forum "How come you haven't run away from me yet?"//oxo//Closed

Started December 12, 2020 by @knightinadream group

tune

The queen rested her left hand on the table; her sleeve draped over it. And although she did begin to tap her fingers against the wood, she eventually came to a stop as her mind wandered off into thought, going over everything that happened and will happen soon.

Even though her concerns about the crown prince still remained, there was no choice but to go forward with preparations and such. The first royal portrait….having the robes fitted…getting the king's room ready; she wished there was a way to put a stop to this, but at the same time, Queen Seohyun wanted to stop the rumors and worries.

To stop all the rumors and worries. She bit the inside of her cheek while letting out a slow exhale through her nose. Glancing over at the door, she watched as Jimin had knocked on the door and come in. With a smile sweeping across her face, she gave a short and simple head bow.

"Good morning to you, Lady Hwang. Well, just as usual. Thank you," She responded. "It will be another busy day for us all, but I am sure that everything will be well; though, we should go ahead and talk about yesterday. Was last night successful? What had happened? Any more information?"

Jimin returned the bow. It was now too late to think ahead; she could only focus on the here and now.
“It’s good to see you doing well,” she said, taking her seat across from the queen. Her hands curled into fists as she sighed. “I must say that I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, as I was in a lot of pain. I’m alright now, but please forgive me if it makes me unable to recall certain things.”
When she thought back, she tried not to think about what actually happened, but it was difficult. “Last night… was mixed, I would say. I didn’t notice anything new, but His Highness seemed tired and distracted. He told me he didn’t know where the medical journals were, so I’m hoping to check the palace archives when I get the chance. I… remember asking to check his pulse, and I believe I felt something, though it was faint. So the most I can figure is that his heart is weak and can’t circulate his blood very well. It explains the faint pulse and cold skin, anyway. It’s not perfect though. My uncle explained to me that weak hearts are usually born with or developed much later in life. Considering the prince’s age and the fact that he has not always been like this, he’s either an exception or that there’s a better explanation. There is an herbal treatment he can take, however, and we can see if that solves anything.”
She paused, now very aware of the size of the lie she was about to tell. “I don’t believe much else happened. I explained to His Highness what I explained to you just now, and he seemed rather skeptical. We decided to end it there, and he dismissed me. By that point I was already in pain anyway.”
Looking up, she searched the queen’s face. In reality, quite a lot had happened last night, but Her Majesty’s presence helped her to not think about it too much. Still, something brought the memory of weeping in Kangdae’s arms into her mind. She exhaled surreptitiously.

"As long as you can recall what you can, then that is alright," She assured. While she is in a state of desperation, anything will make her happy. Yet on another note, a simple statement could not make her as joyful unless it would clearly state the problem and the prince's condition.

Despite the worry still building up in her, she remained calm. Her usual gentle look rested on her face as she listened to Jimin. She took note of the word "distracted", wondering if that meant anything more. Perhaps it could be something for tonight.

"There has to be another explanation, there must be," She insisted. For a second, she thought about the possibility of his condition starting at birth, but she frowned and shook her head. "It does not make any sense to me. He was such a healthy baby boy. His little heart was strong as he was before he had fallen ill. I had known from the start."

Reaching from underneath the table, she picked up a light brown journal and placed it in the middle of the table. Her eyes stayed on it, even after she pushed it over to Jimin. "This is the only journal I was able to find. I was getting rather impatient so I had Lord Baek go through every place in this palace to look for any." Her lips curved into a frown. "And it is the only one for now. Its contents are limited and bleak, which means that Prince Kangdae had ordered the physician to write what he wanted him to. It isn't his writing, but it surely is his words. You may look at it now while we are still here."

Pausing for a moment, her mind went through everything else that had been said and what needed to be addressed. On her knee, she lightly tapped her finger. The thought of herbal treatment sounded like a good opportunity, but the queen felt rather weary of it. "Does he even drink or take anything these days?", She mumbled to herself.

