The King read through his lecture carefully, as Min-jun asked himself for the thousandth how the King had ever managed to convince him to hand the documents over. Min-jun sat with his knees up to his chest, pouting, unable to look at the King as he pored over his mind’s work.
“Your words are as bold as you are,” the King said, finally. “I fear you might anger some of the more conservative scholars.”
Min-jun remained silent, his posture unchanged. There was the sound of paper shuffling, and then, the King leaned back against the wall.
“I suppose you are already aware of that, my love?”
“Yes.”
“Somehow, you never pick the path of least hardship.” The King sighed, pulling part of Min-jun’s hair back over his shoulder, slowly letting it slip through his grasp. “Your logic is sound, I suppose that’s all you really wanted my opinion on.”
“I never asked for your opinion,” Min-jun said.
“But you wanted it,” the King replied. Min-jun heard him draw closer, his hand wrapping around Min-jun’s wrist. The King kissed his knuckles. “I wasn’t expecting you to use my gift as a bargaining chip.”
Min-jun glanced up at the King’s face. Nothing too out of the ordinary. He returned to staring down at his feet. “You should be glad there was any use for it.”
“Use for it?” The King leaned in, his arms on either side of Min-jun. “What better use than to show my affection?” He cupped Min-jun’s chin. “Do you reject your royal husband’s gift?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Is that bracelet so important to you?” Min-jun asked. “It makes you quite suspicious. Perhaps it is cursed –”
“P’nf jigfjvs abiv sbe la’r cba.” Ktf Blcu qbeafv. “Qtja rbga bo megrf kbeiv P qea bc sbe?”
C ofk wbcatr jub, Zlc-pec kbeiv’nf jrregfvis rjlv j xliilcu megrf, yea cbk . . . tf jnfgafv tlr ujhf. “C ibnf . . . megrf.”
Ktf Blcu ifjcfv obgkjgv, mibrfg, mibrfg. “C ibnf megrf? Ccv jgf sbe offilcu atf foofmar bo la, ws ibnf?” Ktf Blcu ktlrqfgfv la lc tlr fjg, ygfjat almxilcu tlr rxlc.
Tch, he always twisted everything to his advantage. Every word, every little gesture, every glance, all to be utilized in this endless manipulation.
“It’d be a failed curse, then,” Min-jun said. “I only say so because you’ve made your intentions clear before.”
“Oh?” The King pushed him onto the floor, pinning his arms above his head. The grip was loose around his wrists, though Min-jun knew if he were to resist, it would certainly tighten. This position wasn’t so bad anyhow. “What a pity you feel nothing.”
“Not nothing,” Min-jun corrected. The King raised a brow, and satisfaction warmed Min-jun’s chest. Surprised, are we? “I feel many things for you, Your Majesty.”
“Do you?”
“I loathe you,” Min-jun replied. There was the slightest shift in the King’s expression, as the hand that restrained Min-jun’s wrists tightened. “I wish you a painful death, and no amount of affectionate phrases and jade bracelets will change that.” It felt like a lie saying it now, but even so, Min-jun would rather lie to them both.
“You say it is impossible?” the King asked. He smiled as he leaned in, his teeth bared. “Then shall I abandon you? Is that what you wish for, my love?”
He wouldn’t. He can’t. The King still wanted information from him. Does he, though? Did he really need to play such a drawn-out game? He was the King who carried an entire kingdom on his shoulders. In comparison, there was nothing notable about Min-jun, other than his ties to Mother. It made no sense. No matter how Min-jun tried to justify the King’s actions, he could not reach a satisfying conclusion. Was watching Min-jun struggle so entertaining to him?
Fine. Min-jun would call his bluff.
Min-jun turned his face. “If that is what Your Majesty wishes.”
When the King meets his eye this time, a sudden inkling of familiarity sparks in the back of Min-jun’s mind. It was as if he’d seen that look in the King’s eyes before, but he did not know when or what it meant. The King spoke and his voice was a quiet, somber thing. “It is not.”
