Hi!!! I'm so, so, so sorry for leaving you guys hanging for so long!!! No excuse, I swear. My writer's block hit so damn hard T.T I had a really hard time writing this chapter, and it's been sitting in my laptop for months.

But...I personally thought the wait was necessary. I now know a lot more about Jeonghan, and have made extensive modification to this chapter to make sure he's not portrayed as weak or gullible. Whether in this fic or outside, Jeonghan's incredibly strong-minded, and I hope this chapter reflects this.

Once again, I deeply apologize for the long wait. But I hope you guys like this chapter, and I promise to update more often!

PS: here's the final bullet to kill off any Jeongcheol fan already REELING from their cute af interaction on "VERY NICE" :)))

I'm rolling in hell right now, God, they're too much!!!!

PSS: Thank you soromasoc for the name recommendation :) Dedicated to everyone who has been patiently waiting!

Daegun Choi Seungcheol, out of sheer ennui, has decided to spend the night with one of his concubines Yoon Jeonghan. Only the Grand Prince never expected to slowly fall deeper and deeper in love with the intelligent, prideful male. This frightens him, and many a times Seungcheol wanted to bed Jeonghan to rid himself of these feelings, but time and time again, he could never bring himself to do it.

Yoon Jeonghan, the unfavoured son of a merchant's mistress, has only one dream: to enter the Gwageo and serve as a civil officer. His dream was shattered when, for protections and favour, he was given away by his father to the Hojo's Panseo. Stuck as a concubine in the Daegun's harem, Yoon Jeonghan expected to spend his life withered away and angry at the world. Only, he meets his "husband", and finds himself opening up. These feelings are foreign to Jeonghan, but he knows his opinion of Choi Seungcheol has changed.

Just when everything seems to be going alright between the two, a sinister plot is formed, out of sheer jealousy, and it threatens to destroy this fragile relationship...

Petunia Courtyard

Ahn Hyejeong, one of the Daegun's concubines, is sitting on a chaise lounge. The beautiful female's face is dark, her attractive features twisted with anger and jealousy, her long nails tearing the delicate embroidered handkerchief apart.

A smashed amethyst tea set lays on the ground, next to it – the concubine's terrified servants, kneeling beneath her, their heads bent, and their bodies shaking.

It's a bad day for their Mistress, and that means one of them is going to be her dumping ground.

No one has ever gotten away in one piece.

Five years it has been since Mistress Ahn first set foot inside the Residence, and she has become known as one of, if not the most vicious Mistresses inside the Daegun's harem. Born as the daughter of Ijo Champan's mistress, Ahn Hyejeong has inherited only the best from her mother, a woman much favoured by the Champan. The concubine has grown up into a stunning female, with a fiery beauty to match a mind full of ambition. Amidst daughters and sons galore, somehow Ahn Hyejeong has ensured she was the only one favoured by her father, and has used that affection to secure her place as the first concubine given to the Daegun.

No one in the Ahn clan thought that a Mistress' daughter, someone with so impure a bloodline, and who was not even a firstborn daughter, could ever become a Daegun's concubine, but Ahn Hyejeong defied them all, besting her clan's other, more noble-blooded females – including her father's official daughter, born from the marriage between him and his legally wedded wife.

The fact that Ahn Hyejeong, who should have never been able to achieve so high a station, did manage to, even winning out against her intimidating competitors, speaks volumes of her formidability.

As the first concubine inside the Residence, Hyejeong has the power to control all family matters, from the monetary allowances that other concubines are given per month, to the allocation of servants, to the right to examine the Residence's financial records and its fund reserves, and even the ability to decide how many nights a concubine gets per month with the Daegun.

Hyejeong is, of course, not happy that since her entrance to the Daegun's Residence, he has not bedded her even once, but the concubine takes pleasure in knowing that he has never bedded any of his other concubines, either. The Grand Prince does not care much for any of them, and even Hyejeong does not see him more than thrice a year, at the Annual Royal Banquets.

Of course, just because the Daegun pays no heed to any of them, does not mean that concubine Ahn is unaware of other concubines currently residing in the harem. In fact, Hyejeong's favourite past-time is making sure any concubine whom she thinks is more beautiful than her, or does not properly acknowledge her station as "Mistress" of the Residence, suffers during their stay at the Harem.

