Hwi's tongue stroked the sinew gently, and his lips rose up and licked the collarbone and the graze of his teeth left marks that piled up. Yunseo breathed roughly against Hwi and his fingers rolled over the desk. Yunseo's body lying there with the papers barely rustling haphazardly on the desk.

"Hmm, eum, oh……"

Doing such a thing here, in a place of viewing even holy national affairs — yet even as he thought he should be more careful, his body was more sensitively awake than usual. Both cheeks were flushed and looking up at the even hotter hemp he met Hwi's gaze. He looked down at Yunseo with eyes narrowed to nothing and began to eat from the tip of his nape down to the root.

"Hng……!"

As Hwi's fire went deep, the shadow deepened like the throat had gone in. The narrow passage squeezed the length as it approached and the soles of his feet swung and shook. Yunseo somehow did not know what to do with his shoulder and swayed, clinging to Hwi's shoulders.

Even still Hwi kept stroking Yunseo's inner thigh with his lips drawing away. A reasonably pleasant sound came out as the condensed flesh closed itself around him making it hard to grasp. Yunseo rounded his waist and lay there swaying, hanging on Hwi's shoulders as if bewitched.

Tears blurred the young Yunseo's face and Hwi paused in concern. This time he stroked Yunseo's thigh with his hand and went all the way to the ankle. His lips giving stimulation at the very tip, at last the gland was sweetly licked and pulled away.

As if escaping from his mouth it would be all at once — Yunseo straightened his body and exhaled quickly. Even so, briefly, Hwi flickered the trembling length with his lips, tok, tok. And at the same time his lower half contracted and the secret entrance tightened.

"Ah, wait……!"

As Hwi rolled his hips forward, the instant he touched the gland, unable to hold himself in control, his mind went white and his whole body curled. Together with the stinging and full throbbing pleasure that had been building for a long time, the heat that spread across his whole body came out.

"Hoo-ugh……"

Bracing himself against the desk's edge, the lingering aftershock had Yunseo's hands going limp. Right now he wanted to collapse and fall — his clouded eyes sought Hwi with a wavering gaze and he had already gone blank.

Hwi's forehead to his lips were covered in seed. Not knowing at all what this situation was, the blank-eyed Yunseo mapped the situation and then flushed red to the tips of his ears like a firework.

With his forehead covered in that, not knowing the situation — Hwi's expression in that moment — he could not grasp it. Yunseo glared fiercely at him and the corner of his lips twitched and Hwi wiped it away and licked his finger.

"Are you not embarrassed?"

Hwi cast a languid gaze and stood up. As the condensed sound came he rose and looked at his face at the bottom of the desk wiping it with a cloth and somehow he could not bear to look and turned to look away.

"Still pure."

Just raising his red face Hwi's expression with the faint smile met his. With the green-lacquered eyes looking at him he truly couldn't say a single word. Hwi gathered in his spreading legs and took him into his arms.

"To the bedchamber."

Yunseo wrapped his arms around Hwi's neck and rested his head against his chest. His legs being carefully stroked sent the inner thigh squeezing in. Pulsing and throbbing, what was his and what was Hwi's could not be told. The thing that was further and more confusing and disorderly kept being desperately desired.

---

After the discipline, for the first time making pretentious dignified appearances was cramped and burdensome. But there was no way to refuse for the reason of being a newcomer. He was barely getting a little adapted and now he had to meet new faces — the burden arose in a single breath.

"Why do you look like you're dying in this state."

"Just."

"Don't worry about catching the Empress Consort's eye next."

"Do you think that's a worry?"

Yunseo hid Yeondeok with a short laugh. It was true that worrying in advance would not make the worrying lead the banquet in a better direction. His seat was not his own and anyway things would sort themselves out. So thinking to shake it off and straighten his shoulders, the door opened and Hwi entered.

"How is it that you come in without any sign."

"It's not strange to enter a fellow man's room."

Even though there were ears around he came in so casually — Hwi was truly impressive. Yunseo made an expression of helplessness and casually stroked his clothes. Hwi then came close and looked at the mirror together.

"Pretty."

