He walked toward her and grabbed her shoulder. He stared at her which from Sungmin view was different from his usual cold stare. Her face just a mere inches with the male as she could feel his breath. She could tell that it’s smelled like an alcohol.

But the banquet had been held last night, so was that mean the King hadn’t slept at all? That question annoyed Sungmin a lot. Why her husband all of a sudden acted like this. A flash of mind did occurred insided her as if the King actually mistook her chamber as Seohyun’s chamber because of too much drunk.

He removed his hand to Sungmin’s cheek and made the latter looked straight into his eyes “Please tell me Sungmin. Is this the way you punish yourself by not talking to me or actually this is your new way to punish me from beginning?”

She couldn’t answer. She frozed at her own position as she couldn’t guess what the next move would the King do as he started to close their distance. She choosed to close her eyes. Slowly she could feel the king’s breath landed to her nose as the gap between them became closer in seconds.

She couldn’t help but remember the last kiss they shared 3 years ago. She was too sinked into dejection and also desperation at that time because of the King’s hurtful words as she couldn’t remember how it felt when someone she had been longing so much finally kissed her for the first time. But this time, she didn’t want expecting too much again. She didn’t want to admit but she did wait.

But nothing’s coming.

The king’s face was loosely slipped to Sungmin’s side and landed to her shoulder. Sungmin opened her eyes and looked at the man fell into sleep successfully not even realized that his action made the female couldn’t hold her tears flowing smoothly through her pale cheek.

The queen chuckled. If she still had her voice, she would laugh out loud of how embarrassing she was now. Even after he got what he wanted, the king still had a heart to mock her like that.

Please don’t make me confused, Kyu…..

~~~*SJ*~~~

He sat after a table, had been busy massaging his temple in his chamber alone. He couldn’t sleep. Because of Choi faction’s pressure toward Lee faction, he couldn’t concentrate to do his job properly as Prime Minister Leeteuk. Too many cases, mistakes, and secrets that should be buried deeply into the ground if he didn’t want Lee Faction disappeared in Jonseong era.

Then the sound of the door shifted open beside him. Behind the door, revealed his wife Lady Yuri brought a cup of tea for him. He could smell her mild fragrance which helped him to relax a bit. He smiled at her eventhough he couldn’t hide his tired expression but his wife knew him too well.

“Honey, I bring a green tea for you. Just like usual, I put sugar in it” she gave her brightly smile toward her husband.

“Thanks, Yuri. Now you can leave” he said then decided to open some papers on his table.

She stayed still. She stared at the male with much concern. She could see black circles rested gracefully below her husband’s eyes. She’s fidgeting her fingers on her lap. She didn’t want to be audacious, but she really wanted to speak her mind to her husband. She also barely could sleep over nights as Choi faction was starting to pursue his position as prime minister and seeking some cracks to make him fell.

“Just say it. Don’t stare at me like that” He smiled at her.

Lady Yuri looked at her husband “Honey, I want to talk about Queen Min”

“What is it about?”

“I am sorry to say this but Lee faction now is in the verge of falling. I think she neglects our faction too long. We become weaker as our people one by one had run away to safe their own . We have to warn Queen Min to not ignoring her responsibility as the messenger of Lee faction ambission, as King’s shadow. We need her old self again. Not a heart broken woma…”

“Yuri!!! Watch your speak” the prime minister cut her words.

Lady Yuri bowed her head down “Please forgive me, Honey. I just worried…. Everytime I see the way Lord Seunghyun look at you, I have a hunch he plan something to replace you as a prime minister”

Prime Minister Leeteuk sighed. Actually he had some worries as his wife, but he didn’t want to show his weakness toward his beloved wife. He signed her to sit beside him. His fingers caressed her cheek gently then slided down to her chin. He made her eyes to lock with his “I understand about your worries, Yuri. Just trust me. I will do everything to make Lee faction not losing their pride as a hidden ruler in Jonseong. So don’t do anything ridiculous and just stay beside me, Arachi?”

Lady Yuri gave in and finally nodded. After the prime minister gave a soft peck on her forehead, she excused herself and walked out from her husband’s chamber. But after a few steps, she turned around and threw a glanced toward a figure behind the thin wall. She could see the male massaged his temple again.

'Don’t do anything ridiculous'

Until now, she had always been an obedient wife. But this time, her intuition as a woman told her otherwise.

'I am sorry, Honey. I have to do something…'

~~~*SJ*~~~

The sun was starting to rise up to a higher place and poured it rays to the entire Gyeongbok Palace. Some of them managed to slip through Queen’s chamber ventilation and landed warmly on the king's face.

