78
Their Kingdom Panorama
“Lee Donghae?” her father repeated then turned So Rae’s way. “It’s quite alright.”
Victoria turned back to her with a smile.
So Rae snorted quietly, “Are you sure about that?”
“If it’s fine with father, then I’m ok with it.” Victoria answered.
Was Victoria asking for a battle? Or did she really mean it? So Rae doubted that Victoria would have let Donghae go that easily. She’d always went after him, fought for him, retaliated against the wedding and engagement for him, and now she was just letting him loose? So Rae couldn’t believe it. She was up to something.
/\_____/\
As they walked out the front door, Victoria turned to look at Kyuhyun who had fixed his gaze at whatever it was ahead of him. The chance she’d never given him, she felt bad for having forgot about it when Donghae had started pursuing her. If she had decided to marry him, to start loving him, wouldn’t it be better to start beforehand, before they actually married?
Victoria glanced down toward their hands, which were only inches apart, and finally made a grab for his. Kyuhyun stopped before the stone stairs to look at her. His face was a mix of loss and confusion.
“You probably won’t take the initiative anymore,” Victoria assumed, “so let me do it this time around. I just realized I stopped taking the initiative a while ago.”
No words came to his mind.
“Your hand is really warm.” she smiled.
After a long moment of silence, Kyuhyun smiled that smile he always had. It felt refreshing to see it again.
“Should I call you tomorrow?” Kyuhyun asked when they reached the gates.
“I’ll call you.” Victoria stated.
“Ok. Go back, I can make my way to the car,” he suggested.
“Good night,” Victoria said before turning around to find So Rae walking toward them.
“You wouldn’t mind if I speak to Kyuhyun for a moment, would you?”
Victoria slightly glanced back at Kyuhyun before turning back to So Rae.
“Take your time,” she said before walking pass So Rae.
So Rae was most likely up to no good, but Victoria could have cared less at the moment about someone who only wanted to bring her down. But Victoria didn’t get it. So Rae didn’t want her to marry Kyuhyun, then she changed her mind to wanting her to marry Kyuhyun. Now that she finally agreed to it, would So Rae not want her to marry Kyuhyun again?
Would So Rae ever be able to make up her mind and stop wavering back and forth?
/\_____/\
What was So Rae up to now? Was she going to say something awful about Victoria again? Feeling almost tired of her childish acts Kyuhyun turned away and walked out of the gate door toward his car. So Rae followed him with arms crossed over her chest.
“Are you for real?” she asked. “Or are you playing house with Victoria?”
“Is that all you’re going to say?” Kyuhyun retorted. “If so, I’d rather go take a shower and sleep.”
So Rae rolled her eyes, “What are you doing? You probably know better than I that Lee Donghae will definitely win Victoria’s heart back.”
As if Kyuhyun didn’t want that either.
“What has been decided has been decided,” was all Kyuhyun said. “It’s also meaningless talking to you. Good night.”
He grabbed the handle of his car door.
So Rae stopped him, “Victoria still has feelings for him. No matter what, she’ll never stop thinking about him. If you’re that desperate, I’ll show Victoria the reality she never wished for. As you know right now, in front of father, Lee Donghae is my boyfriend.”
Kyuhyun turned to face her.
“Leave Victoria alone,” Kyuhyun warned taking a step toward her, “you, Mi Sun, all of us have done enough harm to her with just words. Victoria wasn’t born as one of us, she hasn’t yet adapted to this environment. I’m warning you, So Rae, right now Victoria is in a fragile state, if you want to hurt her step on me first.”
So Rae snorted before turning to head in. He took a step toward the gate door but it closed in front of him leaving him feeling worried. What was So Rae going to do?
/\_____/\
As promised, Victoria called Kyuhyun the next day. Apparently, he was stuck in for a meeting at lunch hour so lunch plans with him were off. She looked up when Donghae walked in through the hallway.
“Hey,” she greeted him.
Coming to halt he looked at her.
“Want to accompany me for lunch later?” she asked.
He turned his gaze away.
“If you don’t want to, it’s ok.”
“No,” he said, “I’ll go with you.”
Victoria smiled, “Do you want to pick a place or should I?”
“You do it.” he told before walking toward his usual seat.
/\_____/\
“Are you uncomfortable?” Victoria turned to ask.
He shook his head. Honestly, yes. He didn’t want to treat her like a friend, he didn’t want to keep a distance from her.
How was Victoria able to act so comfortable in front of him? Shouldn’t her heart be throbbing, her face be turning red?
“What? Aren’t you hungry?” Victoria asked looking up at him.
“Maybe, I’m not hungry after all.” he said.
Victoria glanced at his plate of food before grabbing some cooked bean sprouts and placed them onto his plate.
“Even if you don’t feel like eating, you should eat. The health is important,” she said.
“Are you worrying about me?” he couldn’t help but ask.
“Of course.” she smiled.
His heart cried.
“As a friend?”
“Yes.”
It hurt.
“Why?” Victoria asked. “We’ve known each other for a while. We should be able to tolerate the other.”
