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Yi Kang tasted the lush sweetness of his wife's mouth. He couldn't believe he let himself deprived of this pleasure. The last time he tasted her sweet mouth was more than five months ago when he had a hapgung with her.
He, of course, wanted to kiss her again. But the atmosphere in the palace was not suitable for romance. There was a time when he spent time just the two of them, like when he read a poem or book to her, but he was too afraid to make a move as she was pregnant, and he was not sure he could control himself to stop.
And finally, after several months of just thinking about it, he could taste his wife's lips again. Kissing under the shooting stars was romantic enough for him. Had she not been pregnant, he would ask for more.
"It's cold. Let's go back," Yi Kang whispered to his wife. Their face is still millimeters apart. His eyes stared intensely at his wife's amber eyes.
"I don't want to. I still want to spend time with you, Jeoha," Cheongha whined softly. She pouted her red lip making his heart beat fast. He cleared his throat. It was a truly tempting situation.
"I'll sleep at your place," Yi Kang coaxed his wife. He had to acknowledge that almost impossible saying no to his wife when she asked him adorably like this.
Hearing what his husband had said, Cheongha's face brightened. Her eyes lit up with happiness. Yi Kang could not help but smile along with her wife. Maybe this was his fate, he had suffered living without a family when he was a child, through a lot when he was a teenager, and had to face big challenges in his twenties. Maybe meeting his wife was a gift from god for the pain he had been through. He stupidly let his wife go at one time and still regrets it. If only he could change the past, he would never leave his wife on their wedding night. Even though he knew so little about a woman, he absolutely understood that the wedding night was an important moment for them. He ruined his wife by leaving her alone. He didn't even have a gut to ask what happened to her on their wedding night. He was too scared to face the answer. What if she really cried?
Yi Kang gently held her wife's hand as they returned to her residence. He would cherish her for the rest of his life. He won't let anyone hurt her. Seeing the forlorn expression on her face when she was misdiagnosed was hard for him. He swore that it would be the last time.
"Jeoha, thank you," she said when they lay to rest on the mattress.
Yi Kang turned toward his wife beside him, cupped her cheeks, and caressed it."Sleep," he said, bringing his wife's body into his embrace.
"Jeoha... please wake up. This is your wedding day. You can't be late!"
Yi Kang cursed inwardly. Why did his chief eunuch scream so much? Didn't he know that his wife was almost six months pregnant? She needed a lot of rest, yet his eunuch scream could wake the whole building up.
Yi Kang opened his eyes and turned his head at the supposed place his wife was asleep. He frowned upon seeing an empty side of the bedding. Since pregnant, his wife was sleepy all the time. Usually, she woke up very late. But now it seemed she had already up and left him alone to sleep.
"Jeoha, please wake up!"
"Don't scream...I'd wake up now," said Yi Kang exasperatedly. He knew how persistent his chief eunuch could be.
"Jeoha, I'm entering."
His chief eunuch entered the room followed by maids and eunuchs. They brought a washbasin and his attire for the day.
"Where is Bingung?"
" Ne?"
"My wife. Where is she? Has she eaten?"
"I'm sure she has, Jeoha. This wedding is a tedious ritual. Bingung-mama surely prepares herself very well," said Eunuch Kim. Amusement glinted in his eyes.
"What? What wedding?" he said, uneasiness beginning to stir his stomach.
"Your royal Highness wedding."
Yi Kang widened his eyes. "My wedding?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean my wedding? I already married more than nine months ago."
"Jeoha, I think you drank too much last night. I would prepare a tonic so Your Highness could sober up."
Yi Kang looked at his chief eunuch incredulously. All the rest of the words stuck in her throat.
"Jeoha, we don't have so much time. So please wear your attire first."
Yi Kang blinked his eyes. He followed along with what his eunuch wanted.
Is this a dream?
It must be a dream.
He was asleep in Bingung-jeon last night, yet he woke up in his quarters now.
All the things he could dream of were why did he have to dream about his wedding day? It was not good memory as he misunderstood his wife and ignored her until he got an explanation from his mother. Could this dream change into his first night with his wife, please? Those memories were one of his favorites.
Yi Kang followed the wedding ritual with an absent mind. He has already been through this before. The ceremony was boring as hell. He hated it. Except the last one, where he needed to bow to each other with his wife. And there she was, looking stunning in a blue wedding dress and smiling brightly when their eyes met. He couldn't help but smile. He still remembered how shocked and desperate he felt the last time, yet there was a happy feeling of sneaking out without him being able to control it. He felt so much guilt because falling in love with someone from his grandmother's side. He should just ask her. Then She won't through so much because of his stupidity.
