I-jun's POV
"Hachoo!" I sneezed.
I had just finished taking a bath and changing out of my wet clothes. The king was there, watching me suffer in the cold.
"I told you, you'd get sick."
"I'm sorry. Hachoo!"
The king looked concerned. "Here, drink this," he said, offering me tea.
"Min Yun should have taken care of you."
"It wasn't his fault. I forced him."
"Even so, he should have said no."
"Are you angry at him?"
He sighed. "No."
"Hachoo!!!" I kept sneezing, and I could feel myself getting sick. If Min Yun found out about my condition, he would surely nag me.
"I'll call the royal doctor," the king said.
I stopped him. "Don't do that. I'll take a rest."
The king looked hesitant but agreed.
"I'll stay here then."
"What? Why?" I asked, looking nervous.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything to you."
"I didn't think about that," I said nervously.
He laughed. "Sleep now. Get some rest."
King's POV
Even though she hesitated, she followed me. She lay on the bed, and I placed a blanket over her.
"Are you just going to stay there?"
"Yes."
"It'll hurt your body if you sit like that the whole night."
"Don't mind me."
"Are you sure?"
"Do you want me to lie on the bed too?"
"No!"
I laughed at her response. "Okay, sleep now."
She closed her eyes. I stared at her face. She looked so peaceful and beautiful. I smiled. I was so happy knowing she was alive. I thought my life was ruined when I believed she was dead. What I felt then was the same as when my father died—hopeless and devastated. It was the feeling of having nowhere to go, of having no one left to protect or save me.
I heard her soft snoring and laughed silently. Looking at her like this calmed my heart.
I was interrupted when the eunuch announced that Min Yun was here.
I let him enter, even though it was late at night.
"Why are you still here?" I asked Min Yun.
"I was just worried about her," he said, looking at I-jun.
"Next time, don't let her do that," I said.
"She just missed our childhood," he reasoned.
"She shouldn't get sick."
"Why? Because you don't want the ministers to know?"
I could sense he was mad at me.
"Are you mad at me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"In the first place, I-jun shouldn't be here."
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you even realize you're using her?"
"What do you mean?"
"When I saw her protecting you against the ministers... You didn't even try to stand as the king. You just let I-jun handle the situation. I'm always afraid that you can't protect her."
I remained silent.
"Her goal is to protect you. But my goal is to protect her."
"Why are you like that?"
"Because I don't want my cousin to get hurt."
Right! His cousin. I thought he was nagging me as if he liked I-jun. I forgot they were blood-related.
"I'm sorry. I know you treasure her a lot and you don't want her to get hurt, but I'm trying."
"We almost lost her. I don't want that to happen again."
"I won't allow her this time."
He stood up and faced me. "Don't let other people hurt I-jun. You just borrowed her from our family. If she gets hurt again, I will barge in and take her back." Then he bowed his head and left.
I was left in awe. I knew Min Yun had a point, and I understood it. If I were in his shoes, I would do the same. But when I saw him with I-jun—wet and smiling—I couldn't help but feel envy. Min Yun can do everything he wants with I-jun, while I can't even get soaked in the rain with her. I wish I were just an ordinary person. No position, no obligations.
I-jun's POV
I woke up when I heard a voice from outside.
I looked to my right and saw the king sleeping. His head and hands were on my bed while the rest of his body was on the floor.
I pitied him, seeing him in such an uncomfortable position. I knew it wasn't easy for him.
"Your Highness, your eunuch is calling you."
"Hmmmm," he mumbled and lazily opened his eyes.
I coughed and sneezed. I felt myself, and to my surprise, I was incredibly hot.
"Do you have a fever?" he asked, then placed his hand on my neck.
"I told you," he said, then immediately called the eunuch.
"Call the royal doctor," he ordered, and the eunuch hurriedly went out.
"I told you not to call the doctor," I said to him.
"You have a fever. How can you get better without medicine?"
I sighed. I get this for being stubborn—sometimes it's not a good idea.
"Are you hungry now?"
I shrugged.
We waited there for 10 minutes before the doctor arrived in a hurry.
"Your Highness," the doctor greeted us.
He checked me first and performed a test through acupuncture.
I felt the needles on my body, but I endured it.
