황실의 사랑 이야기 (Hwangsil-ui Sarang Iyagi) - The Imperial Love Story

Chapter - 37

Things were indeed great between them. During training, Yongbok and Hyunjin would steal secret glances, catching each other's eyes across the field. Their hearts would race, and their friends, ever so observant, started to notice. It wasn't long before those stolen kisses in hidden corners became a running joke among their comrades.

One afternoon, while practicing archery, Yongbok and Hyunjin snuck behind a tree for a quick kiss. Just as their lips touched, a loud voice interrupted them.

"Aha! Got you two again!" Jisung shouted, grinning from ear to ear as he emerged from behind a bush with Taehyun, Seungmin, and Wooyoung in tow. "You guys are worse than lovesick puppies!"

Hyunjin jumped, startled, his face turning bright red. "We weren't—!"

"Oh, save it," Taehyun chuckled, winking. "You two are terrible at hiding. It's like watching a bad romance play out in real-time."

Seungmin rolled his eyes playfully. "At this point, we're all just waiting for the big confession. You know, candles, rose petals, the whole deal."

Yongbok, ever so cool, shot them a smirk. "Maybe we're just keeping things interesting for you all."

"Sure, sure," Wooyoung teased. "Just remember, next time, no kissing during training! You're distracting the rest of us."

Jisung burst into laughter. "Distracting? Or jealous, Wooyoung?"

As everyone laughed, Hyunjin covered his face with his hands, too embarrassed to say anything, but his heart was light, and Yongbok's laughter was like music to his ears. The playful banter continued throughout the training, making the rest of the day much more fun.

Later that night, after everyone had retired, Yongbok lay in his royal chamber, wide awake. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about Hyunjin. It was like he was obsessed—Hyunjin's smile, the way he blushed, the soft sound of his laughter. Sleep wasn't coming anytime soon, not without seeing Hyunjin.

With a determined sigh, Yongbok slipped out of bed, threw on his cloak, and sneaked out of the palace. The cool night air kissed his skin as he made his way to the barracks, where Hyunjin slept. Careful not to make a sound, he opened the door and crept inside.

Everyone was asleep, the only sound being the soft breathing of the guards. He moved closer to Hyunjin's bed, his heart racing at the sight of him. Hyunjin lay there, peaceful and serene, his long hair falling across his face.

Yongbok couldn't resist smiling as he sat down beside him. Slowly, he brushed some hair from Hyunjin's face, marveling at how beautiful he looked, even in sleep. Gently, he pushed Hyunjin to the side and climbed into the bed beside him, wrapping his arm around Hyunjin's waist and pulling him closer. He snuggled into him, resting his face against Hyunjin's nape, breathing in his scent.

Hyunjin stirred slightly, his lips moving in a sleepy mumble, "I love you, Yongbok."

Yongbok's heart fluttered at the words. He pressed a tender kiss to Hyunjin's nape and whispered softly, "I love you too."

Content, Yongbok held Hyunjin close, feeling his warmth as he finally drifted off to sleep, the world outside forgotten as they lay together, wrapped in their love.

The next morning, Wooyoung woke up before anyone else. His head was still clouded with sleep as he sat up, rubbing his eyes and trying to remember who he was. He blinked a few times, squinting around the dimly lit barracks, his brain slowly catching up.

As he scanned the room, his eyes landed on Hyunjin's bed, and what he saw made him do a double-take. There, lying together, were Yongbok and Hyunjin. The prince had his arms wrapped tightly around Hyunjin, practically using him as a human pillow. Hyunjin, in turn, had his face snuggled against Yongbok's chest, sleeping peacefully.

Wooyoung's eyes widened in disbelief, his brain finally processing what he was seeing.

He clamped a hand over his mouth, suppressing a gasp. Did I just wake up in an alternate reality?

He looked around to make sure no one else had woken up yet. Feeling like he'd discovered some sort of secret, he crawled out of his bed as quietly as he could and tiptoed closer, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Once he got close enough to confirm that what he saw wasn't some sleep-deprived hallucination, a grin slowly spread across his face. This is gold! he thought, resisting the urge to squeal like he had the day before.

Wooyoung crouched beside the bed, squinting at them both. "Well, well, well... look who's getting cozy," he whispered to himself with a smirk.

Suddenly, Hyunjin stirred, shifting slightly in Yongbok's arms, causing Wooyoung to freeze. He quickly backed away a little, but thankfully, Hyunjin didn't wake up. Instead, he just nuzzled further into Yongbok's chest, completely at peace.

Wooyoung bit his lip, eyes gleaming with mischief. I need to tell someone about this! He debated waking up the others but decided against it, figuring this moment needed to be revealed in just the right way.

Grinning like a cat who'd caught a canary, Wooyoung tiptoed back to his bed and flopped down, already scheming about how to use this precious information.