They came to a stop in front of the bookstore, an elegant building, smaller than one would imagine. Min-jun stepped out of the palanquin, glad that the King had allowed them to come here. With the little book in hand, he crossed the short distance between the street and the store. The King stood waiting for him. He fixed Min-jun’s hat, in the fussy manner of a proper lover, and then gestured inside.
There were golden shelves of creaseless books, books that had hardly been exposed to the care of a reader. The scent of old wood and something sweet filled Min-jun’s nostrils, making him sneeze into his sleeve. The King glanced at him, his lips pulling into a small smile.
“What?” Min-jun asked him.
The King let out a soft laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. “You’re adorable, my love.”
Adorable!
Everyone in the bookstore stood at attention. A few students, a clerk, and the shopkeeper himself. They all bowed as they entered, and the shopkeeper spoke, clear yet timid, losing all authority in front of the King. “Your Majesty, how kind of you to choose. . .” He lifted his gaze to them, and his eyes widened a fraction. Min-jun had never told him he was a Consort to the King. He must be panicking now. Ah, the power of a King.
The shopkeeper’s voice lowered to a mumble. “. . . our humble bookstore.”
The King gestured to Min-jun, taking the shopkeeper’s surprise for a much-needed introduction. “My Consort, Royal Noble Consort Hui.”
The shopkeeper bowed again. “Your Highness.”
Min-jun offered him the book. No matter how he looked at the situation, it felt as if he’d tricked the shopkeeper. Well, perhaps that would convince not to make all this fuss over a book. Choi Yung was a brat, and a cruel one at that, but the punishment for stealing would be far crueler. And had he dragged Ni Seung into this . . . Min-jun hated to think of it. It would’ve been a bother, certainly.
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.
“Your prized possession, I believe,” Min-jun said.
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The King spoke from behind him. “Bracelet?”
The shopkeeper had already gone behind the desk where he counted his money, fitting a key into one of the locks on the drawers. He pulled out the jade bracelet and hurried over to them once more. Min-jun put out his hands to take it, and the shopkeeper gingerly placed the bracelet into his hands, careful not to touch Min-jun’s skin in the presence of his royal husband. Min-jun slipped the bracelet onto his wrist, not missing the gleam of satisfaction that crossed the King’s features.
“I suppose we can be off then,” Min-jun said, turning toward the door. The King’s arm wrapped around his waist.
“In such a hurry, my dearest Consort? Let us see what they have here.” The King brought him so close that everyone around them was forced to look away from the obvious display of affection. “We came all this way, after all. If anything catches your fancy, I will gladly buy it for you.”
The shopkeeper seemed to be having trouble talking. “I-I am most honored, Your Majesty! This store only has the best quality products for our noble patrons.”
Now, why is he wasting everyone’s time? Anything the shopkeeper might have, they certainly had in spades at the Palace. Despite himself, Min-jun was curious.
. . .
Cheol was certain the old shopkeeper seemed familiar to him, though he hadn’t the slightest clue why. Something about his face stirred his memory. The steadfastness in his gaze, unwavering. The way he spoke, his voice hoarse yet gentle. Cheol was certain he’d heard his voice before.
“Have you always lived in Hanseong?” Cheol asked. He had taken the man aside under the guise of asking about the inkstones that had been set out in one corner of the small store.
“I’ve always been in the area, yes,” the shopkeeper said. “Though I was once a simple delivery man.”
“I see,” Cheol said, his mind sifting through his memories. It wasn’t unlikely Cheol had run into a delivery man at some point, but to recognize him like this . . . he must’ve left a strong impression. “You did not give me your name.”
The shopkeeper bowed in apology. “Your Majesty. My name is Shin Jil.”
An image came to mind, of a much younger man with the same steady, grey gaze, who had stood over Cheol as he spoke in hushed tones with Cheol’s mother. Shin Jil had given him a bag of sweets for the road, one he’d nicked off one of his rich customers. He’d been the one to take Cheol and his mother up the river to the cottage they’d eventually settle in, denying even the previous King, the only man who’d been willing to take them away from the Palace.
So many old friends have been showing up in these last couple of days. Cheol couldn’t help keep his suspicion at bay any longer. Something must be pushing them back together. Or rather, someone.
“I will buy all that you have displayed here,” Cheol said.
“All of it, Your Majesty?” Shin Jil asked, making no attempt to hide his shock.
“It’s the least I can do for an old friend.” Cheol smiled. No point in keeping this knowledge to himself. Let us see if we remember each other.
“You flatter this old man,” Shin Jil said. Even now, he loomed over Cheol. Now, he looked more like a proud father than a subject. “You’ve grown up to be very much like your mother.”
Cheol’s genial smile faltered a bit. “Well, you’d be the first to say that.”
“Ah, most people did not know your mother, and they saw your father in portraits all over the country. But you, Your Majesty, you act like your mother, even if your appearance is like your father’s.” Liar. Shin Jil had known his mother only for a few hours. He could not claim to have known her.
We are nothing alike.
A sneeze came from behind them. Min-jun stood near one of the shelves, a book left open in one of his hands. When he noticed them staring, his cheeks turned a touch pink, and Cheol couldn’t help the warmth that spread through him then. Ah, he really was too charming for his own good.
“Allergies,” said Min-jun, half-heartedly. “It’s the incense.”
Allergies? Something akin to concern twisted in Cheol’s chest.
“It is getting late.” Cheol walked over to Min-jun, running his knuckles down the length of his cheekbone. A bit warm. “Perhaps we should be leaving.” He glanced over at the book Min-jun had been reading. A mystery book?
He placed a hand on Min-jun’s forehead, checking for a fever. The last thing he wanted was for his beloved to become ill. Cheol certainly wouldn’t allow him out in the rain like this again. He seemed alright for now, at least. Cheol would have the servants give him some medicine for the evening.
“Let us return, my love,” Cheol said. His eyes caught on the bracelet around Min-jun’s wrist. So careless with the King’s gifts, his consort was. Perhaps Cheol should punish him a little.
A/N: Can anyone guess what Cheol’s punishment will be? Thank you for reading! Today’s chapter is a bit shorter than usual. I’ve been feeling burned out recently, so I think I’ll take a hiatus once March kicks off (for, like, two weeks at least), just to catch my breath a bit. I also feel like two chapters a week can be a bit much to keep up with, so I do wonder if switching to once a week would be preferable for readers? 
Hmmm, let me know. Until March, I’ll probably stick with the current schedule. Again, thank you everyone for reading! I appreciate you all so much, and I hope you continue to enjoy this novel with all its ups and downs.
Curious for how he’ll be punished 🤔…
Thanks for the chapter ♥️♥️
I’m fine with whatever you feel the most comfortable doing~
man the way you express the words ??? i feel like i am reading a poem instead. so good n flowy for what
Maybe the bookstore owned knew Cheol’s mother longer than he thinks?