By Zephyria 
Joo Min-hyeok was particularly fond of smelling my skin. And whenever we had sex, he insisted on stripping off our clothes to press his body against mine as tightly as possible. He loved the sensation of skin-to-skin contact and felt it much more intensely than when we wore clothes.
“You’re warm. The scent of your skin is even better than your pheromones. I love the feel of your skin, too. What about you?”
Hugging me tightly from behind, Joo Min-hyeok buried his face in the crook of my neck and back. Every now and then, he would nip at my back or lick it with his tongue. I flinched each time, but Joo Min-hyeok didn’t loosen his grip; instead, he held me even tighter.
“Could we talk after you take it out, Your Majesty? Otherwise, you’re just going to fall asleep inside me again.”
“Don’t be so cold. I’ll just leave it in. You don’t know… how soft and warm it is in here… hng!”
“I told you to stop saying things like that!”
Because he kept making embarrassing remarks without hesitation, I struck him in the solar plexus with my elbow with all my might. Seriously, where did he even learn to say such cringeworthy things? And whenever I snapped at him like this, he always started moving again as if to get revenge.
“Ah, mm… here we go again.”
In the end, I just gave a futile struggle, knowing I couldn’t win. With his arms locked around me, Joo Min-hyeok kneaded my chest and sucked on my ear while moving his hips with a thick, heavy rhythm. Unlike before, he wasn’t moving quickly; he moved slowly, making my stomach feel ticklish and twisted.
“Kh… hng, Hae-joo.”
Joo Min-hyeok, who had been moaning softly every time I moved, buried his face in my neck and stopped his slow, grinding thrusts. After a low groan, he began to move his hips rapidly, turning my face to search for my lips.
Entering my mouth as if to devour me, Joo Min-hyeok pushed his tongue deep toward the back of my throat, and the mixture of pain and pleasure made my mind go blank. His movements grew faster, and I became exhausted from the continuous sex while being held tightly without changing positions.
For some reason, Joo Min-hyeok wouldn’t let go of me today. Knowing his psychology, I had let myself be held, but now it felt a bit suffocating. Finally, those violent and rapid movements stopped.
“Ah… ah, hah.”
“Mmph, hah…”
Rough moans erupted from both Joo Min-hyeok and me simultaneously. As I clung to his arms and trembled, Joo Min-hyeok calmed me down. It wasn’t as if he was in any position to be calming anyone else down, but regardless, I gasped for air in his embrace.
My body was drenched and sticky, covered in lubrication and semen. Finally, Joo Min-hyeok’s member slid out of me. As it left, I felt a strange illusion of a void, as if my insides had been hollowed out. What time is it even? Does Joo Min-hyeok even have a bedtime?
“I’ll wash you. Just sleep.”
“Your Majesty is tired too…”
“How is this tiring? What do you take me for? Back when I was training at the Military Academy…”
Here he goes again. I need to sleep. Just as I was about to turn over to avoid hearing more about military training,
“Ah, ow.”
“Hae-joo?”
I felt a stabbing pain in my lower abdomen again. I instinctively placed my hand on my stomach and curled my body into a ball. Seriously, what is wrong with me? Should I call the royal physician? This is all because of Joo Min-hyeok. He’s the only person I’ve been stressing over lately.
“What’s wrong? Cha Hae-joo? Hae-joo!”
When I curled up in pain, Joo Min-hyeok, who had been holding my shoulders to look at me, moved in front of me to examine me. His voice was laced with panic. It was only natural for him to be shocked when someone who was perfectly fine a moment ago started rolling around clutching their stomach.
“A doctor, I’ll call a doctor. Wait a moment. I’ll…”
“No. It’s better now. This has never happened before, but it’s been like this since last night. I’ve been stressed about a lot of things, so I think it’s psychosomatic.”
“That’s just a guess, not a fact. No. I have to call a doctor. There are so many physicians stationed in the palace.”
“I don’t want to meet them like this. Do you want to show them that I haven’t even washed and was just rolling around with Your Majesty?”
I grabbed Joo Min-hyeok’s arm to stop him from leaving. Looking at me, he seemed to realize something he hadn’t considered and stopped, glancing around. Not to mention my body, the bed was soaked with lubrication. Our pheromones floating in the air still carried the heat of arousal, and the room was stifling.
