* * *

Knock knock.

A faint knock echoed through the quiet study.

When Philip opened the door, Anna stepped forward to stand in front of Yigang’s desk.

“Your Majesty, Cheong Dowoon has just fallen asleep.”

Yigang’s gaze drifted to the clock on his desk.

The minute hand ticking busily pointed to 8 p.m.

Usually, he wouldn’t fall asleep until late at night, so it was quite early.

“All he did today was meet with Ian, right? And it’s still early.”

“Yes, but… he seemed more fatigued than usual.”

Anna recalled Dowoon’s dazed expression when he had come out of Ian’s room.

He had looked absent-minded, as if he was lost in thought, all the way back to the palace.

After confirming that the bedroom was now quiet, Anna had immediately reported to Yigang.

After a moment of silence, Yigang slowly rose from his seat.

“Philip, take care of things here.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Glancing briefly at the papers on his desk, Yigang gave Philip an order.

“Overtime it is,” Philip muttered with a hollow smile, bowing slightly.

As Yigang headed for the door, Asel and Anna followed, only for Yigang to halt and turn to look at them.

“I’m going to the bedroom. You two can leave.”

Thinking he was ending work early, Asel and Anna bowed in silence, realizing he was going to see Dowoon.

Thud.

The door to the study closed behind him.

Watching Yigang’s retreating figure, Anna didn’t speak until his presence faded entirely.

“Lately, don’t you think there’s something odd between the two?”

Though she wasn’t looking for a response from anyone in particular, Asel beside her tilted his head in mild confusion.

“I’m not sure.”

“Sir Asel, really? Don’t you think His Majesty is showing more interest in Dowoon? Dowoon, on the other hand, seems rather indifferent. It used to be the opposite.”

As Asel considered Anna’s words, his blue eyes took on a thoughtful gleam.

‘Is that so? Maybe, maybe not…’

After a moment of doubt, Asel shook his head.

“His Majesty has always been concerned for Dowoon. He just doesn’t show it, so Dowoon isn’t aware.”

“That! Exactly that, Asel!”

Anna’s black eyes gleamed with a fierce light as she raised her voice.

“Yes? What… what do you mean?”

“That’s the issue! His Majesty doesn’t show it! That’s the kind of thing he needs to show, especially with someone as soft-hearted as Dowoon.”

‘…Soft-hearted?’

Asel’s eyes flickered with confusion at Anna’s words.

He understood they were discussing the same topic, but he found it difficult to grasp her underlying meaning.

Still, if he showed any sign of this, Anna would undoubtedly look at him with disappointment.

She would surely say, “How could you have had thirty lovers and still not know this?”

He hadn’t even heard it yet, but he could almost hear it already.

“Yes, I think so.”

In the end, Asel pretended to understand and quietly nodded along.

“Of course, right? Now, listen to me closely, Asel. As the prince’s confidant, this won’t do. Starting now, we need to…”

Soon, Anna’s voice filled his ears with a barrage of words, all excitedly throwing out terms that sounded like a grand “Operation!”

“…so, just do it like that. Got it?”

“Yes…”

Forget it. Asel nodded, deciding to just go along with it.

Anna was usually right about these things, so she probably was this time, too.

---

The door to the bedroom opened soundlessly.

Across the room, Baek Yigang spotted Dowoon sprawled messily across the wide bed and narrowed his eyes with a slight smirk.

It was that smile—the one Dowoon sometimes scolded him for, asking why he looked so sinister.

What had he said?

Something like, “I’ve never seen anyone smile as eerily as you.”

He didn’t recall the exact words, but it was something along those lines.

Turning to glance at himself in the mirror nearby, Yigang saw his expression and began to understand why Dowoon had made that comment.

As Yigang moved toward the bed, Dowoon seemed to sense his presence, stirring slightly and opening his eyes with a groggy look.

His navy-blue eyes blinked blankly in a drowsy daze before they finally settled on Yigang.

“Oh, Baek Yigang. You’re early.”

