Yujin awoke, bathed in the soft golden rays of the morning sun filtering through the delicate silk drapes. The gentle warmth surrounding him was immediately contrasted by a cold void in his heart, and a biting realization snapped him back into reality. He was in the Emperor's chambers, so close to the man he held complex feelings for, but the recent news had stung him deep. The rumors about the Emperor's new concubine had reached his ears.
He tried to sit up, wanting to distance himself from the confusion and hurt, when a firm hand held him down. Baekhyun's piercing blue eyes locked deeply into Yujin's hazel ones. "Where do you think you're going, Consort Han?"
"I believe my presence is no longer required here, Your Majesty," Yujin's voice was icy, his words carefully chosen to hide the tumult within. "Perhaps you should tend to your new concubine. I wouldn't want to be an inconvenience."
