When Jongkook got back to the palace with Jihyo in his arms, the ladies-in-waiting made quick work of her hanbok, and called him in once they were done. Jihyo was resting on her bed, and Jongkook grabbed a stool to sit by her side of the bed. He took her hand in his, thankful that she had already stopped shaking. Her hands were still warm, however, and her eyebrows were knit together. She was likely not feeling well even as she slept.

Jongkook reached out and lightly brushed his fingers on her forehead, smoothing out the lines that had formed. She still felt too warm, but much less than the pile of heat she had been at the cave when she fainted. Her face looked calmer for a while, but he quickly realized that it wasn’t just discomfort that was causing her to stir in her sleep. Her eyelids, albeit closed, were fluttering, and it dawned on Jongkook that she was likely having a nightmare. She began to thrash her head from side to side, even when she was still deep in her sleep. 

“No… no…” she talked in her sleep. He was wondering what her nightmare was, until Jihyo said, “Jongkook… please don’t go… don’t leave me.” Her eyes were still closed, but her movements made her hair a bit messier. 

Jongkook felt resigned to his fate, and every ounce of his self-control had gone out the window, as he feared for her when she fainted in her arms. As she moved around, troubled by the images in her mind, he wanted nothing more than to give her comfort and to bring her back to safety. He sat at the edge of her bed, taking one of her hands in his, and using his other hand to smooth out her hair.

“I’m not leaving. I’m here. I won’t leave you,” he said to calm her down. It felt like a lie as the words came out of his mouth, because he didn’t know what the future would bring. But seeing her like this made him feel like his words were a promise his heart was still willing to make, if she were to have him. 

Tears escaped from the corner of Jihyo’s eyes, and Jongkook quickly moved to wipe them away, caressing her cheek in the process. “It’s alright now. You’ll always have me,” he said, this time with a bit more conviction, because even if he cannot pledge his presence, he at least knew that he could wholeheartedly offer her his loyalty, his devotion, and his heart. In a short span of time, she had managed to make him hers, and there was absolutely nothing Jongkook could do.

Jihyo visibly relaxed upon hearing Jongkook’s words, even though it was likely just her subconscious that registered everything. The peaceful look on her face gave a huge sense of relief for Jongkook. He took both her hands in his, and drew them up to his cheeks, wanting to feel her warmth. It was as if his body called for a physical affirmation that she was there with him, and he felt comforted by the way their skin felt against each other. If he could, he would hold her hand forever.

He looked at her face once again, and silently thanked the gods for bringing her into his life. His mind seemed to replay their memories from the last few months - how he had hated her at first, believing she was an entitled royal. It was something he abhorred from the beginning, believing that his fortune as a nobleman was a privilege he had to pay forward by being a good member of their society. She quickly proved him wrong, as he eventually found out how selfless of an individual she was. He remembered the way she had stuck by his side as they fought the bandits, the way she carefully tended to his wound, and the way she had determinedly conquered her mission in Silla. She was amazing.

As he gazed on her face, he became even more mesmerized. She had long lashes, which he much preferred to see as they fluttered when she looked at him. But, even as she was sleeping, she was beautiful, and he was thanking the heavens that her face had finally looked more relaxed. His gaze trailed down the bridge of her nose, towards her soft and luscious lips, and he found himself silently wondering how they would feel against his own. She looked like an angel.

There was an inexplicable pull that Jongkook felt. It was as if he had been hypnotized, completely powerless against the invisible magnet that drew him to her. Before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the forehead. His eyes fluttered close as his lips made contact with her skin, and, until now he didn’t know why, but a tear trailed down his right cheek. He’d never wanted anyone as much as he’d wanted her in that moment, and it was becoming more and more difficult to deny his feelings. 

He pulled back from her, in a silent prayer that the gods would restore her back to health. He wanted her to be his, but more importantly, he needed her to live. They could try to figure everything out in between, as long as she lived.

Princess Jihyo woke up to a wet cloth being dabbed on her forehead by one of her ladies-in-waiting. She was back in her quarters, lying comfortably on her bed. Her mind felt l