A soft, reflective silence fell. Genie's eyes darkened slightly, as if she were reaching back into the past, tracing memories both bitter and tender.
"That… is a matter that deserves careful thought," she said, her voice serene but threaded with emotion. Her gaze drifted momentarily, distant, carrying nostalgia and quiet sorrow. "My brother… he never wished to live the life of a prince. He did not desire the throne, nor the path that the palace expected of him."
Bong and Jade listened intently, their focus unbroken. Jade's eyes traced every subtle shift in Genie's expression, searching for meaning in the smallest flicker. For the briefest moment, Bong noticed it too—but he masked the realization, keeping his face unreadable.
Genie continued.
"He longed to live freely, not as royalty, but as himself. So my father, the Late King Gen, made the decision to announce that my brother had died. And I believed it, until nearly the very moment my father passed away."
The weight of silence settled as Bong and Jade absorbed every word.
"I see," Bong said at last, his voice tempered with understanding. "And perhaps… Do you remember what he loved? What your brother wished to be? Any sense of where he might have gone?"
Genie released a quiet sigh.
"I did not know him well. I was so young when he left the palace—when I believed he had died from illness," he said softly. "But what I do remember is this: he loved inventing. Farming techniques, water systems… so many things meant to help the people of Hana Kingdom. Though he was young, he was a brilliant boy."
Jade's gaze never wavered, following Genie's expressions as though each word carried the weight of revelation.
'Right… Though when I first came to the Hana Kingdom, the prince was already gone. Still, I've heard whispers here and there from the court about his gift for invention,' Jade reflected, his eyes lowering for a fleeting moment.
Bong leaned forward ever so slightly, listening with deliberate care.
"That is very interesting… And anything else?"
Genie shook her head, the motion slow and tinged with a quiet heaviness.
"Well… aside from my brother's desire to wander the world, I truly know little more."
Bong dipped his head politely, his tone respectful but measured.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I believe I've heard enough for now."
Genie's eyes quivered faintly, a subtle ripple of unease breaking her composure.
"You've heard enough?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Bong replied with quiet certainty, before turning his gaze toward Jade. "Minister, I will begin the search immediately. May I call upon your help from time to time—and report my progress directly to you?"
"Of course," Jade said without hesitation, his voice steady. "Reach out to me for anything concerning this search."
Genie's gaze lingered on Jade. In the silence that followed, her heart softened. And though her lips remained still, in her heart a tender smile bloomed, warm and secret.
Soon after, Genie and Jade walked along the quiet night street, the city around them hushed, almost deserted. The lanterns flickered faintly in the distance, their reflections trembling on the dark surface of the lake as the two passed across the bridge.
"Bong seemed like a very calm and professional man," Genie said, her voice gentle, mingling with the night breeze.
"I will do everything I can to make this search succeed, Your Majesty," Jade replied with quiet resolve.
Genie's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Thank you, Jade."
Their footsteps echoed softly on the wooden bridge. Just as they were about to step off, Jade's pace faltered. He stopped, his heart hammering in his chest. Genie paused as well, turning to face him, her eyes searching his.
"Your Majesty…" Jade's voice caught slightly, as if carried away by the spring night wind that fluttered around them.
Genie felt her own heart stir, fluttering in time with the breeze that brushed past her hair.
Jade looked at her, his gaze unsteady but burning with sincerity, and slowly reached inside his top. From close to his chest, he carefully drew out a jade bracelet that glimmered softly under the moonlight.
Genie's breath caught. Her eyes widened as they fell upon the bracelet resting in his hands, delicate and radiant against the shadows of the night.
Jade's voice wavered, steady yet tinged with nerves.
"Your Majesty, I… wished to give this to you."
Genie lifted her gaze from the bracelet back to Jade, surprise flickering across her face.
"Oh…" she whispered, astonished. "Well, what is this for?"
Jade couldn't bring himself to meet Genie's eyes. His breath was unsteady, and in a trembling voice he finally opened his lips.
"I… am sorry I didn't celebrate you on your birthday four months ago, last December," he said quietly.
Genie smiled gently, her tone warm.
"It's okay."
For a moment, she thought that was all he meant to say. But then Jade's voice stirred again, low and weighted.
"And… Your Majesty."
