CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US

Meical’s hand came up, catching Min-jae’s chin before he could say another word. His lips brushed against his.

Slowly, deliberately, leaving Min-jae frozen in place.

The kiss deepened, unhurried but firm enough to steal his breath, and the rest of Min-jae’s words dissolved into muffled sounds between them.

When Meical finally pulled back, Min-jae’s eyes were wide and dazed, his face completely red. His heartbeat drummed in his chest so loudly he was sure Meical could hear it.

Why? Why did something so simple feel so overwhelming?

Why did his chest tighten like this when Meical looked at him,like he wanted to drown in those eyes?

Meical’s gaze didn’t waver. It was calm, focused, and almost tender.

Min-jae’s throat went dry. He shouldn’t be looking at me like that.

Wasn’t Meical supposed to hate him?

He was the reason his marriage to Seraphine fell apart. Meical shouldn’t be touching him, shouldn’t be making his heart race like this.

Min-jae turned away quickly, biting his lip to hide the tremor in it, only for Meical to tilt his face back again, his thumb brushing lightly across his mouth.

"Don’t bite it.." Meical murmured, voice low and soft.

That tone broke something in Min-jae. His pulse spiked, irritation bubbling up from somewhere deep. "I said I’m fine!" he snapped, pushing Meical off him. The sudden aggression surprised even himself.

He stood abruptly, putting distance between them.

He got out of the bed, forcing his heartbeat to calm. They were both men. Meical shouldn’t be looking at him like that and he shouldn’t be reacting this way.

This marriage was nothing but a transaction. Once Seraphine was ruined, it would end. It had to.

He couldn’t afford to get attached.

He crossed the room, ignoring Meical’s confused look, and headed for the bath. The sound of water filled the silence as he stripped down, washing away the heat that clung to his skin.

By the time he came out, his expression was cold again.

Meical was still sitting on the bed, watching him.

"I told you I’m fine.." Min-jae repeated, grabbing his robe. "There’s no need for you to look so worried."

He called for the maids, instructing them to move his clothes and belongings to another room, three doors down from Meical’s.

Finally, Meical stood, his brows furrowed.

"Why are you moving out? Did I do something wrong?"

Min-jae shook his head "You did nothing wrong. I just need my own space.."

"Why? We’re married.." The confusion in Meical’s tone turned to hurt. "You said you were fine, now you’re acting like..."

"I said I want my own space, you didn’t do anything wrong..." Min-jae cut him off coldly.

Meical stepped forward. "Kaizar, talk to me properly. What did I do? Why are you suddenly.."

"You didn’t do anything..." Min-jae interrupted again, his words trembling even as he forced them out. "And we don’t need to share a bed. This marriage is just a transaction, remember? You don’t need to act like a husband."

That stopped Meical in his tracks. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved.

Then Meical’s voice came low, heavy, almost as if he was about to cry "Is that really how you see it?"

Min-jae finally met his eyes, but the look in Meical’s eyes made him freeze for a second before he managed to say "That’s how it is.".

The silence that followed was unbearable.

Meical’s jaw tightened, his hands curled at his sides as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

Min-jae didn’t wait for him to speak. He turned away, giving instructions to the second set maids who had just arrived.

As they carried his clothes out of the room, Meical stayed standing there, motionless, his expression unreadable.

Min-jae didn’t let himself look back. He couldn’t.

Because if he did, he wasn’t sure he’d still be able to walk away.

The moment the door shut behind him, Meical stood still, staring at the empty room, his chest aching in a way he didn’t understand.

His head told him to let it go.

But his heart... it hurt like hell to be dismissed by Kaizar so easily.

The maids worked quietly as they arranged the room, laying out the sheets, setting his clothes in the wardrobe, and adjusting the curtains to let in the morning light.

Min-jae stood in the middle of it all, arms crossed, pretending to supervise but really, he was just trying not to think.

When they were done and bowed their way out, one of them mentioned softly,

"Your Grace, breakfast is ready in the dining hall."

He nodded absently. "Leave it. I’ll come later."

The door clicked shut, leaving him alone in the new room. It was quiet, cold, and perfectly organized.

Min-jae let out a long sigh and sat on the edge of the bed.

Had he been too harsh on Meical?

The question slipped into his head uninvited.

He shook it off almost immediately. "No.." he muttered under his breath. "It’s better this way."

If he didn’t draw a line now, it’d only hurt them both later. Meical didn’t deserve the confusion or the half-truths that came with him.

That man looked at him like he was something worth protecting but he wasn’t.

Not Kaizar or Min-jae.

"A movie would’ve been nice right now.." he muttered to himself. "Something stupid. Anything."

Tap.

He frowned and turned toward the balcony. Another tap, sharper this time.

"What now..."

When he pulled the curtain aside, Saar was standing outside, calm as ever, a faint grin tugging at his mouth. His cloak was singed at the edges, and soot streaked the sleeve of his uniform.

Min-jae slid the glass door open. "You look like shit."

Saar stepped in with a short bow. "You should see the other shit I left behind."

-_-

Min-jae cringed uncontrollably, that sounded so wrong.

"Meaning?"

"Both textile houses went up beautifully.." Saar said matter-of-factly. "No casualties. We made sure the fire started from the inside. The guards didn’t suspect a thing."

Min-jae’s lips curved. "Good. That should rattle her a bit. She must be throwing a fit right now.."