CH 98

“Pardon? Ah… Yes, yes, Your Majesty.”

Hwawoon, who was still unable to read the emperor’s intention, slowly drank the medicine with his yet unresolved confused expression. If it was the usual Hwawoon, he would have recommended the emperor to go back first, but his head was already distracted, and he could not think that far. 

Yihan nervously watched Hwawoon drink the medicine. He didn’t know what was making him so nervous. Looking at Hwawoon’s Adam’s apple, which moved up and down whenever he took a sip, his mouth dried up for no reason. Thinking that Hwawoon’s neckline, which looked striking every time his head was tilted little by little, was so white and thin that he could hold it with one hand, he was surprised and frowned in embarrassment. He looked around to see if someone heard this thought—even though it was surely impossible—then he thought he was really strange. 

In the meantime, Hwawoon, who drank all the remaining medicine, took his mouth off the bowl. Yihan still thought he was crazy, but reacted reflexively to Hwawoon’s face, which frowned slightly maybe because of the bitter taste. He picked up the candy from the small dish in his hand and held it out to Hwawoon. 

Hwawoon blinked blankly. Ahjin couldn’t bring herself to see it profanely, thus she bit her lips tightly to hold back her smile, and bowed her head.

Yihan opened his mouth, pretending not to know his heart, which was beating as if it was about to explode. 

“Go ahead and eat. The medicine is bitter, no?” 

“Yes. Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.” 

“Oho.” 

Hwawoon immediately reached out his hand to receive the candy Yihan offered, but Yihan, who gently pulled out his arm and refused to give it away, continued in a stern voice. 

“Are you going to embarrass my hand?” 

He knew it was absurd. Yihan understood that it would be less embarrassing and a perfectly normal situation to just put candy in Hwawoon’s hands. He couldn’t understand himself, who was making such a farce, but what was even more strange was that he didn’t want to stop his stubbornness even though he knew it. 

Meanwhile, in that short moment, Hwawoon was busy contemplating whether he had misunderstood. He wondered if he didn’t notice that the emperor had other intentions. However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t think of any other intention than the first thought he had in his head in the current situation. 

“So what Your Majesty means is, are you going to… to…”

Are you going to personally put that candy in my mouth? 

Hwawoon just opened his mouth because he couldn’t ask so explicitly. Yihan replied, completely breaking Hwawoon’s denying thought.

“Yes. If you know, come on.” 

Yihan urged Hwawoon, waving his fingers holding candy again. The majesty emperor spoke like that, and Hwawoon, a concubine, could no longer disobey him. Hwawoon, who had already forgotten the bitter taste of the medicine, opened his mouth, pulling his head slightly forward with his fists clenched. Hwawoon, who closed his eyes tightly because he couldn’t make eye contact, seemed like a person waiting to be punished. 

Yihan, who was looking at the shape of the small mouth opening carefully, gulped without realizing it. When he saw the pink and soft flesh inside the open small lips, the heat spread through his whole body like wildfire. The trembling hand slowly approached Hwawoon, and the moment he slipped the candy into his mouth, the tip of his finger slightly touched Hwawoon’s lips. 

Yihan clenched his fist as soon as his hand fell off. Otherwise, he would have wrapped Hwawoon around the neck and pulled him. No, if it continued on, he would want to do what he shouldn’t have done to Hwawoon, who was still sick. Yihan jumped up from his seat, ignoring the urge he felt.

“I will go now!” 

His voice was stiff, and his movement was overly stiff. Likewise, however, Hwawoon, who was not in a normal situation right now, stood up awkwardly and followed the emperor to go out. The only one moving like a human was Ahjin, whose face became bright while glancing at the situation. Yihan, who was in a hurry, saw Hwawoon following him and said with a slight frown. 

“Where are you going? Quickly go in and rest.” 

“… I couldn’t even welcome you properly, so please let me see you off, Your Majesty.” 

Listening to Hwawoon’s firm voice, Yihan did not stop him any further and slowly walked out of the pavilion with a very slow pace. 

Whose heart that wanted to be together for a little longer, even for that short time, belonged to? 

