Chapter Text
~~~☆~~~
The sun had barely risen when Jungkook was summoned to the concubine wing. His heart sank at the unexpected call, knowing that nothing good ever came from being singled out by the royal omega consort, Lady Miyeon. As he walked down the grand corridors, the whispers of other servants trailed behind him. Most looked at him with pity ; some, with smugness. He tried to steel himself for what lay ahead, but his hands trembled faintly as he pushed open the heavy doors to the wing’s main hall.
Inside, Lady Miyeon stood at the center, her imposing figure radiating authority. Around her were dozens of other servants—omegas and betas, all nervously fidgeting as they awaited their fates. Miyeon’s sharp eyes scanned the crowd with the precision of a predator, her gaze stopping on Jungkook. A smirk played on her lips.
“You,” she said, her voice like silk laced with venom. “Step forward. You look young, how old are you ?’’ Lady Miyeon remarked,
Jungkook obeyed, his head bowed. He felt the weight of everyone’s stares, the murmurs buzzing like flies around him.
‘’ I’m 18 years old, your highness’’
“As part of the concubine wing’s reorganization, I have decided that only the most capable will serve the favored ladies,” Miyeon announced, her tone commanding. “You should consider it an honor to be chosen.”
Jungkook’s stomach churned. He could already feel the trap closing in around him.
“You will serve Lady Sana,” Miyeon declared, her voice dripping with mockery. “She has been… dissatisfied with her previous maids. Let us hope you fare better.”
The room erupted in hushed murmurs. Lady Sana was notorious for her temper and impossible demands. No servant lasted long in her service. Jungkook clenched his fists at his sides, swallowing the lump of dread rising in his throat. But he said nothing, merely bowing low in acknowledgment.
What choice did he have ?
~~~☆~~~
When Jungkook was first assigned to Lady Sana, he thought it would be just another assignment, just another royal concubine to serve. But he quickly realized that Lady Sana was different. She wasn’t like the others—soft-spoken, demure, and easy to please. No, she was a tempest in silk, a spoiled omega with a sharp tongue and cruel temper. Every order she gave was a test, every task a challenge that he had to meet, and no matter how hard he worked, it was never enough.
Lady Sana’s private chamber were a stark contrast to Jungkook’s modest servants space. The rooms were lavishly decorated, with silken drapes, gilded mirrors, and plush cushions scattered across the floor. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes, a cloying sweetness that made Jungkook’s head spin.
Lady Sana was seated on a cushioned divan when he arrived, her delicate features twisted into a pout. She was beautiful, with long, flowing orange hair and bright, sharp eyes that sparkled with mischief and disdain. But there was an edge to her beauty, a cruelty that lay just beneath the surface.
“So, you’re my new maid,” she said, her tone dripping with skepticism as she eyed him from head to toe. “A male omega ? How… unusual.”
Jungkook bowed deeply. “I will do my best to serve you, my lady.”
Her laughter was soft but cutting. “We’ll see about that.”
From the very first day, Sana made it her mission to test his limits.
☆
“Jungkook” her voice rang out, shrill and impatient.
He rushed into her room, balancing a tray of tea that she had demanded not five minutes earlier. “Yes, my lady ?”
“This tea is too hot,” she snapped, glaring at the steaming cup. “Do it again. And this time, make it perfect.”
Jungkook bit his tongue, bowing as he took the tray back to the kitchen. When he returned with the tea at the perfect temperature, she frowned again.
“Now it’s too cold. Honestly, are you even trying ?”
This was how his days went—running back and forth to satisfy her every whim, only for her to find fault in everything he did.
One afternoon, she demanded that he rearrange the entire wardrobe in her dressing room. There were hundreds of garments, each more extravagant than the last, and she wanted them sorted by color, material, and occasion. It took Jungkook the entire day, his back aching and his hands raw from handling the heavy fabrics.
When he finally finished, she strolled in, inspected his work for barely a moment, and waved her hand dismissively.
“Hmm, I don’t like it. Do it again. And this time, put the silk gowns in the center.”
Jungkook felt a flash of anger but quickly buried it. He bowed and began the task anew, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.
