The Hated Male Concubine

Fortunately, Ahjin didn’t look like she would ask more about Hwawoon’s feelings. Then, as Hwawoon laid his body on the bed, Ahjin thoroughly covered him with the blanket. While looking at Ahjin, Hwawoon had a thought about how betrayed Ahjin would feel if she knew the one she served courteously like this actually wasn’t her master, but the untouchable whose class was lower than hers. Having that thought, he suddenly felt blue. 

Then, instead of blowing off the candle next to the bed, Ahjin said,

“About what you said earlier.”

“Huh?”

“That I’m weird for believing you in a short time…”

“Ah… hmm.”

Inside the dark view, a warm gaze landed on Hwawoon.

“His Majesty only met you once in a while, but I… I have been by your side ever since you woke up, Your Highness.”

“…”

“I’m the one who saw how much you have changed… That’s why I believe in you.”

Listening to that kind voice, Hwawoon contemplated. If perhaps, the thing he hid were to get disclosed someday later. If the fact that he wasn’t Yeon Hwawoon, but Hawoon was found out.

“If anyone stayed close to you like me, they definitely couldn’t help but believe in you, Your Highness. Even if that person is his majesty the emperor.”

He wondered if at that time he would be able to protect Ahjin’s trust, and the hearts the girls of Jeongan Palace gave him. 

He wondered if he would be able to win as much heart as he had now from His Majesty.

The thoughts that seemed impossible crept through the darkness and disturbed his mind. Hwawoon could only give Ahjin a smile. 

***

There was a strange atmosphere surrounding the Empress Palace where the concubines gathered to do morning greetings. As had always been the case recently, it was because of Yeonbin.

Originally, the attire of male concubines was freer than female concubines. This was because the previous emperor revised all the standards on the attire of the male concubine so that his weak lover would not feel uncomfortable or difficult because of the clothes.

The male concubines of this nation were able to wear pants outside if desired, and the front and back or both sides of the pants were added like a skirt to allow them to move freely. He also changed all the rules on headdresses, so that the male concubines were able to escape the pain of heavy decoration on their heads.

All of those were things that were realized for only one person. 

But over time, it was almost impossible to see the clothes that only the male concubine could wear because the only male concubine, Yeonbin, enjoyed dressing in the same attire as the other concubines rather than the modified clothes.

However, without notice, Yeonbin was sitting wearing the attire of the male concubine, which he didn’t wear in the past. In recent days, he had always been acting anew, but the way he sat in a completely different attire was enough to amaze everyone once again.

He was wearing white pants decorated with light embroidery of silver thread that glistened following his movement that tied tightly to each ankle, also, a sky blue outer clothes that had different colors, making feeling a unique atmosphere that couldn’t be felt before.

Although the imperial palace was a place where many men beside the emperor stayed and walked around, there was only one person who had this atmosphere. At first glance, he looked like a beautiful gentleman dressed in fine clothes, and at the same time, he also looked like a concubine favored by the emperor. Therefore, the other concubines kept turning their heads and stole a glance at Yeonbin from the moment they met him at the Empress Palace.

“Yeonbin.” 

The one who called Yeonbin who was turning back after the morning greetings that were filled with that ambiguous mood was the empress. Hearing the unexpected call, Hwawoon turned back with a nervous expression, saying, “Yes, Your Majesty.” The empress then spoke with a clear, soft voice.  

“You look more healthy dressing like that. It looks good on you.” 

Hwawoon’s eyes were opened wide. For a moment, he couldn’t believe what he just heard. That was because the empress’s words just now were the first positive words heard from non-Jeongan Palace people ever since Hawoon became Yeon Hwawoon.

It wasn’t only Hwawoon who was surprised. Sukbi and Jeongbin, who had already walked far, also looked at the empress with a questioning glance. Nevertheless, the empress only nodded once with a calm expression to Hwawoon, who said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Hwawoon, who barely stopped the corners of his lips that were trying to raise at their will, soon made eye contact with Ahjin as he left the Empress Palace and burst his face with a smile he had held back.

“Her Majesty the Empress said I look good, right?”

“Yes, Your Highness! I clearly heard it!”

As Ahjin replied to him with a smiling face as well, Hwawoon’s face turned even brighter. It wasn’t particularly praise, and that word didn’t have a lot of meaning, but he was excited to hear such positive words from the Empress, who was the most difficult person with the Emperor.

And then one person stopped before Hwawoon and Ahjin who were walking while smiling.

“Yeonbin. You look like you’re in a very happy mood.”