Areum felt betrayed.

Almost as though Yun Ki saw her as a doll, whom he'd use to his heart's content and chide away as and when he pleased.

She felt like a doll whose eyes had been replaced with plastic buttons sown in to restore its former glory but everyone knew it'd grown dirty and soiled.

She was his consolation prize and saw Soojin as someone who'd been cast in gold, for him.

Who did he think he was?

Weren't they past ahead this?

Sure, he'd told her that he'd never be able to reciprocate the feelings she bore for him but he hadn't mentioned behaving as though she didn't exist in the first place.

Here she was, having to find out that him and his wife were trying for an heir and to add to the torture, Ah Ma had called her to be the one teaching Soojin how to initiate intimacy and bear his seed.

Poor Soojin, couldn't even kiss without having saliva dribbling all over her chin.

She could satisfy Jeonha with a squeeze and a round of turns of her hands.

That's the master she was and yet, he was blinded by love.

After the incident when he'd urged her to leave, she really felt as though Yun Ki couldn't care about whether she was alive or dead.

The fact that he'd choose to side over his new lover over an old friend, felt awfully like a backstab.

Confrontation was the only answer.

So after she'd taught Soojin how to use her tongue to kiss and stimulate his testicles, she was on her way out to Jeonha's chamber.

The guards wouldn't even stop her anymore because they knew how Min Yun Ki could call Areum at odd hours of the day so they let her in and she sure as hell showed herself in, barging open the doors in rage.

Yun Ki was sat before his dressing table, adorning himself in his horse riding vest.

His hair were sprawled across his back and his extra tight white vest was back in site.

Areum's heart was melting.

Of course she couldn't go there and throw her hands on him or, all around him.

Yun Ki gets startled by the sudden opening of his Chamber doors and his widened eyes read fear.

An emotion she hadn't seen in his eyes, ever.

What was he so afraid of? She wondered.

Areum treads in slowly, standing behind Yun Ki, as he stares at her through the reflection in the mirror.

She places her hands on his shoulders, light caress at that.

He flinches and lets out a high pitched squeak.

"A-Areum-ah." He stutters.

Areum hates watching him flinch from her when it was in her arms that he found solace.

Why was he behaving so pettily?

"Shh, I'm just going to tie your hair.." She mumbles, heart breaking from how tense his shoulders grew at a mere caress.

This wasn't Yun Ki.

Her Yun Ki and she meant this in the most platonic way.

She grabs a comb from the dressing table, leaning over him, her torso touching his arm as she reaches beside him for it.

She fiddles with the lacquered comb in her hands, reading his face from the mirror.

He's looking down and avoiding eye contact.

One of the things she'd learnt about Min Yun Ki was that his eyes could never lie.

He wasn't a convincing liar and he knew it, his own self.

There he sat before her, stiff and upright, chewing down his bottom lips.

Areum's eyes are growing glossy, watching how he's so unresponsive to her.

It's as though she's grooming a statue.

He was cold to the touch.

The room was filled with both of their heavy and laboured breaths and a sexual tension, higher than any other.

This was growing far too silent and unfamiliar for either of their liking so Areum decides to go for it.

There was no point chasing behind something that led her to a dead end.

She'd need to be stopped, before.

She'd need to be reminded of her stature, poorly.

She needed to hear what Yun Ki thought of her, ever since he'd grown cupids in his eyes for Soojin.

She was tired gambling for his affection. Did he even want her anymore?

Areum gathers Yun Ki's hair, spreading them over his back as she runs the comb, softly.

She watches his ash grey hair sparkle and glisten with every rub of the comb.

She loved his hair and how soft it felt.

"Do you not want me anymore?" She asks, voice cracking, slightly.

Yun Ki immediately looks back up at her reflection, watching her head bowed and a bead of tear fall down her face.

He stiffens further.

"N-No..Why would you think so?" He asks, in an equally hushed tone.

Areum looks up, watching Yun Ki's hurt eyes.

"Y-You've obviously grown out of me, you're not even able to look me in the eyes..Do you think I'm naive, Yun Ki? Do you think I don't know you well enough to know that you've lost all the interest you once had for me." Areum argues, movements of the comb, ceased.

Yun Ki rubs a hand over his face, frustratedly, as he turns in his seat.

He looks up at her, directly, lower lip all pouty and quivery.

He places a hand over her waist as she stands between his parted thighs, clad in tights.

"T-That's not true, Areum..I jus-just feel as though I should dedicate myself to Soojin, especially when we're planning for an heir, now.." He voices out, looking up at her as she runs a hand over his milky white cheeks, cupping them.

"Why couldn't you tell me? Did I really need to go through the rounds of humiliation yesterday and then again, today? I felt as though you used me just for pleasure.."

Yun Ki's face lies confused.

"Today? What happened?" He asks.

Areum wipes the end of her nose, seating herself in Yun Ki's lap as he grows rigid, once again.

"I was being used to train Soojin.." Areum says, a hand wrapped around Yun Ki's shoulders.

