The sun had begun to set when Hwan Seong left his chambers.
He told himself he was going to inspect the Eastern Wing. Seo Yul had recently recovered from his illness, and the physician had advised that his condition be watched for a few more days.
It was a reasonable explanation.
He repeated it to himself as he walked.
When he reached the Eastern Wing, he found the outer doors open. A servant bowed as he passed, but he barely noticed.
Then he saw Seo Yul.
The young prince was sitting beside the window with a book in his hands. His expression was peaceful, and a faint smile touched his lips as he turned a page.
Hwan Seong stopped at the doorway.
Seo Yul hadn't noticed him yet.
For a brief moment, the king was able to see him without the familiar fear settling over his face.
Then Seo Yul looked up.
The smile vanished.
He immediately put the book aside and rose from his chair.
"Your Majesty."
His voice was quiet and formal.
Hwan Seong stepped into the room.
"You need not rise every time I enter."
Seo Yul remained standing.
"I apologize."
The king's expression hardened slightly.
"Why are you apologizing?"
Seo Yul hesitated.
"I thought I should greet Your Majesty properly."
"You have done so."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Another silence followed.
Hwan Seong looked at the book lying on the table.
"What are you reading?"
Seo Yul glanced at it.
"A collection of poems."
"Do you find it interesting?"
"Yes."
The king waited.
Seo Yul lowered his eyes.
There was nothing more.
Hwan Seong had watched him laugh with Hwan Jae that morning. He had seen him smile without hesitation, speak without fear, and tease his brother as though they had known each other for years.
Here, however, every answer was careful. Every word kept at a safe distance.
The king found himself asking a question he had not intended to ask.
"Were you with Hwan Jae today?"
Seo Yul looked up, surprised.
"Yes, Your Majesty. He showed me the gardens."
"Did you enjoy yourself?"
Seo Yul hesitated, perhaps uncertain whether he was expected to answer honestly.
"Yes. His Highness was very kind."
Something tightened in the king's chest.
"I see."
Seo Yul looked at him anxiously.
"Have I done something wrong?"
The question caught Hwan Seong off guard.
"No."
"Then—"
Seo Yul stopped himself.
The king watched him.
"Then what?"
Seo Yul's fingers curled against his sleeve.
"Nothing, Your Majesty."
Hwan Seong could have asked him to finish his sentence.
Instead, he looked away.
"You should continue resting. Do not spend too much time outside until you have fully recovered."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The king turned towards the door.
He had come here without a clear reason, carrying questions he had no intention of asking. Now he was leaving with the same questions and a growing awareness of the distance between them.
"Your Majesty?"
Hwan Seong stopped.
Seo Yul stood beside the table, looking uncertain.
"Thank you," he said.
The king turned back towards him.
"For what?"
Seo Yul lowered his eyes.
"For the tea you sent this morning."
Hwan Seong hadn't expected that.
He had ordered the tea sent because he remembered Seo Yul drinking it once. He hadn't expected the young prince to notice, much less thank him.
"It was nothing," he replied.
Seo Yul nodded.
The king waited for something else for a question, perhaps, or another small sign that Seo Yul wanted him to stay.
Nothing came.
After a moment, Hwan Seong left.
The doors closed quietly behind him.
Seo Yul remained standing in the middle of the room.
He wasn't sure why the king had asked about his afternoon. He wasn't sure why he had seemed displeased, either.
Perhaps he had been imagining it.
He returned to his chair and picked up his book.
But when he opened it, he found himself thinking about the king again.
He wondered whether he should have said something more.
He wondered whether the king had come because he wanted to see him.
Then he shook his head.
That was foolish.
His Majesty had duties to attend to. He could not possibly spend his time thinking about a prince he had brought here after conquering his kingdom.
Seo Yul lowered his gaze to the page.
Still, the room felt strangely quiet after the king had left.
Hwan Seong returned to his chambers with an expression that discouraged anyone from approaching him.
He dismissed his attendants and stood beside the open window.
Beyond the palace walls, the last light of the day was fading.
He thought of Seo Yul's smile in the gardens.
Then he thought of the way that smile had disappeared when he entered the room.
He had spent years learning how to command men, silence opposition, and make decisions that could change the fate of kingdoms.
Yet he could not seem to discover how to make one frightened young man feel safe around him.
Perhaps Hwan Jae had been right.
Perhaps Seo Yul needed someone he could trust.
Hwan Seong closed his eyes briefly.
He would not interfere with their friendship. He would not punish his brother for giving Seo Yul the companionship he needed.
He knew that.
But as he remembered Seo Yul's easy laughter beside Hwan Jae, an unwelcome thought surfaced.
Why can he smile so freely with my brother, but not with me?
Hwan Seong opened his eyes.
There was no answer waiting for him.
And for the first time in a long while, the king found himself troubled by a question he could neither command nor dismiss.