My Wife Was Stolen by a Superior Citizen (2)
“Does that mean the Superior Citizens are people close to me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A soldier standing ramrod straight beside Kim Hoyoung, who lounged in the massage chair easing away his fatigue, bowed deeply in response. The four cherry blossoms on his shoulder marked him as a general—the pinnacle of the Japanese military. The commander had come to the hot springs specifically to brief him.
Put another way, no one below that level of societal elite could even meet Kim Hoyoung face-to-face.
“Impersonating a Superior Citizen is a grave crime, disguising false familiarity with Your Majesty. By law, execution is the only fitting punishment.”
Execution!
Wagatsuma Wataru’s heart stopped at the word. Execution? Execution?! He’d only wanted to show off a little in front of his family! He’d just wanted to enjoy the hot springs! Execution… Was it real? Oh god…! He wanted to believe it was a joke, but Japan didn’t joke about Superior Citizens. Especially not now, with the real Kim Hoyoung—the man he’d only seen in photos—standing right there. His legs trembled; even breathing steadily was a struggle.
To an ordinary citizen like Wataru, Kim Hoyoung was pure terror incarnate. His wife and daughter seemed to feel the same. Shizuka froze like a marten facing a lion, prostrated in dogeza without a twitch. Even Kirino, still a college student, sensed the gravity and pressed herself flat to the ground.
At school, they drilled it into you: any irreverent word or deed toward Hoyoung-sama meant instant expulsion. He’d never dreamed he’d actually meet Kim Hoyoung in person…!! He cursed his dad inwardly, but it was too late now.
“What? Execution? Do we really need to kill him?”
“The national law leaves us no choice, Your Majesty.”
“And who made that law?”
“Prime Minister Fujiwara no and her faction. Though to call it a faction is pointless—every single Diet member belongs to it without exception.”
“Huh. What a fucking insane country.”
Kim Hoyoung spoke like it was someone else’s problem, savoring the languid post-bath bliss while getting his massage. The Wagatsuma family, suddenly staring death in the face, couldn’t think of any way out. Dozens of armed soldiers ringed them—no escape there. And negotiation? They had nothing to offer. What could a regular citizen do against Kim Hoyoung anyway?
I’m a dead man walking. But I can’t let my wife and daughter die too.
Wagatsuma Wataru cursed his own foolishness and dared to lift his head before the emperor.
“Y-Your Majesty… may I say something?”
“You lunatic!! A micro-brained scum dares raise his head—shoot him!”
“Gaaahhh!!!”
“D-Dear…”
“Dad?!”
Speaking without permission in front of Kim Hoyoung could legally get you shot on the spot. The general’s bullet slammed into Wataru’s thigh. He didn’t die instantly, but blood gushed out in torrents.
Shizuka and Kirino jerked their heads up at the sudden gunshot. That’s when Kim Hoyoung’s eyes fell on Shizuka’s beauty—a look utterly out of place on an ordinary guy like Wataru.
“Y-Your Majesty… ugh…!! I’m the one who impersonated a Superior Citizen. Please… spare my wife and daughter…”
“Your wife? That beauty’s your wife?”
“Y-Yes… that’s right, Your Majesty. Please spare them… I beg you… kill me if you must, just…!!”
The father’s desperate struggle to save his family was heartbreaking. Shizuka and Kirino wept hot tears watching him fight. Who could’ve guessed a wholesome family trip would turn into a deadly game?
But Shizuka thought it was already too late, no matter what her husband did. No one in history had ever survived impersonating a Superior Citizen. Enforcement was lightning-fast—no trial, all wrapped up in a day. In two hours, the whole family would be gone. If heaven existed, they’d reunite there.
“I beg you, Your Majesty! Spare my wife and daughter!”
“Enough from this worm! No need to drag him to the execution grounds. Kill him here—”
“Don’t get cocky. Get out.”
It was the word of a god. The battle-hardened commander went pale with fear. High rank or not, pissing off Kim Hoyoung meant the execution grounds for him too. At Kim Hoyoung’s dismissive wave, the soldiers filed out to wait outside.
The Wagatsuma family had just become the first in history to survive Superior Citizen impersonation.
“You—what’s your name?”
“Me? M-Me?”
With the soldiers gone, Kim Hoyoung asked the tear-streaked housewife. Shizuka, tense before her heavenly emperor, answered stiffly.
“I-I’m Wagatsuma Shizuka, Your Majesty…”
“Do you love that guy?”
“My husband? Of course… I love him.”
“I see. Want me to save him?”
“Yes! Y-You’ll spare him?”
“One condition.”
—The condition: visit Kim Hoyoung’s mansion daily and do anything he commanded.
