promise ↜ ljn

♕ sixteen

Yoon Oh grew more affectionate towards the girl each day. It was natural, he tried to stop himself so many times but he couldn't help himself. Fortunately, he wasn't trying very hard to rush his feelings. The crowned one simply kept it to himself and himself only.

Haneul on the other hand was tangled up in a situation far more complicated than she had ever experienced. At some points, she thought life might have been different if she actually marry herself to some other nobleman.

That way, she wouldn't have to be caught in this mess. A mess that felt as if she was fooling with other's sincere feelings. Though she tried to conceal her true heart, at times, it became difficult for her.

"Haneul?" A voice broke her thoughts at the moment. She turned around to find her spouse making his way towards her. Each step made her nervous for a reason she couldn't tell.

The queen smiled at him as he stopped right in front of her. "I didn't see you." He said. "Oh, I finished my lessons just now and I thought of being here for a while." She replied before taking a look at the garden they went the previous day.

"What would you be doing here?" He asked and for a moment she was silent. The truth was with her, but she didn't know if it was the right answer to his question. "To see you, of course." She answered truthfully without looking at him.

The lady was still so shy around him as they barely spent time together after their marriage. At her answer, Yoon Oh felt a bloom inside his heart. He had longed for such reply from her. The king couldn't hide the happiness on his expression. As a reflex, he moved closer to the girl he was married to.

"But you're not looking at me." He braved himself to say such things to her as he took her hand. Haneul's cheeks flushed at the touch, she inhaled a deep breath and tried to look at him, only to find herself blushing brightly again.

"Your Majesty!" The two of the could hear the court lady calling for the girl from afar. Haneul thanked Lula inside her head as she saved her from this moment of rapid heartbeats. She took this opportunity to quickly look away from Yoon Oh and towards her trustful assistant.

"What's the matter, Lula?" Haneul asked, still her hand held by him. "Did you forget about luncheon?" She asked and the queen was almost dying from embarrassment. She was so caught up with her spouse she forgot her own schedule.

"Oh dear, I'll be there in a while." Haneul said and Lula excused herself. The court lady managed to make a teasing look at the young queen before leaving. Haneul glanced at Yoon Oh for a while, but avoided his gaze and looked down on their hands instead.

She was flushed in pink and she wasn't ready to be teased again. "Won't you be joining?" She asked and her voice became so soft. Yoon Oh couldn't help but to chuckle at the adorable sight. "I have a few things left to do, you can go first." He said, before kissing the back of her hand.

"Sorry I can't accompany you." He said, the queen knew he was looking at her, she could feel it but she was shy to look back. "I'm alright." Haneul replied before slowly taking her hand away from him to leave.

She walked quickly and didn't look back, but the king watched until she left his sight. A part of him felt glad he was able to express the little things he felt for her, but still he felt guilty.

Haneul felt terribly wrong to enjoy her feelings with Yoon Oh when clearly she felt something for someone else. Still, she didn't know how to stop. Though she could never say it, but she hoped Yoon Oh wouldn't fall for her as well. That would only have her as a sinner.

〚 王 〛

Later that night, Haneul heard a knock from her room. She closed the book she was reading and walked over from the table and towards the door. The moment she opened it, Yoon Oh's face was revealed behind the door.

Again, she could feel her heart beating faster each seconds but she tried to hide it. Haneul was lost at words to even respond, luckily, Yoon Oh was the first to speak.

"My apology, am I disturbing you?" He asked as he tried to sneak a look in her room. Haneul shook her head lightly. "Not at all, come in." She stepped aside to allow him to enter. It had been almost a month since they were married but Haneul still refused to stay in a room with him.

Yoon Oh understood her though, he never brought up the topic nor did he ever forced her to come. "Were you reading just now?" He questioned, he glanced at the book on the table as a clue. Haneul nodded her head. "I just had some free time." She replied sheepishly.

"I wanted to show you something." He said and the girl had her eyebrows lifted, wondering what kind of surprise he had this time. Yoon Oh led her outside the balcony as he stared into the dark sky stretched ahead.

"Would you like to witness the beauty of our kingdom?" When he mentioned the word 'our' she felt touched. He acknowledged her that much and it was something impossible for her to repay.

Yoon Oh moved to the side a little, though there was much more space, his gestures meant for Haneul to stand next to him, close. His spouse did as motioned and she looked with him through the scenery upfront. At first, Haneul wasn't sure what she was supposed to look at, until his explanation made everything clearer for her.

"You can see the mountains, right? It's dark but if you picture this clearly, you can see how beautiful the moon is settled between those two topside of the mountains." Haneul couldn't picture it at first, but afterwards she could see clearly what he was describing.

It was indeed breathtaking, something she had never seen in her kingdom before. She gasped as she was awestruck before looking at him as a reflex. It was a normal gesture for someone who was surprised by what a person told them. As she turned to her side, Haneul noticed their face was so up close.

She didn't know why, but her mind travelled to yesterday she pecked him on the lips. It probably meant nothing to him, she kept in mind. However, she noticed that Yoon Oh was leaning down and Haneul knew the right thing to do was to look away and leave but her feet was glued to the floor.

Her mind and heart was telling her opposite things. One, told her to stay, the other told her to leave. By science, the brain had control over the body but at the moment her heart was controlling her system. She stayed until his lips touched hers.

Yoon Oh's hands found its way towards her back, he wrapped his arms around her and found himself deepening the kiss as well. Haneul could only enjoy the kiss for a moment, she only realised what a big mistake she had done.

Guilt was eating her alive, Yoon Oh didn't deserve such a fake hope like this. She was using him, it was cruel but still she couldn't stop. The young queen was drowning in her own sin, her own doing. She can't do this forever, she can either pick one or none. It was better if she had none of them, they were too kind for a ruthless girl like her.

〚 王 〛
🐾well, there you have it :)
heads up, im gonna be super
busy for the next few weeks
so i may or may not update.
but stay with me, loves!