8 Yuki

Chapter Eight: Yuki

"Wangmin-ah, how was your preparation for the hunting competition?" Wangchul started a conversation while picking up his meat.

Wangmin smiled warmly and replied, "It's doing good, brother. Sister visited me earlier and cheered for me!"

Haneul mentally nodded. 'Who else would support you before the entrance of your partner if not me?'

She chuckled softly, "I would be cheering for you every day, Wangmin-ah. I hope you won't be bothered."

Wangmin shook his head abruptly and waved his hands after putting down his chopsticks, "No, no, not at all! I love seeing sister!"

When Wangchul heard the word 'Wangmin-ah', he raised a brow and coughed dryly. "You two seem to be very close."

Haneul and Wangmin looked at him when he spoke in a cold manner. Wangchul chewed on his food before continuing, "To the point that you call him 'Wangmin-ah' warmly."

Wangchul settled down his chopsticks and blankly looked at Haneul, "Meanwhile 'your dear husband' is being called as 'your majesty' coldly." Wangchul emphasized the main point of his demurral.

Haneul's face looked stupefied. She wasn't expecting for the great Wangchul to hate being called as 'Your Majesty'. His cold, piercing gaze towards her made her heart tremble in fear.

Haneul, despite feeling nervous, sighed softly. "How should I say this..."

She was still thinking of an excuse and when she already thought of something, she doesn't want to voice it out since it was a childish excuse.

Haneul chewed on her words and organized her thoughts; searching for the correct choice of an excuse but she can't think of any other than the first one. A minute has passed and the two royals were impatiently waiting for her answer, one sulking and one out of curiosity. 

Leaving no choice, Haneul continued in a serious tone, "It's because 'His Majesty' is also addressing me as the 'Empress'. I'm just returning the favor."

Wangmin clicked his tongue, "That's right, brother. How could sister call you informally when you are addressing her formally?"

Haneul's heart felt relieved when both of the brothers seems to buy her excuse. She doesn't dare to be honest and spat, 'It's because I don't want to get involved with you'. She values her new life, of course.

Wangchul pondered for a moment and replied with his right hand supporting his left elbow and left hand propping his chin. "Right. If that is the case then from now onwards, I'll drop the Empress. Also, give me a sobriquet."

Despite his choice of words, It was not a demand nor delivered in an ordering tone. It was rather the tone of a kid begging for candy.

Haneul slightly bowed her head while smiling, "Well then, Wangchul-ah, call me Han-i."

The gloomy Wangchul beamed and pfft-ed out of satisfaction. Wangmin teased him and the dine ended with glorious laughs that echoed throughout the humble garden.

***

Days had passed after the family supper. Haneul is summoned often by Wangchul to do something random like talking a walk at the lotus lake or cheering for Wangmin together. They also dropped the formalities and called each other by their sobriquet. 

The stiff and cold Haneul gradually opened up to Wangchul. She thought that being friends with Wangchul is not a bad idea. Moreover, she is already married to him thus they will be at each other's side until their eternal slumber. She can't possibly ignore him as long as she is the Empress and he is the Emperor.

The case of her two love interests; both An Jiho and Han Wangchul is already settled and there's this irksome fellow in front of her, smiling ear to ear while staring at her with his eyes squinted.

Haneul sipped her tea and rolled her eyes, "Soo-yah. Can you not do that."

Yungsoo snickered, "Do what?"

"Staring, what else?" 

Yungsoo laughed and propped his hand on his cheeks. "I do not know why you changed from a gentle swan to a lioness but Han-i, you entertain me more with your new attitude."

When Yoon Yungsoo informed him that he'll be visiting in a week, he really did visit. And when he said that he was expecting a small tea party, Haneul didn't prepare any thus he prepared it himself. Seriously, so much for being thick-skinned.

Haneul reached his forehead to smack it lightly and replied with a hint of irritation, "Am I somewhat a laughing stock? You really have your way into pissing me off, huh?"

Yungsoo let out a laugh, "Anyway, how was the execution and Mo Jieun right now?"

Haneul replied in a serious tone, "The execution ended without any problems. As for Mo Jieun, we are still looking for her whereabouts. It's been a week that is why the Emperor expanded the search team."

Hearing the Emperor in their topic, Yungsoo teased her to divert her attention, "Did Mo Jieun truly single-handedly stole the Dragon Seal from you? Aye, what a weak girl."

This time, Haneul didn't smack him lightly but intensely to the point he can feel it throbbing. Yungsoo whimpered while caressing his forehead. "I was just jesting! Just jesting! What's with your strength? Is living here made you violent?"

Haneul firmly replied, "No, your visit made me violent." 

Yungsoo humped and looked away pouting. "Even if you treat me like this, I still brought it with me, you know?" he mumbled.

Haneul's face beamed and looked at Yungsoo with sparkling eyes, "Really? Where? Come now, Soo-yah give it to me!"

After she received Yungsoo's letter, she replied with a request. Yungsoo raised his hand and a servant forwarded with a small Maltese dog in his hand.

Enraptured, Haneul extended her arms welcoming the dog she requested. "Hello there~ You don't have a name, do you? From now on I'll call you Yuki."

Seeing the overjoyed Haneul, Yungsoo felt satisfied. Haneul looked at him and beamed with a wide smile, "Yungsoo-yah, many thanks!"

Yungsoo replied with a scoff. Overly excited by the dog, Haneul almost forgot that she was to draw a clear line between them. "Soo-yah." She called while looking at Yuki.

She turned her head and smiled warmly, "I'm really lucky to have a good friend like you."

'That will do! Now that I cleared another line, I'll be at ease and we'll continue this friendship like you and the original Haneul used to!'

Hearing those words, Yungsoo felt a pang in his chest. He stood up, turned around, and walked away from her a little.

"Soo-yah?"

Yungsoo halted. Thinking that it was the perfect time to confess, he dramatically said, "They say people's greed knows no bounds."

"Pardon?"

"Han-i, I was used to be grateful just to be called your friend..." Yungsoo sighed and faced her with a hurt expression.

"... but why is it that now, I don't like that word at all?" He continued.

"..." Haneul's mouth agape with incredulity. She wasn't expecting this, she thought that it would be easy as the Advisor and the Emperor. She miscalculated everything!

"I'll give you three seconds..." Yungsoo slowly walks towards Haneul.

"...to slap my fa—"

Haneul didn't wait for Yungsoo to come over her and she marched towards him and slapped his face in a split second.

SLAP!

Yungsoo was left dumbfounded. "I wasn't even finished!" he felt his face and protested.

Haneul's face twisted in anger, her lips were trembling as she scolded Yungsoo, "You said three seconds to slap your face, you're welcome! And hey, Yoon Yungsoo! Don't you ever dare think of kissing me!"

With a surprised face, he pointed at Haneul with trembling hands and replied stuttering. "H, how in the earth d, did you know?!"

'For someone who loves to watch dramas, what do you think?!'

Haneul clicked her tongue in annoyance, "Does it matter? In any way, I can forgive you for this insolence if you do the paperwork I left in the Chrysanthemum Garden in my stead."

Yungsoo opened his mouth but hadn't thought of a good comeback against Haneul yet, so Yungsoo pointed at Haneul using his left hand and his right hand soothing his slapped face but no words came out.

Haneul challenged him by bobbing her head, "What? Do you perhaps wanted to be ignored instead?"

Hearing those words, Yungsoo's pupils shrank and he immediately cried out, "Alright! Alright! I'll do it!"

Haneul nonchalantly laughed at the sight of Yungsoo running towards her garden while petting her new friend, Yuki.