107 – VCR

Min-hyeok looked at the person beside him with hazy eyes. The one sitting on pins and needles was Jin-su, who had just left the cafe. As previously instructed, Sang-seon had brought him here and had him waiting in the car. He looked as if he were on the verge of fainting, likely having been quite nervous during the wait. Sang-seon, who had been waiting in the front seat, reported to Min-hyeok.

“I gave him a brief explanation of what was happening while we were coming to the car.”

“…Good job. He must be busy preparing for the start of the semester; I’m sorry for making him wait.”

“O-oh, no! Hello. I… I greet Your Majesty.”

Jin-su greeted him, even stuttering his words. The way he bowed his head while trembling violently was almost pitiful. Min-hyeok burst into laughter at the naive sight.

“Why are you so nervous? Anyone watching would think I’m kidnapping you. Well, if we leave like this, it technically is a kidnapping.”

“…Please don’t do that to someone who is already nervous. I will go and wait outside. Please speak comfortably.”

“I feel like he’ll have a cardiac arrest the moment we’re left alone.”

“Even so, you won’t be able to speak comfortably if I’m here. I’ll be in front of the car.”

Sang-seon, in the passenger seat, glanced back to check Jin-su’s complexion. Just as Min-hyeok said, he was pale, his eyes darting around. Once Sang-seon stepped out, Min-hyeok crossed his legs toward Jin-su and attempted to start a proper conversation.

“Why so nervous? There’s no need for that. I don’t harm the people I love.”

“It’s just that this is my first time meeting Your Majesty in person, so I’m very nervous. Earlier, I wasn’t sure, so I was very rude….”

Jin-su was more nervous than he had anticipated. It was only natural; who wouldn’t be nervous with the Emperor leaning back and staring intently at them? He could guarantee there was no one.

Furthermore, the Emperor Jin-su saw was completely different from the image he had seen in the media or videos. He was much larger, had a more intense impression, and his gaze was sharp. Jin-su now understood exactly what it meant for one’s knees to knock together in fear.

Min-hyeok looked pityingly at the large Alpha who was trembling like a newborn fawn upon making eye contact. Still, it couldn’t be helped. He had business to attend to, and he had to finish it.

“Right. Was it whether I was the Emperor that you were curious about?”

“Huh? Yes. I remembered hearing that back then, so I was going to ask my hyung….”

“You probably already know I’m the Emperor…. Ah, should I prove it? Is that the only way you’ll believe me?”

When Min-hyeok made a gesture as if searching for evidence, Jin-su waved his hands frantically to stop him, looking as if he might faint.

“N-no! Your Majesty. You are definitely Your Majesty. You look exactly like you do on the news. No, you’re… you’re even more handsome. Is it okay to say such a thing?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Since it’s my first time meeting Your Majesty, there is much I [stolen content]our site" style="display:none;" aria-label="visit our site">visit our sitedo not know. Including how I should behave….”

“It’s all fine. It doesn’t matter.”

How often in a lifetime does a person get to have a private audience with the Emperor? Perhaps politicians, nobles, chaebols, or geniuses who have contributed greatly to the country might meet him. But Jin-su belonged to none of those categories. Facing the Emperor like this made him wonder if he was dreaming.

“You had something else you were curious about. And you didn’t get an answer. You were curious if the one you call ‘hyung’ is indeed the Grand Imperial Concubine. Right?”

At the mention of Hae-joo, Jin-su’s pupils wavered. Confusion was etched into those shaking eyes. Min-hyeok, observing Jin-su intently, did not miss the other emotion contained in those eyes. This was why Alphas and Omegas could never be purely friends.

No matter how much one side insisted they were friends, the emotions harbored by the other side could never be mere friendship. Just like this young Alpha before him. After confirming the raw affection found in his eyes, Min-hyeok spoke.

“That’s right. You heard correctly. Hae-joo is the Emperor’s one and only concubine, whom everyone calls the Grand Imperial Concubine Palace Lord user. He is a first-rank official, a member of the imperial family, and a noble.”

Min-hyeok intentionally omitted the words ‘for now.’ He didn’t particularly want to say it, and regardless, everything he had just said was a fact. Since they hadn’t divorced yet, Hae-joo’s position had not changed. Perhaps realizing the dizzying height of Hae-joo’s status thanks to Min-hyeok, Jin-su wore a blank expression.

“…B-but surely you two, officially, have parted ways….”

Jin-su stuttered, mentioning their breakup. Due to the Prime Minister’s treason case at the time, the people did not want Hae-joo to remain in the palace. Although Hae-joo had already disappeared, the Imperial Family had announced the breakup to quiet public opinion. Since it was an official announcement, it was natural that Jin-su knew.

“There is no need to discuss private matters. It’s for strictly personal reasons. All I can tell you is that we have not broken up.”

“You haven’t broken up?”

“Yes. So I hope you understand what it means for me to have come here personally.”

