The sky was painted entirely in shades of gray, heavy with clouds that threatened to burst open at any moment.
“Are you heading out?”
Kim Su-hyun, on his way to attend a meeting at the central administrative office, smiled as he saw Seraph accompanying him to the entrance.
“I need to talk with Lee Hyo-eul. She asked me to come early today.”
“So early? Is something wrong?”
“The conflict between the Golden Lion and Goryeo is worse than I thought… but it’s still better than before. We can’t keep dragging this out forever.”
“But…”
Seraph’s voice was heavy with worry.
Kim Su-hyun, pleased by her concern, smiled lightly, almost playfully.
To an outsider, this would look like a loving wife worried about her husband’s stressful work life.
But the reality was more complicated.
Just a few days ago, the two had shared their first intimate moment on the rooftop, and since then, they had been utterly consumed by each other, day and night.
Seraph wasn’t just accepting of this; she was more than willing.
After fifteen years of silently watching from afar, she was now making up for lost time, basking in the love she’d longed for.
Despite her elegant appearance, she had a mischievous streak in bed, often leaving Kim Su-hyun utterly dazed once they connected emotionally.
Thanks to that, he hadn’t even managed to sleep last night, caught in the soft embrace of the angel’s tender skin.
“You haven’t eaten either, have you?”
“Hm?”
“It’s cold today. You should warm yourself up with some hot food before you go. That would put my mind at ease.”
“Ah… maybe I should.”
Her voice was soft, almost melting his heart.
And when she gently wrapped her left arm around his, pulling him closer, who could say no?
A moment later, the two disappeared into the dining hall, pressed close together.
As the door clicked shut behind them, Lee Yoo-jung, who had been quietly watching their affectionate display from a hidden spot, finally spoke.
“They say they’re just going to eat, but I’m putting my money on a backup battery.”
“No way. I’m betting on him—he’s the one taking Seraph out for a meal.”
Kim Han-byul, eyes half-lidded, chimed in.
They exchanged glances, then both perked up their ears, listening intently toward the dining hall.
Su-hyun, what would you like to eat?
Something delicious.
Something delicious…?
Something that warms the body.
Yoo-jung pursed her lips and held out her hand.
Kim Han-byul smacked her lips and rummaged through her pocket.
But there’s no one here… Seraph? Why is the table suddenly… no, why is she lying down? That’s a dining table, you know?
I know.
Then why…?
Because Su-hyun said he wanted to eat something delicious…
Hm?
Didn’t she say at the bathhouse yesterday that her body was just too delicious? So…
Yoo-jung’s eyebrows shot up.
A faint, embarrassed moan escaped, and Kim Han-byul, resting her chin on her left hand, smirked knowingly.
Of course, she didn’t forget to extend her hand.
“Hey!”
Yoo-jung threw a spare battery at her in irritation, but Kim Han-byul caught it gracefully and bowed politely.
“Thank you for your continued patronage, dear customer.”
“Ugh… Hey, can you give it back? I don’t have many left, okay?”
“Nope. I only have two hundred left myself.”
“That’s plenty!”
“You can’t recharge here, and besides, it’s your fault for not noticing Seraph’s obvious flirting.”
“That’s just cruel!”
Yoo-jung shouted, but Kim Han-byul didn’t flinch.
She knew Yoo-jung wasn’t really mad at her.
Yoo-jung’s fiery red eyes glaring at the dining hall were proof enough.
“They must be crazy. Even if they’re newlyweds, how can they have sex so much? Every time their eyes meet, it’s sex, sex!”
“Right? Seraph seems to have no concept of moderation.”
Han So-young, rubbing her full belly, agreed.
But then, as if suddenly realizing something, she looked around, only to be met with incredulous stares from everyone.
Even Yoo-jung looked utterly exasperated.
Han So-young tilted her head.
“Why?”
“Honestly…”
“Has she already forgotten what she did in the modern world? No conscience at all.”
“Back then, he was pitiful—locked up in the hospital, drained of protein day after day…”
A flood of criticism poured in.
Han So-young, guilty as charged, had no defense, and the room quickly grew noisy.
The anger that had been aimed at Kim Su-hyun shifted unexpectedly toward Han So-young.
“?”
At that moment, Jung Ha-yeon, who had been covering her mouth to laugh, noticed something unusual.
Amid the raucous chatter, one person was unusually quiet.
Go Yeon-ju sat in a rocking chair, staring endlessly out the window at the rain that threatened but hadn’t yet fallen.
Her expression was blank, distant, as if she were somewhere far away.
Normally, she would have taken the lead in the conversation.
Was she lost in thought?
Just then, Go Yeon-ju’s arm moved.
She brought a slender object to her lips.
“Yeon-ju!”
Jung Ha-yeon called out sharply, and Go Yeon-ju startled, stopping her action.
After blinking for a moment, she sighed as she looked at the electronic cigarette in her hand.
“Ah… sorry. I didn’t realize.”
The previously chaotic atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
Everyone was surprised by her apology.