Kirino, being a college student, would drop out and undergo mental reeducation at a micro-brained retraining center. It was a mandatory dorm setup, so she was carted off like a kidnapping victim, no time even to pack.
Wataru contacted his company for leave, then enrolled in “training” called How to Serve Your Majesty as a Proper Citizen.
In the end, with some sacrifices, the family survived. Just not dying was reason enough to go mad with gratitude toward Kim Hoyoung.
But Wataru didn’t yet know this was the prelude to his family’s collapse.
“Then… I’ll be off, dear.”
“Y-Yeah. Serve His Majesty well. It’s an… honorable duty.”
“…Right.”
“Serve” was a vague euphemism, but what else could it mean? A powerful man summoning a beautiful woman to his home—what else but sex?
Wataru hadn’t heard details, but Shizuka’s choice of an easy-change dress and shower kit in a basket suggested she’d gotten the memo on preparations.
“Ugh…!! What honorable duty? Calling another man’s wife like a call girl… that bastard!!”
The moment Shizuka left, Wataru exploded. He was under house arrest—no walks, no work. His daughter was at the dorm center; his wife, hauled to another man’s mansion. And he had to write essays on how much he revered Kim Hoyoung until she returned.
He scribbled, Fuck that shithead! Reverence my ass! Abusing power to sexually harass a married woman—piece of shit! If I had a gun, I’d blast him! Then deleted it before submitting. Sending that to the training center would mean real execution this time.
Consulting the textbook, he forced out praise for Kim Hoyoung and emailed it.
“Fucking prick, worthless piece of shit! Argh! Fuck! Fuuuuck!!!!”
Venting to himself was safest. Images of his wife enduring vile sexual harassment kept flashing, ruining his focus.
“No way… is she getting raped right now? Sucking that bastard’s dick? Oh god, Shizuka! My Shizuka!! Aaaahhh!!!!”
Only he knew her face during sex. That was his pride. Now Kim Hoyoung would see it too—jealousy twisted his guts till he thought he’d go insane.
He went to their bedroom, pulled out their wedding photo, and stared. Shizuka’s happy smile gazed back. Last night at the hot springs, after barely surviving and seeing Kirino off to the center, they’d made a pact as husband and wife.
“Dear, no matter what His Majesty does to me, I’m your wife. Hang in there too. Until we’re free again, Kirino’s back, and the family’s whole.”
—Yeah. Shizuka was toughing it out; he couldn’t whine like a weak man. She’d be home by evening. He’d greet her with a smile. They’d endure this as a family.
Wataru splashed cold water on his face and steeled himself. Evening hit 10 p.m., and the door opened. He rushed to the entrance.
“Welcome home, Shizuka! Tough day? Shower up! Hungry? I’ll fix something—”
“Oh? Still awake?”
“………….”
Something was off. Wataru wasn’t quick on the uptake, but an indescribable unease hit him. First, her hair: wavy when she left that morning, now straight and wet—freshly washed.
Her clothes were sweat-soaked, body reeking of soap. She’d showered there? She didn’t look exhausted, which was good… or should be. But it stung. Not even fazed after time alone with Kim Hoyoung? Hurtful.
And what was that? Curly hair stuck to her mouth…?
“Shizuka, what’s that on your lip?”
“Huh? My lip…?”
Her fingers brushed it, snagged a strand, and she flinched, tossing it to the floor.
“Oh, th-this? Nothing. Just… a hair or something?”
“Kinda short for hair.”
“It’s hair, I said? Buuuuuurp~~!”
“Not like you to burp like that. Hm? What’s that night-blooming flower smell…”
“I-I drank some night-bloom juice. Haha…”
“Where do they even sell that…”
Shizuka acted suspicious after that too. Skipped the meal he’d set out—“Too full”—changed clothes without showering, and crashed early. Worst, when Wataru tried for intimacy, she turned away coldly.
“…………………………………………………………………………………Sorry. Not tonight.”
“Why? You’ve never refused before. What’s wrong? Kim Hoyoung?”
“Watch your mouth, dear. It’s Your Majesty.”
“What did that bastard do to you!!”
“Shhh!!!!!”
She panicked like Kim Hoyoung’s spies were lurking, signaling silence. Her desperation scared Wataru straight.
“Please be careful! You trying to endanger the family again?”
“Tell me. What did he do?”
“God… can’t we talk tomorrow?”
“No. Now.”
“…………………………You sure you won’t regret it?”
“Not hearing would be worse.”
“For real. Think it over. If you’re absolutely sure you can handle whatever I say without heartbreak or regret, I’ll tell you.”
“Spit it out.”
Wataru ignored her warnings, pushing relentlessly. Shizuka stared at his face, sighed softly, and opened her mouth cautiously.