The carriage ride felt endless after that heated exchange, but when the estate gates finally swung open, Min-jae practically bolted the moment his boots touched the gravel.
"I need a bath..." he muttered, not waiting for Meical's response.
Inside, the maids blinked at the sight of him sweeping past, cat in hand. He handed Punz over to them with a hasty."Take care of her, make sure she's comfortable.." before striding straight to the only room he really knew in the estate, Meical's chamber.
Right in front of its owner.
He stripped without ceremony, sliding into the steaming bath as if he lived there, well he did.
Humming under his breath at the relief. By the time he climbed out, dripping and flushed, he didn't even bother asking permission before digging through Meical's wardrobe.
"These will do for now.." he muttered, tugging on a loose shirt that hung slightly big on him, the sleeves falling past his wrists. "But seriously, we need to get me new clothes. I'm not going to live off your closet forever…"
The grumble trailed off into a yawn. Min-jae flopped onto the bed, hair damp, the oversized collar slipping off one shoulder, and within minutes, he was asleep.
---
Meical stood in the doorway the entire time, his lips twitching.
In the carriage, Kaizar had spoken so boldly, throwing words like weapons. He had braced himself for… something. A long night, perhaps.
But here he was, snoring softly into the pillow, looking infuriatingly at ease in his clothes.
With a quiet exhale, Meical turned away. He stripped down himself, washed, then dressed in more casual attire.
Duty tugged at him like a chain, and so he went to the study, stacks of parchment awaiting him.
After all, he was the governor of the South—responsibility did not pause because his spouse fell asleep.
It was there, while he bent over a map, that the maids entered with Punz. The Abyssinian's fur gleamed from a fresh bath, and a ribbon sat neatly tied around its neck.
"Shall we let the little one roam, my lord? Or… shall we deliver it to your wife?" one of them asked.
Meical leaned back in his chair, eyeing the creature, then the eager maids. He sighed. "Hand it here."
Punz was placed carefully into his arms, warm and purring. "My wife is asleep.." Meical added after a pause, "I'll see to it."
The maids bobbed in acknowledgment, only for him to raise a hand before they left.
"Send for the dressmaker as well. He wants new clothes, so let the dressmaker come here to discuss designs.."
As the door shut behind them, Meical glanced down at the cat resting against his chest.
"…Punz, was it?" he murmured, the name tasting odd on his tongue. "What peculiar things he brings into my life."
Time passed, the sun slipping lower, until the dressmaker finally arrived at the gates. A servant announced it, and Meical rose from the study chair, Punz still purring in his arm.
For some reason, instead of sending a maid, he went himself.
When he returned to the bedroom, Min-jae was still asleep, sprawled across the bed in his shirt, one leg half-bare where the fabric had ridden up. In that quiet moment, Meical actually stopped. Perhaps for the first time, he looked at him.
Kaizar's sharp features softened in sleep, lashes long against pale skin, lips parted slightly. Beautiful—though beauty wasn't a word Meical often allowed himself to think.
But now, he did.
"Kaizar.." he said low, stepping closer.
Min-jae stirred, groaning as Meical tugged him upright by the shoulders. "Mm… what?"
"The dressmaker is here, just as you requested.." Meical said evenly.
Still half-asleep, Min-jae mumbled, "Five more minutes… tell him to wait…" and tried to collapse back onto the pillows.
Meical's brow twitched. "It would be rude to keep a family man standing outside at this hour."
Before Min-jae could argue, Meical simply scooped him up effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing while still cradling Punz in his other arm.
Min-jae's eyes snapped wide open. "H-hey! Put me down! At least let me wash my face or change—"
Meical ignored him. His steps were steady carrying both man and cat down the hall. The sheer absurdity of being manhandled this way had Min-jae's face burning.
When they reached the study, Meical sat down in the high-backed chair and placed Punz delicately on the desk. Then, without ceremony, he adjusted Min-jae on his lap, one hand smoothing the oversized shirt.
"Sit still.." he commanded quietly. With careful fingers, he began buttoning the loose garment all the way up to the collar, as though restoring order to his unruly spouse.
Min-jae blinked at him. "...You really didn't let me wash up."
Meical didn't answer. Instead, once the shirt was arranged properly, he gestured toward the door. "Bring in the dressmaker."
---
The elderly man entered, bowing deeply, measuring tape draped across his shoulders. His eyes darted between the governor seated so straight-backed, Min-jae perched in his lap, and the ribboned cat blinking from the desk.
Min-jae cleared his throat and quickly took charge. "Right. Nightwear first." His fingers sketched in the air as he described a two-piece set, loose, comfortable, shirt and trousers. Not silks or robes but something simple, breathable, though of course with fine fabric to suit status.
The dressmaker tilted his head, baffled at the unfamiliar design, but scribbled furiously on his parchment.
"And.." Min-jae added slyly, glancing back at Meical, "make another set for him. Same style, different color. We should match, don't you think?"
The tips of Meical's ears reddened, though his expression stayed stern. "…Unnecessary."
But Min-jae only grinned, leaning his head against his shoulder, whispering so only he could hear. "Then I'll wear yours when you're not looking."
Meical's jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
The measuring began, Min-jae stood reluctantly, arms out, grumbling when the tape brushed against his neck. But as soon as the dressmaker asked about "other attire.." Min-jae's sleepy fog lifted.
"Not just nightwear then ." he said, tugging the borrowed shirt tighter around his waist. "We need casual clothes too. Something to wear at home that isn't heavy like these robes or layers."
"Casual?" the dressmaker echoed, puzzled.
"Yes." Min-jae crouched down, snatched the quill and parchment right out of the man's hands, and began sketching crude lines. "Look. Loose trousers with a drawstring here, a shirt without all the extra ties. Jackets, short ones, not dragging to the floor. Things you can slip into easily."