The first thing Seo Yul felt was warmth.
A steady warmth. Not from the blankets. Not from the brazier burning quietly in the corner. Something else, Something stronger.
His brows furrowed as he slowly opened his eyes. For a moment, he was confused. His cheek rested against something firm. His fingers were tangled in dark fabric. And a strong arm was wrapped securely around his waist. Seo Yul froze. His heart nearly stopped. Slowly-very slowly-he looked up. The breath left his lungs. King Hwan Seong was asleep. The morning sunlight slipped through the paper windows, illuminating his face. Without his usual cold expression, he looked younger, Calmer, Human.
Seo Yul stared. The king's arm remained around him holding him close, protecting him. A rush of heat climbed into Seo Yul's face. Why am I here?
His memories slowly returned. The king visiting his room, their conversation.
Then... Nothing.
He had fallen asleep. The realization made his face burn even hotter. Did His Majesty stay here all night? Panic quickly followed. If someone entered now... If anyone saw them... Seo Yul carefully tried to move. The king's arm tightened instinctively. Seo Yul immediately became still. His heart hammered violently against his ribs.
After several moments, he tried again. This time, the movement stirred Hwan Seong. The king's eyes slowly opened. For a brief second, neither spoke, neither moved. They simply stared at each other. Seo Yul wished the floor would swallow him whole. The king was the first to look away. His expression remained calm, but there was a stiffness in his posture that hadn't been there before. Slowly, he withdrew his arm.
"You are awake."
Seo Yul immediately sat up, too quickly. The room spun. He grabbed the edge of the bedding to steady himself. "My apologies, Your Majesty." His voice sounded unusually small. The king sat up as well. "For what?" Seo Yul lowered his eyes.
"For causing trouble." The answer came automatically. It was the answer he had given his entire life. Hwan Seong's jaw tightened. "You think everything is a burden." Seo Yul didn't answer. The silence stretched. Neither knew what to say about the night before. About the way they had fallen asleep together. About how neither seemed willing to mention it. At last, the king stood. "You should eat today." Seo Yul nodded obediently. "Yes, Your Majesty." The king glanced toward him one last time. Then he turned and left. The door slid shut. Seo Yul released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His fingers slowly touched the spot on his shoulder where the king's arm had rested. His face grew warm again.Why does my heart feel like this? The rest of the day passed strangely. Seo Yul couldn't focus on his books. He couldn't focus on calligraphy. He couldn't even enjoy speaking with Yun Hee. Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered waking up in the king's arms. The memory made his chest tighten. And for some reason It didn't frighten him. That frightened him even more.
Meanwhile, in another part of the palace, Hwan Seong wasn't faring much better. He sat through a council meeting without hearing half of what was said. A minister repeated the same report twice before the king finally noticed. Even the Queen Mother narrowed her eyes.
"Hwan Seong." The king looked up.
"You seem distracted."
"I am listening."
"You were staring out the window."
The court fell silent. The Queen Mother's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. Then she moved on. But suspicion had already planted itself in her mind.
That afternoon, Lady Baek So-Hwa visited the royal garden. As expected, the king was there.
She approached gracefully.
"Your Majesty."
Hwan Seong nodded politely.
So-Hwa sat across from him and poured tea.
For a while, they spoke about harmless things. The weather, The upcoming festival. Court affairs. Then So-Hwa smiled gently.
"I heard Prince Seo Yul was injured."
The king's hand paused. Only for a second. But she noticed.
"He is recovering," Hwan Seong replied.
"I am relieved." Her smile remained. Perfect. Beautiful. Practiced.
"Your Majesty seems quite concerned for him."
The king's gaze lifted. Their eyes met. Something sharp flashed behind So-Hwa's smile. Gone as quickly as it appeared. But it had been there. A question. A suspicion. Perhaps even jealousy. The king set down his tea.
"Is there a reason for this conversation, Lady So-Hwa?" The smile on her lips faltered ever so slightly.
"No, Your Majesty." But there was. And both of them knew it. That night, Seo Yul stood by his window once more. The moon shone brightly above the palace roofs. His fingers unconsciously tightened around the sleeve of his robe. For reasons he could not understand, he found himself looking toward the royal residence. Wondering if the king was awake. Wondering if he was thinking about that night too. And somewhere across the palace grounds, Hwan Seong stood by his own window. Looking toward the Eastern Wing. Thinking the exact same thing. Neither of them noticed the figure watching from the shadows below. Lady Baek So-Hwa. Her eyes lingered on the distant Eastern Wing. And slowly... A smile disappeared from her face.