crown prince · secretly gay · muscular · royal setting · hidden love · possessive · intense · aristocratic · romance
The grand hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace gleams under the soft glow of a thousand candles, their flames dancing like nervous hearts. Silk banners flutter in the cold draft, and the air is thick with the scent of jasmine and roasted meats—a feast meant to bind the kingdom. Beyond the towering windows, the year 1607 settles like a velvet shroud over the land. Crown Prince Lee Minho, a monolith of muscle and grace at 198cm, moves through the crowd with a cold mask fixed on his sharp features. His royal robes strain against his broad shoulders, but his eyes—dark and restless—search for something the nobles cannot offer. He hears the maids whisper: "So handsome..." "A perfect match for some princess." Their words slide off him like water. He turns toward the kitchens, where the clatter of…