Chapter Text
It’s been ingrained in Jungkook’s head since he was young.
“Gay’s are wrong. They’re not meant to exist.”
“Never become one, like your useless older brother. He’s a shame to the whole family.”
“You should never date someone of your own gender. It’s disgusting and degrading.”
“They’re spawns of Satan.”
It was normal for Jungkook to hate homosexuals. It’s been taught to him like a soldier is taught to defend and fight in the military. He’s never had any choice whether to hate homosexuals or to accept them. The answer had always been in front of him. Jungkook’s parents despised homosexuals and could come up with endless ways on how to rid them from the world. They taught people in public about how homosexuals should never be trusted, that they were disgusting pieces of trash that would sleep with anyone including people of their own gender. People rarely listened to them, homosexuality was accepted in this country and there were quite a lot of people that were dating people of the same gender. Yet scars from the past stayed, and many homosexuals preferred keeping their relationship discreet. There were occasionally some people who listened to Jungkook’s parents speeches. There was even once incident in which a person who listened to their speech became so inspired that he attacked a homosexual couple in broad daylight, leading to the death of the couple and his execution.
Jungkook hated homosexuals. It was part of his body. Yet the hate he had for them wasn’t as fierce and burning as his parents. It was more of an instinct, something that was so natural. Jungkook didn’t accept homosexuals and thought it was wrong that they had to date people of the same gender. Yet he couldn’t help but feed the small sapling of curiosity that kept on growing inside of him. He wanted to know what homosexuals were like and how different they were from the normal human being. Were they even human?
“What are they like…?”
Jungkook couldn’t help but mutter that to himself as he sat alone in his family’s extensive library. He was usually alone here since there was rarely any presence of human life. His parents were too rich for their own good, always buying things with a flick of their wrists. Jungkook’s parents had always wanted Jungkook to stay heterosexual and wanted him to learn how bad homosexuals were. Especially his mother. His father was quite strict as well, yet he kept to himself often and was much quieter than Jungkook’s mother. His mother had a burning hate for homosexuals. She hated them with her being. She even went as far as to telling the workers to look for any books that contained homosexuality and to “burn them like they will in hell” quote unquote, if they found one.
Jungkook couldn’t help but hum as he walked through the library’s sections. He popped his head inside the fantasy isle before he quickly popped back out. He wandered over to the romance isle and passed through the dictionaries without a second glance. Nothing seemed interesting today, the weather was exceptionally good, azure skies with only wisps of clouds here and there. The bright sunlight shone through the extravagant window panes located at the top of the library. Jungkook fell into his armchair in front of the fireplace once more as he let out a disgruntled huff.
He had no idea what to do as he fiddled with the edge of his cravat. Jungkook didn’t know why he had to wear formal clothing even though he was staying inside all day. His parents had strictly told him that even when inside, Jungkook should look presentable at any time. Yet the clothes that the maids had chosen for him today was a little too formal for Jungkook’s tastes.
The collar on his starched white shirt was raised high and bent at the edges. It was a little looser than normal and Jungkook appreciated the small freedom that he had. There was a Victorian Style Ascot tie cravat that was a deep maroon, wine color. It was made of Dupioni silk and it was tied like a bow. Jungkook was also wearing a single-breasted waistcoat that was a dark, midnight black with a notched collar. On top of the waistcoat, he was wearing a black frock coat that had patterns of swirling flowers. (http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-73404718658914/regency-victorian-style-ascot-tie-cravat-maroon-wine-dupioni-silk-3-inch-width-7.gif )He felt like he was over-dressing and he had complained when the maids were dressing him. He would have preferred to wear something much more comfortable.
Jungkook was extremely bored. Usually, he would be busy, studying with his tutor and having long lessons that lasted for hours. But now, he was sitting all alone in the library because all of the other servants and the people who worked in the house were too busy fussing over Jungkook’s mother, Jeon HeaJung. His mother’s birthday was right around the corner on March 11th. Everyone was too busy getting ready and preparing for her birthday to notice her son who was left all alone. Jungkook wasn’t relatively close with his parents, or anyone in general. He tended to keep a stone-faced mask on that kept people away from him. The only person that he could call a “friend” was his personal servant, Jung Hoseok.
Hoseok (or J-Hope as Jungkook and many others called him) was a ball of energy. He was always smiling and joking around with others. Maybe that’s why it was easier for Jungkook to open up to him than the other servants who never approached him. Once, when Jungkook had wondered aloud why he had no friends, Hoseok had told him that maybe it was because Jungkook was too shy. He never talked to anyone and kept to himself often. Thinking of Hoseok brought a smile to his lips as he chuckled lightly, remembering his bright friend.
