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Fragmentation 0.7 - KSJ
Plot: How does one measure freedom? Are our choices truly our own, or are they part of a preset design outside of our control? We all have a question burning inside of us, though few speak it out. It is the question that drives us forward, seeking purpose in our lives. What is The Matrix?
Rating: NC-17 // NSFW
Genre: Series | The Matrix!AU | angst | sci-fi | action | drama
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: Strong language, allusions to suicide, extreme angst, graphic violence
Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]
Word Count: 2,096
AN: On to Seokjin’s origin story of how he left The Matrix. I actually took inspiration from the animated short, Beyond, from The Animatrix. I always found it super fascinating that certain parts of The Matrix, much like a computer, experiences “glitches” from time to time. Especially in the earlier incarnations of it. All information in the universe can be found on the official Matrix Wiki so please use that as a reference guide if you ever get confused!
Tag List: @aroseforyoongi, @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432
© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.
Seokjin tossed the apple in his hand lazily, lagging behind his friends as they chattered on about some “cool thing” they found. He didn’t understand why they were so adamant in dragging him out there, but it wasn’t like he had anything better to do. Martin called and told him he didn’t need to come in for his shift today if he was fine with trading with him for that Sunday. As a teenage senior, he didn’t have much to really worry about as far as money. His parents were loaded. The only reason he had a job in the first place was his father wanted to teach him the “fundamental building blocks of living in society” and how to acclimate to said societal norms.
The truth? Seokjin was lazy at times and didn’t much care for responsibility on that level. With a successful chain of restaurants, stocks and bonds piling up in the bank, Seokjin didn’t have a care in the world. He could flit around and do as he pleased. The caveat? He had to maintain his grade point average and have a part-time job. If he couldn’t balance both his schoolwork and his actual job, then he didn’t deserve to inherit everything his father managed to build in his lifetime.
Easy money. Too easy. One day off on a said day when he didn’t feel like working, replacing said workday with a Sunday? The choice was obvious.
“Yo, Jin,” called Abbey, causing his mind to focus back on the current conversation he hadn’t been listening to in the first place, “it’s this way.”
He watched as Abbey, James and Elena motioned for him to follow through a narrow alleyway. The sun was bright and he couldn’t help but wonder why they were even doing this in the middle of the day. When it came to those three, they were always trying to get into some kind of mischief. Seokjin didn’t really think too much of it. Even if he got in trouble, he knew his mother would find a way to get him out of it.
What slivers of light existed quickly vanished within the dark shadows of the alley. They couldn’t enter in pairs - all trailing behind the other like little worker ants. Seokjin crunched into his apple, the sound bouncing off the walls of the small enclosure. They continued to chatter amongst each other, but Seokjin followed behind silently. He hadn’t been asked anything worth responding to and nothing of interest forced him to comment on it.
They were used to his lackluster attitude though.
As they breached the other side of the alley, he squinted from the sudden flood of light nearly blinding him. Abbey’s high-pitched giggle caught his interest. He shielded his face with his forearm, catching the image of James and Elena jumping into the air just in time. He didn’t quite understand what was so amusing…
...until he looked up and saw that Abbey was floating in the air.
“Whoa,” Seokjin murmured just as James did a somersault in the air - his motions slowed as if he were suspended in zero gravity, “what the hell?”
Elena laughed, her hair fanning out in the air as she hung upside down. “Pretty cool, huh?”
Seokjin nodded slowly, almost dropping the apple in his hand. “Yeah…”
“C’mon, Jin!” Abbey waved emphatically to him, spinning to the ground like a dancer from a dream. “You try it out!”
His eyes lingered around, spying all the various things in that section of the abandoned playground; a piece of a seemingly abandoned district. Rocks floated around, bouncing up and down in soft motions as if they were situated on an invisible river. Little bugs that attempted to fly off were slowed by whatever encompassed the space they were currently standing in. Seokjin could count the number of wings and how many times they flapped.
“What is this?” he asked, unsure of what this was and why he was even asking in the first place.
“We don’t know,” James answered with a shrug as he perched on the metal jungle gym, “but we figured it might have something to do with why this district got abandoned.”
