Chanyeol felt a headache taking over his already heavy-with-sleep head, and he opened his eyes with great difficult. Seora was still asleep soundly beside him, buried under the blankets which he covered her with, before falling asleep few hours ago himself. He stayed glancing at the sleeping girl for a while with his heavy eyelids half open, and finally decided to get up.

Taking off the blanket carefully so that she would not wake up, he silently sat up and rubbed his face with both hands.

The headache he was having was terrible. He couldn’t tell whether it was because of the hangover from last night, or he was catching a cold because of getting wet in the rain and sleeping in the wet clothes. He heaved a silent sigh and got onto his feet.

He slid open the door of Seora’s room, and stepped out, closing it behind him.

“Uncle!!!”

A tiny voice made Chanyeol look at the far corner of the passage, where he saw a little figure of a boy running towards him.

“Oh, Nuri-yah.” He mumbled in his deep groggy vice, once the little boy had come to a stop in front of him. His little nephew-in-law stared at him.

“You don’t look well uncle.” He said thoughtfully. “Omma told me to not to shout and disturb you and auntie because you were not well and were sleeping. She said you both were sick, and I see she was right. So is auntie Seora still sleeping uncle?” he asked in concern.

Chanyeol smiled with a nod and ruffled the little boy’s hair. “Where’s your dad Nuri?”

“Ah, appa’s in his study. Let’s go see him.” Nuri quickly took Chanyeol’s hand and guided him towards Minseok’s study.

“Oh Chanyeol-ah, you woke up finally!” Minseok greeted him with a cheery smile glowing all over his face. Chanyeol quietly sat in front of his hyung, and the little one came closer to his dad. “Appa,” he whispered into Minseok’s ear. “Hmm?” Minseok hummed in reply, listening to his son.

“Don’t bother uncle too much. Omma said he’s sick.” He explained in a serious tone. Minseok stifled a laugh and nodded, imitating his son’s serious expression. “I won’t bother him Nuri. We will just be talking.” He assured to his son. Nuri nodded with satisfaction and ran out of the room.

“So Chanyeol, I see that Nuri wasn’t lying, you really look pale.” Minseok said, examining his donseng’s face carefully.

“My head is aching hyung.” Chanyeol mumbled, after lazily rubbing his temples. “Maybe because we slept in those rain drenched cloths all night and all day too. Maybe I’m gonna catch a cold.” he explained.

Minseok raised an eyebrow. He didn’t want to meddle in with anyone else’s personal life even it was his sister-in-law and her husband, but to him it looked like what his wife Bora had been dreaming about hadn’t actually happened, and he couldn’t help asking back. “You...slept all these hours in those wet clothes?” he mentally bit his lip after asking that, and quickly added to it. “You should’ve changed into something warmer Chanyeol.”

“It must have been the wine hyung.” Chanyeol answered, not having the slightest idea about what was going through the royal adviser’s mind. “It made both of us sleepy. I normally can handle my alcohol very well, but this was way beyond that. We both fell asleep right away and slept all the way until now like logs.” He smirked with disbelief. “So is Seora still asleep?” Minseok asked and the younger nodded in reply. “She’ll also wake soon. But right now, I have to go out hyung.” he brought up his hand up his hand to his temple and pressed his fingers on either side of it. “Hyung can you please send someone to my place and bring me a change of clothes?” he asked after rubbing his forehead again.

“Ah, sure. I will send someone right now.” Minseok replied quickly. “You must have your duties to fulfil.”

* * * * * * * *

That was the day for the weekly training Chanyeol gave to the trainees of the Royal Military School, and even though he wasn’t feeling quite well physically, and his mind also was busy playing the same set of scenes about a certain someone over and over again, he decided to go the military school and give his lesson. It was the day for wrestling lessons, and there he had to spend half his evening, wrestling down the best and strongest trainees who stepped forward to have a wrestle with him, eager to learn from this great fighter. After a good few hours of dropping on the sandy ground with big burly young men over him, and rolling on the ground with them and overtaking every single one of them in the end, and repeating each and every move a dozen times so that the trainees won’t miss any of his tactics, the training session came to an end. He dragged his feet out of the military school and got onto the horse Minseok had provided him, and hesitantly headed towards the castle although his heart was pulling him back to return to the Kim’s mansion.

He had promised the other day to the king, that this evening he will be joining archery with the king.

The king’s face lit up with his usual majestic smile, when the general arrived at the King’s archery arena. Chanyeol walked to the king and bowed.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve done this together, isn’t it Chanyeol?” the king asked, while examining his bow before starting to shoot.

“Yes your majesty.” Chanyeol replied. “I’m sorry I didn’t join you, even when I knew how much you loved archery and doing it with me.” He apologized.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” The king chose and arrow and placed it on his bow, and looked up at the general. “But you look pale. Are you not well?” he asked in concern.

Chanyeol shook his head. “No your majesty. It’s just... I kind of overslept today. That’s why.” he politely replied, and started choosing a bow for himself. The king stared at his brother-in-law’s face for a while, and turned to face his target. He took aim, and shot his first arrow, which whizzed through air and hit right in the middle. “Your turn.” He called Chanyeol.

“You are not well at all General Park.” King Junmyeon declared, staring at Chanyeol’s target board, which had arrows stuck all over it, unlike his own target board, which had most of the arrows shot right in the middle. “Just the first two arrows you sent to the target. And the others went all over the place.” He turned to the general. “You must be really sick. Or is anything else bothering you?” he asked, his voice turning gentle, full of concern.

Chanyeol shook his head. “It’s just a cold coming up your majesty. Otherwise I’m perfectly fine.” He replied with a forced smile. The king stared at him in silence for a while. “Well, who am I expecting a proper answer from? It’s not like you’d ever open up to me, nor treat me like your real brother-in-law.” He went on, a hint of disappointment touching his voice. “You have something on your mind Park Chanyeol. Your eyes won’t focus on the target, they’re running everywhere. Even your breathing is unsteady, and don’t say that’s because of the headache you are having. There is definitely something bothering you more than a mere headache.”

Chanyeol sighed, knowing that the king was truly concerned and worried about him like an older brother. “I’m...kind of having a hard time, your majesty.” He finely mumbled, as only the king could hear, and not the eunuchs and court ladies around them. “Things are bothering me, and yes, it’s hard to focus.”

“Why not give in if you feel drawn towards her?”

Chanyeol widened his eyes at the king, who felt like seeing right through him.

“Oh come on Chanyeol, what else can bother the King’s hunter other than that girl these days?” the king chuckled as he said this. But his face turned all serious, again, as he placed his bow back on the table with arrows. “Everyone deserves to be happy in their life Chanyeol. One tragedy doesn’t end your life. You have to move on and find a way to smile.” He said. Chanyeol averted his eyes away from the king.

The king smiled to himself. “Did you know that you resemble your sister an awful lot?” he asked with another chuckle. “Your expression right now, is exactly what the Queen had, during the first few weeks when I visited her chamber, full of uncertainty.” And he peeked into the pale face in front of him. “Just go to her. She’ll be waiting for you.”

Chanyeol heaved a sigh, and bowed to the king. “I’ll take my leave then, your majesty.” He took a step back, and started walking out of the arena.

“General!”

Chanyeol haltered and turned back as the king called him.

“I said go to her! I didn’t mean just going home to where she stays.” He gave his brother-in-law one of his softest and most caring smiles. Chanyeol bowed in silence and left the place.

* * * * * * * *

He placed his own palm