𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 // The King: Eternal Monarch ✔

; chapter 6

Lee Gon, the King of Kingdom of Corea stared at Yeong who's standing in his study room. "So how was yesterday?" He didn't need to ask because he already knew everything that happened on Yeong's date with surprisingly one of the woman who's working in the palace. But he just wanted to ask to tease him.

Yeong glanced at his king but didn't move a muscle. "It went well, Your Majesty." He answered shortly. "That's all?" Lee Gon asked again. Yeong turned his head to face the king and looked at him suspiciously. The king continued, "It's weird seeing you enjoy yesterday with her. You knew how to smile indeed."

"What do you mean?" Yeong asked in confusion.

"Nevermind." Lee Gon dismissed the topic. No, he did not send one of the royal bodyguards to spy on Yeong's date with Seung Ah and demanded pictures of them for an update until that night they said goodbyes.

The king would never do such a thing, but he did.

"Did you-" Yeong began but the king avoided his question by changing the topic.

"Have you found the person from the rowing competition?" The king asked. Yeong shook his head shortly. "Not yet, Your Majesty. But I have something that may be a clue for us." King Lee Gon nodded and brought his hands in front of his mouth with his elbows propped on his desk. "Good. Keep on looking. Though we caught the traitor Lee Lim years ago, his fellow minions are still on the loose. His plan will go on with or without him. So we have to find every single one of his followers."

25 years ago, the previous king who ruled the kingdom of Corea is murdered by his brother Lee Lim and the King's son Lee Gon is stabbed in the neck, but he survived. The murderous Lee Lim wanted the most powerful position in the kingdom, that is the throne. But after he failed to kill the crown prince that's next to the line for the throne, he ran away and disappeared into the woods. Nobody has heard about him since. Even the police and royal security guards stopped searching. Only specialized groups from the royal guards including Yeong were appointed to continue the search and investigation. Since then, the horrible event had haunted Lee Gon.

Several more years after, the new king, Lee Gon was able to trace the traitor Lee Lim to his hiding place and successfully arrested him after he himself nearly got slashed with a sword. Gladly Lee Lim missed it and he was taken to the royal prison under king's order.

King Lee Gon didn't want to kill Lee Lim just yet as he believed he could be used to find his other followers. The king also thought that the traitor still has horrible things planned out in order to get more power.

Arresting the traitor alone is not enough. Lee Gon knew he would do anything to get the throne.

Yeong nodded in return and replied, "Understood, Your Majesty." He turned to leave the room and closed the door. And then went to his workroom to finish his work.

After he sat down behind his desk, he opened his laptop and went to the files containing photos from the rowing competition that he received through email by Seung Ah. He scanned the photos one by one while his mind slowly drifted off to yesterday and her. Images of her flashed into Yeong's mind. From her smiling face at the cafe to her shy expression at her apartment when they were saying goodbyes. Yeong felt himself blush a little at the memory of yesterday.

Yeong sighed and shook his head. "I should focus on my work." Even though he did try his best to do so, the image of Seung Ah would never leave his mind.

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Seung Ah was staring at her laptop screen in the cozy room of her apartment with her hand under her chin. But she was not thinking about her work. Her mind was nowhere near her work at all the past 10 minutes.