He took it back. What a rare occurrence, for the King to swallow his words so blatantly.
The hold on Min-jun’s wrists loosened, and the King’s hand moved down to caress his cheek.
“And if I say my affection for you is genuine?” the King offered. “That my words to you have been truthful all along? The gifts I give you are tokens of my admiration? That I’m courting you only because I want you by my side?”
Min-jun sucked in a breath, warmth rushing through his body. Too stunned to speak, he could only watch the King’s face, seeking some hint of his true intentions. And then, he whispered: “I’d call you a liar.”
The King seemed on the verge of saying many things, but finally said nothing at all. He sat up, and Min-jun followed suit. Not even a kiss this time?
“Perhaps you are right,” the King mused, rising from the floor. Without warning, he began to walk toward the door. “Someone else will be accompanying you to the Academy tomorrow. Sun is needed elsewhere.”
“What?” Min-jun could barely get the words out before the doors shut. He let out a small, breathy laugh, full of disbelief. Was this the first time the King had chosen not to stay the night? Dread clenched Min-jun’s heart, squeezing.
He’s bluffing. The King would not forsake him. He still wanted him for . . . for something.
A voice whispered in his head. “And why would he want to keep you?” Mother wasn’t supposed to abandon him either, and yet, had he not talked to Mai, he would’ve been killed off without a second thought. Why would the King be any different? He had done nothing so far that suggested Min-jun was anything but a passing fancy. Replaceable. Am I so easy to give up on, Mother? Your Majesty? Had he been over-confident?
He was taken from his thoughts by two paws balancing on his arm. Chuchu barked once for his attention, and Min-jun patted his head in response, scratching behind his fluffy ears. Satisfied, Chuchu curled up on Min-jun’s lap, and Min-jun raised an eyebrow.
“Have you gotten bigger, Chuchu?” Min-jun asked, scratching the puppy’s back.
“The cook has been feeding him scraps of meat on the side,” Jeong-eun informed. They must’ve come in upon realizing the King had finally left. “I keep telling him not to, but he says otherwise the little devil sneaks into the kitchen himself.”
Chuchu raised his head at the offense, glaring at Jeong-eun.
“I’m sure she meant it as a compliment,” Min-jun said, trying to appease the animal. Placated, Chuchu laid his head back down in a sleep. That’s right. Whether the King abandoned Min-jun or not was irrelevant. Min-jun would simply have to kill him before that happened. Still, his heart stung.
And what was this about Sun being replaced for a day? Something must be happening.
A/N: I edited this really quickly at like 3 am, so if it feels a bit off, that’s why. Anywho, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!
The characters are well fleshed-out. Everyone has their good and bad points (even the crazy Shaman, though I don’t like him at all). I was at first angry with Cheol due to his taking Min-Jun as a pawn as well (considering it is his involvement that led to everything happening in the first place, though it is not his fault either) but I understood his point as well. He no longer loves Min-Jun and the guy himself(MJ) is the shell of who he used to be.
I dunno, I can’t make up my mind about Cheol and Min-Jun. They are not hateful characters but they aren’t lovable either. Min-Jun’s abandonment issues plague him quite a lot and Cheol’s past is quite cruel (not that MJ’s isn’t). They do care for each other but don’t love the other(yet). All in all, punishing the other as well as themselves.
I will wait desperately to add to my conclusions because God, I love this book. Thanks for the update! ❤️❤️
P.S. I think you can tell that my thoughts were all over the place while writing this. I am sorry if that annoys you.
❤
Thanks for the chapter ♥️♥️
Min-juuuun 😭😭
Aww Min-Jun wants Cheol’s hypothetical to be real so badly, there’s no way Cheol wasn’t taking in every detail of that reaction. I like how usually it’s Min-Jun watching the King’s face to get hints on his mood. It feels normal but you rarely see it referenced so casually.
Ooooh I like this chapter! I feel like min-jun has been overconfident of Cheol’s affection for him. It’s good to make min-jun sweat a little. I like the tension!