The King joined them several hours later, much to the awe of the inspectors, who bowed and sang his praises. In response, the King charmed them further with a few kind remarks and a lovely, albeit forced, smile. It did not take long for Min-jun to see how exhausted the King appeared.
“You did not have to come after such a long day. I’m sure you must be quite tired,” Min-jun said, as the King entered the room, the dim light making him even more washed out. But when his eyes rested on Min-jun, they sparkled again, his face transforming into something warm and loving.
“On the contrary, I have come to replenish my energy,” the King said. He took a seat next to Min-jun and intertwined their hands, leaning down to kiss the shell of Min-jun’s ear. His breath sent shivers down Min-jun’s spine, and, despite himself, Min-jun leaned against the King’s shoulder with a sigh.
The King wrapped an arm around his shoulder, eyes on the record in front of Min-jun. “Have you found anything?”
“Not yet. Only vague mentions of groups of criminals caught around the same time.”
“What were they captured for?”
“The usual. Arson, theft, a couple of murder charges, smuggling. Sometimes I feel there might be a connection between them. After all, the charges are similar, and they were all caught in places with prominent government branches. Although I can’t piece together anything coherent, perhaps they were part of the same organization. Do you think it’s too early to jump to such a conclusion?”
The King did not reply, and Min-jun twisted around to look at him. He wasn’t even paying attention, his eyes focused on something in front of them. Following his gaze, Min-jun spotted the book that the inspector had left on the desk for fear of it getting lost. Such a small trinket. What could be so interesting about it?
The King stood up suddenly and walked to the desk. Min-jun pouted at the loss of warmth but did not complain. Instead, he watched as the King’s fingers glided over the elegant signature on the front cover of the book.
“Now, what is this?” the King asked, curiously.
Min-jun rolled his eyes and rose to his feet, approaching the King. Honestly, this was no time to be occupied by such trivialities.
“Put it back now.” Min-jun reached for the book, but the King was taller than him and his arms were longer and altogether it was an impossible feat. Tch. The King was blessed with a pretty face, above-average height, and an awe-inspiring Gift. It didn’t seem quite fair to Min-jun, who was of average height and had no Gift. At least he had a beauty even the gods would be envious of. Maybe that’s why they kept screwing him over.
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.
With the growing proximity between the King and his beloved consort whom he spends all his spare time in the company of, the inspectors took the opportunity to flee. Or rather, the more sensible of the two inspectors dragged the other one out of the room.
“Dea ws ybbx,” atf ojcjalm lcrqfmabg ktlcfv, pera jr atf vbbgr mibrfv. Po Zlc-pec mbeiv rijq atja rweu ibbx boo atf Blcu’r ojmf, tf kbeiv’nf, yea tf kjr mfgajlc la kbeivc’a ojhf atf Blcu bcf yla.
Zlc-pec ujnf atf Blcu j vlrjqqgbnlcu ibbx, rafqqlcu yjmx ogbw tlw jcv qeaalcu tlr tjcvr bc tlr tlqr. “Zera sbe yf rb vloolmeia?”
“Absolutely,” the King whispered back, smug as can be. He wrapped an arm around Min-jun and brought him even closer, their bodies touching. “How can I allow another man to have such a precious thing? You’ve never written anything for me.”
“You never asked.”
The King seemed in a playful mood now, and he tilted Min-jun’s chin up with a devious smile on his full lips. A strange feeling fluttered inside of Min-jun. “Well then. I ask it of you now. You shall not write for anyone but your King.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Min-jun said, gesturing widely as if that would make the King see sense.
The King ceased his hand and brought it to his lips. “These hands shall only be used for my sake.”
Why must he say such things?
Min-jun’s face grew warm now as he pushed the King back against the shelves, trying in vain to get the book away from him. He fixed him with a glare, but the King only continued looking at him as if Min-jun was merely endearing. Several records fell from their place on the shelves with a thud. Min-jun would have to put them back in order later. The lantern lights flickered in the King’s violet eyes and Min-jun found himself mesmerized all over again.
“Come now, my love,” the King said. “You say such things all the time, yet when I do it, you become so flustered.”
“Flustered!” Min-jun repeated, shocked at the suggestion. He was not flustered. He was frustrated! This man did nothing but distract him from the work that needed to be done! Why would Min-jun be flustered, when all he’d done for nearly two years was charm men into his bed for money? Why was it that with the King, these emotions all felt new to him?
