TM | Chapter 13

He tensed up, his face contorting as he bit his lip, then let out an awkward laugh.

Yoon Sung could tell what that laughter meant. His insides must be crumbling. After all, the man he adored had been taken away by someone he considered nothing more than a piece of flesh. No wonder his blood was boiling.

With a smile blooming like a fully opened flower, Yoon Sung took Lee Seol’s hand.

“Seol-ah. A marriage ban could be issued as soon as tomorrow. I need your certainty. If your heart is firm, then right here, in front of our friends—let’s get engaged.”

At Yoon Sung’s bold words, Lee Seol smiled shyly and glanced at Cheongrok. As soon as Lee Seol blinked lightly as a signal, Cheongrok, grinning ear to ear, hurried into the room and returned with a tray and a bottle of liquor.

With a playful smirk, he gave the bottle a little shake, prompting their friends to clap and cheer loudly. The noise was so deafening it could have easily carried over the walls of the gibang.

Cheongrok narrowed his fox-like eyes and poured the liquor into a cup, then pounded his chest theatrically before making a grand declaration.

“I, Cheongrok! Though I would never want to be his cousin in my next life, I shall bear witness to the engagement of Lee Seol and Yoon Sung, who shared their childhood secrets with me!”

His mischievous expression and peculiar wording sent the crowd into an uproar of laughter, and a few of them eagerly stepped forward, claiming they too wanted to serve as witnesses.

The atmosphere, intoxicated by both alcohol and excitement, turned into a lively game, filled with laughter and applause.

Lee Seol, offering a small nod of thanks to Cheongrok and their friends, reached into his sleeve and pulled out a silver dagger.

As soon as the blade was revealed, all eyes locked onto it. Without hesitation, Lee Seol unsheathed the dagger, its edge glinting with a cold blue hue, and pressed it against his left palm. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he sliced down.

Blood welled up, tracing down his wrist.

A heavy silence fell. It was as if even the air had frozen—no one dared to breathe.

Cheongrok raised an eyebrow but wordlessly held out the liquor cup. Lee Seol clenched his injured hand into a fist, letting the droplets of blood drip steadily into the cup, where they mixed with the liquor. Then, he extended his other hand to Yoon Sung.

Yoon Sung stared at him, his body tensed with apprehension.

All he had wanted was an answer—proof that Lee Seol was serious about their engagement. He hadn’t expected a blood oath. The realization sent a shiver down his spine, making his fingers curl in hesitation.

He looked down at Lee Seol’s pale hand, then up at his face. Though his expression remained calm and serene, his gaze burned with unwavering intensity. Those eyes, solely fixated on him, carried a weight that made it hard to breathe.

A chill ran through Yoon Sung’s body, and he clenched his fists. His pupils wavered with uncertainty, and sensing it, Lee Seol’s gaze softened as he gave him a gentle, reassuring smile.

That pure, untainted smile entranced Yoon Sung. As if possessed, his hand reached out on its own.

Lee Seol grasped it lightly, then pressed the tip of the dagger to Yoon Sung’s index finger, pricking it. Tiny beads of blood surfaced on his fingertip.

One drop.

Two drops.

Yoon Sung’s blood fell into the cup, mixing with Lee Seol’s. The liquid inside the vessel turned a deep crimson.

The friends who had been watching the blood vow were left speechless, their expressions stiff.

The playful mood had vanished, replaced by a solemnity so heavy it pressed against their chests. Even Cheongrok, who had been grinning the whole time, had his lips twitching awkwardly.

“Wait a moment!”

It was Kang Taegwon who finally shattered the silence.

He had been glaring at them the entire time, but just as he opened his mouth to protest—

Lee Seol brought the blood wine to his lips and then… pressed it against Yoon Sung’s.

Yoon Sung felt that Lee Seol’s arm, pulling him close by the waist, was excessively rough. He swallowed the hyeolju¹ that had unexpectedly flowed into his mouth and stared into Lee Seol’s eyes, which curved gently as he smiled.

His pale cheeks were flushed red, and his well-colored lips stretched into a grin. Only then did Yoon Sung realize that they had just shared a drink mouth-to-mouth.

His face turned bright red with embarrassment.

He felt his body being lifted.

The moment he registered that he was being held in Lee Seol’s arms, he heard the cheers of his friends. Their teasing remarks rang through the air, and he even heard Cheongrok telling a gibang worker to prepare the finest room for them.

As Yoon Sung blankly looked around at his friends, his gaze landed on Kang Taegwon.

His handsome face was completely contorted, his clenched jaw protruding as he glared at Yoon Sung with an intensity that could bore holes through him.

It was a strange mix of relief and a sharp, aching pain.

Kang Taegwon, who had always looked at him with warm eyes. Those lips, always curved in a bright arc.

Unlike Yoon Sung, his face had sharp, defined features that Yoon Sung had adored enough to press a kiss against his chin before.

And each time, Kang Taegwon would lower his head, guiding Yoon Sung’s lips to his own, as if saying, “Here. This is where you should kiss.”

I’m the one who was betrayed, so why do you look so shocked?

It was your family that belittled me, saying I wasn’t worthy of being accepted. So I chose the Lee Clan, who said they would take me in.