Now that she had said her piece and the queen looked to be undeterred, Jimin herself was relatively calm. Her eyes scanned over the journal for a moment before she carefully opened it. After looking through the first page, she flipped through them, her eyes flitting about. "Ah… I see," she said. The journal contained a few of the observations she made when she first met the prince, but only the few that were least incriminating. Anything else definitely seemed planted there, like puzzle pieces from a different puzzle.
"If most of this is only what His Highness wants to be written down, then I don't think it will be much use…" she muttered, "just since he isn't keen on getting a diagnosis." She closed the journal with a sigh and took a moment to think. She folded her hands in her lap.
"Would you like me to search the archives for more, or ask the prince again, Your Majesty?" she asked with a tilt of her head. "Or do you think this is the only one we'll be able to find?"
There didn't seem to be anything else she could say. Jimin took a moment to examine the situation. Certainly, the queen seemed in the middle of deciding things, but she didn't suspect anything yet. Anxiety began to creep up her limbs. Would what Queen Seohyun decided now end up giving Jimin more things to hide from her? If she decided to begin Kangdae's treatment, Jimin may have to lie about it and Kangdae's progress with it. The thought made her think about all the lying she had done so far, and her hands curled into anxious fists in her lap. I am so sorry, Your Majesty.
"Whatever you decide, my queen," she intoned, "I'll understand that it is what you think is best for your son. And I will follow through."

From where she sat, Queen Seohyun glimpsed over at the journal. The excitement from when it was found had overwhelmed her to the point where actually reading it took her to deep disappointment. It is like the crown prince has painted a completely different painting just to hide something. What is it? Why has he been hiding something for the last three years?

She shook her head. The idea of not getting a diagnosis sounded arbitrary in her mind. Then again, a lot of the rumors and other things she has heard are also the same, or at least that's what Her Majesty believes now. But she wasn't convinced that there is just one journal and the rest happened to disappear just in time. It's more than a coincidence.

"It feels as if that journal is not the last one. I believe there are more hidden around the palace grounds," She insisted. "Look through the archives later on today then ask His Highness again this evening."

There has to be a way to get the prince to speak, she knew that, but she was exhausted of having to go through her mind to find a way of doing it. The queen bit her cheek as she pondered. She knew that the crowned prince would find a way out of the questions whether that be through intimidation or another method of his.

"Be assertive by any means," She ordered. "I know it is improper but if we want to find a treatment that will help him the most, let alone the answers to all our questions….we must this method. Do not fall for his tricks of intimidation or flattery. Try to steer away anytime he tries to change the conversation or bring attention to something else. Take control over these sessions."

Looking at Jimin, a soft smile swept across her face. She gave a simple headbow before taking a quick breath. "Thank you, I appreciate you doing this. I know you will continue to do well with this task."

Jimin nodded. “I get that feeling as well. Surely the archives must have something…”
She thought back to last night, when she last questioned Kangdae on the matter. The memory was a bit fuzzy now, muffled by the other events that occurred that night, but she remembered that moment when Kangdae’s eyes flashed red, and Jimin knew he was hiding something. Of course, she could understand why, but better she found those journals and books before the queen or someone else did. But then, why was he so reluctant?
Then Her Majesty seemed to be done with her pondering, unlike Jimin, but she raised her head to bring her attention to the queen’s words.
“Yes ma’am. I admit, it may be difficult,” she said. Especially when I’ve already fallen. “but as always, I will do my best.”
She tried to keep her voice from faltering as she spoke. She wanted to find those journals as much as the queen, but she could not do exactly as she ordered, she knew. Last night was a bit strange at first, there’s no telling how different it will be tonight.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She returned the bow. “The task you have given me is an honorable one. I may not have the same formal training as my uncle, but I pray that it is enough.”
These words came out more easily. The desire to make her queen proud tugged at her heart. She remembered the earliest days, when Queen Seohyun was content and whole, her son healthy and her husband still living. It would be wonderful to see that side of her again, even for only a day. Though the smile she gave Jimin was good to see, it was like a mere shadow of that time.
By now, her hands had relaxed in her lap, and now she clasped them together. “Is there anything else? Or shall we end it here?”

The words that Jimin spoken were more than reassuring to her. She only hoped that the process was not too difficult despite not much information being obtained. Queen Seohyun does want to take action, but she is a little hesitant about going about it. At least her court lady seemed to be fine, although she suspected her being uncomfortable or something of the sorts.

There was not much she could gather on her own; given that she isn't even alone till late in the evening. Nevertheless, she tried to watch the crown prince, looking to see if anything from the meetings had any effect on him. While the queen did not see anything out of the ordinary, she was starting to feel as if something was changing with the prince, yet nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"It is more than enough. I am sure you are doing well. So far you have lasted longer than some of the physicians, I have faith in you."

