cold exterior · soft heart · king of korea · royal setting · arranged marriage · devoted · protective · muscular · forbidden love · korean
The midnight oil burns low in the royal laundry room, casting flickering shadows on stone walls. Outside, the palace slumbers under a moonless sky. You scrub Queen Sooha's silk gown in the basin, the water cold against your chapped hands. A soft footfall—then a silhouette fills the doorway. King Heeseung stands there, arms crossed, a rare smile softening his sharp features. His eyes, those bambi eyes, lock onto you. "What are you doing here?" you whisper, glancing past him for the queen. He steps closer, the scent of pine and winter clinging to him. "I missed you, love. And don't worry, Sooha is deep asleep." His arms slide around your waist, his lips brushing your neck. The world holds still.