Lady Sana’s tantrums were frequent and unpredictable. If her jewelry wasn’t polished to perfection, she would throw it across the room, demanding that Jungkook retrieve it. If her bathwater wasn’t scented to her exact specifications, she would refuse to bathe and accuse him of trying to humiliate her.
One evening, after an especially long day, Jungkook accidentally knocked over a small vase while cleaning her room. The delicate porcelain shattered on the floor, the sound echoing like a death knell.
Sana’s eyes widened in fury. “Do you have any idea how much that vase cost ?” she screeched, her voice shrill enough to make him wince.
“I’m so sorry, my lady,” Jungkook stammered, dropping to his knees to pick up the shards.
“Sorry isn’t good enough” she snapped. “You’re incompetent. Useless. Do you even know how lucky you are to be here ? A filthy male omega like you should be groveling for scraps, not serving someone like me. That bitch Miyeon want to humiliate me”
Her words cut deep, but Jungkook kept his head down, silently enduring her tirade.
But the worst came one afternoon when Lady Sana requested a bath. The hot water had to be prepared in a specific way, she insisted, with a blend of jasmine and rose petals floating in the water. It took Jungkook almost an hour to gather the ingredients, carefully mixing them to meet her exacting standards.
When the bath was finally ready, he led her into the small room adjoining her chambers, where a large marble tub was set with the warm water and fragrant flowers.
Sana stood at the threshold of the bath, her face scrunching up in distaste. “It’s too hot. I told you I don’t like it too hot.”
Jungkook’s heart sank. “My lady, I prepared it as you instructed…”
“No excuses” she screamed, the sharpness of her voice slicing through the air. “You think I don’t know how to measure water temperature ? Get out. I’ll call someone else.”
Jungkook stood frozen, trying to hide the embarrassment rising in his chest. “Please, my lady, allow me to adjust it. I will make it cooler for you.”
She turned on her heel, giving him a contemptuous look as she climbed into the tub. “It better be right this time, or I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Her words hung in the air, and Jungkook left the room, his mind spinning with frustration. Even when he did everything she asked—perfectly, as always—it was never enough. He could feel the sting of her judgment as if it were an invisible whip cracking across his skin.
Though Jungkook did everything he could to avoid her wrath, there were moments when his resentment bubbled to the surface. He hated the way she looked down on him, the way she treated him as if he were less than human. But what he hated most of all was her connection to the king. Someone like her gained significant attention from Taehyung.
Every time she sneered at him, he imagined telling her the truth. You’re nothing more than a pawn in their game. Just like me.
But he never said it. He couldn’t. His family depended on him, and he couldn’t risk losing the only source of income they had.
So, he swallowed his pride, his anger, his pain, and continued to serve Lady Sana with a bowed head and trembling hands.
As the days turned into weeks, Jungkook’s life under Lady Sana’s command became a relentless cycle of humiliation and exhaustion. But he refused to break.
Deep down, he clung to a fragile hope—that one day, he would be free from this hell. That one day, he would rise above the cruelty and injustice that defined his existence.
But for now, all he could do was endure.
Jungkook had never imagined that his life would become this endless cycle of servitude and humiliation. From the moment Lady Sana’s icy eyes had scanned him, he knew his existence would be nothing more than a series of menial tasks meant to break him, to remind him of his place in this world. But he had no choice. He was a male omega, his value determined by the whims of those in power, and Lady Sana had more power in her little finger than he could ever hope to command.
☆
One evening, she had him prepare a special tea blend for her, one that she had “heard of” from a visiting noblewoman. The recipe was complex, involving rare herbs that Jungkook had never seen before. He spent hours in the castle’s herbarium, searching for the right plants and preparing them with the precision of a trained healer.
When he finally presented the tea to her, she barely spared it a glance before dismissing it.
“It’s too bitter,” she remarked offhandedly. “I wanted it sweet.”
Jungkook bit his lip, forcing down the bitterness in his throat. “I will make it again, my lady.”
“No. I’m not drinking this. Get out of my sight.”
She gestured lazily toward the door, clearly uninterested in his apologies or excuses.
Jungkook’s heart sank as he left the room, the harsh sting of her rejection cutting deep.
There were nights, late in the evenings, when Jungkook would lie awake on his small cot in the servant’s quarters, his body aching from the day’s labor. The soft, muffled sounds of laughter and clinking glasses would drift in from the lavish halls of the royals, and he would feel the crushing weight of his place in the castle.
