Jade let out a quiet chuckle, the tension in his chest easing, and followed her, matching her pace, keeping just beside her. The dark meadow stretched around them, the tall grass swaying gently in the night breeze as they walked toward the city street.
Silence enveloped them, yet it wasn't awkward. Their hearts spoke in quiet rhythms, each beat echoing in unison with the other's, carrying the happiness and warmth of the moment. It was their first time alone together since confessing their love, and every step felt like a dance of anticipation and serenity.
Finally, breaking the silence, Jade, still feeling the tender flutter of shyness, let his voice escape softly.
"Perhaps you are hungry, Your Majesty?"
Genie glanced at Jade briefly, her eyes soft yet playful beneath the dim glow of the street lamps, before turning her gaze ahead.
"Well," she said casually, "I was thinking we could inspect the diners in the city tonight."
Jade let out a quiet laugh, his breath visible in the chill air.
"Is it truly an inspection, Your Majesty?"
Genie's lips curved into a teasing smile.
"Of course. I simply needed someone to accompany me—and you happened to arrive at just the right moment."
Jade smiled faintly, turning his eyes back to the road ahead to hide the warmth rising to his face.
"Then… if someone else had come instead of me, would Your Majesty have gone with them?"
Genie chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling.
"No," she said with gentle honesty. "Then I would have waited to go with you."
Her words lingered in the air, tender and unguarded. Jade's breath caught for a moment, and a smile quietly unfolded across his lips — symmetrical, serene, and full of meaning he didn't dare speak aloud.
The two walked on in silence, their footsteps light against the damp earth. The backstreets of the capital stretched before them, washed in moonlight and the faint golden haze of closing shops. The distant clatter of bowls and muted laughter drifted from the few diners still open, their lanterns swaying softly in the breeze.
In Jade's mind, however, a different thought pressed quietly — the conversation in the royal hall earlier, the question of the Queen's consort. He wanted to ask her what she thought of it, but he stopped himself.
'If I ask, it might only make her uncomfortable,' he thought.
The street was quiet now, the scent of rain and cooked broth mingling in the cool air as Genie and Jade neared the corner of the marketplace. Most shops had long since shuttered for the night, leaving behind only the soft creak of wooden signs and the glow of a few lingering lanterns.
Genie's eyes caught the dim light of a small diner tucked in the corner—humble, nearly empty, its windows fogged from the steam of simmering soup. She pointed at it, her expression soft but deliberate.
"Should we go to that one in the corner?"
Jade followed her gaze, instantly sensing her intention.
She's choosing the one without customers—to give them business, he thought with quiet admiration.
"Yes, My Lady," Jade replied.
Genie turned her head and gave him a small, teasing smile.
"Don't call me like that out here."
He blinked, momentarily flustered. "Right…"
"Just call me My Lady," Genie said, her smile deepening into something almost playful.
The words lingered in the air, gentle yet intimate. Jade's heart thudded faster, warmth spreading through his chest.
"My Lady…" he echoed softly, the phrase trembling on his lips as he smiled.
Genie's eyes brightened, a faint blush brushing her cheeks, and she quickly turned toward the diner, stepping forward.
Inside, the small space smelled of broth and herbs, with wooden tables polished by years of use. The dim lantern light painted their faces in a warm glow. They sat side by side near the window, the quiet hum of the city faint outside.
Genie raised her hand and called out in a bright, gentle tone, "Hello, can we order food?"
A middle-aged woman appeared from behind the counter, apron tied loosely around her waist, her face lighting up at the sight of them.
"Yes, please! What would you like?"
Genie smiled warmly.
"Please give me one rice soup with beef." She turned toward Jade, her eyes gleaming softly. "And you?"
Jade met the owner's eyes and said politely, "The same for me, please."
The woman nodded with a pleased grin. "Then two rice soups with beef! Thank you for stopping by, what a lovely young married couple."