Yunseo looked back at Hwi's appearance. Hwi stood one step away and spread both arms wide as if showing himself.

"How does it suit you. Does it appeal to you."

The indigo dyed to a deeper level than usual was gorgeous and yet beneath the hoehoejari* below, inevitably the light could not help but be below him. And so it did not feel strange or discordant — rather it was plainly and harmoniously clear that it went well with everyone present at the banquet.

"If you go to the banquet and hide and sneak away I'll catch you."

"That's something you shouldn't say."

"Why. Are you looking at me with those eyes."

"What eyes."

"Pretty eyes."

For no reason he looked away and Hwi took Yunseo's hand off and brought his lips to it. He lastly laughed and raised Yunseo up.

"You look nervous. What are you worried about."

"There will be many faces I see for the first time."

"No need to try. They will know to yield and step aside, and that's how it should be."

"Still, I'm not His Majesty's family."

"If you count mixed blood and all as family then all the subjects become family."

"That's an extreme comparison."

He threw a light pin and with Hwi's casual attitude the tension seemed to ease a little.

Most of the imperial family were Hwi's blood relatives but among them was the half-blood Inchinhwang. He was curious to see him properly today and anticipation and expectation surged up at the same time.

Riding in palanquins side by side and exchanging small talk, before they knew it they had arrived at Suwollu. Yunseo got out of the palanquin and took in the scenery spread before his eyes with his gaze.

Beyond the roof of Suwollu, the moonlight was roughly spreading its clouds open and shining. The flow-lanterns attached to the eaves of the pavilion emitted a subtle lantern light and that light reflecting off the moat surrounding the pavilion created yet another landscape, and with that alone it was already magnificent.

Upon entering the pavilion the watery young scent and cool smell spread filling his nose with a pleasant feeling. Dark amber pendant clusters hanging down below the windows, the twinkling lights of the flow-lanterns blending with the flower spirits' lantern light to create a layered yet harmonious atmosphere, and furthermore the artful contrast of dark grey and pale colors creating something like a scene even Yunseo had not expected.

"No one could dislike this."

At the soft voice beside him Yunseo looked back at Hwi. Hwi was looking at Yunseo the whole time facing him and softly let his lips drop open.

"Your Majesty the Emperor arrives!"

"Your Majesty the Empress Consort arrives!"

Yunseo gripped Hwi's hand and climbed the pavilion. With every step Hwi took the faint smile that had been on his lips disappeared and no one daring to meet his eye the intimidating aura of complete authority filled him. Yunseo followed him, straightening his expression and holding his neck upright.

Everyone standing guard rose and paid their respects. Yunseo after looking them over in turn sat down at the prepared seat.

Greetings were exchanged and pleasantries conveyed and it was plain his curious gaze was not leaving him. Yunseo put on an appropriate smile and focused on reading their faces and gauging the atmosphere.

"I am greatly pleased to have met such an outstanding companion at last, now that His Majesty's sacred vessel has improved greatly."

The person seated closest, Inchinhwang, had a good bearing and a face that bore not the slightest wind — a generous impression. He seemed a little similar to Hwi, though on the other hand the atmosphere was the opposite so it was difficult to tell at a glance they were brothers.

"Please always look after this person."

As Inchinhwang's gaze came back to him, Yunseo raised his brow slightly and swallowed hard.

"I have always wanted to hear stories from His Majesty, it is fortunate this opportunity has come."

"I ought to have visited directly, but as the palace's law is in effect I had no choice but to convey it through a person, which I am sorry for."

"That you are so gracious is something I can only feel grateful for as it is only natural that grace is conveyed."

Inchinhwang's words gave him a full sense of ease. Starting with Inchinhwang he exchanged words lightly with the other imperial family members too, and as Hwi had said, none but virtue came his way. But everyone felt it as if yielding to Hwi's aura and his difficulty being approached was clearly apparent.

If he had actually been close to these half-brothers that would have been rather awkward. Drinking a sip of tea, wetting the throat — the Empress Consort's timing told him.

* 월면: 月面. A face as bright and round as the moon. National Institute of Korean Language, Standard Korean Language Dictionary.