He followed the procession until the time they left in the wedding room alone. His wife wore a shy smile and looked down for she didn't dare to look him in the eye. He stared at his wife intensely as he wanted to enjoy his wife's face before storming out of the room.
"Should we drink the wedding wine Jeoha?"
Yi Kang widened. No, the last time he got out of the room before his wife could say anything. Why this time was different. Was he free to create his own scenarios?
Thats good.
He would definitely enjoy it.
"Jeoha?"
Yi Kang cleared his throat. "Do you need help to take off that?"
Cheongha widened her eyes. "Take off what?"
Yi Kang felt his words were ambiguous. "I mean that hair ornament? It must be difficult wearing that all day."
"Yes, please."
He approached his wife and helped her to take off the headdress.
"Is your head okay? How could you use something that heavy in your head?" said Yi Kang. He looked at his wife's hair and found so many pins and clips on it. He didn't know that this headdress needed so many clips to wear.
"Well, it's okay. After all, it's for once in a lifetime."
Yi Kang sighed. He caressed the red scalp of his wife and carefully continued to take many clips from it.
"Ouch..." Yi Kang looked at his hand. It seemed like he hurt his hand when he tried to help his wife untie another hair ornament.
"Sonbinim! What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Cheongha panicked when she saw blood on her new husband's hand. She took a handkerchief from her sleeves and dabbed it on his wound.
"Forget these ornament. I would untie it myself. Is it hurt? " He ignored his wife panicking stares as he was too shocked. The wound was painful, and that feeling was too real.
"Soenbi-nim, Your face is pale. Should we call a physician?" Cheongha asked. A line of worry materialized between her eyebrows. She tried to stand up, but he stopped it midway.
"I'm okay. It's just a scratch," said Yi Kang calming his wife.
"Really?"
"Yes. Really. People in the palace love drama. If the crown prince asks for a physician in the middle of his first night, then people would think I couldn't perform my duty."
"Let me see again," said Cheongha.
Yi Kang let his worried wife examine his wound near the candle. He was curious about a lot of things involving his wife. He never asked her a question because it sounds so hypocritical to ask. He wanted to ask about how his wife could end up becoming the crown princess, or how did she meet his mother. This was the chance to finally asked. He didn't know if this was reality or a dream. But he really wants to ask.
"How come you suddenly becoming Sejabin?"
His wife, who was busy applying ointment to his wound, turned her head. Now they were staring at each other intensely.
"Ugh...I met Jungjeon-mama on the market, and she suggested I enter the selection, and Debi-mama also came to my house to ask me to do the same. So here I am."
"Do you know that I'm the crown prince"
"When the first Jungjeon-mama suggested I enter the selection, I refused. I told her that I already had a man that I liked. I was foolishly bragging to her and showed her your portrait. And then She told me that the man in the portrait is the crown prince."
Yi Kang chuckled. "So you have my portrait?"
Cheongha blushed. "It's done," she said. The wound on his thumb was covered up with an ointment.
"Did your father treat you badly at home?"
"Ne?"
"The minister of war surely has enough money to give you a maid and guard, right? So why did he let you go alone to Monwol-do?"
She started to shake her head and then hesitantly said in a meek voice, "It's nothing like that. I ran away to Manwol-do without my parent's knowledge. I left them a letter. My father is the best. Well, he scolded me a lot, but he almost fulfilled all of my wishes. He refused to let me enter the selection. I had to beg him all night to have his blessing."
"My father forbade you to enter the selection?" Yi Kang asked. His eyebrows came together in a thoughtful frown.
Cheongha nodded.
"Why?" he asked again.
Cheongha shook her head. She started to untie the hair ornament on her head.
"Living in the palace is not easy, you know?" he warned.
Her mouth moved in a smile. "I know. But ist okay as long as I live with Soenbi-nim ah... I mean Jeoha."
"Come here."
"Ne?"
Yi Kang offered his left hand to his wife, giving a signal to her to hold his hand. Cheongha's face was blushing hard, but she bravely held her husband's hand.
As soon as Yi Kang held his wife's hand, he pulled his wife to his embrace and wrapped his arm around her. He put her in his lap and let her lean to him.
"Thank you for coming to me," said Yi Kang. It was something he wanted to say to his wife for a long time, but he couldn't muster up the courage to say it to her face. He could feel Cheongha tremble in his arms, and a sob followed after that. His body became tense. He cupped her face and caressed it.
"What's wrong? Why do you suddenly cry? Crying on our wedding night is a bad omen, " Yi Kang said. He wiped the rolled tears on Cheongha's face.
"Sorry, I'm feeling so happy. I could finally live with someone I love for the rest of my life," said Cheongha. Her lips trembling around the words.
