UTPT Ch 1

No matter how much Yihyun racked his brain, he could not understand the situation. He wanted to ask where this place was and what exactly was happening, but everyone except him was busy, leaving no one to answer his questions.

After an unexpected conversation with the divine spirit, Yihyun was dragged outside the annex as the spirit had instructed. It was entirely against his will, but not necessarily a bad thing for him. The problem was that no one passing by would answer his questions.

“Excuse me…”

“Don’t speak.”

At the firm voice, Yihyun had no choice but to close his half-open lips. Learned fear was deeply imprinted in his body, and it applied even if the person in front of him wasn’t his father or older brother, who used to hit him. Fearing that even a sound might escape, Yihyun clenched his lips so tightly that all color drained from them.

With his gaze lowered, all he could see was the smooth tip of a shoe. He should have asked when the women were around instead of this man. Unable to shake off his fear easily, Yihyun took a shallow breath.

“Let’s start with makeup and hair styling.”

“Yes, understood.”

“It begins in an hour, so… please have it done 30 minutes beforehand. I’ll handle the clothing change.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll come and do it, so just leave the clothes as they are. And…”

The man, whom Yihyun had only seen twice before, quickly disappeared after issuing a flurry of fast and precise instructions to the people bustling around. While he spoke, Yihyun barely managed to lift his head a little more, and what came into view was a fountain pen tucked into the man’s jacket pocket. It was the one Yihyun had picked up for him.

The man, having finished speaking, turned around without a moment’s hesitation, and Yihyun flinched at his momentum. Just as Yihyun’s gaze swept over the man’s broad shoulders, the sliding door shut.

While the man was gone, Yihyun had his face painted, and his long hair, which reached down to his waist, was twisted up. Several people surrounded him so closely that he could not move, forcing Yihyun to press his trembling thighs firmly with his palms.

“Please close your eyes.”

If told to close them, he closed them.

“Lift your head.”

If told to lift it, he lifted it.

“Lower your head.”

If told to lower it, he lowered it.

Dozens of metal pins were inserted from the nape of his neck to his forehead, and something was applied over and over to his cheeks and lips. When Yihyun habitually bit his lower lip, a firm voice ordered him not to.

“Do not touch your lips until we’re finished.”

When he moved his lips to respond, he was scolded once more. Yihyun simply let his eyes wander along the patterns on the wooden floor. One by one, the people who had been around him left, and finally, the last person exited, sliding the door shut. As everything nearby disappeared and his vision finally adjusted, what caught Yihyun’s eye was a red, shimmering garment.

What kind of clothing is that? As he searched his limited knowledge for an answer, the door opened again, and the man reentered. The moment their eyes met, Yihyun stiffened. Seeing the man properly from the front, he appeared even taller than before, and… his face was so striking that Yihyun’s lips parted unconsciously in astonishment.

Without a word of explanation or a request for permission, the man stepped closer and began undressing Yihyun. His face and hands showed no emotion, making it impossible for Yihyun to feel either embarrassment or offense.

After dressing Yihyun in a light ivory-colored inner outfit, the man wrapped a deep black skirt around him and tied it tightly above his chest. Over that, he layered a long red silk robe adorned with intricate golden embroidery. This time, there were more than just one or two knots securing it.

Moving with practiced ease, the man adjusted Yihyun’s clothing, pulling at the sleeves and hems to neaten his appearance. When their eyes met again, Yihyun flinched and quickly turned his gaze to the side.

The man knelt smoothly in front of Yihyun, took hold of his foot wrapped in beoseon¹, and slipped on a pair of vibrant silk shoes. Yihyun’s overworked legs wobbled, unable to support his weight, and he instinctively steadied himself by placing a hand on the man’s shoulder. Startled, he tried to straighten his posture, but the leg he had severely broken as a child when he fell down the stairs still struggled to hold strength.

“Don’t stumble. Just hold on.”

After putting both shoes on Yihyun, the man straightened up. He was so tall that his shadow loomed over Yihyun, who had to tilt his head back to look up at him. The man observed him for a moment before casually remarking.

“Maybe because you’re still young, it doesn’t look that strange.”

Was it a relief that he didn’t look strange? Without a mirror, Yihyun had no way of knowing how he appeared.

“Do you have at least a rough idea of the ceremony proceedings?”

Ah, he wasn’t supposed to touch his lips. Without realizing it, Yihyun had touched the corner of his mouth. Seeing the faint pink color on his fingertip, he quickly rubbed it away and clenched his hand into a fist. He hoped the man hadn’t noticed.

“…The ceremony proceedings?”

Unfamiliar with the term, Yihyun had no choice but to ask. As if expecting the question, the man showed no surprise. After a brief moment of thought, he looked Yihyun over from head to toe once more before opening the door. Two women, elegantly dressed in hanbok, stood beside Yihyun.

“We’ll remove all formal proceedings. Let’s just exchange bows and share the ceremonial wine.”

“…Pardon? But…”

“They assured me she would be well-prepared, yet she knows nothing.”

“That’s…”

“There won’t be an audience anyway, so let’s just take a few pictures.”

“But, Your Highness, both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty will be present.”

“They will understand.”

After conversing with the two women for a while, the man turned his head toward Yihyun. His chillingly black eyes bore down on him as he gave an order, his expression unreadable.

“Say nothing and just do as they instruct.”

