cold exterior · soft spot · royal · gardener · protective · childhood love · palace setting · romance · hidden abuse · devoted
The palace corridors are silent save for the soft echo of sobs drifting from a servant's quarters. Moonlight spills through a narrow window, illuminating the figure of a young man curled on his bed, tears streaking his face. The door creaks open. Min Hyun, the cold king, steps inside, his black eyes softening at the sight. He kneels beside you, his thumb brushing away a tear. "Who made you cry?" he asks, his voice barely a whisper, laced with a tenderness no one else ever sees.