Not as some plaything, but as a partner, asking me to become their spouse. Of course, I had no choice but to accept Lee Seol.

The bitter taste in Yoon Sung’s mouth deepened at the sight of Kang Taegwon’s crumbling expression. He hadn’t expected words of congratulations, but realizing that the last image of Kang Taegwon he would see was one of utter despair over losing Lee Seol made his stomach churn.

Lee Seol, still holding Yoon Sung with one arm, looked up at him, his chest swelling with emotion.

Seeing the dazed expression on Yoon Sung’s face, he reached up and gently stroked his cheek.

But something felt off. Yoon Sung wasn’t looking at him.

Tilting his head slightly, Lee Seol followed his gaze—straight to Kang Taegwon, who was watching them from the shadows, his face twisted in anguish.

Lee Seol smiled sweetly at Kang Taegwon.

The man flinched, shoulders jerking up in shock, his face crumbling into dismay.

Satisfied, Lee Seol turned and followed the gibang servant who had come to guide them.

At the sudden shift in movement, Yoon Sung lost his balance and instinctively wrapped his arms around Lee Seol’s neck.

Under Kang Taegwon’s burning, furious gaze, Yoon Sung was carried into the so-called bridal chamber that his friends had prepared for them—still in Lee Seol’s embrace.

***

Kang Taegwon stood frozen, unable to gather his thoughts until the two disappeared into the room deeper inside. His mind had gone blank, as if he had been entranced by the radiant smile on Lee Seol’s face.

No, it wasn’t just that—it was Yoon Sung, who had looked straight at him while wrapping his arms around Lee Seol’s neck, that truly stunned him.

As he stood there, dumbfounded, a voice laced with amusement reached his ears.

“Wow~ I never knew Sung-i had that much nerve.”

Cheongrok’s sharp, cat-like eyes narrowed as he chuckled silently, while Go Cheonseong, standing beside him, let out a weak, incredulous voice.

“More than that… I’ve never seen Seol-i like that before…”

His words trailed off in astonishment, and Cheongrok smirked at him.

“Why? Does it give you chills?”

It was the perfect way to describe it. Even Kang Taegwon found himself glancing at Cheongrok. The man chuckled nonchalantly and gave Go Cheonseong a pat on the back.

“Those two are going to have quite a heated night.”

Cheongrok murmured, winking mischievously. At that, the veins in Kang Taegwon’s forehead bulged.

“Rok-i! What exactly is so amusing to you?”

Kang Taegwon, boiling with anger, blocked Cheongrok as he tried to head back to the room where their gathering had been. Cheongrok simply gave him a sly grin, unfazed by his raised voice.

“Of course it’s amusing. Who would have thought Lee Seol and Yoon Sung would get engaged?”

“Engaged? They were just drunk and fooling around!”

“…Fooling around?”

Cheongrok’s lips straightened, and he locked eyes with Kang Taegwon.

“Yes! Someone should have stopped them! But instead, you encouraged it and even helped arrange this so-called engagement. And now, you’ve even prepared a room for their wedding night? Are you out of your mind?!”

Kang Taegwon fired off his words like a barrage of arrows. Yet, the smile never fully left Cheongrok’s face—though his eyes did narrow slightly.

“I only set the mood because they both seemed eager.”

“What?! Are you even listening to yourself?!”

“They’re young, they like each other, and they decided to get engaged. We just gave them a little push. Even the other friends who confessed to Sung-i are giving them their blessings.”

Cheongrok turned to Go Cheonseong, who gave an awkward smile. Seeing him subtly agree made Kang Taegwon’s voice drop into a low growl.

“A wedding isn’t something two people just decide on a whim. It’s something that both families must approve. They can’t just claim they’re engaged and be done with it!”

“That’s true.”

Cheongrok nodded as if he agreed. But then, he added with a smirk:

“Even if the marriage doesn’t go through, what’s the harm? At the very least, they’ll have a good memory to hold on to.”

“What?”

Kang Taegwon’s eyes widened at the absurdity of his words. Cheongrok, meanwhile, let his gaze sweep over the group with sharp amusement.

“The only one who should be worrying about rumors here is Lee Seol. If the marriage falls apart and gossip starts flying, we can all just say, as you suggested, that they were just drunkenly joking around.”

“How can you be so irresponsible?! Forget about Lee Seol—what about Sung-i?! What happens to his future if this ruins his chances at marriage?!”

At those words, Go Cheonseong’s eyes widened slightly. If they were talking about family status, the Lee Clan held the highest rank among them, and the Cheong Clan, which Cheongrok represented, was on equal standing.

When someone from the Cheong Clan spoke seriously, it usually meant the matter was settled. But here was Kang Taegwon, a noble of lesser standing than Cheongrok, acting like he had the authority to object.

Something about the conversation began to feel off to Go Cheonseong, and his expression grew serious. Meanwhile, Cheongrok rubbed his chin in thought before suddenly letting out a soft chuckle.

Then, as if the matter was no big deal, he casually tossed out his next words.

“Well… if no one else takes him, I guess I’ll take him.”

His unexpected remark left Go Cheonseong gaping.

“You… have feelings for Sung-i?”

“No. But I wouldn’t mind either. Rather than being pushed into marrying some random guy in the matchmaking market, wouldn’t I be the better choice?”