All the other doctors had failed, but she thought that maybe Jimin would make the process of finding a diagnosis and treatment easier. The queen assumed that maybe the prince wouldn't be stressed or as troubling as he usually was. Is this decision working? Her Majesty wonders, but she isn't sure how else to figure that out.

She did not want to dwell on the matter anymore for now. Not when there is much left to do except speculate. Her lips thinned as she gave a simple head shake. "No, there is not anything else to go over for now," She said. "But I have go over to the king's hall since the painter is working on the crown prince's portrait for when he becomes king. Then I have to oversee the plans with Prince Doyun coming home and such. It will be a busy day for us all."

After she spoke, she grabbed her skirts and stood up. It was about time to walk over anyhow, might as well stand up now. The thought of seeing her son yesterday drifted back into her mind. Yesterday she saw Kangdae standing over by the stream, looking at azaleas with a small smile.

A brow rose up as she bit the inside of her lip. "Actually….." She mumbled, turning to face Jimin. "Before we go….I forgotten to ask this, but, have you noticed His Highness acting strange in any way lately? Acting out of his usual brooding manner?"

More than enough. Jimin smiled, but something tempered her pleasure at the queen’s praise. I have faith in you. How could she make Her Majesty proud and keep Kangdae safe at the same time? They were doing what they could, she knew, but something would go wrong eventually. She couldn’t bear the thought of how the queen would react once she discovered her lies.
She nodded, trying not to show a visible reaction to the queen’s words. The crown prince’s portrait? Jimin felt like she really should’ve remembered that, but then again, last night was quite eventful. Seeing Her Majesty stand, Jimin followed her example, and once again had to restrain herself, only softly inhaling. There was an aching, a heaviness she was unfortunately familiar with. She was definitely bleeding now. Thankfully there wasn’t any blood in sight, so best to just ignore it.
For a moment she had to pause to fully register the queen’s question. “A-ah… I’m not sure as to what you mean…” she didn’t expect to be asked something like this. Quickly her mind turned to those first two days, then brought her to last night. “Sometimes… he would get irritated with me, but I suppose it wasn’t unusual, especially in the beginning. He shouted at me, once, but he apologized afterwards… I think…” she paused again, trying to find a good answer that would placate Her Majesty’s suspicions. “I think in the beginning he was more frustrated and irritated, and only now he’s more brooding. He only seemed more tired last night…”
What did this mean? Jimin remembered how Kangdae had truly changed, how different he became between when they first met and last night. He had gone from attempting to get rid of her like the other doctors and physicians to carrying her in his arms. She let out a breath and tried not to grin. Perhaps becoming his lover caused his change to be more noticeable, but it wasn’t as if she wasn’t experiencing the same. Iseul had told her yesterday that she seemed more distracted than usual. Hopefully they could simply be aware of it and try not to act too suspicious.

The queen nodded while listening. Her eyes kept to the floor as she took in each word till Jimin had paused for a moment. Turning her head a little to the left, she looked over, observing the look in the court lady's eyes. Was there something wrong or was her court lady just tired and possibly stressing a lot?

"Tired……" She whispered to herself. The memory of him smiling at the flowers came back to mind again. Now of course, she has also seen him act strangely from being tired for the last three years, but yesterday didn't feel like it was the typical reason for his behavior. He was standing still on his own. Baek Myung was standing a good distance away from the crown prince as he tilted his head and sighed with a grin.

Queen Seohyun sighed as she lowered her chin for a moment. A few moments passed by where she didn't say anything. Thoughts ran through her mind. She tried to stop some of them, but she ended up shaking her head.

"Ahh….I see," She said. "I was wondering if anything has changed in him for the better or worse. It must just be my worries given the time frame."

Lifting her chin up, she walked over towards the door. Before asking for the servant outside to open it, she turned back to face Jimin. "Let us end it here for now. The rest of the court ladies are waiting outside. It is time we go to the king's hall now."

Facing the door again, she asked for it to be opened. It didn't take much time to hear it creak open. She gave Jimin a smile before walking out into the hallway.

