Minjun stares at his husband with his brows lowered. His heart throbs a little faster and a little louder. Minjun parts his lips and attempts to say something a couple of times but they are futile. He never thought that there will come a day when he becomes pleasantly speechless by Eunwoo. The key importance here is pleasant since he didn’t feel any affinity toward the Prince who has become his husband. 

Eunwoo reaches out a hand, lifts Minjun’s chin while allowing Minjun to close his mouth, and displays a pleasing grin. He promises, “I will treat you both well in the future.”

“Yes.” Minjun pulls his chin away and quiets his inner war drums. 

“Here. Eat a little more and tell me when the child should be here by, hm?” 

Minjun rubs the scar that extends from his pinky to his elbow. He calms his breathing and answers, “If everything goes well, we will see the child in four months. The beginning of summer.”

“Beginning of summer,” Eunwoo repeats the phrase a few times and feeds Minjun a spoonful of soup. “Some things have been bothering me. Can I discuss them with you?”

“W—With me?” 

Eunwoo nods. Then Minjun also nods but with a dash of curiosity and a hint of anxiety.

“Recall that I told you I’ve lived another life between the hours of the dead this morning. In that life, I lived in a different time far into the future, and even though I was born on this same land, I grew up in a land far beyond the East Sea.”

“Ilbon?”

“No. Even more east than Japan. The place was called the Americas. I grew up there and earned my education there… I don't know if I should make a living using my knowledge from a different place and time. Do I have the right to use my knowledge?”

Minjun presses his lips together, and after a while, he asks, “What is this right you speak of? Is it like the right to involve yourself in someone else's business?”

“No. Maybe I've been thinking of this wrong. Maybe it is not like the right to involve me in someone else's business. Then, Minjun, should I still use my knowledge to make a living in this world?”

“You've earned this knowledge, you should be able to freely use it,” Minjun answers with a shy nod. 

Eunwoo smiles softly even though he feels that he had done poorly in explaining the existential implications of using and sharing his knowledge from the future. But when he sees the innocent and shy response from his spouse, the pressure he gives himself lessens in some ways and hardens in other ways.

“I’m full,” Minjun raises a hand to stop Eunwoo from feeding him. 

Eunwoo collects the bowls and utensils, “I’ll wash them. You rest first.”

“Stay with me.” Minjun pinches Eunwoo’s sleeve with flushed cheeks. He also couldn’t believe he could say such flirtatious words! Is he going mad due to the fever?

“Alright.” Eunwoo pushes the tray of dirty dishes far from them. He helps Minjun lay down and is about to wipe Minjun down again when Minjun stops him.

“That’s my underwear.”

Eunwoo drops the underwear in his hands into the bowl of cool water. He looks at Minjun and bursts into laughter with tears rolling down from the corners of his eyes. 

“I must’ve looked dumb to you, don’t I?” Eunwoo wipes the tears from his cheeks and goes to search for a towel, “This time tell me early. Now, which one of these is not your underwear?”

Minjun hides his face behind his shoulder and coughs a laugh. Then he turns to Eunwoo and points to the small stack of clean towels he is preparing for their child. 

He lies on the bed and watches Eunwoo tend to his needs. He feels a little embarrassed because, for a long time ever since his elder sister married, no one has cared for him. He doesn’t know what he should say or do.

Meanwhile, Eunwoo recalls the intimate moments he had with the body before him. Although they are distant memories, with each touch the pot of lust simmers from the bottom like a flame has been rekindled. He remembers how good he felt inside this person’s body: warm, tight but tender, and blissful. 

Eunwoo squints his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. He didn’t feel this way last night so why does he feel this way now? 

He quickly finishes the wipe-down, “I’ll be back. I need to… I need to wash the dishes.”

Minjun feels guilty that his body made Eunwoo uncomfortable. Why did he believe their relationship might turn around for the better? Eunwoo was a Prince that others tend to and never tend to others. With his wretched body, Eunwoo must’ve gone out in a hurry to vomit!

He turns and curls to one side. With his knotted throat and heavy heart, he reminds himself of the contract he made with the King and the First Prince. Just a few more years of endurance and suffering and he would’ve been free of national crime charges and this marriage. Then, he could return home and help raise his noona’s children. But that was his plan before he got pregnant… 

When the sun is almost set and the early spring work for the day is done, the women and second-class men call out to Minjun. Since Eunwoo hasn’t returned, Minjun gets up and greets the women and second-class men.

“We knew you were home! Why didn’t you come out at all today until now? Your husband was so scary! His face was dark and his brows were frowning at us like we were distributing you or something!”

“I was a little feverish this morning. So I couldn’t come to greet you all,” Minjun forces a tender smile for the villagers.

“A fever! How are we supposed to get our daily fresh fish and bom namul? You’re so good at fishing and foraging that we have been depending on you! If you’re not reliable, what are we supposed to do?”

Minjun opens the gate and gestures for them to enter, “They’re not fresh but I still have some. Would you all like to see it?”

“Of course! We have to make dinner in a bit! Show us what you have and what recipes you recommend.”

They follow Minjun to the backyard with jars of fermented vegetables, beans, and fish, hanging dried fruits, fish and games, and a few fresh fishes in a tank next to the kitchen. 

“Minjun, you’re so big now. When your baby comes, will you still be doing this for us?” 

“Hopefully,” Minjun answers with a low voice. He doesn’t know how to talk with the villagers. 

Once each woman and the second-class man paid for their goods, Eunwoo returned home. They meet each other at the fence, and the villagers are jealous of the bird eggs and large eels hanging over Eunwoo’s shoulders. However, they’re too scared to even bargain for Eunwoo’s games and rush out of the compound.

Minjun lowers his head and reaches his arm out to Eunwoo, “Welcome back, Your Highness. This is all this subject can make today.”

“Why are you acting like this again?” Eunwoo walks past Minjun and into the kitchen. His tone is full of disappointment that startles Minjun to his bones.

Minjun takes the few bronze coins in his hand and follows Eunwoo into the kitchen. He tries again but Eunwoo completely ignores him. 

“This subject doesn’t know what this subject has done to offend Your Highness. This subject asks for Your Highness’s grace—” 

With the last few words choked in Minjun’s mouth, Minjun rushes out to disgorge the sour and bitter fluid. He placed a hand on the wall for support. 

Frightened by Minjun’s sudden act, Eunwoo follows behind and regrets acting so willfully arrogant. He thought he was going to make Minjun reflect on using formal language and getting up and entertaining people when he isn’t well, but it backfired. 

He uses a hand to hold Minjun’s waist and another to rub Minjun’s back. Eunwoo holds Minjun’s hair and whispers, “I’m sorry. I should’ve been more mindful. I ask that you can forgive me.”

Minjun looks at Eunwoo with bloodshot eyes and a green face. He shakes his head just a little and feels dizzy. 

“You don’t have to forgive me,” Eunwoo says as he carries Minjun back to their bed. His heart pounds like making rice cakes during the new year, full of worries for his wife and child. 

Eunwoo rests Minjun on the bedding, helps rinse Minjun’s mouth, and wipes the stream of water from the corner of Minjun’s mouth. He tests the forehead which is burning much more than last night. 

“Why did Your Highness bring this subject here? What if this subject vomits again?” Minjun murmurs with all his strength.

“Then I’ll clean it up later, and again and again if I must. You just worry about getting better. Okay, Minjun?” Eunwoo answers as he places a cold wet towel on Minjun’s forehead. 

The latter doesn’t answer and simply closes his eyes to rest. His breathing softens but his body is burning. 

“Rest. I’ll make you some food.”