POV: Hae Na Ri
I knock and enter his office upon receiving permission.
I was expecting Sunwoo or Mrs. Kang with him, but he is alone. Sunlight is enveloping his tall form as he stands in front of the full length window, holding a coffee mug. His golden skin glows. With his broad shoulders, sharp jawline, and a dark blue suit, he looks simply majestic standing in the sunlight.
The kind who should be called a king.
He takes a sip of his coffee and his Adam's apple bobs up and down. Without intending to, I follow the movement with my eyes.
"Are you comfortable in your new room?" He asks, fixing his intent gaze upon me and startling me out of my silent, almost lustful admiration.
Almost, really.
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty. The previous one was also comfortable." Nope, I like this one better. It has a walk-in-closet. I have never had a room with a walk-in-closet before. It definitely has better quality furniture too.
He walks over to his desk and hands me a cellphone. "Your cellphone. Use this to find out whatever you want to find about this world. You don't need to go to the internet cafe. And if you do want to go out, a driver will take you anywhere you want."
I take it and can immediately tell that it is an expensive one. "Your Majesty, you have probably already realised this, but just a reminder that I don't have any money to pay you back for anything."
"That's a shame. I was hoping you had some magical power that could turn any metal into gold." He looks genuinely disappointed.
"I wish. So far it's inconvenient things like transporting to an entirely different universe where I don't even exist."
"Why not make the most out of this experience? Perhaps someday you will wake up and you are back in your world. Then will recount this experience and think you should have enjoyed it more." He leans against his desk, his gaze boring into me with such intensity.
Does he look the same way at everyone?
He resumes, "And since you are going to be here for–we don't know how long–some introductions are in order. Firstly, Lee Sunwoo is one of my secretaries as well as my personal bodyguard. She has worked for me for a long time. Mrs. Kang is the head of housemaids and cleaning staff. She used to work for my mother. Captain Kang is the head of royal guards as well as my friend. He came here when I was 25."
He stops. "I forgot, your coffee is also here. It must be cold by now."
I follow his gaze to the table where Mrs. Kang had served me tea and threatening looks yesterday. "It's okay. Coffee is for waking up, not warming up." I grab my mug and sit down.
Hajoon follows me and sits at the single cushion like the head of the household.
"The only person left is me, and I believe you have already found out a lot about me yesterday." It takes me a moment to register that he is talking about the internet cafe and that article. I look away, cringing internally.
Thank God he didn't see the other things I had searched. Variations of keywords like:
Ryu Hajoon power abuse, ryu hajoon trial, ryu hajoon controversy, king of korea murder, king of korea smuggled….and so on.
"Ah, and before you ask!" He puts down his cup as though remembering something. "I don't have any secret girlfriend. I am not having any affair with either Lee Sunwoo or Captain Kang. She is married, and Jae Hyuk and I are completely straight."
I nearly spit out my coffee. "What?!"
He sighs, crossing his legs elegantly. "You will ask me that sooner or later."
Lee Sunwoo is married? I don't remember seeing a ring on her finger.
"You also have no family?" I ask hesitatingly.
"My parents have long passed away. I have no siblings. I do have some uncles and aunts, but they all are settled abroad. After a coup in 1989, a new law was put into place that only the immediate family of the monarch lives in Korea."
"So they can't live here?"
"No. They do visit, but only on special days, like the death anniversary of my parents."
He's also an orphan. But not like me. Definitely not like me. His extended family is basically in exile. Just to protect his throne. They can't return to their homeland even if they want to. This is utter injustice, totally unfair.
I couldn't hide my feelings fast enough. This is what often gets me in trouble; Wearing my heart out on my sleeve.
His sharp gaze notes everything. He uncrosses his legs and leans forward. I am sitting with the space of a person between us. "You don't like this. What? You think I am a tyrant?"
Aiyo jincha, damn that article!
His deep voice suddenly doesn't have the usual softness. His aura has turned menacing. I see the man in power who has probably done a lot to stay in power.
I got too comfortable and forgot my place. He is reminding me of it.
I force a laugh, swallowing my own fury. "No, it's not like that. I was thinking what if they really want to return?" I realise I shouldn't have asked that. It is stepping over my limits. I bite my lip at another mistake.
"Then they will get arrested the moment they set foot here, and likely imprisoned for life as a result," he says without sugarcoating anything. "A small mistake in my position will lead to destruction, not just death."
It takes a lot to keep my face blank. My fist clenches my skirt with the effort it takes to not speak my mind. People like him think they have it very hard. While they are the ones giving others a hard time.
But unfortunately he is too smart. No emotion of mine goes unnoticed by him.
"Nari'sshi, I feel as if you think badly of me?" It is framed as a question from an offended man. The kind who slap their employees after simple mistakes, and still believe they are a good person for not firing them.
"It's not like that. You are being really kind to me." This part is true. Regardless of everything, he is being kind. "As someone who has met a lot of unkind people in her life, I am grateful."
I mean it.
But I told him this, to make him lower his guards that I had made him pull up with my mistake. Being all vulnerable, fragile and small can work in your favour. Especially with men. And this king does seem the kind with a hero complex. My earlier embarrassing outburst in the hallway, it was actually for good–even if that was not my intention then.
And I see that it is taking effect; My last sentence brings out a curious frown on his face. He wants to ask, like a saviour, "What happened, who was unkind to you?"
But he will not ask. Not right now, when I have questioned his rules and authority.