“……Huh?”
His toes almost touched the edge of the bed when a hand, like a fern, grabbed his sleeve. The stubborn cold, refusing to let go with a snot bubble, added even more moisture to Hye Yoon’s watery eyes. That’s why the emotions reflected in her eyes were particularly vivid.
“This is my room, you know.”
Embarrassment filled his adult-sized pupils. And when whispered words were added to the mix, Ji Ho’s cheeks blushed.
It’s because misunderstandings can arise; that’s why he should leave, right?
“…So?”
“Huh?”
Ji Ho, annoyingly, pressed down on Hye Yoon’s upper body to keep her from getting up and then walked to the door with long strides. He could almost imagine how round and wide her eyes and mouth would be when she saw his back. As he did, his hand effortlessly turned the doorknob.
Click
“Wow, gee… You’re crazy.”
“W-What are you talking about? In front of people… Oh, hello!”
“Hehe. Hello.”
Outside the door, three female staff members were looking at Ji Ho with surprised expressions. It was a strong exclamation, but nevertheless, Ji Ho greeted them with a smile. The more abrupt and sincere the words, the better.
“Oh, I didn’t know you were here… Um, I brought this! Because Hye Yoon seems to be sick… Right! Min Joo isn’t here, right? I thought she’d be here early. Hye Yoon told me before during a company dinner. She even said she’s her sister for two months…”
“Sister, please stop talking. Please, just be quiet.”
“Oh, thank you. I’ll make sure she eats well.”
The hand holding the bag of porridge was trembling slightly. As the incessant chatter continued, one of the group hurriedly nudged her arm.
In fact, this was the first time they had seen Ji Ho this close. It was just a difference in how much they revealed on the surface, but they all had the same sentiment.
Hair that hadn’t completely dried and a clean face. The kind of plain short-sleeved shirt and pants you’d find in any household. Looking at him, armed with familiar ordinariness, everyone must have had the same thought.
He’s really unbelievably handsome.
“Well then, we’ll be going. Th-thank you!”
“Yes. Have a good rest.”
The staff, still flustered until the moment they turned away, gave a polite nod. Ji Ho also nodded similarly and closed the door.
“Sister! What’s with the ‘thank you,’ out of the blue?”
“I don’t know… My mind just went blank, and I don’t even know what I said.”
“Ha, let me raise your hand here. Jumping like this isn’t a problem, right?”
The commotion from outside the room dispersed behind Ji Ho as he walked into the room.
As soon as Ji Ho entered, Hye Yoon snatched the water bottle from his hand. There were traces of struggling to open it, evident by the reddened hand gripping the lid. Click. She cheerfully opened a fresh bottle of water and handed it back to him, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah. I mean, I’m usually really strong, but I couldn’t open it because of the cold.”
Finally, a satisfied expression vigorously nodded. Ji Ho’s face mimicked it quite closely. The more he tried to act tough, the cuter he seemed, but that’s why he decided not to point it out. He’d just stay cute like that.
Around the time they spread out rice porridge and side dishes on the table, another knock was heard from outside the door. Min Woo, like the female staff, exhibited the same gift and reaction. He looked surprised at Ji Ho, offered the porridge, and continued the conversation, anticipating an hour later.
Their morning meal started late. As soon as Hye Yoon swallowed a mouthful of warm porridge, her expression immediately turned sour. Her throat felt scratchy, and she grimaced.
But then, their eyes met affectionately.
“Hehe, why do you look more pained than I am?”
With a mouth full of food, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Ji Ho’s brow was even more furrowed than hers.
“Yeah… I wish I could be the one in pain instead.”
Listening to her voice, filled with sadness, she swallowed the porridge again. Her throat still felt scratchy, but her chest itched.
“Wow, look at my face…”
Hye Yoon wasn’t too pleased with her reflection in the makeup vanity mirror. A day of eating and sleeping diligently with the thought of needing to hurry had left her face puffy.
“…I look like bread.”
While Ji Ho was out of the room, she had a moment to comfortably wash up and enjoy her own appearance. Even his consideration of giving her some alone time didn’t seem quite right, it seemed.
Just one hour, and that too if you’re inside this lodging building, and she still insisted on giving instructions. She emphasized that since it’s only a 5-minute walk away, he should contact her if he needs anything.
“Just one more spoonful, please.”
“I’m full…”
“But just one more bite. … Right, you’re kind.”
Thinking about breakfast made her heart feel even lighter. She nodded along with the rhythm of his careful chewing. When she took the last bite, under Ji Ho’s approving gaze, it felt like she had accomplished something significant.
“I’m sure I’m sick… but can I still feel good?”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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