On cue, a loud, cheery voice echoed around the library as Jungkook stood up straighter in his chair.
“Jungkook!! Jungkook!”
Hoseok kept on calling him as Jungkook hid behind the chair. Hoseok was the only one who dared to drop any honorifics when calling Jungkook’s name. Other people often called him ‘Jungkook-nari’ or ‘Jungkook-nim’ even if they were older. Status was more important than age.
“Kookie~”
Hoseok’s voice echoed around the empty library once more, he was using the nickname that he had given Jungkook.
“J-Hope~”
Jungkook answered back with his nickname for the older. Even though Hoseok was in a lower class than Jungkook, (a servant nonetheless) he always made sure to add -hyung at the end whenever he was talking to him. He felt like he needed to add honorifics even if his parents looked down at him for it. But… Well, sometimes he left out the -hyung. Especially when they were playing around.
“Kookie! Are you hiding from me? Your hyung?!”
Hoseok tried once more to get Jungkook but to no avail, he didn’t come out. Hoseok huffed as he surveyed the room, looking for Jungkook. He strained his ears and the edge of his mouth curled up into a smile when he heard snickering behind the chair that Jungkook liked to sit in. Hoseok tried once more as a brilliant idea came to his head. He smiled as he opened his mouth,
“Oppa! Where are you?”
Hoseok heard the laughing stop as Jungkook’s head of brown hair quickly popped out from behind the armchair.
“Yah! What did you say?”
Jungkook yelled as he ran out from the chair to chase after Hoseok who was already leaving the room. Jungkook didn’t mind the nickname Kookie, but he hated it when people older than him called him ‘oppa’, it frustrated him. Hoseok had found out that Jungkook hated being called oppa when they were playing around.
“Calm down!”
Hoseok yelled behind him at Jungkook who was chasing him with anger evident on his face. He giggled as he watched Jungkook stop and pout as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Don’t call me oppa!"
“I won’t, I won’t. Sorry.”
Hoseok smiled sheepishly as he walked back toward Jungkook.
“Anyhow, Jungkook. I went looking for you because I wanted to ask you if you want to go out?”
Jungkook stared in feigned shock at Hoseok as he took a step back. Hoseok just stared at him, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
“What…?”
Hoseok said as he stared at Jungkook who was still staring at him.
“Hoseok-hyung… I didn’t know you swung that way.”
“Yah! Jungkookie you little brat!”
Hoseok blushed a beet red, all the way to the tip of his ears when Jungkook said that. He yelled at Jungkook as raised his hands in anger.
“I’m sorry, sorry.”
Jungkook giggled, then it turned into a full on laugh, clutching his stomach as he doubled over when he saw Hoseok bowing and apologizing to a passing by maid. The strange looks the maid was giving them and the flustered face on Hoseok’s face was enough to make Jungkook start another round of tear-jerking laughter.
“Kookie…”
There was a threat underlying his voice and Jungkook had no intention to test it. His laughing dyed out as he brushed the tears away from his eyes, his jaws and stomach ached from laughing too much. Jungkook knew that Hoseok was no homosexual, his parents wouldn’t let someone disgusting like that work in their mansion. It would sully their reputation.
“Sorry, sorry. I already apologized. Plus I know you don’t… You know. Like boys.”
Jungkook apologized once more at his hyung who was glaring at him, his face still flushed a deep red.
“I won’t take you outside if you keep that attitude up!”
Hoseok snapped at Jungkook as he crossed his arms and walked away, obviously fuming. Jungkook laughed once more at his hyung’s attitude as he chased after him, lightly clasping Hoseok’s shoulder and turning him around.
“Sorry. I’m sorry Hoseok-hyung. Please, please take me outside. Mother never lets me go out these days.”
Jungkook stared at Hoseok with his puppy eyes that he knew the other couldn’t resist. Hoseok kept on staring at Jungkook, keeping his guard up. Jungkook knew he won when Hoseok’s eyes softened, he dropped his arms to his side and sighed in defeat.
Hoseok was talking with Jungkook as they were walking down the streets. The stares and glances thrown their way were endless and Jungkook couldn’t help but stare back at them. He hated being stared at and found a satisfaction when they quickly adverted their eyes from the nobleman. Jungkook’s family was not royal descent, but many said that they were close enough. The Jeon’s were an extremely influential family that held power and wealth over many people including the royal family. Jungkook’s father, Jeon Gi-Nam was close to the king of the land and they were friends since young. His father had supported the king during tough times and the king had supported his father during hard times.
One thing that soured their relationships was the fact that the king was a believer in homosexual couples, the opposite of Jungkook’s father. Jungkook knew that his father would never talk bad about the king, but he knew for a fact that his mother disapproved the king’s opinions.
