Kim Jongwoon does not have patience. With his luck, he was stuck in a train for god knows how many more hours. All because he listen to his overly cheerful travel agent, ‘take the train’ she said ‘ much faster, no worry about driving on the other side of the road, and no traffic to worry about.’ He had left a paying job and flown across land and water to England. With the arrival of two letters a phone call and a small amount of curiosity he found himself on a plane. The promise of a sudden inheritance and the perks of being on a different country away from the man that had played him seemed like the perfect excuse to get away. Only the plan had backfired, and now he was stuck!  

It’s a good thing that Jongwoon always has a plan B. It consisting of him to hire a rental car and drive the next couple of miles, but again with his lack of luck half of the other passengers had beat him to it. Feeling desperate he tried calling his lawyer Mr. Lee, but he lacked a phone charger and a phone card. He was trying his best not to throw the device on the floor and smashing it to pieces.

“Having trouble?” A smooth British voice asked.

Jongwoon turned and stared at bright blue he’s seen since his ex-fiance, he was from South Carolina which explains his english . “ Yes, its this damn phone. There is no instructions!”  He felt like crying, this was so unfair, and he knew. Directions came in half- a- dozen other languages.

“Oh!” the woman laughed startling him from his thoughts. “ American, are you?” No im korean speaking english! he thought. “ Use your credit card. You do have one don’t you?” She lifted a hand, that was a little too close to him in his opinion, and pointed at the signs with familiar words. If he wasn't so engrossed in his frustration he would have never noticed them.

Mr. Lee or “Onew” as the secretary said it, wasn't in. “ He’ll be in at about nine- thirty. I’ll tell him you called Mr. Kim.” Well that went well, so much for thinking that he could help him.

“Need a ride?” Blue eyes had stayed behind while he was calling. “ No, thank you.”

“I’m driving into surrey, perhaps I could drop you off somewhere?”

He remembered his Gran’s warning about about pretty girls with smirks. “ Thank you, im fine.” He started to walk away. “ Don’t trust me?” she said with a grin that completely showed how amused she was by the thought. “ No.” He had learned from a very young age that pretty girls like her that look innocent were rotten to the core on the inside, especially the ones with plastic eyes and shallow eyes.  

The smiling clerk at the Travelers’ Aid suggested she take a coach to a place with the name of ‘ Leatherhead’ a short distance from Brigham. Jongwoon  though that that things were looking up , and that maybe the ride would be like something out of a movie. But soon he realized that his hopes were too high, and the ride turned out to be just that a long, long ride. The so called ‘express’ bus made alot more stops in the hours passed, and Jongwoon being the impatient person he was vowed to walk to his destination the next time something like this happen. But hell nothing like this would ever happen again.  A couple of more minutes passed and he was regretting his decision to not take the lawyers advise and sold the property. He settled back on surprisingly comfortable seat and closed his eyes. Time to to catch up on some sleep, he thought  before being interrupted.

“ Im sorry but i think you are in my seat.” Jongwoon blinked. His neighbor, an middle aged woman, settled with a couple of packages. She had a gracious smile and she chatted while he just listen to the woman narrate her life story. She talked about her son being married, and his son’s wife taste in kitchen decor and how her grandson was a successful football player.It  took Jongwoon a while to figure out that she was talking about soccer, and also learned that Letherhead was one word.

“ Here’s you stop, same as mine.” The woman and Jongwoon got off the bus and now found himself with his luggage on the sidewalk.

“ Someone picking you up?” His companion asked. “ I thought i would take a taxi.”  he said with a small smile. Truth was that he hadn’t thought beyond the bus ride, and had no idea how much longer he had to go. “ I’m going to Brigham.”

“Bring’em” She said and jongwoon had to remember to swallow the ‘h’ like everyone else. She held out a hand, “ My name is Ida. My son will give you a ride. He lives near Brigham. Stanley,” She had said to the man who made his way towards us with a small boy in tow. “ This young man needs needs a ride to Brigham. There is no need for him to spend money on a taxi if we are headed that way.” Stanley took this in his stride. Maybe his mother dragged strangers with her and dump them on him all the time. “ If it’s not too much trouble…” Jongwoon began. He figured he’d be safe from robbers and abductors. After all criminals didn’t have small boys walking behind them.

Stanley grinded. “Nah. We live in East Horsley, it’s on the way.”

Still feeling slightly uncomfortable  Jongwoon said, “ I’ve got luggage.”

“ We’ve plenty of space. I brought the Rolls. It’s mum’s favorite.”  Stanly, with his blue jeans, plain t-shirt, and dark hoodie didn’t quite fit the Rolls-Royce image, but then again he wasn't what he was expecting either. “ Thanks , I’m really grateful. My name is Jongwoon Kim.” He held out his hand. He took it. “ How do you do? Stanley Collins. You’ve met my mum, Ida. And this here is Joey.” Jongwoon smiled at the little boy. “Hello,”  he said through a ball of gum.  