"You have a high fever, Your Highness," he said. "Let me give you some medicine."
The doctor was about to call my court ladies, but the king stopped him.
"I'll do that, doctor. She's my wife, after all," he said.
I looked at him seriously as he listened to the doctor's prescription.
I thought I had a strong immune system, but I was wrong. If only I had listened to Min Yun, this wouldn't have happened.
"I hope you get better, Your Highness," the doctor said.
"Yes, I will," I replied with a smile.
Before the doctor left, he made me take an herbal medicine. It was bitter—I wanted to puke but forced myself not to.
He gave me three herbal medicines in total, all equally awful in taste.
After that, the doctor excused himself and left.
"You can go back to your chamber now," I told the king.
"This is the least I can do."
"Your Highness…"
"Your cousin nagged me last night. He said I should protect you, too."
"Min Yun?" I asked.
He laughed. "Who else?"
"He came here last night while I was sleeping?"
He nodded. "Maybe he felt guilty, too. After all, it was partly his fault you got sick."
I shrugged. "It's actually my fault. I forced him. Anyway, I'll try to get better."
"You should."
"Now go to your chamber, Your Highness. You need to rest as well."
"I'm fine."
"Please. My court ladies are here to assist me. You shouldn't worry about me. The ministers might think something's wrong if you're not in your chamber."
He sighed. "I'm sorry for not protecting you in front of them. I should've done what you did for me."
I chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Now go. Rest for a while."
Even if he was hesitant, he followed my request. After he left, I sighed and lay back on my bed. Suddenly, I thought of Von.
I sighed again. I didn't even know if she would still treat me as her best friend when I got back. What I did was probably unforgivable. But I hoped she would understand why I had to return to this book.
The book! Right! I hadn't seen it in a while. I got up, ignoring the aching in my body, and searched my things.
"Where is it?" I muttered as I looked around, but I couldn't find it.
"I-jun."
I turned toward the voice.
"Min Yun!"
"I thought you were sick?" he asked.
"Ah, yeah. I'm just looking for my book."
"The one you're always carrying?"
"Yes."
"Where did you last put it?"
"I can't remember…"
"Let me help you find it."
King's POV
"Your Highness, here is your tea," the eunuch said as he placed the cup on the table. I had returned to my chamber, as the queen had ordered.
I sipped the tea while staring at the book.
"You've been staring at that book for quite a while, Your Highness. Is something wrong?"
I shrugged. "It's strange. It has no text inside, just a title."
"Where did you get it?"
"I found it last night while the queen was sleeping. I accidentally saw it."
"What if the queen is looking for it?"
"I'll return it later. At least I'll have a reason to visit her chamber."
"You love her, Your Highness?"
I sipped my tea again. Love? Maybe. But one thing's certain—I-jun has a place in my heart.
I-jun's POV
I was starting to get worried. I had searched every corner of my chamber, but the book was nowhere to be found. No book meant… I couldn't go back home.
I sighed in frustration. I should've taken better care of it.
"Are you okay?" Min Yun asked.
"Yes." I pretended to be fine, but inside, I was anxious.
"I'll search for the book outside. Maybe you just left it somewhere."
"Thank you, Min Yun. You know how much it means to me. I badly need it for hints."
"I know. Just rest and leave it to me."
I nodded and lay back down.
Min Yun gently pulled the blanket over me until only my head was visible.
"Rest and let your body recover. Next time, I won't let you get soaked in the rain."
I laughed. "But I still want to do it."
He shook his head. "The king will definitely nag me if you get sick again."
"Okay, okay. I won't do it again."
"I won't stay long. I need to go to the office and start looking."
I thanked him and watched him leave.
Evening...
The doctor came again to give me another round of herbal medicine. I'd never had any in my life—not until I ended up in this book.
"Your Majesty, here's your medicine."
I took it and drank it, resisting the bitter taste. Then he told me to lie down for another check-up.
I saw the needles in his bag. My eyes widened.
"I'll be performing acupuncture, Your Highness."
I nodded, though I was hesitant. Doctors here were definitely different from the ones in my world.
After a few minutes of treatment, the doctor left.
Just in time—the king arrived.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
But I couldn't answer. My eyes were fixed on something in his hand.
Why is the king holding my book?