CH 80

Hwawoon opened his mouth to answer Yihan, but it was obvious what kind of answer would come out of his mouth. Thus, Yihan hurriedly raised his hand to block Hwawoon’s words and said while looking at Ahjin standing next to him. 

“How was your master doing all night?” 

“Your Majesty…!” 

“I didn’t ask you, so be quiet.”

Flustered, Hwawoon hurriedly opened his mouth to say something again, but Yihan once again stopped Hwawoon’s words with a firm expression and looked at Ahjin. Only then Hwawoon also looked at Ahjin with a desperate expression, but Ahjin, who was upset because of her master from the morning, lightly ignored Hwawoon’s gaze. Ahjin, kneeling in front of the emperor, said in an outspoken voice. 

“My lord the Majesty Emperor. As the imperial doctor said, His Highness’s pain and fever got worse at dawn, so he could hardly sleep. Nevertheless, as soon as the sun rose, he pushed himself, saying that he had to greet you. What should we do about this, Your Majesty?”

“Ahjin!”

Usually, she wouldn’t dare to easily talk in front of the emperor, but the emperor was the only one who could break her master’s stubbornness, so Ahjin spoke in a clear voice. Hwawoon, surprised by the bold words, hurriedly called her name to stop Ahjin’s words, but it was Yihan who began to grumble. 

“I told her to tell me the report, but why are you calling her? It seems like it pricks your conscience.” 

“It’s not that, but Your Majesty…” 

“There’s nothing to blame. I can see clearly how you were last night just by looking at your face.” 

Blurring the end of his words, Yihan clicked his tongue without realizing it. It was because he was upset. When he looked at his complexion, which was so pale he could believe he was a ghost, he was burned inside and wanted to yell at the doctor immediately. He was also upset that he couldn’t be by Hwawoon’s side, who had suffered so much all night, and it was a pity that he couldn’t stay by his side all day like this. 

Yihan, who was looking at Hwawoon silently for a while, soon continued to speak in a quiet voice. 

“I’d like to ask you not to move and rest here until you’re all better, but if you’re here, I’m sure you won’t be able to relax for a moment.”

“…”

“Since you’re up, go back to Jeongan Palace carefully. When you get there, you really have to lie still and take care of your body without caring about anything else. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so. So… please stop worrying…”

Hwawoon’s voice trembled at the end. It was because all of a sudden, he didn’t believe all of this. He hardly understood it despite hearing that the Emperor was concerned about his health in such a sincere voice.

Even though he thought it was because he got hurt. Even though he told himself that His Majesty would be this kind to anyone injured, and not to expect anything. At the same time, it was not easy to hold his heart because he thought of the heartbeat he heard in the emperor’s arms last night and the gaze he shared at that moment, so he kept having a false hope without knowing his place.

“Listen, Ahjin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” 

Meanwhile, the emperor ordered Ahjin, who was still kneeling in a rather solemn voice. 

“From this moment on, Jeongan Palace will focus on Yeonbin’s recovery more than anything else. I will put all the responsibility on you, and if Yeonbin exerts himself and gets sick, I will severely reprimand you, so know that.” 

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will accept your order.” 

At first glance, it sounded like putting too much responsibility on Ahjin, but Ahjin, who had already noticed that it was aimed at Hwawoon’s nature which was more likely to worry about Ahjin than his body, accepted the order without any hesitation. Yihan, who burst into a light smile when he saw Hwawoon looked at the two people alternately with a nervous face in the middle, continued in a rather soft voice.

“Go back carefully.” 

It made him feel affectionate as their gazes met. Pushing down the desire that kept wanting to reach out and wrap Hwawoon’s cheek, his fingertips tingled as if someone was poking him with a needle. 

“… I am going to go see you after work…” 

When he said that, his voice was awkward, and it felt like somewhere inside his neck was tingling. The thoughts, words, and actions in front of Hwawoon were unfamiliar as if they were doing something he had never experienced before. It was not like he had never been worried about the Empress or the concubines when they were sick, but he didn’t know why he felt so awkward. 

“Your Majesty, you have to attend the meeting now.” 