His eyes landed on her fingers. At least she wasn’t wearing a ring yet.
“In fact, So Rae unnie would be a good match for you,” Victoria opinionated, “unnie is a really pitiful person. I think your personality will help fill up that gap of affection she’s always yearned for.”
“Don’t talk to me about her,” he told. “I’m sorry, I can’t help it when I’m around you. If you want to be friends, then I’m afraid of letting the chance slip. I would still like to keep you in my life.”
“Then…should we start slowly from the bottom to the top?” Victoria suggested. “It’s not like we have to get to know each other again. And we can also pretend that nothing ever happened between us.”
The atmosphere suddenly felt so pitiful.
“I’d like to remember those memories,” Donghae told. “But we can start from the bottom as friends. We can do that.”
/\_____/\
“Victoria knows something, doesn’t she?” So Rae dropped the portfolio in her hands. “She wouldn’t have just made that decision in one night. It’s impossible knowing her.”
Mi Sun stared at her.
“She made a deal about Man Shik,” So Rae told, “she knows something about him. Have you started your investigation? Why haven’t you come up with anything?”
Mi Sun swerved her eyes around the room, “Honestly, I’ve been busy too, So Rae. And Kyuhyun called me out the other night, did he talk to you yet?”
“About what?”
“That he doesn’t want to marry Victoria anymore. He wants us to stop pressuring her.”
“Tsh,” So Rae snorted, “he doesn’t want to marry her? They were acting so lovey-dovey at dinner last night.” So Rae stopped midway through her sentence then smiled, “Should I invite Lee Donghae over for dinner? I would like to see that girl’s face twitch.”
“So Rae,” Mi Sun started.
“What? Are you going to tell me not to do it?” So Rae questioned. “Victoria proposed it herself first. I’m interested in how moved she would be to see him there.”
/\_____/\
Victoria set her phone down after reading the text from Kyuhyun and turned to shut her computer off. Organizing the folders on her desk she neatly stacked them in the corner, got up, and pushed her chair in.
“I’m getting off work now. See you later,” she told.
“See you.”
Grabbing her bag she strutted off toward the elevator. Cho Kyuhyun was awaiting her by the front with his car.
“How was work?” he greeted walking up to her.
The gentle wind slid against her face warmly.
“Ok,” she answered, “since you were busy at lunch I invited Donghae out.”
“It’s fine,” he said, “you can still meet up with him.” He went silent then continued worried, “Are you…really ok?”
“Yes, I’m ok.” Victoria smiled. “I think I’ve set my feelings aside. He did break up with me a few days ago, did I tell you that?”
She felt surprised when he placed his hand underneath her bangs against her forehead.
“You’re not sick, are you?” he asked.
“No.”
He combed his hand through her hair then re-fixed them.
“Your hair’s soft.” he changed the subject.
Victoria frowned up at him then smiled. He was such a gentleman.
Clutching his arm she asked, “So, are you going to take me somewhere before sending me home?”
/\_____/\
It was silent. Once again, so silent. Even the throbbing of his heart couldn’t reach his ears. Getting up from where he sat he walked toward her empty desk. Pulling out the chair she’d so neatly tucked in he sat down. Folding his arms together atop the desk he leaned against them. If he sat for a while it felt as if he’d be able to feel her again.
Victoria had really confirmed that she’d left. Her heart had left and now he was lonely.
The office door from behind opened and So Rae’s voice said, “You’re going to be joining us for dinner tonight.”
Spinning around to look at So Rae he wondered if he’d heard right.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I’m letting you know ahead of time, so you won’t get so upset as you did last time,” So Rae explained, “or is it that you’re nervous because of Victoria?”
Donghae stared at So Rae wondering what she was up to. But Victoria had already made her feelings clear. She’d already set the line, so going over for dinner wouldn’t benefit anyone. Victoria wouldn’t be hurt.
“Fine.”
Maybe showing So Rae that Victoria didn’t really care anymore would stop her from bothering Victoria anymore. Besides he didn’t quite understand why So Rae kept trying to cause trouble. Victoria had already submitted to their wants.
/\_____/\
There was that thought that he shouldn’t be there with her, that he didn’t belong there walking with her. Still, he liked the feel of her hanging against his arm holding him tightly as if they were really a couple in love. As if they were real.
They stopped every once in a while at a food stall to buy snacks before continuing to walk the streets of Seoul. Victoria stopped by a window display of neat ancient antiques. Her eyes seemed far away even if her smile was near.
“My grandma loved these kind of things,” Victoria explained, “but we always had financial difficulties that she was never able to get anything for herself.”
She turned to look at him. The stare in her eyes carried of this kind of feeling of trust as if she wanted to share something deep.
“I was a rogue who ran the streets,” Victoria said, “and always caused trouble for her.”
“I’m sure she’s proud, though, to see that you’ve changed,” Kyuhyun comforted.
Jail must have been difficult. There must have been a story behind the drug trafficking she had been involved with. However, he chose not to say anymore.
“Lets go. You’ll be late for dinner.”
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