The city had come alive. Small shops had opened their doors, and the crowds had left the comfort of their homes to bask in the midday sun. The landscape was a stark contrast to the clear blue sky, the leaves coloring the trees and streets in hues of orange and yellow. The King reached out to a falling leaf, and it drifted into his palm. For a moment, it flashed a brilliant shade of green, and anyone else might explain it away as a trick of the light, but Min-jun knew better.
“You’re showing off,” he muttered, as the leaf followed the wind’s path, sporting its yellow hue again. No one was any the wiser.
“Oh, that was a mere parlor trick,” the King replied. “You should see what I can do behind closed doors.”
Min-jun snorted, rolling his eyes. “I never took you for the boastful type.”
“Around you, I encounter many different sides of myself.”
Ah, back to flirting, were they? “Such as?”
The King brought Min-jun’s hand up to his lips, kissing his knuckles. Min-jun schooled his expression. He was supposed to be cross with him, still, even if they’d found out the information Min-jun had wanted.
“I’m quite selfish,” the King said, pulling Min-jun into one of the alleyways. “My greed knows no bounds.”
Min-jun placed his hands on the King’s chest but didn’t push him away. “Greed, you say?”
The King hummed his agreement as their faces drew closer, eyes half-lidded. Min-jun leaned in and pressed a kiss to the King’s lips, light as a feather, and stayed there.
“Do you feel them watching, too?” Min-jun asked.
“Mmm, they’re good. I can’t pick them out of the crowd,” the King said, glancing toward the entrance to the alley. “Quite rude, might I add.”
“Hmph.”
The King kissed Min-jun’s knuckles again. “Let’s not let them ruin our day. You’re one step closer to discovering what happened to your parents. It’s a cause for celebration.”
Oh? Min-jun crossed his arms over his chest, making the King glance up at him through dark lashes, hand still poised where he’d held onto Min-jun’s. “You’re not worried about what those answers might be?”
With a smile on his lips, the King shrugged his shoulders, palms turned up to the sky. “I’m capable of learning my lessons, my lo – Min-jun.” The King’s smile fell a fraction, something more sorrowful replacing it. “I have a feeling you’ll never stop looking for the truth, despite my best efforts to dissuade you.”
True. Min-jun tipped his head to the side, considering his words. Suspicion came more naturally to him now that the King had been proven untrustworthy in these matters. “Did you order the Chief to tell us those things?”
“And risk having you find out?” the King asked. “I’m not that much of a fool.”
Min-jun looked him up and down. “That remains to be seen.”
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.
The King raised a finger to his chin. “I do find it odd.”
“Qtja’r bvv jybea la?”
“P vbc’a gfmjii lrrelcu flatfg bo atbrf bgvfgr.”
Qfii, atja mbcolgwfv la. Slatfg atf Jtlfo kjr islcu, bg atf Blcu’r wfwbgs tjv yffc ajwqfgfv klat lc j kbgrf kjs atjc atfs’v lwjulcfv. Po atfs’v mtjcufv atja, ktja firf wluta’nf yffc jiafgfv?
“Qfii, atja’r –”
“Concerning, yes,” the King finished. “If they could alter that memory then there might be many more that have also been changed.”
“Indeed. I thought you said changes were easy to spot.”
“They must’ve improved their skills, then,” the King said, turning back toward the entrance of the alleyway. “I suppose I should’ve foreseen this.”
Min-jun watched the King turn his back to him, taking in his broad shoulders, the way he held himself like a warrior even now, and the confidence with which he made even the slightest of movements. And then, as always, the hint of something unnatural about him. As if he could sense things that no one else could.
“How do you know that I’m not one of those false memories,” Min-jun asked. The question had been on his mind for a long while. Perhaps ever since the King’s memories had returned.
“We both remember the same things, don’t we?” The King would not look at him and it was beginning to wear away at Min-jun’s words.
Min-jun wrapped his arms around himself. “What if they altered my memories as well?” What if they altered even more than that?
He was frightened that all he’d taken for granted might be proven false. That not only was the King’s love for him a mere illusion, but Min-jun’s own hatred, his vengeance might be just as counterfeit. The type of fear one usually only encountered in the dead of night, their brain addled by preternatural fears and sleep deprivation. But here it was, in the light of day, trying to unwind the threads that kept Min-jun’s world from unraveling.
“Then we’ll find them,” the King said.
“What if we can’t?”
The King finally turned to look at him fully. He was smiling. No, Min-jun corrected himself. That . . . that was a laugh waiting to slip out.
The King crossed the distance between them, a hand reaching up to caress Min-jun’s cheek. “We will, Min-jun. There is no one in this world that I cannot find.”
“And if the memories are false?” Min-jun dropped his head, eyes focusing on the ground between them, but the King cupped a finger beneath his chin and tilted his head up.
“Min-jun. I did not fall in love with you because my memories returned.” The King took Min-jun’s other hand. “The feelings never lessened, even without those memories. They were here then, and I can imagine they will be here forevermore.”
Ah, he’d caught on so quickly. A politician through and through. The King always knew what to say. Or perhaps it was Cheol who knew how to comfort Min-jun so well.
Now hold on! Wasn’t he still supposed to be mad at him? Pretty words aside, the King had still concealed so much from him. Min-jun snapped his head out of the King’s hold, and sidestepped around him to leave the alleyway.
“You know, an alley is hardly a romantic spot.”
“Hmm, if I had taken you to a field of wildflowers, would you have been more easily persuaded?”
“I’d rather think not.”
“Then, how about lunch?”
