16 ⚜️🌺 Pink Cry
Baek smiled genuinely at Seon-in before glancing at Hye-shik out of the corner of his eye.
"Investigate."
"But—"
The gong rang, and Baek stared at Hye-shik with his deadpan face.
"Now… and for you, Lady Park…" Baek paused. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. Her eyes widened. "Clean up."
Baek dragged her into the palace, heading to the King's Quarters, while Hye-shik carried Lady Lim's body into the morgue to investigate without a fight.
The palace maids prepared the bath for Baek long before the gong. However, he pulled Seon-in into the royal bath floor. She gasped, covering her chest.
"Where… am I?"
"You smell like blood. You should take a bath," Baek ordered.
Seon-in inhaled and looked at him.
"But… this is the royal bath—"
"I don't need one today… but you do," he whispered.
She paused, nodding. She walked toward the basin and looked over her shoulder to see if Baek had left. He can't see me anyway… She pulled her jeogori undone and placed her bloodied hanbok on the side.
Baek froze, forgetting. He flushed and turned away, covering his mouth. Wait… why am I still here? If I walk out and make it to my room without her, she will be lost… and she will think I can see. He took a deep breath.
"I…"
Seon-in sniffled, sobbing silently as she hugged her knees. Baek's body tensed.
"Please pretend that I'm a wallflower… I'm… I just miss her…" she cried.
Baek sighed, taking his steps backward carefully until the back of his heel hit the steps of the basin. He reached down to sit behind her, facing away.
"Then… lean on me," he replied.
She wailed and grabbed his sleeve, blowing her nose. Baek was mortified by his red dragon robe's sleeve.
"I will find that person, dig a big hole for him, and make him beg to get out of it!" Seon-in cursed.
"A hole?"
"That will be his graveyard!" she added.
He turned to her, surprised.
"Was that you… cursing? Gently?" Baek questioned.
She shot a glare at him.
"I can curse! I will beat him up with the shovel and make him eat dirt as his meals!" she muttered.
Baek chuckled and patted her head. She froze—
"Cry… grieve… just let it all out. Then, when you face the person who did this, you can curse," he said. She stared at him, blushing with her watery booger dangling. "But before you meet that person, you should learn to curse better. You're just plotting how to punish him. Let the royal court punish him."
He smiled at her as she flushed and averted her eyes.
"Whatever…"
Baek then forgot that she was not wearing her hanbok. He gulped, his eyes widening. She's… naked? He flushed and looked away. Why do I bloom hotly like a flower out of season before this lady?
His shaft grew beneath his robe. He silently gasped, staring between his legs. I… never felt this way with Her Majesty. This… He covered his face and groaned.
Seon-in stared at him and creased her brows. Is His Majesty okay? She tapped his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" she asked, sniffling.
He forced a smile uncomfortably, nodding.
"I'm… perfectly fine. Just finish up because it's getting dark," he answered.
Seon-in scrubbed her skin and stood after she finished. Then she grabbed the clean clothes that were meant for Baek. She hesitantly put it on and looked at him.
"Your Majesty… I will be wearing these clothes…"
He nodded, grabbing her hand. Don't stare at her body… don't be a beast. He took a deep breath and led the way to his bedchamber.
"Sleep here—"
"Wait… this is Your Majesty's bedchamber. I'm not allowed in here!" she gasped.
"But you already are here…" he grinned. She shook her head. "Unless… you want everyone to know that I brought Lady Park to my bedchamber, feel free to step out."
Then he walked to his mattress and sighed. He lay down with his hands on his chest. Seon-in looked at the quiet hallway, then at Baek. She took a deep breath, closing the door behind her. She crept to the side and kneeled.
Baek looked at her. He reached his hand in the air, pretending to look for her. She grabbed his hand—
"Your Majesty!"
He pulled her down, smirking.
"Sleep…"
"I…"
"Next to me… cry if you still want to do that," he commanded. Then he hugged her, pulling her waist closer.
She lay down beside him carefully, leaving space. She nudged her cheeks against his bare chest as his robe became undone. Then she fell asleep.
As the hour of the tiger began to dawn, Baek opened his eyes, staring at Seon-in's puffy face from crying. He leaned against his hand and observed her face before a knock.
"Hye-shik…" he called.
Hye-shik entered the room and knelt.
"Your Majesty…"
"What did you find?"
Hye-shik placed the ink that Lady Lim gifted Seon-in on the ground, then he slid the ornament.
"This… belongs to the lowly minister in your court… Han Jin Gyu."
Baek's face darkened.
"Oh… what makes a lowly trade minister like him dare to bring harm to my palace?"
Hye-shik gulped, clenching his fist on his knee.
"He wasn't the only one who was there before the gong…" Hye-shik added suspiciously.
Baek pushed himself to sit and glared at Hye-shik.
"Then who else was near my palace before the curfew? Who lingers in the palace, unafraid of their lives?"
Hye-shik tightened his jaw, lowering his head. The silence weighed heavily.
"Prince Seonu…"
Baek's jaw tensed, glancing at Seon-in.
"What will bring my cousin into the palace this late at night?" he wondered. "Does he know something about Lim Chu Hyuk?"
Hye-shik closed his eyes, steadying his breathing.
"There is another matter… the marks on the palace maid were two fatal wounds under her chest, and… her top was ripped as if someone tried to assault her."
Baek scoffed, staring sternly at him.
"How small were the marks?"
"Like a dagger only a noble lady will carry."
"Any scratch marks—?"
"Two different bloods as well…" Hye-shik recalled.
"How?"
"One is darker and thicker… while hers is light."
Baek shook his head and gazed at Seon-in.
"Dig into Han Jin Gyu… if there's any connection between him and Prince Seonu," Baek paused, gritting his teeth. "Then remove the roots."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hye-shik then exited the room.
Baek measured her cheek and lips. Her lips were a little red from crying. Then his eyes shifted to the clothes. His clothes… He chuckled. You look alluring, wearing an oversized cloth. He grabbed her hair and pulled away gently, watching each strand fall.
"What must I do… when I wish to indulge in you?"