One-Shot Transmigration: Sorry I'm Here To Ruin Your Happy Ever After Chapter 12: Like a good little husband

The old man squinted. "Slip... into...?"

"Yes! Instead of half an hour fighting with laces and layers." Min-jae jabbed the page. "This, this is freedom."

ical sat stiffly in his chair, arms crossed, watching the absurdity unfold. "Freedom does not co from trousers.." he muttered, but it seed only Punz, had heard him, because the n his words were directed at didnt spare him a glance.

The dressmaker, though, leaned closer, intrigued despite himself. "Strange... but if cut with the right fabric..." He began nodding slowly. "The movent... yes, it would flow. Untraditional, yet functional."

"That’s what I’m saying!" Min-jae brightened, sketching more quickly now, the ideas tumbling out. "And here, outerwear that stops at the waist. And for leisure, lighter fabrics, softer colors. Oh, and pockets. Pockets everywhere. You people barely use them!"

"Pockets?"

"For storing things! Hands, coins, snacks, anything!"

The dressmaker blinked, then chuckled as he scribbled notes. The two of them fell into a back-and-forth, bouncing designs, debating fabrics, arguing whether cotton or linen would drape better, what dyes could soften the look.

It grew animated, Min-jae waving his hands, the old man nodding, sketching, laughing.

anwhile, ical sat there in silence, entirely ignored.

His eye twitched. He had brought the dressmaker for Kaizar’s sake, and now Kaizar was glowing, animated, sharing smiles with a wrinkled craftsman while he himself was treated like a chair.

Even Punz, perched on the desk, seed more included, purring as Min-jae occasionally paused to stroke its head mid-lecture.

ical’s gaze darkened. He didn’t even know which was worse: Kaizar praising another man’s skill, or calling those ridiculous trousers "freedom."

"...Absurd.." he muttered again, louder this ti. But neither of them turned.

For the first ti in years, the great governor felt... sidelined.

ical had endured it long enough. The animated chatter, the way Kaizar’s face lit up over pockets of all things. His jaw clenched before he finally rose, stepping behind the chair.

In one smooth motion, his arms ca around Min-jae’s waist, pulling him back against his chest.

"Mr. Usher.." ical said evenly, his voice carrying no room for argunt. "I’d like my wife back now. I think that’s enough for today. I can schedule a more formal eting for you and my wife soon. But for now, I think it’s ti you go ho."

The old dressmaker blinked at the sudden shift in atmosphere.

Min-jae’s frown was instant. "What the hell, I wasn’t finished."

He twisted slightly, glaring up at ical. "I need to make sure he understands exactly what I want. We didn’t even get to half the styles I wear—"

"Kaizar." ical’s tone cut through his words like a blade.

Min-jae narrowed his eyes, then turned back to the dressmaker with a falsely sweet smile. "Mr. Usher, I’m sorry my husband isn’t cooperating. He usually throws a tantrum around this ti. Next ti, he won’t be here to disturb us."

Mr. Usher froze, clearly not sure if laughing would get him executed.

ical’s grip tightened a fraction.

The dressmaker hastily gathered his parchnt and tools, bowing repeatedly. "No, no, my lord, it is no trouble at all. Truly, I am honored.."

"I’ll have my guards escort you ho.." ical interjected smoothly. His eyes never left Min-jae’s face, even as he addressed the older man. "I can’t let sothing happen to my wife’s favorite dressmaker."

Mr. Usher bobbed another nervous bow. "Thank you, sir..."

The door closed behind him monts later, leaving only silence and the slow, dangerous thrum of tension in the room.

Min-jae turned fully in ical’s hold, glaring up at him. "What was that about? You practically scared him off."

ical didn’t say anything, returning back to the chair. He placed Min-jae on his laps, hugging him closely.

"I simply told him to leave.." he said finally.

-_-

Min-jae had been sitting on ical’s lap without much thought, facing him, legs spread comfortably across his thighs.

It was supposed to be casual, teasing even, until ical’s hand slid firmly around his waist, holding him closer than before.

"A wife.." ical murmured, voice low, "is only supposed to show that much attention to her husband."

Min-jae blinked, then let out a short laugh. "I’m a man, rember?" His lips curved, daring. "But if you’ve no problem with your wife being a man now... then I guess I shouldn’t complain."

The words were ant to jab, but the way their bodies pressed together, chest to chest, stomach to stomach, betrayed him.

The heat that curled low in his gut, was hard to ignore.

ical said nothing. He only pulled him that fraction tighter, their breaths mingling.

Min-jae swallowed, suddenly aware of how close they were, how strong the arm at his back was. His smirk flickered. "Tch... Don’t look at like that. If you want so badly..." He tilted his head, feigning nonchalance. "...then carry back to our room."

For a mont, ical didn’t move, only studied his face with an intensity that made Min-jae’s skin prickle.

Then, wordlessly, he stood lifting Min-jae as though he weighed nothing.

Startled, Min-jae grabbed at his shoulders, glaring. "Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. One would think my body is filled with hay.."

ical ignored him, striding down the hall with calm certainty.

Min-jae let his forehead drop briefly against his chest, lips pressing together.

He need to go back to Kaizar’s house soon... There are things there he needed if he going to deal with Seraphine. And... his sister’s grave. He had a lot to tell her.

Out loud, he said lightly, "I want to return to my house soon. There are... important things I left there. Things I need to bring back."

ical’s steps didn’t falter as he carried him, but his voice was calm, thoughtful.

"Would you like to go together? Or alone?" he asked, gaze forward. "If we go together, be prepared, you may receive harsh glances, even words. Because of... our marriage."

Min-jae scoffed softly, though his fingers still gripped ical’s shoulder. "As if I care what a bunch of narrow-minded idiots think."

ical’s lips pressed into a thin line. "Even so, I’d rather you know what to expect." He shifted Min-jae slightly in his arms. "I have a eting with the king tomorrow. If you’d prefer, I could drop you off at your ho... then collect you again once business at the castle is done."

Min-jae tilted his head, studying his face. "You’re offering chauffeur service now? How considerate."

But the joke didn’t completely mask the faint flutter in his chest. It wasn’t just the offer, it was the way ical said collect you again, as if there was never a chance he’d leave him behind.

"Fine.." Min-jae muttered, his cheek brushing against ical’s collar as if it were the most natural thing. "We’ll do it your way. Drop off, handle your boring governor-king business, then co fetch like the good husband you are."