Empress Handbook

Chapter Forty-Nine | Light and Shade

The funeral hall is grim with faint sobs and sniffles. Burdened by different motives and complicated thoughts, the atmosphere feels heavy with disquietude.

Yeoreum weeps behind her wrinkled handkerchief, occasionally gasping for air. She is sitting in the front row along with Jungkook and Dakyung, making her sorrow an effective magnet that sucks people's gaze away from Yunhee's speech.

Jungkook watches Yeoreum chew her bottom lip to swallow a sob. An ambiguous emotion furrows his eyebrows when he passes her his handkerchief. "Here," he says under his breath.

"Thank you." Yeoreum contemplates for a moment before she turns to Jungkook. "I'll wash it and give it back to you."

"You can keep it."

"Thank you," Yeoreum says again.

Jungkook shakes his head. "Don't worry. It's nothing."

A dark look briefly flickers across Yunhee's eyes as she examines Yeoreum and Jungkook. Imperial Couples typically wear the same brand of clothing with similar colour coordination. However, Yeoreum somehow chose the same clothing brand as Jungkook and Dakyung, thus forging the awkward situation where she feels more cohesive with Jungkook than Dakyung.

"Now, Empress would deliver a eulogy to the late Emperor Taehyung," Yunhee stands to the side and wipes a non-existent tear away from her cheek.

Yeoreum hastily pats the handkerchief over her face before she stumbles to the microphone stand.

"Good morning, guests. I want to thank you all for bidding farewell to my husband, my late daughter's father and this nation's former Emperor, Kim Taehyung," Yeoreum utters. "Your empathy and condolences have supported me greatly in these trying times."

From the height of the microphone stand, Yeoreum can tell that the shakiness in her voice is probing at people's tear glands.

"I still fail to understand that Taehyung has been taken away from us. Taehyung was a wonderful husband who treated me with kindness and patience. From now on, there would only be one pair of slippers outside my bathroom and one set of pyjamas in my wardrobe. Candidly, it is horrifying. But I have no choice but to focus on the brighter side of things while holding the love and courage Taehyung gave me. Rest in peace, Taehyung."

Yeoreum bows at the sobbing audience while eyeing Yunhee and Jungkook's reactions. Yunhee has her head drooped, probably posing for the camera, while Jungkook beholds her with an incredibly complicated look in his eyes. It is hard to tell if her grief is compelling them, but it is evident that they are somewhat convinced of it.

The funeral smoothly comes to an end after everyone releases a black balloon into the air to send their grievances. Yeoreum thanks the last guest and calls over Nara when Jungkook suddenly approaches.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Yeoreum says, her voice roughened with a sob.

Jungkook frowns at the red webs in Yeoreum's eyes. "I have something to ask you," he says. "Do you have a moment?"

Yeoreum clenches her fists in hesitation. "Fine, be quick."

Jungkook nods and leads her to the garden area behind the funeral hall.

Against the soft sunshine that falls over the lush grassland, Jungkook's dark pupils seem to carry the most captivating shade of concern. He clasps Yeoreum's shoulders.

"Are you all right?"

Yeoreum gazes at him for a long moment before she propels a rush of tears to escape her eyes. "I don't know what to do. I don't have anyone to rely on anymore," she mumbles.