53
Their Kingdom Panorama
On the way home her father turned to her in the car.
“How about it? The engagement,” her father started.
“Isn’t it too soon?” Victoria hoped he would agree.
“What do you mean too soon? I see you two going out everyday, if it wasn’t Cho Kyuhyun, why would I let you?”
Victoria tried to find another reason.
“His parents are really looking forward to you, they are a good family, and I know they will love you like their own,” he reminded. “Cho Kyuhyun is also a good man. I want to find someone who will love my daughter. That way we can let your mother rest assure that you’re doing well and one day, when I’m not here, I know Cho Kyuhyun can take over my position and care for you.”
All the reasons to make her forfeit had already climbed out of his mouth.
“Hmm?” he asked putting an arm around her. “Having someone to love you for the rest of your life is better than having someone love you then forget you, or someone who doesn’t love you at all.”
Her eyes darted from building to building as she glanced out the window. The time at his house was still so fresh in her memory that it seemed like someone had purposely implanted it there and had meant for it to stay.
“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.”
“Thank you for choosing to stay by his side.”
“It’s ok though,” Kyuhyun told, “at least she’s still alive. I just want to make her as happy as she can get.”
“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 shut her eyes as the tires traveled over the slight bumps in the road. Everyone knew and everyone was expecting it. The engagement; the happy occasion. What could she possibly do when no one ever asked for her opinion? This was it; being pushed into a corner with only one option to go about it, as Eunhyuk had said, and there was no choice but to go with that one option.
/\_____/\
Donghae followed So Rae down the hallway absentmindedly. He’d had about 15 messaged drafts he’d saved on his phone to send to Victoria, but had been unable to bring himself about to do so. The right time to talk to her hadn’t come yet, so he was feeling more hesitant than ever. It had felt like they’d purposely drifted apart the past few days.
He had to admit that he missed yelling at her.
“Could you go get me a cup of coffee?” So Rae asked him when they reached her office.
Donghae nodded and turned around pausing when he passed Victoria’s empty desk. For a minute he found himself just staring at it and when he finally turned he abruptly halted in his steps.
A glamorous short haired woman eyed him then smiled.
“Is So Rae in?” she asked.
Donghae couldn’t find the words in his mind to respond at the moment still caught up in his own thoughts.
“I’m Mi Sun, So Rae’s personal assistant,” she introduced.
“Ah…Lee Donghae, So Rae’s chauffeur and I also run errands for her,” he answered.
Mi Sun smiled, “I know.”
“Eh?” Donghae asked confused.
“Never mind,” Mi Sun smiled. “So Rae’s in, right?”
“Oh…of course,” Donghae answered and turned to watch the woman enter So Rae’s office without a knock.
/\_____/\
“I didn’t think you’d keep them employed for long,” Mi Sun commented walking into So Rae’s large office.
Her friend glanced up from her desk apparently not surprised by her visit.
“What are you doing here?” So Rae questioned.
“Returning to work.”
So Rae lowered her gaze to concentrate on her papers again, “Lets head out for a drink tonight then.”
“I have a feeling something has cropped up,” Mi Sun noted. “Sure. Why not?”
/\_____/\
The next morning, after a sleepless night, she found herself walking calmly down the hallway toward her desk. Donghae was nowhere in sight even though she was sure that So Rae had already left the house. So Rae’s office door suddenly opened and Mi Sun stepped out. Victoria smiled and bowed toward her.
“I see you’re So Rae’s secretary here,” Mi Sun nodded toward the desk.
“Yes,” Victoria replied, “but I don’t even do anything much but sit here all day.”
Mi Sun smiled that same smiled she’d always been smiling, “You won’t have to worry about it. I’m back temporarily as So Rae’s personal assistant, so just relax.”
“You’re returning to work?” Victoria questioned.
“Yes,” Mi Sun said, “my grandmother has left the hospital and So Rae’s mom had completed her project for the upcoming exhibition, so I’ve decided to return.”
Victoria was unsure about whether she should be thankful. Would Mi Sun choose to stand by So Rae or would she choose to help her?
“How about lunch later?” Mi Sun questioned. “You can join us too.”
Suddenly following Mi Sun’s gaze she found Donghae walking toward them with a cup of coffee in his hand. Victoria turned back to Mi Sun and nodded unsure if she would be able to reject her anyway.