Yi Kang smiled and kissed her forehead. "Let's live a good life."
"Yes."
"Let's sleep now."
"Sleep?"
Yi Kang saw his wife disappointed face. Yes, this is their wedding night. His wife must have some expectations from him as a husband. He is not sure what's happening right now. He is not sure whether this is real or a dream.
"Are you not tired? The ritual was endless, and you were wearing many heavy accessories. Could you have the energy to serve me?" Yi Kang teased.
Cheongha was red. She avoided his eyes. "Let's just sleep," she murmured. She lay on the mattress beside them.
"Your clothes," warned Yi Kang.
"Ne?"
"You will feel uncomfortable if you still wear those clothes. You should change it, " said Yi Kang as he pointed out the screen behind them with his chin.
"Ah ne..." said Cheongha. She reluctantly let herself go from his husband's embrace and walked the screen to undress her clothes.
"How about you, Jeoha? Are you not uncomfortable wearing those clothes," said Cheongha. Now she wore white clothe and her hair was down. She sat on the bedding meekly.
"I am."
"Then why don't you undress?"
"I want my wife to help me. I'm married now. Should I undress by myself?"
Hearing Yi Kang's words, Cheongha's face brightened.
"Okay, I'll help you."
Yi Kang stood up from his seat and saw his wife nervously coming over to him. Her hands reached up to his belt and slowly came to untie it. He held back not laughing when he saw her hands were slightly shaking. His wife may be very forward in words, but she was very nervous when it came to practice. Like their first night, she looked very much looking forward to it, but he was the one who took the lead in their procession.
"Why? Are my clothes too complicated? I thought the crown princess lesson would teach you how to take care of me. Did they not teach you how to untie my clothes? "
Cheongha's face burned with embarrassment. "They did," she murmured.
"Are you that nervous?" Yi Kang teased.
"Jeoha..." Cheongha whined.
Yi Kang chuckled. "Sorry..." he said. He let Cheongha busy with her clothes. His adorable wife was so focused and never realized the intense stare from her husband.
"It's done," Cheongha cheered when she finally could untie her husband's belt.
"I do a good job doing my first duty as a wife, right Jeo--"
Before Cheongha could complete her sentence, Yi Kang blocked her mouth with his. He just wanted to taste the satiny softness of her mouth a little. Just a little.
"Jeoha?" asked Cheongha with an unsure tone. She must be confused. A moment ago, her husband said that they would just go to sleep, but not long after that, he kissed her.
"Just a little bit," said Yi Kang. He hugged his wife and caressed her hair. This dream was too real. He was sleeping with his wife in the real world. He couldn't have a wet dream about her when he sleeping beside her. What if his wife witnessed him moaning her name in his sleep? It would be awkward tomorrow when he woke up.
"Okay, let's sleep now," said Yi Kang. He lay down on a mattress and waited for his wife to join him.
"Bingung...whats wrong?"
Cheongha shook her head. "Nothing."
"Are you disappointed that we will postpone our wedding night?"
"NO!" Cheongha shouted. She then lay down beside her husband and closed her eyes.
"Yes, you are. Your face said so much." Yi Kang teased his embarrassed wife beside him.
He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He already knew how to read the changes in her face, and now he clearly knew she was disappointed. Was this expression his wife wearing when he left her on their wedding night? No, He won't let this happen again. Not even in his dream. Yoon Cheongha had to be happy. Wherever she was, he would make her happy.
He touched her face gently and gave a feathery kiss to her sad eyes making his wife open her eyes and stare at him with a confused face. His lips trailed off to her nose and then lips. He nibbled her lips and felt her body tense under him. A small breathless whisper escaped her lips and called him soenbinim.
His hand wandered around his neck, rubbing his fingers on the soft skin of her neck. He trailed open-mouth kisses along the underside of her neck. Cheongha gasped in shock and grabbed onto his thick muscular shoulders.
"Oh..."
"What's wrong?"
"No...Nothing...Uh... I don't know that man's shoulder is this hard," Cheongha stammered.
Yi Kang raised his eyebrow. "You are pretty calm for someone who will be taken by a man."
Cheongha pouted. "I'm not calm. I'm nervous too. My heart beats very fast right now. Every woman will get through this phase. I'm lucky that you will be the one who took my innocence. I trust you, Soenbinim...I know that you will treat me right."
Yi Kang pressed her ear to her chest. He could feel the thunderous beat of her heart. After satisfied hearing his wife's heartbeat, he raised his head and was amused when he saw how red his wife's face was. He leaned into his wife's ear.
"Yoon Cheongha...You shouldn't trust a man easily. Especially when you are lying beneath him..."Yi Kang whispered.
