68
Their Kingdom Panorama
Her heart jumped when he suddenly spun her around.
“What are you doing in here?” he asked.
“Why?” she asked confused, lost, and blank.
“M…my bedroom. You shouldn’t be here,” he began.
“What’s wrong with coming into your room?” she wondered.
His face turned from pink to red, “You shouldn’t walk into a man’s bedroom so simply like that!”
Victoria searched her mind wondering what he was talking about before laughing.
Walking out while still holding him she commented, “You’re so dirty!”
“If I walked into your room, you wouldn’t be able to contain yourself as well!” Donghae fought back his embarrassment.
“What would I want to do to you anyway?” Victoria joked.
“Yah,” he tugged her hand.
“Ok, ok. Sorry, if I hurt your pride.” she apologized insincerely.
He half smiled and walked her toward the broad window. Hugging her from behind he leaned his head against her shoulder, closed his eyes, and smiled.
“I think I could sleep standing like this.”
“I’m tired, don’t do that.” Victoria warned.
He remained silent.
“She doesn’t need to marry him, she’s going to do it either way,” Mi Sun corrected, “there are things in our world that are completely different from that in yours. I advise you, Lee Donghae, to leave things be.”
“Are you really sleeping?”
“No.”
Victoria turned her head so that she could look at him.
“Would you ditch me for Cho Kyuhyun in the future?”
She didn’t reply.
“If you were put in a difficult situation, would you marry him?”
“Why are you asking? You don’t believe in me?”
“No,” he shook his head and opened his eyes, “I believe in you more than anyone else.”
Releasing her from the back hug he smiled. Taking her hand, he pressed it against his chest.
“It’s beating real fast, isn’t it?”
“What are you doing?” she questioned.
“If, lets just say if I hadn’t chosen to come after you, would you be with Cho Kyuhyun right now?”
Victoria stared at him for the longest time. The thoughts ran through her mind a bazillion times during those seconds that ticked by. Honestly, yes, she would most likely be with Kyuhyun at the moment. There had been no other choice, but to be with Kyuhyun.
Instead of answering him the truth, she leaned forward, tilted her head, and gave him a kiss that left her breathless. The more he kissed her back, the less she wanted to stop. Everything was just so perfect at that certain moment. She slid her hand from his face to his soft hair.
Breathing against each other’s faces, Victoria quietly smiled.
“I don’t want to think of those ten thousand possibilities without you.” she said rubbing a thumb against his face.
“Me too.”
Victoria was dropped off at her house half an hour later. Her father greeted her at the doorway. His serious facial expression made her worry at first. What if he caught her and Donghae together? What would happen then?
Her worries were relieved when he said, “Come. Lets talk about your wedding.”
Even though her worries about Donghae were relieved, she now had to worry about Kyuhyun - her future.
Victoria followed her father into his study and sat on the couch adjacent to him. It was where they always sat. While she followed him she wondered what kind of a talk it would be. Would he ask for her opinion or would it be a sudden kind of proposal like the engagement had been? Something that happened on the spot without warning and within a week she had to start preparing for her dreadful day?
“Chairman Cho really wants the marriage between you and his son to be successful,” her father directly started off, “I was worried about how you’d feel. Do you think you’re ready for it?”
Nothing else, but Donghae entered her mind. She didn’t want anybody else but him.
“No.”
“I thought the same,” her father agreed, “I didn’t want to push you this time. This marriage would just become a burden over the hours and I don’t want you to have to go through what you went through before.”
Thanks goodness.
“Get married with Cho Kyuhyun.”
Her mind froze. What! Didn’t he just say he wouldn’t push her? Saying something like this would become much more of a burden for her than anything else. Didn’t he understand that? Did no one understand that?
“You won’t have anything to lose. Chairman Cho’s wife likes you and so does their ahjumma. Cho Kyuhyun’s feelings for you are real and he’ll treat you right.”
Was her father talking to her about love? It felt…kind of strange.
“Agree to the marriage and we can slowly start preparing for it. I won’t let them rush it this time,” her father promised.
Oh no. What was this tuning out to be? Would it be the same as her engagement ceremony?
“Dad, about marriage, can I choose my own partner?”
Her father’s face became stricken with shock.
“Do you have someone else in mind?”
Victoria hesitated. Revealing to him the truth about her and Donghae wouldn’t benefit Donghae at the moment. She didn’t want to hurt him either.
“No.”
