Empress Handbook

Chapter Forty | Felt Special

The last speck of hope in Yeoreum's heart diminishes into a stretch of cold disillusion as Dakyung's words fall into her mind. Her friend, her only friend for the past twenty years of her life, has chosen an uncertain romantic relationship over their frail friendship. It's understandable, but it still hurts.

Yeoreum speechlessly stalks out of the bar. Perhaps, she should've agreed to try and compel Yoongi for Dakyung, but before that fleeting idea can even manifest into an actual thought, her mind instinctively dismisses it.

Yeoreum steps into the warm bath Seohee had prepared with Nara's supervision. The alluring smell of roses almost tugs her back to her anxious wedding night. Yeoreum was so focused on Taehyung's neglect back then that she didn't even realise how crazy it was. Aside from the strange encounter with Jungkook, she had also met Yoongi.

The thought of Yoongi with another woman feels wrong, but the thought of blindly following Yoongi's fickle ideas and grovelling for his attention feels even more wrong. Yeoreum tried to be the more sacrificing side in a relationship when she first married Taehyung, putting herself in the worst place possible. She no longer dares to do the same thing again.

Unknowingly, tears roll down Yeoreum's face, again and again.

"God, you should've been there to see how boring Goh Minjae is," Taehyung whines as he enters the bedroom. "He talked about the true origin of the English red tea for three hours."

Yeoreum slams her hand over her mouth to muffle a sob. She jumps out of the bath and drapes a bathrobe over herself before hurrying to greet him with a relatively believable smile.

"Really? You should've started talking about the true origins of Earl Grey," Yeoreum says as calmly as she can. "Charles Grey's biography should be able to counterattack Goh Minjae."

Taehyung frowns. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am perfectly well," Yeoreum says. She darts to the bed and buries her face in the blankets. Take a quick shower if you're staying here for the night. I'll sleep first if you take too long."

Taehyung frowns at the soft croak in her voice. "Park Dakyung didn't do anything mean to you, did she?" he says.

"What are you going to do if she did?" Yeoreum says, her voice muffled by the blankets.

"I knew it. I should've gone with you," Taehyung snaps as he tugs his tie away, putting all his anger into the silk fabric. "I'm going to cut the Imperial Family's investment in her father's new project right now."

Yeoreum rushes to Taehyung to remove the tie from his careless grip. A sigh leaves her when she sees the wrinkles in the pinstripe pattern.

"Don't do that to your tie," Yeoreum chides. "It's so expensive."

"I am not going to let Park Dakyung go that easily," Taehyung grumbles. "What the fuck is she on anyway? Min Yoongi barely knows her. She's going to regret this."

"I was joking, don't worry," Yeoreum utters.

Taehyung narrows his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Yeoreum nods and pushes him towards the bathroom. A small smile has cracked through her previously grim lips without her even noticing.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just shower."

Taehyung reluctantly follows her orders and takes a quick shower. He crawls onto the bed and wraps his arms around her.

"Are you upset over your best friend liking Min Yoongi?" Taehyung says gently.

"Dakyung and I never publicly labelled ourselves as best friends. She was my only friend, and I was her only friend. Dakyung was a lot more popular than me. People loved her, and I got jealous of her talking to the other girls in our class and thus began my sarcastic bitchy act."