"…I beg your pardon?" Kim Dokja's eyes widened, not believing his ears. He stared at Joonghyuk, searching his eyes for anything that would indicate that he was joking, or that his tongue had slipped. Dokja was too scared to say anything, not wanting to shatter that little bit of hope that had left. It was easier to think that maybe Joonghyuk didn't mean his words, rather than getting his hopes up over nothing.
"You heard me..." Joonghyuk said, still staring into Kim Dokja's eyes, his grip tightening on his hand. "I want to court you." he said with a sincere and serious expression on his face. Kim Dokja remains unsure of how to respond, continuing to stare at Joonghyuk. He could hear the blood rushing through his ears as his mind ran a million miles a second, overloading itself as it tried to make sense of the situation. Where elation wanted to seep from his body confusion and denial blocked it's exit, though the barrier was slowly chipped away as Dokja absorbed his words.
"Really? Do you really mean it?" Kim Dokja asks again, his voice hushed in astonishment.
"Yes, I'll say it as much as you want. I want to court you, Kim Dokja." Joonghyuk affirmed with a smile, his eyes soft in the face of Dokja's inner turmoil. He was patient as he allowed the other man to process his words.
The wobbly smile that started forming on Kim Dokja's face faded as he remembered that Joonghyuk was still engaged to someone else, conflict enveloping his mind once more. Joonghyuk, noticing Kim Dokja's change in demeanor, placed his hand gently on Dokja's cheek, prompting him to look into his eyes. Concerned, Joonghyuk asked, "What's wrong, my star?"
Kim Dokja felt compelled to reach up and lay his hand over Joonghyuk's but stopped himself as he looked away."Well...you're still engaged so you can't c—mmph!" But before he could finish his sentence, Joonghyuk's lips were on his.
Kim Dokja's first real kiss (not one fueled by lust) wasn't exactly what he was expecting it to be. In the novels he always read, they made it seem like an earth-shattering experience. The main lead and the love interest would lock lips passionately as the world paused around them, and sparks would light all around them as the two of them were locked away in their own little bubble.
What all the romantic prose couldn't prepare him for was how his and Joonghyuk's nose bumped awkwardly into each other, making them angle their necks at an odd position. How Dokja couldn't figure out where to put his hands, on Joonghyuk's hips, his shoulders, his chest? Should he just keep them to himself? He closed his eyes tightly when
Joonghyuk's lips landed on his, but should he have kept them open? He was kind of curious what kind of expression Joonghyuk was making, but would it be weird if he opened his eyes in the middle of the kiss? What if they just stared at each other the entire time, or what if he was just left staring at Joonghyuk's closed eyes? In a millisecond his mind simultaneously went blank and then started running at light speed trying to figure out what to do.
As these needless thoughts filled Dokja's head, what struck him the most was how hyperaware he remained about everything around him. The world didn't fade away into the background, like it did in the stories. Instead, everything became sharper. In the garden a mild breeze passed by, making his hair tickle the back of his nape. He could hear how the grass and trees ruffled, a stray bird flapping its wings in the distance as it landed on its perch.
But most of all, the warmth that radiated from Joonghyuk's body as he brought Dokja closer to him. On of Joonghyuk's hands was gripping his hip tightly as he held in in place, while the other remained firmly on his cheek.
Dokja could feel the callouses on his hand, along with the patches of scar tissue that covered his palms and fingers, gotten from years of training and hard battles. The roughness of his hands contrasted with how softly they held Dokja. His lips were similar in that aspect. They were a bit chipped and dry, but more than anything they were gentle as they moved against Dokja's.
It's only when they stop does Dokja realize how flushed his face has become. They leaned on each other's foreheads, Joonghyuk's face also flushed as he stared down intensely at Dokja."Kim Dokja, I won't marry anyone other than you, I promise."
Dokja blinked at him for a moment before letting out an amused huff of air, a lifetime of relief and stress released with it. In the heat of the moment Dokja had completely forgotten what they were talking about. The weight that had settled in the pit of his stomach broke away as he smiled for the first time in days and placed his hand on
Joonghyuk's cheek. His cheeks almost hurt from how widely he was smiling, wanting to give anything to stay in this moment forever. But then, he noticed that Joonghyuk's eyes are glowing with a hint of gold, the glow only intensifying every second that Joonghyuk kept looking at him. Intrigued, Dokja remarked, "Your eyes... they're glowing."
Joonghyuk, perplexed, leaned in closer to examine his own reflection in Dokja's eyes. Confirming what Dokja said to be true, he smiled and playfully suggested, "Maybe it's because I'm looking at someone who is very precious to me?"
Blushing even more, Dokja playfully pinched Joonghyuk's cheek and put on a pout. "Stop being cheesy..."
Joonghyuk smiles at Dokja's response. Taking hold of the hand that is on his cheek, Joonghyuk gently held it, "So...what is your answer?"
Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Dokja became serious again. Honestly, even after all that, he still didn't know what Joonghyuk saw in him. He still wanted to get Joonghyuk's full perspective on him and their relationship. It wouldn't do either of them any good for him to have any lingering doubts.
"Joonghyuk-ah... what exactly do you see in me?"
Joonghyuk stared at Dokja, not surprised by that Dokja was self-conscious about himself. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding, turning his attention to Dokja, who patiently awaited his answer.
