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hear-the-dokidoki · 7 years

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Through the Years

A Namjin story set in a royal!AU

Word count: 2,8k+

Timeline: There’s about a year between each sub-part of this story.

Author’s note: This is the first half of the fic, which includes years one through five (Meeting, Respect, Friendship, Fear and Strength). The second half, which includes years six through ten (Pain, Trust, Promise, Distance and Finale) will be linked here when I post it.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Finale

Year I – Meeting

The chatter was like an ocean of random thoughts, exaggerated anecdotes, shocking gossips and boring, light conversations. He was drowning in it, trying focus on this or that specific exchange, before his attention wandered elsewhere. Social events tended to be monotonous. When he was younger, he used to mix them up. That count’s birthday party, to him, was no different than that general’s wedding. So, he used to wonder, why did he have to attend them both?

Today was his 11th birthday. It was supposed to be a day where he got to enjoy himself… but, as usual, he was stuck in the castle, his duty and reputation above all else. He understood who he was: Kim Namjoon, heir to the kingdom. He was proud of his family name and of his bloodline. He cared about his people. Yet, he couldn’t force himself to like all the facets of his life. He loved to study new cultures and new languages, and he enjoyed looking into political and military tactics. Dressing nicely and trying to remember all the “important people’s” name, though? Not his thing.

“Namjoon,” his mother called out gently. “Come here, dear.”

She was standing next to a woman and a kid - probably the woman’s son. The kid seemed to be about his age, maybe a few seasons older. He had a good posture, and was looking straight into Namjoon’s eyes, a subtle smile on his lips. Namjoon’s steps brought him beside the small group. He bowed to the woman, knowing full well the decorum.

“I am Kim Namjoon,” he stated with a clear, assured voice. “Enchanted to meet you, my lady. May I ask for your name?”

They chatted for a moment, and he learned that the woman’s family, of high standing, had always been close to his. They had slowly lost contact after her familly had moved away, but they were back to the kingdom. The adults began to talk cheerfully, catching up on the years they had spent apart. Namjoon turned to the boy.

“I’m Kim Seokjin, your Highness. Honored to meet you,” the kid said, before Namjoon could place a word. The prince's eyebrows darted up. People around him tended to wait to be addressed before speaking.

“The honor is mine,” he answered, giving the boy a court nod.

Seokjin leaned into him. “This whole thing is a bit boring, isn’t it?” he murmured.

Kim Namjoon’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. The boy moved back, grinning.

Year II – Respect

“I’m not convinced, Seokjin,” he said.

It was late into the evening. They had just escaped some viscount’s 10th wedding anniversary, and were jogging through the dim lit halls of an old manor.

“Come on, your Highness,” Kim Seokjin said, using the title out of respect, but also to irk the other boy. “When was the last time you’ve been into the woods without a small army of guards?”

He thought about it. “I was 8 or 9, maybe. My father wanted to show me how to hunt, but we had barely entered the forest when something came up. In the end, it was a tutor who taught me…”

“Well, in the very improbable scenario where we get lost, you’ll be able to hunt, and I’ll cook the food! We’ll live comfortably with the rabbits and the deer. It will be fun, I swear.”

“You know I can’t-”

“It was only a joke, your Highness,” he interrupted, exaggerating each syllable of his sentence.

Namjoon let out a sigh. “I wish, though…” he mumbled, before trailing off. “By the way, could you stop addressing me like that? It doesn’t feel right.”

“I might, I guess… Think about it, though; it could be worse. I could call you by your whole name,” he said, his voice becoming lower and more dramatic with each word. “His Highness Kim Namjoon, first of his name, his kingdom’s servant and heir!”

“Why are you like this…?”

Seokjin face fell. “Because you’re my prince.”

The said prince looked away, fidgeting with the buttons of his heavy vest. Seokjin stopped in his tracks, turning to face him.

“You’re my friend, of course! But above that, you are my prince. I respect you, you know? Some people just have it all made, and although you are privileged by your blood, you’re so intelligent and hardworking. You’ll be a great leader, Kim Namjoon.”

Namjoon’s took a deep breath. His parents and his professors sometimes praised him, but this felt… different.

“Thank you, Seokjin. I appreciate your kind words.”

The formal ambiance was shattered as Seokjin’s lips curved into his cheeks. He marched towards the woods again.

“Shall we go, your Highness?”

“I suppose we shall,” Namjoon replied, repressing a grin.

Year III – Friendship

Kim Namjoon looked like he’d just walked out of a storm. His hair was dishevelled and his clothes were stained with various substances. Despite that, his eyes sparkled and his smile went from one ear to the other. He glanced at Kim Seokjin. The boy was kneading a handful of dough, lips slightly parted. His hair fell to his eyes, and every few seconds he pushed the locks away from his forehead with the back of his hand. Namjoon slowly looked away, and observed the room around them. Flour was flying around the warm air, which smelled of cinnamon and fresh bread. A few servants were working on various tasks, pretending to not pay attention to his every movements.

