4
Their Kingdom Panorama
Victoria’s ears deafened for a minute while her mind ran loose. She needed to think fast and act fast or else she’d really die.
“Excuse me!” a voice called.
They turned to see a part time worker in a red and yellow outfit with a red hat walk toward them a tray in his hands.
“Would you like to try a free donut?” he asked.
A smirk arrived on Victoria’s face and she raised her hand. “Me.”
As the man walked toward her she could feel the two men pull back little by little. Relief flooded her system as she rushed out, grabbed a donut, and ran down the walk pushing people out of the way.
“Ai…yah!!” people screamed at her.
However, none of those mattered at the minute. She just needed to escape. Halfway down the block Victoria remembered the thief she’d met yesterday and that she’d certainly handed him the necklace.
“That’s right!” she clapped her hands together. “I just need to find him…”
Lost in the crowd Victoria picked up a newspaper from the poll and carefully looked around before hiding her face inside it. Doing so Victoria found herself skimming the headline inside.
“Bang In Tak murdered in public courtyard.”
“What?” Victoria found herself asking aloud.
A large frown creased her forehead as she lowered the paper and discovered her name in the interview.
“Tsh…is this how they found me? Do they work under a supreme leader?” Victoria asked then cocked her head. “Yes…it’d be possible…couldn’t it? The wealthy rules…”
She turned back to the paper.
“How do I find that thief?”
Victoria thought for quite a while before she leaned toward the man next to her.
“Where’s this church?”
/\_____/\
Donghae looked up and around. The protruding tower of the white cathedral was so unique that Donghae had to look up a few times in order to capture its view. Brand new cars belonging to the rich had been parked all over in lots and along the street. He felt left out because among ever other neatly dressed gentlemen and women he was the only one in casual wear.
Along the green lawn guests seated themselves at tables to chat or cry and mourn over the passed Bang In Tak.
The cathedral was larger than he had thought. Its wide doors led into a large assembly hall with rows and rows of neatly polished benches. A high cross hung on the brick wall with the drapes held back so sunlight could shine in. As to what was on the other side Donghae wasn’t sure.
He crept in among the crowd being careful to remain discreet. He recognized Bang So Rae’s face by heart. She was a beauty too smart for politics and business. The perfect princess to steal into a kingdom. Just the thought of it made his fan boy heart race.
“You can’t pass here,” a security guard’s voice propped up.
Donghae looked up at him and tried to walk into the cathedral only to be pushed out with the guard’s arm.
“Oh why!” Donghae whined. “I just want to pay my respects to Mr. Bang! Can I not?”
The guard overlooked Donghae’s outfit before Donghae realized that his attire was probably the problem.
“Look here…do you stereotype by outfits? My father could be the CEO of a shopping mall but I still dress like this.” Donghae tried.
The guard’s gaze never changed.
Donghae scrunched up his face into a scowl, “Ok, so maybe that’s a lie but I’m telling you I’m here for something important. I need to have this done by today or else there are people I know who will kill me to get their hands on this!”
The guard nodded his head and waved Donghae away allowing a pair of fashionistas to pass through.
“This is important! Really!!” Donghae stomped his feet. “Mr. Bang entrusted this mission to me!”
“Please leave.”
Donghae shook his shoulders in a loss and turned around to walk away only to immediately turn back and run through. The guard grabbed his hood and pulled him back.
“If you don’t leave I’ll have to call the cops.” the guard calmly warned.
Donghae frowned, “I’m telling you this is important! I need to see Bang So Rae!!”
The guard ignored him and started calling the cops.
“Yah!” Donghae tried again when the guard grabbed his arm.
“Please come with me,” the guard instructed.
Donghae tried to pull back but the guard’s hold was too strong. In the end Donghae ended up yelling as he crossed the lawn, “Yah! If you tell them I’m the Lee Donghae in the interview they should know who I am!! I have something important! Important!!”
“Put him down,” a female voice ordered.
The guard and Donghae turned to see a woman in a formal black dress standing nearby. A woman with mid length hair stood beside her with an expressionless face.
“Miss…” the guard started.
“Didn’t you hear her?” Donghae challenged.
The guard stared at him before releasing him, bowed to So Rae, and walked back to his position. Donghae watched him victoriously and turned back to So Rae. It was just as he imagined. She definitely looked prettier in person.
Her face was small with white clear skin, big brown eyes, and brown hair that reached her shoulders. In his head he could see her already smiling at him.
“Lee Donghae, you said that was your name?” So Rae asked.
Jumping back to reality Donghae realized that So Rae was with no other than a sturdy face expression ready for business deals.
“Ah…yes,” Donghae nodded. “I’m Lee Donghae. I was at the scene yesterday…”
“I’m aware of that. Thank you,” So Rae nodded. “You said you had something important?”
“Uh…yes.” Donghae was beginning to feel more insecure for some reason.
So Rae turned to her assistant, “You can go now.”
Her personal assistant bowed respectfully with graceful movement before walking away. Donghae felt himself stiffen up as So Rae turned back to look at him.
“Should we go somewhere private?” she asked.
“No, I’ll make this quick,” Donghae insisted then reached into his pocket. “Your uncle…before he passed…he instructed me to give this to Miss So Rae.”
So Rae stared down at the jewelry box calmly but she never reached for it. Donghae wondered if anything was bothering her or if the box was bringing memories of her uncle’s last moments.
“Is something wrong?” Donghae questioned after a long silence.
So Rae seemed to snap out from her hypnosis, “Thank you.”
Donghae watched as she grabbed onto the jewelry box and held onto it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He didn’t understand why she had such a negative attitude toward the necklace. Shouldn’t she have shouted in joy that the necklace had been brought back safely? Why act like it didn’t matter at all?
Deciding not to dwell in such matters Donghae walked down the street and crossed a few blocks ready to head back for a snack when someone came whizzing by pushing him aside. Stumbling back trying to fight for his balance Donghae could feel his arms wind in circles through the air.
“Yah!” a female voice shouted.
Landing against a building with his back he shook his head free of dizziness before he turned to see a tall figure with long hair run toward him. So Rae? No, So Rae’s hair was not that long.
“We need to go! I need to talk to you!” Victoria suddenly told putting both hands on his frail shoulders.
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