He picked up one of the floating rocks, studied it, and then tossed it off to the side. The sound of it hitting the pavement caused him to turn and glance over his shoulder. The rock skittered off behind a barrel, hidden in its shadows where he wouldn’t bother looking. Canting his head slightly, he picked up another one of the floating rocks and threw it into the space where it occupied. For half a second, it zipped in at normal speed before slowing to a halt just inches away from James’ face.
“Hey!” he yelled, but Seokjin continued to look at the other rocks scattered along on the ground, “You could have hit me!”
Seokjin scoffed. “I doubt it.”
He tossed the apple into the air, watching it float along in the space - suspended in the air just outside of his reach.
Suddenly, there was a harsh sound resembling a record scratch that caught his attention. When he turned to face it, he saw that an old soda can seemed to be glitching in and out of focus. Seokjin’s eyes narrowed slowly, his feet moving toward it.
“Jin?” Abbey’s voice sounded concerned. “What is it?”
“You guys didn’t hear that?” He turned away from the can to look at his friends. “You guys didn’t hear that?”
All three of them shook their heads simultaneously. Had he been the only one to see it? To hear it?
But that’s crazy, he thought, his eyes moving back to the can, it was so loud and the fracture across the can is so obvious.
Or was it?
“Jin, you’re scaring us, dude,” chimed Elena, but he couldn’t be bothered with that. Not if they couldn’t see it.
But why could he see?
Like a bolt of lightning, the wails of sirens pierced through their tranquil setting. Flashes of red and blue illuminated their world. Seokjin looked around, his eyes widening as he quickly turned on his heels and scrambled a few steps back. His gaze shifted to the sky and he balked, seeing that it was suddenly dusk. When had it gotten that dark? They couldn’t have been there for more than an hour. Maybe less.
“We gotta go!” yelled Abbey, grabbing onto Seokjin’s wrist and pulling him away from the miniature wonderland.
Their sneakers pounded the pavement, kicking up dirt and scattered newspapers around them. James scrambled up a dumpster and grabbed for the handrailing of a fire escape. The girls followed suit and Seokjin knelt down to give Abbey a boost. Just as he was about to reach for her outstretched hand, flashlight beams all shined on him at once. Seokjin did his best to shield his eyes, backing away from where his friends were. Climbing up was too risky. He had to leave them and go off on his own.
“Look, I’ll catch up with you guys later!” he called up to them, pivoting on his heels and tearing off down the alleyway.
As his world got darker, Seokjin thought the alley was getting smaller and smaller. His breath came in quick intervals and he blinked rapidly against the sweat threatening to seep into his eyes. Just as he was about to reach the edge of the alley, an arm suddenly flung itself out of a window and grabbed him by his shoulders. He tried to scream, but all he could taste was leather as a hand covered his mouth - the rest of his body being dragged into the building through the opening.
Fear clutched at his chest, squeezing it slowly. Darkness flooded his vision, rendering him unable to see as the rushed sound of footsteps thundered passed. When the noise faded away, Seokjin’s heart finally began to ease up. The owner of the hand and arm that dragged him into the building finally stood up, giving him room to finally breathe comfortably.
“That was close,” said the person, her voice distinctly feminine.
Seokjin took a moment to get a good look at her, her dirty blonde hair framing her face while the rest of it was pulled back through the hole in the back of her ball cap. A cheeky grin etched her features. Her shorts were provocatively short, muscled legs covered in thigh high stockings that disappeared into a pair of combat boots. Her upper body showed off her toned midriff, the rest covered in a denim jacket and black tank top. She didn’t look much older than him, from what he could tell.
He frowned. “Who the hell are you?”
“Does it matter?” She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t know anyway, would you?”
Well, she certainly wasn’t wrong. But that didn’t make it any less irritating. It was clear that she knew something that he didn’t and considering the situation he just barely escaped from (barring her help), that was something that didn’t sit well with him. Not by a long shot.
“Why’d you help me?”
If he didn’t know better, he swore he saw her grin get just a little bit bigger.
“You saw it, didn’t you?”
A cold sweat prickled along the back of his neck. Instead of answering, he chose to swallow the lump in his throat. Apparently, that was all the response she needed. Chuckling more to herself than to the information he’d unintentionally given away, she shook her head slightly.
“Well, it’s a good thing I swung by when I did.”
Seokjin’s frown deepened, if possible, and he took a step toward her. “Just what in the hell is going on?”