His eyelashes sensed the morning breeze caressed him to open his eyes. It needed some seconds in a moment to realize that he didn’t wake up from his own chamber but someone’s else. A familiar fragrance of the fabric that attached to his right ear also made him noticed that he didn’t lay on his own pillow but someone’s lap.

It’s Sungmin’s fragrance.

He got off from the Queen’s lap then facing the female whom leaned her back to the wall. She’s sleeping. He observed her for a moment and found a track of tears still remained on the latter’s cheek. Finally he remembered why he’s here. After his last conversation with his mother, he couldn’t stay still in his own room and decided to walk around then ended up resting in Queen Min’s chamber.

He rubbed her cheek carefully, he wondered if those tears came because of him. He was in a confusion now. He used to know that Queen Min was a stubborn, selfish, and would do anything to achieve her goal but here she was, laid as a woman who had been hurted by him. His logic told him that what he had done was not as much as what Sungmin had done to become the queen as she was. But why another part of him kept blaming him that he’s the bad person.

She’s beautiful. He admitted it. She had the charms that would make every man fell to their knees over her. If she didn’t see only one man in her life, she would find another person who loved her sincerely and abandoned her ambission to become his queen. But since a hurtful memories she had done 13 years ago, he couldn’t bring himself to give his heart toward the female.

He circled Sungmin’s left arm around his neck then lifted up the latter’s body with his arms. He laid her on the mattress carefully and didn’t forget covered the queen with a blanket. He wiped the sweat on her face and stared at the latter in a silence only god knew how long.

~~~*SJ*~~~

Meanwhile in the concubine pavilion, Lady Seohyun still laid on her bed and her body was covered with sweat. She breathed hastily and strired her head several times looked like having a nightmare. Her hands clutched the bed linen under her body tight and she mumbled some incoherent words.

“No !!!!!” She screamed.

She woke up and raised her body in a sit position. She’s panting hard. Her eyes opened widely like just had seen a ghost. Madam Ook who slept beside her got startled and woke up because of her daughter’s scream.

“Seohyun-ah, what’s wrong?” She patted her back “Calm down sweetheart. What happened? Having a nightmare before?”

Lady Seohyun’s eyes were starting to get teary “He is gonna leave me Omma!! He is gonna leave me!!!”

Madam Ook hugged her and caressed her head to calm her but it seemed useless as her daughter’s body was shaking terribly and poured her clothes with unstoppable tears “Seohyun-ah, it’s just a dream. You know he loves you more than anything. There’s nothing bad will happen”

“Is tha—that true?”

Madam Ook nodded “Yes, of course. Don’t doubt him” she said in confidence but deep in her mind, she couldn’t reject her anxiety as this wasn’t the first time Seohyun had a nightmare like this. 

Then she remembered her last meeting with a royal fortune teller several days ago.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Flashback

************

“Madam Sooyoung, what have you seen? I want to know about Seohyun and her baby’s future?” Madam Ook secretly came to her old friend house, a royal fortune teller.

The fortune teller coughed several times and covered with a handkerchief “I am sorry Madam Ook, I can’t do this anymore”

“Why? I only want to know if Seohyun have a chance to become a queen”

Madam Sooyoung glared at her “Do you realize that you and your daughter become greedy now? I already got my severe punishment because of my sin three years ago. As you already got what you wanted. Now please leave me alone!!” she said with a harsh tone before coughing again.

“Madam Sooyoung please! I am sorry. I only want my daughter happiness. You know if you don’t tell me what I want I will reveal your crime to the royal court” She begged.

The said person chuckled “I admire your two face capability Madam Ook. Now are you threatening me again?” she sighed then closed her eyes “Madam Ook, do you remember what I said three years ago? When you asked me to lie about Queen Min royal first night?”

“Of course I remember” She nodded.

“I told you about the consequences of messing with Venus (Queen Min) right? That you're awakening a pure heart of a devil”

She stared at the fortune teller. She did remember about that but she still couldn’t understand what’s that meant. The fortune teller seemed to notice it and let out a long sigh again “It’s happening now”

“Is—Is that bad?” she became scared with what Madam Sooyoung would say.

Madam Sooyoung coughed again, this time her handkerchief was stained with her own blood “If you promise me you won’t disturb me anymore I will tell you”

“Yes, I promise”

“Just don’t do anything Madam Ook. Just don’t do anything”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

End of Flashback

***************

She let out a long breath. She still didn’t understand what’s the meaning of ‘awakening a pure heart of a devil’. There was a hint of a worry if it’s related with Seohyun’s nightmare.

On the otherside, her daughter slowly became calmer but still sobbing in her embrace “I want him here Omma. Please call him!!”

(knock) (knock) (knock)

“Who’s there?” Madam Ook asked the person in front of Seohyun’s door chamber.

“It’s me. Taeyeon, Madam”

“Come in!!”

The courtlady came in bringing a roll of paper to Madam Ook “Someone give this for you, Madam”

She eyed the paper, it was sealed with a silver tape. The colour which usually be used by Choi family. She opened the paper and her eyes became bigger “Taeyeon, did anyone see you receive this?”

“No, Madam. The sender gave me that secretly when all courtladies were sleeping. What is in the paper about, Madam?”