“That’s good,” her father nodded. “Take your time to think it through, but you must know that other than Cho Kyuhyun, you cannot marry anyone else.”
“If you were put in a difficult situation, would you marry him?”
Did Donghae know something about this? Was this why he’d asked her?
Victoria felt worried.
“Dad, what if I’m happier without Cho Kyuhyun?”
She wanted to try at least.
“No. No one, but Cho Kyuhyun.”
“So, you’re saying, even if I don’t have feelings for him I’m going to have to marry him? Is that how this is going to work? You’re going to decide everything for me?”
“Victoria, I’m only doing this for you. I want you to have the best.”
“What if I can have the best without Cho Kyuhyun?”
“Cho Kyuhyun is already the best. There’s no one who can be better. He can give you all that you want.”
“Dad, what if all I want is a person I love.”
“Then learn to love Cho Kyuhyun.”
There was really no way out?
“Don’t make me look like I’m the one who’s bad here, Victoria. Listen to your father, alright?” he asked.
“So, you’ll give me time to prepare for the wedding, but I can’t have the choice of choosing whether I want to get married or not.” Victoria summarized.
Her father nodded.
Victoria’s heart sunk.
“You got back late. You should go sleep early,” her father told.
Victoria was left alone in the study with the cold air freezing into crystals around her. Should she start worrying now?
She should have seen this coming. How much of an idiot was she to believe that the future they’d planned for her and Kyuhyun ended with the engagement ceremony? She shut her eyes.
There was no way she could lose Donghae when she finally got him. But she was scared. She was starting to get scared.
/\_____/\
“Wedding?!” Kyuhyun’s surprised voice rang throughout his father’s ancient library.
Golden shelves or what looked like golden shelves stood in place all over the library. Each one held important books about success, business, marketing, and etc. Kyuhyun could rarely find any of those adventure books he’d read when he was little.
A very cool red fireplace had engraved into the wall. Fluffy couches of velvet were spread around, and he wondered why his father hadn’t bothered to place a table in the library.
Gold coils decorated the walls every few steps of the way and they sparkly red walls made him feel like he’d stepped into an ancient chamber where many had been massacred. The thought of it made him uncomfortable.
It was some time after he’d finished dinner and had planned on taking a shower before making his way to dreamland that his father had suddenly called him in. So far as he knew, his father had met up with President Bang to speak about the wedding.
The thought of it made him uncertain for Victoria. Her reaction…what would it be? A rejection? Or would she ask for some time?
On his stand, he didn’t want to risk it. Victoria’s opinion mattered to him most.
“Isn’t it too soon? I mean the engagement was just almost a week ago. How could you already start talking about the wedding?”
“President Bang said he’d talk to Victoria,” his father clarified, “I told him to try to convince her. She’ll be getting prepared for the wedding in a few weeks time.”
“Victoria can make her own decisions,” Kyuhyun started, “I don’t want to look like the bad creeper.”
“This isn’t a story, it’s your future,” Chairman Cho pointed out, “what does she have by entering our family? Everything. Once Victoria gets her thoughts sorted out, she’ll definitely learn that you’re the best out there because you’re my son.”
Kyuhyun stared at his dad absurdly.
“Dad, what if Victoria is already in her right senses? If she doesn’t want to get married, I’m fine with it.”
“We…Dae Jung and I worked hard to bring the companies up going through the wind and storm together. We’ve decided long ago that if we were to have a daughter or a son, we’d definitely have the two marry. Don’t break this meaningful promise of your father’s.”
/\_____/\
Leaning against his car he sent a text to Victoria and smiled brightly while waiting for So Rae to head out. When the gate door opened he gave So Rae a bow. He expected her to walk toward the backseat, but she walked up to him and held out a hand. Donghae stared at her hand confused.
“I’m driving.” So Rae told.
“What?”
“Today, I’m not going to work. You’re going to have to accompany me elsewhere.” she explained.
“Where?”
“Just follow me.”
Donghae had no other choice but to reach into his pocket and hand her the keys. So Rae got into the driver’s seat while Donghae stared back at the house worried. What about Victoria?
“Get in.” So Rae called scrolling down the window.
Walking over Donghae asked, “Do I really have to go?”
“Yes.”
/\_____/\
How would she explain things to Donghae? Was there any solution to this all? Gripping onto the phone Donghae had bought for her, she could only let out a relapsed sigh.
