58
Their Kingdom Panorama
Mi Sun knocked on her door early in the morning.
“Well, hello there,” Mi Sun teased, “are you ready?”
Victoria had her hair and make up done half that morning. They rushed back to the house and Victoria made sure to get the leather bag she’d packed up yesterday. After she’d changed into the dress she’d purchased with the help of the Three Musketeers she met with Mi Sun outside.
“Oh? What’s that bag for?” Mi Sun wondered noticing it.
“Ah…another outfit for afterward. I might carelessly get my dress dirty, you know?” Victoria awkwardly lied.
“I see, here I can take it for you,” she offered extending out a hand.
“No, I’ll keep it with me,” Victoria insisted.
Mi Sun smiled, “Get in the car then, we’re going to be the last ones there.”
/\_____/\
Donghae had awoken early. Actually, he’d been unable to fall asleep last night. After an hour of sleep he’d woken up and been unable to sleep again. At the light of dawn he’d finally got up, drank some coffee, and watched TV before finally forcing himself to get dressed.
Parking his car in the lot of the a building So Rae’s father had rented for the occasion he crossed the green yard and headed up the cement steps to his right. Within moments time he found a large crowd forming around Cho Kyuhyun at the entrance. Never minding them he pushed his way through toward the circular tables draped in white; ribbons hanging off the sides in such a fancy manner.
The dim brown-orange walls and the giant crystal chandelier hanging down from the center of the ceiling gave the room such a luminous glow that Donghae really felt high class. Tables of food had already been laid out and the servers that had been hired were busy running back and forth on the red carpet that filled the room.
Spotting So Rae he walked toward her and took the empty seat beside her.
“Not excited?” Donghae meant to be sarcastic.
So Rae didn’t look at him.
“We…I mean you should be happy for them, right?” Donghae asked.
He got no reply.
“Honestly, I didn’t sleep much last night. How about you?”
“Just sit quietly.”
Pressing his lips together he eyed the room once more. Victoria wasn’t in sight, but that was when he saw Mi Sun heading toward them in a chic blue dress.
“You made it,” she commented.
“I was told to come,” Donghae shrugged.
Mi Sun smiled and glanced at So Rae, “We should be starting in a bit. Victoria wanted a room to fix herself up a bit.”
Donghae nodded, he didn’t need to hear an explanation, even though hearing it did settle his feelings down a bit. He clasped his hands together feeling uncertain for some reason.
“Oh? What’s this? We have a full table here,” So Rae’s mother donned in a green gown walked over.
The make up on her face was near petrifying but Donghae kept the remark to himself as he got up to greet her. She smiled at him without recognizing him and took a seat next to So Rae. Donghae noticed how So Rae shifted annoyed in her seat.
“My, Victoria isn’t here yet?”
“She’s still preparing at the back,” Mi Sun chimed in.
“Still preparing? That girl hasn’t prepared all morning? She sure does know how to waste time,” So Rae’s mother stated arrogantly before fanning herself with her hand, “why is it so hot in here?”
So Rae turned her face away from her mother.
/\_____/\
Locking the door Victoria made her way back to the chair in front of the mirror above the desk. Reaching her hand up she took out the small crown her stylist had stuck into her hair for her that morning. Loosening the tight curly bun halfway up her head she felt her long hair flow down her shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “This is the best I can do.”
When Victoria had stripped herself of her dress, she slipped on an old shirt and a pair of jeans along with the sneakers she’d left the prison with. Neatly folding the dress up into the leather bag she zipped it up and walked toward the side window.
Unlocking the latch in the middle she pushed both sides of the window open to feel the instant breeze slap her face gently. Her hair flew back and she poked her head out to see the many cars parked out. She was glad that the window faced the lot - the back of the building.
Her father had rented out a two-story private building hidden behind some barrages of company buildings. She didn’t know its exact location but if she ran east from there Victoria knew she’d end up going downtown and maybe she’d hit the suburbs along the way.
Pressing her lips together she glanced up toward the sky before reaching up for the ring around her neck, her mother’s ring.