“Pass me the vanilla extract, will you?” Seokjin demanded.

Namjoon complied automatically. His friend had begun to be more casual around him in the last months, as they took horse riding classes together. Namjoon was kind of bad at it, but Seokjin was even worse. They had gone through a lot of exasperation and anger together, but also entertaining rivalry and a couple laughing fits. Everything seemed to be a bit better, when Kim Seokjin was around.

“Your Highness, could you maybe not stare at the void, and at least attempt to be useful?” His words were somewhat harsh, but Namjoon could hear the smile in his voice.

“I’ll do so,” he said, picking up a knife and searching for the ingredients that needed to be cut.

“The pears appear to be to your left,” Seokjin remarked, before laughing at his own word play.

“That’s not even a bit fuuny.”

“You’re not sophisticated enough to understand my fine sense of humour, that’s all.”

“Sure…”

The prince embarked on his task. He was struggling, but his pride was making him push through as if he knew what in the heavens he was doing. Kim Namjoon – although very competent with everything cerebral and creative – did not have good coordination. His brows furrowed.

“That’s not…” Seokjin began, before sighing.

In spite of his noble blood, Kim Seokjin had insisted on learning the culinary arts from a young age. He might not have been the finest chef Namjoon had encountered, but he loved how dedicated and meticulous his friend was, when it came to measuring an exact amount of sesame oil or cutting meat in a specific angle.

“Here, I’ll show you,” Seokjin said.

His shoulder against Namjoon’s, he took the knife from the other’s hand, and started to slice the pear with quick, sharp maneuvers. Namjoon studied how Seokjin’s hands moved, his eyes tight.

“I think I get it,” the prince said quietly.

Seokjin took a step back, staring intently at Namjoon.

The latter shifted his weigh from one leg to another. “Could you maybe let me experiment? I’ll get the hang of it…”

“I’m only here to help, your Highness. Don’t mind me. Struggling is not something to be ashamed of; it is the path to success.”

Namjoon was taken aback by the statement. “When- When and how did you become wise, Kim Seokjin?”

“To my understanding, it is an aftereffect of spending too much time by you side, your Highness.”

The prince blinked, opening his mouth to say something. In the end, he closed his eyes and shook his head, laughing. A few servants turned to glare at him, but he didn’t care.

“I don’t deserve you,” he said, half joking.

Seokjin smirked. “At least you know your place, your Highness.”

Year IV – Fear

Namjoon’s hands were trembling.

“It’s going to be alright. Everything will be okay, your Highness,” Kim Seokjin murmured, kneeling next to his prince, who was sitting in a corner the bedroom.

“You don’t know that.”

“No,” he answered softly. “I don’t know for sure, of course… But your mother is an outstanding woman. Her body is strong, but so is her mind.”

Hearing someone mention her out loud made tears well up in Namjoon’s eyes. His mother had been carrying a child – a sister, he was sure of it – for 7 months now. He knew his parents had always wanted to expand the family, but that they’d be unsuccessful until now. When they had announced that he was going to be a brother, Namjoon had felt raw happiness.

He was in his quarters, studying Latin alongside Seokjin when a maid had come in without knocking, looking frantic. She had told him that his mother had suddenly went into labor, and that the doctors were very worried about her condition.

It had been almost an hour, and he was still panicking. Unless it was for updates, he had forbidden anyone from entering his quarters. Anyone but Kim Seokjin, that is. After pacing the room for dozens of minutes, under his friend’s concerned stare, he had sat down against the walls of his room. He didn’t have any energy left. The image of his smiling mother was heavy on his mind, crushing any proper thought. His father was by her side, and he had forbidden his only son to join him. It was so fucking unfair. How was he too young to stand by his mother? He was 14, and he was the heir of the goddamn kingdom.

“Your Highness, please, calm down…” Seokjin pleaded in a breathy voice.

Namjoon tenaciously kept his gaze to the ground. His glassy eyes fluttered, and tears rolled down his cheeks. “What if… what if she died?” he thought. He’d never see her warm, almond-shaped eyes again. He’d never hear her voice again. God, what if he forgot how her voice sounded?

“Your Highness, look at me,” Seokjin insisted. “I can’t stand seeing you… I…”

The prince was now silently crying. He thought about the last time he’d spoken to his mother. It had been a quick, casual exchange concerning his studies. Why hadn’t he told her that he loved her, then? She had been so, so good to him, and he hadn’t repaid her at all. How hadn’t he realized that he was such an awful son? Good grades? What did that even mean? That wasn’t enough. He wasn’t enough. And what about his sister? He hadn’t even had the chance to meet her. To see her pretty face; to hold her tiny hands… He let out a strangled cry.