She unfolded her arms, stuffing her hands into her pockets. She fished around in both until one came out. She held her fist out to him, urging him to come forward. When he did, she lofted a brow, waiting for him to do something else. Not sure what she was wanting, Seokjin held out his palm.
Opening her fist, she dropped a small, silver case into his hand. Curious, he popped open the box and inside were two pills. One blue, the other red. Was she trying to drug him?
Just as he opened his mouth to question her, he saw the girl holding a cell phone up to her ear.
“Stand by for pickup.”
Seokjin had about as much as he could stand. “Hey! What’s the big idea? You tryna kidnap me or some shit?”
The girl frowned, craning her neck slowly to glare at him. “You’re the idiot that doesn’t even realize he’s already trapped.”
He blinked, not sure why hearing that struck a nerve. What did that even mean?
“If you want to know the answer behind that little gravity show you and your friends were messin’ with, take the red pill. You wanna forget about it and go back to your normal boring life, then take the blue pill. Choice is yours, Buttercup.”
Seokjin’s eyes lingered back to the pills. He couldn’t forget what he’d experienced. His friends thought it was just some weird phenomenon and, honestly, if he hadn’t seen the can glitch out, he might have chalked it up to that as well. But too many things didn’t add up. How had the police shown up so quickly and when had time shifted that fast in a space where it only felt like he’d been there for no more than an hour?
Grasping the red pill between his thumb and forefinger, he popped it into his mouth and swallowed. The girl’s grin returned and he watched her hang up the phone and slip it back into her pocket. In the dark and dusty building they were in, the walls inked over in black as flickers of green numbers seemed to explode along the walls. Seokjin’s ears started ringing to the point where they hurt and he clutched at them with both hands, dropping the case and the remaining blue pill. He felt a hand on his shoulder as it squeezed it gently.
“You gotta breathe,” she said, her voice a distant whisper against the roaring sound of his blood rushing through his ears, “just take a deep breath. It’ll be over quick.”
And as he took a breath, everything blurred over in a haze of green, black and gray. Until there was nothing left. It was quiet; peaceful. But somehow he knew that this was only the beginning.
“Welcome to the Real World.”
Fragmentation 0.7 - KSJ
Plot: How does one measure freedom? Are our choices truly our own, or are they part of a preset design outside of our control? We all have a question burning inside of us, though few speak it out. It is the question that drives us forward, seeking purpose in our lives. What is The Matrix?
Rating: NC-17 // NSFW
Genre: Series | The Matrix!AU | angst | sci-fi | action | drama
Pairing: N/A
Warnings: Strong language, allusions to suicide, extreme angst, graphic violence
Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]
Word Count: 2,096
AN: On to Seokjin’s origin story of how he left The Matrix. I actually took inspiration from the animated short, Beyond, from The Animatrix. I always found it super fascinating that certain parts of The Matrix, much like a computer, experiences “glitches” from time to time. Especially in the earlier incarnations of it. All information in the universe can be found on the official Matrix Wiki so please use that as a reference guide if you ever get confused!
Tag List: @aroseforyoongi, @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432
© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.
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Shadow’s Birthright | MYG
CHAPTER 10: With Eyes Unclouded
Plot: Riding in on thunder and lightning, two princes are born. But a crown cannot be shared. It can only be worn by one and one alone. The hands of man have separated the brothers, allowing one to live in wealth and comfort inside the palace while the other grows up among commoners. But Fate cannot be destroyed by the hands of man. A shared destiny reunites the brothers; one to become a king who descends into madness and the other will rise as a dragon whose journey has only just begun in order to claim a crown he does not desire to have.
Rating: NC-17 // NSFW
Genre: series | historical!au | fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | tragedy
Pairing: Min Yoongi (Lee Yoon) x Female OC (Kalina Shuri)
Warnings: Historical setting, caste system, magic/sorcery, graphic violence, disturbing graphic images, religious tones, angst, slow burn, smut
Previous Chapters: Prologue 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]
Word Count: 2,557
Tag List: @luxekook, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @stillcopingxx, @taevkimchi, @aroseforyoongi, @vivpurple7, @happilystrongthroughthedark, @sw33tnight, @nikkitane, @mini-coop25, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland @hobigif-ficrecs
AN: DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN...
