Yosan opened his eyes slowly. His vision was blurry, his chest heaving with labored breathing. Cold sweat ran down his forehead, and his body felt weak as if he had just been through a long battle. However, what immediately caught his attention was Reina's face that was so close to him.
That face was full of worry. Reina's eyes were teary, as if she had been holding back tears for too long. However, behind the sadness, there was a sparkle of happiness and relief. Reina's lips trembled slightly as she tried to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she immediately drew closer, hugging Yosan tightly.
"Your Highness ...." Yosan muttered weakly, his voice hoarse. But before he could say more, Reina had already hugged him even tighter. Her embrace was strong, full of love, but also a little too tight for Yosan's body which was still in pain.
"Your Highness..., s-pain." Yosan's body stiffened for a moment, pain radiating from his chest which was still weak from the inner struggle he had just gone through. He grimaced a little, trying to take a deeper breath, but Reina's embrace was too tight, as if afraid of losing him again.
Carried away by her emotional flow, Reina unconsciously hugged Yosan even tighter. "You idiot, you're making me worry you know!" Reina spoke with an almost broken voice, as if her emotions were overflowing uncontrollably. "You don't know how scared I am... You don't know how it feels to see you like that, motionless, like you're going to leave me forever."
Reina took a sharp breath amidst her sobs. Tears began to fall down her cheeks, flowing unbidden. "Why do you always make me worry like this? Can't you stop worrying me, ha?" she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Don't make me worry like this all the time."
"Don't leave me .... I don't want to lose you," Reina continued, her voice softening, but still filled with deep emotion.
Yosan was silent, gazing at Reina with tender eyes as she cried, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He knew that all his pain, hatred, and doubt were not only hurting himself, but also the person who loved him so sincerely. She raised her hand slowly, though it felt heavy, and touched Reina's cheek.
Although his body was still weak, Yosan could still feel the vibrations in Reina's embrace. An embrace full of affection but also filled with deep fear.
"Forgive me..." he whispered. "I made you worry, Your Highness."
Reina raised her face and shook her head quickly. "What do you need to apologize for? You did nothing wrong. And stop making me worry!" she said in a stern tone. She took Yosan's hand gently and placed it on her tear-drenched face, as if to reassure him that everything would be fine.
Yosan's weak hand still held Reina's face, feeling the warmth she needed, and there was a sense of relief there. However, even though the situation was so emotional, Yosan could not help the small smile that appeared on his lips. In a low voice, almost a whisper, he said, "I was wrong, Your Majesty. I was terribly wrong. I have made you cry and worry like this. What if I get a severe punishment later?"
Reina gave Yosan a puzzled look, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "Severe punishment? What severe punishment? I don't understand what you're saying. Stop apologizing," she said, still not understanding Yosan's meaning.
Yosan shook his head, feeling happy to have confused the woman. "No, Your Majesty. It will be bad for me if I don't apologize. I could be severely punished again in the future," he said in a quite serious tone, not showing he was joking.
Reina stared at Yosan, still not understanding. A streak of annoyance and slight anger appeared on her face. "What's so bad about it? Then who would dare do that to you?" she asked, trying to digest Yosan's words.
"Anyone could do it, Your Majesty," Yosan replied as he gently kissed Reina's hand. "Especially when the beautiful queen of the Lumina Kingdom's people has to cry because of me. I don't want to get a severe punishment later."
Reina stared at Yosan in annoyance, momentarily made to think hard. She wiped away her tears for a moment, then quickly punched Yosan in the chest. Yosan winced in pain, making her chuckle despite the pain. "You're this! I'm being serious, you know? Can't you be a little more serious?" said Reina in an angry tone accompanied by a chuckle.
Yosan smiled weakly, though he still felt pain in his chest. "I am indeed serious, Your Highness. But, there's nothing wrong with making you smile a little, right?" he replied with a faint smile that warmed the atmosphere.
Reina looked at him with a look of mixed annoyance and love. Unconsciously, she pulled Yosan into an embrace once again. Yosan's hand gently rubbed Reina's back, and they stayed for a moment in soulful silence.
Yosan chuckled softly, his voice sounding hoarse. "I don't think I can ever stop worrying you, Your Majesty," he said with a deep breath. His face was now serious, yet compassionate. "Because I fear losing you more than anything."
Unable to contain herself, Reina looked at Yosan with eyes filled with emotion. She approached slowly, and Yosan, sensing the warmth, returned it gently. Their kiss was warm, full of longing and long-lost affection, as if it was a way to convey all that had never been said.
However, the beautiful silence was suddenly broken by a small, half-sleepy voice. "Why is it so noisy?" muttered Lia as she sat by the door. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were still half open, and her face showed confusion. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing?" she asked innocently.
Reina and Yosan suddenly stopped their kiss, looking at each other with bloodshot faces. Reina immediately pulled away slightly, covering her face with her hands, while Yosan tried to hold back his laughter, even though his chest was still hurting.
"Lia, darling ...." Yosan began in a low voice, trying to find the right words. "Mom and Dad are just ...."
Before Yosan could finish his sentence, Lia suddenly shifted her body, approaching quickly towards her father. The little girl gave a small squeal as she realized something. "Daddy's awake? It's not a dream, right?" she asked enthusiastically, her hands framing Yosan's face.
Yosan smiled gently, though his eyes glazed over at Lia's expression that looked so happy. How long had he been asleep to make Reina and Lia sad, and now this happy?
"Yes, dear. Daddy is awake," Yosan replied softly.
Lia turned to Reina, who nodded with a faint smile. The little girl's face lit up, a big smile on her lips. "Mommy! Our prayers have been answered!"
Without any prompting, Lia immediately hugged Yosan tightly, as if she didn't want to let go. In her embrace, Lia seemed to express all her deepest feelings: love, longing, and the hope that her father would not be sick like this again in the future.
Yosan chuckled softly, although his body still felt weak. He gently rubbed Lia's head. "Thank you for always praying for me. I'll try to be stronger so I won't make you worry anymore."
Reina came closer, rubbing Lia's head lovingly. "Your father still needs rest, dear. But now, we can rest easy. Your father will be fine."
Lia nodded vigorously, her face radiating genuine happiness. In their hearts, Reina and Yosan both felt relieved and grateful for the miracle that brought them back together as a family. The simple moment was warm, a reminder of how precious their love and togetherness was.