ALL IN BLOOM || VMINKOOK ?

22

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Half an hour later, jungkook strode across the palace in search of his Uncle Jiwoo.

At this hour of the morning, he was probably still in the morning sunroom he liked to read the papers in.

Some times they were news-papers, him keeping up with the stories of the nation and the world.

Other times, they were reports by various government departments on a variety of topics.

Jungkook knew his uncle's interest was diverse, always keen to know what was going on in their country and elsewhere.

He knocked on the door to the sunroom, waiting until he heard his great-uncle's voice before sticking his head around the door.

His Uncle was alone, a newspaper in his hands.

"Jungkookie, come in, come in," he called, folding the broadsheet carefully and setting it aside.

"You've caught me showing my age," he added, gesturing to the newspaper he'd just been reading.

"My sons tell me no one reads actual newspapers anymore."

"They bought me a tablet, but it's just not the same as feeling the pages between your fingers."

He examined said fingers with a frown. "And getting ink on your skin," he added ruefully.

"At least newspapers don't run out of battery power," Jungkook pointed out, taking a seat across from his uncle.

"That they don't," his uncle agreed.

"Now, how are you, Son? It's been a difficult few days. Are you and your brother-in-arms still standing sentry over Jimin?"

Trust his Uncle to know all the particulars.

"I'm okay," he promised, wincing at the skeptical look his uncle aimed his way.

"Tired," he admitted, running a hand over his face.

"But both Lisa and Jimin are recovering well. The crisis has passed, and everyone's safe." He swallowed the for now on the tip of his tongue.

"But you're here to talk, perhaps about the contest?" his uncle suggested.

"Maybe you've already made some decisions?"

There was a twinkle in his uncle's eye as he spoke.

"It's Jimin," Jungkook admitted with a sigh.

"Even before he was taken, I—"

"You'd shown some clear partiality, yes."

"I can understand that he's quite a pretty young man With an interesting background."

"An odd choice for the contest, but your father thought it would not do any harm for the small islanders to see that the mainland hasn't forgotten them."

That answered the question as to why there hadn't been much of a protest when he shortlisted Jimin When it came to his father, there was always an angle.

"I don't care about all that."

"I care about him, I'm falling in love with Jimin."

"Then I'm sure your father can easily be persuaded to let him be one of your choices, given his brave actions."

"Now all you need to do is make sure your second choice—"

"There's a problem," Jungkook said simply, his uncle falling silent.

"What sort of problem?" his uncle asked carefully.

"Kim Taehyung."

A frown crossed Uncle's face. "Taehyung, your navy colleague The one who's helping you ensure Jimin is safe?"