Standing still in spot Victoria felt herself turn around and glance back slightly.
/\_____/\
Kyuhyun glanced at his watch confused about why Victoria wasn’t showing up yet. He smiled toward the aunts and uncles talking to him before backing away. Walking around the hall he still didn’t see her anywhere.
“Where are you going?” his father caught him by the arm.
“I’m looking for Victoria,” Kyuhyun replied. “I’m worried.”
“What’s there to worry about? Didn’t you hear Mi Sun say that Victoria is still getting ready? She’s probably nervous, give her some time,” his father patted his back before moving on.
Still, Kyuhyun didn’t feel quite content with his father’s words. Victoria had been drinking the other night and it wasn’t as if she’d fully consented to anything. Everything had happened without her say.
“Kyuhyun,” he turned around to see his mother gesturing for him to go over.
She was sitting in a wheelchair by one of the tables, a cup of water in front of her.
“What are you walking around for?” she asked. “Go on and look for her if you’re not feeling right. Maybe Victoria’s feeling scared.”
Kyuhyun smiled and started toward the back when someone else called his name. Spinning around he came face to face with an old uncle.
The gray haired man patted his back roughly with a laugh, “You’re a man now! I remember you used to be this small…”
Everyone’s voices drowned out from his ears as he faked a smile. He wanted to go to Victoria’s aid. He only wanted to look for her.
/\_____/\
Donghae glanced toward the crowd to hear the sudden commotion rising up through whispers.
“Where’s Victoria?” So Rae’s father suddenly appeared at the table.
“That person isn’t out yet?” Hee Young questioned.
Dae Jung ignored her. Donghae noticed their exchange and eyed the neatly folded napkin on the table so as not to embarrass them or let them know he was listening. Then he glanced over at the fine custom made suit President Bang was wearing. His eyes traveled up to his fatherly face wondering if a father gave off the same kind of feeling he did. One full of authority, but yet gentleness flowed through from the back.
“She told me she wanted to get ready at the back,” Mi Sun explained.
“It’s been an hour and she hasn’t shown up,” President Bang started.
“If that girl tries to ruin all this hard work we put in for her…” So Rae’s mother started.
“What hard work did you put in? And why are you here?!” So Rae suddenly snapped.
“Oh my…what in the world is wrong with you? Your mother is talking here,” Hee Young shook her head aggravated.
“Would you two quit it?” Dae Jung slightly dropped his voice a tone. “Where’s Victoria?”
Mi Sun’s face became concerned.
“I can go see,” Donghae offered feeling slightly suffocated between their family affair.
“No,” So Rae denied. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Donghae glanced at her feeling a bit confused.
“If he doesn’t go then who will? You should just go,” her mother nodded toward him.
Donghae started to get up but paused.
“You’re not going anywhere. Mi Sun will go,” So Rae cut in.
“And why can’t he go?” Hee Young questioned. “You always order Mi Sun around.”
So Rae sent a glare toward her mom.
“Why? You won’t let me order him around?” Hee Young started. “Is he your boyfriend or is he your chauffeur? Why did you bring him to such a place?”
Did they always argue, Donghae wondered. He suddenly felt pinned in the middle even if he was sitting on the other side of So Rae.
“Bring her out here, the guests are tired of waiting,” President Bang ordered before walking away.
“My is he full of attitude today. Just because it’s his daughter’s day…” Hee Young mumbled padding her face with more foundation.
Donghae watched him disappear amongst the crowd before turning back to So Rae.
“Aren’t you at least worried a little bit?” Donghae asked.
So Rae didn’t respond but reached for her cup of water and gulped it down.
“Get me another cup,” she arrogantly demanded.
Donghae felt his eyebrow curl, “Since we’re outside of work, I’m going to treat you like a friend. Aren’t you worried about how Victoria is doing? I think it’s better if you go instead of Mi Sun.”
“I told you not to talk to me about her until I fire you.”
Donghae felt himself go quiet. He stole a glance at So Rae’s obviously upset expression. She made no effort to hide it. Donghae was confused himself. Was he worried about So Rae or was he worrying about Victoria now?
