* * *
I know that face.
The eyes aren’t smiling, only the corners of his mouth are up.
Something definitely got under his skin.
“What was that about a first time? Tell me what you were thinking. I’m fine.”
The hand resting on my shoulder slowly moved to where his lips had touched earlier.
When Minhyuk rubbed the back of my neck with his fingers, goosebumps ran down my skin and I instinctively shrank away.
But he didn’t seem to mind.
“I didn’t mean to upset you…”
“I’m not upset at all. So speak freely.”
He looks upset.
How can I speak freely like this?
“You said earlier… that it was your first time too. If someone’s never done this before—whether Alpha or Omega—it’s natural to feel nervous. You might not know what to do. Oh… wait. Were you lying? I mean, you are a young, dominant Alpha and all…”
“…And what?”
Minhyuk’s voice slowed down, and his smirk deepened.
Uh oh.
That’s the smile he gives when he’s irritated.
I thought it’d be better to just stop talking and smiled awkwardly, but Minhyuk wasn’t about to let it go.
“What were you going to say? That a dominant, energetic Alpha like me couldn’t have possibly made it this far without touching someone? Are you assuming I slept with other Omegas because I couldn’t control my urges? Are you trying to make me out to be some kind of dog?”
That’s not what I meant…
“Let me make this perfectly clear. I’ve never been with another Omega. Not the kind you don’t know what they’ve done or who they’ve been with. I’ve never thought about it, not even once. Got it, Concubine? I won’t in the future either. I’m not someone who just gives in to lust and clings to whoever’s available.”
He must’ve really been offended—every word he spoke was sharp and deliberate.
I was just amazed that such an attractive Alpha—one who was dominant and an Emperor—had never been with anyone before.
Up until now, our relationship had only existed in legal terms.
“You’re popular and all, so I just wondered… I’m sorry. But if it is your first time, theory and reality are two very different things. Even dominant Alphas are human. I just thought… if that’s the case, I’d work with you to make things go smoothly.”
Minhyuk just stared at me as I rambled.
Again with the unsmiling eyes and that rising smirk.
That damn smirk’s about to reach his ears.
After a few seconds of cold silence, he finally opened his mouth.
“You really know how to bruise a guy’s pride. ‘Work together to make things go smoothly’? Judging by earlier, you didn’t look like you’d be in any state to discuss anything. Stuff like this—just leave it to instinct. That’s what Alphas are made for. If you hadn’t had a fever, you wouldn’t have been able to get out of bed tonight. What a shame.”
“…Really?”
“You just focus on taking care of your body. Now that the dam’s broken, the second time will be easier. But I won’t be able to stop then, so you better prepare yourself. I’ll make you realize how wrong you were to say that. Looking forward to it?”
Ugh. That smug confidence is so annoying.
Just you wait.
But somehow, every word he said felt sincere—like he meant to follow through.
So… what exactly should I be preparing?
Come to think of it, how did we even end up having such a suggestive conversation?
Not too long ago, we could barely stand being in the same room, and now this.
I guess it’s true what they say—there’s no such thing as “just friends” between an Alpha and an Omega.
Minhyuk gently laid me down and pulled the blanket up to my chest.
“Just sleep for now. If your fever’s down tomorrow, how about we step out for a bit? Feels like a waste to just go back. Maybe this fever was the universe’s way of telling you to take a little vacation.”
At the word vacation, my simple-minded self perked up.
I had to try that famous fishcake skewer from around here, right?
As I lit up and started mentally planning tomorrow, Minhyuk casually reached out and covered my eyes with his palm.
“Sleep now. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Yeah.
I guess I have been pushing myself too much. It makes sense that I’d spike a fever.
There was a bit of physical contact that felt too natural to ignore, but… it didn’t feel bad.
So I’ll let it go.
Dwelling on it would just make things awkward.
Maybe because of his hand over my eyes, I slowly drifted off to sleep.
Then it hit me—there was only one bed in the room.
Am I really sleeping in the same bed as Joo Minhyuk tonight?
I have terrible sleep habits. I toss and turn a lot, especially when I’m sick.
He’s probably going to get kicked in the middle of the night…
And with that last worry about accidentally hitting him in my sleep, I completely passed out.
✧
After his shower, Minhyuk came back and checked on Haejoo, who was already fast asleep.