There was no need to show such private and intimate details to others. Besides, I had a history of being ill. I used to take medication for severe headaches caused by slight stress. This time it seemed to be abdominal pain instead of a headache, but it would probably get better once my mind settled.
“It’s because I was stressed about Your Majesty avoiding me, so please wash me. I’ll feel better once I get into warm water.”
“Alright. I’ll let it slide this time. But if you have these symptoms again, you must call a doctor immediately. I won’t let it slide next time.”
Joo Min-hyeok lifted me up and checked my face. I nodded and let him carry me toward the bathroom.
Perhaps because I fell asleep in the early hours of the morning, I didn’t wake up until after lunch. While washing me, Joo Min-hyeok told me not to get up until my fatigue vanished, and I obeyed him quite well, idling in bed until late.
The muscle aches were so severe that I had a simple meal in bed and took some pain medication. I worried about whether my stomach would hurt again, but fortunately, it didn’t. See? I told you Joo Min-hyeok was the cause. Lying back down in bed, I thought about the relationship between Joo Min-hyeok and me.
What happens to our relationship now? What are we? Since we’re already a married couple, is there any need to define it in other words?
At some point, Joo Min-hyeok started calling my name naturally and speaking comfortably. He no longer treats me with formal courtesy, calling me the Grand Imperial Concubine. It could be called a quite radical improvement in our relationship.
And above all, Joo Min-hyeok is obsessed with me. Very much so. His unusual behavior yesterday was solely because I wasn’t in my room.
Without even thinking to ask the palace servants about my absence, he rushed out, searching for me by tearing through rooms and smashing things. To anyone, that behavior would be completely irrational. Yet, Joo Min-hyeok, who usually handled things coldly and rationally, caused that chaos all because of me.
This is an emotional line I never saw from the Emperor in the novel. In fact, this was the behavioral pattern the Grand Imperial Concubine usually exhibited toward the Emperor. Now, Joo Min-hyeok is doing the opposite to me. It’s premature to call Joo Min-hyeok’s behavior love. I don’t know if his feelings are love, mere attraction, or both but unrecognized. For now, it’s best to just watch.
From his jealousy of Hyun-wook to his obsession. I feel like I can see a future for myself with no exit. Will I get used to it as I live? One thing is certain: Joo Min-hyeok cannot function without me. That much is clear.
∗ ∗ ∗
“What on earth was that commotion in the middle of the night? Everyone in the palace knows about it. Why are you acting so out of character?”
The Queen Dowager’s raised voice clearly conveyed her displeasure. However, Min-hyeok remained nonchalant, sipping his tea without much reaction.
“I simply searched for my spouse, who should have been sleeping in bed but was nowhere to be found. As you said, Mother, any other Alpha would have done the same if their Omega disappeared in the middle of the night.”
“What? Is it normal to smash every room in the palace just to find an Omega who might have fallen asleep elsewhere? What Alpha would do that?”
“I suppose there is no such Alpha. Because their Omega isn’t Cha Hae-joo.”
“…What….”
The Queen Dowager was speechless at Min-hyeok’s unexpected response. She was well aware of the current state of their relationship. It was simply absurd to see him so different from before, when he showed no interest in what the Grand Imperial Concubine did or how he spent his time.
She felt like calling Hae-joo and scolding him, wondering how he could have swayed the Emperor in an instant. The Queen Dowager worried that if Min-hyeok gave his heart so completely to Hae-joo, it might ruin their plans.
The Queen Dowager could not hide her anxiety as she observed her son. Seeing this, Min-hyeok let out a slight smile.
“I know what you are worried about. Do not worry. The plan will not change, Mother.”
Min-hyeok’s eyes were full of unwavering resolve and confidence. In that regard, his gaze was no different from before. Seeing this, the Queen Dowager felt somewhat relieved, yet she remained frustrated that she couldn’t fully grasp the Emperor’s heart.
“I will definitely take down the Prime Minister. He has gone too far to be left alone. I cannot simply watch a criminal who attempts to replace the Emperor. The plan is proceeding smoothly without a hitch, so please prepare yourself as well, Mother.”
“What about the Grand Imperial Concubine? Surely the original plan was…”
“Mother.”
Min-hyeok set down his teacup and stared at the Queen Dowager with more seriousness than ever. The Queen Dowager flinched at the cold tone in her son’s voice. Min-hyeok knew he needed to be very clear with the Queen Dowager regarding the Grand Imperial Concubine.