Vaid6

"We can’t go back now, can we?" the Prince asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Dan-Bi stared at him, feeling the magnetic pull between them, the unspeakable truth that had been buried deep inside both of them for so long. The unspoken bond.

He didn’t reply immediately. There was nothing to say. He just stepped closer, and in that moment, all the walls they had built came crashing down.

Without thinking, the Prince reached out, his hand brushing against Dan-Bi’s. It was subtle—an accidental touch—but it was enough to spark something neither could ignore.

Dan-Bi’s breath caught, and for a brief moment, he wanted to pull away, to push the Prince out of his life before it went any further. But he couldn't.

Instead, he leaned in, his lips brushing against the Prince’s in a kiss that was soft at first. But then, the kiss deepened, and everything that had been left unsaid, everything that had been buried under the surface for so long, came to life in that one moment.

It wasn’t just a kiss; it was a declaration. Of something neither of them had been ready to admit, but something they both knew was inevitable.

UNHIDDEN BLOSSOM

Dan-Bi had learned to endure pain.

But suspicion—suspicion was far more difficult to erase.

And after the alley incident, the Crown Prince's interest in her became more than just amusement.

At the study hall, watching from across the room.

During morning drills, appearing at the edge of the training grounds.

Even during mealtimes, when Dan-Bi tried to sit alone, he would arrive—his presence filling the space like a storm cloud.

"You still avoid me," he mused one day, settling opposite her.

Dan-Bi barely looked up from her bowl. "I was unaware I was obligated to seek you out."

The prince smirked. "Everyone else does."

Dan-Bi took another bite. "Then perhaps I am not like everyone else."

For a moment, something flickered in his gaze—something unreadable.

Then he chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I suppose you are not."

She pretended not to notice the way his eyes lingered on her.

As if, no matter how much he studied her, he still couldn't quite understand.

That night, Dan-Bi could not sleep.

She stared at the wooden beams above her, fingers clenching at the thin blanket.

And curiosity—if left unchecked—could unravel everything.

The following day, the scholars were called to the palace for an imperial ceremony.

It was meant to be a simple affair—standing in attendance, listening to the ministers boast of their achievements, watching the nobility parade their wealth.

Dan-Bi had no intention of drawing attention.

But fate, as always, had other plans.

She turned sharply at the sound of the prince's voice.

He stood behind her, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

"The ministers speak of loyalty," he mused, eyes drifting toward the gathering. "Tell me—do you believe men are truly loyal, or do they only serve until their interests are threatened?"

She met his gaze. "Men are loyal to power, Your Highness."

"If power is just," she said carefully, "then loyalty is earned."

The prince watched her for a long moment.

Then, to her utter shock, he smiled.

"You are an interesting man, Scholar Han."

Dan-Bi lowered her gaze, bowing slightly. "I am merely a student of history, Your Highness."

"Yes," he murmured, stepping closer.

Dan-Bi fought the instinct to retreat.

"But history," he added, voice softer, "is written by those who survive."

From something far more dangerous.

And as the prince turned away, leaving her standing there—heart pounding, breath unsteady—Dan-Bi knew one thing for certain.

But she was not certain she would survive him.

Chapter Eight: A Dangerous Interest