/\_____/\
The sun fully grazed the entire office through the large walled window to his right. Sitting on his thick computer chair Kyuhyun had busied himself with spinning his particular ball point pen with his fingers. The thud of the pen falling against the desk calendar imitated the sound of an echo. Picking up the pen he started spinning it around with his fingers again.
Victoria’s reaction to the engagement hadn’t been what he’d expected. Honestly, he felt that she would have been flat out against it, but her reaction was completely dead. If she was like that, how could he respond to her? How could he talk to her?
His monitor beeped and his secretary’s voice came on, “You have a meeting in 5 minutes.”
Tossing his pen away he grabbed the folder that had been sitting at the edge of his desk that whole morning.
/\_____/\
“How’s your father doing?” Mi Sun asked over their plates of alfredo.
“Busy, as usual,” Victoria replied.
“If you have time, why don’t you and Kyuhyun come back down to visit again?” Mi Sun suggested.
Victoria shifted her gaze over to Donghae, who was seated next to her. What would he think if he found out she and Kyuhyun had gone there and stayed the night at Mi Sun’s together?
“Don’t get any second thoughts,” she silently smacked herself.
Donghae would probably assume that she was playing hooky with Kyuhyun again.
“If you have time, too, why don’t you visit as well, Donghae?” Mi Sun added.
“Eh?”
“I have a lot of the space at the lodge,” Mi Sun explained, “So Rae used to come often when we were on break from school. We could have an outing there someday.”
“Oh…” Donghae’s answer was flat.
Victoria wondered what was wrong with him.
“So how is it?” Mi Sun started.
“What?” Donghae seemed as if his mind was traveling elsewhere.
“Being So Rae’s extra and chauffeur?”
“It’s ok,” Donghae replied.
“I see he has it much easier than you,” Mi Sun joked.
Donghae and Victoria laughed awkwardly along.
“Why? What’s wrong with you two?” Mi Sun asked. “Are we having a debate or something? You two are so stiff.”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” Victoria lied.
Mi Sun’s phone began to ring, thankfully, and she excused herself from the table. Though the sun seemed to be reflecting the feelings of cheeriness, Victoria and Donghae remained silent side by side. Victoria finally dropped the fork in her hand and set it on the table.
“Do you think you can spare some time for me tonight?” Victoria started.
Donghae turned to look at her and Victoria finally gave in turning to look at him as well. For the first time their eyes locked in days, but Victoria didn’t smile like she would have.
“I want to talk to you.” she finished.
“Ok.”
/\_____/\
“My parents are divorced,” So Rae explained over their drinks. “My mom left me a message the other day to tell me that it’s been finalized.”
Mi Sun spun in her seat to face her friend.
“They’re really cruel, some parents they are,” So Rae pouted.
Mi Sun smiled, “Your mom wants some space.”
“How much space can she get?”
“You’re right,” Mi Sun agreed with a small shake of the head, “when the world comes crashing down, you can’t get enough time for yourself.”
So Rae frowned at her friend before glancing at pool tables behind her in which some guy had just scored. Rolling her eyes she turned back to her drink.
“What I was saying is that your mother never had time for herself, so perhaps after being in that house for so long, maybe it’s time to give her space.”
“You don’t get it.”
“Ok,” Mi Sun tried, “I don’t get it, but don’t we all know your grandfather was the one who made sure the two of them didn’t break the marriage? Probably, your parents never had anything to do with each other in the first place.”
“What are you talking about?!” So Rae raised her voice. “You don’t know anything.”
Mi Sun pressed her lips together then said, “I know, but I’ve been there ever since we were kids. So far as I remember, grandfather settled every little disagreement they’d always had. When he died, didn’t your mother cause an uproar about wanting to leave but your father forbid it?”
So Rae thought hard but shook her head, “No, I don’t remember.”
So Rae turned away from her friend again and focused on the dark color of her drink. There had been an argument, which had been caused by her mother, she could remember that much. However, So Rae wasn’t sure she could remember what it was about.
“Do you know a Man Shik?”
“Man Shik?”
“Was he my mother’s friend or was he just someone my mother knew?”
“Man Shik? I’m not sure.”
“I overheard them talking about a Man Shik. Something about him dying,” So Rae furrowed her brows.
“Why? Shall I try to check it out for you?” Mi Sun asked.
/\_____/\
Since Donghae had been told to knock off early he’d driven back to his suite and had laid around waiting for Victoria to contact him. Feeling restless he took a short cold shower and dressed into something casual. While rummaging through his closet he found the old green jacket he’d worn the day Victoria first chased him.
