CHAPTER 82: CHAPTER 82: LOOKING LIKE A DESERT HERMIT

Meical’s eyes narrowed. "What are you laughing at?" he asked, though his voice carried no real annoyance.

"I’m laughing..." Min-jae said, still smiling, "because you look ridiculous. You’ve been gone two weeks, and you come here looking like a desert hermit, saying all this serious stuff, and I... I can’t help it."

Meical blinked, then let out a low, exasperated sigh, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips despite himself.

"Ridiculous?" he repeated.

"Yes.." Min-jae said, reaching up to brush a hand over Meical’s cheek, careful not to smudge the beard he secretly found endearing. "Ridiculous, messy, tired... but also honest. I love that you can say this, even looking like that. Even now, I.."

He stopped, realizing that words weren’t necessary. Meical’s hand covered his, warm and firm, and the look in his eyes said everything he couldn’t put into words.

Min-jae leaned into the touch, letting himself relax fully for the first time in weeks. For all the chaos, for all the misunderstandings, for all the distance, Meical, here, with him, finally honest was enough.

And in that moment, laughing softly against the weight of Meical’s confession, Min-jae realized that marriage might be messy, unpredictable, and full of ups and downs... but it was moments like this that made it worth everything.

Meical’s eyes searched Min-jae’s face, earnest and a little desperate. "Do you... love me?" he asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

Min-jae shook his head slowly, keeping his expression calm. "No.." he said plainly.

-_-

Meical froze. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. "What...? How can you not love ne?"

Min-jae couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped him, soft and teasing, watching Meical’s jaw drop in disbelief.

"Am I not handsome?" Meical burst out, throwing his hands wide. "I am very handsome. And rich. Why don’t you love me?"

Min-jae laughed louder this time, covering his mouth to hide the grin. "You’re handsome.." he admitted, "and rich, yes. But love... that’s a different thing."

Meical lips twitched "You’re joking! You’re joking, right?"

Min-jae shook his head again, smiling faintly. "I’m serious. You’re infuriating, ridiculous, and completely predictable... but love? Not yet."

Meical threw up his hands and groaned, leaning back as if the world had just betrayed him. "How can you not be in love with a man like me?"

Min-jae tried not to laugh too hard at the sight of Meical, so animated and flustered. His eyes sparkled with mischief. "You’re so immature, it’s funny.." he said.

Meical blinked at him, still sputtering, still indignant, and yet, somehow, he couldn’t hide the small, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Word had spread quickly through the palace that Kaizar’s partner had arrived. Curiosity got the better of King Rashwan, Queen Samira, and Jahan’s siblings, and they quietly made their way to spy on the couple.

They peeked from behind a column just as Meical held Min-jae tightly in his arms.

King Rashwan’s eyes went wide. "That... that’s Kaizar’s partner?" he whispered.

Queen Samira’s hand flew to her mouth. "He’s... hugging him?" she asked, wide-eyed.

Jahan’s youngest sister squinted, her jaw slack. "The... wife... is a man?"

Another sibling groaned audibly. "All this time we thought Kaizar had a wife. And now..."

Jahan appeared from the side, leaning casually against a doorway, grin on his face. "Relax.." he said. "Kaizar’s partner is a man. That man is Meical Vukasin, the southern governor of Aldoria. And the wife in their relationship? Certainly is not him."

Queen Samira blinked slowly, understanding dawning. "Oh... I see..."

King Rashwan rubbed his chin. "So... Kaizar is the wife?"

Jahan chuckled. "Exactly. That clears everything up, doesn’t it?."

The siblings groaned, some covering their faces, others shaking their heads in disbelief. One muttered "We really misjudged this marriage."

From the back, Tariq strolled into view, nose practically in the air. "Honestly.." he drawled, voice dripping with condescension, "I fail to see why this is such a scandal. Everyone’s acting as if Kaizar can’t handle his own affairs. The dramatics are... exhausting."

He flicked his hand dismissively, glanced at the group with a bored expression, and started walking away, perfectly upright and unimpressed.

The room fell silent. His arrogance cut through the awkward tension like a knife.

One by one, the rest of the family exchanged glances, muttered a few half-hearted comments, and quietly left, unable to argue with Tariq’s stuck-up energy.

And just like that, the curious onlookers were gone, leaving only Kaizar and Meical still unaware of the drama they had caused together in peace.

The Abdel-shafian barber sent by Jahan had worked wonders. Meical emerged completely transformed. No beard, hair perfectly styled, clothes crisp and tailored. He looked every bit the southern governor.

Min-jae blinked, momentarily speechless. The man in front of him was devastatingly handsome. The kind of handsome that made it impossible not to stare.

Jahan leaned casually against the doorway, a smug grin on his face. "Ah, there we go. Much better. Don’t you think?"

Min-jae let out a quiet laugh. "Seriously, you’re too perfect. Perfect hair, clean-shaven... are you trying to steal every person’s attention around here?"

Meical smirked, running a hand through his hair. "Naturally. Some things never change, Kaizar. I always turn heads."

Min-jae narrowed his eyes, pretending to glare. "Handsome, rich, completely aware of it. And you still expect me to behave normally?"

Meical stepped closer, smirk never faltering. "Someone has to keep you on your toes."

Min-jae sighed, corners of his lips twitching into a smile. "So this is what I’ve been missing while you looked like a desert hermit."

Meical leaned closer, brushing a stray lock of hair from Min-jae’s forehead. "And now? Do I have your full attention?"

Min-jae shook his head slightly, letting out a quiet laugh. "You always have it."

The moment hung between them, warm and intimate. They were leaning into each other, hands brushing, foreheads nearly touching, when a cough echoed from the doorway.

"Ahem.."

Both of them turned to see Jahan and the barber standing there. Jahan’s grin stretched wide. "I see my work has been appreciated.." he said teasingly.

Meical chuckled, brushing his fingers over Min-jae’s hand.

"Thank you for the barber and the clothes. Jahan."