As the emperor couldn’t get up and was hesitating, Eunuch Oh eventually stepped forward and urged the emperor. Yihan’s mind became more nervous. He knew he had to get up. He knew that he had to leave even if he didn’t hear Eunuch Oh, but why was it so difficult to get away from Hwawoon? 

In the end, the emperor, who could not bear his burning heart, slowly moved his hand closer to Hwawoon’s cheek. But he couldn’t touch him. He was so awkward and embarrassed of affectionately embracing him last night. Yihan said, rubbing his slightly bent second finger around Hwawoon’s eyes. 

“Go get some rest.” 

“…Yes, Your Majesty.” 

How cute and lovely Hwawoon’s face was when he bowed his head, blushing his cheeks in that small touch. Yihan finally got up from his seat and left the bedroom, trying not to think deeply about the ‘cute and lovely’ part that he just thought of. 

“Take care, Your Majesty.”

When he heard Hwawoon’s voice behind his back, he wanted to turn his head and face him again. But Yihan, who felt he would not want to leave this room again, left the bedroom without looking back. It was a day that felt so long. 

***

Seocheon was lying on the bed of the official residence after roughly eating breakfast, and staring blankly at the ceiling. He had to close his eyes quickly because he was on duty all night, but he couldn’t sleep. Seocheon was recalling last night when it went by in vain. 

Seocheon was feeling a little nervous all last night when he first stood guard at Jeongan Palace. This was because he didn’t know when the banquet would end and when Yeonbin would return to Jeongan Palace. Actually, Seocheon and Yeonbin had no relationship, and Yeonbin was a person who did not even know the existence of Seocheon. However, Seocheon still had Hawoon in his mind, so he was paying attention to his encounter with Yeonbin. Measuring what emotions would come to mind when he faced him. 

Will I get angry? Or will I be sad? Will I feel disgusted by the warmth that person showed when he couldn’t even remember Hawoon’s death? Seocheon stood in front of Jeongan Gate, looking at the deepening darkness, and was filled with such curiosity.

However, that night Seocheon couldn’t solve his curiosity. This was because Yeonbin could not return to Jeongan Palace due to an accident at the banquet. Soon after, it was reported to Jeongan Palace that Yeonbin was seriously injured and was being treated in Anjeong Palace. Seocheon felt both subtle despondency and relief when he heard that he would not be able to return within the night. 

“…”

While lying on the bed, Seocheon touched Hawoon’s handkerchief around his wrist like a habit. He didn’t know what the tension he felt last night was when he wasn’t going to do anything right away just because he met Yeonbin. Seocheon still did not know why he wanted to be in Jeongan Palace or what he wanted to do when he met Yeonbin. 

He just wondered that if he met Yeonbin, he might see the path he wanted either way. Wouldn’t there be a way to resolve this stuffy and hopeless mind? He just thought that if he organized everything like that, he would be able to stop holding onto the person who had already died and having lingering feelings that could not be returned. 

Seocheon closed his eyes, just measuring the still tangled dark road. His body and mind had been tired for a long time, but today as well, the days he couldn’t sleep easily were increasing. 

***

“Forgive me, Your Highness Sukbi. My master couldn’t sleep because of the pain all night, and he just finally managed to sleep as he returned to Jeongan Palace…”

Sukbi looked quietly at Ahjin, who spoke in front of her with a face that did not feel sorry at all. It was not just Ahjin. None of the courtiers behind Ahjin looked at where Biyoung was standing with a soft gaze. Biyoung, of course, understood their feelings. In the eyes of the people of Jeongan Palace, she must have been the one that hurt their master. 

However, Biyoung did not back down despite their unfavorable gazes, and opened her mouth in a low voice, looking at the quarter where Yeonbin would be sleeping. 

“… How is Yeonbin’s condition?” 

“The doctor said that the wound is not serious, but His Highness Yeonbin’s body is so weak that he should be extra careful and recuperate for a while. So please understand our situation where we can’t tell him that you’re here.”

Saying that, Ahjin barely suppressed her desire to say that our master has a scar on his back for the rest of his life because of you. From Ahjin’s perspective, she wanted to blame everything on Sukbi because she was angry, but she didn’t want to say anything that could become her master’s weakness. Just as Sukbi did not trust Yeonbin, Ahjin still did not trust all the other concubines.