He had been taught to endure.
To serve.
To obey.
But every day with Lady Sana, every cruel word, every demand, and every impossible task, broke him a little more.
Yet, he couldn’t escape. He couldn’t leave. His family needed him, and he was trapped in a gilded cage of his own making. And as the days bled into each other, he knew that this was his life now—serving a woman who saw him as nothing more than a tool to be used, a broken thing beneath her.
And he hated her. He hated the way she treated him, the way she belittled him, but most of all, he hated himself for letting it happen.
But Jungkook never expected that, one day, he would stand before him, face to face.
The grand halls of the castle seemed to stretch endlessly, their opulence and the echo of footsteps almost surreal. Jungkook was walking swiftly, his head slightly bowed in his usual humble posture as he made his way back to the servant’s quarters. The weight of the day’s tasks pressed down on him—serving Lady Sana, running errands for the other concubines, cleaning the vast, endless corridors. His limbs were heavy, his mind fatigued, and yet there was a rhythm to his movements, a routine he had fallen into for the past five years of his life.
And yet, today was different.
It was not because something had changed in his tasks or in the wings of the royal palace where he toiled away under the cruel hands of Lady Sana. No, what had shifted was the presence that lingered in the air, thick with the power of something—someone—imposing.
Jungkook’s heart had already begun to race before he had even realized why.
At first, he heard it : the sound of heavy boots against marble floors, the deep, rhythmic thud of an alpha’s purposeful strides. He froze, his instincts kicking in before his mind could even catch up. He knew that sound, knew what it meant. The King was near.
His breath caught in his throat. There, at the far end of the hallway, walk King Taehyung, his form radiating an aura that sent waves of pressure through the air. Tall, toned, and impossibly handsome, with his dark hair slightly tousled and his eyes—those golden eyes that shimmered with an ethereal glow. His face, composed yet strong, held a calm intensity that Jungkook could feel deep in his bones.
King Taehyung was everything the stories spoke of and more, a living embodiment of strength and dominance. The castle, once brimming with the usual sounds of life, now seemed to hold its breath in the presence of this man. His gaze swept across the hall, as if scanning the area, but Jungkook, despite his attempts, couldn’t look away.
Jungkook’s heart stuttered in his chest, as if it had a life of its own, threatening to escape at the sight of the king. He stood frozen, barely able to process his own feelings as Taehyung walked closer. The very air around him seemed to charge, thickening with the sheer force of the alpha’s presence. He was untouchable, unapproachable. He was King Taehyung—the ruler, the feared and beloved ruler of this kingdom.
And yet, as Taehyung’s gaze briefly flicked over him, Jungkook’s breath hitched. The moment their eyes met, everything seemed to freeze. Jungkook’s breath caught in his throat. Taehyung stood there, tall and imposing, with his sharp features set in a stern expression. His golden eyes—eyes that had been described to him in countless stories—glowed with an intensity that made Jungkook’s heart race. His presence was magnetic, as though the world had shifted to center around him.
Jungkook couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. He had seen Taehyung from a distance, of course—whispers and rumors about his beauty and strength were common, but nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming reality of standing so close to the king. His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse quickening. He had been raised to never look the king in the eyes, to bow and serve without question, but there he was, frozen in place, unable to avert his gaze.
But then—nothing.
Taehyung looked away.
No words were spoken. There was no acknowledgment. Just that single glance, before the king moved past him without another glance. His footsteps were strong, deliberate, as though he had merely passed a servant, as though Jungkook were no more than a shadow in the corner of the grand hall.
Jungkook stood there, stunned, his body trembling ever so slightly from the overwhelming rush of emotions that had flooded him. His heart still raced, each beat so loud in his chest that it seemed to reverberate through his entire body.
The king had ignored him—completely. And yet, that brief moment when their eyes met had left him shaken to his core.
Jungkook’s hands trembled slightly as he tried to regain his composure, blinking rapidly as if trying to shake off the effect the king’s mere presence had on him. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he willed himself to stay calm, he couldn’t suppress the fluttering in his chest.
He had been seen.