Settled on the butter- soft leather apholstery, Jongwoon appreciated why Ida liked the Rolls. “Beautiful car,” Jongwoon said, while admiring the rosewood dashboard and the soft carpet.

He had said the right thing because next thing she knew Stanley was beaming. “ Best one we have. We keep it for weddings mostly… and picking up mum.” he added with a chuckle. Jongwoon’s jet-lagged mind clicked. “ You rent it out?”

“Right you are! Collins Car Hire. That’s me. If you ever need a car…”

“I do. Like now. Do you have any regular cars?” He leaned over the seat, drowsiness forgotten. Hope shining in his eyes at the promise of transportation.

Stanley grinded. “ Whats a regular car? I’ve a nice little Metro on the lot and a Fiesta due back in Saturday.” Not even thinking Jongwoon answered. “ I’ll take anything you have ready for today.” He would have handed in his money right then and there. Stanley chuckled. “ You Americans make up your minds quickly.” Jongwoon smiled. “No, I made up my mind a while ago. It’s just that the airport rental companies couldn't deliver.” The man grinded. “ Cheers then! Let me drop off mum then ill take you to the shop.”   

The Metro turned out to be a small little red car, something that could easily manage. Stanley called Joey over when he had handed in his drivers license. Apparently a South Korean driver's license was a novelty here. For his address, he gave the one Mr. Lee had written, Orchard House, Brigham. “ Thats all i have. No street or number i’m afraid.” Stanley’s eyebrows almost disappeared under his hair.

“You're living at the Orchard House? You bought it or renting or something?” Jongwoon looked at him with curiosity. “ I’ve inherited it. It was my great aunts’.”

“Sheesh!” Stanley muttered between tight lips, eyes not really meeting his. “ You’re an Underwood?” He said ‘ underwood’ like it was a leach. “ My grandmother was. She died just before Faith Underwood.” Stanley Collins in his cheeks and looked Jongwoon up and down like a second hand car of doubtful provenance. “ I heard there was another sister who ran off with a Korean during the war.” Gran would have laughed. She and Mr. Choi were married in the Grosvenor Chapel with his commanding officer’s blessing, even if Gran’s sisters had had boycotted the ceremony. “ Yup, that was my Grandmother.”  Stanley stood awkwardly inspecting the car’s hood for invisible scratches. “” Mention this to mum did you?” He looked at him confused, “ It never came up. Did she know my aunts?” Stanley shrugged and looked away, “ Everyone knew them. Interesting old ladies but you’d know that.”  Jongwoon shook his head. “ Never met them. And Grand never came back after she married.” He looked straight at him for twenty long seconds. “ Good luck to you then. Now how long would you you be wanting the car?”

They agreed on two weeks, or what Stanley called a fortnight and jongwoon drove off with the directions to Brigham scribbled on the back of an old envelope. As he drove he wondered about the man’s words as he maneuvered the narrow lanes, trying to remember to stay on the left. He was so concentrated that when a black sports car raced paced her with two inches to spare from her, she had grasped her chest in shock. Had renting a car been such a good idea with drivers like that on the narrow roads?

Stanley’s directions had gotten him to Bigham in fifteen minutes, it was parking the damn car that took him more than twice the time to find a parking space along the crowded street. When he was finally settled he decided to continue on foot. Jongwoon looked around in fasciation by the narrow street and old buildings. He looked at Mr. Lee’s address Mayburn House, 29 High Street. That shouldn’t be too hard to find. He followed a narrow alley that would lead him to the High Street, when he noticed a sign on the fence, “ Have you paid and displayed?”

“Paid and displayed what?” Jongwoon muttered to himself, he wasn't sure what it meant, but what he was reminded of was something not suitable for young minds.

“ American?” A cheery voice announced. Jongwoon turned. A young woman that was. Jongwoon turned and nodded, “ You're suppose to pay.” She led Jongwon to a yellow machine. “ I don’t have change, I guess ill just have to take my chances.” He said. “ You can’t do that! The fine is fifty pounds!” Fifty pounds?!  She had to be kidding. Seventy or eighty dollars for a parking fine. He wondered how much it was for a speeding. To make things worse the smallest he had was ten pounds. Nonetheless five minutes later he had a bunch of unnecessary change and now was making his way back to the car so that he could ‘display.’

Mayburn house wasn’t the gracious Georgian structure she’d expected, but a yellow brick building. The letter looked like a liquor store. A brass plate by the door announced ‘ Woodrow, Heartscomb, and Lee. Solicitors & Commissioners for Oaths.’

