IBPC | Chapter 11.2

Heegon finally released Seoyul’s hand, which he had been holding all along. His hand brushed lightly against Seoyul’s earring as it moved up. Feeling the sway, Seoyul took the first step forward, heading towards the nearest bridge.

The water in the pond was clearer and purer than expected. It was filled with rare fish, making it seem almost otherworldly.

As Seoyul walked, looking down at the pond, he reached the first bridge and turned his gaze. He climbed onto the bridge adorned with intricate carvings and ran his hand over them.

“Is the bridge made of wood?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, look at these carvings. They’re amazing.”

“I heard that over 100 artisans were involved in building this place.”

“128. It was built by 128 people over 128 days, matching the sacred number in Jinha Kingdom, right?”

As Seoyul examined the bridge and responded, Heegon slightly furrowed his brow.

“You know even that?”

Leaving the amazed Heegon behind, Seoyul continued across the bridge, examining it. Finally, he arrived at the shrine and looked up at it closely.

Seoyul stood there for a while, as if engraving the shrine’s exterior into his memory. After gazing at it endlessly, he opened the shrine’s door with eyes full of anticipation and stepped inside. The scent of incense greeted him first. Seoyul cautiously walked further in.

“…Wow.”

With a sigh of admiration, Seoyul scanned the surroundings. In the center hung a painting of the God of Seombaek, seemingly much taller than Heegon. Below it were various statues and ancestral tablets, leaving Seoyul in awe.

“The God of Seombaek is the god of abundance and destiny. There are many gods in Jinha Kingdom, but this is one of the most revered.”

Heegon approached and stood behind Seoyul.

“Especially because of its deep connection with the royal family’s progenitor, this place has always been of great importance.”

Listening to Heegon’s explanation, Seoyul quietly gazed at the painting of the God of Seombaek.

A face and body that seemed neither male nor female. Holding a sword in one hand and a bell in the other.

When he learned about it, it was just a myth. Could it really be that this God of Seombaek brought him here?

Thinking that, a part of his heart trembled.

If so, why him among so many people? Was it just a coincidence that anyone would do? Or did it hold some meaning for him? If the god of abundance and destiny, should he accept that all this is fate?

“……”

Seoyul, lost in thought while looking at the face of the God of Seombaek, clenched his hands tightly.

He didn’t know which it was, and it didn’t matter. But if there really was a god, he wanted to make a wish.

I want to return to my original world. Safely, from here—

But as Seoyul fervently wished, he paused and slowly lowered his gaze. With a face that seemed to catch on something, Seoyul blinked.

He stood there blankly for a while, then turned to look at Heegon standing behind him.

“……?”

He met Heegon’s calm gaze.

At that moment, Seoyul’s eyes trembled slightly. He clenched his clasped hands even tighter. Then he took a deep breath and looked back up at the painting of the God of Seombaek.

Just a little longer.

Though he wished for the same thing, he hoped the wish would be delayed a bit.

Just a little longer… I want to stay and then return safely.

Seoyul carefully placed that wish, which Heegon wouldn’t know, inside the shrine.

Even though he wanted to return, he felt it might be okay to stay just a little longer.

His wish had somehow changed direction without him realizing it.

“……”

And while Seoyul stood there, Heegon silently watched him. Then, as Seoyul’s hair fell over his cheek, Heegon raised his hand. His fingers tucked the stray hair behind Seoyul’s ear.

“It’ll be long enough to tie soon.”

He said it casually, as if in passing.

But at that touch, Seoyul flinched and looked up at Heegon, who had come to stand beside him.

Was it because he wished Heegon wouldn’t know? Or because his unexpected touches were overwhelming?

Either way, Seoyul’s heart pounded, and he couldn’t find a way to hide it. So his trembling heart showed plainly on his face.

And when Heegon met Seoyul’s gaze, he slightly parted his lips.

Seoyul’s eyes were faintly trembling. And he could see Seoyul’s cheeks and ears gradually turning red.

“Why…”

He was about to ask why Seoyul had that expression. But Heegon didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he raised his fingers that had tucked the hair and touched the earring on Seoyul’s ear. Seoyul’s eyes trembled even more.

Seoyul soon furrowed his brow slightly and turned his head to the side, as if wanting to hide his face.

“……”

Would it have been easier to endure if Seoyul had continued looking at him? Heegon wondered. His heart was more stirred by Seoyul, who looked away with trembling eyes.

Why was it? Why couldn’t he hold back whenever he saw Seoyul like this? Not knowing what or why he had to hold back.

Heegon slowly bit his lip, then grasped Seoyul’s chin and lifted it. He pulled Seoyul towards him and lowered his head.

“……!”

As Heegon pulled him in, Seoyul flinched, his body tensing. But he didn’t push away Heegon, who held his face and kissed him. Instead, when their lips met, Seoyul raised his hand and gently placed it on Heegon’s chest.

Without hesitation, Seoyul opened his lips to accept Heegon. In response, Heegon extended his remaining arm to pull Seoyul’s waist into his embrace.

