* * *

Yigang was not someone particularly concerned with appearances.

How others looked didn’t matter to him as long as they didn’t interfere with his work.

Dowoon was no exception.

When they first met, Yigang had dismissed him as just a large-framed, inexperienced kid.

But then…

‘Isn’t he a little too cute for his size?’

Among ordinary people, Dowoon’s tall and composed appearance stood out immediately, but his actions were often so childish they bordered on ridiculous.

The term “unexpected charm” started to make sense when Yigang thought about Dowoon.

One might expect him to crush someone with ease, but the reality was often the opposite.

Of course, that didn’t mean Dowoon was flawless.

He would spout absurd nonsense or throw childish tantrums, but even those quirks didn’t bother Yigang.

Reaching out without a second thought, Yigang slowly ran his fingers through Dowoon’s soft brown hair.

The silky strands slipped through his fingers effortlessly, like flowing water.

“Mmm…”

Dowoon stirred faintly, his brows furrowing ever so slightly, but he didn’t wake.

Usually, a touch this persistent would make him groggily open his eyes, but perhaps the alcohol had sent him into a deep slumber.

“Coming here changes nothing. This is my palace, after all.”

A faint smirk played on Yigang’s lips as he took Dowoon’s hand, which was draped across the table.

At that moment, soft white light began to gather around them, gently enveloping their forms.

When Yigang blinked, they were suddenly in his bedroom.

Glancing down at Dowoon, who was sprawled haphazardly across the bed, Yigang adjusted his position and carefully tucked him under the covers.

One thing Dowoon seemed to have forgotten recently was that Yigang was also a magician.

Naturally, he could use teleportation magic.

Though he’d never felt the need to demonstrate it in front of Dowoon, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t.

Dowoon had been particularly adamant about him refraining from using dark magic unnecessarily, after all.

“Like I’d waste it on something unnecessary.”

Yigang muttered quietly, closing Dowoon’s slightly parted lips with his hand.

As he looked down at Dowoon, blissfully unaware of anything, a conversation from earlier drifted into his mind like a dream.

‘Your Highness, how would you feel if Dowoon were to have a midnight stroll alone with the Third Prince?’

Just a few days ago, Yigang had caught sight of Dowoon and Lee An walking hand-in-hand in the palace gardens.

How had he felt then?

Ah, right. The first thought that came to mind was to cut off Cheong Dowoon’s hand so he wouldn’t hold anyone else’s again.

Of course, doing so would make Dowoon run away, which was a shame.

‘If Your Highness truly cares for Dowoon, perhaps you could let it show, even just a little. Otherwise, he may never know.’

If showing how he felt would drive Dowoon away, perhaps it was better for him to remain ignorant. Not that Yigang would ever let him escape.

Even if Dowoon cried and screamed, he intended to keep him close.

As long as Dowoon stayed by his side, that was enough.

‘Showing my feelings? What a ridiculous notion.’

“You still have many things to do for me,” Yigang murmured, brushing his fingers against Dowoon’s soft cheek.

His hand lingered on Dowoon’s forehead, where he had once planted a deliberate kiss during a banquet.

A few stray hairs tickled his fingers.

‘Your Highness, if you continue like this, Dowoon may come to despise you!’

“Even if you hate me, I won’t let you go.”

The words “not yet” lingered unsaid.

Perhaps it was because Yigang himself wasn’t sure of what lay ahead.

“…Cheong Dowoon.”

Lowering himself, Yigang rested his face against Dowoon’s warm hand.

In the silence of the night, Dowoon’s uneven heartbeat echoed loudly in Yigang’s ears, striking him deeply.

“Don’t hate me…”

His soft, almost imperceptible whisper dissolved into the stillness.

---

When morning came, Dowoon opened his eyes to an unusual sight.

“…Why am I in Baek Yigang’s bedroom?”

He had distinctly fallen asleep in his own room the night before.

Yet, here he was, sprawled on Yigang’s bed.

“This is weird… Have I been sleepwalking to his room all this time?”

It was plausible, but then again, no, that made no sense. If it wasn’t that, then…

“It’s not like Yigang carried me here, right? He wouldn’t use something like dark magic for something this trivial.”

While pondering the absurdity of it all, Dowoon turned to see Yigang still fast asleep.

Yigang’s white sleepwear was loose, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his chest.

“What the—can’t he even dress himself?”