A small smile flickered onto his face as he slipped it on. Finally sitting down on the large couch he stared at the blank TV before him wondering what Victoria had to say to him. Maybe they’d finally be able to have another drink that night without having another argument, and maybe he’d be able to apologize for being so arrogant Friday night. Perhaps, Victoria was ready to make amends to their relationship.
He hoped so. When his phone beeped he rushed out the door.
The cool streets of the fresh night air brushed against his hair as he walked toward the port where Victoria was waiting for him. He found her sitting by the harbor with her feet dangling above the water. The white sail boat to her right waved right and left with the currents of the water.
Sitting down beside her he clasped both hands together and copied her by staring out into the night sky. He glanced down when Victoria handed him a can of soda without looking at him.
“It’s…soda…” he commented observing it with a frown.
“I know,” Victoria replied, “I’m not in the right mood for a drink.”
“Oh…” he sounded disappointed.
Maybe this wasn’t the kind of amendment he’d been thinking of.
“Then…why did you want to talk?”
“Sorry,” she started sending him into a fluster of confusion, “I said lets be friends, but I haven’t been treating you like one. I’ll do better from now on.”
He turned to look at her suddenly certain that she had something else in mind. What was it? He couldn’t think of anything else.
“I only wanted to call you out, not to say sorry, but I wanted to be the first to tell you before you’d find out from anyone else,” Victoria stated.
She suddenly turned silent and he wondered if she’d forgotten what she wanted to say.
“I’m getting engaged to Kyuhyun.”
It wasn’t just a mental explosion, but it’d really felt like his brain had been shot out of him. A loud noise infiltrated the air and began vibrating heavily within his imagination. Suddenly everything before him became pitch black dark and he wasn’t sure whether he’d fallen asleep or not. Blinking his eyes he still found the moon shining down on them, its lone reflection landing against the dark waters. Donghae’s mind was totally at a blank standstill.
“You really…don’t care?” Victoria asked.
Donghae his dry lips and swallowed the lump in his throat, “That’s good for you.”
“Is it?” Victoria turned away from him. “Lets be friends again as if nothing’s happened, but the fact that I liked you and you rejecting me - I won’t be able to pretend that it never happened.”
Donghae felt his gaze lower.
“If you tell me one more time,” Victoria began, “that you like my unnie, then I can do it without a regret.”
“Yah…why would you want me to say something like that again?” Donghae wondered feeling frustrated.
“Come on,” Victoria nudged him.
“Aish!” he shouted scooting away from her.
“Yah!” Victoria yelled.
Donghae turned to stare at her with a glare, the expression that had suddenly popped up onto his face. He suddenly felt angry with the fact that she wanted to hear his rejection again.
“Lee Donghae!” she went on. “Such a jerk, such a coward. Can’t even say those simple words.”
“What words are you talking about? The statement ‘I don’t like you’ aren’t just simple words!” he screamed angered and annoyed.
They suddenly found themselves staring at each other. Donghae glanced away heavily exhaling.
“I know,” Victoria told, “thanks. You’ll be there at the ceremony, right?”
Donghae couldn’t bring himself to look at her. For some reason he was feeling really, really, really, and really pissed off. He was afraid that for a moment he might really turn and slap her.
“See you Monday,” Victoria told and got up.
Swallowing, he finally turned to see her back getting smaller and smaller within the distance. Suddenly making a reach for his phone he glanced at the messages he’d saved in his draft folder.
“It’s me, Donghae, wanna head out for some drinks tonight?”
“I’m bored, lets go out.”
“I know you’re up to nothing, how about some pancakes?”
“I’m not intentionally trying to bother you, if you’re still awake lets eat some popcorn.”
“Popcorn at midnight?”
“YAH!!! Kekeke! ^^ I was just bored.”
“Are you hungry for some cold noodles?”
“Hey handsome, sorry if I made you feel bad Friday…”
“You owe me some candy, Miss Song!”
“Hey, Victoria, if you have time why don’t we build that kingdom of yours together?”
Setting his phone beside him he gulped down the rest of his soda and glanced up into the moon wondering why his mood had suddenly changed.
*** =( Vic's so sad and now Hae's starting to get a change of heart. Look at all those messages.
***I decided to make this chapter longer, because I wanted to include the rest of their conversation in here instead of making it the next chapter.
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