Inside Yeonu’s room.

Myeongok, facing Gun, opened her trembling voice.

“If you’re Lord Gwangho, then Queen Mother Jungbin…”

“That’s correct.”

“…!”

As Gun revealed his identity, tremors appeared in Myeongok’s eyes.

Though Choa’s guests were known to be soldiers of the Gwangho Prince’s forces, Myeongok never imagined she would personally face the Lord.

Just the fact that a royal person sat in front of her made Myeongok’s body shake uncontrollably, and her agitation was apparent enough for both Yeonu and Gun to notice.

Watching Myeongok, who adjusted her posture but still couldn’t stop her trembling hands, Yeonu gently grabbed Myeongok’s hand and cautiously spoke.

“You don’t need to be so frightened.”

“…?”

“Lord Gwangho is not as terrifying as you might think.”

Finding some reassurance in Yeonu’s soft voice and warm touch, Myeongok took a deep breath.

In reality, Myeongok’s fear didn’t stem from the notorious rumors about Gun, the fearsome Gwangho Prince.

For Myeongok, Gun, related to the royal family, felt as threatening as Kim Taeseok.

Even if it weren’t Gun, any person associated with the palace would have evoked the same fear in her.

While Myeongok’s trembling hands calmed down, her uneasy feelings didn’t subside.

Unable to know this fact, Yeonu thought Myeongok was simply a person with many worries.

DaeBok was alone in his room, trying to regain composure.

When Choa entered with medicine, DaeBok stood up hastily.

“Oh, Miss, you’re here!”

“I’ll change the bandages for you, so please sit. I’ll also apply a new ointment.”

As Choa laid out the medical tools she brought on the floor, DaeBok obediently sat down.

After the conversation under the nutmeg tree in the backyard, a strange atmosphere lingered between DaeBok and Choa.

Since then, even if Choa tried not to be conscious of DaeBok, he started to concern her, and his apparent preoccupation was noticeable to both Yeonu and Gun.

̶”I don’t want to be just another person to Miss Choa.”

̶”So, please refrain from using the word ‘others.'”

Choa continued to ponder over DaeBok’s words.

‘If he doesn’t want to be another person, what does he want to be…?’

If it were just a story about wanting to be good friends, she wouldn’t feel this uncomfortable.

She continued to chew on the words DaeBok had said.

Meanwhile, DaeBok remained in his own thoughts, finding solace in his room.
The healthy heart suddenly acting up, why is this happening? Since hearing those words, Choa’s heart has started to flutter every time she faces DaeBok during the treatment.

‘Don’t think about unnecessary things! Let’s focus on the treatment.’

Shaking her head to clear her mind, Choa began the actual treatment.

When she tried to undress DaeBok’s upper body to treat the wound, her hand hesitated as it approached his clothes’ fastening.

For Choa, who had worked at HyeMinSeo for a long time, undressing a man was nothing new.

Until just before DaeBok regained consciousness, she had treated his upper body without any hesitation.

But now, why did she hesitate to undress DaeBok’s upper body?

Choa took a deep breath before opening her mouth.

“I’ll, I’ll help you change into a gown.”

As she undid DaeBok’s clothes and took off his jacket, the well-trained muscles came into view.

It was a body that seemed unremarkable just until dawn, but now, for some reason, it looked embarrassingly different.

DaeBok’s muscles looked sculpted and well-defined.

Choa, who had seen many male torsos, had never seen a body so tightly balanced, unlike the usual skinny or protruding bellies.

After swallowing her saliva, Choa, as she removed the bandages covering DaeBok’s chest, noticed her hands trembling as if they were not her own.

It wasn’t just Choa who was tense.

DaeBok’s face had turned beet red a long time ago, just about to burst.

“……”

“……”

Inside the room, only the sounds of rustling clothes and the breathing of the two people were heard.

Choa, pretending not to notice her trembling hands, silently applied ointment to DaeBok’s wounds.

As she removed the bandages covering DaeBok’s chest, his body was revealed.

Choa, who usually performed her tasks without hesitation, seemed strangely awkward this time.

DaeBok’s gaze, which had been focused on Choa, now shifted elsewhere.

Just as the atmosphere between them was about to become unbearable, the door to the room opened slowly.

“Hyungnim! Are you okay?”

“!”

“!”

The sudden appearance of Yeonu startled both DaeBok and Choa.

Feeling embarrassed, Choa hastily wrapped the bandage around DaeBok’s chest.

Her touch was so vigorous that DaeBok let out a groan.

“Cough!”

“I-I’m done! I’ll go clean the bandages!”

Finishing the treatment hastily, Choa left without looking back.

Sensing the peculiar atmosphere that had lingered in the room, Yeonu approached DaeBok. Then, he poked DaeBok’s side and asked.

“What’s going on? What was that strange atmosphere just now?”

“Ugh! Aigoo, my wound hurts! Why do you keep poking me?”

“Did Miss Choa and you make progress?”