CH 113

The large hands carefully opened the letter. As the black writings were revealed on white paper, emotions were seething as if he were facing a great work of art. Unlike the beautiful face, the writings were somewhat rough. Without the typical decorations of prestigious families, not refined, poor may it be. However, it was the handwriting that showed how much care and thought were put into each stroke. It made Yihan think that it suited Yeon Hwawoon so well now, and he smiled without knowing it. 

Yihan’s black eyes were focused on Yeon Hwawoon’s writings. 

[Your Majesty, it is a blessing as one of your people that you are so busy taking care of the nation day and night, but it worries me if you forget your sleep and sit for a long time, and eventually damage your body. This is a poorly written letter, but I hope it will give you a short rest. The season changed, and Suhwawon is lush with greenery. Why don’t you take a look around and soothe your mind and body? I am worried about you with this humble heart, but if it was presumptuous of me, please punish me.] 

“Goodness. Punish… It’s not like he said something bad.”

Yihan, who read the words written by Hwawoon repeatedly in a short moment, soon mumbled, twitching his lips. Although he was uttering a harsh tone, his cheekbones and the corners of his mouth kept twitching to the sky. It was fortunate that others did not dare to look up at his face directly because he was the emperor. If someone had seen Yihan’s face now, the dignity of the emperor who took care of the nation would have collapsed significantly on this day.

Meanwhile, Ahjin, who had been nervous with her head down, breathed a sigh of relief inside as soon as she heard the emperor’s voice. Although the words that came out were not friendly or warm, the feelings contained in it were never cold. Will His Majesty rise? Will he stand up and head to Jeongan Palace? While Ahjin sat and tried to calm down her pounding heart as if it would explode with anticipation and tension, the emperor said to her. 

“Wait, and take my letter.” 

“…?! Yes! Yes, Your Majesty! Your grace is immeasurable!” 

Ahjin responded loudly, shaking her shoulders greatly to the emperor’s unexpected response even though she had been expecting a special response. Seeing her frivolousness, Eunuch Oh clicked his tongue inside, but the emperor, who was so excited and already picked up the brush, did not pay attention to Ahjin. Suddenly, Eunuch Oh felt an uncommon loneliness, but no one cared. 

It didn’t take long for Yihan to put down the brush. The hands folding the paper seemed to emanate the excitement of a fifteen years old boy. Yihan said when Eunuch Oh approached and picked up the paper to hand it over to Ahjin. 

“Hurry up and give it to him.” 

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll run to my master right away! Then, this person will take her leave!”

Ahjin, who carefully held the letter in her arms, saluted and walked back. In the meantime, Yihan, who read Hwawoon’s letter several times, carefully folded it and put it in his arms. He stood up and said. 

“Let’s go to Suhwawon. It’s been a while since I took a walk.”

***

The letter from the emperor was concise. 

[It’s been a long time since I took a walk because I’ve been busy. I’ve forgotten how to do it, so Yeonbin, because you recommended it to me, come to Suhwawon right away and demonstrate it.]

The letter, which was like a child’s whining, was seen by only one person, and that person smiled secretly.

***

Yihan was standing in front of a small pond. It was a hot day, but the heat was bearable because the humidity hadn’t been high yet. Of course, even if Yihan was standing in a heat wave, it wouldn’t have been a problem. 

Standing there, Yihan was thinking about the past day. The day he ran into Hwawoon right in this place after he woke up from the drowning incident. At that time, Yihan detested his fragile shoulders, which were shaking while kneeling in front of him. Yihan had thought that he must have come here hoping to run into the emperor, but seeing him pretending for it to be coincidental made him speechless. 

Then, he was confused by the fact that Hwawoon readily accepted the emperor’s insult with a calm attitude unlike usual. He also could remember vividly the bewilderment he felt when he saw Hwawoon walking away without any objection because he didn’t expect him to listen to him. 