Yun Ki grows red, rouge travels past his cheeks down to his nose and chin.

"R-Really?" He asks, a hand laying in her lap.

She nods, laughing.

"Taught her how you liked to be kissed and caressed.." She exhales, rubbing the pads of her finger over the tip of his feverish ears.

Yun Ki responds to the pads of her fingers, flexing his neck as goosebumps coat his arms.

He composes himself, however, letting out a small laugh.

"I hope you're teaching her well, then."

Areum grows upset, again.

"I just feel like you'll move on once you have her..Your need for me will be obliterated."

Yun Ki seats her beside him, dislodging her from his lap, so they're now seated shoulder-to-shoulder.

He holds her hand, lacing it as they stare down at their moulded hands that just don't fit right.

"If you think that I've only needed you for fulfilling my sexual desires, then you haven't known me at all, have you?" He questions, bumping her shoulder with his, playfully.

"I guess!" She laughs and basks in his smile.

One she'd be seeing less and less as of now.

"If she hurts you again, I won't lend you my shoulder to cry on!" Areum mocks, pinching his sides as Yun Ki falls on his knees grasping his side.

"You know I'm sensitive there!" He complains but Areum just looks at him with the cupids in her own eyes.

The same one she'd seen in Yun Ki's as he talked about Soojin.

"I don't even know why I love you!" Areum comments, making Yun Ki huff out loud.

"It's because I'm handsome and buff and everything else!"

—————

Yun Ki goes back to Casper's shed thinking about Areum's words and how his actions had bore such an effect on her.

He knew he wanted to give his all to Soojin, henceforth and if he had to be direct with Areum and tell her that, so be it.

She was his friend and he'd made that clear, a thousand times before and yet, he couldn't blame her anymore.

Emotions were involved from all ends of the spectrum.

On his way out, he bumps into Ah Ma.

He bows before her respectfully.

"Jeonha!"

"Ah Ma!"

They greet each other and Yun Ki can't help but wonder how Soojin's training has been going.

"How is the training going, Ah Ma?" He questions, a tint of red residing in the apples of his cheeks.

"Rather well. Daebi-Mama is a fast learner, no doubt about that. We'll have to alter her diet for the next 3 days before the two of you consummate. Are you having your fair share of prescribed diet?" She questions.

Yun Ki nods his head, religiously.

"I also wished to speak to you about your relationship with Soojin.." She comments.

Yun Ki motions for her to speak on and crosses his arms over his chest.

"I feel as though the two of you haven't spent enough time in order for things to unfold naturally on The Full Moon..I wish that the two of you would grow comfortable around each other. Perhaps, bond over your shared interests. Conceiving a child doesn't require just the fusion of your seeds, rather, it's a union of two souls who loved each other enough to propagate. I would strongly urge the two of you to spend some time away, from all the stress, the scrutinising eyes and the hustle bustle of The Palace. I believe the two of you haven't been resting adequately. It'd help this process advance seamlessly.." Ah Ma explains.

Yun Ki scratches the back of his neck as he thinks about moving away with Soojin for 3 whole days.

Would she agree?

He grew silent, staring at his feet, clad in horse riding boots.

Merely bringing up the idea of a getaway was stressful for Yun Ki as expressing emotions and desires weren't his strong points, to start with.

"If you're wondering how you ought to tell Mama, you needn't worry. I've placed before her the same suggestion. I believe this time of the season, when it's down-pouring, would gravitate the two of you towards one another. Perhaps, the Lords of Rain would bless you and the life you're deciding to bring into this Kingdom."

Yun Ki nods.

"I agree with your suggestion, wholeheartedly. However, I worry whether moving around would be best for us, right now. Especially when it's been a week since Eomeonim passed away and the throne lies in jeopardy.." Yun Ki questions, finger running over his chin.

Ah Ma lets out a deliberating hum.

"Trust me Yun Ki, The Late Queen would've only wanted to see you getting the love you deserve. After all you've been through, she wouldn't be against you rejecting love. You can keep this a hushed deal. Leave at the break of midnight, with ample security. I could come along if needed." She suggests.

Yun Ki bows in gratitude, excusing himself as he walks into Casper's stable, untying the rope around him.

He ushers him out and yet all he can think of is Ah Ma's suggestions.

Her wholehearted advice of taking Soojin away with him, so they could live together and work on their relationship.

Yun Ki mounts himself on Casper and begins prodding in the arena, a small smile caressing his face as he dreams of taking his wife away from all the chaos that has ensued in their lives and dawned upon them trials and tribulations.

"It seems like the appropriate thing to do." He mumbles to himself as he watches Chief Hong wave at him from the other side of the fence.

He tightens the reigns on Casper, walking him to Chief Hong.

"Good evening, Jeonha. I have your itinerary for the next day. If you cou—" Yun Ki interrupts the man, who has unwound a scroll to read out off.

"Chief!" He addresses in zeal.

"What would you think of a 3 day getaway to Goryeo?" Yun Ki asks, beaming and Chief Hong looks back at him bewildered.

"Mwo?!"