Hoseok nudged Jungkook as they walked past a particular girl,
“Isn’t she pretty? I would totally go for her… I think she has the hots for you! Do you see the way that she looks at you? That’s love at first sight…”
Hoseok sighed dreamily as he stopped in the middle of the street, edging closer to the girl and leaving Jungkook.
The girl had soft, brown hair that was tied in a loose braid over her shoulder. By her clothes, you could indeed tell that she was a commoner, but her beauty was exceptional. She had a stunning figure with large, green eyes that were speckled with gold. Jungkook followed Hoseok as he warily watched the girl who had looked away when Jungkook met her eyes. She nervously sorted through the vegetables that she was selling at a stand with another elderly woman.
A man approached their stand and as Jungkook noticed, he looked quite wealthy. He had golden rings on his fingers with an outfit that screamed ‘rich’. From Jungkook’s guess, that outfit would most likely cost thousands of dollars. He had black hair that was tied back, from his appearance he looked around 40 years old. He definitely wasn’t bad looking but… There was just an air around him that Jungkook didn’t like.
“Hey. You there, girl.”
The girl’s head snapped up at the voice from where she was messing with the vegetables. She trembled in fear as she replied to the man who stood towering over her, a smirk evident on his face.
“Y-Yes…”
Her meek voice rang around in Jungkook’s head as he watched the exchange between the two. Jungkook, Hoseok, and the old lady next to the girl were the only people who had noticed what was going. Jungkook had a sickening feeling in his chest, he knew what was going to happen. Nobles did it all the tome and it disgusted Jungkook.
“Give me 3 tomatoes, and make it fast.”
The man ordered gruffly as he kept his eyes on the girl who fumbled around the stall in a panic. She picked up a bag, then carefully placed three, ripe tomatoes inside. She turned around and clumsily sealed the top, she looked nervous. Jungkook noticed the man staring at the girl’s body without any shame. The old lady beside the girl glared at the man, keeping her gaze even when the man glared back. Similar to the old lady, Jungkook was disgusted by the man’ actions and he could tell that Hoseok was as well by the way he bristled next to Jungkook.
Just in case, Jungkook held his arm in front of Hoseok to keep him from doing anything dangerous. Usually, it was Jungkook that was affected easily, but this time Hoseok looked like he was about to pounce on the other man.
“What are you staring at you imbecile.”
The man snapped at the old lady who kept on glaring at the man. The defiance that was burning in her eyes make Jungkook open his mouth in awe. The woman was foolish for glaring at a nobleman, yet there was a sense of bravery and valor in her actions that made Jungkook look at her in respect.
“I said, what are you staring at!”
The man raised his voice toward the end as if to emphasize the woman’s foolishness for daring to defy him. He growled as he walked closer knocking into the girl who held the sack of tomatoes. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she stood, her feet shaking in fear. She flinched away when the man had brushed past her and the nobleman definitely noticed it.
“What, am I too scary for you?”
The man taunted the girl as she took a step back, backing into the brick wall that was behind the cart of vegetables. Jungkook looked around and noticed that the people who were passing them weren’t passing them because they didn’t notice it. They were ignoring it, on purpose. They didn’t want to get involved and they certainly didn’t want to get on the bad side of a nobleman. Jungkook scowled, disgust curling in his stomach as he watched how the crowd would stay away from the girl’s cart and purposely avoided any eye contact, rushing their steps in the process.
“Leave her alone, here are the tomatoes. Please leave.”
The old lady had decided that she had enough, taking the tomatoes from the girls’ hand and shoving it toward the haughty nobleman. She narrowed here eyes as she said this and stressed the word ‘please’ as if she was taunting him. Jungkook winced as he watched the exchange, this wasn’t going to end well for the other party. The nobleman stared down coldly at the woman, but anyone could see the anger smoldering behind his brown eyes.
“You little—”
“Wait.”
The man was quickly cut off as Hoseok shouldered people as he crossed the street, his eyes burning in anger. Jungkook snapped out of his haze as he noticed a little too late at the fact that Hoseok was missing from his side. He quickly made a grab for Hoseok’s wrist to stop him but it was flung off. Jungkook knew what he was going to do and it was going to make the situation even worse.
“Hoseok-hyung—”
Jungkook was cut off with a sharp word from the older male.
“You.”
Hoseok was seething and he was definitely going to let it out on the rude man that was so openly (and disgustingly) staring at the girl like she was some kind of object. Said man had turned around at Hoseok’s voice and was staring at him in surprise, which eventually turned into a deep glare. Jungkook groaned, exasperated with Hoseok’s sudden urge to ensure that justice was handed down to the man. As he said before, usually it was Jungkook who was hotheaded and barging into things. Not Hoseok. No, definitely not his hyung who was literal sunshine. His hyung would never swear. Or so he thought.
