★★★★★ 

••EMPEROR'S CHAMBER••

The guards opened the door for Borah and she entered, she walked into the Emperor's bedroom, the Emperor also came out from the dressing room, he was already wearing the sleeping robe.

"Your majesty" Borah bowed.

"You summoned me" She said with an hint of gladness in her voice.

"I feel heavy" The emperor muttered.

Borah moved closer to him.

"Are you okay? You don't look like you're pleased" She said and touched his face.

"I'm angry" The emperor scoffed.

"That's why I called you" He sighed.

"How about a drink together your majesty" Borah suggested and the emperor nodded.

She made him sit down and she went to get the wine and glasses, she poured for the emperor first and then herself.

"Go on and drink your majesty, that might make you feel better a little bit" She said.

The emperor said nothing and drank all before dropping the glass, Borah also finished hers.

She haven't dropped her glass when the emperor grabbed her by the dress and pulled her on the bed.

"Your majesty" Borah held him tight, smiling at his reaction, he must have missed her a lot.

He took off her dress himself and it was followed by Borah's loud moans.

★

••PASSAGE WAY••

Jimin was sitting down alone, his eyes on the ground. Since the emperor had yelled at him, he haven't been able to control the tears falling off his eyes.

He just couldn't imagine going back to the past, all those angers and hatred the emperor had for him, he don't want to imagine going back to those moments.

Even though he was confused why the sudden change, what happened? But couldn't find the right answers to them.

"Jimin?" He heard someone called him and he raised his head.

Miran was standing right there looking surprised why he was crying.

"Are you okay Jimin?" She asked.

Jimin wiped his tears and shook his head.

"Then get up from there, it's late. Come with me if you feel like talking to anyone" Miran said.

Jimin stood up and followed her, they both went to her room.

"So, what's the problem?" Miran asked after Jimin sat down while she made to prepare them some tea.

"I might just......become the hated one again" Jimin muttered.

"How?" Miran faced him, holding two small mugs in her hand, she handed one to Jimin before sitting on the stool in front of him.

"His majesty.....is mad at me" Jimin muttered and wiped his tears.

"You did something?" Miran asked curiously.

"I would love to know too, I don't want him to hate me again, I don't" Jimin shook his head.

Miran stood up to sit beside him, she rubbed his back.

"He's not going to hate...."

"You should have seen his eyes earlier, the way he was looking at me screams anger and rage, I don't know what happened, I was worried about him......." Jimin said in tears.

"Oh Jimin, you're cute" Miran chuckled and dropped the mug in her hand.

"The emperor isn't your usual human, you must have noticed" She muttered and Jimin looked at her.

"What is he?" He asked.

"I won't be the one to tell you that you know? So don't worry, I'm sure his majesty have a good reason why he's doing whatever. I mean he's been through a lot and if you think melting that frozen heart would take just few months, then....I think you should know now that it's not possible" Miran said.

"He's really cold" Jimin mumbled.

"Why would he call for the mistress" he said in a lower voice.

"He did what?" Miran asked again.

"Called the mistress over to his chamber, that hurts a lot" Jimin mumbled.

Miran couldn't help but to laugh out, Jimin took his lips in.

"Jimin" Miran called and he looked up.

"You felt bad because he called his mistress? Why?" She asked.

Jimin shook his head.

"I don't know" He said.

Miran sighed.

"Drink your tea, it's good for your body" She said.

"Thanks" Jimin said and gulped down everything.

He stood up after that.

"Goodnight court lady" He bowed and simply went out.

Miran sighed out.

"He's really innocent, I wish the emperor understands his pure heart sooner" She muttered.

★

••NEXT DAY, EMPEROR'S CHAMBER••

Emperor Jungkook finally walked out of his room after hours of the maids announcing his breakfast arrival. He wasn't expecting to see anyone since he already asked them all to leave but Miran was standing there, the table fully set.

"Good morning your majesty" She bowed in respect.

"What are you doing here Miran" The emperor asked and Miran pulled out the seat for him to sit which he did.

"I wanted to serve you today myself your majesty since Jimin couldn't come" Miran said.

The emperor ignored what she said and took the spoon.

"You can go....."

"No, I want to watch you eat your majesty" Miran said and the emperor looked up.

"Why?" He asked.

"You always allow Jimin stay with you while you eat....."

"Says who?" He dropped his spoon and Miran sighed.

"You are really angry" She said sadly.

"You're making me even more angry when you keep mentioning that name" Emperor Jungkook snapped.

"I'm sorry your majesty" Miran bowed.

"Take the food away, I'm not hungry and you know that" He muttered and stood up.

"Your majesty, you're back to your old self" Miran said and he looked at her.

"No, not my old self. My real self" He uttered and Miran gulped.

"I'm going to spare you because it is you Miran" The emperor muttered.

The door opened and Namjoon came in.