Seokjin couldn’t find the right words. There probably weren’t any. Still, he had to do something. He had to. The vision of his friend, the most amazing and beautiful person he knew, slouched in despair on the floor, seemed so unreal.

“Hey,” he attempted again, placing himself right in front of his prince. “Look at me, please. Namjoon, look at me.”

Kim Namjoon’s eyes moved up, and Seokjin could see the shock the simple word had provoked. Then again, he had never called his prince by his first name before.

“Namjoon,” he repeated, holding on to the surprise that had temporarily replaced the pain in his friend’s gaze. “It’s going to be okay, hear me?” He locked their hands, and squeezed hard. “I’m right here. You’re not alone, alright, Namjoon? You’ll never walk alone, as long as I am alive.”

At that moment, the door slammed opened. The two boys jumped, and turned to the entrance.

“Her Majesty the Queen is healthy!” the maid shouted, still frantic. “And it’s a girl! A beautiful, healthy little girl!”

Kim Seokjin felt a weigh falling on him. Namjoon shoulders were shaking uncontrollably, as he started to cry without restraint, letting all his emotions flow out – the fear, the worry, the shame, the hope, the relief… Seokjin closed his eyes, his whole body relaxing. He hadn’t even noticed how tensed he’d been until now. He patted his friends back, while the room was filled with the prince’s sobs.

Year V – Strength

“I won’t allow it,” Kim Namjoon stated, in a matter-of-factly tone.

“If you do that, I won’t speak to you ever again. You’ll be stuck here alone, until the end of time.”

“I do have other friends, you know.”

“True, but I’m your favorite,” Seokjin replied, gesturing to himself with a smirk. “You couldn’t stand not seeing me for more than a few weeks. Admit it.”

The prince only grunted, not bothering to argue. “I’ll stop you, somehow.”

Seokjin’s smile faded. “Look, I’ve already made my decision. I’ll join the army, starting at the bottom, and I’ll climb the ladders if I’m competent enough. That is all.”

“That’s so senseless and impractical!” Namjoon exclaimed, his exasperation creeping into his voice. “You could be major right away! Or at least lieutenant or captain! Starting out as a private, with your social status, is utterly ridiculous.”

“I don’t want my blood to have anything to do with my success. I want to be recognized for my own strength.”

“That’s a nice idea,” he admitted. “But being a private sucks. It’s degrading. You’re almost a toy to your superiors. The army needs to sort out the strong minds from the weak ones, of course, but we both already know that you are not weak. I’m sure even Father would agree on that. You don’t have to go through that hell, Seokjin. You shouldn’t have to.”

“ Yet I will. Look, I want to prove myself to my family. I want to be more than a little, noble boy.”

“You are more than that. How could you-”

“To you maybe,” Seokjin cut him. “I don’t know what you see in me, and even though I’m glad you do see something, my family…” He paused, his Adam’s apple moving up, then down. “I want to make my family proud.”

“Why would you suddenly do this?”

“It’s not sudden, actually. I’ve been thinking this plan over for a year.”

“And you didn’t see fit to tell me about it?” Namjoon inquired, doing his best to control his voice.

Kim Seokjin looked down at his feet. “I knew you’d react like this.”

They fell silent for a moment.

“The idea started growing after a certain family gathering. A relative’s private party,” Seokjin said quietly. “My mother and five or six of my aunts were drinking tea together. I was just beside the group, but they couldn’t see me well because I was sitting down, playing with a cat. My aunts were praising their children, going on about how they were tactical geniuses, skilled surgeons or renowned artists. I remember how my mother just listened, smiling courtly.”

The prince didn’t know what to say.

Seokjin laughed softly, but he sounded lifeless. “I want to make her proud. I want my mother to be joyful when she talks about my accomplishments. I need to become a good man, for her sake, but also for mine. Can you understand where I’m coming from?”

“I...I don’t agree with your decision... but I suppose it makes more sense, now.”

“Just let me be, Namjoon. I’ve never asked much of you. This is important to me. Please…”

The prince gazed into the sad eyes of his best friend. He let out a frustrated sigh. “Because you’re insisting so much… Fine." He looked away. "Don't come to me crying when you realize that your decision was foolish, and that I was right.”

Seokjin seemed pleased. “I want your word. You have to promise that you’ll never intervene in my military career,” he said, extending a hand.

For a moment, they were frozen in that position. They probably resembled that “Devil’s contract” painting that was in the dinning hall, Namjoon thought. Reluctantly, he brought his arm forward and locked hands with his friend.

I hope you liked it! ♥ Tell me what you thought!

The basic setting idea came from a post @namsizzle did.

#namjin #kim seokjin #kim namjoon #bts jin #bts rap monster #bts scenarios #bts reactions #bts fanfic #kpop fluff #kpop angst #namjin prince #royal!au #ot7 #bangtan #dokiginal work

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