When Peony Blooms #AMBW

Chapter 38: " Whispers of Forgotten Star."

So-ra and Seo-Jin had, over time, became a sexual respite for each other's stress. Their encounters offered a sweet solace from the brutal, grinding daily life of two people. However, it wasn't enough as he couldn't find room to love one more person.

There was a certain night, as he sat in a mellow inebriation under the pavilion, a chilly wind teasing his neck, when Ayodele emerged. Her hanbok, swaying gently, heralded her presence. She bestowed a light, playful tap on his shoulder and then she was there, sharing his space.

"You seem like you could use some company," she commented gently as she settled down next to him.

"Why are you wandering about at this hour, Sejibinmama?" He smiled at her. "Occasionally, I need to wander, observe the transformations around me," she responded, her tone hinting at a certain innocence.

Her gaze then drifted into the distance as she spoke, "I won't impose upon you to reveal your worries, but know that I'm here if you feel the need to unburden." Her lips curved in a comforting smile.

The moonlight adorned the palace gardens with its peaceful luminescence. Seo-jin and Ayodele sat together, embraced by the night's shades. For a while they remained silent, taking in their individual thoughts until finally, Seo-jin broke the lull.

"The truth is, I continue to harbor feelings for you," he confessed, honestly.

The crown princess let out a soft, somewhat skeptical sound. "You'll find the right person for you... It just isn't me... However, I understand," she replied after a few moments of thinking. "I once though you were him for me, but you aren't." Her words were whispered softly but still held much emotion in them. She continued on."

"If anything I harbor no regrets over surrendering my heart to the crown prince. I believe we found in each other what we were missing, and we still do." She paused briefly, before continuing more assuredly than before,. "We have both grown since then and our paths have diverged since then; I accept it as it is."

"What if that decision was misguided?" he countered.

"It isn't—" her words were cut short.

Seo-Jin's heart pounded in his chest as he mustered the courage to act upon the desires that had been brewing within him. As he continued looking at Ayodele. In a moment of reckless abandon, he reached out and gently cupped Ayodele's face, drawing her closer to him. He softly kissed her.

But as quickly as the stolen kiss had ignited, it was extinguished instantly. Ayodele's eyes widened with shock and disbelief, her hand instinctively rising. The weight of Seo-Jin's actions settled upon her, and the line of propriety was breached in an instant.

Startled by Seo-Jin's audacity, Ayodele pushed him away with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Her hand instinctively rose to her lips, as if to wipe away the remnants of a stolen moment that held no place in her heart.

"How dare you!" Ayodele's voice quivered with a mix of anger and hurt, her words laced with a raw sense of betrayal. As she recoiled from Seo-Jin's touch, her expression was a mixture of disbelief and disappointment. "Why would you ever think that was okay?"

Seo-Jin's stood shocked at himself, regret and guilt washing over him like a tidal wave. He had acted impulsively, driven by his own desires without considering the consequences or the impact on Ayodele. His hand trembled as he reached out, his voice filled with remorse.

"Ayodele, I... I didn't mean to disrespect you," Seo-Jin stammered, his eyes pleading for understanding. "My emotions got the better of me. Please forgive me."

" This made me uncomfortable, Seo-Jin," she whispered, her voice filled with a sense of finality. " Maybe I was wrong to consider you a friend. I understand feelings don't go away overnight so I gave you space, However, you have shattered our boundaries and trust with a single act of recklessness."