Chapter 137

Bipaan's strong build glowed white in the moonlight.

The moonlight shining from behind him touched Kyosul's body. Her white skin exposed through her wet gown seemed to shine brightly, reflecting the moonlight.

Like a bunch of cuc.u.mber herbs, her small and sweet figure strangely aroused his romantic feelings. Her naive face with an innocent expression, her thin shoulders and deep clavicle as well as her see-through gown stimulated his eyes.

He stared at her blankly for a moment.

The wet air and water drops flowing over their bodies heightened the tense atmosphere surrounding them.

They were a woman and a man very briefly.

Forgetting what he was trying to say, he was captivated by her at the moment. He held out his large hand; with the tip of his long and slender fingers, her pointed at her.

Splash!

She shook her hands and hit the surface of the water. The noisy sound of water broke the tranquility of the open-air bath. The water splashed over his body made him come to his senses suddenly. His face was soaked and his face felt burning.

He withdrew his hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

She jumped up and approached him. Then, she pulled his sleeves and wiped his face. Perhaps she was trying to wipe his face, but his wet clothes couldn't absorb any moisture at all. Rather, it only added wet.

"You can't wipe water away with wet clothes."

He held back the urge to sigh at her funny actions and wanted to stop it. As she came close to him and touched his face, however, he was again smitten with her.

"I made a mistake again. I'm sorry. "

"You're saying sorry too much to me today."

Kyosul was still afraid of him. He felt like he was losing energy.

"I think I have to get out of here first. I think I have scared you too much."

"Well, that's …" She hesitated to say something.

He turned his eyes away from her and pulled on his wet coat.

"Please enjoy your hot bath."

"Your Majesty…"

He was about to leave the place, but she grabbed him. He stopped before he walked off into the steam.

"You said something like 'as you happen to be here, I think I had better tell you this.' What do you mean?"

His heart sank at that. As she was indifferent to him all along, he wanted to double check if she was ever interested in him when she asked questions like this.

He replied without looking back at her. As always, he spoke in a simple and casual tone, "Oh, I didn't tell you because it was not a big deal. As I happened to see you here, let me tell you something. I'm going to return to the palace early tomorrow."

He again fled from her foolishly.

The next day, Bipaan was ready to leave for the palace early in the morning. He left the sedan-chair for Kyosul, and got on a horse instead.

"Your Majesty!"

He heard someone calling him from behind. To his surprise, she was standing there.

Neatly dressed up, she lowered her head politely and said, "I wish you a safe return. Goodbye."

"Are you here to see me off?" He asked in a trembling voice.

She said, nodding calmly, "As the Crown Princess, it's my duty for me to come here and see you off as you go on a long journey to the palace."

"That sounds good, Crown Princess."Their eyes met very briefly, and he looked away as usual.

"See you at the Imperial Palace. I will come and offer you greetings when I return."

"Enjoy yourself as much as you can."

"… Thank you."

He smiled as he was leaving Kongrimok. He left with a light heart this time.

"I never expected I would come down with you."

The moment when he splashed water with her in the open-air hot spring kept playing in his mind. He felt the last night in Kongrimok was a gift.

***

As it was winter, the imperial palace was lonely. In particular, Bipaan's residence in the East Palace was more lonely. Kyosul's face looked more white during the winter when there was little sunlight. She was now sitting in front of him with her head down.

It was the first time she met him during the winter. This time he was happy but at the same time nervous because he wasn't sure how she would stir his heart.

He was afraid he might want to have her.

At this point, he didn't want to force his feelings on her, which would certainly hurt her feelings. As he already knew she was in love with Ruhae, he deliberately said coldly, "I am busy. If you don't want to say anything, leave."

She trembled and lowered her head on the floor. Embarrassed by her unexpected actions, he opened his eyes wide and asked, "What the heck are you doing? Please raise your head right now. "

"Your Majesty," she said with an unusually trembling voice.

He pushed the desk to the side and held out his hand to Kyosul. The moment he got up to lift her, she said, "Your Majesty, I'm so embarrassed to tell you that I am pregnant."

He put down his hands and looked at her silently.

Silence followed.

It seemed that time stopped. Stiffened like a statue, he stepped back and sat on the chair.

He put his hand on his forehead. He, who remained still for a while, trembled slightly and suddenly turned his head back.

"Pahahahahaha!"

He just laughed. It was the biggest and most hearty laugh she had heard since she married him. He tightened his grip on the wooden pillow as if he squeezed out some feelings that he couldn't describe. She couldn't figure out anything from his facial expression.

He couldn't help but laugh at her words that she got pregnant. It was the biggest laugh he laughed in 20 years.

He was laughing for a while without stopping then suddenly stopped.

Looking straight at her, he said softly with a smile, "Oh, as you're pregnant, is there any better news than this?"

"Your Majesty... "

"By the way, I've never slept with you, as you know. How come you got pregnant? Is this the mischievous trick of Providence?"

He began to spit out harsh words. Looking at her tearful eyes, he sneered at her. Only that way could he see her face to face. Watching her frightened face, he continued, "Lots of people might regard your pregnancy as very rare, but I see it's normal. Oh, I've got an idea to silence those who like to spread gossip and rumors.'

Twisting his red lips cynically, he said nonchalantly, "Tonight I will come and see you in your room. So, be ready."

That was it. He didn't say anything more.

"Now, as you have resolved your headache, just leave."

He was still smiling at her, but she didn't move. While looking at her for a minute, he threw the wooden pillow on the floor and shouted, "I told you I would come and see you tonight! Get out! Leave!"

After shouting at her in a fit of anger, he smiled again. Stunned by his shouting, she sprang to her feet instinctively and began to cry. After offering him greetings, she staggered out of the room.

Left alone, Bipaan was still smiling, leaning his hand on the wooden pillow and putting his chin on the back of his hand.

As he was so shocked by her confession, the only thing he could do was just smile.

"She's pregnant? Oh my…"

He closed his eyes deeply. He knew who was the biological father.

"Ruhae…"

He bit his lip. A thin stream of blood flowed into his mouth.

His dream was completely broken beyond any hope.

Although he hugged her in his heart numerous times, he didn't have her, but Ruhae had her so easily. He was heartbroken, but he couldn't reveal to her or Ruhae that he was heartbroken.

Ruhae took a woman so easily by her heart, but it had been Bipaan himself who sent her to Ruhae.

'Can I hate her now? Can I heal my hurt feelings by hating her?'

Bipaan could never hate her. Even though she had Ruhae's child, he couldn't hate her.

What about Ruhae?

It was Bipaan who gave her to him, and asked him to protect her in his stead, so he couldn't hate Ruhae either.

After all, it was Bipaan who had to blame himself for her pregnancy.

Winter nights came early.

As soon as the sun quickly set and darkness fell, a group of people entered the Dongbi Palace. In front of them was Bipaan in a brilliant blue coat.

"Don't bring in anything not even the liquor table. Court ladies, get out of here."

As usual, he ordered them with a low voice, without any expression on his face.

After letting the court ladies out of the palace, he briefly looked at the shadow and climbed the stepping stones that led to Kyosul's room. He opened the door and entered it. He found her in the room as brilliantly decorated as she was on the wedding night.