Rose is located in Daejeon. You are the perfect person to find it because you own the Bujeok with Xiah’s soul in it. The Red Rose belonged to his mother. I am sure that you will be the one to find it.”, the king continued with the details about the assignment, “Daejeon is a beautiful, peaceful city. Most of the population there do not believe in anything supernatural. But beware of the descendants of the Dokkaebi! You know what kind of people they are. Banned from Gongju ages ago.”

Taehyung had no idea what the Red Rose was. Xiah again? The boy did not like the way king Shim Changmin talked about it. He did not want to listen to the king’s words anymore. The words went in from his left ear and out his right. Taeil's expression, however, suddenly became very serious. He knew what the king spoke about. The king used his best friend to get to this so-called Red Rose. So, this was planned to begin with? Was his friend being used as a vessel for Xiah’s soul?

“You already have a beautiful place in Daejeon to live in. Jung Yunho, a loyal fighter, and former martial arts master at our kingdom’s public school was in charge to set it all for you. Naturally under the orders of king Shim Changmin.”, Lee Seung-gi added, “It is a one-story house that is protected by an amulet. It will protect you from the descendants of the Dokkaebi, the supernatural creatures.”

Taehyung looked up by the name of the fighter. Jung Yunho? Why did it sound so familiar? He could swear he had heard it before.

Taeil raised an eyebrow.

“We... We are also supernatural...”, he said and lit fire in his right palm to show his powers.

Taehyung nodded to his words. Yeah, over the last four years they had finally learned to use their powers which were given to them by their Bujeoks. Taeil, however, was from a fire tribe anyway, so it was only a matter of time for him to unlock his abilities and his Bujeok of ‘fire’ only made him unlock his skills earlier than other people from skilled tribes. Taehyung’s powers that he got from his family were unfortunately locked, because he had no memories about his origin, but his Bujeok made him become a strong fighter with the ability of freezing anything he touched.

“It only protects you from the people of Daejeon. People from Gongju, Gyeryong and Sujong are not affected.”, the guardian answered calmly.