Of course, mistakes happen, but Go Yeon-ju was the Queen of Shadows.
She wasn’t the type to apologize lightly; she usually avoided situations that required it.
“Don’t worry. It’s nicotine-free, just flavored liquid.”
Trying to lighten the mood, Go Yeon-ju shook the e-cigarette.
Jung Ha-yeon cautiously continued.
“It’s still bad for you, especially during pregnancy…”
“That’s true. But please keep it a secret.”
Go Yeon-ju agreed quietly, then snapped the e-cigarette in half with a firm grip.
She groaned, stood up, and tapped her back with a smile.
“Well, I’ll get going first. I’m feeling a bit unwell.”
The gloomy day finally began to drizzle as evening fell.
Jung Ha-yeon, having spent a leisurely morning and afternoon as usual, had just stepped out of the lab.
But her steps faltered on the stairs.
Her gaze swept the first-floor lounge and found Go Yeon-ju still staring out the window.
Jung Ha-yeon watched quietly for a moment, then returned with a steaming cup of tea from the dining hall.
“What are you doing?”
She approached quietly and offered the tea, but Go Yeon-ju seemed already aware.
She shrugged with a weary look but accepted the cup.
After taking a sip, Jung Ha-yeon slowly took the seat beside her.
“You’ve been like this since morning?”
“……”
“You said you weren’t feeling well. Any better?”
No response. Not even a glance.
Still, Jung Ha-yeon kept her tone bright and continued talking.
“Yoo-jung was really upset about losing the bet with Han-byul. She said it was all your fault, that if she could go back five years, she wouldn’t have met you.”
This time, it worked.
Go Yeon-ju, expressionless all along, let out a small chuckle.
Though her eyes didn’t move.
“They argued about whether to meet or not. What about you, Yeon-ju?”
“Me too.”
“Hm?”
“Well… I don’t really want to meet.”
Finally, Go Yeon-ju spoke, and it was an unexpected answer.
Not expecting such a direct reply, Jung Ha-yeon smiled wryly.
“Why?”
After a pause, Go Yeon-ju answered.
“…Because I’m scared.”
The words were almost unbelievable.
A tense silence fell between them, broken only by the growing sound of rain pounding against the earth.
Jung Ha-yeon glanced at her face but couldn’t read her expression.
Don’t want to meet.
Because I’m scared.
It was surprising.
Even if the first part was understandable, the second was puzzling.
Surely someone like Go Yeon-ju wouldn’t be stuck in a rut.
It made more sense to think that the hormonal changes from pregnancy were causing emotional swings.
Gathering her thoughts, Jung Ha-yeon spoke.
“Did something happen? Tell me. It might help to get it off your chest.”
“No.”
Go Yeon-ju denied it as if the idea was ridiculous.
“It’s just that sometimes, very rarely, I feel awkward.”
“Awkward?”
“Just… everything around me. Settling into the clan, carrying a child, living as a man’s wife, and…”
“And?”
Her words trailed off, and Jung Ha-yeon seized the moment to ask.
“That he’s changed this much.”
After a brief pause, Go Yeon-ju continued.
“That person.”
It was clear who she meant.
Jung Ha-yeon was about to joke, “Getting sentimental because of the rain?” but stopped herself and rephrased.
“I understand. It’s a side of him you never imagined before, right?”
“No, it’s more than that. You probably don’t know.”
Her voice suddenly sharpened.
Throat dry, Go Yeon-ju took a long sip of her now-cold tea.
“I’ve seen a side of Kim Su-hyun that no one else knows. Because over the past five years, we’ve shared many secrets.”
She wasn’t boasting or bragging.
Instead, her voice was tinged with a faint tremor, almost nostalgic.
“I’ve seen it just once.”
“Sometimes, when that memory comes back… the present feels so unfamiliar. Almost unbearable.”
She stopped there.
Jung Ha-yeon chose silence over words.
It was a long time before Go Yeon-ju spoke again.
“Did you know? It rarely rains on the Hall Plain.”
It was an unexpected remark, but the sharp Jung Ha-yeon immediately caught on to the other person’s meaning.
“So it must have been a rainy day then.”
Go Yeon-ju nodded.
Lowering her voice even further, she said,
“Do you remember that incident? It was caused by Ahn Hyun.”
“If it was something Hyun did…”
There had been more than one, but one came to mind instantly.
“The Sleeping Dragon Mountain range?”
“No, not that one.”
“Then…?”
“Before the Sleeping Dragon Mountain range. There was another one.”
Another one before that?
Muttering to herself, Jung Ha-yeon suddenly gasped.
“Oh! If you mean that…”
Turning back the clock, the story goes back four years.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I actually planned to include this during the main serialization but ended up cutting it. Now, here it is.
As I mentioned before, the omnibus Go Yeon-ju story will take a completely different tone from the side stories you’ve seen so far.
Depending on the content, some readers might frown or feel uncomfortable.
I ask for your understanding in advance, and now, let’s begin the Queen Of Silhouette - 殺門 part. (__)
P.S. I’m still sending out the stickers. :)