"How nice the tea is today, wangbi mama!"
"It certainly is, Jung bin..."
"Thanks to the new tea set from daegun jaga, I believe..." Wang Ki smiled, glancing at the elegant teacup set on the table. Min Jun nodded with a noble gesture, and the room fell silent in admiration.
"I'm glad you like it, jeonha mama. We have plenty at the Red Ruby. I already sent some to the royal kitchen and kept a few at my temporary quarters," Min Jun replied respectfully.
"The craftsmanship is excellent. Even the handmade details are fine and precise. I can't believe you have such a talent, daegun jaga..." Jung bin lifted the cup, admiring every detail of the pottery.
"Actually... The sets you have today weren't made by me..." Min Jun smiled, thinking of the person responsible for the teacups.
"Oh? Then who made them?" Wangbi Ki asked.
"They were made by Gisa Ahn. He taught us pottery, saying it would be useful in the future. We wouldn't need to import plates and cups anymore, and we could preserve the kingdom's unique designs," Min Jun explained.
"Such a wise idea... As expected from someone like Gisa Ahn..." Wangbi Ki praised, making Min Jun feel a surge of pride.
"Speaking of Gisa Ahn... Is he still single?"
Min Jun almost dropped his cup at the sudden question from Wang Ki. The eunuch quickly offered a handkerchief, but Min Jun politely declined.
"Why do you ask, jeonha mama?" Min Jun bravely inquired.
"Just curious. At his age, he should have a wife at least..."
"Gisa Ahn is a devoted knight, jeonha mama. The kingdom is his top priority," Min Jun responded, keeping his voice calm despite the turmoil inside.
"That's both good and unfortunate. He once told me he wanted time for himself. If he's so dedicated to looking after you, he may never meet someone," Wang Ki's words felt like a sharp dagger. In a different context, they could be misinterpreted as blaming Min Jun for Uk's lack of a personal life.
It seemed as if Wang Ki was hinting that Uk should quit his job.
"Are you suggesting Gisa Ahn should quit, jeonha?" Min Jun asked. His tone, deep and intimidating, startled both Wangbi Ki and Jung Bin. It sounded rude and harsh, but surprisingly, Wang Ki remained unfazed. He simply smiled and sipped his tea calmly.
"Not necessarily. It's just that it's unfair for him to live away from his true purpose. If you decide to marry one day, what will happen to Gisa Ahn?" Wang Ki's thoughts were always a step ahead of everyone else.
"I won't marry before Gisa Ahn. I still have time, and I don't mind waiting," Min Jun's quick-witted response raised eyebrows around the room.
"Your sister won't have a chance to marry if you're still single, daegun jaga," Jung Bin pointed out.
"I don't think gongju jaga will mind. She's only fifteen, too young to be tied to one man," Min Jun replied with a forced smile, trying to hide his frustration.
"Jeonha... I have an idea..."
"Go on, wangbi mama..." Wang Ki encouraged.
"How about we suggest Gisa Ahn marry Myung Yu gongju? He's a former knight, and after seeing how well he takes care of Min Jun daegun, I trust he would keep Myung Yu safe. I know gongju jaga would be well protected with him," Wangbi Ki proposed cautiously.
Min Jun paused, his heart racing. The thought of losing Uk to his sister tore him apart. His parents were unaware of how much Uk meant to him, and now he might have to give him up to his own sister. Worst of all, he couldn't even object to the idea.
"It's too sudden, wangbi mama! Plus, the age gap between them is too large. I don't think gongju jaga would like it," Jung Bin gently opposed the suggestion.
"They could court first and see how it goes. And I doubt Gisa Ahn would refuse. Who wouldn't want to marry a princess?" Wangbi Ki argued.
"Gisa Ahn might not like the idea, wangbi mama. I know him well, and believe me, he will dare to reject the offer," Min Jun interjected.
"Maybe you can help convince him to court Myung Yu gongju, since you know Gisa Ahn better than anyone else in this room," Wangbi Ki said, giving Min Jun a sweet, motherly smile. Seeing his mother's determination to pair his sister with the man he loved left Min Jun feeling even more devastated.
"I think that's a brilliant idea! Only a man knows what another man wants, so there shouldn't be any problem, right?"
Min Jun could no longer hide his sorrow when he heard Wang Ki's words. He looked down, gripping the table tightly, nearly breaking his fingernails.
"Certainly, jeonha mama..." Min Jun murmured softly, resigning himself to his parents' suggestion just to make them stop. He couldn't bear listening any longer, as his heart couldn't stop bleeding at the thought of losing Uk.
The worst part was, he might lose him to his sister, and he couldn't do anything about it.