His fever had spiked earlier, but after some antipyretics and rest, the redness had subsided and the cold sweat dried off.
“I knew it when I saw you floating in the hot spring.”
Minhyuk had opened his mouth to tell him to get out already, but stopped for one reason.
When he saw Haejoo lying there, silently staring up at the sky, he didn’t want to interrupt.
He couldn’t tell if Haejoo was deep in thought or just enjoying the view—but he was clearly lost in his own world.
And somehow, that moment felt so peaceful.
In a life that constantly suffocated him, Haejoo finally looked like he was taking a real breath, truly resting.
Minhyuk hadn’t wanted to ruin that.
That small bit of consideration had brought them here.
His body isn’t just weak—it’s dangerously frail.
Something needs to be done.
He’ll need a full checkup and a supply of proper medicine or herbal remedies.
Just thinking about what he went through under the Prime Minister with that fragile body was enough to make Minhyuk’s chest tighten.
He had to start taking better care of Haejoo—starting now.
“…You have no idea how hard it was for me to hold back earlier. I was the one who was more frustrated.”
At some point, he realized the wary, indifferent gaze Haejoo used to direct at him had softened.
Haejoo had unconsciously let down his guard around the one who had helped him—Minhyuk could tell. And so he reached out…
And slowly, Haejoo started to draw closer.
He hadn’t expected a kiss to come first.
When the air filled with Haejoo’s pheromones—so intoxicating it was driving him mad—Minhyuk completely lost his grip on reason.
And this time, Haejoo was fully conscious. He didn’t seem to dislike it either.
Minhyuk tried to hold him, but then the fever—again—got in the way.
That incident made one thing painfully clear to Minhyuk:
‘Just how fiercely possessive he was over his own Omega.’
He’d thought he’d never feel that way about Haejoo.
But after they’d grown closer so quickly, that assumption turned out to be completely wrong.
‘He wanted Haejoo—more than anyone.’
He felt almost ridiculous for falling for him so easily.
Though, back then, he hadn’t exactly been in the right state of mind to think clearly.
Minhyuk lightly brushed Haejoo’s nape with his fingers.
‘If this mark shows… no other Alpha would even dare to approach, right?’
That brat of a young cousin, that Beta who’d recently gotten way too close, and that unhinged Dominant Omega—hell, even that mysterious person named Seojoo—none of them would dare come near his concubine again.
Maybe I should just leave a pheromone trail on him, like a territory mark.
Let everyone know he’s mine.
Then no one would even think about asking for Haejoo.
Just as Minhyuk seemed to come to a decision—releasing his pheromones and looking at Haejoo—his phone vibrated loudly on the table.
Worried the sleeping Haejoo might wake up, Minhyuk quickly got up and grabbed it.
He checked the caller ID, glanced back at Haejoo once, and walked into the living room to answer.
“Yeah. What’s the status? Any contact?”
— Your Majesty, the Chancellor has just landed in New Zealand and is on the move to meet them now. He’s being extremely cautious, more than usual.
“Of course he is. He’s preparing a coup to usurp the throne. Being careful and diligent is the bare minimum.”
“You absolutely must avoid being seen. No matter what. This is just recon. We’re only collecting evidence. Understood?”
— Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve already got agents embedded in their household, and they’ve gathered quite a bit of data. We’ll monitor the interior through pre-installed cameras. We won’t slip up.
The Chancellor was preparing treason.
The person he was going to meet was a descendant of Minhyuk’s great-granduncle—someone who had been living a quiet, secluded life.
Minhyuk didn’t know why that man had caught the Chancellor’s eye, but one thing was certain:
‘If he made the wrong choice here and aimed for the throne—he’d be signing his death warrant.’
Minhyuk was not like the previous Emperor, who was kind and soft-hearted.
Minhyuk knew that when someone challenged the Emperor’s authority or crossed the line, the best response was to cut out the root before it could grow.
But in the process… he couldn’t predict what danger might come to the Concubine.
One thing was clear:
‘If the concubine—Haejoo—was removed from Minhyuk’s family registry and returned as the Chancellor’s grandchild, he would not survive.’
No matter what, Haejoo had to remain Minhyuk’s Concubine.
Even if it meant deceiving Haejoo.
Even if Haejoo had to remain completely unaware.
* * *
