After Danmokbi and I confessed our feelings to each other, we spent some time chatting alone. Mostly, we talked about how we had been during our time apart.
Danmokbi, being a bit more honest, shared about what happened after I disappeared.
“I couldn’t get along with Father. Because Father put you in danger, you see.”
“So, did you two argue earlier?”
“If I’m not around, he always mistreats my people, either driving them away or resorting to absurd measures.”
“Oh, I see.”
The Danmokso I know was even worse than that. Feeling the fatigue that Danmokbi had gone through, I held Danmokbi’s hand without saying a word.
After sharing our stories, when we walked back to my place together, Jegal Min was standing in front of my door, guarding it with a terrifying expression, like the Four Heavenly Kings.
“Oh, brother.”
“Yeon-ah, come here.”
It felt like sneaking out during curfew and getting scolded by Father. I approached Jegal Min with hesitant steps. Jegal Min positioned me behind him and asked while glaring at Danmokbi.
“Why are the two of you coming together?”
Seeing Jegal Min directly confront Danmokbi, I was perplexed.
“Is this a family conflict!”
No, Jegal Min is not my mother; he is my brother! I took a step forward and grabbed Jegal Min’s sleeve.
“Brother, I have something to say to you.”
Honestly, I should be the one to step up and resolve our family issues. Convincing our family was my responsibility. I spoke sincerely to Jegal Min.
“Danimokbi and I love each other. For a quite a long time.”
“Did you know each other from a long time ago?”
In response to Jegal Min’s question, I nervously interlaced my fingers.
“Just saying we knew each other is not enough. We…”
During that time, there was no one else but Danmokbi and me. We were family and friends to each other. No one could replace Danmokbi for me, and vice versa.
I couldn’t express those feelings, and when I faltered at the end of my words, Jegal Min asked seriously.
“If it was a connection from long before Jegalsega came, and you can still be sure that your feelings are the same?”
“Yes.”
In that aspect, I could confidently answer. As I nodded without any hesitation, Jegal Min sighed deeply, putting his hands into fists.
“Ugh, Grandfather will scold me if he hears about this.”
Wait, why is Grandfather coming into this? I chuckled slightly, and unexpectedly, Jegal Min responded with a stern face.
“That’s an old-fashioned notion. How can our family member leave for another place after becoming part of our family for so long?”
At Jegal Min’s words, I blinked my eyes. In modern terms, marriage only changes the place of residence, but in those days, becoming a part of another household meant something different, so I could understand why he felt disappointed.
I responded with a faint smile, “I’m not leaving. You can come visit often. Right, Danmoknim?”
“Of course,” Danmokbi quickly nodded. Jegal Min, giving Danmokbi a stern look as if warning not to lie, said firmly, “Danmok’s future bride may not understand, but this child is like a sore finger in our family of three.”
No, what is he talking about? I was surprised at the unexpected and warm story unfolding before me. Jegal Min continued with a serious expression, “She’s the child Grandmother had such a hard time finding after leaving like that. The whole family, especially Grandfather, wants to make up for the luxury they couldn’t enjoy with her by their side. Suddenly, she says she’s in love. It’s abrupt and confusing.”
I suddenly felt like I knew why he was bringing up this story.
Perhaps Danmokbi wanted to borrow Jegalsega’s name to approach me, worrying that Jegal Min witnessed the merciless Danmokbi firsthand.
‘Besides, Jegal Min is someone who has directly witnessed Danmokbi’s ruthless side.’
It was natural to worry that Danmokbi might turn that cruelty towards me.
‘I hope Danmokbi explains this part well.’
In the end, Jegal Min was probably concerned for me, and I stared at Danmokbi with those thoughts.
“Yeon is a very special person to me.”
And, as if reading my thoughts, Danmokbi calmly and sincerely looked at Jegal Min.
“When I was a powerless child, the only person who stood by me was Yeon. The only person I could trust, so I only hope she will be with me for the rest of our lives.”
Danmokbi’s words were rough, but they carried sincerity. Unable to find falsehood in his attitude, Jegal Min sighed deeply.
‘Is he trying to understand and acknowledge our relationship?’
When I looked at Jegal Min with sparkling eyes reflexively, the words that followed the sigh were unexpected.
“In that case, Danmok So is wrong about the order.”
“What?”
“What does that mean, Brother?”
Even when I tilted my head in confusion, Jegal Min, as if saying, ‘Don’t you know?’ stuck out his tongue and, using his index finger, lightly pushed my forehead.
“If you really think that way, you should seek permission from our household elders first. You don’t need to tell me first.”
“Oh, that’s…”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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