chapter 16
Baby, it's you.
-La Petite Maison-
‘omo…this is perfect!’
I was walking behind omma and her close friend Mrs. Kim and even if I wasn’t really included in their conversation about the house or rather manor we were in I couldn’t agree more to what they said…it was indeed very beautiful, if I could describe perfection it would be here in this house and the grounds that surrounds it.
Le Manoir du Buisson Perron…was heaven and it was one of the Château’s for rent found in France, my parents and Mr. and Mrs. Kim wanted to rent it for a couple of days to have some corporate meetings in a more relaxed environment. I met the Kim’s yesterday at dinner and they were a very loving Korean couple who’s in the textile and wine industry, Mr. Kim and appa went to the same college together and they were close friends. They were a delight to be with and I like Mrs. Kim very much, she was a happy person like omma and I needed to be surrounded by happy and positive persons for I couldn’t be happy as of the moment. The Kim’s were in New York for their business expansion both in New York and in France for their wine and textile business and appa was handling their transactions and the likes, so here we are in the middle of Loire Valley, in a beautiful 18th century manor house which was too beautiful and too perfect for words.
‘do you like it here Alyssa-ah?’ Mrs. Kim asked me with a smile as she was sitting on the couch with my mother.
‘its so beautiful…ne, its very pretty here.’
‘your daughter has very good taste Lauren’ she told my mother.
Omma smiled and nodded ‘alyssa has this fascination for century old houses…she was in Seoul a couple of months back and loved our houses there.’
‘then she would love to visit our family home…come visit us sometime…’
I could only nod and smile in agreement for I really didn’t have any plans of going back to Seoul…not in the near future. Though I admit I miss seeing my friends, but I cant see them now, not now when the pain is too fresh, maybe someday I can go back, maybe someday I can see them again. I was looking outside the window and marveled at the beauty the grounds of the manor had to offer, if only I would allow myself to dream…to dream that walking at the front steps of this magnificent house was the man of my dreams, but I would only be fooling myself I don’t even know why he’s in France.
‘your son…I haven’t seen him since yesterday, where is he?’ I could hear omma ask Mrs. Kim, I didn’t know that they had a son…please don’t let it be one of omma’s obvious matchmaking attempts…she’s never good at it anyway.
Mrs. Kim laughed ‘he’ll be here in a couple of minutes, he’ll join us in time for lunch…he was driving our husbands earlier.’
I was about to ask to be excused when I saw a familiar figure got out of the car, despite the distance my heart still recognized him…is kim ryeowook stalking me?!
It was like he appeared from nowhere yesterday and now he’s here in Loire Valley?? This is too much of a coincidence already…wait, Mrs. Kim had a son, no…it cant be, it just couldn’t be like this. He probably met my parents yesterday when I left the hotel…did our parents know about our ‘relationship’? were they playing cupids?? I looked at our mothers who were happily chatting about architectural design while sipping tea, they looked innocent enough, but how can he be here? Is it all just mere coincidence? Or is fate pitting us together so we could have a chance to work things out??
‘aish! So confusing!!’ I whispered as I turned my back on our mothers and decided to observe a particular spot in the window pane that I suddenly found interesting.
I could hear the butler’s footsteps from the foyer and I knew if I would turn my head right now I would definetly see kim ryeowook’s smiling face and I’ll be tempted to hear him out and believe his lies again…when will I ever learn?! Isn’t one heartbreak enough?
‘annyeong haseyo omma, Mrs. Park…I’m sorry if I’m a bit late…traffic was terrible and I got lost on my way here.’ I heard wookie say, I so wanted to look at him but forced myself to study that spot on the windowpane rather than look at him talking to our mothers…a cold shoulder didn’t really hurt anyone and he deserves more than that anyway.
‘gwaenchenayo? Are you hungry? We could have food prepared now’ Mrs. Kim said ‘oh and have you met Alyssa Park? She’s their only daughter…’
‘oh yes…wookie-ah, you guys didn’t meet yesterday for she was out exploring France and you weren’t around for dinner. Alyssa, honey…come here.’ Omma said
I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath…these ahjummas should really stop meddling with the love life of the younger generation, its not really helpful. If I could run and hide myself in another part of this planet I would but I wasn’t raised as a coward…I slowly turned around and plastered a what I hope would pass off as a polite and cordial smile to this moron sitting near my mother.
‘annyeong haseyo…’
He stood up with a hint of amusement in those cute eyes of his that had my heart beat about a thousand miles per minute…
‘annyeong haseyo jagiya…so we meet again’ he said as he took my hand and kissed it ‘mianhe for leaving you abruptly yesterday, I had things to attend to’
Wait…what?! I thought…he doesn’t look and act like the same man I know, well yes his hands were as cold as ice and they were sweaty because of nervousness but he didn’t usually act so bold infront of everyone, now why the hell is putting on a show infront of our unknowing parents?
‘what are you doing you moron!’ I whispered
He just gave me a smile and turned to our mothers while still holding my hand ‘omma, Mrs. Park…Alyssa and I would like to tell you that we’re already a couple…we met in Seoul months ago.’
Right then and there I forced myself not to wring his neck in front of his mother and put a stake thru his heart, for he almost gave our mothers heart attack the moment he made that announcement. Omma just looked at me with a million question in her eyes, while Mrs. Kim was fanning her face furiously with a napkin.
‘you didn’t have to be so bold in announcing it!’ I squealed at him as I gave both our mothers a glass of water and massaged their backs ‘what were you thinking??’
‘I want them to know the truth…simple as that jagiya…’ he said with a grin
‘don’t call me jagiya...’
Omma and Mrs. Kim suddenly took my hand and gave me weird smiles and I thought the whole world just crashed before my eyes when Mrs. Kim asked me a question…
‘when are you guys going to announce your engagement? We want grandkids…’
Please…not another madness.
*an*
Le Petite Maison is found in the grounds of Le Manoir du Buisson Perron in France…check out the pictures…I decided to use the setting because it looked perfect for the story...this chapter will have a 2nd part so watch for it. keep the comments coming guys...and thank you so much for the support.
http://chambresorg.ereserveltd.netdna-cdn.com/links/images/9/37089-medium_photo7.jpg
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