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

Chapter - 24

Yongbok stumbled out of the royal hall, desperate for air. The alcohol coursing through his veins only fueled the fire of jealousy that raged within him. He needed to clear his head, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw Hyunjin—standing too close to that girl, laughing, smiling in a way that he wished was reserved for him.

His feet carried him outside into the cool night, the crisp air offering some relief to the heat swirling inside him. As he rounded a corner, his steps faltered. There, standing alone, was Hyunjin, his back turned to him, staring up at the stars in the sky, seemingly lost in thought.

Yongbok's chest tightened at the sight, but his jealousy roared back to life. Before he could stop himself, he strode over to Hyunjin and grabbed his wrist, dragging him to a secluded corner of the garden.

Hyunjin gasped, his eyes wide with shock as Yongbok pinned him against the stone wall. "Your Highness—what are you—"

But before he could finish, Yongbok leaned in, his face inches from Hyunjin's, his breath hot against his skin.

"Did you enjoy talking to her?" Yongbok's voice was low, a dangerous edge lacing his words as his gaze bore into Hyunjin's.

Hyunjin's lips parted, but no words came out. His mind raced, trying to process the sudden turn of events. His heart pounded against his chest, both from the closeness of Yongbok and the intensity in his eyes.

Yongbok's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "You made me jealous in there, Hyunjin." His voice was almost a growl, his eyes dark with emotion.

Hyunjin gulped, his throat suddenly dry. He stared into Yongbok's eyes, the tension between them crackling like electricity. He could feel the heat radiating off of him, the possessiveness in his gaze unmistakable.

Before Hyunjin could respond, Yongbok closed the remaining distance between them, pressing his lips against Hyunjin's in a heated, forceful kiss. Hyunjin's eyes widened in shock, his body frozen as he tried to process what was happening.

Yongbok's kiss grew harder, more intense, his hands gripping Hyunjin's shoulders as if afraid he might disappear. He bit down on Hyunjin's bottom lip, causing him to gasp. The sound seemed to spur Yongbok on, his lips moving with an almost desperate need.

Hyunjin's mind was a whirlwind. The prince—the same prince who had been watching him from afar, who had always kept his distance—was now kissing him like a man possessed. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't even think.

Yongbok pulled back slightly, his breath ragged as he looked into Hyunjin's wide eyes. "You don't know what you do to me," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Hyunjin's heart raced in his chest, his mind still reeling from the kiss. He couldn't speak, couldn't even move. All he could do was stare at Yongbok, the reality of what had just happened finally sinking in.

Yongbok's gaze softened, but the intensity of the moment still hung between them. He ran a thumb gently over Hyunjin's lips, where he had just bitten him, and his eyes darkened with something deeper than jealousy.

Hyunjin swallowed hard, his lips tingling from the kiss, his mind spinning with confusion and something else he wasn't ready to name.

Yongbok pulled away slowly, his breath still mingling with Hyunjin's. He gave him one last soft peck on the lips before stepping back, a small, satisfied smirk playing on his face. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Hyunjin standing there against the cold stone wall, his legs barely holding him up.

Hyunjin stared at Yongbok's retreating figure, his mind struggling to process everything that had just happened. His chest was heaving, his heart pounding louder than the music that had played during their performance. He could still feel the heat of Yongbok's lips on his, the press of his body, and it left him trembling.

As soon as Yongbok disappeared back into the castle, Hyunjin's knees buckled. He slid down the wall, his back hitting the cold stone, his hands clutching his chest. His heart was racing—faster than it ever had in the middle of a battle or a performance.

"What... what just happened?" he whispered to himself, his fingers brushing over his lips. His mind was spinning, trying to make sense of the storm of emotions crashing over him.

This wasn't just friendship. He knew that now. It was something deeper, something that frightened him to his core. But how? How could he feel this way towards a man? A prince?

He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting against the overwhelming confusion. Men weren't supposed to feel like this. Men were supposed to fall in love with women—like those girls in the performance earlier, the ones who had danced so gracefully in front of the princes. His whole life, he had been taught that love followed a certain path. Men courted women, married women. That's how it was supposed to be.

But he... he felt something else. Something dangerous. Something powerful.

How could he feel this way toward Yongbok?

"It's not normal," Hyunjin muttered under his breath, his hands shaking as they tightened around his chest. He could still feel the warmth of Yongbok's hands on him, the possessiveness in his kiss. The memory made his pulse race all over again, but this time it was tinged with fear.

Yongbok had told him not to avoid him anymore.

What did that even mean? How could he face him now? How could he look him in the eyes after what just happened? How could he perform his duty as a guard without getting swallowed up by these... these feelings?

Hyunjin buried his face in his hands, trying to drown out the chaos in his mind. His duty was to protect the royal family, to serve with loyalty and discipline. How could he do that when his heart was so tangled up in feelings he couldn't understand? Feelings he was too scared to name?

He had to find a way to separate his duty from these emotions. But how? How could he stop himself from being affected by the prince's gaze, by his touch, by his words?

"I have to..." Hyunjin whispered, his voice trembling. "I have to get out of here."

His mind made up, Hyunjin rose to his feet, still shaking but determined to put distance between himself and this overwhelming confusion. He didn't know how he was supposed to handle it—how to untangle his duty from this mess in his heart—but for now, all he could do was retreat.

Without another glance toward the castle, he walked back toward the barracks, his steps unsteady, his mind clouded with doubt and fear. All he knew was that he needed space—space to think, to breathe, to try and make sense of this growing storm inside him.

[ Imagine Yongbok kissing Hyunjin like this! ✨💖]