52
Their Kingdom Panorama
Victoria felt slip in surprised, “What about So Rae unnie?”
“I already told her to stay behind and catch up with work.”
“Why? So Rae unnie should come along as well.”
“Just hurry up, we’re running behind time.”
Victoria watched as her father opened the door and headed across the lawn.
15 minutes later Victoria found out the meaning behind “We’re due for a meal”. A grand yellow house came into view as the car pulled up into the driveway. There was, honestly, no need to ask where they were. Victoria could feel it in her heart that this was Cho Kyuhyun’s home.
“A meal better just be a meal,” she told herself.
Stepping out of the car she walked around the short thick bushes standing guard around an ancient statue of a woman holding a harp. Victoria wondered if interest in music had been passed down from generation to generation seeing how Kyuhyun was so into the guitar.
The 3 story yellow building could have towered to the sky if its architect hadn’t made its roof so sharp. A large terrace could be seen from above. Victoria felt gape in awe and wondered in what room did it come out from.
The sound of the door opening abruptly stole her attention before someone started toward them.
“You’re here?” Chairman Cho greeted. “Please come inside.”
“We’ve come a bit late,” her father apologized, “something came up at work.”
“Oh don’t worry about that,” Chairman Cho told then put a hand on Victoria’s shoulder in a fatherly way, “how have you been?”
“Well,” Victoria smiled.
They were led down a dim yellow hallway which didn’t maliciously kill her eyes as the white walls back at the house did. She kind of liked it actually.
The large framed pictures of gardens, the ocean, and flowers made her feel welcomed unlike the bare walls back at the house, which made her feel cold. Turning around a corner she felt open in awe again when she saw a dome shaped entrance lead into a large room. A clear glass window opposite of her led to a bright scenery of the flower fresh garden outside that had been well tended.
“You’re finally here? Why don’t you show Victoria around? Dinner’s not quite ready yet,” she heard Chairman Cho’s voice suggested.
Victoria walked away from where she was standing before the room to join them by the fat white staircase.
“You’re here?” Kyuhyun asked.
Victoria nodded.
“Why don’t you introduce your mother to her?” suggested his father.
Kyuhyun nodded, “She’s upstairs.”
Victoria watched as the two men disappeared down the hallway and followed him up the wide staircase. When they finally reached the second floor and turned from this hallway to that she noticed a ramp at the far end of the hallway and wondered why it was there.
“My father planned this dinner without me knowing. I only found out when I got home a moment ago.” he explained.
“Me too,” Victoria agreed. “I feel like they’re up to something behind our backs.”
He chuckled at her joke, which wasn’t a joke.
Down another right hallway Kyuhyun turned around with a smile. Victoria looked at him then glanced at the two white doors that led to one room. The plastered smile on his face didn’t leave.
“What?” Victoria wondered.
“I went to study abroad 5 years ago,” he explained, “my mother had a heart attack last year and the muscles on her legs have stopped functioning correctly, so she can no longer walk.”
Victoria didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t expected that such a perfect person like him would also have something so devastating happen to his family. It was just a few days ago when she’d felt as if she were the only sad person, she’d forgotten that there were also plenty of those souls out there that were in much more pain.
“Sorry,” Victoria apologized.
She wasn’t just saying sorry because she felt horrible about his mother, but she wanted to apologize to herself as well. For allowing herself to sink.
“There’s no need for that,” Kyuhyun waved away her apology, “she’s been wanting to see you.”
“Me?”
Kyuhyun nodded, “I’ve been talking to her about you and our ahjumma has as well, though you haven’t met her yet because she’s preparing dinner right now.”
“Am I popular here or what?” Victoria joked.
“Come on, lets head in,” he suggested. “You ready?”
Victoria nodded.
The white doors revealed a lovely white laced furniture room with family portraits hanging memorably on the walls. A small desk with a computer had been set next to the large bed and a bookshelf of books sat on the other side of the bed. The sunlight graciously shone in through the window behind the desk, its pretty pink curtains drawn aside.
A cute carpet with a heart sat at the foot of the door when Victoria walked in. To her far left were two brown doors. One that led to the bathroom and another connecting to another bedroom.
The white tiled floor luminously tried to shine out from the amount of fading it had suffered throughout the years. Victoria could suddenly feel that the room had been full of many struggles extending from the past to the present.
“Mom,” Kyuhyun called to the woman lying in bed with the firm feminine pink blanket tucked over her.
She glanced over at the brave woman from the foot of the bed.
“Mother, Victoria came to visit.”
The moment a smile lit her face Victoria discovered that Kyuhyun had been the replicate of her just like she was of her own mom. For the first time after visiting her mother’s grave she really wished she had a mother to stand by her side and speak up for her during times she was wronged. Unfortunately, she only had a father who couldn’t fight for her the way a mother would.