P.S. Please bear in mind that while the historical accuracy will be mostly correct, I am setting this in a time period in Joseon history where there was no such thing as a king who had a twin brother. Obviously that’s where the fiction/creative freedom is going to come in. Everything else will be period accurate, trust and believe.
© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.
“Vision is not what your eyes see, but an image that your brain comprehends.” - Touko Aozaki
Yoon left the Crown Princess’s palace in the middle of the night. He still had to get dressed for the long journey and he wanted to make sure that nothing would impede him from being able to leave at the desired hour. But he wasn’t heartless. The Crown Prince made sure to leave a note for her, as well as a small gift. Something to help her feel less lonely during the coming days while he was away in Ming.
After he finished dressing in his travel gear, Yoon rendezvoused with Bidam and Namgil. The small caravan of horses, supplies, and bodyguards were ready to depart. The moonlight shined down on them from above, negating the need for lanterns. If the road got foggy, they would light them. But only then.
Namgil stifled a small yawn, causing Yoon to grin. Bidam elbowed the eunuch and he snorted, righting his position as the Crown Prince approached. They both bowed, awaiting his next instructions. Yoon gestured to the horses and the three men leaped onto their steeds. The horses whined and snorted in protest, but patiently waited for their riders to command them.
Craning his neck in different directions, Yoon made sure that everything was in place. He held his hand up and pointed forward. “Let’s head out.”
Bidam held his sword out by the scabbard. “Forward march!”
The heavy groan of wooden wheels and the scuffling of feet echoed over the sound of the horses clip-clopping along the dirt road. Yoon admired how clear the sky was. If Kalina’s words were true, then there would be no problems along the way. It would be a long trip, traversing rolling hills and open valleys, but nothing untoward would cross their paths. Others were on edge, as they were trained to be, but Yoon was completely relaxed.
He believed in his sorceress.
Both Namgil and Bidam sidled up on either side of him, matching his steady pace. The eunuch pressed the back of his wrist against his mouth, smothering down another yawn. “Will it be a long trip, Seja Cheo-ha?”
Yoon raised his hand up, sliding his fingers and thumb over the brim of his jeollip, making sure the round hat was secured tightly to his head. The black satin ribbons were tied under his chin, the large silver and black beads dangling across his shoulders. “You should prepare yourself, Namgil-ah.” He touched the silver tassel and flicked the peacock feather in amusement.
He heard his attendant groan. “I am already tired just thinking about it.”
Bidam laughed loudly, clapping the eunuch on the shoulder hard enough for him to lean sideways on the saddle. “Stop acting like such a weakling!” He gripped the reins a little tighter. “It’ll be fun! We haven’t been away from the palace in a while.”
“No. Not since the last Royal Hunt.” Yoon felt his chest swell with pride. “It will definitely be interesting to see what will be waiting for us when we arrive.”
Namgil folded his arms across his chest, the reins dangling from his hands. “It’s going to take us nearly a week to get there.” He covered his face with one hand. “We will have to sleep outside!”
Yoon laughed as they continued their steady pace. Palace life was nice and often left most of the staff a bit spoiled. Even the lowliest servants were paid a better stipend than most commoners on the streets. He could see why Namgil was feeling a bit frazzled, but that didn’t mean it was something that couldn’t be overcome.
“I am curious about one thing, Your Highness.”
He flashed Bidam a curious glance. “What is it?”
His bodyguard scratched at his temple. “Is there a reason why you picked that particular troupe to be able to perform in the palace again?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s just that…” Bidam rolled his shoulders a bit. “...isn’t that a common story they performed? I've even heard of it. What was so special about their reenactment?”
Yoon’s brows furrowed and he looked away, staring at the mane of hair draped over his horse’s neck. Honestly, he hadn’t given it much thought. It was such a passing thing and it wasn’t like he wanted the banquet in the first place. But Yoon truly did admire the time and effort spent to hone one’s craft. Even street performers were considered to be on the same tier as gisaengs. In the eyes of others, they were viewed even higher since gisaeng were, in a sense, slaves. Bidam wasn’t off with his assumptions. It truly was just like any other performance and it was a common tale.
But there was something…
“Truthfully?” He looked back at Bidam, a small smile forming on his lips. “I think it was the demon that drew me in.”