One by one, the concubines, either submit in helpless deference, or wither away, abandoned, nameless, forever just another word inside the Harem's list.

And Ahn Hyejeong has devised many a ways to make sure they submit.

Now, her target has shifted. To a person in particular.

Yoon Jeonghan.

The male concubine has never caught her attention, being male, not highborn, and powerless. Besides, the Daegun doesn't even like males.

Or so Ahn Hyejeong thought.

Until she saw the Grand Prince tenderly caring for the other male.

She was taking a stroll in the Residence's garden, when she saw the Daegun. Face alight with excitement and eager to greet him, she missed her servants' fearful looks at each other. Inside the Harem, few were ignorant of how affectionate the Prince had been to concubine Yoon. The few who were, included Ahn Hyejeong. Out of vengeance, or perhaps out of fear, none in the Residence dared breathe a word to her, knowing that her reaction would be disastrous. Her servants, especially, tried their hardest to conceal the open secret, most fearing for their lives, some, secretly vindictive that concubine Ahn's glory days were on a countdown.

But the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, as her servants hopelessly observed their Mistress approaching the Pavilion with a smile on her face, and paled as they saw her come to a standstill, body frozen in disbelief. She'd seen the Prince lovingly kiss concubine Yoon on the forehead and walk away.

Needless to say, the delicate curtains of Petunia Courtyard were stained blood-red that night.

Upon extensive investigation, Ahn Hyejeong finally discovers how much has gone under her nose, and how serious a threat Yoon Jeonghan is to her position.

Her blood boils, both out of anger, and out of extreme jealousy.

It drives her insane, seeing the Prince so gentle, seeing his attention bestowed on someone so lowly, someone so unworthy, someone so mundane.

Someone who is not her.

That the attention sparingly bestowed upon her, in cold indifference, thrice every year, out of duty, is now willingly showered, in excess, on someone else. She could not believe her eyes and ears – her Grand Prince Choi Seungcheol, the man who had not even attempted to show up on their "wedding" night, who paid no attention to her even when he was greeted, could be so warm and caring towards someone else.

Perhaps the salt to her wound, is confirming, that the Daegun has a gentle side to him, but it does not belong to her.

Before, the concubine was so proud of being the only person inside the Harem whom the Daegun interacted with, but seeing the affection unfolding right before her eyes, incinerates her.

The Daegun's attention, can only be on her. And nobody else.

Ahn Hyejeong will kill anyone who stands in the way.

Warning: mentions of male/female sex and explicit language (if you don't want to read this, then skip to the next line break)

Inside the master chamber of Petunia Courtyard, tiny moans can be heard, along with masculine groans. On the bed, under the flickering candlelight, two naked bodies can be seen, one male, one female, in the middle of sex. The female is none other than Ahn Hyejeong.

"Aahh....ahhh....harder...h-harder...ahhhhhhh....." The concubine moans passionately, as if lost in pleasure, but her eyes are frighteningly calm and lucid.

They change position suddenly, the concubine now straddling the unknown male, bearing down onto him viciously.

"Ahhhh.....ahahhhh....will...will you...help me get rid of Yoon Jeonghan now? Ahh...so good..."

"That's it...keep going....fuck...you're so tight....fuck....how could that bastard Choi Seungcheol miss out on this..."

Hyejeong grinds her sex against the man's "Will...you....help...me....ahhh" She speaks, words in sync with every thrust.

"Aahhh....fuck...yes...now come over here, bitch....let me fuck you some more...." And the male pounds on her.

Giggling can be heard, along with sounds of the bed creaking.

Darkness conceals everything under its sinister wings....

The night...has only just begun.

End of M/F sex, not end of explicit language!!!

Warning: explicit language, talks of non-consensual sex!!!!

The first thing Yoon Jeonghan notices when he wakes up, virtually blind, is that his hands are bound.

The second, he's on the move.

The information does not make sense for a while, he's so dizzy that it's impossible to process any thoughts.

Then he realizes.

Either the Grand Prince is playing a very elaborate joke on him, or he's being kidnapped. On horseback, judging by how nauseous he's feeling from the harsh motion.

There's a very high possibility it's the latter.

Jeonghan does not know what to think.

He's frightened, but he knows there's a purpose to this act, otherwise they would've slit his throat, and would never have bothered to carry him like this.

Which means this ulterior motive concerns either his family, or...Seungcheol.

