One-Shot Transmigration: Sorry I'm Here To Ruin Your Happy Ever After Chapter 107: A very unfortunate encounter

The carriage ride back felt longer than it should have.

Min-jae sat stiffly in his seat, the faint sll of crushed fruit rising from his clothes as the wheels rolled over uneven stone.

He could feel pieces of pulp sticking to his skin beneath the fabric. His hair felt heavy, as if several fruits had chosen it as their final resting place.

He stared at the window, pretending he was sowhere else. Anywhere else.

When the carriage finally stopped in front of the house, Min-jae let out a long breath. He stepped out cautiously. The afternoon sun shone directly on him, forcing an unpleasant warmth over the already sticky ss that clung to him.

His coat, once clean, had beco a battlefield of stains.

Red streaks. Yellow blotches. Sothing brown that he did not want to think about.

He climbed the steps with the resignation of a man walking toward judgnt. A mashed tomato slid off his shoulder and landed near his foot. He forced himself not to look at it.

All he wanted was to go inside quietly, wash up, burn these clothes, and pretend today never happened.

He reached for the door.

It opened before he touched it.

ical stood in the doorway.

His pristine uniform made the contrast even worse.

He had clearly just returned from the town hall. His hair was perfectly arranged. His gloves were spotless. His expression was the calm, unreadable one he always wore when dealing with officials or with the public.

That expression lasted exactly one second.

Min-jae watched ical’s eyes slowly sweep down his body, taking in every stain, every speck of pulp, every piece of fruit still clinging stubbornly to his clothing.

Another piece of fruit slid from Min-jae’s hair and dropped onto the stone floor.

The sound was small, but it echoed between them like a drum.

ical blinked once.

Then once again.

Then the corner of his mouth lifted.

Min-jae felt his jaw tighten. "Do not laugh."

ical exhaled sharply, but the sound carried too much amusent to be a simple breath. His shoulders trembled slightly.

He tried to straighten his posture as if he were still addressing the crowd in the town hall, but it did nothing.

The laughter was building rapidly beneath the surface.

"Darling.." ical said, voice strained. "What happened to you."

"What does it look like.." Min-jae replied flatly.

ical attempted to maintain composure. "You appear to have had a very unfortunate encounter."

Min-jae stared at him. "They threw fruits at . Expensive ones at first. Then they realized it was too expensive, so they looked for other things."

ical covered his mouth with one hand. His shoulders shook harder. A suppressed laugh slipped out despite his best efforts.

Min-jae narrowed his eyes. "If you laugh, I will go back out and drag you into the street with ."

ical coughed, trying to disguise the sound. "I am not laughing."

"You are absolutely laughing."

ical looked away, as if trying to study the distant rooftops. "I’m rely clearing my throat..."

-_-

Min-jae stepped past him, but ical blocked the doorway by accident while trying to regain his composure.

The fruit stains were close enough for him to sll the sour sweetness.

ical made a helpless sound, half a breath and half suppressed laughter, and stepped aside. "Please go in before the servants co out. If they see you like this, they will assu you committed a cri."

Min-jae walked inside. "I should have stayed ho."

"Yes.." ical replied. "You should have."

"You went outside."

"I am the governor. I have to."

"..."

"I did tell you not to. And this is exactly why."

Another piece of crushed pulp slid down the back of Min-jae’s coat and dropped to the floor.

ical stared at it for a mont, then looked at Min-jae again. He remained completely silent for five seconds.

Then he burst into laughter.

This ti it wasn’t a small one.

Neither was it gentle one.

A full, uncontrollable laugh that echoed through the entire hallway.

Min-jae’s glare sharpened. "Be serious."

"I am trying." ical pressed a hand against the wall for support. "I swear I am trying."

"It seems you’re failing. Completely."

ical wiped the corner of his eye as if tears were forming from the strength of his own laughter. "You look like you survived an attack from an orchard."

"It’s not that funny."

"It is extrely funny. Pray Odysseus doesn’t find you like this."

-_-

Min-jae moved toward the stairs. "I am taking a bath."

"That is a good idea. Should I accompany you?"

-_-

"After that I am burning these clothes" Min-jae said ignoring the last thing ical said.

"That is also a good idea." ical smiled, walking behind Min-jae.

"I am upset."

"I can see that. But I did warn you not to go out, I was first annoyed that you left without telling but now..." He chuckled lowly.

He stopped at the first step and turned back. "Do not follow ."

ical blinked slowly. "I had no intention to follow you while you are covered in fruit. It would stain "

"Good. Stay away from , I don’t want to see your face.."

"However.." ical added, "you should check your pockets. There are shapes in your coat that resemble tomatoes."

Min-jae looked down and sighed. "I hate today." First it was ical’s family then he was insulted and had fruits thrown at him.

"Yes. I can understand that. Would you like to send soone to prepare the bath hotter than usual."

"Yes.." Min-jae said quietly. "Please."

ical nodded, still fighting to keep his expression neutral. "I will take care of it. My darling.."

Min-jae headed up the stairs, each step leaving behind a faint trail of sticky droplets.

He didn’t look back. He did not want to see the expression on ical’s face again because he knew it would only irritate him further.

He reached the top of the stairs and paused.

He could still hear ical’s laughter echoing below. It was softer now, but it carried a warmth he had not heard earlier that morning.

Min-jae shook his head and continued walking. He wanted nothing more than to subrge himself in boiling water until every trace of fruit vanished.

Behind him, downstairs, ical finally managed to compose himself. He exhaled slowly and glanced toward the stairs where Min-jae disappeared.

His amusent faded, replaced by sothing more serious. "If they throw fruits at you again, I will deal with it myself."