Chapter 3

[And All the King’s Horses]

 (beta by: Yocaterpillar)

It was a disappointment at first sight.

Der Märchenclub, a gathering conducted in the room called “The Bluebeard Chamber” was everything Jessica had expected it to be. The Bluebeard Chamber was another opera chamber, complete with a stage, high ceiling and the viewing balcony built inside the room. The Choi family had specially modified the Bluebeard Chamber so that the audience chairs were gone and that made the room look like a huge ballroom with a lounge, main stage, and classical indoor viewing balcony.

The faint smell of finest quality cigar was mixed together with various scents of women’s perfume. The relatively small number of Der Märchenclub’s members was divided intogroups. The majority of them (mostly men) occupied the main table (where apparently another round of poker was being held), while the others were grouped in threes or fours, having private talks of their own.

Her entrance raised the interest of some people and was ignored by the others. Jessica thought she liked the response of the latter group more. Exhaling a sigh (this is going to be a long night, she thought), she then strolled towards the wine table; fine liqueur might help her ease the mood that night.

But just when she was about to pick the glass of wine, a hand tapped her on the shoulder. Jessica turned around to see a pretty girl with long, wavy, black hair and eyes that almost literally twinkled brightly.

“Jessica, isn’t it?” the other girl exclaimed happily.

The other girl’s cheerfulness was responded with a flat tone (her normal tone), “Yes. And you are?”

“Ah, sorry. My name is Hwang Tiffany. This is the first time that my family is invited to join Der Märchenclub, so I was actually very nervous when I first got here. Don’t you feel that way too?”

Before Jessica could even mutter a word, Tiffany gleefully added, “You also studied abroad, didn’t you? Don’t worry, I know it feels a little awkward to come back to your hometown after so long, but I’m sure you’ll quickly adapt and…”

Two minutes since Jessica met Tiffany, and the former already decided not to meddle with the latter unless absolutely necessary. The Hwang girl talked too much. Jessica thought that even if she was not anti-social, she would still avoid this uncomfortable so-called pleasantry.

“…still, I had trouble with the language. They mocked my Korean. I know my Korean sounds awkward even until now, but then again –“

“Hey, Tiffany! Don’t monopolize the new girl on your own!” said a man with a masculine, hoarse voice behind the two girls.

The voice apparently belonged to a rather sturdy looking man dressed in a fine suit. His hair was styled in a short, military look. There was an air of authority coming from this man –something that was formed not with his fine suit, expensive cologne, or even title. It had something to do with his eyes, Jessica decided. His eyes were intense, scrutinizing her back in a mixture of amusement and suspicion.

"Kangin Oppa," said Tiffany, revealing the identity of the new man. "Are you drunk? You really reek of alcohol. Can't you learn from your past mistake? You nearly killed someone when you're DUI and –"

"Isn't it way past your bedtime, Tiffany? Just go home already."

"Stop treating me like a child and -"

"Anyway," Kangin cut Tiffany's speech and turned his attention to the Jung lady. "So, are you 'The Awaited One'?"

Right after Kangin spoke the word, Jessica felt all the attention on her. The ladies stopped gossiping, the men halted their poker. Even the maids and servants refrained from doing their job and focused their eyes on her. Tiffany was effectively silenced and Kangin's piercing eyes were patiently inquiring.

"W-what?" It was the only word that rolled out of Jessica's mouth.

Aside from the faint classical music playing from the antique gramophone, silence dominated the room. Jessica waited for someone to break the silence, but apparently, people were waiting for her to do the task.

Drama, she thought sinisterly.

Gathering up her poise, she then answered, "I don't understand what you're talking about."

There came a whisper that sounded a little too loud in such silence.

"I don't think she is 'The Awaited One'," whispered a tall lady.

As if on cue, the other members of the Club resumed their previous activities. Jessica refrained from rolling her eyes.

Kangin still had his attention focused on her though. "Alright. Still, welcome to Der Märchenclub, Jessica. My name is Kim Young-woon, but just call me Kangin. Come on, I'll introduce you to the other guys. You play poker? We're currently –"

"Wait, wait, Kangin Oppa," protested Tiffany. "I was about to introduce her to the girls."

"What, you’re the leader of the ladies now? I'll introduce her to the female members too."

"I'll introduce her to the boys too," insisted Tiffany. "You just joined this club three months ago. I've been here longer and –"

"And does that give you the authority here, Hwang?"

