"Min Yun?"
I looked behind me to see who was calling my name. I was shocked to see I-jun standing there.
"I-jun?"
"Are you okay?"
"How did you know I was here?"
"I saw Ji Han and asked him where you were."
"Ji Han?"
She nodded. "I looked everywhere and didn't see you. Then he said you might be here."
I took a deep breath.
"What are you looking at? Is someone dead?"
"Come here."
She followed me, and we both stood there, looking at the pile of stones.
"You heard what my father said, right?" I asked.
"About your lover?"
I nodded.
She looked at me intently. "She's dead? How...?"
"Rare illness."
Silence filled the air between us.
I sighed heavily. "It was something I didn't expect. I was so sad back then and couldn't accept what had happened."
"I'm sorry to hear that," she said softly.
"Every time I have a problem, I come here and tell her everything, even though she can't hear me anymore."
"Do you have a problem?" she asked.
He laughed lightly. "I always have a problem."
"I can feel the burden you carry to help the king," she said.
"Aren't you burdened, too?"
She nodded. "But I need to do this."
"We need to do this," I corrected.
She smiled and held my hand, surprising me.
"Just hang in there. I'm sure we'll achieve justice for the king."
"Do you like him?" I asked suddenly.
"What?"
"Do you like him?" I repeated.
Confusion flickered in her eyes.
"I think I pity him. That's why I'm helping him."
I sighed again, but this time with relief. "Do you want to eat?"
She smiled. "Yes."
I-jun's POV
As we descended the mountain, I couldn't help but ask myself if I liked the king. I remembered the kiss and the night we spent together, which made me blush. But was that enough to say I liked him? I silently shook my head. I don't think so. I can't fall in love with a fictional character.
When we arrived at Min Yun's favorite restaurant, we both ordered our preferred dishes and waited.
"Your mood has changed," I noticed. "It's different from earlier."
"I released the pain," he replied.
I smiled and nodded. A while ago, I was really worried when I couldn't find Min Yun. I'd just seen him today, and then he was gone? Luckily, I bumped into Ji Han, who told me he was on the mountain.
I saw how deeply in love Min Yun was with his lover. I couldn't help but feel a little envious. She was gone, yet her lover still talked to her as if she were present. Would I ever experience that? Would someone talk about me the way Min Yun talked about her?
I shook my head, trying to dismiss the thought.
"Is something wrong? You keep shaking your head," Min Yun asked.
I looked at him and forced a smile. "Ah, I just thought about something."
"Do you have questions? I know you do."
"Ha? No... nothing. Hahaha."
"I know you, I-jun."
"I just don't want to hurt you by bringing up the past."
"It's okay. I'm finally healed."
"Are you?"
He nodded.
"I was just curious about how you two met."
Min Yun smiled fondly, lost in thought. "At the festival. I didn't expect to meet her there."
I listened intently.
"I noticed her when she helped someone being bullied by a soldier. She was brave enough to stand up for the poor."
"Is that when you started liking her?"
"Yes, but she didn't like me at first because she knew I was a soldier, too. She saw us as the enemy."
"So, how did you change her perspective?"
"She saw what I did to help the poor. That's when she started falling for me."
"Who wouldn't fall for you? You're a total package," I said jokingly.
"Would you fall for me?" he asked, catching me off guard.
"Ha?" I was taken aback, unsure of how to respond.
Fortunately, our food arrived, and Min Yun seemed to forget his question.
I watched him happily eating and smiled before starting to eat, too.
"Do you want to drink?" I asked after we finished eating.
"We shouldn't. The king might find out."
"I won't tell him."
"He'll know. Let's save that for later."
I pouted.
"Let's have a drink in your quarters," he suggested.
"In my quarters?"
He nodded. "In case you get drunk, at least your bed is nearby."
Later, as the rain began to pour, we sat on the floor of my quarters with bottles of beer in hand.
"No limitations?" I teased.
He laughed. "None."
I took a sip and frowned at the bitterness but liked the aftertaste.
"Take it easy. We have a long night," he said, laughing.
"That's right. A long night to drink."
As the alcohol loosened my thoughts, I found myself asking, "Do you still love her?"
"What?" he asked, startled.
"Your lover. Do you still love her?"
I-jun's POV
He didn't respond right away.
I smiled. "She's lucky because she met you. You're the kindest guy I've ever known. If you weren't here by my side, I doubt I could survive."
"You're really drunk."
"Do you know what would happen if the king discovered the real me? Would he kill me?"
"That, I won't let happen."
I looked at him, my vision slightly blurry. "How can I live without you?" I laughed. "Just how can I live in the real world without my best friend? If I go back, I want to spend more time with her."
Min Yun just stared at me, his expression unreadable.
"I have something to tell you," I whispered.
He waited silently for me to continue.
"The king and I… we spent the night together. Not once but twice."
His face froze, shock etched on his features.
"We kissed," I said softly, as though confessing a sin.
I saw Min Yun's face darken, his jaw tightening.
"Do you want a kiss too?" I asked, giggling slightly.
"You're asking for something you'll regret later," he said, his tone firm.
"I'm sure I won't regret it."
"And I'm sure you won't remember any of this," he replied.
Before I could process his words, he leaned in and kissed me.
Min Yun's POV
"Do you want a kiss too?" I-jun's words echoed in my ears.
I was taken aback, completely unprepared for her question.
I tried to restrain myself, to push away the temptation, but the pull was too strong. The next thing I knew, I was kissing her.
I told myself to just savor the moment—this fleeting moment she would forget by morning.
As our lips met, I deepened the kiss. What shocked me the most was her response. She kissed me back. The kiss grew deeper, more urgent, like a silent battle neither of us wanted to lose.
We pulled back briefly to catch our breath, our foreheads touching. Our breathing was ragged, filling the quiet room.
But I couldn't stop. I kissed her again—deeper, faster. My hand slid to the nape of her neck, pulling her closer. I heard her soft moan, and for a moment, I thought this would escalate into something more.
Then she fell asleep.
Carefully, I carried her to her bed and tucked her in. I stood there, staring at her peaceful face.
If only I could tell her how I truly felt. But I couldn't. It would only complicate things, and I didn't want that—especially since the king seemed to have feelings for her.
Before leaving, I kissed her once more, gently, as if saying goodbye to a dream I could never have.
Back in my quarters, I couldn't sleep. The memory of our kiss replayed over and over in my mind. Even a cold bath didn't help.
By morning, my eyes were still wide open. I went to the royal kitchen and asked the court lady to prepare soup for I-jun.
After much hesitation, I decided to visit her.
I-jun's POV
"Ugh! Why does my head hurt?" I groaned, trying to sit up. My head throbbed like never before.
"What have I done?" I muttered, lying back down. I couldn't force myself to move. My memories of the night before were hazy.
There was a knock at the door. "Your Majesty, I've brought you some soup," a court lady called out.
"Come in," I croaked.
She entered and placed a tray on my bedside table.
"Who asked you to bring this?" I asked.
"Captain Park Min Yun."
I nodded. "Thank you."
After she left, I sipped the soup, feeling instant relief.
"If I'm okay later, I'll go ask Min Yun what happened yesterday," I muttered to myself.
I was halfway through the soup when there was another knock at the door.
"Come in," I said, expecting the court lady again. But it was Min Yun.
"Min Yun!" I exclaimed.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his face etched with concern. He looked exhausted, haggard—but still undeniably handsome.
"I should be asking you that," I replied.
He sighed. "I haven't slept since last night."
"Why?"
"Why?" he repeated, his voice heavy with unspoken words.