Chapter 3-A Habit Worse Than Love

“You’re not listening to me.”

“I am.”

“You just called my dog ugly.”

Seo Jaemin lay sprawled across the massive hotel suite bed wearing nothing except a half-open robe while actor Cha Dohyun glared at him from the couch.

Jaemin blinked lazily.

“Because it is.”

“That’s a purebred Maltese!”

“It looks anxious.”

Dohyun stared at him in disbelief before laughing despite himself.

That happened a lot around Jaemin.

People arrived cautious.

Then stayed too long.

The actor walked over and climbed onto the bed beside him. “You know, sometimes I wonder if you actually like anybody.”

Jaemin looked up from his phone.

“What a weird thing to ask after sex.”

“You didn’t even let me cuddle after.”

“Because you’re sweaty.”

“Wow.”

Jaemin grinned.

Dohyun sighed dramatically and poked his waist. “You’re horrible.”

“Yet you came back.”

“That’s because your face should be illegal.”

“Mm. True.”

Dohyun laughed again helplessly.

That was another problem with Seo Jaemin.

Even when he acted awful, people still liked him.

Too much.

Enough to ruin themselves over it.

His phone buzzed.

Unknown Number.

Jaemin answered casually. “Hello?”

Silence.

Then a terrified male voice whispered:

“Please tell His Majesty to stop.”

Jaemin paused.

Ah.

Another one.

He rolled onto his back lazily while staring at the ceiling.

“Who is this?”

“You know who.”

The voice sounded close to tears now.

“He had people following me for weeks— my manager disappeared— I already left the country, what more does he want?!”

Dohyun looked over curiously. “Who’s that?”

Jaemin waved him off.

On the phone, the man continued shakily:

“I swear I never touched you after that night—”

Click.

The call ended.

Dohyun raised an eyebrow. “Ex?”

“Something like that.”

“You attract crazy people.”

Jaemin smiled faintly at that.

If only they knew.

—

Inside the royal palace, Crown Security Director Park stood rigidly before the king.

“Your Majesty. Actor Cha Dohyun entered Young Master Arden’s hotel suite at 9:14 PM.”

Cassian signed documents calmly.

“And?”

“He has not left yet.”

Silence.

The room temperature seemed to drop.

The director lowered his head further.

Cassian finally asked quietly, “Did Jaemin eat dinner?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Answer.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What did he eat?”

The director immediately checked his tablet. “Seafood risotto. Strawberry cake. Champagne.”

Cassian’s expression hardened slightly.

“He mixed alcohol again.”

Nobody responded.

Because the terrifying thing was this:

The king never asked the important question first.

Not: Did they sleep together?

Not: Was Jaemin intimate with him?

Not even: Who is the man?

No.

Cassian always cared about Jaemin himself first.

Whether he ate.

Whether he slept enough.

Whether he smiled genuinely.

Only afterward came the violence.

Cassian leaned back slowly.

“Background check.”

“Already completed.”

“Read it.”

“Cha Dohyun. Twenty-eight. Actor. No political connections. Two younger sisters. Mother deceased.”

Cassian listened silently.

The director hesitated before continuing carefully.

“He has spent the night with Young Master Arden seven times in the last two months.”

A long silence followed.

Cassian’s face remained unreadable.

Only the slight tapping of his finger against the armrest betrayed anything.

Seven times.

Seven.

The director felt sweat gathering down his spine.

Because everyone knew the king’s obsession had worsened after becoming monarch.

Cassian suddenly spoke.

“Did Jaemin smile today?”

The question came out softer than expected.

The director blinked slightly before answering.

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Was it genuine?”

“…It appeared so.”

Cassian closed his eyes briefly.

That was enough.

For now.

“Continue surveillance.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Oh.” Cassian opened his eyes again. “Make sure Dohyun’s upcoming film funding gets approved.”

The director froze.

“…Approved?”

Cassian’s voice stayed calm.

“Jaemin likes his face currently.” A pause. “It would upset him if the man disappeared too quickly.”

The director nearly stopped breathing.

Too quickly.

Meaning eventually—

“Understood.”

—

The next morning, Jaemin arrived at Arden Grand Media still wearing sunglasses indoors.

Employees bowed immediately.

“Good morning, Young Master.”

“Morning.”

“Young Master, the board meeting—”

“Sounds boring.”

“It involves your movie investment.”

“Still boring.”

Nobody dared argue.

Because this company existed largely to support his acting career anyway.

A female employee suddenly rushed over nervously. “Young Master Seo!”

Jaemin looked over.

She immediately bowed ninety degrees.

“Thank you for helping my daughter last month!”

Ah.

That.

Jaemin vaguely remembered paying hospital bills for a sick child after overhearing staff talking.

He shrugged casually. “Is she okay now?”

The woman’s eyes reddened instantly. “Yes, thanks to you.”

Jaemin nodded lazily and kept walking.

Like it meant nothing.

The employees watched him quietly afterward.

Spoiled.

Arrogant.

Disastrous.

But also strangely kind in random moments.

That was why the public stayed obsessed despite everything.

Even his scandals became entertaining instead of career-ending.

His manager hurried after him anxiously.

“Young master, there’s another dating rumor.”

“Again?”

“You were photographed kissing Cha Dohyun.”

Jaemin hummed. “Was it a good angle?”

“…That’s your concern?”

“Obviously.”

The manager looked exhausted beyond salvation.

“Young master, His Majesty attended a military council this morning.”

“And?”

“…And three entertainment executives resigned suddenly afterward.”

Jaemin hid his smile behind his coffee cup.

Poor people.

Really.

They should learn not to get emotionally attached to him.

—

That evening, Cassian attended a state dinner with foreign diplomats.

Cold.

Elegant.

Untouchable.

A queen from another nation smiled at him flirtatiously during conversation.

Cassian barely acknowledged her existence.

Then his phone vibrated once.

A message from Jaemin.

A single photo.

Jaemin lying on a couch in loose pajamas, hair messy, holding a wine glass while glaring at the camera.

Caption:

— insomnia.

Cassian stared at the image for several seconds.

The diplomats kept talking nervously around him.

The queen smiled again. “Your Majesty, are you listening?”

“No.”

Silence.

The queen looked embarrassed.

Cassian stood abruptly.

“End the dinner.”

Officials panicked instantly.

“Y-Your Majesty?!”

“I’m leaving.”

“But the diplomatic negotiations—”

Cassian was already walking away.

Nothing in the world mattered more at that moment than Jaemin being unable to sleep.

—

An hour later, Jaemin heard movement on his penthouse balcony.

He didn’t look surprised.

Cassian stepped inside dressed in black formalwear straight from the palace.

“Your security is terrible,” the king said calmly.

Jaemin snorted from the couch. “You trained half of them.”

True.

Cassian walked closer slowly.

“You drank again.”

“You say that every time you see me.”

“And every time you ignore me.”

Jaemin stretched lazily. “Then stop talking.”

Cassian looked at him quietly.

God.

There it was again.

That gaze.

Too devoted.

Too patient.

Like a starving animal pretending to behave.

Jaemin knew that look well by now.

So instead of acknowledging it, he simply held out his wine glass.

“Pour me another.”

Cassian took the glass immediately.

No hesitation.

No anger.

No dignity.

Just complete obedience where Jaemin was concerned.

The king poured the wine carefully before sitting beside him.

Close enough for warmth.

Far enough not to scare him away.

Jaemin watched the city lights silently.

Then casually rested his head against Cassian’s shoulder for a moment.

A tiny thing.

Thoughtless.

Natural.

But Cassian went completely still.

Jaemin almost smiled.

Honestly.

This man was too easy sometimes.

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