TWO CUPS OF RAMEN
THE FIVE ROYAL CANDIDATES
NARRATOR’S P.O.V
No one knew what was happening but Teddy, Seven, and Kush were told by the empress to finish the audition without Jiyong so they did. But Jiyong was asked to come with the empress and this worried him so much that he thought that he’ll pass out in front of the empress herself.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to bite. I’ll just explain to you what’s going on exactly; you’re bound to know about this sooner or later anyways.” she said to him while she grabbed onto his harm like a couple. “Act natural. Just go to your office and change. You’ll be recognized right away if you go out the building looking like a supermodel.” she said to him as they went to his office. Luckily for them, nobody was nearby since everyone was on their lunch break.
“Yes your majesty.” he nodded at her while she waited for him outside of his office. She sat on the sofa right outside his office and read magazines to kill time.
“Are you almost done?” she asked using informal language. “I’m hungry.”
Inside the office, Jiyong was freaking out because the empress is waiting for him.
“I think I’m the only person that made the empress wait.” he murmured to himself as he finished buttoning his pants. “I’m done your majesty.” he announced as the door opened.
“Good.” she nodded and smiled at him. “Now, let’s go to the Imperial Hotel. We need to be discreet so I’ll give you my personal cardkey to my own suite.”
“Neh?” he asked, confused, as she handed him her cardkey.
“At exactly 12:30 pm, I expect you to get out of this building and head towards the hotel. Talk to no one. Just head on the elevators and press the 21st floor. There, you’ll have to swipe the cardkey and you’ll have to ring the doorbell. Once you do, punch in the numbers: 148326. We’ll be eating together for lunch and I’ll explain to you what is exactly going on.”
GD’S P.O.V
The empress left me alone with all the instructions as I waited for the clock with the utmost patience to strike to six so it could be 12:30 already.
“Jiyong, what’s going on exactly?” Kush hyung opened the door as I paced back and forth while glancing at the clock and watch.
“I have no idea. But I trust that all of you will finish everything here right? I really need to meet up with the Empress because we need to discuss some important things.” I explained as the long hand of the clock finally landed on the six. “Got to run!” I said to them as I grabbed my keys from the key holder and my jacked from the jacket stand.
I don’t know what’s going on but I’m so freaking nervous right now!
***
I finally arrived at the hotel and was greeted by the valet. I gave him my keys and gave him a tip since she said to not talk to anyone. I felt so left out because the people getting out of the cars were wearing branded clothes with expensive looking accessories while I was wearing pants, a plain white shirt, and a black leather jacket paired with Vans shoes and necklace with a cross pendant.
I went straight to the elevator as instructed and pushed the 21st floor. When the elevator finally arrived at the floor, I swiped the cardkey as directed and punched in the number combinations she gave me. Finally, the door opened and was greeted by no one but a huge hallway with paintings of previous Emperors and Empress of the nation. From both the hallway walls, the paintings were very well-painted and only decorated with the finest wood and cared with the utmost care.
“Your Majesty? Are you here?” I asked and heard no one. When I was about to turn to the right since it’s the only way out of the hallway, I saw a painting of the empress in her coronation gown from last year’s coronation. “She is so majestic.” I commented to myself.
“Why thank you.” I jumped as I shrieked. I probably looked pathetic in front of the empress since I shrieked like a little girl and was clutching my clothes against my chest. At least I heard her giggle during the process. “Your majesty.” I bowed at her as I heard her giggle.
“No need to call me that.” she said as I followed her in the living room. The suite was so majestic and elegant with all the antique furniture and the intricate design of the walls. “Call me by my name from now on.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head as she offered a seat. She sat down first as I sat down onto the adjacent to her sofa.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush Mr. Kwon but you are one of the candidates that could possibly my future husband and my consort. You are the first one that I’ve met so far and I find you very interesting.” she wasn’t kidding when she said that she wasn’t going to beat around the bush.
“Me? But I’m not qualified to be your Prince consort, your majesty.” I argued as I gulped.
“Really? Well, then, give me five good reasons of how you’re not qualified for the position.” she raised her chin a little which made me sweat bullets. Just by looking at her is so intimidating already. Just imagine what would it be like if I married her― having seizures while we sleep together?
“Well… I’m an actor.”