"Well at least –"

"I'll choose what I want to do myself," Jessica interrupted. "And I'll get more acquainted with you all once I'm in the mood."

Tiffany widened her eyes and Jessica knew that Seoul would have to welcome an additional .

Kangin laughed out loud though. He grinned at Jessica and spoke, "As you wish, Princess. Call me when you're already in the mood." He then gave a little bow and turned away in staggered steps (drunk, definitely drunk). That left her with Tiffany –who had regained her composure and smiled brightly again.

“At least, would you like to sit with us? You can stay silent if you want to.”

Jessica pondered for a moment. Sitting alone there would definitely garner more attention. Besides, it was very probable that her grandmother had sent someone to secretly watch her. Jessica wouldn’t want having to hear her grandmother’s complaining about her lack of enthusiasm to mingle with the others. 

Tiffany’s smile widened once Jessica hesitantly followed her to a group of girls in one of the corner of the room. The other heiresses glanced up to look at her and welcomed her with their well-trained polite and elegant smiles. Despite Jessica’s earlier remark, Tiffany still introduced her to the other girls.

And as names were introduced (Sooyoung, Yoona, …and she could not keep track anymore), Jessica’s back slowly slumped down on the velvet couch. She bit the inside of her cheek in her attempt not to fall asleep.

Ten minutes to eleven PM, Jessica had enough.

She could not escape this boring place (her grandmother had specifically instructed her driver to only pick her up after the club’s activities ended). But Jessica desperately needed distraction, so she decided to at least leave the room and look for fresh air.

However, one step out of the Bluebeard Chamber, and she immediately found that peace would be harder to achieve.

She saw someone approaching the Bluebeard Chamber.His real hair without the wig was black, slightly curled at the tips, and reached only to his nape (as opposed to his long wig). He might have not been dressed in a girl's attire anymore, but his features remained feminine somehow. That, and that underestimating gaze of his that made her recall the incident several days prior in the boutique.

Before Jessica could even mutter her usually-stabbing words, that man beat her to it.

"I was right," he said as he stood in front of her. "You look hideous in that gown."

"Oh please," she retorted. "Now you’re a cross-dresser fashion police too?”

The man gave her a short look-over, before he did the thing that she least expected.

“Skinny and short. And your s can't even fill the gown’s cups,” he commented as he casually touched the front part of her dress –on the chest area.

Her eyes widened, but before she could even do anything (scream “ert!” or slap him or anything), a hand came behind her and lightly shoved that man’s hand away from her.

“Heechul Hyung, that’s not appropriate,” said the owner of that calm and soothing voice behind her.

“Donghae,” Heechul acknowledged, and the hostility in his eyes quickly shifted to adoration.

Jessica took that opportunity to finally regain her composure and slapped the cross-dresser.

As her palm met his pale face, the man named Heechul widened his eyes in shock. Bewildered, he glared back at her.  He really looked like he would grab a fistful of Jessica’s hair but Donghae spoke again.

“Hyung, you know you’re at fault. It’ll be wiser to apologize to the lady.”

Heechul did not even bother to hide his grumbling. But despite so, in the end, he sighed and murmured, “Sorry.” And with that word out of his mouth, he walked past Jessica and headed inside the Bluebeard Chamber.

Jessica was tempted to tell him that it was not the way a person should be apologizing. But more than anything, she supposed she was pretty surprised how an arrogant boy like him would just apologize at the mere request of …

“He’s not a bad guy, honestly. Please forgive him, Jessica-sshi.”

Jessica turned around. She had expected a charismatic man with authority (after all, even a difficult man like Heechul obeyed him), but she must admit her slight surprise upon looking at her savior.

He was a young man, probably only three or four years older than she was. He posed her a shy smile that grazed his cute looking face. His hair was dyed in darkest hue of brown and there was something about his eyes that reminded her of something, something that was almost there, something that was –

“Do I… know you?” she asked quietly.

The man only smiled playfully, almost urging her to have a guess.  “Nice meeting you again, Jessica-sshi. You’ve grown into such a lovely young woman.”

She looked up and stared at him with the coldest glare she could let out. She hoped that her reddening ears could be hidden well beneath her dark brown tresses. Managing an uninterested expression, she replied tonelessly, “I’m flattered.”

A loud cheer cut her train of thought and the words she was about to say died on her tongue. The two young people looked back to the door leading towards The Bluebeard Chamber–where the source of the noise came from.

Donghae exhaled a sigh. “I guess finally it can be started now.”

“