“Of course,” she muttered, nodding and following the queen out. Her Majesty seemed relatively satisfied with her answer, and that’s all Jimin could ask for. She folded her hands in front herself, her mind getting distracted again. Perhaps she should take a moment to go and relieve herself soon, and that way she could really see if she was bleeding or not. But when? Ah well, she supposed she would have to wait until a good opportunity arises.
Out in the hall, she murmured quiet greetings to some of the other court ladies before they made their way. Whether friends or mere acquaintances, she had gotten to know these ladies over the years and seeing them allowed for some sense of normalcy.
(Hope you don’t mind the brevity)

(It's all good!)

A short moment after, the queen began to make her way over to the king's hall. It took awhile to walk over there, about five to seven minutes or so. And it had been at least a few months since she was last there. The smile on her face had faded at the thought of it. Having her son being in the king's spot gave her a bittersweet feeling. The fact that Kangdae was ill too did not make it any better.

In seven minutes they had arrived. The king's hall stood proudly in the middle of the palace, despite a dreary feeling hanging in the air. Queen Seohyun stopped before the stairs. At the door stood Kangdae's servant, Myung, who gave her a soft grin before giving a bow. He turned towards the door and shouted, "Your Highness, Her Majesty is here to see you!"

Queen Seohyun turned and looked at Jimin. "Please come in with me, Lady Hwang," She whispered, before turning back around. Gently, she picked up her skirts and went up the stairs. From there she stopped again till the doors opened. After letting her skirts drop to the ground, she walked in.

Inside, the room was dimly lit. Across from the entrance was the throne that Kangdae sat on. He wore the king's robes; the red silk contrasted with his pale skin. In the middle of the hall there was the painter kneel on the floor before the painting. The rough sketch of the crown prince was there, but the painter began to color the robes red. Kangdae sat still, looking straight ahead.

As they walked to the king’s hall, Jimin could suddenly felt her heartbeat quicken its pace. The realization of what they were doing was slowly becoming known in her mind, and somehow it made her feel as though she shouldn’t be feeling like this, with her heart beating and mind running wild. As if Her Majesty or the other ladies could seeing her heart pounding through her chest and know exactly what is going on. How could they? She asked herself. There’s no reason to feel like this, is there? The butterflies in her stomach, the stiffness in her limbs, too. Jimin attempted to keep her composure.
At the queens whisper, she nodded and followed her example. Once they entered the room, all other thoughts were driven from her mind.
Sitting on the throne, still as a statue and pale as if carved from stone, there he was. Even if the light was dim, it was the kind of light that she was used to seeing him in before. But it was not just the lighting, it was everything else. The way he carried himself, the red robes draped over his form, his statuesque expression. If only she could let her gaze linger on him for longer than a few moments.
But no, it was vital not to get distracted. Jimin let her thoughts return to the queen again, looking to see if there was anything she needed. Despite her resolution, her gaze kept finding its way back to the prince.

Kangdae was not sure what he was feeling this early in the morning. Part of him felt alive while the other was sinking into a pit of nothingness. Tensing up his shoulders, he let out a gradual and gentle sigh. Sitting on the throne made him feel powerful, but it was rather boring with the hall being so quiet. His mind was wandering back to last night, yet it made him eager about seeing Jimin; he worried his eagerness and excitement will cause trouble from them.

When the door opened, his eyes shot up, staring across from him. Seeing his mother walk in, he only looked back at the painting till he heard someone else walk in. His hand twitched as he watched Jimin walked in. It tensed up at the sweet familiar aroma. The room must have lit up when she stepped through the doors, or at least, that is what he thought. Still, he forced himself to relax and glanced away.

The queen softly smiled as she bowed. Her eyes squinted while watching him carefully. "Good morning, Your Highness," She said, walking over to the left side of the painter. "Do you feel any better than before?"

For a while, there was silence. Kangdae internally struggled with trying to keep so much at bay while figuring out an answer to give to Her Majesty. Then he took note of the painter, who was focusing on the details on the robes. He sighed, "No. Not really."

Glimpsing over at Jimin, Queen Seohyun nodded. "Ah, but do you feel any worse?" She added. Watching him shake his head, she grinned. "Good….good. I am going to continue with our plan, hopefully a remedy will be found soon."

"Wonderful," He whispered under his breath. The expression on his face was lighter than usual. It took him awhile to notice. Even then, he still managed to steal a brief glimpse of his beloved.