This time, he lifted his gaze. Their eyes met, and in that instant, the world seemed to still—the spring night wind brushing past, the moonlight catching in her hair, the silence swelling with the fluttering of their hearts.
"I've thought about this, over and over, for so long…" Jade let out a soft, restless sigh. "I asked the Lord if I was even allowed to have this feeling toward you. If it was right. And I prayed—prayed without ceasing."
Genie felt her heartbeat quicken, her chest rising with each breath as though the night itself pressed closer around her.
"And now," Jade continued, his voice steadying into quiet conviction, "I've realized this feeling is from the Lord. That our meeting was His guidance. I have known, for quite some time, the truth of my love for you…"
Genie's lips parted, but no words came. She was utterly at a loss.
Jade drew a breath, his eyes fixed on hers, unwavering now.
"But I cannot keep it hidden any longer. I must say it." His words rang with an unshakable sincerity. "I love you. Truly, I love you."
Genie's round, luminous eyes widened as they held his gaze, shimmering in the moonlight.
Jade's voice dropped lower, almost trembling yet resolute, each word a vow.
"I love you. Not only as the Queen. Not only as the Princess. But as a woman."
Genie felt her heart sink into a depth she had never known before—so deep it wasn't just beating, it was resonating within her soul.
Jade's steady gaze held her, and in a voice both trembling and resolute, he said, "I love you, Your Majesty."
Her eyes quivered, shimmering with unspoken emotions. Then, with a voice that carried both tenderness and courage, she answered, "I love you too."
A smile graced her lips as she added softly, "Not just as my subordinate. Not just as my royal guard. But as a man. I love you."
Jade's lips curved into a rare, perfect smile—symmetrical, unguarded, radiant.
For so long, their paths had twisted through trials, misunderstandings, and silence, yet in God's perfect guidance and perfect timing, their love had finally come to rest in its rightful place. At last, they shared a love not born of impulse, but rooted in divine grace and providence.
Genie, shy yet wanting to mask it with composure, smiled lightly.
"Shall we walk back then?"
Jade's gentle smile answered hers.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The two walked beneath the silver wash of moonlight, their footsteps soft against the quiet night streets. Hearts fluttered with a tender rhythm, each beat carrying not just the intimacy of their love for one another, but a deeper, sacred resonance—a love guided by divine grace, Christ-centered, and steadfastly led by the hand of God.
Deep into the night, Genie lay on her bed in the Queen's chamber, her eyes tracing the dark expanse of the ceiling. Her heart still fluttered, each beat echoing the memory of moments just passed on the quiet streets outside the palace—Jade's confession, her own whispered reply. She could feel the warmth of that night lingering, as if the moonlight itself had followed them inside.
"This… this is what God has led," she whispered softly, her voice almost blending with the stillness of the chamber. "It's not something I could have orchestrated, nor Jade. Only the Lord has guided our hearts to this love, in His perfect timing, after all those trials and waiting."
In the quiet of his private chamber within the palace, Jade sank into his bed, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders. He closed his eyes and let out a slow, serene breath, though his heart fluttered with the echoes of the evening.
"Lord, thank you so much," he whispered into the stillness of the night. "Please continue to lead us as You always have. I trust in You alone and love You above all."
Outside, the soft hum of late-April fireflies drifted through the night air, mingling with the gentle rustle of the spring wind. The palace lay in tranquil silence, yet within that calm, a quiet sense of hope and divine guidance enveloped him.
The next early morning, as the soft light of dawn spilled across the palace grounds, Genie was already on the second-floor terrace of the back building of the Queen's pavilion. The royal physician carefully tended to her arms and neck, moving with practiced precision. Chief Han and Lady Park stood quietly behind, their eyes watchful yet filled with relief.
The royal physician cast a polite glance at Genie as he worked. "Your Majesty, your pulse is more stable this morning, and your digestion seems to be improving. Overall, your health appears to be more stabilized."
Genie's eyes brightened with a mix of surprise and joy.
"That's good to hear," she said softly. "All thanks to God and also to you, for your careful treatment every morning."
The physician smiled and nodded respectfully.
"I am glad, Your Majesty, to see you getting better."
Chief Han and Lady Park exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with quiet joy, the morning air carrying the subtle relief of a long night finally passing.