Victoria glanced over to Kyuhyun who gestured with his head for her to go over. When she did Kyuhyun got up and urged her to sit down. It was a sad thought, but it was really the first time she was meeting with a friend’s parent.
Mrs. Cho had a great complexion. Her skin still looked so silky and smooth at the age of 40, and even though her hair seemed to be graying it was impossible to see the difference because of her thick black hair. She had very feminine features like those of the gals she’d seen and admired on the streets. Victoria could only imagine how young beautiful this woman in front of her must have been at one point in her life.
Kyuhyun’s mother smiled and reached for her arm with a shaky hand, “Victoria…so pretty.”
Smiling in reply because that was all she knew to do, Victoria half glanced back up at Kyuhyun.
“Kyuhyun, you’ve done a good job,” she told her son before turning back to face Victoria. “This boy grew up into a foolish young man, so he doesn’t understand relationships correctly because of that guitar his father gave him.”
Victoria laughed along with her.
“Thank you for choosing to stay by his side.”
“Mom,” Kyuhyun called as if to scold her.
“If he’s ever mean to you just let me know and I’ll deal with him for you,” she said, “he’s a mommy’s boy after all.”
Walking side by side they started down the hallway again. Victoria clutched onto her other arm still trying to feel the warmth his mother had unknowingly left her.
“Don’t take anything she said to heart,” Kyuhyun urged.
Victoria smiled, “You must have been hurt, huh?”
“What?”
“I mean when you found out your mother had a heart attack and couldn’t walk anymore,” Victoria finished.
“Of course, the mother who was once able to run around, chasing, and scolding her son is now unable to move. I was sad, but my father was most hurt,” Kyuhyun said, “because I was abroad finishing my studies while he had to bare through it alone.”
Victoria found her eyes shifting to the ground.
“It’s ok though,” Kyuhyun told, “at least she’s still alive. I just want to make her as happy as she can get.”
Victoria turned to him and smiled.
“Cho Kyuhyun!”
They stopped in their steps to see a short curly haired woman walking up toward them from the stairs.
“Where have you been? Dinner has been set and is ready to eat,” the woman scolded.
“Ahjumma…” he groaned.
The ahjumma glanced at him then toward Victoria with a gracious smile that made Kyuhyun snort.
“You must be Victoria,” the ahjumma assumed, “my…you look even better in person than how Kyuhyun has described you to me.”
“Ahjumma.” Kyuhyun called.
The woman ignored him again, “Our Kyuhyun is childish and isn’t very thoughtful, so please take very good care of him.”
Victoria smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Now, if you wouldn’t let our guest continue to starve…” the ahjumma said gesturing toward the stairs.
“I know,” Kyuhyun told.
“I didn’t think you had a funny family,” Victoria commented before they walked into the large yellow walled kitchen.
Kyuhyun led her toward the circular white draped table and they sat down.
“How was it?” his father asked. “Did Kyuhyun show you around well?”
Victoria nodded.
“You two have been getting along fairly well. It’s quite relieving to see,” her father commented. “Victoria eats a lot, to let you know.”
Victoria glanced at her father then glanced Chairman Cho with a small laugh.
“Kyuhyun eats a lot as well,” his father agreed. “Eat up, don’t be shy now. We’re all just a family now.”
Victoria almost choked on the water she was drinking, but had managed to suppress her cough real well and pounded her chest instead.
“Are you ok?” Kyuhyun questioned.
“So what do you think about it?” Chairman Cho asked turning to look at Dae Jung. “How about getting the kids engaged? Kyuhyun has returned and is adjusting real well and Victoria seems to be doing well, too.”
Her father laughed joyfully. Victoria wondered why he never laughed like that at home. No, she wondered why he never laughed at all at home.
“I’ve been thinking just the same,” her father agreed, “since the children are already getting along so well all we need to work on is setting a date and time.”
Her ears were buzzing and she’d already blocked their voices. During that moment only the harsh beating of her heart like a vibrating drum resounded in her ears, they tripped over each other and ended up colliding like domino blocks.
Dinner ended well. Other than the dooming news it had been quite delicious and she’d appreciated the ahjumma’s sincerity with cooking. As they walked out and while their fathers stood back to finish up their chat, Kyuhyun walked her toward the car.
The windy night wasn’t good enough for her. She really wanted to be blown over and probably trip over her own steps then end up in the hospital to delay the engagement. A laugh silently escaped her. The things she wanted never quite happened.
“Why didn’t your mother eat with us?” she wondered.
“The muscles in her arms have been acting up all day, so the doctor recommended for her to stay in bed,” he explained then they became silent.
Victoria glanced at the windows of the car and wondered how they could always be so shiny.
“I’m sorry,” his voice made her turn back to him.
“Why?”
“I didn’t know my father would be the one to propose the engagement, I didn’t think…”
Victoria turned away from him silencing him.
“I told you,” she said, “they were up to something.”
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