When they came out of the pavilion, another air of the night surrounded the two. Hwawoon, whose heart had calmed down a little, opened his mouth at the sudden thought. 

“Oh, by the way, Your Majesty…”

“Hmm?”

“Is Her Highness Sukbi okay?”

“Sukbi?” 

Yihan’s face was stained with wonder. He couldn’t understand why Hwawoon suddenly brought up Sukbi. Hwawoon continued. 

“She must have been very surprised that day, but I also became like this, so I’m worried if it weighed on her mind for no reason. I couldn’t meet her when she came to Jeongan Palace because I was sleeping under the influence of medicine. And because of my situation, I haven’t even been able to visit her yet…”

“Ah…” 

“I’m worried that she might be blaming herself for nothing. How is her condition, Your Majesty?” 

Only then did Yihan recall that he had never visited Sukbi since that day. 

Hwawoon was right when he thought about it. Although Sukbi was not injured thanks to Hwawoon, she must have been quite surprised because she also faced the furious hawk attack from the front that day. In addition, her heart must be filled with pain because Yeonbin was hurt on her behalf. Therefore, the emperor should have visited Unhwa Palace to comfort Sukbi.

But what did Yihan do? His mind was focused only on Yeon Hwawoon. He never thought of anyone else being shocked because he was seized by how Yeon Hwawoon would have been hurt, sick, and suffering. It was a very different response from the past when he always took care of everyone fairly no matter what happened. 

He was so embarrassed by his new realization of his actions, but Yihan pretended as if nothing happened. If he were to say it frankly, he could see Yeon Hwawoon blaming himself because he regarded the emperor’s indifference as if it were his own sin. 

“… Why would a patient think about that?” 

“But, Your Majesty.” 

“I’ll take care of everything outside, so just focus on recovering your body.” 

Hwawoon was still worried about Sukbi, but he bowed his head and replied, “Yes,” thinking that the kind emperor would take good care of her as he said. Yihan, who was about to take a step that had stopped, soon looked at Hwawoon once again and said,

“Take care.” 

“… Yes, Your Majesty.”

Even though the voices of exchanging were full of desperate lingering feelings between each other, one couldn’t halt himself from turning around because there was no one to hold him, and the one who remained could not call for the leaving steps. 

***

“Where shall I take you, Your Majesty?” 

Eunuch Oh asked Yihan, who climbed the palanquin. Yihan was sitting and mulling over Hwawoon’s voice, which asked him about Sukbi.

He blamed himself for being so indifferent. Not only to Sukbi but also to Jeongbin. Anyway, it was obvious that everyone would have been greatly surprised by what happened that night, so why didn’t he even think of visiting them once? It really didn’t make sense. 

On the other hand, he was afraid. This was because there was actually a very clear answer to the question, “Why did you do that?”

It was because of Yeon Hwawoon. The emperor couldn’t afford to worry about others because his mind was all focused on Hwawoon, who was injured. Such a thing shouldn’t happen. It was ridiculous. The previous emperors might forget and do not care about all the other people because of the injury of a mere concubine, but for Sung Yihan, it shouldn’t happen.

Yihan didn’t have any particular favorite color. He had never thought about his favorite clothes or accessories. Yihan had been the most wary of having an especially cherished concubine. But now, Yihan would think about his favorite color. It was a change because of someone’s words. For that reason, Yihan was afraid. He was afraid he would have his favorite clothes after his favorite color. He was afraid he would be wearing accessories he liked more. Consequently, he was afraid that he would have a favorite concubine at last.

“Let’s go to Unhwa Palace.” 

Said the emperor after a long time. Eunuch Oh, who looked surprised at the unexpected order for a while, soon bowed his head and said loudly, “To Unhwa Palace!” The palanquin, which had stopped for a long time, slowly began to tread the night path. 

“Wait.” 

“Stop!” 

But the move didn’t last long. This was because the emperor stopped the kiln again before long. 

Yihan stared quietly at the road engulfed in darkness. If he went to Unhwa Palace like this, he would definitely have to spend the night. The emperor’s comfort was usually like that. It rarely happened outside of Jeongan Palace for him to visit a place at night and not spend the night.