61
Their Kingdom Panorama
/\_____/\
“Are you feeling better?” her father worried when she sat at the table the next morning. “If you aren’t feeling up to it, you don’t have to go in for work.”
“It’s ok, I’ll probably just go in for a bit then leave, if that’s ok,” Victoria replied.
“Then do that,” her father agreed.
When So Rae walked in, Victoria quickly stuffed and walked out. She was in no mood to see her face that morning. Grabbing her bag and her CD player she sat down on her bed turning to look out the window.
The sky was clear, full of white clouds, and the sun was shining.
Her father came up to get her before he left and she rode with him to work.
When she walked toward her desk her eyes met with Donghae and without a word she sat down. Taking the manila folder Mi Sun had set down for her she browsed through the post it notes with the written assignments on them.
“Victoria,” Donghae called from behind her.
She could tell that he was standing somewhat behind her, but didn’t turn around. Tightening her grip on the post it note she’d taken a hold of she listened.
“When you have time, lets talk later.”
Victoria watched him walk away and slightly shut her eyes. Her problems weren’t over yet, and she still needed to make it up for the people she’d let down. Kyuhyun and his family were the first on her list, but even before she started doing anything she really wanted some time alone. Some time to think, some time to repent alone, and maybe that way she’d be able to set her thoughts straight.
Focusing all her strength into concentrating on only work she sat at the computer for the next 4 hours. As she watched the computer shut down before her, she turned back to see that Donghae hadn’t returned from wherever he’d gone. Deciding that she wouldn’t have to talk with him she grabbed her bag and started for the hallway only to come to an abrupt halt.
A short breath left her when she discovered that Donghae had been standing in the hallway, his back against the wall, for the last 4 hours. Without a word Victoria started toward him and stopped in front of him. She didn’t turn to face him, but walked on and could hear him follow her.
They stopped at one of the coffee shops nearby and she ordered a small cappuccino hoping that it’d bring her senses back from the cold side. Having barely touched it she finally looked at Donghae who was sitting across from her.
“What?” she asked.
“You’re not going to eat anything?”
For some reason, her heart just felt so sore.
“No.”
He lowered his eyes a bit, “Are you ok? Nothing’s bothering you?”
The thought that he was suddenly concerned amused her to laughter, but she didn’t actually laughed. She just stared at him as if it didn’t matter now because it actually didn’t matter anymore. Victoria had gotten over it.
“I already put some ointment on it,” Victoria easily explained. “Is that all?”
She was half teasing him wholeheartedly. It was obvious that he wanted to talk about something else.
“The other night…”
“It’s ok, I’d like to pretend that it never happened as well,” Victoria cut in.
Donghae looked at her with an expression in his eyes that she’d never seen before.
“If you’re sorry, just continue being my friend,” Victoria finished. “I have to go now. See you tomorrow.”
Escaping the thick air that was beginning to kill her, she hurried through the door and down the walk.
Strolling down the streets for an hour she finally reached the shelter. A smile crawled onto her face when she saw the Three Musketeers excitedly hurrying toward her. Some time later she found herself sitting with them inside a small roadside restaurant grilling bacon and beef.
“I see you went to work today. Look at what you’re wearing,” Eunhyuk teased.
“I’ve been so hungry recently,” Yesung told, “thanks for the meal.”
“Me too!” Ryeowook chimed in before they started fighting over the bacon on the grill.
Chugging down her the cup of soju she had at the side she felt Eunhyuk nudge her.
“So, how are you?”
Victoria smiled, “Same o’ same o’.”
“Really…” he didn’t believe her.
“I thought a lot. We only forgive others, even if they’ve been so wrong, because we love them too much,” Victoria told. “I’ve been putting myself in that kind of mindset.”
Eunhyuk poured her another drink before he gently hit his glass against hers. After drinking it he let out a loud breath expressing his satisfaction.
He turned to her after a second, “Sometimes we wonder why some things happen in life. Maybe why sometimes people don’t like us, or why they treat us the way they do. We are upset, we are sad because of these things. But we will never be able to find the answers to these questions. It is just there, bound to happen one way or another. There is no way we can escape these things. It is a part of stress, a part of being human, a part of living on, a part of struggling. We’ve been there, we’ve done that, we’ve felt this or that. That’s just how it is because we live off all of this.
“No matter what happens, we’ll fall down, but learn to stand back up. Whatever’s going on, there’s got to be a reason why. None of it will be enough to kill you.”
“I know,” Victoria nodded. “I know.”
/\_____/\
A friend. Was that all Victoria had to ask from him? Had she really forgiven him…just like that?
Turning to look out the window he watched all the passersby enviously. They were successful, they had homes, families, and people to lean on.
Donghae only had friends
Now that he was suddenly thinking so hard, the only person who’d ever shared so much with him was none other than Victoria, who had been there every step of the way. When she’d jumped on him and had tried to show him right from wrong, from the moment they were kidnapped - only Victoria had been so angry and had wanted to escape so badly, to when she’d discovered him in So Rae’s office and had dragged him out, to when she started arguing with him…
Then they slipped off from there, but she still cared enough to like him. For the first time someone cared enough to acknowledge his presence.
Drawing his fingers up to his lips he recalled when Victoria had first kissed him.