Jimin was quiet, bowing after Queen Seohyun and trying not to stare at the prince for too long. Her gaze fell somewhere below his face whenever she looked at him, unable to look at him straight in the eyes. The situation amazed her, in a way. Only last night they had held and kissed each other, and now, in the presence of others, they must act as mere acquaintances. The last time she, the queen, and the prince had been together rose up in her mind as well, and she could only hope this time would turn out better.
The moment he glimpsed her, their eyes met. There was a pang in Jimin’s chest as she half expected him to speak to her. Not here. Not now. She wasn’t in the right state of mind to react well to being put on the spot. What could she say if even either of them spoke to her?
But then, why would they speak to her anyway? she thought. This was a conversation between them. Jimin reminded herself to breathe and relax, to pretend this just a normal part of her day. That she was in the presence of the crown prince, not Kangdae, her lover.

Never did he expect for something as simple as to not look at someone being this difficult. Whenever Jimin is in the same room as him, his eyes just naturally look towards her. Anytime they did, he thought back to last night and was reminded how eager he was for it to be night again.

With all the might he had, he forced himself to stare down at the floor. His hands gripped the insides of his robe sleeves. Somehow his face remained to be the same neutral expression, despite him biting the inside of his bottom lip.

Meanwhile the queen turned to look down at the painting. A few minutes went by as her eyes scanned every little detail they could. The corners of her lips turned up into a faint smile. "Finally…." She whispered to herself. After her whisper, she squinted while looking at the eyes on the portrait.

"Do the eyes look odd to you?" She asked. "They look rather intimidating yet conflicted. King Yunho's are more soft, and so are the others…." The painter paused for a moment, putting his brush down into its holder. He paused, tilting his head before getting up and bowing at the queen.

"They are the way His Highness's looked like as I painted them," The man answered. He turned wearily to look at the crown prince, who was giving him a cold expression. Gulping, he slowly bowed then turned to Queen Seohyun. "I must go on break to give the paint a moment to dry…..I also need more paints that I forgot to bring with me."

In a swift second, she noticed Kangdae before the prince changed his face to be more gentle. Softly, she sighed to herself then smiled at the painter. "Ah, I see….Well, perhaps would you like to look at His Highness's father's and grandfather's for inspiration then?" She asked.

While walking back over towards the door, she leaned over to Jimin and whispered, "Do watch him like always. I will be back as soon as I can." Queen Seohyun then left the hall with the painter following beside.

Kangdae eventually relaxed a few moments later. He rubbed his forehead then let his hand drop onto his lap. A small grin appeared on him as he looked across at Jimin. "Something feels off, and so did last night….Do you feel better? Are you sick?"

The queen’s voice brought Jimin out of her thoughts, and she was suddenly aware of the painter and his portrait. Upon laying her own eyes on it, she could see what the queen meant about the eyes being intimidating. It rather reminded her of the first night she met the prince, in a way. Of course, it may not do to look like that for the royal portrait. Jimin felt a twinge of sympathy for the painter, but couldn’t help but prefer the real thing over the painting.
She nodded in reply the queen and watched her go, almost afraid to turn back to Kangdae too quickly or face a long stretch of awkwardness. What could they say to each other now? What could they say that wouldn’t be suspicious, even if they were now alone?
When she did turn back though, she found him smiling. Some of the paranoia withered away. If only the painter had captured that smile, if only it could be immortalized, just as he was.
She touched her hand to her arm, but was unable to tear her eyes away from him now. Upon assessing her state of well-being, she again felt that sense of heaviness in her groin, an aching. Some wetness too. She shivered a little.
“I’m better, yes,” she said, her voice small. “I’m not sick. I’m used to it, that kind of pain. It usually comes and goes for a few days.”

"It comes and goes?" He asked. The idea of such pain being familiar to one coming and going is an odd one to him. It does not explain the stronger than normal aroma. On the other hand, he felt as if he knew what it was. His left brow rose as he tilted his head while pondering.

Kangdae stood up from the throne and began to pace around. With his arms behind his back, he glanced up at the ceiling while in deep thought. Pain that comes and then leaves after a few days, but it does not mean that she is sick. Then there is also the aroma of bleeding that he is trying to ignore. How would one be able to treat such a thing?

