The Hated Male Concubine

#35 

“…”

“…”

Only silence flowed between Yihan and Hwawoon. Yihan did so because he was really baffled by Hwawoon’s answer, and Hwawoon still couldn’t understand what Yihan was talking about. Then, it was Yihan who opened his mouth first with a very testy face.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Now quickly go back to Jeongan Palace and don’t get close to Suhwawon.”

“…”

“Because right now. I’ll. Go to. Suhwawon. Alone.”

Yeah. You must be planning to not leave my heart by making me uncomfortable like this. Yihan gritted his teeth as he turned his steps to Suhwawon, leaving Hwawoon behind.

His back stung out of worry if Hwawoon would really go back to Jeongan Palace, but he wasn’t an easy emperor—who would turn back at this point.

“… Your Highness Yeonbin.”

The one who called Hwawoon, who was cluelessly looking at Yihan’s back that kept getting farther away, was Eunuch Oh, who oddly looked like smiling. As Hwawoon turned his head to look at him, he said,

“What His Majesty means is… he wants to take a stroll in Suhwawon with you, Your Highness Yeonbin.”

“In Suhwawon with me?”

Hwawoon suddenly asked back with a higher voice because he was very surprised by what Eunuch Oh had said. The eunuch softly blinked his eyes and nodded. 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“But His Majesty…”

Slurring his words, Hwawoon’s eyes reminisced about the last time he met the emperor in Suhwawon. That day, the emperor didn’t even hide his displeased heart, even though they only met by chance. Therefore, he couldn’t be sure if it was okay for him to follow the emperor.

Hwawoon once again looked at the emperor, who walked far without even taking his palanquin. Every time he took a step, the fluttering navy dragon dopo glittered under the sunlight. When Hwawoon swallowed his saliva because he got thirsty for no reason, Eunuch Oh swiftly moved to the side, opening the way, and said,

“Follow him, please.”

Hwawoon still couldn’t understand what was going on, but Eunuch Oh stayed next to the emperor for the longest and undoubtedly knew about his feelings better than anyone else. As he had no other pretext to refuse it, Hwawoon’s steps soon carefully followed the path Yihan had taken first.

The fluttering sky blue clothes soon stood next to the emperor’s dragon dopo. For now, Eunuch Oh decided to keep this for himself alone; the fact that if the emperor wanted it, he could walk even faster so that Yeon Hwawoon wouldn’t be able to catch him. 

***

“Oh? Isn’t that His Majesty there?”

On his way back to the guard residence to have lunch after finishing his shift, Seocheon turned his head as he heard Domyung. Then, he saw the emperor moving away from the other side of the road.

Unless it was Jeongan Palace, those who patrolled around the outer palace rarely saw the emperor, even though they were in the imperial palace. Therefore, Domyung was already raising his head to see the emperor a little longer, even though he was already further away, but Seocheon wasn’t interested in the emperor.

Seocheon entered the palace as a guard only to have a more stable income—there was no other special desire. He heard that they would give him food and let him sleep in the palace, so for Seocheon and others, who were in need of food and sleep, that alone was enough reason. 

“…”

As he thought that far, just like a habit, he naturally remembered Hawoon. 

Hawoon said the reason he entered the imperial palace wasn’t for money or honor, but merely because he wanted to get a little closer to the emperor. The first time he heard it, Seocheon laughed loudly as though he had heard a very funny joke, but he quickly apologized as he saw Hawoon asking ‘why are you laughing?’ with eyes opened wide and a serious expression.

“Who’s that next to him?”

Without knowing that Seocheon was lost in his own thoughts, Domyung murmured while still chasing them with his gaze and even squinted his eyes. 

If it’s not for the emperor. If that day the emperor didn’t show his face in front of you. Then, would you still be alive somewhere there outside the palace? 

While he stood absentmindedly next to Domyung and had such a thought, a name suddenly was heard in Seocheon’s ears. 

“… Is that His Highness Yeonbin?” 

The moment he heard that name, he felt like a very sharp knife stabbed his ears. He could hardly breathe because of the very unexpected pain. Moving his chest painfully like a fish that had lost its breath, Seocheon looked at the place where Domyung was looking.

“Did you say… Yeonbin…?”

“His face can’t be seen clearly, but there are red highlights in his hair. The clothes are also of a new form…” 

Seocheon, listening to Domyung’s words, stared silently behind him with a painful stare. 