She’d done it first, she’d liked him first. How many of those firsts was she going to have?
Suddenly getting up from where he was sitting he rushed out of the shop, the other customers staring after him confused. He turned down the streets, spun around, and browsed through the crowd even pushing himself through them. Victoria was no where, though.
/\_____/\
Victoria turned when her phone started ringing. Picking it up she glanced at it to see that the jerk Donghae was calling her. Pressing the ‘end’ button she took out the phone battery and tossed it into her purse.
After walking back with the Three Musketeers she headed toward the empty jogging trail and headed toward the bench facing the large Han River. Sitting on it she took out her CD player and sat there for a long hour listening to the soothing music. The rest of her thoughts drifted out to see and she hoped that they’d never be back.
/\_____/\
He’d returned home from work, taken a short shower, and had changed into something nice and comfy. Grabbing his guitar he headed out back to strung away at the song Victoria had told him she liked. Kyuhyun had planned on teaching her how to play a guitar, but the time just never came.
For how long he was there just sitting outside strumming his guitar, he didn’t know. When someone tapped on his shoulder he quickly turned around to see that it was the ahjumma.
“What are you doing out here?” she questioned. “Still feeling troubled?”
Kyuhyun was about to speak, but when he noticed something standing at the back doorway he fully turned himself around. Victoria smiled and started toward him.
“I’ll leave you two to talk,” the ahjumma patting his shoulder, “I’ll save some food from dinner for you tow.”
When the ahjumma disappeared back into the house, Kyuhyun got up to his feet to meet with Victoria.
“You weren’t expecting anyone, were you?” Victoria greeted. “Sorry for coming over without giving you a heads up.”
“No,” he shook his head, “I’m actually glad you came.”
A second later he found himself sitting next to Victoria on the bench. The two of them gazed out at the dim sky together.
“If there’s ever time, why don’t you teach me how to play the guitar?” Victoria asked.
“I was thinking about the same thing.” he smiled.
Victoria laughed.
“Are you hungry? Ahjumma left some food for us.”
/\_____/\
The smile on his face was really beginning to cheer her up. Things between them were starting to return back to normal, not the awkward kind of relationship Victoria had held with him so quietly after the proposal of the engagement, but it was back to how it was before the engagement.
His car stopped before her house and Victoria got out to meet with Kyuhyun outside.
“It’s kind of late, are you sure it’s ok?” he asked.
Victoria nodded, “I called my father earlier, he fully consented.”
Kyuhyun smiled again and gazed down at her. Victoria could feel her heart rush forward like an incoming wave making its way to the beach shore. His breath was quite warm and it made her feel fuzzy at first. It felt far different from the way Donghae had suddenly kissed her. The thought made her mind explode before their lips touched. Victoria took a step back after a second.
“Thanks for dropping me off, good night,” she said to cover her embarrassment.
“Ah…” Kyuhyun flushed before her realizing the awkward atmosphere, “good night.”
She watched as he got into his car and drove off after a wave.
Victoria ran up the stairs and raced through the hallway to her bedroom. Jumping onto her bed she squealed curling up her fingers and legs. Letting out a happy sigh she felt her thoughts float toward the ceiling.
Cho Kyuhyun…maybe she should give him a chance after all.
/\_____/\
Donghae turned from the sight. Maybe being hidden in the dark by the shade wasn’t such a good idea. Turning around so that both Kyuhyun and Victoria were at his back he felt his eyes fly wide.
When he drove the car up the drive the next morning and parked in the exact same spot Kyuhyun had left his car last night he could still feel the nightmarish-scene float through his memory.
Shutting his eyes for a moment he rubbed his face and opened them to find someone sitting in the back. He jumped when he saw her, but So Rae frowned back.
“What are you doing?” it sounded more like a scold.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” he realized.
So Rae continued frowning as if something were wrong with him.
/\_____/\
Victoria looked up when someone knocked on her desk. Mi Sun smiled down at her before pulling a chair over.
“How’s it going?” she questioned.
Victoria turned away from her computer.
“Good.”
“Have you met up with Donghae yet?”
Victoria stared at Mi Sun, a small crisp smile on her lips hoping that the question didn’t hold some hidden meaning.
“No.”
“He was the one who found you Saturday evening, right?”
She rested her eyes upon Mi Sun’s, half wondering why she was being so curious.
“Yes.” Victoria admitted.
The night’s kiss flashed upon her mind. She felt a high residue of uncertainty settle down in her heart. Was her heart sinking or was it racing?
“Would you mind me asking a question? I’ve become somewhat curious.”
Victoria nodded.
“Your relationship with Donghae, what is it?”
***Woohoo! I think some of you have been waiting for it. A KyuToria kiss :DD
***“We only forgive others, even if they’ve been so wrong, because we love them too much” <--- I think it's true. I've done it, even though I was so angry but because I loved that person too much I forgave her for everything she did to hurt me and those around me. I believe we've all been in that position at least once.
***A midnight update it is for me :D Cause I worked so hard on my Philosophy reading that I allowed myself to type a few pages of my story. My heart is aching where I'm at right now, but I'm not going to spoil anything for you guys ^^ I'll update again tomorrow after I return from school. I'm kind of worried about my 4 hr Journalism class ~__~
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