“If you sleep like that, you’ll ruin your back.”

“Oh, you didn’t seem to notice earlier, but now you’re worried about me?”

With a faint smile, Dowoon shifted to pull his legs up onto the bed from where they’d been dangling.

Does he even find breathing a bother? Yigang’s gaze swept over Dowoon, a bit disdainful.

“…If it weren’t for that pitying look, I’d think you were genuinely worried about me.”

“Noticing? What do you mean?”

Ignoring Dowoon’s grumbling, Yigang responded.

“You know, back when we were around the people from the Arte Empire. You and I made eye contact.”

Still half-asleep, Dowoon spoke while closing his eyes again, his messy brown hair spilling over his face as he shifted lazily.

“…I wasn’t pretending not to notice.”

Yigang reached out and gently brushed Dowoon’s hair back, to which Dowoon let out a quiet laugh.

“Well, I didn’t greet you either, if we’re being picky.”

“You seemed pretty friendly with Ian.”

With one eye half-open, Dowoon looked up at Yigang, who was gazing down at him, and lazily nodded.

“Yeah. Meeting him often makes that happen, I guess.”

“Don’t go holding hands in front of others like that.”

As Yigang spoke, he deftly continued undoing the buttons on his black jacket trimmed with gold.

He took it off with a practiced, calm demeanor, still keeping the conversation going.

“Why? I hold hands with you, too. If anything, shouldn’t I be more careful with you? You’re the crown prince…”

Dowoon stared at him, a bit mesmerized, then quickly shut his eyes, worried that Yigang would catch him looking.

Why was he changing clothes right in front of him? It was impossible to guess.

When Yigang’s movements quieted and his attire lightened, Dowoon finally opened his eyes again.

“Baek Yigang, come lie down. Tonight…”

Dowoon trailed off, his voice softening.

“…I’ll help you sleep, like last time.”

With that, he finished his sentence, unremarkable as it was, and Yigang nodded.

---

A shaft of light pierced his eyelids, forcing him to open his eyes.

It was a perfectly fresh morning, yet he didn’t feel particularly refreshed.

Though he had gone to bed early the previous night, he’d spent much of it tossing and turning, which might explain why his back now seemed to scream in protest.

“….”

Suddenly, he noticed Baek Yigang sleeping right next to him.

Judging from his steady, peaceful breathing, he was still deep asleep.

“…Hah.”

Sighing, he rubbed his face, feeling the tension in his expression, then buried his head in the blanket.

Last night, he should have helped Yigang with his insomnia.

But he hadn’t.

If anyone asked, “Why?”… Well, he didn’t want to say.

The thought of voicing the reason out loud felt too close to admitting those feelings.

So, forcing his mind elsewhere, he began to convince himself.

If Yigang thanked him, then…

If he broke the possession without having made him emperor, it’d be against the contract.

There was still that clause, after all, signed and all.

And so…

“Ugh, what nonsense.”

His hair was a mess from all his tossing, with stray locks sticking out everywhere.

Pushing them back, he gently shook Yigang’s shoulder.

“Baek Yigang, wake up.”

After just a light shake, Yigang’s eyes opened wide, and his sharp violet gaze quickly scanned the view outside the window.

“…The sun’s up.”

Yigang scowled at the sight outside, then slowly sat up, disgruntled.

“I’ve slept too long.”

To think someone would be upset about seeing the sunrise.

“That’s normal. Most people wake up after the sun rises.”

“Are you saying I’ve been abnormal all this time?”

“Glad you get it.”

Yigang let out a small chuckle.

He seemed to have grown used to both falling asleep and waking up now.

He still might not fully accept waking up after sunrise, but that would come with time.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did, but you seem like you didn’t.”

Despite his casual tone, his gaze was sharp.

It was strange.

Baek Yigang, who usually paid no attention to others, could read him so well.

“You… you seem oddly invested in me…”

“You like it.”

Yigang answered playfully, giving him a knowing look before lightly hopping out of bed with a refreshed expression.

* * *