~~~*SJ*~~~

On a road to Sajeongjeon (the executive office of Gyeongbok Palace), two persons were walking to enjoy a bright sun. “Are you sure she will consider about our letter, Sir? Madam Ook seems like not a kind of person like that” A younger one asked.

The older one laughed with his secretary’s comment while swaying his small paper fan“Don’t judge a book only by it’s cover. Do you know what’s that mean, Minho?”

The younger named Minho nodded “I heard about it many times, Sir. But I think I need to know your own answer”

Lord Seunghyun smiled to him. Minho really knew how to his master shoes. As expected of a Choi “When I look at that woman. Her eyes are same as ours”

“What do you mean, Sir?”

“They have thirst in them. And don’t be surprise if her daughter also has a potential. Just like her mother hahaha…” he stopped his laugh and also his steps when he saw someone walked toward him. As their eyes met, the man gave a 90^o bow toward the minister then meant to walk passed them but…

“It’s that only the manner you have after meeting your long distance relative, Lee Siwon-shi?” Siwon stopped after hearing the voice behind him.

Lord Seunghyun turned around and smirked to Siwon “Or do I have to call you Choi Siwon to make you remember?”

“I think you mistook me as another person, Sir”

Lord Seunghyun came close to him and patted his shoulder “Hey little siwonnie, you don’t remember me? Well, maybe you don’t remember me because at that time I was just a son of your father’s assistant. I thought you were died years ago. And Wow…, I am so surprised that the son of the late General Choi Kiho now is serving under Lee family’s armpit. Where’s your old pride as a Choi, little brother?”

Siwon grithed his teeth to hold his anger. He slowly removed Lord Seunghyun’s hand from his shoulder and stared straightly to the older male’s eyes “I told you Sir. You’re wrong. I am a Lee not Choi!!”

“Choi??” A woman voice was heard behind his back. Siwon recognized the owner then he turned around seeing Sunkyu stood with gapped in shockness. She even didn’t realize that a basket of tea she brought from food stock office fell to the ground after hearing about their conversation.

“Su—Sunkyu-shi”

TBC

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Here the new update (unbetaed). Hope you all like it. Thanks a lot for subscribing, voting, and commenting guys ^^. I am sorry for the late update because I am preparing for college final exam so I think I can't update regularly. Please support me and give me your thought about this chapter ^o^ !!!!

I also want to promote my new sungmin fic “Belong To You”, hope you have a time to read and give me a review. Thank you.