IBPC | Chapter 12.3

But Kangmu stopped speaking, looking at Heegon with a slightly puzzled expression. Heegon’s face was filled with intense emotion.

“Did you understand what I said correctly? Imprinting can’t be done against the other’s will.”

“……”

“So, hyung-nim, consider what you feel for that boy… You need to be in sync…”

But Heegon didn’t respond to Kangmu’s uneasy question. He stood there, seemingly lost in thought, then turned and began to leave Kangmu’s room.

Watching him go, Kangmu realized too late that something was amiss.

⊹₊⟡⋆

Heegon couldn’t even wait for the court lady to open the door fully. He pushed it open with such force that it seemed like he might break it down, entering the room with a loud noise. Seoyul, who was inside, flinched and turned his head in surprise. As their eyes met, Heegon ordered Dubo, who was also in the room.

“Leave us.”

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Dubo glanced at Seoyul for guidance before exiting the room. Seoyul looked up at Heegon with a nervous gaze, wondering if something had happened.

“Is something wrong…?”

He worried that more people might have discovered he was an omega, but Heegon approached him with long strides, making that concern seem trivial. Heegon reached out and roughly grabbed Seoyul’s arm, pulling him up.

“……?!”

Seoyul was pulled to his feet by Heegon’s forceful grip, looking up at him in confusion.

“Why are you doing this?”

“You lied to me, didn’t you?”

“……? What?”

Seoyul frowned, not understanding the sudden accusation. He wanted to ask what Heegon meant, but Heegon spoke again in a low, controlled voice.

“Why did you tell me not to bite your neck?”

He was asking for confirmation, but it wasn’t a last chance. He already knew everything and was confronting Seoyul about his deceit.

“……”

Seoyul instinctively sensed this.

Lie. Neck.

Just those words were enough for Seoyul to understand why Heegon was acting this way.

Did he find out about imprinting?

Seoyul’s heart sank at the thought. He looked at Heegon with trembling eyes, suddenly questioning why he was being treated this way.

He had hidden the truth about imprinting from Heegon and told him not to bite his neck. Heegon had found out later.

But what difference did it make? Was there ever any meaning to imprinting between them?

With emotions quickly settling, Seoyul grabbed Heegon’s wrist, pulling it away from himself as he finally responded.

“I didn’t explain it properly, but… is there a problem?”

“What… did you say?”

“I’m not going to imprint with you, Your Highness.”

Seoyul’s eyes met Heegon’s with a look of obviousness. Heegon frowned slightly at Seoyul’s expression.

“But if we imprinted, only I would be able to sense your scent—”

“—Do you even know what imprinting is?”

“……”

“If you imprint, the two of you can’t be separated. You can’t live apart from each other.”

Seoyul took a step back from Heegon, erecting an invisible wall with his cold gaze.

“I have to go back.”

“……?”

“If I imprint with you, I can’t return to where I came from… Since I won’t be imprinting, I didn’t see the need to mention it.”

Heegon was left speechless, not by the concept of imprinting, but by the new revelation.

“I have to go back.”

“What do you mean… go back? Who, where?”

But just as Heegon was bewildered, Seoyul became anxious at his reaction.

“Why are you saying it like that? You promised to let me go back once I had your child.”

“……”

“Isn’t that why you’re looking for another Eumin? Even if I can’t have a child, until you find another Eumin, that’s what we agreed on.”

The tremor in Seoyul’s eyes, filled with disbelief, made Heegon grit his teeth.

Go back? That boy… wants to return to where he came from?

Having a child or finding another Eumin—those conditions were likely set by Pacheon.

Was that it? Whether Pacheon meant it sincerely or just to placate the boy, there had been such an agreement between them. Seoyul had been waiting for the day he could leave and return.

The thought of Seoyul leaving his side—just the idea of it made it hard to breathe, tightening his throat. Heegon raised his gaze, colder than before.

“I never made such a promise.”

“……!!”

Seoyul’s face turned pale at Heegon’s words, looking pitifully stricken.

“Then… no, surely… you’re not saying I have to stay here?”

“……”

“I can’t do that!”

Seoyul clutched his chest, overwhelmed with confusion.

Heegon watched him for a moment, unable to speak, then reached out again. This time, he grabbed Seoyul’s shoulders with both hands, pulling him closer. Looking down at Seoyul’s face from up close, Heegon struggled to suppress the emotions boiling inside him.

“You… are mine. I made that clear from the start.”

“But…!”