At the top of the narrow stairs stood a door that was ajar. “ I’d like to see Mr. Lee” Jongwoon said as he pushed the door open. The secretary glanced up from the typewriter, flicked her purple nails and asked, “ do you have an appointment ?”

“ Mr. Lee is expecting me.” the secretary seemed bored. “ You need an appointment.” she said tapping her artificial nails. That did it for Jongwoon, he snapped.  He walked over to the desk planted both hands on it and lean in, so that they were at a very close proximity. “ My name is Jongwoon Kim. I flew in this morning, the flight not being a pleasant one. Mr. Lee is expecting me. I wrote to him and left him a message this morning. Tell. Him. Im. Here.” the secretary blinked her impossibly long lashes, pulled her shoulders back and pursed . “ I’ll see if he’s in,” she said, got up and walked across to the inner office.

Muffled voices sounded through the closed door. Jongwoon regretted his temper but gave Lee five minutes before she pushed open the door. he looked  around the room, everything looked like it was hiding secrets from World War I. “ Mr. Kim, I’m delighted to meet you at last. I’m Jinki Lee but please call me Onew.”  Jongwoon’s image of the lawyer broke, Expecting a old man with graying hair. Smooth manicured hand extended, Jinki Lee looked down on him, all 6 foot 1 of him, with bedroom eyes and a smile that could melt butter. “ You had a good flight, i trust,” he said in a too-smooth voice. “ Not really, but then again everything that happened afterwards was just as or worse.” The man smiled, “ Yes, yes i got your message. Terrible. If you’d only left  a number, I could have sent someone for you.”

“Its hard to take return calls at a payphone.” He showed pristine white teeth  when he smiled. “ Never mind. You’re here now. That’s what matters and we have a lot of business to discuss.” He closed the door behind him, “ You’ve met my secretary Luna.” Luna smiled and Jongwoon decided that it was best to forgive and forget. “ It’s a bit late to ask Luna to make coffee. Perhaps you’d rather a spot of lunch?” He could use more than a ‘spot.’ The clock said two.  His body was still at breakfast time with scant sleep. “ Lunch would be very nice.” He said. “ We’ll be at the Barley Mow,” He told Luna as he took Jongwoon’s elbow. “ Uncle?” the inner door panel opened. Onew drew in his reath. Jongwoon felt his jaw drop. The woman from the airport stood in the doorway. “Hello,” she said and smiled. Onew didn’t. “We’re just going out Jessica. I’ll talk to you when i get back.” Then as if remembering Jongwoon , he added, “ My niece, Jessica.” Reluctance showed on Onew’s face.

“We’ve met,” Jongwoon replied. “ Jessica helped me out with a pay phone at the airport.” Jessica’s eyebrows rose, slowly. “ I wish I could join you for lunch,” She said with a slight smirk. “ So do we Jessica. But i know you got things to do. See you later.” Onew opend the door wide, Jongwoon stepped outside and he slammed the door shut. “ The  Barley Mow is our local down on the village green. It’s just a short walk , not worth taking a car.” He said as he went to cross the road. “ Might as well drive. I have to move my car. I only paid for an hour.” Onew knitted his eyebrows, “ You have a car?”  Jongwoon noded. “ Yes, its a rental.”  

The Barley Mow stood on the edge of the village green just yards from a wide pond that edge onto the lane. Onew lead him through the pub. “ Alf.” he said to the man behind the bar, “ This is Jongwoon, the Misses Underwood’s great- nephew. He came over to see about the settling of the estate.” He smiled, “ Hi Alf.” He nodded, “ Afternoon.” Alf looked up from counting money and smiled at Jongwoon. “ What can i get you?” Before he could answer Onew spoked up. “ Two ploughman’s please Alf.”  Onew turned to Jongwoon and said, “ You’ll like this, it’s the pub’s specialty.” He would , would he? Irritation pricked down his spine. He hadn’t bothered to ask him before he ordering. And what the hell was he expecting him to eat? Meat, if the plates on the table were anything to go by . “What’s a ploughman’s?” Jongwoon asked , pointedly looking at Alf. His mouth twitched, “ American, are you?” Alf half paused, “ It’’s a pub standard: bit of salads, pickle, a chunk of baguette, and Cheddar, Stilton or ham depending on your choice.” That was something, he could have a good lunch without explaining or justifying his reluctance to eat meat. “ Two Cheddar ploughman’s,” Onew went on, sounding a little irritated at his interruption. “ Actually I’d prefer Stilton Alf,” Jongwoon said. Alf’s smile broaden to a grin “ Right you are.”

He gave Jongwoon a distinctly interested look as he turned to call the order through a hatch behind him. Jongwoon rested his leg on the rail at the bar, and her elbows on top of the counter. Jet lag snapped his energy.  Bossy lawyers was no help to his mood. Food on the other hand, that was another story.