Yeonbin. 

Yeonbin Yeon Hwawoon.

The one who survived alone owing to the death of another person.

Yeon Hwawoon, the very person behind Hawoon’s death, was walking in the distance with the emperor. 

One led Hawoon, who would have lived without looking at the palace for the rest of his life, to this palace, and the other one with his absurd behavior led the innocent him to his death.

Seocheon clenched his fists so hard that bruises could form, and did not take his eyes off them until the two became very small dots and disappeared.

***

Yihan and Hwawoon were walking together in the silent atmosphere. No one followed them because Eunuch Oh had stopped everyone far from them. There was no sound surrounding them other than the sound of their footsteps and the sound of birds in the distance.

Remembering Yeonbin, who closed his mouth until he talked first at the last time he visited Jeongan Palace without notice, Yihan deliberately talked in a brusque voice.

“Are you planning to never open your mouth first until I talk to you?”

Hwawoon, who was walking in silence while looking at his feet, raised his head with a surprised expression and looked at Yihan. Then, he let out a small exclamation sound and quickly continued,

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I thought you called me because you have something else to say, so I was waiting for you to talk.”

“… When did I call you? You followed me on your own because I said I was coming to Suhwawon.” 

Hwawoon stopped his steps as he heard Yihan’s reply. As Hwawoon tried to look at Yihan, blinking eyes with a stunned look on his face, the emperor also stopped walking and faced Hwawoon. He then spoke with a very brazen look.

“What? Am I wrong?” 

Well, Yihan certainly felt his face turned hot after he said that, and it was true that he was a bit embarrassed, but anyway, he was trying his best to think he was right as he never told Hwawoon to follow him and Hwawoon was the one, who followed him at his own. 

Then, right at that time, Hwawoon let out a light laugh in front of Yihan. 

“… Yes, you’re right, Your Majesty. I’m interrupting your time as I please.”

When Hwawoon answered that in a voice with a hint of laughter, Yihan stared at Hwawoon’s face. He couldn’t take his eyes off the beautifully curved eyes and soft lips, so he couldn’t even hear what Hwawoon was saying.

It wasn’t even like it was his first time seeing Yeonbin smile at him.

He had already seen his face calling for him and then slowly drew a smile numerous times.

Feeling unfamiliar with the thing he saw in front of his eyes right now—Yeon Hwawoon’s smile that was completely directed to himself alone—as if it was the first time he saw it, Yihan couldn’t take his eyes off that face.

At that time, Hwawoon was thinking that this was a continuation of Yihan’s kindness. 

Hwawoon had already peeped at the face of the emperor, who was so troubled when he faced him under the moonlight that night. He had already guessed that even though the emperor didn’t like him because of the mistakes done by Yeon Hwawoon in the past, the negative emotions toward the one who was determined to change remained a heavyweight inside the emperor’s heart. For that reason, Hwawoon also regarded this moment as a continuation of that kindness. 

He was convinced that the emperor was troubled about kicking him out of Suhwawon last time, so he allowed himself to come to Suhwawon today. Therefore, Hwawoon couldn’t help but laugh at his unchanging kindness from the beginning to the present.

However, when Hwawoon raised his head up after lowering it down slightly to finish off his laughter, he met with the emperor’s face that came closer right in front of him. It was a frighteningly stiff, cold face. 

He couldn’t see how far away the courtiers, including Eunuch Oh and Ahjin were, and in the space filled with only the scent of distant spring, Hwawoon felt the breath of the emperor scattered at the tip of his nose. The dark pupils that were coming closer became a tremendous pressure, and Hwawoon bent his whole body. The emperor didn’t hold him anywhere, but he couldn’t move his body nor avoid his gaze.

It was an irresistible dignity of the absolute ruler. 

“Your Majesty…” 

As it was strange and difficult for him; as he couldn’t bear that mighty and precious gaze with his status as a mere commoner; 

Hwawoon hunched his shoulders, quickly lowered his gaze, and took a step back from the emperor. He took a step back, and although he didn’t know what the reason was, he had made the emperor’s mood worse, so he decided to plead for forgiveness. However, even before Hwawoon took half a step, the emperor’s hand wrapped around Hwawoon’s waist and pulled him so that he could not go away.

Yihan then opened his mouth at a rather closer distance.

“I never allowed you to step back.”

Under the tremendous aura the emperor showed right in front of him, Hwawoon dared not move.