Their breaths intertwined deeply in a kiss that seemed to swallow them whole. In the quiet shrine, the sound of their lips meeting and exchanging fluids echoed quite loudly. As Heegon’s grip tightened, Seoyul was pushed backward. But Heegon closed the distance, holding Seoyul even tighter.

As they embraced and moved backward, they bumped into a pedestal with statues. The impact caused the small statues on the pedestal behind Seoyul to rattle.

One statue at the edge lost its balance and was about to fall when Heegon, still holding Seoyul’s waist, reached out and caught it. While still kissing Seoyul, Heegon pushed the statue back onto the pedestal. Then, he braced himself on the pedestal and leaned further into Seoyul, deepening their kiss.

As the kiss continued for a long time, their breaths grew more ragged and entangled.

Creak—

A thin, sharp sound of a wooden door opening interrupted them in the shrine. Both Heegon and Seoyul paused, turning their heads to the side. Through the open door, they saw a small shadow standing there.

“What are you doing there, brother?”

It was Heerang, looking up at them with big, dark eyes.

⊹₊⟡⋆

How did it end up like this?

Seoyul glanced up at Heegon, who was sitting across from him, and then at Heerang, who was sitting beside him. They were in a pavilion outside the shrine of Yeonwon, with Heegon, Heerang, and Seoyul sitting with teacups in front of them. Heegon and Heerang were calmly drinking tea and chatting, but Seoyul felt too uncomfortable to touch his teacup, his ears burning red.

What the heck, Tae Heegon looks completely unfazed. Even though his sister caught him… kissing someone. It’s not usually pleasant for siblings to see each other being affectionate with someone else, right? Especially in front of such a young sister…

Seoyul shivered with embarrassment as he recalled kissing Heegon in the shrine just moments ago. Then, a small plate of snacks was offered to him.

“Don’t you like tea? Then try this.”

Heerang spoke, looking directly up at Seoyul. Not knowing how to respond, Seoyul glanced at Heegon, who was watching him with a blank expression.

Seoyul sighed inwardly and accepted what Heerang offered. Absentmindedly putting it in his mouth, he was filled with a soft, sweet flavor.

“Oh, …it’s good.”

He said without thinking, and Heerang smiled so widely her eyes curved.

“Right? This is a rare treat you can only have these days.”

Heerang piled more snacks in front of Seoyul, still watching him intently.

“Where are you from?”

“Uh…”

“How did you meet my brother? He said he brought you from outside the palace.”

With eyes full of curiosity, Seoyul looked to Heegon for help again. This time, Heegon intervened to stop Heerang.

“I’ll tell you later. Don’t ask too much.”

“But… You said you’d tell me later last time too.”

“Rang, as I said last time…”

“But—”

Cutting off Heegon’s words, Heerang complained with dissatisfaction.

“After such a heated exchange in the shrine, is there still so much to hide?”

Cough—

Seoyul, who had been eating a few more snacks, suddenly coughed.

Oh my god…

Caught off guard by Heerang’s words, Seoyul clutched his chest. His face turned bright red as he looked at Heegon, hiccupping as he choked.

Heegon shook his head a couple of times at Seoyul’s reaction. Then he quietly instructed the court ladies standing at a distance.

“Bring some water.”

Watching the ever-calm Heegon, Seoyul tried to calm the heat spreading across his face. But the coughing fit didn’t subside easily. It was truly embarrassing.

⊹₊⟡⋆

It turned out that both King Eulsa and the Fifth Prince were absent from the palace. So, whenever Heegon had time, he took Seoyul outside the residence to show him around. Unexpectedly, this caused all the strange rumors to disappear.

Rumors like the Third Prince’s lover being disabled, having a disease that would kill him if exposed to sunlight, or being so young that the prince was a pedophile—all of these were put to rest as Heegon took Seoyul around the palace.

Anyway, Seoyul was still excited from having toured the palace without restraint for the past few days. He wondered if this was how a successful fan felt, and thought about how many papers he could write once he returned.

Seoyul was by the pond in the residence, recalling the places he had visited with Heegon. Since Dubo had left to fetch a sunshade because the sunlight was too harsh, and was taking longer than expected, Seoyul considered going back inside.

“It’s been a while.”

A shadow fell over Seoyul, who was sitting by the pond. He turned his head towards the voice without thinking. There stood the Fifth Prince, Kangmu.

“…Oh?”

Upon seeing him, Seoyul’s eyes widened, and his lips parted. Kangmu looked down at Seoyul with a gentle smile.

“Have you been well?”

A friendly inquiry. Seoyul couldn’t even think of standing up and just looked up at Kangmu.

He had heard that Tae Kangmu was currently away…

“……”

As Seoyul sat there without responding, Kangmu looked a bit awkward before speaking again.

“I came to see my brother as soon as I returned from the neighboring country—”

But as Kangmu spoke to Seoyul, he suddenly furrowed his brow slightly and tilted his head, observing Seoyul closely.

“But… have you changed somehow?”

“……”

“You seem… a bit different? From the last time I saw you…”

As Kangmu looked at Seoyul with a puzzled expression, Seoyul finally snapped back to reality and stood up.

Heegon had told him not to talk to Tae Kangmu.