***
Leaving the main house of the Emerald Dragon, Min Jun sighed heavily. He looked up at the blue sky as a cold wind brushed his face.
"I'm so tired..." he murmured to himself. He was exhausted after suppressing his feelings during the tea break with his parents.
Tears welled up in his eyes. At this moment, he wished he had been born as a woman instead of a man. He knew it was wrong to blame destiny, but right now, he even wished he could die rather than see the man he loved marry his sister. Just thinking about it felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest.
Imagine having to see them together for the rest of his life...
"I'd rather die..." The words slipped from Min Jun's lips. As he looked up at the sky, his eyes finally gave way to the tears that had been building up. They streamed down his cheeks, the cold air making the sadness feel even more intense.
"You'll get sick standing out here in the cold, daegum..."
A fur coat was draped over his shoulders from behind. The familiar scent enveloped him, bringing a wave of calm to his troubled heart.
"Hyung-nim, you won't leave me, will you?" out of blue, Min Jun asked Uk. The older's head hung low, almost touching the prince's shoulder.
Uk was mindful of their surroundings, or he might have leaned even closer to Min Jun. After everything that had happened today, all Uk wanted was to hold Min Jun in his arms. He wanted to protect him from all harm, knowing that someone out there is trying to kill him. In his mind, Uk wondered.
How could anyone dare try to hurt someone as pure-hearted as Min Jun?
"Do you want me to stay?" Uk whispered.
"What kind of silly question is that...?"
"Well, you asked them first, daegum. Who's silly now?"
Min Jun's tears turned into a slight laugh. He had expected that response—it was just so Uk to turn his question around.
"You know, I overheard some of the stewards talking this morning, and I couldn't help feeling jealous..."
"What kind of conversation made a powerful daegun like you feel jealous?" Uk asked.
"You know two of our stewards are in a relationship, right? When I heard them speaking sweetly to each other, I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to be them..."
Min Jun hesitated, the words caught in his throat. Uk sighed, understanding the situation all too well.
"I want to call you like they call each other," Min Jun admitted.
"You don't like calling me hyung-nim?"
"I don't know... Maybe I don't..."
"How would you like to call me then?" Uk innocently asked Min Jun.
Silence.
"Can I call you... Sobangnim?" Min Jun replied to Uk in a soft, shy voice.
Uk chuckled.
"Why are you laughing, sobangnim?" Min Jun felt his face heat up. In this cold weather, his flushed cheeks were probably even more noticeable.
"I don't know if you can call me that, daegum. Our roles are still unclear," Uk replied, making Min Jun even more embarrassed.
"Fine... It's not like you have a better suggestion!" Min Jun pouted, making Uk chuckle at his cuteness. The older man leaned in closer and whispered to the prince.
"I do have one for you. How about wangjanim?"
Min Jun's eyes widened, and his cheeks burned even hotter. The nickname, the way Uk said it, and his whispering... It was all too much for Min Jun, who was completely flustered.
"You just can't get away from the royal titles, can you? So unromantic!" Min Jun pretended to be upset, pushing Uk a little to see how far he would go.
"It suits you... Because you're MY prince, wangjanim..."
Min Jun silently shrieked, closing his eyes tightly. His toes curled in his boots, trying to suppress his shyness. He exhaled slowly, trying to appear calm, but inside, he was over the moon!
"You and your sweet talk!" Min Jun nudged Uk's abs, making the man chuckle while holding back the pain. Uk then gently touched Min Jun's hand, subtly hiding it from the public's view.
"I mean it. Even if someone held a sword to my neck and told me to stop calling you that, I wouldn't," Uk said, his voice filled with emotion. "You're the one and only prince in my heart," he added, just loud enough for Min Jun to hear.
The sincerity in Uk's words brought tears to Min Jun's eyes. His thoughts spiraled back to the conversation about Uk and Myung Yu. He tried to suppress the emotions, but the effort seemed too much. His breathing became messed up, and a sharp pain pierced through his body, making him feel as though he might collapse.
"Daegum!" Uk cried out, realizing Min Jun was slowly losing consciousness. He quickly pulled the prince into his arms, preventing him from hitting the cold ground.
Min Jun's lips turned blue as he struggled to breathe. Uk squeezed his hand, desperately calling for help, while Min Jun's teary eyes remained fixed on him.
If this was the end, the last thing Min Jun wanted to see was Uk.
As his vision blurred and his eyelids grew heavy, the last sounds Min Jun heard before he collapsed to darkness were Uk's frantic cries for help and the voice of a woman approaching them.
"What happened to Min Jun daegum?!"
"Help him, agassi! Please!"