// Chapter 35 \\

I'd entered the halls with as much composure as I could muster after my conversation with Seonghwa. To think he had the nerve to offer courtship only because I reminded him of his lost lover. Hadn't he wanted to find her? Didn't he believe she was still alive?

I wasn't over it by the time I flew down to the dining halls, waving my hand that opened the dining hall doors.

I was then immediately greeted by a bit of a groggy but forever inquisitive and barging Heeyoung.

"So who'd you lay?" Heeyoung whispered to me.

I gave her an incredulous look, "At the breakfast table."

Heeyoung shrugged her shoulders, "Sheesh, either you only got hot and bothered or who you got in bed with wasn't worth it."

"You inhaled too much of those candles." I replied to her, still moody. But her scoff and nudge in the shoulder had me a little guilty of my insult but humored at the same time. It calmed the rage that I attained from earlier, "One of those two guesses is correct."

Heeyoung hummed but when she looked at me then she seemed apologetic and spoke, "I'll let it be."

I gave a nod of thanks to that but a smile flushed on my face as I said, "Now it's your turn to reveal a bit too much at the breakfast table."

"Oh, things were wonderful on my end, don't worry." Heeyoung smiled making a show of rolling her eyes which pointed to the blonde hair that couldn't be mistakenly Jongho, who sat with his brother and other High Monarchs in the hall.

I gave her a teasing smirk, "Were they now?" It was about time I gave her payback for all the smirking and teasing she'd made at me.

Heeyoung batted her hand at me with a smile and a bit of a laugh before she whispered, "Stop that."

I laughed, surprised to see a bit of her brother's mood come out in her. But that was when I spotted Hongjoong at the dining table. He was looking out way and our gazed met briefly before he quickly looked away. He helped himself to trying to eat his breakfast with his left hand. His only hand because he'd sacrificed the other for me.

My smile faltered.

I then looked up the rest of the table. Hongjoong sat at the end then there was an empty seat for who I could only assume was Heeyoung. Then there was Jongho and Bongju. On the other side sat Yeosang and Theron who I was surprised with seeing here. There were two more seats before Mingi and Leeyon who sat at the very end of the table. The newly wedded couple seemed to be chatting happily. Leeyon's face remained quite stern, however, but Mingi coaxed a few small smiled out of it.

"Here," Heeyoung spoke, "We should take our seats. And you should get something to eat."

I nodded before we both made our ways around the table. I decided I didn't want to sit too close to Yeosang. He'd looked up from his plate of food and nodded my way in acknowledgement of me presence and I could barely smile and nod back to him without thinking of all I'd thought of him. I helped myself to sitting right next to Mingi near the end of the table but I immediately regretted my decision when Leeyon sent me a glare in acknowledgement of my presence.

"Star of Night Court," Mingi greeted me kindly with a nod of his head.

I kindly returned it as I sat down, "Raidier," then I looked to Leeyon, "Ray."

Leeyon merely scoffed and turned away, arms folded. Mingi looked back her way before he shrugged his shoulder and looked back to me as he spoke in a low tone, "You'll have to excuse her. She isn't quite over-"

"What happened. I know." I spoke before I gave the best reassuring smile I could muster. Though, Leeyon was also getting on my nerves.

I took to scanning the immense trays of food I hadn't acknowledged earlier. Each held a finer dish than the last and was dreadfully mouthwatering. However, I didn't have the appetite.

The doors to the breakfast hall creaked open. Just like that, the reason for my lack of appetite came walking in.

Seonghwa walked into the breakfast hall, fully clothed in the same dusty blue color as my dress. His face remained neutral but he knew very well of what the impression would be.

Heeyoung met my gaze then. She knew who I ended up in bed with then.

Seonghwa took to seating himself next to me.

"Cress of Dawn Court... glad to see you could make it," Mingi hesitantly glanced between the two of us.

I deliberately tried to ignore him. Night, this wasn't happening.

Seonghwa nodded in acknowledgement to him, "Thank you, Raidier, and best of luck to you."

There was silence for a moment and Seonghwa began to grab food.

Mingi laughed a bit before he tried to joke, "I guess there will be another courtship of High Monarchs here, aye?"

Night I did not want to see everyone's reactions. I looked up with a smile though, and a laugh on my lips to the joke before I said, "It's nothing like that."

I could feel Seonghwa's eyes on me then. I'd told him no, but I hated how my cheeks flushed from knowing his stare. There was something passionate between us. Sickeningly passionate.

I wanted to stop thinking about it, so I threw myself in the opposite fray of torturing endurance.

"So you two have enjoyed yourselves?" I asked politely to Mingi and Leeyon.

"Like it's any of your business," Leeyon lashed back without looking up from her plate.

Mingi pressed his lips together in what looked to be a flicker of dismay before he smiled to me, "We have, thank you. I'm a lucky man to have such a wonderful woman love me."

Leeyon didn't look up but there was no lie in the blush on her face.

Mingi simply grinned, "Makes a happy content man."

"Speak like that anymore at this table and I'll see that you're maxed by the creatures of the deep." There was a hint of a smile.

"Come on." Mingi drawled, "You wouldn't want to scratch this perfect face."

Leeyon looked to Mingi then, something perfect I didn't recognize before glimmering in her serpentine eyes before she smiled a wide grin I didn't believe she could make, "I don't." I was surprised she admitted those words also.

She dazedly placed a hand onto Mingi's chest and they hesitantly kissed before Mingi pulled away, "I need to go."

Leeyon's smile faltered before she tried to speak causally, "Right."

But the rest of the table seemed to turn slightly grim, eyeing the couple.

Mingi rose from the table, trying to give an apologetic smile to Leeyon, "At least your know my heart and land were almost-guaranteed to you."

No laugh came from her and she didn't meet his eyes, "That's not the same as guaranteed."

Mingi watched her silently before he softly spoke, "It is." The room was silent for a while longer, "You have my heart."

Mingi then looked up to all of us, "Thank you, to the ones supporting me. I hope to see you all over this is over." Then he bowed and took to leaving. He was almost to the exit when Leeyon rose from her seat and ran into him with a hug.

Mingi hesitated once more before he reluctantly returned it.

"Stay alive for me, okay?" I heard Leeyon mumble into his shoulder.

"I will," Mingi spoke comfortingly, taking a hand to her hair, "I promise."

The two kissed and parted, staring deeply into their eyes before they broke apart. It could have been the incense still in my system but I could've sworn Mingi looked my way and gave a nod with a reassuring look in his eyes before he turned around and left. Leeyon continued watching from where she stood as he vanished. She was there moments afterwards. Finally, Heeyoung rose from the table and walked over to where she stood. She gently placed a hand on Leeyon's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Heeyoung tenderly asked her. Heeyoung's hand had been shrugged off Leeyon's shoulder faster than I had time to catch.

"I'm fine." Leeyon snapped, her face glaring to Heeyoung solemn one, but that didn't last one. Heeyoung's look of putty was unrelenting and Leeyon's intimidating look fell, crumpling into one of sorrow. "I just... I don't know if I'll see him again."

Mingi. Because High Monarch Trials were today. Once it started, it would be a fight to the death of who was worthy. Mingi may not survive.

REMEMBER:​​​​​​

1. Smack dat butiful star

2. Leave a comment talkin abt dis tea

3. Share dis tea induced book with yo fwends

WHY? Because I appreciate it 🥺

\\ See u in the next chapter! \\