2
Their Kingdom Panorama
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Donghae immediately scurried to Victoria’s side so that if the perpetrator appeared Victoria would be the first one seen. He gulped still under her hold.
“Shouldn’t we get out of here?” Donghae whispered.
Victoria didn’t reply. He watched her peek a few times and wondered if she had a heart made of iron. After a whole 5 minutes of his life Victoria suddenly pulled him after her and he discovered that she was stepping out onto the scene. Butterflies filled his stomach and he felt like vomiting. His heart thudded so hard that he was afraid it’d pop out of his rib cage. It felt like one of those moments during a mystery movie where the main lead was being chased by the killer. Never had he had a moment like this before…well except that time when he was chased down by a cop car.
With heart throbbing in his ears he followed behind her almost clutching onto her arm. For a moment he felt like a real sissy but the thought went missing as soon as he sighted the pool of fresh blood coming from the stab wound that must have managed to go through his intestines. He felt the acid coming up his throat and quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.
“What are you doing?!” Donghae asked shaking his head sure that she was crazy. “He could come back anytime!”
“He left with a car.” Victoria assured. “Look! He’s still alive! Do you have a phone?”
“Me? Do I look like I would have one?”
Victoria slapped his arm with the back of her hand, “Everyone has one.”
“I don’t know!” he shouted.
“Eeeshh!” she muttered slapping him again. “How old are you? So outdated.”
Donghae silently cursed her under his breath and rubbed his wounded arm before he pointed to the man who was still barely breathing. “He should have one! Check his pocket.”
“Yah…why are you telling me to do it? I’m a girl!” Victoria spat.
Donghae felt his mouth drop, “But you’re the one who wants to be a hero by dragging me here. What are you…trying to do some deeds today?”
Victoria glared at him. “Should I bring you to the police station then?”
Donghae frowned at her, “Geez…what’s with you? Weird woman…”
Gulping and holding his breath while turning his head away he reached an arm out and tried to search the dying man. He was able to feel the material of his expensive clothes before he felt something his hand. Donghae froze when he felt that it was something warm. Many thoughts of being locked away in a morgue with dead bodies entered his mind in a flash. Slowly turning he saw that the man was holding onto him and muttering something.
“Ah…ah…ahhhhhh!” he screeched.
Victoria jumped from beside him in shock.
“Yah…yah…yah, yah, yah!” were the only words that were able to come forth during the moment.
“Aish! How annoying!” Victoria shoved him aside before she saw the man trying to raise his hand. It was too shaky for her liking. She then noticed that he was trying to extend a finger and point somewhere.
“Flowers…hid…flowers…” he muttered weakly with his eyes repeatedly rolling back.
Victoria had to swallow her saliva deeply in order to maintain her annoyance.
“Look for the phone,” Victoria demanded swinging her head back to look at Donghae.
He stared back at her, “Why don’t you do it!”
Victoria immediately grabbed his collar by such force that he felt his thin body almost fly forward.
“What did you say?” he laughed nervously. “Phone? Gotcha.”
When she released him Donghae curled his mouth up into a snarl and cursed her again as he crawled toward the man. He had to gulp many times before he could touch the man again. With trembling hands he searched the man’s jacket sticking his hand in the inside and outside pockets before he noticed that the phone must be inside one of his pants pockets. He prayed that the man’s cell phone wouldn’t be at the pocket of his …he couldn’t even imagine going there.
/\_____/\
Victoria walked over to the garden of flowers and looked around. It had occurred to her that she was crazy for even trying to help the man. For the hundred millionth time in her life she didn’t know what she was doing. The pink, purple, red, and yellows stared at her. They were so happy looking that Victoria felt blinded by them. Getting down on her knees she put her hand through them and ran them through the stems. After a few seconds she could feel the dirt climbing underneath her nails. Turning her head back she saw that Donghae was slowly searching the man. Victoria rolled her eyes wondering why she’d decided to chase after him. Again, she didn’t know what she had been doing…
“Oh!” the sound popped out of when she felt something soft.
Grabbing it she pulled it out and found that it was a long square velvet box. The shape of a regular gift box. Victoria felt her hands become tense before she knew she couldn’t throw away her curiosity. Slowly reaching a hand forward she opened the box. Her jaw dropped in response.
Inside was a necklace with four rows of diamonds woven together exquisitely. The front of the necklace bore a silver rose that glittered nonstop under the sunlight. Victoria gulped feeling her hand reach forward for it. Quickly she snapped the cover shut and turned around treading back toward Donghae.
“I got it!” he shouted when she neared him.
She stared down at him. “Call for an ambulance.”