Shifting her head up she wondered why Donghae wasn’t around. Turning around she glanced at So Rae’s office and wondered if they’d come to work at all. With a thick urge, she got up to her feet and grabbed the brass doorknob twisting it open. Peeking her head into the room she discovered that no soul alive could be seen.
Where were they?
/\_____/\
Donghae glanced out the window anxiously. He wanted to contact Victoria, but he also didn’t want to do it in front of So Rae. What if she listened in and heard? Would she cause trouble for Victoria?
He gripped onto his phone and his dry lips.
“Is there a reason why I needed to come along?” Donghae asked hesitantly. “I mean, if you wanted to see your mother you could have gone alone.”
“Mi Sun is busy,” So Rae quickly answered, “and I wanted company. If you’re worried, you needn’t be. We’ll surely be back in Seoul by nighttime.”
/\_____/\
Mi Sun didn’t stop by. Where she could have gone, Victoria had no clue. Usually, Victoria would have seen her a few times everyday. It was like they’d disappeared off the face of earth. That sudden thought scared her.
A second later her phone started ringing.
The delicious sound of playful music bounced off her ears, through her eyes to her soul, and vibrated in the stereos. Dim yellow lights streamed down from above and walking pass wine-filled circular tables draped with heavy fancy cloths she spotted Kyuhyun sitting alone at another circular table by the window. She joined him with a smile finally glad to see someone she knew or could talk to.
“Lets order first,” Kyuhyun suggested.
Victoria picked up the menu in front of her, glanced through it, and when the waitress came she picked something random that she’d never had before. Midway through their lunch, Victoria found her eyes darting back and forth between the window and Kyuhyun.
“What is it?” he asked without looking at her.
Shifting her eyes back to her food she hunched up her shoulders to make it look as if she’d never glanced at him.
Setting aside his fork he placed both arms on the table neatly, “Yesterday, my father met with yours.”
Victoria’s jaw tightened. And she wasn’t angry, she was just nervous.
“My father’s really aiming to make this wedding perfect,” Kyuhyun started, “but I don’t want to do it, if you don’t.”
Her eyes landed upon his face and even she was surprised that she’d looked at him.
“You can’t be like that,” Victoria pointed out, “make your own choices based on your own will. Don’t follow my decision.”
He smiled.
“Then, I should admit that I do look forward to it,” he admitted, “but I’m going to play it right. It wouldn’t be fair for you if I single-handedly go ahead with the plan. When I can win your heart, come to me then. If it’s gone elsewhere, I can accept it too. Just…don’t wait too long to make a decision, because if I wait too long for you I’ll probably miss out on what could have been mine.”
What was it about him that wasn’t perfect?
/\_____/\
So Rae’s car came to a full stop in front of a two storied building. Donghae had never seen anything like it before. His eyes gazed around being careful that he look at every single inch of what was before him.
The door closed and Donghae finally realized that So Rae had stepped out of the car. He followed suit and they headed toward the front door first making their way through a narrow hallway then up the stairs.
The humongous paintings on the second level took him by awe and they were all he could concentrate on. A loud voice destroyed his peace and he turned to see Hee Young walking toward them. Again, she was donned in such deluxe jewelry and make up that the fragrance of her perfume made him want to step back.
“What are you doing here, So Rae? Shouldn’t you be at work?” she asked. “Do you want to sit in my office?”
So Rae pondered the thought for a second then her mother eyed Donghae.
“We meet again,” Hee Young’s smile was more like a sneer.
Donghae slightly nodded in greeting.
“Who is he again?”
“Lee Donghae, a good friend. We’re starting to get to know each other better,” So Rae’s words that hinted at a relationship knocked Donghae over mentally.
Her mother turned to look at him shocked.
“No,” Donghae denied then pointed to himself, “I work as her chauffeur.”
Hee Young glanced at his suit but didn’t say anything.
“Lets talk, So Rae.”
The woman gestured with her head toward the office. When So Rae didn’t move Hee Young glanced at him as if he were the one holding her back. Donghae didn’t understand it. Why So Rae was suddenly talking like that and why Hee Young was suspecting him.
“Go ahead, I’ll be outside,” Donghae urged slowly backing out of the room.
When he finally got outside he let out a loud breath.
“What was that about?” he wondered aloud then turned back to glance at the gallery.
Taking out his phone to look at the time he couldn’t help but want to head back. He wanted to see Victoria. After some 5 minutes went by, he found a random sheet of paper in the car and left a note for So Rae by sticking it by the windshield wiper and went in search of a taxi.
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