41
Their Kingdom Panorama
/\_____/\
He awoke early the next morning and jogged around the hotel before fetching the car. The drive to So Rae’s house was slow even though he didn’t have to battle traffic.
So Rae got into the car on time as usual.
“I was thinking last night,” Donghae started as the car started off, “Victoria…”
“Don’t you ever mention her in front of me,” So Rae snapped, “not unless I fire you, not until I fire you can you talk to me about that insolent person. Do you hear me?”
Donghae glanced up into the rearview mirror at the enraged So Rae suddenly wondering what had happened that morning. Had something happened between her and Victoria again? He needed to get Victoria to explain to him about why things were so bad.
He waited and waited until lunch break. Victoria never showed up for work.
/\_____/\
Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan. Orphan.
That word ran about and about in Victoria’s mind as she sat at the top of the stone stairs. An exasperated laugh full of disbelief and hurt escaped her as she ran a hand through her bangs.
“What are you still doing here?”
Victoria looked back and got up to her feet when she saw her father coming her way.
“Are you going to work?” Victoria questioned putting up a front.
He nodded, “Why are you still here?”
“Dad,” Victoria started, “can I take the day off?”
“Why?” he asked, his forehead formed into wrinkles of worry. “Are you not feeling well? Do you want some medicine?”
Victoria shook her head, “No. I just want to rest a bit.”
“Then go on in and get some more sleep,” he urged putting a hand on her shoulder, “go on.”
Victoria nodded and watched as her father headed down the stairs where his chauffeur was waiting for him.
He looked back once and called out, “Go on in and get some sleep. I’ll be home shortly.”
Victoria smiled and waved. As the car drove out Victoria slumped back down onto the steps and hugged her knees.
/\_____/\
Kyuhyun was curious about why he hadn’t heard from Victoria all morning. Bored, he stepped out of the lab and headed up to the 5th floor wondering if Victoria wanted to go out for lunch.
When the elevator opened he walked through the hallway, but discovered that Victoria’s desk was empty. The only person sitting on her chair was none other than Donghae. Kyuhyun really had no opinion of him whatsoever. He didn’t like the guy nor did he hate the guy.
“Are you here for So Rae?” Donghae asked getting up to greet him.
Kyuhyun smiled awkwardly, “Uh…no…where’s Victoria?”
He noticed that Donghae followed his eyes toward Victoria’s empty chair.
“Don’t know. That woman must have skipped work,” Donghae easily replied.
Kyuhyun nodded and turned around to walk away, but paused and turned back to face Donghae who looked at him curiously.
“Cat, right?” Kyuhyun asked.
“Excuse me?” Donghae became confused.
“You called Victoria a cat once,” Kyuhyun reminded.
“Oh.”
“You said then that I was lucky to have grown up with So Rae,” Kyuhyun told, “but really, I would have rather chosen to grown up alone. You,” Kyuhyun patted Donghae’s arm, “good luck taking care of So Rae now.”
Kyuhyun smiled completely and walked away.
/\_____/\
Moments later Victoria found herself sitting inside a small restaurant eating grilled pork ribs alone. As much as she stuffed herself, she didn’t quite feel anybody. Anyhow, she was glad that the scent of the food drew her attention away from the day’s earlier argument with So Rae. Once she felt stuffed up and couldn’t breathe anymore, she bought some food and hurried toward the shelter where she found Eunhyuk, Ryeowook, and Yesung.
“So, I have this friend who blames her parents for not talking to her when she’s never talked to them in the first place,” Victoria started, “don’t you think that’s too much?”
“Right,” Yesung absentmindedly agreed as he his fingers.
“She doesn’t have the right to act like that toward them!” Eunhyuk told.
“She’s selfish,” Victoria said.
“That’s worse than selfish,” Ryeowook agreed.
Victoria pressed her lips together and nodded happy with the people who were sympathizing with her even though they knew nothing about the story.
“What should I do? Do you think I should tell her mother?”
“Oho! Are you going to tell on her?” Eunhyuk said.
“That meaning I should, huh?” Victoria nodded her head.
“If that would set your friend straight, then why not?” Ryeowook pointed out.
“But you know, now that I think about it, I think that you have a very troubled life,” Yesung told.
“Oh…” Victoria uttered the noise, “you wouldn’t know.”
Once an orphan who became a delinquent who is now a rich man’s daughter. How much worse can her life get?
Her phone rang interrupting the moment. For once, she had absolutely forgotten that she had a life outside of the homeless shelter. She wished she could stay there all day with the guys who were much better than girls themselves. Sighing Victoria answered without bothering to check who the call was from.