“ A pint of bitter too, Alf.” Onew turned to Jongwoon, “ How about you? G and T?  White wine?” He shook his head, “ Guinness, please.”   

“ Right you are.” Alf filled a heavy glass mug with great care, settling the head just right, rested the glass mug on a towel to take up drips , then set it on a coaster. Jongwoon sipped , drinking through the foamy head. The tase took him back to the evenings he used to spend sitting next to his grandmother, enjoying the light breeze. Something pinch his heart as he remembered those times. He took a deep breath and met Onew’s eyes. “ Great,” he said “ grandmother was right, it does taste better over here.”

“ Thats because your people mess with it, changing the alcoholic content among other things.” Alf wiped a couple of drips from the bar top. “ Staying long, are you?” Onew tapped his elbow. “ We’ve got business to cover. Let’s go sit in a booth.” Irritated, Jongwoon followed him. Suppose he’d preferred to stay at the bar. Had Mr.lee thought about that? He had a hard time from trying not to make a face at his broad shoulders.

They sat in a cozy booth right next to a window that has open, letting the scented breeze. The scent sent took him back to Gran’s piazza overlooking the garden. That was also one of the reasons he had for coming here. “ Onew,” He said “ I’d like to see my house after lunch.” He almost choked on a mouthful of bitter. “ I’m afraid thats not possible,” He replied after finishing his cough fit. “ I only have one key. Siwon has it. I asked him to value the house. He’s a local estate agent,very reputable, I’d recommend him to handle the sale.”

“ Can’t you get it back?” Jongwoon looked across his smooth eyes. They didn’t quite meet his. “ How about in the morning. It gets dark early and there is no electricity in there.” Alf arrived with two plates overflowing with salad, a slab of cheese, pickles relishes, and a small loaf. The food smelled amazing compared to the plastic food he had been given on the airplane. “ You didn’t say how long you were staying.” Jongwoon looked up  from buttering a hunk of bread. “ I’m not sure.” Again he thought how stupid he was for not planning anything out. “ I’ve booked you for a bed and breakfast. It’s here in the village, i’ll take you after lunch.” He had, had he. “ I’d planned on staying in my house.” Onew’s eyebrows wrinkled. He smiled. “ Well, you could… But there is no electricity or gas and the water is turned off. I know how you Americans like your creature comforts.” “ We do. But i came here to see my property.” Onew put a lot of effort in his smile, it was almost believable. “ I wasn’t sure what you would want to do first. Therefore the house is not habitable right now. Your great- aunts were the local eccentrics, I’m afraid. I think you’ll be more comfortable at the Bed and Breakfast. If not, there is a good country hotel over in Bookham.”

“ I’ll stay in Brigham,” he did not come all this way just to end up miles down the road. “ Suppose I take you over there after lunch? Leave you to get settled, unpacked and whatever it is you do. In the morning, we can meet at my office and sign a few things that need taking care of. I’ll have the key then. We can go over the house and find out what Siwon thinks.” Reasonable enough. Every muscle ached and his head throbbed. A whole day on a jet- lagged stomach was not his brightest idea.

After lunch Onew handed him a key, said it was so that he could let himself in to the house. When Jongwoon arrived he knocked, even if he did have the key, he did not want to seem rude. But it seemed that there was no one in, so he let himself in. Overcoming the odd sensation that he was intruding in the house in its owner’s absence, Jongwoon explored. This was his idea of an English country cottage: oak furniture, polished brass, open fireplaces, a spotless kitchen overlooking a neat back garden and a narrow, dark stairway hidden behind a door in the dining room. After hanging her clothes in the corner closet and placing the rest in the carved oak dresser, Jongwoon showered off the grime of travel and made a cup of coffee using the kettle and rose- decorated china in his room. Too weary to finish it, he crawled between the lavender scented sheets and slept the afternoon away.
 

Hey you read this!

This is long and its not even half the first chapter but no worries ill have the second part up soon.  Sorry it took long to post but since i couldn't really do anything scince i don't have Word on my computer and im too cheap to buy office. I'm using Google docs to type up the story. And updating on my phone is not and option.

Also i know that there is some words that are hard to undestand, I tried to make it a little more simple to understand but You can count on me tho ask me if you don't understand something or If you do not wish to speak to me ask google then.

Oh, and by the way I should probably make it clear now that i don't hate any of the characters in fact im a big fangirl. Because yes some of these Characters you might come to hate. And you may have notice some of the names are ot korean, well you'll find out why i couldn't get myself to put kpop artist to them. But then again the story is taking place in Englan and it would be wiered if all of the characters had korean names don't you think.

So anyways I know Kyuhyun hasn't made his aperience just yet, i'm sorry But he will come up soon.

Until next time, Bye guys.

Yeoja16