“You fucking bastard! I can’t believe you stared at her like that. You’re the same as a pig, disgusting. That nice, old lady just wanted you to leave. There’s no need for you to act like that!”
Hoseok was yelling at the man, curse words were indeed tumbling out of his mouth and Jungkook widened his eyes in surprise. Then in panic. Hoseok was definitely causing a scene, a scene that his parents would not welcome and more importantly, a scene that would get Hoseok fired on the spot.
“I’m sorry, very sorry. He didn’t mean anything he said. He’s a drunk, honestly.”
Jungkook rushed beside his hyung, bowing his head in apology. His hair hid his face and he gritted his teeth as he clenched his hands. Why did he have to apologize to this bastard?
“Hmph, I guess I could let you go. Since I’m such a kind man…”
A sneering tone was entering the others voice as Jungkook kept his head down, mainly because if he looked up he may or may not have punched the nobleman in the face.
“I meant every word I said.”
Hoseok butted in as he crossed his arms, staring indignantly at the man across of him. The nobleman just smirked, and amusing smile crossing his face.
“Oh, did you?”
Jungkook groaned in exasperation, he was feeling tetchy, mainly from the scene that this was causing that would most likely make his parents ground him for weeks. Maybe months. He wanted to yell at Hoseok to ‘please keep his mouth shut’ but he knew that it wouldn’t solve the problem.
“Just, please. Let it go. He’s a little drunk, he doesn’t mean any harm.”
Jungkook apologized one more time, his patience was wearing thin and he would have left this place already if it weren’t for his hyung.
“Hmm… That’s some rich clothes your wearing. Show me your face.”
The man commanded Jungkook in an authoritative tone and there was a small bubble of satisfaction that bloomed inside him because he knew that once the man saw his face, this would all be over. No one dares disrespects the Jeon’s. Jungkook looked up with one eye brow raised in mocking. There was a curl of a smile on the corner of his lips and defiance glittered in his eye.
“Once again, I’m sorry for everything my hyung said. Now will you please let it go?”
Jungkook stressed the please and his smile grew even wider with apparent smugness as he watched the man’s eyes widen in horror. The realization that hit the man’s face and contorted it into a mask of trepidation and fear as he stared into Jungkook’s cobalt blue eyes. He turned pale and his hands started to shake.
“Y-Yes… I’m extremely sorry it was my fault. I-I’ll never d-do it again!”
The elderly woman and the young girl turned their way when they noticed the change in the man’s tone. The brown-haired girl with doe eyes curiously watched Jungkook’s face, she flushed when he looked back at her. As Jungkook turned back to the nobleman who had a sudden change in personality, he failed to notice the elderly woman’s face change into one of recognition. Hoseok looked warily at the elderly woman since it was his fault Jungkook was caught up in this mess he didn’t want him getting into trouble. If the woman recognized Jungkook and started spreading any rumors, his parents will definitely scold him.
Jungkook approached the man as his shoes clicked on the stone street. He leaned into the man’s face as his eyes flashed a dangerous blue,
“Tell anyone about what happened—“
He used his hand to gesture their surroundings and narrowed his eyes,
“And you’ll regret it.”
The man whimpered, whimpered. As he nodded his head vigorously. Jungkook pressed something into the nobleman’s hand and he flinched as Jungkook slowly backed away from him and patted Hoseok’s shoulder.
‘Let’s leave.’
He mouthed as he started walking away from the scene. He wasn’t worried about the villagers who had passed them, though some stayed to watch, they weren’t brave enough to spread rumors about a Jeon. Their existence would disappear from the world as soon as they spouted anything that disgraced them out of their lips. Noblemen were a different matter, they didn’t look kindly upon the power the Jeon’s had and they would do anything to drag them down. But Jungkook knew, that with the intimidation he implanted in the man’s brain, he wouldn’t dare say anything. But bribing didn’t hurt, did it?
The nobleman opened his hand and in his palms were a crushed wad of bills. His eyes darted to Jungkook as he understood the meaning. Just in case, Jungkook left a wad of bills on the vegetable stand as well. When he looked into the eyes of the elderly woman there was soft compassion in her gray eyes. He trusted the woman to not say anything. As he left with Hoseok by his side, he felt eyes digging into his back and he couldn’t help but glance back. But all he saw was the rushing of people and the nobleman standing there with the money still clutched in his hand. As he turned back, he didn’t notice the blonde-haired figure turn away and slip into an alleyway.