Although Yihan was so surprised, he didn’t consider even for a bit that Yeon Hwawoon’s change at that time was sincere. Looking back, he suddenly realized that a lot had happened between Hwawoon and him. Sung Yihan, who was laughing at Yeon Hwawoon right here on that day, would not have imagined it at all.

A strange feeling came over as he thought about it. It was a longing. He was washed over with anxiety, and couldn’t stand it if he didn’t see Yeon Hwawoon right away as though he hadn’t seen him for a thousand nights. Therefore, isn’t that why it’s impossible to know what the future holds?

“Your Majesty.” 

Just then, he heard a voice that he had been waiting for so long behind his back. The emperor had already ordered Eunuch Oh and the others to step away and told him to give the same order to everyone around Yeon Hwawoon if he came, so the presence behind him was only that of Yeon Hwawoon. 

He wanted to turn around and see his face right away, but at the same time, he strangely couldn’t look back. He couldn’t wait to see his face, but he also wanted to enjoy this overwhelming expectation just before he saw his face a little longer. It was a sensation that he had never felt from anyone else. 

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” 

When the emperor did not look back, there was a calm voice and the sound of the hem rubbing against each other as if he had knelt behind his back. Recalling Yeon Hwawoon’s calm movement, which had not changed since the day they met there, the emperor slowly turned around and looked down at Hwawoon in front of him.

He reached out his hand reflexively. He couldn’t understand why at that day he didn’t even accept his greeting and kept him kneeling. He couldn’t understand even though he thought he had no choice but to do so at that time. Recently, Yihan seemed to experience all the contradictions in this world in front of Yeon Hwawoon’s name.

Hwawoon held the emperor’s hand a little more comfortably than last time. It was very different from the beginning, and although he didn’t show it, he was getting more and more comfortable with the emperor. When the emperor realized that, it was hard to endure the soaring joy, and he, holding Hwawoon’s hand, opened his mouth. 

“I had been stuck in the Great Hall working, so I couldn’t remember how to take a walk.” 

“… Is that true, Your Majesty?” 

This time, a faint smile bloomed on Hwawoon’s lips. Hwawoon was thinking of Yihan’s letter, which he carefully unfolded while holding his breath alone. No one knew how scared he was even though he sent a letter bravely after being deceived by Ahjin. He had thought that he shouldn’t have done that. He regretted that he should not have written such a letter that revealed his humble self. So, how would Hwawoon, who was waiting for Ahjin’s return, feel when he received a letter written by the emperor himself? Moreover, if what was written in it was so lovely. 

“So… Will you show me how to walk through this garden?” 

As if that was a given, Yihan asked without letting go of Hwawoon’s hand, which he grabbed to bring him to his feet. Hwawoon, who took a step closer to Yihan, replied. 

“Of course, Your Majesty. Then… Will you follow me?”

The way Hwawoon asked back was incomparably natural and light compared to the day he encountered him here in the past. Then after a while. If we spend more time together like we are now. Then, how close will we be compared to now? 

When he thought about it, the smile kept blooming even if he tried to hold it in. With a face that could not hide his excitement, Yihan followed Hwawoon’s lead. It was a day when the midday sun was absolutely beaming more than ever. 

*** 

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Get up.” 

Yihan accepted the greetings from Sukbi and Jeongbin, whom he met at the entrance of Suhwawon, and then looked at them and Hwawoon, who naturally greeted each other. He was on the way back with a heavy heart after walking around the pond in Suhwawon with Hwawoon. 

“You must have taken a walk with Yeonbin. Your Majesty.” 

“Yes, I was just on my way back.” 

While answering, Yihan’s expression hardened without realizing it because Hwawoon, who had been holding his hands tightly until now, quickly withdrew his hands as soon as he saw Sukbi and Jeongbin. Of course, it was reasonable for the sake of the emperor’s dignity, and for the courtesy of other concubines. However, Yihan was very sad because of Hwawoon’s behavior, making him suddenly empty-handed and stepping away from him as though they had come separately. It was childish, but he was really sad.