“Yes…”

Before Yihyun could ask anything, the man swiftly left. The two women, who had been whispering to each other for a moment, approached Yihyun and made a few requests.

“If you walk down this long hallway, you will reach the banquet hall. Since His Highness has decided to forgo the formalities and only drink the ceremonial wine… please follow our lead and exchange bows…”

As their words continued, Yihyun pressed his lips together tightly. The voice that had warned him not to touch his lips resurfaced in his mind, but it was already too late. However, the man did not seem to care whether something was applied to Yihyun’s lips or not, so it should be fine. He swallowed something slightly sweet yet oddly bitter along with his saliva.

The multiple layers of skirts were voluminous and beautiful, but nothing seemed more inconvenient when it came to movement. Unable to sit properly, Yihyun remained in place until he was led outside by the two court ladies.

Despite it being the middle of winter, the sunlit corridor felt quite warm. Stepping onto the dark brown wooden floor, Yihyun walked slowly. The silk shoes he was wearing for the first time made it difficult to walk properly. They were too small, making his toes ache, and the slippery soles made it feel like his heels would soon slip out.

His already slow steps became even slower. As Yihyun hastily took a clumsy step, one of his shoes slipped off instantly. Unable to hide his embarrassment, he stood there as one of the court ladies silently put the shoe back on him. Fortunately, the attendants standing on either side did not rush him, allowing Yihyun to reach the ceremonial hall without further incident.

Inside, the space was vast and high-ceilinged, and the man was already standing there. Unlike before, he was now dressed in an almost-black dopo². Yihyun, with no time to take in his surroundings, found himself drawn forward, standing in front of the man as if in a trance. Up close, he could see that the garment was also adorned with intricate patterns.

“Exchange bows.”

The low whisper tickled the rim of Yihyun’s ear. Exchange bows… How do I do it? Before he could panic, the attendants beside him adjusted his posture and gently pressed down on his shoulders, guiding him into position. His clumsy attempt at bending his legs was thankfully concealed by the voluminous layers of fabric.

As he barely managed to steady his weakened legs and rise again, his eyes met the man’s. The man, with a slight smile, pulled Yihyun by the waist and positioned him in front of a table where food and two cups had been placed. The cups were filled with what looked like clear water.

“We will drink the wine three times.”

Following the man’s lead, Yihyun picked up the cup before him and brought it to his lips. It was his first time drinking alcohol. Would he let out exclamations like the people on TV when they drank? Even amid his confusion, his curiosity did not fade. The moment the liquid entered his mouth, he nearly spat it out. It was bitter and had no real taste.

“Here.”

The man extended a cup with half the wine remaining. Yihyun, unsure of what it meant, blankly alternated his gaze between the man and the offered cup before hesitantly leaning forward to place his lips on it. The man let out a quiet chuckle.

“Switch cups.”

Ah, the cup… Startled, Yihyun hurriedly extended the cup he was holding, causing the liquid, which was more than half full, to slosh over the edge. His hand grew cold as the alcohol dampened his skin, and the sleeve of his garment darkened slightly with a reddish hue.

As he instinctively shrank back, feeling that he had made a mistake, he lifted his head to see the man nonchalantly exchanging their cups. Following the man’s actions, Yihyun pressed his lips to the same spot the man had touched and took another small sip. The taste was still awful. If it’s this bitter, why do the people on TV always seem to enjoy it so much?

“One more time.”

This time, Yihyun properly switched the cups. The man, watching him in silence, let out another chuckle, as if he found the situation somewhat ridiculous. After swallowing a small sip, he took the cup from Yihyun’s hand and placed it back on the table.

Once they had shared the wine three times, the man moved beside Yihyun and pulled him into his embrace by the waist.

“Straighten your back.”

A large hand gripped his waist. His right leg kept bending on its own, making him feel as if he would collapse, but thanks to the support, he was able to stand upright.

“Straighten your back and smile.”

Pulling him a little closer, the man whispered the words. Yihyun barely managed to lift the corners of his lips, but he didn’t truly understand what it meant to smile. He simply imitated the man’s expression.

Click, click—the sound came from the object held by the person in front of them. Finally, with a moment to take in his surroundings, Yihyun spotted his father sitting in one of the seats. A shudder ran through him. He turned his head away in an attempt to avoid eye contact, and the clicking sound also came to a stop.

“Is it done?”

“Yes.”

As soon as the photographer responded, the arm around Yihyun’s waist withdrew. Now standing completely upright, the man seemed even larger than before. As Yihyun staggered slightly, the man instinctively caught his arm and called for the court ladies.

“Take her back to where she was before and let her rest.”

Then, looking at Yihyun, he added one more thing.

“Go and rest.”

“I…”

He had been told not to speak, but surely asking one question would be fine. From the very beginning, a single thought had consumed Yihyun’s mind. He blurted it out without any order or coherence.

“Who are you?”

Glancing around, he lowered his voice so only the man could hear. The man brought his lips close to Yihyun’s ear and whispered back.

“…I’m the person who married you, Han Yihyun- ssi.³”

“What? Married…?”

“I’ll explain later. For now, just go.”

Yihyun had been about to ask again, but instead, he bit his lip and gave a small nod. With support, he stepped back into the room he had been in earlier. As soon as he was inside, the door closed behind him.

What on earth is going on?

He had asked himself that question dozens of times, even sought answers from others, yet he still had none. Once again, he turned it over in his mind as he leaned back against a small chair.