Cheongha blinked her eyes several times. Without wasting his time, Yi Kang took hungry possession of her mouth. He opened his mouth across her, his soft tongue lashing her. His left hand caressed her neck and trailed off to the tie of her clothes. He almost pulled to untie it, but something happened to his hand.
Yi Kang stopped kissing his wife and looked at his hand. His hands trembled and stiffened uncontrollably.
"Soenbinim?"Cheongha called. Her eyes followed his husband's gaze and saw how her husband's hands trembled like crazy.
"Soenbi-nim your hands...This won't do. I will call the physician."
"No...Dont..."
"But..."
"It's okay."
Yi Kang took a deep breath. He could feel the anger that suddenly overflowed violently. In his head was a voice shouting not to touch his wife.
"Soenbinim?"
"I'm just a little tired. I'm sorry. Like we have to postpone our first night."
"Your health is a priority," said Cheongha. She pulled her husband's hand and checked before pushing him to the bedding and pulling the blanket to cover his body.
"You also try to sleep," said Yi Kang. His wife was still busy caressing his hand.
"You should check on the physician tomorrow."
"I will. Now sleep. My hands are fine now."
Cheongha smiled weakly and let herself lay beside her husband.
That night, Yi Kang let his wife hold his hand throughout the night.
side story
Yi Kang felt a throbbing pain in his head as soon as he woke up. He could feel the numb sensation in his right hand. He turned his head and found his new wife asleep soundlessly beside him. Her face was as stunning as when they were in Manwol-do. Never in million years, he thought he would meet her again.
Yesterday was his wedding day. He had planned to distance himself from the new crown princess for the new crown princess was his grandmother's person. He drank his sorrow the night before his wedding night. Letting the woman of his dream slip through his finger. He knew that on the day of his wedding, he would have a massive hangover, but he didn't care anyway. He did not expect, instead of being hungover, he lost control of his body completely. He was conscious all the time, but he couldn't control his body. He could feel another presence inside his body and control his body with ease. Did he get possessed by a ghost? He was not sure.
He was fighting to regain control of his body, but it was useless. He was too stunned when he finally saw his bride. He overheard the conversation between the ghost and his new wife and drew a conclusion that his wife was not completely Debi-mama person.
He was panicking when finally the ghost tried to put his hand on his wife's body. Even the ghost used his body, but he didn't have any say in this. He mustered all his energy to stop the ghost from touching his wife, but it was a futile effort. The ghost still caressed and kissed his Cheongha. Making him mad, and finally started to regain control of his body at the time the ghost wanted to untie his wife's clothes.
He could feel his wife stir up beside him. "Soenbi-nim? Is it time to wake up?"
Yi Kang cleared his throat. "Not yet. You could get more sleep."
Cheongha snuggled into her husband. She wrapped her arms around her husband's stomach. She buried her face against his warm throat. Yi Kang felt tense all of a sudden. He was never close with anyone, not even his brother, and now, the fact that a woman snuggled in his embrace what something that he wasn't sure how to handle.
"I can't sleep. What if we are late to greet Debi-mama? We could get scolded," Cheongha whispered in her husband's ear.
Yi Kang's brain barely could work, which man could think about their grandmother when his wife practically seduced him. Who cares about Debi-mama? What was on his mind right now was his wife's soft body all over his. He knew that Cheongha didn't mean to seduce him, but still, her act tempted him.
"Even if you are not making a mistake, she would always criticize you. So you do not need to mind her words."
"Really? It seems you have a bad relationship with her. Did she scold you a lot?"
"Well, we never get along. She hates me as much as I hate her."
Cheongha widened her eyes. "She said she worried about you a lot and wanted me to care for you when she asked me to enter the crown princess selection."
"She did?"
"Yes."
Cheongha sighed. "So that was what you meant when you said living in the palace is not easy? I would have nosy grandmother-in-law."
Yi Kang snorted. Remembering how the ghost talked to his wife still made him annoyed. "Do you regret it now?"
"Of course not. After all, I got a handsome and kind husband. And I like my mother-in-law too. Furthermore, Debi-mama is old. She can't live forever, right?"
"Ah, wait! Don't misunderstand. I don't wish your grandmother to die sooner. I just..." Cheongha stammered. "I'm sorry I better just keep my mouth shut."
Yi Kang smiled at his wife's flustered face.
"I should prepare myself. It is the first time I greet my in-law. I can't make a mistake."
Cheongha stood up and marched out of the room with a red blush on her cheeks.
Yi Kang smiled when he saw how adorable his wife was. The situation was still a little bit confusing for him. He should probably ask his mother explanation because being with Cheongha was his wish, yes, but her father was still the right-hand man of his grandmother. He couldn't just think about his happiness. A lot of things at stake here.