The thought depresses him, his family couldn't wait to get him out of their hair, even at the cost of his own pride and dignity, for them to want to ransom him? Impossible. Seungcheol, as much as the Prince favours him right now, is, after all, a man with a harem full of beautiful males and females who can't wait to replace his position. Is he ever going to bother with a lowly concubine who has no political worth? He'll probably forget about Jeonghan sooner or later.

The latter makes his heart clench. The thought of the Prince doting on, or caring for any of the concubines so tenderly like he did Jeonghan, is physically painful. It makes Jeonghan feels...almost possessive. For which he berates himself immediately. He's obviously let the affection get to his head. In what world does a man with numerous concubines belong only to one person? But the feeling of being cared for is so powerful, it's addictive.

Jeonghan belatedly realizes, even as he actively tried to deny it, his days, and his mood, have become inevitably entwined with Seungcheol. His affection makes Jeonghan happy, and in the days that he does not come, the male feels despondent.

Mommy, how do I know that I love someone?

My little Jeonghannie, the day will come, when a very special person can affect your emotions simply by being there for you, then you will know, that you care for them, so, so much. Then, Jeonghannie, it is love.

Oh.

Then, it is love.

Jeonghan reels from his sudden realization. But then, he feels...almost at peace. To be able to forwardly acknowledge what his heart has been telling him for a while, simultaneously makes his heart flutter and his stomach drop. In the game of relationships, whoever loves first, loses. Evidently, it is him who has lost.

For he is foolishly, hopelessly in love with Choi Seungcheol.

Furiously shaking himself out of his revelries, Jeonghan tries to focus on finding a way to escape first. Anything else has to be put aside. He wiggles his hands, attempting to loosen the ropes that bind his wrists – a skill he picked up from his childhood friend – while being ever so quiet so as to not alarm his kidnapper.

There's hope – ever so slowly, the ropes loosen. Jeonghan even has a plan: as soon as his hands are free, he is going to use the momentum to push himself off the horse and roll away as far as possible, trying to find a bush to hide. From there, he could free his legs and eyes, and attempt to go back to the Residence.

But Lady Luck is not on his side this night, for on the edge of success, his transport comes to a halt.

Ever so "ungently", he's shoved over someone's shoulder like a potato sack, and carried away.

It seems that his chance of survival has become significantly smaller. Jeonghan calmly acknowledges the fact, but he won't give up. Not now. Not when he has someone to return to. He may never be able to confess his feelings out loud, but he wants to see Seungcheol's face again, so badly. That smile. That voice. That kiss. He wants to be able to bask, even for the shortest time, in that gentleness, in that affection. Now that he knows his own heart, there's nothing more he would like to do, than to return to his Daegun.

Yoon Jeonghan will not give up. Not now. Yoon Jeonghan has never been a quitter. Especially not now.

Jeonghan is harshly shoved onto a hard surface, and his eye cloth not-so-gently ripped off him. He seems to be inside a warehouse of some sort. A very old one. Out of the corner of his eyes, he spots rodents crawling near the haystack against the wall, and water is dripping from the ceiling.

The whole space smells of lack of inhabitation – moldy and murky.

"Ah, the illustrious concubine Yoon. So glad to have you finally visit me. And I thought you'd died in a ditch somewhere. Shame. Would've been better that way" – a decadent female voice speaks up.

He recognizes that voice. It belongs to concubine Ahn Hyejeong – the first concubine inside the Residence. The young woman has always given him an off feeling, and her disdain, and abuse, of other concubines was notorious. Luckily, she never paid much attention to him beside the cursory glance, deeming him a waste of time.

It seems his luck has run out. For in front of him, face dark and sinister, is Ahn Hyejeong. Next to her, muscular men with the looks of the devil.

"Well, concubine Yoon? Cat got your tongue?"

He is not going to waste his effort answering her. She seems not all that sane, either.

"Concubine Yoon? Or should I call you Lady Yoon now? Why so quiet? Mouth too sore from servicing our 'husband'?"

That, he could not ignore.

"First, concubine Ahn, the Daegun is neither my husband nor yours. And second, please do not throw out accusations"

"Oh? I'm so sorry, my dearest concubine. Have I offended you? We both spread our legs for the same man, no? How is that not sharing a husband?" – Hyejeong knows this is not true, at least she knew he'd never bedded her, but it never hurts to make people believe.