He stopped. Holding his left index finger up, he nodded while walking over to Jimin. "Tonight you, my dear, will be under my attention. Through care and affection, I am going to use all of my might in order to alleviate the pain that you have. Do expect that I will not be taking any objections and that this is not an order, but it is simply a matter of priorities," He affirmed. "There will be no way of stopping me and my actions. Absolutely none."

An aching feeling overcame him after he finished speaking. His feet rolled to a stop. Perhaps getting up from his throne was not a good idea for him or her. Even as he was sitting there, every second that passed by where they were staring at each other, the desire to just get up and embrace her was strong. The feeling grew tremendously now.

Shaking his head, he tried to distract himself from his thoughts. He rolled his shoulders back and gave Jimin a wide grin. "There is no need to worry for I am skilled in looking after others," He assured. "And you can relax in my bed. It is very comfortable. My sheets are usually warm too. I can be in there with you too to make it even more comfortable."

She nodded slowly as he paced, then winced at his words. She had said it comes and goes so he would know what to expect and not worry, but it seems that has backfired severely. Although, she wasn’t sure she had the heart to tell him that there was no way he could alleviate this pain for good.
“Y— Your Highness,” Jimin said, because she wasn’t sure she was brave enough to say his name in this setting, “I only ask that you please do not worry so much. The cramping is always worst the first time. I appreciate your care for me, but please know that it will go away in a few days anyway. I will only be more fatigued and in pain sometimes, that’s all.”
And bleeding all the while, but we can’t talk about that, now can we?
But then, Kangdae was a vampire. And therefore, he consumed blood. Perhaps she should let him know that she…
Later. Not now. Later.
She caught his grin, and flushed violently. Nope. No way. Absolutely not. There were multiple things that could go wrong with that. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” she said quickly, dread colliding with desire at the thought. “But thank you for the offer, truly.”

"Ah….I see….," He said. Despite his understanding, he could not manage to let go of his concerns so easily. Pain is still pain, even if it is something normal. And with the current circumstances, Kangdae can only assume the stress that Jimin is experiencing. "I still want to look after you, even if it is just something simple. Put your head on my shoulder or let me pour tea, anything like those two."

Even if it will go away soon, he still wants to do something for her at the least. It doesn't matter to him if it's reoccurring or not, helping in some way is the least that he can do. He will do it now and he will do it countless of times. Cheering her up does sound like a good idea as well. Perhaps he can find a way to without her knowing or make it a surprise; only if his excitement will not make it obvious.

The smell of blood over took him. With a small exhale, his shoulders dropped on their own. A sudden red flash appeared in his eyes before fading away. He turned to look over at Jimin. Should he bring up the smell of blood?

He was distracted by the redness of her cheeks to find an answer. At first, his eyes lit up with fascination while whispering, "My love…" Staring, he remained still for a couple of moments. Kangdae could not help himself. His soul always feels light around her. She is like the sun, but does not burn him at all. A fluttering feeling pressed against him as he kept his head tilted back a little.

The sudden realization of what he said just earlier was finally present in his mind. Kangdae laughed hesitantly while rubbing the back of his neck. His body was stiff. Lowering his chin to the floor, he cleared his throat. "I….I mean that I would rather have you sit comfortably on the bed rather than the floor….I did not mean….Well…I am only offering hugs, but it is up to you what we do. Forgive me for any confusion I had made."

For a moment she didn’t speak, the flash of red in his eyes catching her attention and keeping it there, fixed on his deep, dark gaze. Jimin touched her hand to her cheek, trying to cool it down but still finding it warm to the touch. She could not tear her gaze from him, and felt a little more of her fear melting away. She let her hand drop to her side, her gaze traveling up and down his form, her feet taking her a step closer, taking him in while she could.
Feeling a smile pull at her lips, she sighed. He looked so adorable when he was like this, somehow, when he did not even realize what he had said. Poor thing, he was trying his best.
“I will let you take care of me, certainly,” she said. “I just don’t like seeing you worried, and I don’t want us both to be feeling bad, even if it’s different kinds of bad. Mm, tea would be nice. I was planning to make some today.”
As she watched him, she giggled and covered her mouth. “Oh, you poor thing. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so opposed. There’s no confusion, I’m just afraid…” she trailed off, then sighed again. Maybe their closeness wouldn’t be a problem, but she would hate for blood to leak on the bed. Hopefully by tonight, she could explain herself better than she could right now.