Genie's cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes darting to Jade's, and for a moment, they both froze. Then the woman bustled cheerfully back to the kitchen, leaving the two in a quiet, tender silence broken only by the soft simmer of broth and their shared, shy smiles.
The spring night carried a gentle breeze through the small diner's yard, where a single table sat beneath a flowering tree. Lantern light flickered faintly over their faces, and for a brief moment, silence lingered between Genie and Jade—soft, shy, and warm.
Then, almost at the same time, both let out a quiet laugh, breaking the stillness.
"So this is the night inspection at the diner…" Jade murmured, his tone laced with a hint of mischief.
Genie smiled, the corners of her lips curling upward as she shrugged lightly.
"Don't tell the court people about this night inspection," she said teasingly. "They'll start getting suspicious of all the others I've gone on—or might go on in the future."
Jade's laugh came low and genuine, his eyes glimmering beneath the moonlight. The sight before him—the Queen, relaxed and radiant under the soft silver light—was more beautiful than any painting he had ever seen.
Genie, catching the look in his eyes, felt a flush rise to her cheeks. She quickly turned her gaze upward to the night sky, pretending to focus on the stars scattered like diamonds above.
"There are so many stars tonight," she said softly.
But Jade wasn't looking at the sky. His gaze remained fixed on her—her glowing skin under the moonlight, the gentle smile playing on her lips, the way her hair danced lightly in the breeze.
When Genie turned her head back toward him, she caught him watching her, and their eyes met in the golden hush of the moment.
"Hope I'm the one going with you on your next and next night inspections," Jade said quietly, his voice calm but filled with feeling.
There was no "Your Majesty" this time—just his voice, sincere and unguarded, speaking to her as a man would to a woman.
Genie's lips curved into a bright, teasing smile.
"Depends on how you do," she replied, a glimmer of playfulness in her tone.
Jade laughed softly, and the sound mingled with the whisper of the spring wind and the quiet hum of the night—a moment of peace and promise shared under God's quiet, watching sky.
The two stepped out of the diner, the night air brushing softly against their faces, carrying with it the faint scent of rain and the warmth of spring. Genie walked with a lightness in her steps, her stomach full and her mood bright.
"So," she said, her voice tinged with cheer, "should we check out the night market? We can see the prices and the quality of goods—since, you know, we're on a night inspection."
Jade couldn't help but laugh quietly, the sound blending with the rustle of the evening breeze.
"Yes, sure," he said, smiling.
They walked toward the market by the lake, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the distant chirp of crickets. When they arrived, Genie paused, tilting her head. The rows of stalls stood dark and empty, the lanterns unlit, only a few crates left by the vendors for the morning's reopening.
"Oh… it's not open," Genie said softly, a hint of disappointment in her tone. Her gaze drifted beyond the market to the moonlit bridge arching gracefully over the lake. The water reflected the stars and lantern lights in shimmering ripples. "Then why don't we just walk that bridge—and go back?"
Jade nodded with a gentle smile.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
But the word go back sank quietly into his chest. Something in him wished the night would stretch a little longer—that he could walk beside her under the moonlight for just a bit more. Yet he hid the faint ache behind his calm expression.
Genie, glancing at him briefly, had the same thought.
'He must be tired after such a long day,' she reasoned, though part of her heart whispered that she didn't want the night to end either.
And so, beneath the wide April sky, the two stepped onto the bridge. The moonlight spilled across the lake like liquid silver, and the reflection of the two figures—one tall and steady, the other graceful and radiant—swayed gently upon the water.
The lake glimmered under the quiet ripples of the night, the moonlight scattering across its surface like silver dust. The soft hum of crickets and the whisper of wind through the reeds filled the silence between them.
Genie leaned gently against the bridge's cool stone wall, her reflection wavering on the water below.
"You know about the agenda on resuming the royal consort selection this afternoon," she said, her voice calm but carrying a depth beneath its serenity.
Jade's chest tightened. He winced slightly, his breath catching for a moment.