. . .
They were seated around a wooden table on the patio of a bustling restaurant. A bowl of spicy seafood stew had been placed in front of Min-jun, and in front of the King, there was a savory, sweet bowl of rice, vegetables, and seared meat.
“Should you really be eating normal food like this?” Min-jun asked.
“Most poisons do not affect me.”
Min-jun rested his chin on his hand. “Good to know.”
“Still scheming?”
“Always.”
The King reached over the table to brush his thumb over the corner of Min-jun’s lips. “I should stop giving you ideas then.”
Min-jun swallowed thickly. How bold of the King to flirt so openly when Min-jun was still cross with him!
“Careful now, we might find out that looks can kill after all.”
“Stop talking,” Min-jun said. “Start eating.”
“Is that an order, my dearest Consort?”
“I thought you wanted us to play pretend and act like friends?” Min-jun replied. “There is no reason I should avoid ordering you around.”
The King’s smile left his eyes, although the corners of his lips remained tilted up. As easy as he might be to please, Min-jun found that he could just as easily be hurt by his words. The King might never say it, and his expression might remain unchanged for the most part, but Min-jun could tell his insults wore him down sometimes. But Min-jun couldn’t help it. Not when part of him still hated the King.
What was it this time, though? Had he said something particularly harsh? Pretend. Ah, he’d probably just broken the illusion for him. Min-jun picked up a cube of radish from his stew and brought it to his lips. Time to change the subject.
“So,” Min-jun asked, after a brief silence. “What are we going to do about the one keeping us company?”
“Wait for them to make a mistake.”
More waiting. Min-jun was tired of it.
“Or,” Min-jun said. His next words would have to be chosen perfectly, but even if he chose all the right things to say, he knew that the King would hate his plan. “I could lure them out.”
The King put his chopsticks down. “No.”
“I’ve played as the bait thousands of times before. I’ll be fine.”
“What do you mean you’ve played the bait before?” the King asked, sounding quite horrified at the prospect. He shook his head, clearly saving that little bit of information for later. “I won’t allow you to put yourself in any more danger.”
Min-jun reached across the table to put his hand over one of the King’s. The King looked displeased but did not pull away.
“Cheol.” He could see the internal battle brewing behind the King’s eyes. Min-jun could convince him, of that much he was certain. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”
The King held his hand and brushed his thumb over Min-jun’s knuckles. “You’ll be the end of me, my love.”
How ironic, when just a year ago Min-jun had wanted nothing more than to put an end to the King by his own hand. Now he was working with him, loved by him. He dipped his head, pressing his lips to the King’s hand, eyes darting up to meet his gaze. People stopped to look at them for seconds at a time, but Min-jun did not pull away, leaning his head into the King’s palm. Can you really turn me down when I’m pleading with you like this, Your Majesty?
“Be safe,” the King said, finally. “And if I sense that things are getting out of hand, I will intervene.”
“Deal.” Min-jun stood up, considering how he might lure out their stalker. It was true that he had played the bait many times before, being the prettiest and most experienced of the Wolgwang investigators. That being said, he usually had more information to go off of in those cases. He knew nothing of the person who was currently stalking them. Perhaps they knew that the King had left the Palace and was looking for a chance to assassinate him (good luck with that one). Perhaps they saw that they were wealthy and wanted to rob them. Whatever it may be, Min-jun would have to leave himself open to any possibility.
The King grabbed his wrist. “Not yet. Let’s finish the food first. Whoever they are, they’re not leaving any time soon.”
Min-jun sank back down to the floor, slowly, and the King withdrew his hand.
“Well, I suppose we should come up with a plan first anyhow,” Min-jun said. He’d gotten ahead of himself again. Investigations always got him worked up so quickly. He began to dig into his stew again, scarfing it down so quickly that he nearly choked a few times. The King fixed him with a disapproving look all the while.
Hmph. How could he stay so calm? They were being stalked by some stranger! Who knew what they wanted from them? Between the King and Min-jun, Min-jun supposed the stalker was more likely to go after the King. In that case, they might as well both be bait. Perhaps that’s what he’s hoping for. That the stalker would leave Min-jun be and the King could deal with him privately.
“You should stay safe, too,” Min-jun murmured, finger running along the rim of his cup of soju.
The King’s eyes widened a fraction, and for a moment he seemed confused, unsure of how to respond. Then his expression softened, the corners of his lips tilting up and his shoulders relaxing.
“I will, my love.”
A/N: Been thinking of the boys’ zodiac signs. Min-jun, born in late March, is definitely an Aries. Cheol is a November Scorpio (as evidenced by how intense he is lolol). They’ve both got a lot of emotions but deal with them in such different ways. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please leave a comment down below. Let me know who you think is stalking MJ and Cheol.
Scorpio like me 🙋♀️
just like cheol heh. im just an unhinged aquarius so i don’t share a sign with either of the boys. but considering that cheol was born in november, i suppose i’ll have to write a birthday chapter soon.
Thanks for the chapter ♥️♥️….
thank you for commenting!
Ooh look at Min-jun actually analyzing what he said to cause Cheol’s distress! I thought at first that their shadow might be one of Min-jun’s admirers but it occurred to me that the Ok-jeong has been pretty quiet. Maybe one of her people?
min-jun is starting to actually consider cheol’s feelings. that’s what i call character development.
Thank you for the update author… I look forward to your updates every day ❤️
thank you for commenting! I’m glad you’re enjoying these chapters~
Im an Aries!!!!
oooh just like mj! he really can’t help being an aries