Kangdae stood still, frozen for a few moments. His brows furrowed as he tilted his head. That last thing he said could have been taken way out of context, but he didn't even realize it till then. A long sigh drew out from him as he closed his eyes. Once he opened them again, he looked over at Jimin. Her smile. The pout on his face flattened while his body relaxed. It was difficult to resist the urge to smile back or to glance away from her. Well, it was already difficult to look away from her anyways.

A rush of excitement overcame him, and yet he was not sure why. Must have been something about Jimin letting him take care of her. Not only is it a fair thing to do, but to him, it is the right thing to do. Does he know how to? Maybe. Making sure that she is alright and safe is one of his top priorities after all. He will just have to not get distracted by the smell of….Well he will just not have to not think about it and continue on.

"Ah, I see….Well, I will do my best to not be worried," He promised. "I do not want to make you even more worried, so my central focus for tonight will be to look after you and make you feel better. But anyways, I can have some tea ready for you, if you would like."

Her laugh made him chuckle, but he only did it again after watching Jimin cover her mouth. Taking a step forward, he looked over at the entrance before pulling her into an embrace. "It is alright. There is no need to be afraid, I will make sure that everything is okay and will continue to be. My love, you will have nothing to worry about."

With each passing moment, more and more of Jimin’s anxiety was forgotten. Her smile widened when she saw him relax, glad that moment of awkwardness was quickly put to rest.
As she let her hand down, it brushed against her skirt, and she realized something. Her hanbok had a lot of layers to it, so perhaps it could absorb any blood that leaked through. Perhaps she really didn’t have anything to worry about.
She turned her attention back to Kangdae, chuckling slightly again. “Alright. Either way, I’ll be fine. Ahh, yes, I would appreciate that very much. Ginger tea would be preferable.”
Feeling his arms around her certainly took her by surprise. Her muscles stiffened and ears burned, but she forced herself to wrap her arms around his waist, and soon enough her muscles relaxed. “You— you’re right, it’s silly,” she said, lowering her voice. “Thank you, love. Thank you very much.”
She shifted her gaze to the entrance as well, her paranoia returning. As gently as she could, she squeezed him then pulled away, her fingers lingering on his wrists. Her eyes flitted down to them, little slivers of his cold skin in contact with hers.
“I’m alright with you taking care of me,” she intoned, “but I must warn you that we must discuss my meeting with the queen as well. There are still matters we need to address.”
It was easy then to forget about the aching stirring inside, but as she shifted she could feel it pressing into her. She breathed deeply, making herself go very still so that she might not provoke the feeling again.

The smile on his face faded as his eyes fluttered closed for a moment. He knew that this really wasn't the time to hug her, but he couldn't help it. Hopefully it gave Jimin some relief, even though the stiffness of her body did alarm him briefly.

"I do enjoy the silly things of this world. Only when I hear that laugh of yours do I enjoy them," He whispered. A small trail of laughter left him. "It is my pleasure. I will have the tea ready by the time you walk through the chamber doors."

After she pulled away, his eyes opened. Taking a step back, Kangdae glanced back at her. Lowering his chin, his attention focused on her fingers on his wrists. The warmth. It is a feeling still feels new to him.

For a second, he thought of suggesting of talking about Jimin's meeting with the queen, but he dismissed it immediately. The conversation must proceed with caution. Both of them do not know when the queen will return. Besides it would be better to discuss important matters in a more comfortable setting.

"Right, of course….." He muttered. "Perhaps we should discuss it first thing this evening. I do not want stress to carry over in the time you should be resting and relaxing."

A low hum sounded from her throat at his whispers, their closeness. She allowed herself to get lost in it, if just for a moment. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Now she raised her eyes from their hands, though tempted to take ahold of them now that he was close. And so she did, even though her anxiety was steadily rising by the minute. Being close to Kangdae simultaneously made her both scared and comforted, but it was at least better than trying to avoid eye contact with him altogether.
She nodded in agreement. “Yes, thank you.”
The small cramping from before seemed to pass. Jimin glanced the door again. Now she didn’t know whether to stop holding his hands or not. Perhaps she should, but she couldn’t make herself let go.