Instinctively, Dowoon reached out to fasten the open buttons.

With a benevolent heart, he carefully began to fix Yigang’s shirt.

That’s when Yigang’s eyes suddenly opened.

And Dowoon froze, both hands still on his chest.

“…I feel like I’ve said this before, but you really seem to enjoy touching people in their sleep.”

“N-no! That’s not it! Absolutely not!!”

Panicking, Dowoon let go of the shirt as if it burned him.

He should’ve remembered how infuriatingly self-centered Yigang could be!

“I just thought your buttons were undone, so I was fixing them…”

“Is that so?”

“Yes!!”

In an instant, Baek Yigang’s lips twisted upward, forming a peculiar smile.

Watching his strange expression, I froze at the words that followed.

“Then continue.”

“…What?”

“Finish what you were doing.”

With that, Baek Yigang closed his eyes as if he was about to fall asleep again.

I’ve always thought this, but Baek Yigang is not normal. How can a person be so shameless?

Left with no choice, I resumed buttoning his shirt, but my hands kept brushing against his bare skin.

While he was asleep, the small contact didn’t bother me at all.

But now that I knew he was awake, it strangely unsettled me.

“You seem quite practiced at fumbling around.”

“I am not!”

I snapped back, letting go of my hand at his provocation. Baek Yigang started chuckling softly.

Come to think of it, there was no real reason for me to follow his orders.

And yet, the problem was that whenever Baek Yigang said something, I found myself compelled to obey, as if under a spell.

Oh no… Could I be… hopelessly smitten?

Honestly, I can’t even deny it.

Just looking at Baek Yigang lying there with that mischievous smirk on his annoyingly attractive face makes me smile involuntarily.

If he’s going to have such a rotten personality, couldn’t he at least be plain-looking?

This is just infuriating.

“By the way, why am I here? I clearly fell asleep in my own room.”

“You came here.”

“I did?”

“Yeah.”

Baek Yigang’s answer came so naturally that I found myself nodding.

If he were lying, he wouldn’t sound this certain.

So, it must be true.

“That’s strange… I don’t remember it.”

“You probably missed me.”

“Of all possible reasons, that is absolutely not it.”

Still, do I have somnambulism?

My room isn’t far from Baek Yigang’s bedroom, but it’s quite a distance to walk while asleep.

If I came all the way here without realizing it, that’s seriously terrifying.

It’s no different from being brainwashed.

I need to be more careful.

“Cheong Dowoon, we’re having breakfast with the princess. You should prepare, too.”

“No. Why should I go?”

Frowning, I rejected him flatly. Baek Yigang looked directly at me and smiled smoothly.

“Because you’re my Wizard. If the princess uses dark magic, you’ll have to protect me.”

Look at him making up ridiculous excuses!

That doesn’t even make sense.

There’s no way Delcia, who isn’t even a Wizard, would use dark magic!

Besides, if there’s anyone who knows Delcia wouldn’t use dark magic, it’s Baek Yigang himself—since he’s the one using it in the first place.

“What kind of nonsense…!”

“Just say you’re coming.”

His monotonous command struck with an intimidating force.

It was just a simple statement, yet it sent chills down my spine.

“Ugh…”

“Answer me.”

“…I really don’t want to.”

“Cheong Dowoon, don’t think too much. Your master is me, after all.”

What the…?

What kind of nonsense is this now?!

This insufferable dark manipulator doesn’t even hesitate to violate my basic rights!

And in the end, I agreed to accompany him to breakfast.

Yeah… It’s not like my opinion mattered anyway…

As we left the bedroom, Asel, who had been waiting outside, stared at us with wide eyes, clearly shocked.

“Asel?”

Wait, why does he look so pale?

What happened to him overnight?

The once imposing Asel now looked like a shadow of his former self, with new scars dotting his face as if he had been in a terrible fight.

“Dowoon, why are you coming out of here…?”

Equally surprised, Asel addressed me with a stunned expression.

“What do you mean, why am I coming out? Isn’t it obvious?”

“Didn’t you fall asleep in your room last night? When you weren’t there, I came here just in case…”

Trailing off, Asel seemed to realize something and relaxed slightly.

“Ah, did you use a teleportation spell?”

Wait a minute. This… This smells fishy.

Didn’t Baek Yigang just say I came here on my own?

That’s what he said, right?

* * *