“Victoria?” Kyuhyun asked.
Victoria’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and she turned to the three guys before standing up to walk away.
“Yea, why are you calling?”
“You weren’t at work today,” he started, “did something happen? Are you sick?”
Victoria tilted her head to observe the graffiti on the wall. Part of it had become smudged so Victoria her finger and started scrubbing the wall.
“I just wasn’t feeling well,” Victoria simply replied rubbing her fingers together.
“I’m headed toward your house right now, so lets head out for lunch.”
Victoria’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
“What?!”
Minutes later she jumped out of the cab and ran up the short inclining street. Kyuhyun’s black car was in sight and she spotted him leaning against the car staring up at the silver clouds above. She stopped not far from him and he turned to look at her with a mix of happiness and surprise in his face.
“Ahjumma said you weren’t home,” Kyuhyun greeted, “where’d you go off to?”
“Uh…” Victoria eyed the street to ignore his gaze, “for a walk.”
“You smell of pork,” he said.
“Oh…” Victoria half laughed and took a step back. “Is the smell too strong?”
“You ate?” he asked.
“Uh…yea…” Victoria replied hoping he wouldn’t ask anymore.
“Want to accompany me for a meal?” he suggested.
Victoria raised an eyebrow, an idea suddenly popping into her head.
“How about a trip today?” Victoria proposed.
“A trip?”
After grabbing something quick to feed on Victoria turned to glance at Kyuhyun who was now focusing on the highway.
“So what kind of a good deed are you talking about?” he wondered.
“So Rae’s upset because her mother left without a word,” Victoria explained, “I just want to go tell her to come back and have a chat with So Rae before she leaves.”
Kyuhyun turned to look at her with a smile.
“What?” Victoria asked.
“You’re being a good dongsaeng.”
“Why? Is it so different?”
“No, it seems like you. So Rae, on the other hand, wouldn’t even move a leg to do it,” Kyuhyun explained, “but I know. She must be feeling angry and must be blaming her mother for leaving like that, but she can’t even go up to them to tell them how she feels.”
Victoria turned to look at him. Well, they’d grown up together. Why wouldn’t Kyuhyun know So Rae’s feelings?
“So, hang in there,” he told reaching his hand forward to ruffle her hair, “don’t let So Rae’s feelings get to you.”
Victoria shrieked playfully and moved away. They laughed together.
Turning back to the road Victoria said, “Cho Kyuhyun, you’re a really good guy.”
/\_____/\
Donghae kicked at the ground pacing back and forth through the hallway. He paused and turned back to stare at Victoria’s bare desk.
“What had suddenly come up that you’re skipping work, fool?” he wondered.
Glancing out the window he stared down at all the cars below and once he bored of the sight he headed out onto the balcony. Leaning against the railing he sighed and felt shivers fall through his body. Turning away and glanced back at the office.
“I’m so bored…”
/\_____/\
So Rae sat in her office with hands clasped together.
“You don’t understand family because you’ve never had one! You were an orphan since the beginning!! Who do you think you are to understand me?!!”
Had she been too rough? To call a person an orphan…
“No, no,” So Rae shook her head, “Victoria’s a snot. Even that much won’t hurt her.”
her bottom lips she dropped her pen and started walking about her office.
Victoria had had no right to speak to her like that. How well did the girl know her anyway? They could barely be called sisters since they only shared a father. So Rae swallowed her saliva and sat down on a couch.
“You’re not alone, I’m still here. During the hard times you can still make your way to me,” Kyuhyun offered, “I can be a sounding board for you to lean on. I’ll listen to your every complaint. Just because things have changed doesn’t mean that I’ll ditch you.”
So Rae put up a hand over her face and closed her eyes. A sounding board for her complaints? Would he really listen to her though? Now that he was too attentive toward Victoria, would he even care at all?
“Your parents must have their own story they couldn’t share with you, but you also need to understand them even if you don’t want to. If this is the way they want to regain their happiness then you should support them So Rae, instead of objecting,” Kyuhyun said.
So Rae leaned her head back. A hug from Kyuhyun would just about fix everything for her right now. She couldn’t believe in her parents at the moment either. Her mother had left without a word and they had filed the divorce without a word. How much more things had they done without letting her know?
“How am I supposed to understand them?” So Rae wondered. “They don’t even need me in the first place.”
***So Rae knows she should apologize, but she finds it too embarrassing and she has too much pride to do so
***I met a real good friend on winglin and connected with her again on AFF, she also told me once that she'll be my sounding board when I'm in need of someone to talk to :) And Thanks to her, I've continued writing and am living inspirationally
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