Even if it was just for a fraction of a moment, Taehyung had looked at him, and his heart had pounded in a way Jungkook had never experienced before.
King Taehyung had passed by him, as if nothing had happened, as if Jungkook was just another servant, another face in the castle’s halls. And yet, Jungkook’s heart wouldn’t stop beating.
It was as if, in that fleeting moment, something inside of him had been awakened, something he had buried deep within himself, something he had never known could exist.
For the first time, Jungkook felt alive in the presence of someone who would never notice him, someone who existed in a world far beyond his own reach. A part of him hated it, hated how insignificant he was in the grand scheme of things. But another part of him couldn’t deny the strange pull, the inexplicable connection that lingered in the air between them.
He exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself, but the thundering of his heart would not quiet.
King Taehyung had ignored him.
But Jungkook had never felt more alive.
The rest of the day felt like a blur, a dream-like haze that Jungkook couldn’t shake off. His mind wandered in a daze, his thoughts constantly drifting back to that moment in the hall when their eyes met—when King Taehyung’s golden gaze had briefly brushed over him. The memory kept replaying over and over in his mind, each time more vivid than the last. It was as if his heart had never stopped racing, even after the king had passed by him, vanishing into the distance, leaving nothing but the faint echo of his presence behind.
Jungkook had tried to focus on his work, but his hands felt numb, the simple tasks of arranging Lady Sana’s things, fetching water, and preparing her meals all seemed distant, as though they were happening to someone else. His movements were automatic, guided by a mind that couldn’t pull itself away from the image of Taehyung. The way the king carried himself, his confidence, his power—it all burned into Jungkook’s memory, seeping into his every thought, his every breath.
‘’Jungkook,’’ Lady Sana’s shrill voice broke through his reverie, snapping him back to reality. He stiffened, his pulse quickening, and he rushed to her side, forcing a pleasant smile despite the storm of emotions swirling inside him.
‘’ Yes, Lady Sana ?’’ he asked, his voice a careful whisper, the exhaustion of the day still hanging on his shoulders.
She eyed him with the usual look of disdain, her lips curling into a sneer. ‘’You’re late,’’ she snapped. ‘’ I told you to bring my tea ten minutes ago.’’
Jungkook blinked, trying to process her words, but all he could think of was the golden eyes of the king that had burned into him earlier. He could still feel the weight of that gaze, like a physical presence on his skin.
‘’ I’m sorry, Lady Sana,’’ he replied, trying to focus, though his voice sounded distant, even to himself. ‘’I’ll go and bring it right away.’’
But Lady Sana wasn’t done. She leaned back in her chair, a malicious grin spreading across her face. ‘’If you don’t get it right this time, I’ll be forced to send you packing,’’ she said, her tone icy. ‘’You know, I don’t hesitate to fire people. You’ve seen it, haven’t you ? The others I’ve dismissed. And don’t think you’re special. You’re just a maidservant, a commoner with nothing to your name. Don’t forget that.’’
Her words, sharp and cutting, sliced through the fog of Jungkook’s thoughts, forcing him to snap back to the present. He nodded, biting the inside of his cheek to hold back any reaction, to keep the tears that threatened to rise from showing. He had grown used to Lady Sana’s cruelty, to the harsh demands and the degrading treatment. But today, for some reason, it felt like her words stung deeper than usual. Perhaps it was because his heart, still fluttering with the remnants of his encounter with the king, couldn’t bear the weight of the constant disdain in Lady Sana’s eyes.
‘’ I understand,’’ Jungkook murmured, bowing slightly before turning to leave.
He felt like a shadow, a mere speck in the grand scheme of things. The castle, with its golden halls and opulent chambers, seemed like a world where he would never belong. And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about King Taehyung—the man who would never know his name, never care about his existence. The king was too far above him, too perfect, too unreachable.
As he entered the kitchen to prepare the tea, Jungkook’s thoughts drifted again, his hands moving automatically as he boiled water and prepared the delicate blend of herbs Lady Sana favored. He couldn’t help it. His mind kept circling back to Taehyung, to the briefest of moments when their eyes had locked, when Jungkook had felt like he was the only one in the world, even though Taehyung hadn’t even noticed him beyond that passing glance.