“If you tell me one more time,” Victoria began, “that you like my unnie, then I can do it without a regret.”
“What’s with this holdup?” Hee Young antagonized. “Aish…Jesus. Why isn’t Mi Sun back yet?”
His eyes skimmed the room one more round before swallowing the tightness in his esophagus.
“Sorry,” Donghae said before getting up.
Heading toward the back he found the thin narrow hallway and found Mi Sun knocking on a door.
“She’s locked the door,” Mi Sun told when he came up to her.
Donghae glanced at the door and pressed his ear against it.
Failing to hear anything he took a step back and put all his weight against the door with a slam. It opened easily and he was thankful that the building hadn’t been remodeled in the previous years. However, when the door did swing open no one was in it. Surprised, he walked further into the room to see a table at the back of the room, but other than that there had been no other doorway leading to escape. He scanned the room again and his eyes landed on the open window.
Turning around to head out on impulse he felt Mi Sun stop him.
“Where are you going?” Mi Sun questioned.
Donghae couldn’t reply.
“I’ll go report to them,” Mi Sun offered.
He glanced at her eyes and noticed that she’d been staring at the window the whole time.
“Victoria’s not having it easy,” Mi Sun began, “you should understand that. Her family isn’t an easy one so, if you two are friends as it seems you are, it’s best you go look for her.”
Mi Sun spun around and her footsteps slowly disappeared down the hallway.
“Victoria, Victoria what are you thinking?” he muttered aloud before walking toward the window just in time to see someone disappear around the corner of the lot.
/\_____/\
A glare snuck its way out of Dae Jung’s eye when Mi Sun brought the news to him.
Crossing the gray street toward an old block building she spotted a middle aged woman sitting on a mat with a dirty face. Her dark hair had been messily held back with a loose hairpin that must now be a lifetime old. Victoria glanced at her once before setting down the leather bag beside her and turned away to walk down the walk.
The many people crowding the streets that Saturday all seemed content with their lives. Victoria felt pity for herself.
/\_____/\
“What’s going on?” Mung Soo, holding a wine glass in his hand, questioned.
“Victoria’s missing,” the man he’d brought with him whispered.
Mung Soo sipped at his wine with a smile and glanced over at Kyuhyun who was being coaxed by Mi Sun.
“Find her, and get rid of her if you do,” Mung Soo whispered.
The tall man in the blue jacket nodded and trotted out of the building.
Squeezing his way through the crowd he found Dae Jung explaining to the other guests about the sudden cancellation of the ceremony. The distress on his face gave Mung Soo a slight pleasure before he gulped down the rest of the wine. Setting the empty cup down on a random table he walked over to his friend wrapping an arm around his shoulder.
“Victoria’s not here?” Mung Soo asked.
Dae Jung turned to him sighing, “I don’t know what happened.”
“She’ll be back,” Mung Soo assured and added silently, “dead or alive.”
If Victoria was no long there, Dae Jung wouldn’t be able to hand the business down to her. In the end Mung Soo would be the only one left on Dae Jung’s list.
/\_____/\
“It’s ok, it’s not your fault,” Mi Sun comforted.
None of her words helped though. Kyuhyun knew he’d been at fault for pressuring her along with his parents. What little problems there had been had become large burdens for Victoria. He knew because she never complained to him about a single thing.
Kyuhyun turned to head out but stopped when he saw So Rae and her mother walk up to him.
“Looks like your little bride doesn’t want this marriage to happen,” Hee Young smiled.
“Leave it alone, mom,” So Rae snapped.
Kyuhyun nodded his head in greeting.
Hee Young nodded, “It’s fine. It was your decision after all, but I did warn you, didn’t I?”
He met with So Rae’s eyes before walking out of the building.
***Wow, so many things going on at once. And isn't it just like Victoria to cause a commotion and run off? Now two people are going to go after her: Mung Soo's people and Donghae, who will find her first?
***Gah! I woke up late today. I only have 40 minutes left till work >.<
***And school starts tomorrow :(
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