She noticed his face fold up into an angry expression before he turned away and made the call. Victoria sat down on the ground with crossed legs and ran her fingers over the cover of the box. All her life she had wanted to own something beautiful. Something that was more valuable than life itself. And now that something was in front of her.
Victoria began wondering about the possibility of taking the box and running away. Her feet were ready to get up any second and instinct already told her that she was much faster than the stranger she’d just met. If she took the box maybe she could sell it for millions and then live in her own empire living with money, sleeping with money. How delightful that sounded.
“They’re on their way…” he said before pausing.
Victoria spun her head to look at him realizing that she hadn’t moved an inch. When she noticed the way he was looking at her she quickly turned away. She hoped she hadn’t looked like she was ready to be on the run.
“Necklace…neck…lace…” the old man’s voice interrupted the moment of silence.
Victoria and Donghae both turned their attention to him.
“So Rae…bring…to her…” his voice was so cut off and weak Victoria felt as if the wind was being out of him.
“So Rae?” Donghae repeated. “Now that I think of it that name sounds familiar…”
“You know her?” a hint of doubt was visible in her voice.
“No, I don’t know her. Sounds like a name in the headline news…” Donghae propped an elbow onto his hand and a finger to his chin then jumped. “Oh! Bang So Rae!”
Victoria frowned.
“She became head of an investment business group just a few days ago!” Donghae explained. “But Bang So Rae? Bang So Rae?”
“Bring to her…please. Please…” his head shook and he tried to reach out a shaky hand toward them but they were sitting out of reach.
Victoria watched as the helpless man’s hand dropped to the ground and as if on cue the roaring of an ambulance turned around the corner. Getting up to her feet Victoria pushed the jewelry box at Donghae.
“W…what!” he exclaimed surprised.
“You give this to that Rae whatever.” Victoria ordered snatching the kimbap from under his shirt.
“Yah!! Yah!” he shouted loudly.
“Shut up!” she told. “After that man is taken away I never met you. Got it?”
“What?” he enunciated the whole word with his mouth unable to believe her. “Yah…you’re the one who dragged me here, ok? If you can’t understand let me repeat again. You’re the one who decided to jump me here when you could have let me run off happily.”
Victoria grabbed his collar again and glared at him.
“Ok…” he whined.
Victoria pushed him away and they were silent while waiting for the medics to arrive on set.
“But…you wanted to run away with this earlier, didn’t you?” he asked with a smirk.
Victoria flinched a little for some reason. Maybe it was because he had asked the question so straightforwardly and unexpectedly.
“N…no.” she replied.
He stared at her a while and smiled. “It’s ok. I get the urge all the time. But this…” he patted the box, “I’ll hand it to our Lady Bang So Rae.”
Victoria clenched her teeth ready to jump at him again before a voice cut in.
“Someone called?!”
An hour of investigation passed by before Victoria finally left the courtyard. As she walked away she felt a lingering feeling make her turn around. Standing still one spot she glanced around the courtyard once more. It was a beautiful area and she hadn’t remember ever having come across it before. The horse standing on guard by the mountain looked as if it were protective of a young child hiding away from gangsters. Somehow it felt strange yet familiar being there. Finally turning away Victoria made her way back toward the shops.
The smiling ladies looked as if they’d forgotten the day’s earlier thief. Victoria stared down at the kimbap she was still holding and turned away. Heading down the walk she was ready to throw them into the trash can nearby however refrained from doing so. A few minutes later she found a bench by the ravine and sat down. Opening the first kimbap she ate it chunk by chunk and swallowed them one by one. Before she realized it she had nothing left in her hand except for the foils they had been wrapped in.
For the next couple of hours she just sat there allowing her mind to drift over the horizon. When the lights of some buildings went out Victoria began heading back to the home…her grandmother’s house.
As she recalled the neighborhood was a small one. Trees along the walks and small houses across the street. It was the cheap side of town. She remembered she’d used that name to make fun of the neighborhood to her friends but the joke didn’t seem so funny anymore. No children were out playing hopscotch or baby sitting their young siblings. The lights inside the houses she passed were on and she could see the TV blaring inside. Shadows of parents and children sitting together were all so clear.
Painful envy.
Grabbing the key out of her pocket she stared at it for a long time before walking up the black driveway toward the small grey home. The tiles on the outside were old and ugly as well as the window frames. The paint had been peeling off for…how many years had it been peeling off? Victoria couldn’t recall. Reaching the white door she pulled it open and stared at the door welcoming her in silence.
“Welcome,” she said once she stepped into the closet sized kitchen.
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