“Your cheeks have turned the loveliest shade of pink,” the King said, as he brushed his knuckles over the curve of Min-jun’s cheekbone. “Ah, your ears have turned red as well.”
Hmph. Two could play at that game. He’d show him just how unflustered he was!
With indignance still burning in his heart, Min-jun wrapped his arms around the King’s neck. “His Majesty is quite greedy, I see. Such greed comes at a price, you know?”
He got a raised brow, but at least that smugness had diminished. “I am the King. There is no price I cannot pay.”
Min-jun pressed his body into the King’s, embracing him. Their lips met in a kiss that had a tad more competitiveness to it than usual, the two of them fighting to see who could make the other yearn for more, who could coax the neediest sounds, who could drive the other to the brink of madness just with the touch of their hands on their body. Min-jun thought the fact that the King’s clothes had so many more layers to them gave him an unfair advantage. With Min-jun’s robes, the King merely had to untie the first ribbon, and then sneak his hand beneath his undershirt. Tch, he never played fair.
“You are an incredibly effective distraction,” Min-jun mumbled against the King’s lips. That got a chuckle out of him, and the King leaned forward so their foreheads touched. And now, with the King’s guard low, Min-jun seizes the opportunity to take the book from him. No such luck. The King stepped away from Min-jun, keeping the book high in the air and out of his reach.
Min-jun frowned, curling his hands into fists as frustration welled up inside of him. “Why do you want it so much? Surely it’s not truly because it has my signature?”
“Why do you want it back?” the King asked, bending down to meet his eyes. “So much fuss over a mere inspector’s book. He can just get another one, can’t he?”
“Because it doesn’t belong to you,” Min-jun said. “Just because you’re the King does not mean you get to do and take whatever you wish!”
The King pretended to ponder that, bringing a finger to his chin. “No, I do believe that’s exactly what it means.”
“For someone trying to win my affections, you’re quite adept at making me angry,” Min-jun snapped. “Now, answer my question!”
With a pout, the King opened the book to a random page and ran his fingers across the dried ink and paper. “Because it’s about you, is it not?”
“So?”
“You are my consort,” the King said, shrugging. “I cannot let any slanderous material be written about you.”
“More slanderous than the fact that I was a kisaeng?” Min-jun crossed his arms over his chest. “My reputation is already in the gutter. I doubt anything in that book will make a person change their opinion about me for the worse.”
Despite Min-jun’s reasonable arguments, the King would not falter.
“I’m also curious. How much of it is true, I wonder?” the King said, skimming page after page. Something like embarrassment filled Min-jun, leaving him with a strange coiling feeling in his stomach like his insides were all getting tangled and tied up. “You seem as reckless here as you are in real life.”
“Tch, no one gets anywhere without taking a few calculated risks,” Min-jun replied. He lowered his gaze. “I wouldn’t be here if I were sensible.” He wouldn’t have gone along with Mother’s plan, wouldn’t have gone to the Kisaeng house, wouldn’t have taken the Consort’s exam, wouldn’t have been this close to falling in love with the King despite everything he stood to lose because of it.
Min-jun turned around on his heel and walked away from the King. “Keep it then. I doubt they’re so difficult to come by.”
There was a pout on the King’s face now, one which told Min-jun that the King’s stubbornness was mostly a ploy. As usual, teasing Min-jun was the priority.
The King sighed and followed Min-jun back to the corner of the room. “Very well. Let us continue with the investigation.”
Another set of documents was placed in front of him. Min-jun nodded once, satisfied. With the King settled beside him, Min-jun leaned back against the King’s chest. It was warm and strangely comfortable, though that might be due to the layers of silk that covered the King’s body.
The King shifted a bit in his position, but Min-jun stopped him from making further adjustments. He was too comfortable like this. Perplexed, the King said, “it will be difficult for me to read like this.”
“I do not care.”
And as usual, his rudeness was met with a kiss on the top of his head and a light chuckle. Hmph, he really was a lovesick fool.
A/N: Hello everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please leave a comment down below!
Why. Are. They. So. Cute. AAARRRGH
So cute!
I know! I’ve been feeling like I should add a bit more angst lately
The King also wants to know if everything in the book is true! It would be kind of funny if their answers were in there. Hopefully there’s nothing too scandalous lol.
I can neither confirm nor deny that there is nothing scandalous in those books lol