“It will be good if you are known to the public because you are, somewhat, connected to the public.” she immediately countered my first reason.
“I’m… I drink.” How lame!
“I do too.”
“I… I make songs for a living.”
“I sing during my free time and if I got it right, you are the son of a noble family and from a conglomerate family right? You don’t have to work at all.”
“Well, why me?” I finally gave up and just asked her with a straight face.
“Because I need to make sure that the person that I will be with for the rest of my life is someone I could count on when running a country, in this case, an empire. Someone decent so the Parliament won’t judge my decision of consort. And last but not the least, you are good-looking.”
Right after she said the last part, she avoided my eyes for a little bit as I smirked to myself because I just made the empress blush.
“Anyways, I hope you don’t mind eating ramen. It’s all I could find here at the suite.”
“I’d love to eat it.” we both chuckled as she handed me a cup of ramen noodle cup and a kettle filled with hot water.
I thought I did something really bad but it turned out, it’s just her telling me that I’ll probably be her husband. But how about my own happiness? Will I find it with her?
***
“So what’s your plan?” I asked as we walked in front of the south gate of the palace.
“I don’t know. The final decision is on me but I’ll inform you of what might happen during the next few days. But for now, I hope you don’t say anything to anyone and I’m also hoping that your friends won’t say a single word to anyone either.”
“What will happen if they do?” I gulped and thought of the worst case scenario in my head.
“They will charged with treason and it’s hard to win a case against the court, let alone the imperial family.” she subtly answered which made me even more nervous.
“You can count on it.”
“What’s my name?”
“Da… Dara.” I hesitated at first but I figured I have to get used to it if she will be a part of my life for a short period of time or the opposite of short, anyways.
“You have my number. I called you while you were in the restroom in the suite. I already saved it and I hope to talk to you the next time.” she smiled which made me hot inside.
“It was nice talking to you Dara.” we both chuckled.
“Just to inform you: you are very nice and kind. You are really one of the candidates that I really would like to know more of.”
“Thank you.”
“Anyways, I have to go. Mother and Bom unnie are probably dying of anxiety already. It’s already seven in the evening yet I’m still outside.”
“Goodbye and I’ll see you again soon.” I smiled at her and leaned closer for a kiss on the cheek. “Might as well get used to that if ever.” I slyly said as I ran towards my car and left. But before driving far, I made sure that she was inside the palace grounds as I watched her from the rearview mirror. I smiled when I caught her feeling her cheeks and smiling.
“Aigoo! What’s gotten into me?” I wondered as I got home. I hope this works.
EMPRESS DARA’S P.O.V
“He’s nice.” I answered my cousin as she grunted.
“Please tell me that you slept with him.” she whispered to me as I stopped playing the piano.
“NO!!!” I profusely shook my head which made it more suspicious. I felt my cheeks getting hot as I heard a shriek from her.
“You did it!”
“No we didn’t. We kissed and that’s it.” I explained as she gasped.
“I was trying to get you but I didn’t know that you would actually… OH MY GOD!” she was hyperventilating as I heard mother giggle from across my music room.
“It’s the first meeting but it felt good and I felt safe.” I bit my lower lip as I heard her gasp once more. She literally turned me around and suddenly hugged me.
“My little cousin is really grown up.” she teased as I pushed her off me a little.
“There’s more guys on the list and I’m sure that they are probably worthy to be in the list too.”
“I don’t care who she ends up with but I just want grandkids.” mother commented as we both gasped at her.
“AUNTY!”
“MUM!”
“Just saying.” she shrugged as she continued tuning her bamboo flute.
“Oh well. Let’s just play and get this music appreciation over with.” Bom unnie suggested as I played the piano.
Kwon Jiyong, why did you have to kiss me on the cheeks?
(THANK YOU FOR READING AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS LIKED IT! I HOPE THAT EVERYONE WHO READS THIS COMMENT AND I HOPE THEY ARE NOT MEAN THINGS. BUT PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AS WELL. OH! THIS IS A PART OF THE WHIRLWIND ROMANCE THAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN SO BEAR WITH ME HERE AND THE CHAPTERS WILL GET BETTER AS PROMISED!)
I'm sorry guys! I was busy with raising my children. Anyways, I'm looking for someone who can make a national anthem for Dara. Thanks!
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