It stings. The thought of Seungcheol laying with someone else really hurts, but Jeonghan is determined to stay unmoved.

"Why have you taken me here, concubine Ahn?"

"Aw, you want to get serious so quickly? And here I was thinking we had such a good sisterly bonding time..."

"Why am I here?"

"Well, since you insist...you see, 'Jeonghannie', you've been very, very bad, taking my Prince's attention away from me. I want to...punish you a little, so that you can remember your position"

"Do not call me by that name, you've no right. Secondly, do you think this will go unnoticed?...Also, the Grand Prince's attention has never been on you in the first place" – no one besides his mother has ever called him Jeonghannie, he does not want it coming out of her filthy mouth.

At his reply, Ahn Hyejeong's face distorts unattractively – "Shut up!! It's you who took his attention away from me. He's mine, you hear? Mine!!! No one, and I mean no one, can ever get in the way between him and I" – at this, she stops and takes a deep breath, trying to recompose herself – "It's your fault, Yoon Jeonghan. You brought this upon yourself by attracting the Prince's attention. Let me remind you again of who you are – a filthy, worthless little bitch who's lucky enough to hang on to the Grand Prince! And for that, you'll pay...let me just...teach you a little lesson"

"Min, give it to him" – the female speaks, upon which a man from inside the group of males steps forward. His face is covered by black cloth, his features indiscernible. But his whole stance, and the gleam in his eyes, speaks of pure evil.

A look from the man, and the rest of the group moves forward to restrain him. Jeonghan struggles furiously, trying to escape from the hold, but someone like him can never beat the monstrous strength of 4 different muscular men.

The man comes close, and uses one of his hands to pry Jeonghan's jaws open. Something bitter is poured inside his mouth, and he tries to cough to spit it out, but already some of it has made its way down his throat, causing it to burn.

"How's that for a little treat, huh, Yoon Jeonghan? Yummy yummy" – Ahn Hyejeong speaks up yet again.

"What have you fed me?" – trying to resist the burning sensation in his throat, Jeonghan says.

"Oh, it's nothing, to be honest. It's a gift! You see, I figured that since you seem to enjoy spreading your fucking legs for a man so much, I'd help you select...shall we say...more candidates. The thing you just drank, is an extremely potent aphrodisiac, one that is sold in the most exclusive of brothels. It is designed specifically for males, and upon consumption, you will...want it up your fucking arse so much, that nothing else will sate you.

But... dear me, it's so potent, it should only be taken 3 drops at a time. Oh dear, did we accidentally give you too much? Not to worry, these fine men here will make sure you're all satisfied"

Jeonghan's stomach sinks upon hearing the news. Already, he can feel a strange, warm, feverish sensation coursing through his body. Knowing Ahn Hyejeong, she probably did not lie.

He needs to bide his time, he needs more information from her. He needs more time to escape.

"Are you not afraid I will escape and inform the Prince of your behavior?"

"Shut up! Do not speak of him with your lowly mouth! Hah, how naïve, you think you can make it out of here alive? If you don't die from overdose first, then these men will fuck you to death and finish you off. Or the other way around. They're not picky either way. You're nothing but a warm hole"

Damn, his head is spinning now. This is not okay, he needs to stay awake until after she leaves so he can escape.

His eyes widen, though, when they see the male called "Min" roughly pulls Ahn Hyejeong closer and kisses her.

She is not faithful!

Ahn Hyejeong passionately kisses the man, euphoric from victory. From the corner of her eyes, she smugly looks at Yoon Jeonghan. She wants him to die knowing that the Prince was hers, and so was any other man she wanted.

"Come, Min, let's go and celebrate. We should leave your men to their 'party', hm?"

She lets the aroused male touch her all over while they walk away, knowing that Yoon Jeonghan is looking. Despite her enamored moans and sweet talk, her eyes are frighteningly cold.

Problem solved.

Jeonghan watches as Ahn Hyejeong take off. In front of him, the salivating males close rank all around.

He's trapped.

So...um...I apologize once again for leaving this for so long, but... I hope you guys liked it?

I KNOW I promised no nasty female, but I PROMISE (lol), it won't drive them apart, and she won't be here for long!!!

Please comment on your thoughts.

Have a great day! And SEVENTEEN is having a comeback right now, please support them so that they can win!