"Your majesty, I'm here to guard you to the Court Room. The meeting was rescheduled like you said" Namjoon said moved closer to fix his hair more better.

He didn't allow any of the maids touch him, he insisted on dressing up himself.

After the emperor and Namjoon left the chamber, Miran also did.

★

••AREUM VILLAGE, A MINISTER'S RESIDENCE••

Duri entered his parents suite and his servants stopped at the door, he met his father and mother discussing but they stopped the moment he entered.

"I'm here abeoji, eomeoni" He bowed, smiling beautifully.

"Take a seat my beautiful prince" The father said proudly and Duri sat down.

"Gumahwo abeoji" He smiled at his mother who returned the same.

"You've been making me proud for years my son, and I know this is a payback for your good manners Duri" His father said.

Duri only smiled, he was confused.

"Here" His mother handed a letter to him.

"Read it"

Duri took the letter and immediately unwrapped it, he saw the stamp first and his eyes widened.

It's definitely from the royal councils, he started reading the letter and a gasp escaped his lips.

"This is......real?" He asked.

"Yes my son... You have been recognized to be qualified to the empress of Baekje Empire" His mother said.

Duri screamed out.

"I'm sure you know you have to pass through some phase with the emperor and please him enough to approve you" His father said.

"I know abeoji, you can trust me" Duri said, looking so over joyous.

"According to them, they will be back to take you in five days time, so start getting ready."

"De eomeoni!!" He stood up and ran out of the suite.

★

••NIGHT, GEOMEUL'S PLACE••

Geomeul was just done gathering her herbs together in the garden, she turned to leave but shifted back at once the moment she saw the emperor standing right there, his two hands behind him.

He let out a scornful smile and looked around.

"I didn't expect the great dark witch to tremble on seeing me" He said.

Geomeul said nothing and moved back a little bit again.

"Your majesty" She bowed.

The emperor vanished from her sight and she immediately looked around to find him.

"Look up" she heard his voice and she looked up, he was sitting on the tree there, resting his back.

"Sometimes I always forget I'm the devil and I try so hard to act like the emperor which I hate" He muttered then looked at her.

"I know everything you've been doing Geomeul, everything. I'm still surprised you don't know" He said.

"Your majesty, I........"

"Borah too.....but I'm sure you should know by now that I'm never going to hurt her, but when you press me too much, I might just kill you" The emperor said.

"Are you sure you're not going to hurt her?" Geomeul summoned the courage to ask.

"No I won't, nothing you do can work on me Geomeul, so why would I hurt her?" He asked and laughed dryly.

"But, why not maintain your second chance?? My ears make too much noise anytime she's here with you and it's annoying, that's why I'm here. I'm not here to warn you to stop what you're doing, but try to reduce your voice, it's too loud and ugly to listen to" The emperor said and appeared in front of her again, the wind blew her back and she fell heavily.

"Oh sorry, I can't control those winds following me, it was fire but I tried so hard to turn it into wind" The emperor smirked before he finally vanished.

Geomeul swallowed hard and stood up.

"How did he find out everything? Just.....why do I keep forgetting what he is?" She muttered

★

••NIGHT, BAEKJE PALACE••

Jimin was walking with Yongbok along the palace field, holding hands.

"I do much love the breeze" Yongbok said.

"Me too, I feel so happy walking with you" Jimin muttered.

"His majesty haven't called you yet?" Yongbok asked and Jimin shook his head.

"I feel like he might never call me" Jimin said.

"Then....shouldn't you be happy?" Yongbok smiled and Jimin looked at him.

"I should?" He asked.

"Yes...I believe those moments were just forced and not what you want. I understand you might even hate him for everything, and now I think you should be glad" Yongbok said.

Jimin thought for a while and bite his lips.

"Maybe I should" He muttered but he knew he just lied.

He's far from anything like glad or happy, he's not even close.

Yongbok suddenly turned to him.

"I should go, I have a plan with Hyunjin, he must be waiting for me already" He said.

"Oh, go on. I will also go to my room" Jimin said.

Yongbok blew him a kiss before running away.

Jimin sighed out loudly and looked up to see the moon and stars shining so brightly up there.

"Whoa" He smiled and immediately run to the other side but he stepped on something and he felt hurt.

He slowly looked up, he just stepped on a giant looking thorn, before he could even think, he could see his own blood on the ground, his foot still where it was.

"Ahh!!!" Jimin screamed painfully and fell on the ground, he looked at his leg.

The thorn.....isn't a thorn...it's a nail.

He could feel the pain in his head, the nail was still inside and there was no way he would try to remove it himself, never.

"Someone help!!" He cried out tearfully.

Emperor Jungkook appeared at that moment and instantly their eyes locked.

Jimin looked at him with tears in his eyes.

"My....Lord" He called.

The emperor looked at him coldly for a second and he turned right in his face, he walked away without looking back.

"He.....left" Jimin muttered, more tears falling down from his eyes.

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TBC