“What?” Namgil leaned forward on his horse so he could peek at the Crown Prince. “But why?”
Yoon shrugged. “There was just something about his performance that captivated me.”
“Captivated? You?” Bidam grinned. “That’s high praise indeed. Rarely anything impresses you.”
He chuckled. “I think he’s talented. The entire troupe is, in fact.” Yoon smiled at both of his friends. “I just wanted to give them the opportunity to be able to succeed in this wretched and unfair world we live in. That’s all.”
It wasn’t a lie. But it wasn’t the entire truth either. The truth was that there was something about that performer that made his heart hurt. It was like he’d been struck by a bolt of lightning out of the blue. Yet even that seemed like a pathetic comparison, now that he thought about it.
Yoongi knew he needed to get back home. But he also couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Jimin behind. Not until he knew his friend was fully up and about, functional and productive in the world again. Kali politely allowed them all to stay inside her estate. She also provided the excuse Yoongi would need in case he returned to find his father had beaten him home. She was far too generous, even with his outburst the night prior.
There was so much swimming in his head. But instead of cornering Taehyung and demanding for answers, he remained silent and kept vigil over Jimin. Kali reassured him that he would just need to rest. The poison perspired from his system overnight. The worst of it was over. But she did make a point in stating that had they been even one hour late, Jimin’s spirit would already be on its way to the Underworld.
The potency of the poison was frightening. Thankfully, Kali’s seer abilities allowed her to prepare for their arrival. He shuddered to think of the darker aspect of her power and was thankful that she was a friend and not a foe.
Sighing, he stood from the chair he sat in at Jimin’s bedside and went to the table to retrieve a wet towel from the brass basin. Wringing out the cloth, he returned and began dabbing the sweat away from his friend’s brow and forehead. His complexion was, for the most part, back to normal. But he still needed to eat and move around to fully purge the poison from his system.
Yoongi’s breath caught in his throat when he saw Jimin’s brows furrow slightly. Little wrinkles formed on his nose until his eyelids fluttered, opening fully and then staring listlessly at the ceiling. Yoongi leaned forward, waving a hand over his friend’s face. Jimin didn’t blink.
“Have you regained consciousness?” Yoongi’s voice sounded so foreign in his ears at that moment.
Jimin blinked. Then he slowly turned his head so he could look up at Yoongi. For a second, he feared the worst. Was his friend blind? Or had he gone deaf? He’d heard of certain poisons having that kind of effect.
Jimin nodded, then attempted to sit up. When Yoongi reached out to help him, he saw his friend shrink back a measure. This confused him greatly, causing him to fall back into his chair as the wet rag in his hand dropped to the floor.
“Hey, Jimin-ah,” he managed to croak, “what’s the matter with you?” Yoongi pressed a hand to his chest as he leaned forward. “It’s me. Min Yoongi.”
For a long moment, all Jimin did was stare wide-eyed at him. Had the poison actually affected his mind instead? It felt like a lump of ice was dropped into the pit of his stomach, causing Yoongi’s throat to close up. He tried to swallow but found it was difficult to do so. The moisture in his mouth seemed to disappear.
Then, suddenly, Jimin scrambled onto his knees. Half of the blanket was bunched up around him, but this didn’t seem to bother him. Yoongi didn’t know what to make of this. It wasn’t until he saw Jimin lower his head to his hands, prostrating himself, that Yoongi shot up from his chair so fast that it clattered to the floor.
“W-What...what…” He was struggling to get the words out, too shocked by Jimin’s actions. “What do you think you’re doing right now, Jimin-ah?!”
“Daegun Mama!”
Yoongi felt his heart jump straight into his throat. For a moment, he forgot how to formulate coherent sentences. His back leg shifted slightly, his heel bumping into the discarded chair. Before he could ask anything further, footsteps thundered through the hallway and the sliding door was flung open. An uncomfortable feeling slithered up his back. It only intensified when he saw his friends staring wide-eyed at him for the briefest of seconds before they, too, fell to their knees on the floor.
This wasn’t happening. Whatever this was, it wasn’t happening!
“Your Excellency!” Their voices were all in sync, echoing around him.
