황실의 사랑 이야기 (Hwangsil-ui Sarang Iyagi) - The Imperial Love Story

Chapter - 23

As the ceremony came to an end, the applause died down, and the guests began to disperse, Yongbok felt a rush of excitement bubble within him. Finally, he could face Hyunjin—just the thought of it made his heart race. He was eager to congratulate him on the performance and hopefully have a private moment. The connection they'd shared during the performance, even from a distance, had only deepened his desire to be near him.

With determined steps, he made his way across the grand hall, his eyes locked on Hyunjin. But as he neared, he froze in his tracks. There, standing beside Hyunjin, was the same girl from the dance. They were talking—laughing even. The way her eyes lit up as she spoke, and the soft, genuine smile on Hyunjin's face, made Yongbok's stomach twist in a way he didn't want to admit.

His steps faltered, and for a brief moment, he felt rooted to the spot, his excitement vanishing in the face of the jealousy that now churned inside him. Just then, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Yongbok-ah! Over here!" Yang Jeongin's voice broke through his thoughts.

Yongbok turned to see Jeongin waving him over to a secluded area reserved for the royal family and upper-class guests. Glancing back at Hyunjin one last time, his chest tightening at the sight of the girl still standing beside him, he forced himself to walk away and join his friends.

As he approached the secluded section, he found his brother, Minho, seated with two of his closest friends, Kim Seungmin and Yang Jeongin. They looked up at him as he arrived, noticing the irritation etched across his face.

"Why do you look so irritated?" Seungmin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't enjoy the performance?"

Yongbok tried to shake off the emotions swirling inside him, forcing a casual shrug. "It's nothing," he muttered, sitting down heavily beside them. But as soon as he did, the frustration clawed at him again. The image of Hyunjin laughing with that girl replayed in his mind like a haunting echo.

Without thinking, he reached for the liquor in front of him and poured himself a shot. He downed it quickly, the burn of the alcohol doing little to numb the jealousy still burning in his chest. Seungmin, ever observant, watched with concern.

"Hey, slow down," Seungmin said, eyeing the empty shot glass as Yongbok poured another drink. "Did you have a bad day?"

Yongbok shrugged again, avoiding his friend's gaze. "Just tired," he lied, throwing back another shot. But even as the warmth of the liquor spread through his veins, the sharp sting of seeing Hyunjin with someone else only grew stronger.

By the time he reached his sixth shot, the world had started to blur around him, and his movements were becoming sloppy. He was on the verge of pouring another drink when Minho's hand shot out, stopping him.

"That's enough," Minho said firmly, his eyes narrowing with concern. "You're already drunk."

Yongbok blinked, his head spinning. He looked up at his brother, feeling the room tilt slightly. "I'm fine," he slurred, though the words came out less convincingly than he hoped.

"No, you're not," Minho replied, taking the glass from him and setting it aside. "What's going on with you?"

But Yongbok didn't answer. Instead, he slumped back in his chair, his mind filled with the image of Hyunjin, that girl by his side, and the gnawing ache of jealousy he couldn't seem to escape.

As his vision blurred further, he whispered to himself, "What is happening to me...?"