This young Alpha, who spoke of a breakup with Hae-joo, must have wanted to squeeze into the gap that had opened between the two of them. Indeed, at a glance, the narrative between Hae-joo and Jin-su seemed plausible enough to make a good picture if woven together.

They had a bad relationship due to a misunderstanding, but eventually cleared it up and became close. One side poured affection into him as a friend he’d made after a long time, and the other side was building emotions beyond friendship. From Min-hyeok’s perspective, it was a considerably dangerous relationship, so he naturally couldn’t leave it be.

It was only natural that this would be a threat while Min-hyeok’s position was ambiguous, as it is now. Though they had been apart for a long time, Hae-joo was legally Min-hyeok’s person. It would be best to cut it off at an appropriate line to prevent any unnecessary scandals or rumors.

“I’m grateful that you kept the Grand Imperial Concubine company while I was gone.”

“Huh? No. I… I truly enjoyed the time I spent with hyung… no, with him.”

“I’m glad you had fun and enjoyed yourself. But saying it was ‘true’ affection is a bit problematic.”

Yes. If it’s sincere, it’s problematic. Min-hyeok threw a cold smile at Jin-su, who was looking at him with wide, startled eyes.

“It would be different if you had remained ignorant of who Hae-joo was, but now you know. So, now it becomes a problem.”

“…A problem?”

“Yes. Now, being together becomes a problem.”

Min-hyeok slowly informed the terrified Jin-su of the reality.

“Having a close relationship with the Emperor’s concubine becomes a crime. In the palace, one does not even dare to look at that face. And yet, a healthy young Alpha spends time face-to-face with the Grand Imperial Concubine, even going fishing alone? Naturally, that would be a crime.”

Jin-su’s face turned ashen, and his Adam’s apple bobbed violently. Min-hyeok wondered if he had scared him too much, considering the boy had likely just been hanging out with a peer without knowing anything, but Min-hyeok was simply informing him of the law. There was no benefit in giving such gossip to people who loved to find fault.

“And there’s more. If your grandmother continues to be rude to the Grand Imperial Concubine by talking about his fate, it constitutes the crime of insulting the imperial family.”

At the mention of his grandmother, Jin-su’s expression and attitude became serious. This was because he, too, was aware of his grandmother’s rudeness.

“I know my grandmother’s behavior wasn’t right. But she did those things not knowing hyung was a concubine! Please, I beg you to forgive her for that.”

“Setting aside that such words shouldn’t be said to anyone, whether they are a concubine or not…. Anyway, for the sake of your family and household, refrain from meeting him.”

“T-that is….”

To Jin-su, who looked like he was about to cry, unable to compose himself, Min-hyeok firmly drove the nail in.

“I am uncomfortable with my concubine being with another Alpha. Even if it is called friendship. And this is not a matter of giving you a choice.”

It was a command to obey. Even if he was heartbroken, [stolen content]visit our sitestolen content -->Jin-su would have no other way. He had no choice but to [stolen content]follow. To Jin-su, who couldn’t hide his distress, Min-hyeok spoke unexpected words.

“Still, I wanted to say thank you.”

“…Eh? T-thank you? What do you mean by that….”

Min-hyeok expressed gratitude out of the blue. Ignoring Jin-su’s gaze full of curiosity, Min-hyeok continued.

“It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen the Grand Imperial Concubine smile like that. He always used to smile that way in the past, but lately, it’s been hard to see. But I’ve seen it often recently.”

Min-hyeok muttered with a bittersweet smile. It might be burdensome for Jin-su to hear, but gratitude was gratitude, so he conveyed his own sincerity. In truth, Min-hyeok was still not pleased that Hae-joo smiled with someone other than himself.

Like a bird leaving a cage that provided everything, Hae-joo had left his embrace. It was anxiety-inducing to watch Hae-joo leave the Imperial Palace to create his own world and seek pleasures that had nothing to do with Min-hyeok. Now, everything Hae-joo ate, laughed, and talked about had become something unrelated to Min-hyeok.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, Min-hyeok had already become a completely irrelevant person to Hae-joo. Even in the gut-wrenching situation where Hae-joo’s smile was directed at another, his thanks to Jin-su were sincere. He couldn’t help but be grateful that Jin-su had confirmed that the emotion of being able to smile still remained in Hae-joo.

“I know you’ve done a great thing. So, for each other’s sake, I hope the relationship doesn’t deteriorate further.”

Gratitude was one thing, but he didn’t forget the final warning not to approach Hae-joo anymore.

“If you act keeping my words in mind, nothing will go wrong. You just need to fulfill your responsibilities as a student at that prestigious school. Then, who knows if you might see him again in the palace later? Act wisely for the sake of your future.”

Jin-su’s eyes widened at Min-hyeok’s unexpected proposal. This was a sort of opportunity Min-hyeok was giving him. It was a deal for the future, suggesting that if unauthorized copyhe kept his place [visit our site]well, he visit our sitewouldn’t be forgotten. Min-hyeok only hoped that he understood the meaning behind those words.