Violets are Blue (The King's Affection fanfiction)

Ten

"Janggi?"

Noh Ha Kyung shook her head.

"Embroidering?"

She shook her head again.

"We've been cooped up in here for two days now and that's all we've done," she whined to Yu Gong.

Taeyeon was sleeping peacefully in his little wooden bassinet, which he will probably soon outgrow.

"We can consult with Eunuch Hong and see if he has any good ideas to kill the boredom," Yu Gong suggested.

"No," Noh Ha Kyung replied flatly.

"I know!" Yu Gong exclaimed. "How about writing poetry for His Majesty just like you enjoyed doing when you were in the palace?!"

Noh Ha Kyung sighed helplessly and turned to her maid.

"You know I'm not the queen anymore and His Majesty and I aren't exactly...

"So?" Yu Gong snapped. "I can tell you still love him despite knowing the truth."

"Wait, is it really that obvious?!"

Yu Gong nodded in response to Noh Ha Kyung's question and bewildered expression.

"I just don't know why I can't move on from him," Noh Ha Kyung said with a frown. "It's like I've devoted my whole life to him despite knowing the truth, and even after knowing the truth, I love him more because he treats me so nice...

"You should express your affection," Yu Gong suggested, shoving a stack of paper and calligraphy brush to her.

Noh Ha Kyung nodded. It was worth a shot. If he doesn't care to read it or just indifferent about it then at least she'll have her answer.

"The sky holds the moon and stars. You, my dearest Lord, hold my purest heart."

Hwi looked up at Baek Jin Hee, who seemed as confused as he was.

"I didn't write that," she said.

"Of course not," said Hwi.

"You believe me?" she asked.

Hwi nodded and pointed to the bottom of the piece paper where the name "Baek Jin Hee" was signed.

"That's what gave it away," he told her, placing the piece of paper on her table. "No good young woman will sign her name on a piece of poetry she composes for a man she has feelings for."

Handsome, good heart, and clever, too, Baek Jin Hee thought to herself. All of these qualities she had always sought in a perfect husband. Too bad he was the king. Even worse, her father had committed irreversible crimes against him. She couldn't possibly feel any worse at the moment.

"I know who wrote that," she said.

"Your father?" Hwi guessed.

She nodded.

Honestly, he couldn't think of anyone else who would do such a thing.

"I have a confession," Baek Jin Hee finally stated after much contemplation.

She turned her back against him. It was easier to tell him the truth if she didn't stare at his face and look him in the eyes.

"A confession?" Hwi asked reassuringly.

"My father asked me to seduce you with hopes that his crimes can be forgiven if we had familial ties," she admitted.

Just as he had suspected! Although he didn't know exactly what, he just had a feeling something was off about this father-daughter pair.