"Kim Dokja, what I feel for you is love, not just simple affection," Joonghyuk continues, expressing his feelings further, "And what I love about you…I love how you bite your lip when your engrossed in a novel, how you smile affectionately at your children, that smirk you wear when you come up with a new plan, how passionately you talk about stories, how prettily you blush when I hold your hand. I love everything about you. I love the moment we share together."
Dokja listened to Joonghyuk's heartfelt words, feeling overwhelmed by the depth of Joonghyuk's affection. The realization that someone loves and appreciates him so much, completely fills him with a sense of warmth and happiness
"In the beginning I didn't know why I loved you. You were a troublemaker, a fool, and a bastard before..."Joonghyuk continued, but his words ignited a spark of exasperation from Dokja. In response, Dokja lightly pulled his ear, jutting out his bottom lip as he looked poutingly at the other man.
"Hey! You were being so sweet before, go back to complimenting me! Are you really in love with me?"
Dokja's playful act of feigned anger added a much-needed touch of humor to the situation. It allowed him to express his feelings while maintaining a lighthearted atmosphere. Confronting people outright wasn't exactly a strong suit that Dokja had yet. But luckily for him, he was able to place enough trust in Joonghyuk to look past his teasing to see that he was simply seeking reassurance of his sincerity.
And his trust was far from misplaced. Joonghyuk smiled at him, able to decipher what Dokja was trying to convey."I'm in love with you, Kim Dokja. Nothing will change that, I assure you. So, would you let me court you?"
Taking a deep breath, Dokja didn't let the importance of this moment escape him. Exhaling and letting go of his remaining anxiety, he cheekily smiled at Joonghyuk, his face lighting up with genuine happiness.
"Of course, court me... you bastard."
Lost in their own world, they don't realize that the Hades and the Persephone are staring at them from afar with smiles on their faces. "I'm glad that they made up." the duchess said, still staring at them. The duke just nodded silently as he kept staring at them, happy that his son was smiling again. However, he can't help but think about what Joonghyuk said about being dethroned. It would create significant conflicts within the empire for the future to come.
--------
Yoo Sangah wistfully looked out the window as the maid refilled her cup. The last few weeks had been stressful, to say the least. On top of her already busy life as the Empire's Saintess, there was the matter between Sir Kim Dokja and Prince Joonghyuk that she had to carefully oversee. All the information gathering, the planning, and discussions behind the scenes… it was endless. Even now, when she wanted to relax, she was expecting an informant to hand her a message very soon.
The Saintess sighed to herself. At least she could always look forward to Han Sooyoung's visits. The aspiring novelist always liked to pop into her residence at randoms times, somehow always catching her off-guard. But Sooyoung's presence was always a welcome one, the other woman being able to get Sangah to relax and get her mind off of everything, even if it was for a little bit.
Though, it was unfortunate that they couldn't have more time to spend their first meeting anniversary together. After Sir Dokja had injured his head protecting her from the wild carriage horse, Sangah insisted that Sooyoung look over him for both of their sakes, since the Saintess was too busy with her duties to come visit him regularly. Thanks to Lee Seolhwa's expertise and the Underworld's Duchy's careful treatment of him that Sir Dokja luckily bounced back quickly, but the women couldn't bring themselves to celebrate even afterward.
The occasion was marred for them, both feeling guilty about it. Han Sooyoung feeling guilty that she couldn't be there to protect them and Sangah guilty that Sir Dokja got hurt saving her. Though they both exchanged presents, the anniversary had already passed quietly as they focused on other things.
Glancing at the clock, a knock came from the door. From outside, a voice drifted in, slightly muffled."I apologize for interrupting, Lady Sangah... but there is a maid who claims to have important information and insists on speaking with you."
Right on time.
Sangah allowed the maid to come in, dismissing both the knight. This was nothing new, it was expected that the Saintess would always be privy to information for her ears only. One may not expect for the Saintess to actively send out informants and spies to gather detailed information about the happenings of the empire, but they all knew better than to question their master.
The maid knelt in front of her. "Good day to you, Your Holiness..." Yoo Sangah nodded, gesturing for the maid to speak.
The maid revealed a distressing situation. She explained how the emperor insisted on pressuring the crowned princess to be married off, the only way to prevent it being that the crown prince marry himself off instead. Upon Yoo Joonghyuk's adamant refusal, the emperor set a deadline of 12 days for Joonghyuk to change his mind.
Hearing the troubling information, Yoo Sangah's expression turned pensive as she contemplates the situation. Joonghyuk was a stubborn man, once he came to a decision, no amount of pressure would make him change. As soon as the emperor proposed something so preposterous, his son's dethronement was practically set in stone. She sighed, as understandable as Joonghyuk's decision was, being stripped of his position and even losing his noble status was a hefty price to pay.
Yoo Sangah's gaze shifts towards the other maid in the room."Are the preparations completed?"
The maid bowed her head in Yoo Sangah's direction, "Yes, my lady. Yours and His Highness' signatures are the only things needed to finalize the transfer."
" Is it really time for him to receive it, my lady?" The maid's questioned with a hint of concern.
Yoo Sangah took up her cup, her expression thoughtful, "Yes, I am. It's a necessary step to protect him and ensure his future." The only natural course of action would be to give Joonghyuk what rightfully belongs to him. It would protect his social standing and provide him with the means to maintain his influence and resources.
Her gaze went out the window, turning oddly cold as any semblance of warmth was sucked out of her eyes."If His Majesty insists on dethroning Joonghyuk, then there's nothing more to do than retaliate."