Yoongi covered his ears and shook his head back and forth. “What nonsense are you all babbling about?” His eyes shut tight as he continued to shake his head roughly. “Stop calling me that! What gives you...what reason do you all have?!”
He felt something tug at the hem of his tunic, causing him to look directly at Jimin. There was something glinting in his friend’s eyes, but he wasn’t sure what it could be. Was it awe? Was it fear? Or was it something else altogether? Yoongi had no way of knowing. But instead of feeling relief and joy over knowing his friend was, in fact, alive and well, all he could feel was a heavy sense of dread weighing on his chest. It made it difficult for him to breathe, let alone think straight.
Helplessness clawed at Yoongi’s throat and he quickly grasped Jimin’s hands between his palms. His friend swiftly lowered his head and this caused him to roar out in frustration. He saw Jimin’s shoulders jump slightly; more from his sudden outburst than anything else. It wasn’t like Yoongi to lose his temper like this. But he was being left in the dark and he despised it. Kali referring to him as “Young Master” was one thing. This was on a completely different level.
Because he was just addressed by a title claimed by royalty.
Specifically that of a prince who claimed legitimacy.
“Daegun Mama…” he heard the others murmur again and Yoongi whirled around angrily. “...please, forgive us, Your Excellency!”
“Stop calling me that!” Yoongi’s voice shook both the room and himself. “Stop lying! Enough of your lies! STOP IT!”
“It’s true, Your Excellency!” This time it was Taehyung who spoke, lifting his face to peer up at him. “We dare not speak lies before you. Not about this! Not this!”
His entire body was trembling as he fought back the urge to explode and tear everything in the room apart. “LIAR! It’s not true!”
“Daegun Mama, please listen!” Yoongi could hear the desperation in Jimin’s voice as he clung to his tunic once again. “We overheard your father speaking to the King!” Turning, he felt his eyes bulging out of his head as he stared pointedly at his friend. Tears leaked from Jimin’s eyes as he spoke. “Your father, Min Dojin-ssi...he was the King’s former bodyguard! He was the Commander of the Royal Bodyguards!”
Heat radiated from Yoongi’s ears as if they were on fire. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All those trips to the Crown City were so he could see the King of Joseon? That explained how his father was so skilled at martial arts. It also made sense as to why he was more relenting toward teaching Yoongi the necessary skills he needed to fight.
But that didn’t answer why his friends were referring to him as a Grand Prince.
“S-So what?” muttered Yoongi as he glared down at Jimin. “So what?! That doesn’t tell me anything! That doesn’t explain why you all are kneeling before me! I’m nobody! I’m nothing, do you hear me?!”
“Min Dojin isn’t your father by blood. Your Majesty, the King, is. That’s why the Crown Prince shares your face.” Taehyung sounded absolutely defeated. Yoongi could hear it in his voice; like he was unable to fathom or process the next thing that was going to come tumbling from his mouth. “He is...your twin brother.”
What stability remained in Yoongi’s legs gave way, causing him to collapse to the floor completely. Tears streamed from his eyes as he stared up at the ceiling. Whatever words were spoken after that were lost to his ears. He couldn’t hear anything. Nothing could overcome the painful booming of his own heart as it thundered against his chest and ribs. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real!
But a certain proverb from one of the many Confucian analects Kali lent to him sat at the forefront of his thoughts.
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.”
He’d been ignorant for all of his life. Everyone kept him in the dark. His father-no, his adopted father kept him blind. Kali knew the truth but abstained from speaking. All the questions he had in his life careened through his mind like a stampede and only by seeking the truth was he able to come to his own conclusion. It was the only way he was able to climb out of the pit of self-ignorance. Yoongi only wanted to be a filial son and perform his duties as a proper son should. He’d never known the truth.
Part of him never wanted to know.
But now it was no longer an option.
Slowly, he turned his head and saw Kali standing in the doorway. When their eyes met, she lowered her head in a bow that was on a different level of respect he’d ever seen given from her. Was this the same gesture she gave to anyone who was of nobility? Or royalty?
Yoongi’s shoulders shook slightly as he wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. What am I supposed to do now?
As if she’d read his mind, Kali flashed him a gentle smile. But she remained silent. It would be up to him. It was always his choice.
Kali was right. It wouldn’t matter what choice he made after this. The end result would be the same.
He just needed to make one.