The Accidental Monarch

Loving

Erratic call times have messed up her body clock that despite going to bed at an ungodly hour, Seri still wakes up at exactly five o'clock the next morning. She feels disoriented with how dark the room was and moves around to feel her way towards the edge of the bed. Her sharp elbow then accidentally connects to Jeong-hyeok's side, causing him to wake up and grunt in pain.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Instead of answering, he reaches over and tucks her back into his embrace. "I can get used to this," he says with his voice thick with sleep. She returns the sentiment and buries her face in the warmth of his shirt. A few minutes pass by in silence, making her think he had fallen back to sleep, when he suddenly asks. "I still have an hour before I have to get up. How about you?"

"I have some time. I only have one scene scheduled for this morning. It's going to be a rain scene, so it's going to be cold," she tells him, feeling a little miserable at the thought of leaving the warmth of the bed and being doused in water in their current weather. "But I'll be fine. We'll probably be done before lunch. I still have to prepare for the awards show that I'm expected to attend later in the afternoon."

"Oh," he says with recognition in his tone. "You are nominated for the Daesang, right?"

She only responds by nodding and burying herself deeper in his embrace.

He chuckles and wraps his arms around her tighter. "You're so cute. For someone who has over fifty awards under her belt, I thought you've gotten used to hearing these things by now."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to it," she murmurs against his shirt. His scent makes her feel so safe and secure that staying in bed all day to avoid her responsibilities suddenly seems like the best idea. "I mean, I love what I do, but sometimes I feel embarrassed from all the attention."

"Well, look at it this way," he suggests after mulling over it for a minute. "Your work isn't easy, and the fact that you do it so flawlessly deserves the recognition it's being given."

A smile slowly unfurls on her lips. "How come you always know what to say?"

"It comes with the job," he cheekily answers and yelps when it earns him a little pinch on the side. "But in all seriousness, you're going to win that award. Your performance was incredible."

"I think you may be a little biased," she teases before reaching up for a soft kiss and another and then another. "What about you, Your Majesty? What's your schedule like for today?"

"Uh, well," he takes a moment before remembering his agenda. "I'll be throwing the first pitch for the postseason opening. Then I'll be giving a speech for the founding anniversary of a local car manufacturing company. And then, I'll be one of the speakers in a talk at the university. I'll probably be back here for dinner, though, so let me know if you want me to wait for you."

"Sounds like you have a full day ahead of you. Don't forget to eat something in between, okay?" she reminds him as she combs through his hair. "And yes, I'd love to have dinner with you. The afterparties make me hungrier, believe it or not. Their portion sizes are fit for small children."

"Okay, I'll have the staff prepare dinner for two," he confirms with a little chuckle. "You know, you can borrow some of the portable heaters we have here if you need them today. Ju-meok and the others can bring them for you. I'll go tell them to have them ready before you leave."

She tells him that the filming crew will most likely have the same devices on hand, but he will have none of it. "The last thing I want is for you to get sick," he says. And just as he predicted, she does end up using them to keep the shivers at bay in between takes. They have underestimated the number of people who will be cold and overestimating the number of heaters available.