His heart ached with a longing he couldn’t explain, a yearning for something that was never meant to be. The king was everything Jungkook could never be—powerful, revered, untouchable.
And Jungkook ?
He was just a poor omega, a servant in the castle, a shadow of the world he wished he could be part of.
The sound of footsteps broke through his thoughts, and Jungkook hurriedly turned to see Lady Sana standing at the kitchen doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. She was watching him with a bored expression, as though his presence was an inconvenience to her.
‘’Did I say you could daydream, maid ?’’ she snapped, her eyes narrowing. ‘’ You better not forget your place, or I will make sure you’re out of here before you can blink. You’re lucky today, you know ? The king called for me. You’ll be spared this time.’’
Jungkook swallowed hard, his throat tight. He nodded, but his mind didn’t register her words fully. The king had called for Lady Sana ? That could only mean one thing : she was going to be in Taehyung’s presence, and he—Jungkook—would remain nothing more than an invisible figure, working in the background, just another face in the crowd.
Lady Sana’s lips curled into a smirk as she caught sight of Jungkook’s blank expression.
‘’ I’ll be gone soon, and you can go back to your insignificant life. But don’t forget this—your place here is temporary. You’re nothing more than a servant.’’
Jungkook’s heart felt heavy, the weight of her words pressing down on him, but there was something else that lingered in his chest. It wasn’t just the sting of her cruelty ; it was the ache, the unbearable ache of knowing that no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he longed for something more, he would always remain in the shadows.
As Lady Sana walked out, her laughter echoing behind her, Jungkook allowed himself a moment of weakness. He closed his eyes, letting the quiet hum of the castle surround him as he focused on the feeling that was slowly consuming him—the deep, insatiable longing for a king who would never look his way.
He wished, more than anything, that King Taehyung could see him, even if just for a moment. He wished he could be someone worth noticing, someone worthy of the king’s gaze.
But that was a dream he would never see come true.
And so, he resigned himself to the life of an invisible servant, living in the shadows of the royal palace, forever longing for the one person who would never even know he existed.
☆
The day had started like any other, but Jungkook could feel a palpable tension in the air. There was an unusual flurry of activity within the concubine wing, a kind of preparation that made everyone a little more anxious than usual. Whispers buzzed in the corridors, like the wind before a storm. Jungkook had caught snippets of conversations from the other servants, none of which he cared to entertain, but one thing stood out—King Taehyung was coming to visit.
Jungkook’s heart skipped a beat. It had been weeks since he had seen the king, that brief encounter in the hallway flashing in his mind at the most inconvenient moments. His chest tightened, and the memories of Taehyung’s golden eyes, even though they had been so fleeting, haunted him. He had never seen a man with such an air of authority, a presence so overwhelming that it commanded respect without even trying. Jungkook, for all his reservations, couldn’t help but feel a fluttering in his chest at the mere thought of the king stepping foot into the concubine wing. He tried to shake the feeling off, but it clung to him, refusing to let go.
The royal corridors echoed with the soft murmurs of excited chatter, servants rushing to make everything perfect for the king’s visit. Jungkook moved quietly among them, keeping his head low, doing his job with his usual quiet diligence. He was Lady Sana’s maidservant now, and there were expectations for him to meet—though none of them seemed to make a difference in his life, not when it felt like the weight of the entire castle was crushing down on him. But today… today felt different.
Jungkook was in the middle of tidying up Lady Sana’s private room, organizing the silk robes and cushions, when the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. They were sharp and measured, each step deliberate and full of power. A hush seemed to settle over the room as everyone stopped what they were doing, all eyes turning toward the door, waiting for the king to appear. Jungkook felt his heart hammer in his chest, his hands going clammy as he fought to keep his composure.
Lady Sana was lounging on her chaise, looking completely unbothered, as usual. But there was a glint of excitement in her eyes as the king’s entourage passed by, signaling his arrival. She straightened up, smoothing her dress, adjusting her hair, and looking the epitome of royal elegance. She was well practiced at these moments—perfectly poised, every inch the spoiled concubine she was.
And then, he was there.
