Empress Handbook

Chapter Twenty-Nine | Glasshouse

Taehyung tries his best to concentrate on the assembly of the cabinet. However, the more he tries to pressure himself into focusing, the more he gets distracted by the urge to apologise.

A blunt pain in Taehyung's thumb tugs a groan out of him. He loosens his grip around the screwdriver and looks at the raw cut in his flesh.

The courtier quickly notices Taehyung's injury, shrieking while rushing to grab the emergency kit. Her fretfulness pushes Taehyung to want to bury himself alive.

"The Medical Team will not be necessary," Yeoreum says abruptly. She takes his hand and gently sucks at his wounded thumb. Her deft motion is alluring in a way beyond sexual attraction that mesmerises the courtier to swallow her objection.

Taehyung looks at Yeoreum with a stupid grin. Without him knowing, her attempt to treat him has soothed all his crushing anxiety.

Yeoreum heads to the sink to rinse her mouth clean and looks at the flustered courtier.

"Hands can easily swell because they have the smallest blood vessels in the human body. I sucked it to prevent blood from clotting. Write that down if you thought it was inappropriate."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Yeoreum brings the emergency kit to Taehyung without a trace of emotion on her face. She diligently cleans Taehyung's wound and wraps a strip of gauze around it before she secures band-aids over his other fingers to form mini veils of protection around his flesh.

"Are you not mad at me anymore?" Taehyung says sheepishly.

"Don't talk to me," Yeoreum snaps.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung says, risking a glance at her. "I'm sorry for being so paranoid. I will be better."

"Shut up."

Taehyung prims his lips like a meek, insecure child. It is hard to believe that he was hostile moments ago.

"Okay, this should all be good now," Yeoreum says as she secures the last band-aid over his finger. A hint of a smile breaks through her features that mesmerises Taehyung into clasping her hand. Yeoreum pulls her hand back with a stern frown. "Are you not going to thank me?"

"You told me to shut up," Taehyung murmurs.

"Rude son of a bitch."

Taehyung pouts. "But I said sorry."

"Do you not care about the son of a bitch part?"

"My mother is a bitch, so it's technically true." Taehyung shrugs.

Yeoreum raises an eyebrow. "What happened to your filial piety beliefs?"

"You called it bullshit, so I am treating it as such," Taehyung says, drawing his lip near her ear. "And according to the internet articles I have visited, good husbands believe their wives are always right."

A chuckle slips from Yeoreum's lips. Taehyung leaves a kiss on her neck. His soft lips trigger a ticklish sensation, pushing Yeoreum further into his firm grip.

"Your Majesties," the courtier says. "Please keep the code of conduct in mind."

Yeoreum kisses Taehyung's cheek. "But we are married. I am allowed to do that to my husband," she snaps with her arms around him.

The courtier's face flushes red with anger. She stalks to the sidelines and fetches her notebook to record Yeoreum's blatant breach of conduct.

Taehyung grins. "Good job pulling the marriage card."

"Of course. It's your favourite card, after all." Yeoreum shrugs. "Do you feel happy enough to assemble this without hurting yourself now?"

"Absolutely," Taehyung gushes. He reaches for the screwdriver and eagerly resumes the assembly process.