“I won’t send you back. Even if you can’t have a child, I can’t let you go. So…”

Heegon’s gaze shifted to Seoyul’s neck. Feeling it, Seoyul shivered. Heegon looked back into Seoyul’s eyes.

“I will do the imprinting.”

His words were like a command. Seoyul looked up at Heegon in disbelief, then bit the inside of his cheek hard. He pushed Heegon away with all his strength.

“Why should I imprint with you? I don’t want to!”

“As long as you are to be mine—”

“—You said it was enough to have a child!”

“……”

“You’re looking for a replacement anyway, so why imprint with me?!”

Seoyul trembled with indignation, his face showing disbelief.

“Besides, I don’t want to imprint with you. I won’t do it with someone like you, I…”

It was an absolute rejection directed at Heegon.

“I’ll do it with someone I truly care about. Imprinting is for someone who genuinely cherishes me.”

It was as if he could see how Seoyul truly felt about him. Heegon felt his entire body tense up as he looked at Seoyul.

There were too many things pushing him, making it impossible to close the distance between them.

⊹₊⟡⋆

Kangmu had been closely observing Heegon for a while. It was a meeting with the ministers to discuss the state affairs assigned to the princes. However, it was clear that Heegon was lost in thought, unable to focus.

After their conversation about imprinting yesterday, Kangmu had worried that something might go wrong when Heegon left as if possessed. Fortunately, nothing seemed to have happened.

“……”

Despite Kangmu’s blatant gaze, Heegon seemed too preoccupied to notice. His mind was consumed by a single thought that had taken hold of him since yesterday, growing increasingly burdensome.

“If I imprint with Your Highness, I can’t return to where I came from… Since I won’t be imprinting, I didn’t see the need to mention it.”

He had thought Seoyul was adapting well here and that their relationship wasn’t bad. But Seoyul had already decided to leave… Or had he willingly come into his arms just to return?

“Besides, I don’t want to imprint with you. I won’t do it with someone like you, I… I’ll do it with someone I truly care about. Imprinting is for someone who genuinely cherishes me.”

And after that, he would do that imprinting thing with someone else, not me…

“With someone… else…”

Muttering to himself, Heegon clenched his hand on the table.

Logically, Seoyul wasn’t being unreasonable. After all, he only needed to have an heir with the boy, and if not, just manage the erotomania. Moreover, if he promised a deadline to find another Eumin, he wouldn’t be at a loss. But…

There was one thing his rational mind couldn’t overcome. A stubbornness that overturned all other reasons.

The thought of Seoyul being held by someone else, of someone else looking down at his face and kissing him, made Heegon dizzy with anger. That boy was his, so why should he imagine Min Seoyul belonging to someone else?

“……”

Yes, as a prince of the Jinha Kingdom and soon to be Crown Prince, it wasn’t fitting.

Seoyul couldn’t belong to anyone else. Why should he hesitate?

His thoughts kept circling back to the same conclusion.

At this point, Heegon decided that further hesitation was meaningless. He opened his clenched fist and placed it on the table, then pushed back his chair and stood up.

“…Hyung-nim?”

Kangmu, who had been watching Heegon, was startled when he suddenly stood up and tried to stop him. But Heegon didn’t even look at Kangmu as he made his way through the murmuring crowd and left the room.

Heegon’s steps were calm, yet heavier than ever.

“From now on…”

As he left, Heegon quietly gave orders to the eunuch following him.

“Dismiss all the eunuchs and court ladies from my quarters.”

“…What?”

“Make sure no one enters until I call for them. …Do you understand?”

The eunuch swallowed hard, seeing the ominously calm expression on Heegon’s face.

“Understood, Your Highness.”

⊹₊⟡⋆

Seoyul thought the conversation about imprinting with Heegon was over. When Heegon had come to him with such intensity yesterday, Seoyul had been very worried.

But when Heegon left without a word after hearing that Seoyul didn’t want to imprint, Seoyul thought he had accepted it. He believed that Heegon was just upset about the hidden truth regarding imprinting and that they could have a calm conversation later.

“……”

But now, looking at Heegon standing over him, Seoyul realized how naive that thought had been. All the court ladies and eunuchs had suddenly left the quarters, which was unusual.

When Heegon entered the room, he seemed the same as always, yet his overly calm eyes were sharp enough to send chills down Seoyul’s spine.

Seoyul had experienced Heegon’s behavior during his rut and had seen him angry yesterday. But this was different. It felt like…

Dubo’s words about Heegon being a scary person resonated with him. And more than anything…

“What… is going on?”