King Taehyung stepped into the room, flanked by his guards, his gaze sweeping the area as he entered. His presence was commanding, almost suffocating. He was everything Jungkook had imagined and more—a force of nature. The room seemed to fall silent, as if the very air had thickened with his presence. The king was tall, his dark hair gleaming under the soft light, and his golden eyes seemed to glow in the dimness of the concubine wing. Jungkook couldn’t take his eyes off him, even though he knew he should look away, that his presence was unimportant, that he was nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Lady Sana stood with a haughty smile, curtsying deeply to the king. ‘’ Your Majesty,’’ she purred, her voice dripping with sweetness. ‘’ It is such an honor to have you grace our humble wing with your presence.’’
Taehyung gave a slight nod, but his gaze didn’t linger on her for long. His eyes swept over the room, inspecting everything with a calculated glance, his attention never straying far from the concubines. It was then that Jungkook felt something he hadn’t expected—a shift in the air, a momentary flicker of awareness in the king’s gaze. It was subtle, like a brush of heat against his skin, but it was there. The briefest glance, almost as if Taehyung had sensed something—or someone—unusual in the room. His gaze, golden and piercing, moved right past Lady Sana, straight toward Jungkook.
Jungkook’s breath caught in his throat. His heart thudded painfully in his chest, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. His eyes widened, and his hands froze where they held the robe he had been folding for Lady Sana. The king was looking at him—truly looking at him. Jungkook’s stomach twisted, his mind reeling with the sudden surge of emotions that coursed through him. The king’s eyes held no malice, no judgment. But they were full of something else. Something Jungkook couldn’t quite place.
Then, like a thunderclap, the moment was broken.
‘’Jungkook’’ Lady Sana’s voice rang out sharply, cutting through the silence with a venomous bite. ‘’ What are you doing ? Why are you holding my robe so low ? Lift it properly. Do you not know how to carry a lady’s robe ?’’ she then turned towards the king, with a fake smile and sweetness in her tone ‘’he’s young and new, that’s why instructions is needed all the time’’
Jungkook’s heart dropped into his stomach. He flinched at the sharpness of her words, the sting of her public reprimand in front of the king. His hands were trembling as he quickly adjusted the robe, lifting it higher, trying to avoid making a mistake that would draw further ire.
But Lady Sana wasn’t done. ‘’How could someone so clumsy be trusted with my things ?’’ she spat, her eyes narrowed in distaste. ‘’You should be grateful that I haven’t thrown you out yet. You have no idea what it’s like to be in my position.’’
Jungkook’s face burned, and though he had grown used to Lady Sana’s cruelty, there was something about the king’s presence that made it sting even more. He could feel the eyes of the room on him, the weight of the king’s gaze still lingering, like a ghost on his skin.
And then, as if by fate, Taehyung moved. He took a step forward, his eyes never leaving Jungkook. The room seemed to shift with him, the air thickening as he approached. The king’s presence grew stronger, and Jungkook felt himself shrink under the weight of it.
The alpha’s golden eyes locked onto him again, and for the first time, Jungkook saw something different in them :
something soft,
A hint of curiosity,
Of recognition.
As if Taehyung was seeing him for the first time, truly seeing him.
Jungkook held his breath, barely daring to move, afraid that any action might break the fragile connection between them. But the king didn’t speak to him. He didn’t acknowledge him further. Instead, he turned his attention back to Lady Sana, as if the moment had never happened. His eyes, once soft and filled with that strange recognition, grew cold again, like a mask settling into place.
Lady Sana smiled smugly, clearly pleased with the attention, oblivious to the tension that hung between her and Jungkook. She continued to speak to the king, her voice high-pitched and laced with sugary sweetness, but Jungkook could no longer focus on her words. His mind was still reeling from the moment the king had looked at him, from the brief connection that had left him breathless.
The king had noticed him. For just a fraction of a second, King Taehyung had acknowledged his presence—something he had never done before.
Jungkook’s heart still hammered in his chest as the king turned to leave, flanked by his guards, his figure disappearing as quickly as he had come. But for Jungkook, the world seemed to slow. He was left in the room, standing frozen, his hands still holding Lady Sana’s robe in trembling fingers.
He had been seen. By the most powerful man in the kingdom.
And even though Taehyung had not spoken to him, even though he had been nothing more than a servant in the king’s eyes, Jungkook’s heart swelled with something he couldn’t explain.